When Life Gets in the Way of Fishing!! It's been a busy 2014..

Life has got in the way of fishing a bit. Year started out hot as I won the very first ABA Weekend Series event in North Carolina on Lake Norman:

Dyer opens season with Lake Norman win

ATHENS, Ala. – Stephen Dyer opened a new season in style by winning the American Bass Anglers Weekend Bass Series North Carolina Division 5 tournament, held March 15, 2014, on Lake Norman.

Running out of Pinnacle Ramp in Mooresville, N.C., the angler from Mount Pleasant, N.C., caught five bass weighing 16.82 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.60-pound kicker.

“I frequent Lake Norman quite a bit,” Dyer explained. “I caught some nice fish in practice, but it was slow. I fished a deep brush pile in a creek. In the back of the creek, I saw some bait move. The channel is about 16 feet deep there. My co-angler had a limit before I really started catching fish. I dug around for a similar swimbait and started catching fish. We fished that one spot from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.”

In second for the boaters, Jeffrey Queen of Catawba, N.C., landed a five-bass tournament limit going 15.19 pounds with a 4.44-pound kicker. Chad Poteat of Mount Airy, N.C., took third for the boaters with five bass going 13.90 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 4.11-pound kicker.

Finishing fourth, David J. Wright of Lexington, N.C., landed a five-bass limit for 13.48 pounds. Ron Farrow of Rock Hill, S.C., rounded out the top five boaters with five bass at 12.90 pounds. John N. Davis of Shelby, N.C., brought in the Boater Division lunker, a 4.73-pounder.

In the Co-Angler Division, Alex Hester, 25, of Monroe, N.C., won with three bass going 10.20 pounds. Fishing with Queen, he sealed his victory with a 3.77-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1,166.

“I don’t fish this lake very often,” Hester said. “I didn’t really get a chance to practice. Fortunately, I had a good partner who put me on fish. I tried a lot of different things, but the better fish came on 1/2-ounce spinnerbaits. I caught about 60 fish. I culled a lot of 2-pound fish.”

Taking second for the co-anglers, Heath Festerman of Chinagrove, N.C., brought in a three-bass division limit for 9.40 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.27-pound bucketmouth that took tournament big bass honors.
Doug S. File of Salisbury, N.C., placed third among the co-anglers with three bass going 8.69 pounds.

In fourth place, Shane I. Sharpe of Charlotte, N.C., brought in three bass for 8.30 pounds. David Hayworth of Kernersville, N.C., finished fifth with three bass at 8.22 pounds topped by a 4.24-pound kicker.

Slated for April 19, 2014, the next divisional tournament will be held on Lake Kerr out of Nutbush Landing near Henderson, N.C. At the end of the season, the best WBS anglers from across the nation will fish the 2014 Ray Scott Championship, slated for Wheeler Lake in Decatur, Ala., from Nov. 15-18. The champion boater will receive $100,000 and possibly up to $50,000 in Triton Gold Bonus money. The co-angler champion will win $50,000 and possibly up to $25,000 in Triton Gold Bonus money.

As a special Ray Scott Championship bonus, the Boater Division and Co-Angler Division champions will each receive entry fees and sponsorship into the one of two professional bass fishing series of the angler’s choice. The sponsorship includes entry fees into three professional events and sponsorship support. This sponsorship will put the champion within striking distance of one of two professional bass fishing championships.

At WBS events throughout the season, boater and co-angler competitors may also win hefty bonuses from such sponsors as Triton Boats, Mercury Outboards, Royal Purple, MotorGuide and T-H Marine. See the manufacturer web sites for specific details on how to qualify for these bonuses.

For more information on this tournament, call Gary Conner, tournament manager, at 256-230-5627 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com.

About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Weekend Bass Series, the American Fishing Tour or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

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Since then my ABA Weekend Series finishes have been; 10th on Kerr, bombed out on HR (very disappointing), and placed 5th on Lake Wylie last weekend. I just haven't fished a lot of other events....

Been busy though. Sherry and I built a pool. 

I've been riding my new Kona bike a bit and even rode in a big cancer fundraising charity event The 24 Hours of Booty 

My ABA schedule is a problem with me out of town for the regional...Oh'well there is always next year. I feel fall fast approaching and have my sights set on winning the TBF State tourney on Norman as a consolation....see how it goes :)

I miss my favorite mother-in-law....

I miss my favorite mother-in-law....

I would always tell her she was, then say "though my choice is pretty limited". Eloise in turn would tell me just "what I could do with that", then with a big smile she would give me a hug. I had many such joyful back-and-forth banter routines with Eloise. She never missed a chance to have a laugh, I never missed one to get a hug.

I didn't know my favorite mother-in-law as long as I wish I could have. It's easy to see from the stories her family and friends tell of Eloise as a youth – and of her life – she lived all her life just as I knew her. A spirited "pistol", full of life, joyful, faithful and loving. She and Joe raised two wonderful children, and gave a loving home to countless stray cats and dogs. Like me, everyone who knew her in life feels better for it.

I miss my favorite mother-in-law.  Someday I will hug her again.  Hug her for the love she always showed me.  Hug her for giving me my loving wife.  Hug her for the love she had for animals.  Hug her for the sheer joy she brought by sharing a brief part of her life with me.  Hug her for just being her.

Her favorite son-in-law,

Steve

It really is called "Buggs" Island for a reason!!

I got to Henderson the Thursday afternoon before the NC BASS Federation Eastern Qualifier in time for 2-3 hours of looking around. Only caught one keeper in Nutbush so I decided to make the run to Clarksville, VA. (a place I have the most fall experience on Kerr) the first day. It went well, after a couple of stops on the way up we went into Smith Creek and found some fish holding on shallow docks. I quickly had a limit skipping a 9/16 oz TrueSouth Fat Head jig in Dyer Special under floats & pontoon boats using a ALX Dragger flippin stick. You often hear Kerr fish don't use the docks, but I've found you can always catch fish around the ones with 4-8' of water on them. Maybe Kerr fisherman ignore skipping as a viable pattern? Either way I like it, ended the day in top ten less than a pound out of the boater cut. The second day was forecast to be a lot more overcast but I still thought the dock fish pattern would hold so we planned on heading back up to VA.

Funny how the most seemingly insignificant decisions often play the biggest part in the outcome of a tournament....The water was down a bit and if you've ever run up out the top of Nutbush Creek towards the river you have to either go around the big island or cut across the shoal. Blasting us off early on a misty morning I did something I rarely do on a long run. I didn't put glasses or my face shield on. I knew by the time we got to the shoal where you have to stay close to a small willow bush to run it safely the mist would make it hard to see through lenses. We made it easily over the shoal continued up the river to the Goat Island short cut where my day went terribly awry. Running 69+ we passed  through some sort of bug hatch when one hit me in the left eye tearing my contact lens and caused the eye to swell closed. Not sure if it was from the impact or guts, but my eye looked like I took a Tyson right-cross. Concentrating on skipping docks with a swollen, watering eye was all but impossible till it eased up around noon. I got on them the last hour, but when your pressing so hard you make mistakes. I lost two good fish that would have got me to Eufala rushing them along....oh'well.

So no matter how far you are running, what time of day it is, the weather condition, temperature, amount of light you better wear eye protection. I was lucky my sight cleared up and I only lost a chance to go to Alabama, I could have lost something far more precious. You can be sure you'll see me wearing eye protection from now on as I'm blasting down a lake.

Off to the NC BFN State Tourney on Kerr

I got a unexpected chance yesterday to fish the NC BASS Federation Eastern State Tourney this Friday and Saturday. Finish in the top 7 and I can move on to the Southern Divisional next year on Eufala Lake in Al. So armed with my Truesouth Jigs and ALX Rods I'm off to Henderson to have at them with no practice!

Bass Weekend Series 2-Day NC Divisional on High Rock Lake Recap

Finished runner-up for the second year in a row on High Rock Lake in the Bass Weekend Series 2-Day Divisional Finale. Just couldn't get the bigger fish to bite like they did on day one.  All my fish we caught on a Truesouth Custom Lures New "Fat Head" Jig (Dyer Special and a new color  "High Rock Craw") tipped with JAK's Custom Baits Twin Tail Grub and a Baby Beast. I flipped both jigs on a 7'4" "Dragger" by ALX Rods.

High Rock Craw

I did win the NC Division points title and was the only angler to go 30 for 30 weighing a 5 fish limit in every event of the series.

Would like to like to thank Joel Ketcham, John Martin at Truesouth Custom Lures, ALX Rods and Jeff Konopka at JAK's Custom Baits for all the support and help on HR this past week.

Congratz to Stump Morrison on his nice catch both days.

Morrison earns victory on High Rock Lake

ATHENS, Ala. – Robert L. “Stump” Morrison edged out his competition to win the Toyota Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, North Carolina Division 5 two-day divisional championship, held Sept. 14-15, 2013, on High Rock Lake.

Running out of Tamarac Marina in Salisbury, N.C., to fish the 15,180-acre lake, the Winston Salem, N.C., angler finished with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34.85 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.22-pound kicker. On the first day, Morrison tied for the lead with Steve Dyer of Mount Pleasant, N.C. On Day 1, each of them caught 17.56 pounds. Morrison anchored his bag with a 4.79-pound kicker.

“This is my home lake,” said Morrison, a retired U.S. Army veteran. “I practiced one day for the tournament. On the first day, I went up the river and threw a blue and white spinnerbait. I caught seven fish. I had a limit at 9:20 a.m. At 11 a.m., I went looking for bigger fish. On the second day, I caught eight fish off a Strike King KVD Redeye Shad.”

On the second day, Morrison eased ahead of Dyer with a 17.29-pound bag. Dyer brought in a 13.85-pound bag, dropping to second place. Dyer finished with a two-day total of 10 bass for 31.41 pounds. For the Boater Division victory, Morrison took home a check for $2,017.

Slightly behind Dyer, Paul G. Tsiolkas of Winston Salem, N.C., finished third among the boaters with two consecutive five-bass tournament daily limits going 31.14 pounds. On the first day, Tsiolkas brought in 16.36 pounds for sixth place, but set the tournament big bass standard with a 5.81-pounder. On Day 2, he landed a 14.78-pound bag to earn $100 for the big bass.

Clayton Williams of Taylorsville, N.C., finished fourth among the boaters with a two-day limit of 10 bass going 29.34 pounds including a 4.45-pound kicker. On the first day, Williams brought in 13.08 pounds to hold seventh place. He jumped three spots on the last day with a 16.29-pound bag.

In fifth for the boaters, Derek Cummings of Clayton, N.C., rounded out the top five boaters with 10 bass at 29.30 pounds. He held fourth place on Day 1 with 16.67 pounds, but dropped a notch on Day 2 after a 12.63-pound effort.

First Day Bass Weekend Series

2013-09-14 09:29:39 News Archive Dyer, Morrison riding high on High Rock ATHENS, Ala. – Steve Dyer and Robert L. “Stump” Morrison tied for the lead after the first day of competition in the Toyota Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, North Carolina Division 5 two-day divisional championship, held Sept. 14, 2013, on High Rock Lake. Running out of Tamarac Marina in Salisbury, N. C., to fish the 15,180-acre lake, Dyer of Mount Pleasant, N.C., and Morrison of Winston Salem, N.C., each caught five bass weighing 17.56 pounds. Morrison anchored his bag with a 4.79-pound kicker. Tim D. Grein of Winston Salem, N.C., sits in third place after bringing in a five-bass tournament limit going 17.21 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.83-pound kicker. In fourth place for the boaters, Derek Cummings of Clayton, N.C., caught five bass going 16.67 pounds. Mike L. Miller of Archdale, N.C., holds the fifth place position after Day 1 with five-bass limit for 16.40 pounds. Paul G. Tsiolkas of Winston Salem, N.C., brought in five bass for 16.36 pounds and sixth place, but set the Day 1 tournament big bass standard with a 5.81-pounder. In the Co-Angler Division, George V. Baucom of Charlotte, N.C., leads the pack from the back after one day of action with three bass going 9.86 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.07-pound kicker. Sitting in second for the co-anglers, Alex Hester of Monroe, N.C., brought in a three-bass division limit for 9.40 pounds. He landed the biggest bass of any co-angler on the first day of competition, a 4.16-pound kicker. Chris Teague of Lincolnton, N.C., holds third among the co-anglers with three bass going 8.56 pounds. He anchored his catch with a 3.34-pound kicker. Steve Cannon of Wilkesboro, N.C., occupies the fourth place position among the co-anglers with three bass for 7.73 pounds including a 3.42-pound kicker. Ethan J. Lyon of Elkin, N.C., completes the list of the top five co-anglers with three bass at 7.06 pounds. The action continues on Sept. 15 to decide the division champions. The top anglers from this division, plus those from the Virginia, Maryland, New York and Ohio divisions advance to the two-day regional tournament, slated for Oct. 11-12, 2013, on the James River out of Chickahominy Riverfront Park near Williamsburg, Va. After the four regional tournaments, the top anglers from those events will compete in the BWS National Championship tournament, scheduled for Nov. 6-9, 2013, on Old Hickory Lake near Hendersonville, Tenn. The Boater Division champion will compete in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 21-23 on Lake Guntersville, Ala. For more information on this tournament, call Gary Conner, tournament manager, at 256-230-5627 or ABA at 256-232-0406. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com. About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers, visit www.americanbassanglers.com. Home Page

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Having the "Right Stuff"

    If you look in any tournament angler’s boat in the winter (mine included), you’re sure to find the "Right Stuff" for cold water fishing:  Jerk-baits, crank baits, or jigs maybe. Since 2011, you better have form of umbrella tied on to compete around here. Spring brings sight fishing rigs, square bills, shad raps – and who doesn't have a buzz-bait tied on looking for that first thunderous top-water strike of the year. In summertime, you’re likely to find a myriad of rubber worms and creatures poured in every color under the sun. Autumn's cooling weather brings the fish back shallow so it's a boat loaded with fast moving bait fish imitators waiting to be thrown at schools of bass feeding up for winter. Each season, you have to get your boats stocked up with all the "right stuff" if you want to compete.  But is that enough?

Being an "on-time guy," I try to launch my boat a bit early on tournament day. Sitting back relaxing as I watch the boats adorned with green and red bow lights bobbing around helps me calm down enough to contemplate the day ahead. Knowing my competitors’ boats are sure to be filled with the "right stuff" like mine, I need another advantage to be able to win.  Luck maybe?

Don't know if I believe in straight up luck, at least in the mythical sense.  Just the fact that Sherry has put up with me all these years, maybe I should? What I do believe is a maxim my Dad instilled upon me when I was young:

 "Luck is nothing but preparation meeting opportunity".

I'm sure he recognized early on by my poor performance doing chores or helping him with anything that I tended to be a "it's good enough" kind of guy. Being wise and sagely, he tried to counteract that by reciting that phrase to me as often as he could. Sometimes three or four times a day. Unfortunately it never did help his wood pile stay upright the whole winter, but it has had a great impact on my fishing.  So as I start each tournament day I feel confident dad would approve of my equipment's preparation.   Now I only need wait for that devil opportunity to show up.  Or do I?

Tournament preparation also needs to include arming yourself with the information, the mental "right stuff", to make quality on the water decisions. The choices you make tourney day like location, depth, bait color, etc… are considerably easier and more often correct with better mental preparation. One can have all the best rods, best reels, the newest lures, a big, fast bass boat ready to go, but nine times out of ten you'll hand your money to someone who has prepared both their equipment and their minds better than you. 

You can mentally prepare yourself for a tournament in lots of ways. Researching current and historical patterns, current water levels, temperature, even moon phases if that's what you like. Get an underwater contour map and compare it to Google Earth. Familiarize yourself with underwater landmarks and how they relate to landmarks you'll be able to see. Mark up a paper map, then take it out on the water so you can see how it looks on your electronics. Talk to anyone you can who has fished on the same water recently. You often can't do all this, but doing all you can, as often as you can, will aid you in making the right tourney day decision.  And that plays a major role in the last part of that guiding phrase "...meeting opportunity"

So next time you head out on a tournament day, I hope you've armed both your boat and yourself with all the "Right Stuff".

I wish you all the luck preparation and opportunity bestows upon you :)