With little wind, calm waters and minor motorized boat traffic the day seemed suited for a tournament with a couple of exceptions.
Temperatures were slated to go to near 90 degrees and humidity was high. Sun glancing off the water can burn skin quicker than a hot dog over a hot campfire. Long sleeves and pants with plenty of sunscreen were the order of the day.
The other exception was the mostly covered weed filled lake. Weeds were as thick as a farmers field with hay growing before the first cutting.
This wasn't a matter of throwing and retrieving lures over the tops of weeds. It turned out to be fishing for open holes in weed beds, getting a lure down deep enough as your boat slowly drifted past that hole and hoping for a bite.
I finally figured out some sort of pattern that got me a few bites; probably bluegills or perch. Then I had a good pull that turned out to be an eight-inch largemouth, too long to scale. Back in the water he went to grow up.
When you fish very hot conditions in seemingly impossible water making throw after throw with no luck it becomes easy to lose concentration and let your mind wander.
The higher the sun climbs and the bites not coming you begin to question yourself. I don't really belong here, I brought the wrong tackle, maybe I should retie and try the same baits over again and so it goes.
From each tournament there is something to learn. Ive gained several new things. They may not put me in the wind column but I think they will go a long ways toward boosting my confidence.
left is Jeff Sherwood, winner of tournament 2 in the MKS fishing series. Photo courtesy of Tom Mullins
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