two tournaments two weeks

To all my friends I had to leave behind in washington, I miss you all.

I fished a tournament on Lake Seminole around the 14th of February and got a win as a non boater fishing a boater only tournament. Lake Seminole is located right on the florida georgia line and re nouned as a power house fishery for producing large stringers of large florida strain bass.

The water was cold 48f, dirtier due to all the recent rains, and really high. The fish pushed out of the river because the shad were in the cleaner bays. We found such a bay not far from the ramp while searching for warm water. We were "Flipping" mats with our one oz sinkers and craws and noticed a few guys who appeared to be local to the area fishing rattle traps. Rattle traps? the water was only a few feet deep and they were fishing traps? Well eventually we all learn, and that day I did. After the flipping bite didnt produce I tied on a rayburn red trap and start burning the thing over the bottom. The guy that was with me caught a fish and dropped his power pole, before he had that fished measured and his trap back in action I caught two fish over five pounds, wham bam. he caught another good one and then it was my turn. This went back and forth until we had a double on. His fish was 7lbs and mine another 5.5lb fish. it was amazing. we boated over 43 lbs of fish off of one patch of grass in 20 minutes. that power pole never raised after that first fish. we both finished first and second in that tournment respectively and the guy in third place had two fish for 3lbs. no one else caught fish...here we are having the day of our life, and only one other guy of this field of boat caught two fish...

I guess what I learned from this is just pay attention to what people are fishing around you. Even if you might not be comfortable with the technique, obviously it works if a couple locals were there on their weekend in the nasty conditions we had that weekend. Keep an open mind, and dont be scared to try to new things. the reward might be one of the most memorable trips of your life...like it was for me.