09-17-2006, 12:34 PM
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Member
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Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 94
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Snow Hill - Pocomoke River Fishing Tournament 09/13/06
Since I only have the kayak until October (when Oliver plans to take it back for trolling), I decided to go out as much as possible last week. Monday was so windy – but I caught two nice bass. When I docked, two guys were pulling in their boats. They talked about the fact that there was going to be a bass tournament on Wednesday. On Tuesday I was way up the Pocomoke – almost to Porter’s Crossing Bridge. I was back in a little alcove when a boat came around the bend really fast. The guy saw me and came back and shouted, “Hey Stealth.” He asked me to paddle out to talk. Seeing that I was in an angler’s kayak this guy must have figured I knew something about the river. We talked for a bit and then he went up the river and I headed down. By the time I got back to the bridge it was full low tide, but I still had to lie down on the kayak to get under the bridge because of the tidal surge. I decided to go around Goat Island one more time before heading in at Byrd Park. I heard some bass boats coming so I paddled into the spatterdock where they can’t go - to keep out of their way. As it turned out, the man I met was looking for me and shouted for me to come on out. He gave me a card for the bass club and then he asked for my phone number. His club fishes the Pocomoke just once a year so he was looking for some info about some good spots to fish. I told him about Nassawango Creek, etc. He jokingly told the guys in the other boat that was close by that I couldn’t be in the tournament because I could go places with the kayak that they couldn’t get to. The other guy shouted back that I could – but only if I had a live well. Little did he know that the kayak does have a live well. The guys roared about that. Anyway, I gave them some tips and wished them well and headed home.
I had no intention of putting into the river during a tournament. Those bass boats fly up the river at unbelievable speeds – but Zech said I should fish during the tournament just to watch what the guys were throwing. I really didn’t want to pull up at the launch with the kayak. But, I thought, “Why not. I live here.” So I got to the dock at about 7:12 a.m. I got out and hollered that my son said I should wish them well. George, the man I met on Tuesday, said, “Didn’t you get my text message.” He had sent me a message (which I never got) inviting me to fish with him in the tournament, because his partner had a last minute emergency. George had already paid my entry fee. I GOT TO FISH IN A REAL BASS TOURNAMENT -- ON A REAL BASS BOAT!  Do you know how jazzed I was about that! That has been my son Zech’s dream for three years now. I didn’t know whether or not to tell Zech. He called just after we launched, so I couldn’t help from letting him know what I was doing. Zech hasn’t fished the Pocomoke all that much, but as Oliver and I have mentioned before, he really is a fantastic fisherman (freshwater, of course). He has that fish sense thing. He reads and studies about bass and he knows where the fish are. Because of the tidal surge – the bass were not in their usual places. I called Zech and he gave me some suggestions to pass along to George, particularly to work spatterdock points that have a heavy grass base. I felt weird giving advice from Zech, but low and behold – it worked. George was running a buzz bait through the spatterdock. He had just pulled up some of the grass I was talking about. He said something about Zech’s grass and cast out again only to have a four-pound bass explode out of the water to take the buzz bait.
We fished from 7:30 to 4:00 – right up to the very last minute and had five keepers (the limit for the tournament). One of the guys caught a six-pound largemouth – a beautiful fish! He, of course, won first place. And, low and behold, George and I came in second. George also caught the second place lunker – that four pounder he had caught first thing in the morning.
You guys have all seen how I try to stay out of Oliver’s way when I’m fishing with him. I was so worried that I would get in the way, but by having me on the boat, George had a deck hand to pull up the trolling motor and work the live well and set the trim, etc., etc. That gave him more time to fish – plus I had some good suggestions on where to fish. I’m still so excited that this happened. I guess if you don’t follow the Citgo Bassmater Classic all of what I just said doesn’t sound too exciting but considering Zech wants to become a bass pro and has just drooled at the thought of fishing off a real bass boat – what I got to do on Wednesday was unbelievable to me. I proved that I “can” fish and that I don’t get in the way! I learned some good tips (George is "The Crankbait Man"). He had me running an "Ugly Duck" - even through the spatterdock. Can you believe that! I overcame my fear of throwing spinners in thick cover and George gave me a tip that has corrected my problem with casting too far to the right all the time. I was even pitchin' and flippin' and, yes, skipping, by the end of the day. And, it felt good to share so much from what Zech has taught me. Now if I can just get Oliver to let me fish a saltwater tournament with him!
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As a matter of fact I do fish, LIKE A GIRL! Oma (Nancy) 
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