St. Jude Bass Tournament

CaptnT · Postby **CaptnT** » Wed May 22, 2002 7:46 am

I said I wouldn't do another one, but I had an old guide customer talk me into it this year. I put him on what was the best pattern for bass that I have ever been on, and he thinks I am the Bass God. He is paying for everything too, that makes it somewhat better, and of course it is for a good cause.

I told him I am not on any fish, haven't fished Sardis but twice this year anyway with mixed results, but he still remembers back in 1992 (the last time Sardis had this much water) when we caught over 100 largemouth in 5 hours, it was like bream fishing. Then when the fish moved out of that area, I found bigger ones up the river, and he caught his biggest bass to date, a 9.5. I keep telling him the LMBV that hit the lake a few years back took its toll on the big ones, and Sardis will be in recovery mode for years to come.

But I did catch those monsters last November during the meteor shower.................

Anybody else fishing St. Jude this year?

I just don't like making work out of fishing, that is the very reason I quit guiding as it is.

Canton_Coot_Killer · Postby **Canton_Coot_Killer** » Wed May 22, 2002 8:49 am

Captnt, when is the tournament and where can I find some info. on it?

CaptnT · Postby **CaptnT** » Wed May 22, 2002 8:58 am

The tourney is this weekend, Sunday to be exact.

I have been unable to find anything on the web about it, other than various newpaper articles.

Canton_Coot_Killer · Postby **Canton_Coot_Killer** » Wed May 22, 2002 9:09 am

So the tournament is at Sardis?

CaptnT · Postby **CaptnT** » Wed May 22, 2002 9:31 am

Yes, the local tourney is at Sardis.

Years ago you needed 17+ pounds (5 bass limit) to have a chance. Last year a little over 11lbs won it.

NOHERE · Postby **NOHERE** » Fri May 24, 2002 7:39 pm

we'll see ya there, done this thing about 15 years now...your right about the fact that the kill got a lot of big bass. give me 10 lbs on sunday and i would nt make a cast,the weight will be quite small this year, but in about 2-3 years were gonna see some good fish showing up again.

CaptnT · Postby **CaptnT** » Fri May 24, 2002 9:04 pm

Pre-Fished early morning and caught three, one went 10lbs...........catfish. Those blues just had to have my rattletrap, but no luck on bass.

I'm taking an ultralight rig tommorrow for sure and hope I can limit on dinks.

You're right about Sardis coming back. Some of my best days on the water were at Sardis. Last time the water was this high I got on an unbelievable pattern. I went and checked it out today, a beaver pond on the North side, but not enough water.

NOHERE · Postby **NOHERE** » Sat May 25, 2002 6:40 pm

WE FISHED SERVERAL PONDS LIKE THAT TODAY, NOTHING. TYPICAL POST SPAWN, PUT MAN IT'S LIKE A NEEDLE N A HAY STACK.

I GUESS IM GOING TO DO A LOT CRANKING INSTEAD OF PITCHING, COULD BE A MORE CONSISTANT PATTERN .

I GOT A 5.5 BLUE CAT MYSELF TODAY, HE NAILED THAT CRANK BAIT, FELT GOOD FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS, THEN YOU KWEW IT WASNT A BASS. SHOR DID TASTE GOOD THOUGH...HE FIT RIGHT IN THE SKILLET.

GOOD LUCK TOMMORROW

NOHERE · Postby **NOHERE** » Mon May 27, 2002 4:18 pm

I USED TO THINK THE DEAD SEA WAS OVER AROUND THE MEDITERAINIAN , IN EUROPE...WRONG, GO TO SARDIS LAKE!!!!!

CaptnT · Postby **CaptnT** » Mon May 27, 2002 10:10 pm

Yeah, I was a little disapointed too. OK, ALOT. We caught only one 13" fish, didn't weight it, but now I wish we would have.

The next few weeks will tell about the bass population at Sardis, as the water falls to normal levels. Kinda sad, in the early ninties you could catch bass off just about any point with a worm or rattletrap.

Stano · Postby **Stano** » Mon Jun 03, 2002 9:17 pm

The Bass Kill didn't help Sardis and all the Bass tournaments can't help ethier IMHO got to be a little stressfull on those bass to keep ending up at the dam all the time. Not to mention the fishing pressure jeevees I hope this high water spawn will help things along Im looking forward to the fishing a year or two from now!! as well

CaptnT · Postby **CaptnT** » Tue Jun 04, 2002 7:34 am

Well this year only seventy or so bass made the trip to the dam.

I don't think that will effect the overall population too much.

I am good friends with Jim Tabor at Tabor's Sporting Goods, a bait shop/c-store at the Sardis exit. He and I used to work together back in the early ninties. His dream was to buy a bait shop and "retire" there. He made it, but he told me the '97-'98 season almost wiped him out. After the state fishery biologist investigated the LMBV affects on the bass at Sardis, he stated to the media that about 5,000 bass had died, but he told my friend that it was more like 50,000. It will take four to five more years to recover.

I agree with banning tournaments on Sardis until at least 2005. I think most people's lack of success will keep them away for years to come.

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