Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

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Forever Fishing
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Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Forever Fishing »

After the major wind storms blew through on Friday I was worried that the usually windy Fayette Reservoir would be a total blow out. The weather man was right in his prediction at launch time as the wind was NE about 5 mph with an air temp of about 45 degrees. KATS was having their big Kayak Tournament (53 anglers) and there was a power boat tournament getting started as well. Lot's of pressure on the small lake over the past few weekends as tournaments ramp up for the spring bite. However, that lake has been producing some beautiful fish for me pretty consistently the last year or two.

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The tournament launch horn sounded and the yakkers were off to their destinations. My Hobie peddle drive gave a couple of strong thumps and the next thing I knew I wasn't going anywhere and there was very little to no resistance on the mirage drive. Pull it up and sure enough I sheered the metal mast which holds the turbo fins to the drive. Hoping the sponsor had some repair parts I paddle back to shore. No luck on parts. Oh well I still know how to use a paddle.

Set out to execute my fish catching plan and as I paddled towards my starting spot I notice no less than 5 yakkers in the cove I was destined for. I opt to drift from a main lake point into an adjacent cove. About 30 minutes into the trip my fish finder stops functioning. I mean it just dies. Tested out perfectly the night before but now... nothing. I was fishing shallow but hoped to utilize the FF for the deeper stuff once the temperature rose. That part of my plan was in serious jeopardy. It'll be just like the old days where you just have to feel the depth. I'll worry about that later.

Within 30 minutes I catch a decent fish on a Texas rigged worm and get him photographed and released. I wasn't bothered much by the equipment failures and didn't let it get to me. It's just fishing and we all know that stuff happens when you're out on the water. But, putting that first fish on the board helped my attitude a great deal!
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A bit later heading back to the mouth of the cove I decide to try flipping some heavy timber and a few patches of cattails to no avail. As I get closer to the point I decided to cast my flipping stick towards a lay down and swim that jig past with a craw tail on and BAM! Land my second fish and proceed to catch 2 more within the next fifteen minutes or so.
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Moved towards the cove I wanted to start in and there wasn't anyone there. I work the banks for a bit with no luck. A boat comes by and hooks a good fish on a crank bait in the middle of the channel. They lose it and then another. I decide to work that channel and as soon as I start feeling the bottom my swim bait gets nailed by another decent fish. Photo and release. Pick up a couple of more decent fish following the creek channel towards some spawning grounds. I know I'm in the running to place in the the tournament but I'm sure I don't have enough to win. I need a kicker fish. Sure enough I eventually hook something bigger than the last couple of fish. She pulls some drag and gives me a pretty good sleigh ride for a fresh water fish. After 3 jumps and some awesome head shakes I land a 22.25 fish. She wins me big bass of the tournament and puts $175 in my pocket for the pleasure. SWEET!
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After checking in the memory card from my camera I chit chat with some of the anglers (most of these guys are from Austin). Enjoy a beer, a cold burrito and load up my gear. They call us together and have a raffle which I was fortunate to win a really nice kayaking PFD! Sweet! Then they announce the winners and I end up in 2nd place with 100.5 inches in the Pro Division. So big bass and 2nd place put a few hundred bucks in my pocket plus a new PFD. I ended the day with 12 fish caught but a few were way to small to measure. Though i ddin't take first place I'd say it was a good day and I'm still riding the high of doing well in my first fresh water tournament!

Here are the results:

Final Results for This Event

Place PRO Final Amateur Final
1st Steve Garcia Phillip Vela
2nd Brice Sanchez Patrick Maske
3rd Matthew Moccia Eric Olivares
4th Marcus Villanueva
5th Keith Bryson

Big Bass
22.25 Brice Sanchez

Pro Division
# First Name Last Name Identifier # Fish # 1 Fish # 2 Fish # 3 Fish # 4 Fish # 5 Total Inches Ranking Points
29 Steve Garcia PF103 21 19.75 21 20.5 20.5 102.75
66 Brice Sanchez PF116 19.75 19.5 21 22.25 18 100.5
39 Matthew Moccia PF132 18.75 19.5 19.5 19.5 19.25 96.5
6 Marcus Villanueva PF127 18 22 17 19 19 95 4 97
16 Keith Bryson PF133 20 20.25 18.25 18.25 18.25 95 5 97

I've never fished a fresh water tournament before and certainly never fished a bass tournament. These guys from ACK did a fantastic job. You know they logged some hours pulling this thing off. Thanks to them and their sponsors for giving us a great excuse to get out and fish.

I had a blessed day and am thankful to God! Whoo Hoo!
A few more pics:
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Last edited by Forever Fishing on Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mythman
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012

Post by Mythman »

Wow, very cold + equipment failure and you still found a way to be in the winners circle..........WTG, Brice! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
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IronTexas
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012

Post by IronTexas »

Mythman wrote:Wow, very cold + equipment failure and you still found a way to be in the winners circle..........WTG, Brice! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
X2 Congrats Bro :clap:
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Crazy Yak »

Congratulations on a job well done, that's an awesome achievement for your 1st Bass tournament! You are always consistently on the fish, no matter the location, weather conditions, or species. Now go get your 5h!t fixed so you can bring home 1st place next time! :D
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txspeck
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by txspeck »

Very Nice!
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Hector
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Hector »

Nice looking bass!
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Fish Aholic
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Fish Aholic »

Congrats bro!!!! I could not be happier for you. :clap: $450 to apply to the fishing account is awesome!
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Crazy Yak »

Fish Aholic wrote: $450 to apply to the fishing account is awesome!

Nah, he should buy something for his wife for letting him go fishing so much!
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shoffer
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by shoffer »

Nice job, Brice. I was out there on Sunday and did not have near the luck you did. Only managed one - even with my Hobie Mirage drive and fishfinder working! :D You must have some mad skills.
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by saltykat »

Congrats Brice those are some chunks :clap: Was the yellow hobie 1st place?
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Forever Fishing »

Thanks for all the positive comments guys! It's really rewarding to do well in a competitive environment. Tourney fishing has it's good and bad points and when you do well it's GOOD! :)

SaltyKat that pic of the yellow yak is my Hobie Adventure. Not a prize by any means but it's a fish catching machine!
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Popper »

Awesome post primo! Congrats Brice.
Forever Fishing wrote:Thanks for all the positive comments guys! It's really rewarding to do well in a competitive environment. Tourney fishing has it's good and bad points and when you do well it's GOOD! :)

SaltyKat that pic of the yellow yak is my Hobie Adventure. Not a prize by any means but it's a fish catching machine!
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by JLINESINKER »

Congrats Brice. Fishing is very mental and you kept your head in the game.
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by limbwalker »

Congrat's on your success.

I live near that lake, and I can't get over how much pressure it gets from tournament and semi-pro anglers, not to mention recreational anglers. I can't believe every 2-3 year old fish in that lake hasn't been caught at least 5 times. They have to have seen everything Academy has to offer at least twice! ha, ha.

Looking to get my 11 year old girl up there soon. Thanks for the encouraging report!

John
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Forever Fishing »

Hey limbwalker I tend to completely agree with you. That lake is an amazing fishery. There are so many bass it's unbelievable. They just keep eating and eating. What a great place to fish pressure and all!
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Shaun »

Great job on the write-up. Steve is a fishing machine. It looks like he is going to be tough to beat this year!
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Re: Fayette County Reservoir 2-25-2012 KATS tourney!

Post by Forever Fishing »

Well he's certainly shown he knows how to catch pre-spawn bass on two different lakes. I heard the conditions on Bastrop were brutal so his back to back first place finishes are strong. Good luck to him and the rest of the field.

I sure wish I were able to attend the entire series! What a blast!
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