You guessed it Yes indeed that time of year again. I like to eat with a spoon "I can eat more that way" and so can a bass. There are times in the summer when you can catchem breaking the surface on a spoon early in the day then later you can use a spoon to catch the suspended fish in the same area. This is one of those times in the year that you can catch a bunch in a short time and if you "activate" the school into feeding then hang on. There are as many spoon shapes, styles, and colors as there are any other baits and most have their time and place. The top styles are Flutter, Casting, and Jigging with a few being a combo of those. Best advise I have in the summer is to match the hatch. This time of the year the Bass really get keyed in on a certain size of shad/minnow and most of the time won't hit the spoon if it is to large or to heavy. Also good electronics are key to finding the shad/bass "buffet" and leaning to decipher what you are seeing. This is a HOT time of the year to be fishing literally and Hot fish catching. Start Hydration the day before you plan a trip in these hot steamy weather, but results can be worth it. Also learn the "Fizzing" technique to help prolong our fish health. If you need help I can show you a couple of ways. Just give me a shout. Tight lines Bass Buds
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First off let me give a BIG Thank you to (Steve, the Boys & Girls) at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock they always go out of their way to help us tournaments guys and this time was no different. They was there early helping us unload our boats, coffee, park, get us parts when we tore up, and always had a smile and a kind word to say to us. That goes a long way in my book. Give them a chance next time you want to Rent a pontoon or have a day on the water.
I had a great tournament and was in the lead after weigh-in sat with the help of the daily Big Bass and eventually overall Big Bass. I had 17.11 for a total and a 5.12 as the Kicker, probably looking back at it now maybe the heaviest bag of bass that I have weighed in a tournament. The big fish came on a Crankbait and I also had keepers on a spinnerbait, tube, & a couple flipping. Now this is a 2 day event and Sunday I literally almost bombed. I could only mange 2 little keepers . I had the bites to get a good finish, maybe not a win but at least a good check. Sunday the fish where just bumping the bait not eating it. I didn't adjust well and ended up with a lack luster finish to what could have been a great tournament. We got started late after a long fog delay Sunday, which is just part of fishing in these highland lakes in the fall and spring. At least Mr Webb our Tournament Director went and got us fishermen 3 dozen donuts, Thanks also for that also.. That fog delay meant my clear water cranking fish long gone. So I ran to my Flipping fish and that's where I had trouble with "Nose-Bumping" instead of eating it like on Saturday. I just couldn't make them bite and I'm not a quick learner what to do to make them want to bite. A great pattern of Crankbaits, Spinnerbaits, and flipping on sat turned into a survival round on Sunday. Baits for the fish were Underbite Custom Tackle Spinnerbaits (French's Smoking Shad was the color) Jennybugs Flipping Bug (Blk Neon & Sapphire Blue) Crankbait was the Rock crawler Thanks for all the calls and text. It means a lot when your out here fishing your Dream away. Also thanks to Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock for the Sponsorship they help me with and also for the class A treatment this weekend they gave all us Central Solo Elite Anglers. It would be great to go out and catch a limit of good tournament sized fish in the winter all day everyday, also it will keep you warm and fuzzy inside. But lets get realistic that don't happen everyday in the winter. Have you ever heard the saying that's why the "Call it fishing and not Catching" . Nothing can be more true than during the winter. Take for instance the last Winter Bass O Thon we just had. 1st place was 19 lbs and there were several 15 lb bags then the rest of us. It seems like the winter time is the time you really have to be dialed into the spot on the spot we talk about in fishing. After not catching a legal keeper and very little bites at all. Me and my partner where really scratching our heads on the How, Why, & Where the heck are these (bass) located at? After some talk with others I found out that we wasn't that far off that sweet spot.
We had fish located and we could even see some on the graph, but they were not in a feeding mode. Looking back and after talking with other anglers I trust. I could see where we went wrong. We needed to go in, but instead I made the mistake of going further out. In reality we were leaving our fish that we were hoping to catch. Most of the time in fishing and also in life it is that way. It is generally not a big open flat with feeding fish everywhere ready to gobble up your lure saying catch me here I am. It is general a small area you have to go through to find the prize. Weather you are fishing or looking for a small part of that peace in life. I urge you to look into Christ our savior for that peace in LIFE. As for the fishing I'm a Fisheries Biologist and I most of the time look to hard or to even to far into the matter.. I mean come on seriously the brain of a Bass is no bigger than a sweet pea. Gee wiz just go fishing and don't over think it. Now back to this winter fishing, most of the keepers caught Saturday came in the 25 foot range around cover. We was in the 32-35 foot range most of the day. That's not very far off, but in cold dirty water. We might as well been a mile away. Take a child fishing or who ever needs that little pick me up. I learned earlier this week of a older gentleman in my community that had passed. away. He was someone who I always said I need to take him back out fishing. But I never did, now I wont get that chance to do that. Take some one fishing you will be glad you did. I lost a chance to do that. Those chance's in life are numbered. Dewayne www.Frenchfishin.com New boat has been ordered as of yesterday and let me just say the people at Basscat keep amazing me. With the talent, dedication, poise, they truly are a great bunch of guys and gals who really care about each person they deal with. I love the family atmosphere they still have and that is what matters to me. To feel like you mean something to them rather than another customer contact for the day. Basscat proud owner for like the 8th or 9th time, I lost count in there some where. But seriously if you think the last boat was fast when I passed you, this one will BLOW your Tournament jersey right off ya when I go by you..... More to come later, but here is a teaser for you Charcoal flk, Midnight Mist, Sliver Flk, & rocking back the Purple.
A good year with lots of good fish caught. Good sponsors help make this fishing adventure blessed sometimes I have to take a moment and soak it all in. These truly are the best Sponsors I got a few pictures to show them off from last year. . Basscat Boats, Bull Shoals Boat Dock, Denali Rods, Fin to Fur, French & Hardin Farms, Jennybugs Bait Company, Mac's Custom Crankbaits, Mercury Marine, Pure Fishing, Underbite Custom Tackle, Start out the pictures with this Toad A Rig fish on the Underbite Custom Tackle "The Machine" and Jennybugs Rig Swimmer 6.22lbs Just what happens when you use quality products from good people. That's a pretty boat in there too! The Jennybug CEO Bobby Johnson getting in on the action!!! Mr. Eli Powers Underbite Custom Tackle CEO and super fishing dude. Weather he is in a bass boat or in a Kayak you want him on your team!! Oh look another Underbite kid you can't take him anywhere without him catching fish. Never go to a crankbait fight without your Mac's Custom Cranks at your side Just some great products from some great people that work. Basscat and Mercury pair up great with fast smooth operation. Super products from Fin to Fur help me to stay cool, warm, dry, and able to see. No problems with broke fishing Rods thanks to Denali and the same with fishing my fishing line Spider wire and Berkeley have been with me for years. Steve at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock is awesome to work with and can answer any boat/motor problem.
Thanks for the help and I look forward to a great finish in 2015 and a better year in 2016 With the last points event for the Solo Pro division on Saturday June the 6th I was on the fence to fish or not. I had no time to practice due to work, a wedding, and life in general. So I adjusted my normal game plan and went into the event with a Hero or zero mentality. It almost worked out!! I figured the check cut weight would be around 11 pounds and I thought I could catch a limit on topwater baits, but not being over there in a month. I wasn't in the know where the bigger fish would be. So left Saddle, Arkansas (Home) at 2 am Saturday morning. After I pulled into the Mill Creek Ramp at 5:15, I paid my entry and was in the water by 5:30. Game plan was pretty simple Topwater for the first hour or 2 then make a run to long creek and flip every piece of cover I could get to. My hope was that with all the extra water in the lake that would be my only chance to win. After 1 non keeper on top and 3 swing's and misses I was literally out of there!! I was Long Creek bound about 8 am. With so much rain lately there was logs, trees, and all kinds of trash floating everywhere. I really had to pay attention to not tear up the lower unit. I caught my limit by 11:45 and my biggest was a 4.11. After I caught my limit I caught several more keepers that didn't help. So I ran back through the flooded debris (mine field) and also the enormous amount of weekend recreational boat traffic in my hopes to get back early. Mike and his crew where ready and waiting for us. I ended up in 2nd place overall and 2nd Big Bass for the tournament. A good end to a great series of tournaments. Maybe I should have used that game plan all along. Kinda solidifies my idea of not prefishing for a tournament. We all are truly blessed with this sport and it's people. A great Tournament Director and staff are always a good sign to a great tournament series. First place for the tournament was a local High School student who is on the high school fishing team. Now that's is definitely a team sport I wish they had when I was high school. If you got a child, relative, or know of a kid in your neighborhood who likes to fish, please take a kid fishing, you really can change a life. They learn many life lessons from ethics, to backing down a ramp, to common courtesy (which some of us lack at times-me included). In the end it really isn't about the amount of the check or how big the fish was. It's about what we leave our kids and our Grand-kids and so forth. We only live so long on this place called Earth. Enjoy your time in Gods creation . Thanks to all of my sponsors who help keep my dream alive.
Basscat Boats, Bullshoals Lake Boat Dock, Denali Fishing Rods, French & Hardin Farms, Fin to Fur, Jennybugs Plastic Baits, Macs Custom Crankbaits, Mercury Outboards, Motorguide Trolling Motors, Pure Fishing Products, and Underbite Custom Tackle Here are the top 4 weights from Saturday's Casting for Kids Bass Classic, held at Lake Norfork. Thank you to all the participants for helping to make this yet another great tournament! What a joy this is-to help children, fish, and fellowship for a day on the lake. I will post up a few more pictures later. If you was there and was either fishing or helping the staff wasn't that just a enormous lift to the day when Aubrey sang the National Anthem and the sun was coming over the docks. Congratulations to or 2015 winners Eli Powers and Tim Burnley
1. Eli Powers and Tim Burnley 13.1200 2. Donald Drumright and Scott Fox 12.4700 3. Josh Stoner and Mitchell Phillips 11.7000 4. Larry Hollis and Eli Hollis 11.7000 A great tournament in the catching fish just not in the check line. Bobby Albert got 1st with 29.78 & I ended up in 12th place with 21.70 and the money cut was at 23.64 in 7th place. WOW is all I can say Stockton Lake defiantly has a lot of bass swimming in its waters. I caught 30 or more bass a day any where from the bank out to 22 feet. Of that number I had from 12 to 15 keepers a day, all the while culling up just ounces. I caught them on Crankbaits, Jerkbaits, Spinnerbaits, Flipping Craws, Swimbaits and Senko-Stick type baits. Probably one of the best catching tournaments, except for the bigger fish eluded me. This was a 2 day event with each day only taking an hour or so to get a limit in the boat. Then the other 6.5-7hrs I spent looking for as they say "BIG MAMMA". Dock talk centered around a lot of fish being caught and that was certainly the case. What ever way you were comfortable fishing I believe you could have caught them. Mike along with Sherry and staff put on another great event. As usual the Basscat & Mercury set up ran flawless all through practice and on the tournament days. I covered about 65 miles of Lake Stockton on Saturday looking for bigger fish and it motored right on along. I used Wiggle Wart crankbaits to catch the majority of my fish. They were custom painted by Macs Custom Crankbaits and it was a color deal because you could get bites on other colors and catch fish. But when you had the right color combo it was spot on and they inhaled the lure. Denali Rods, Abu Garcia reels, Jennybugs Flipping baits to the stick worms and Underbite Custom Tackle. Taking into consideration this was a truly a great weekend to be alive and well in Gods creation. I heard Turkeys gobbling, birds singing, shad flipping, turtles basking around, and the fishing was off the "HOOK" as they say. It was a little scary looking Sunday morning when a storm rolled though the area. Thanks to my family and friends for the love and support and my other fishing buddies for listening to me when they don t bite this good. Congratulations to all the youth Turkey hunters in Arkansas and Missouri that did the youth turkey hunt. I could hear a few shots in the mornings and seen several good pictures and videos.
See yall Saturday April 18th at the Cystic Fibrous tournament on Norfork & then the April 25th when I help with the 5th Annual Childrens home Event also on Lake Norfork out of Henderson Marina/Corp Ramp .. Fishing 3/28/2015 and some tournament info for the 5th Annual Children's Home Bass Classic3/30/2015 Fished stop number 2 of the Central Pro solo circuit Bass Tournament on Table Rock Saturday 3/28/2015 and finished in the lucky #13 spot. I say lucky because we didn't have any rain to speak of and no snow and out of 75 boats that was the last paying spot. All my keepers came on swimming a grub or the "Machine Chicken" aka--A Rig with swimming bugs by these fine sponsors Underbite Custom Tackle A-rigs and Jennybugs bait Co. swimmers. This combo also produced a 6.22 pound fish that anchored my 4 fish bag, 1 short of 5 fish limit. Thanks for the help and support and a big shout out Mike & Sherry for a fine event (as usual). Also entry forms have been mailed out to those fishermen who fished last years Children's Home Tournament. So that means we now have entry forms available. Most Docks on Bull Shoals and Norfork have them as do tackle stores in the area. You can also contact the Children's home or me direct and we can get you a packet or send one to you. Of course you can always pay at the ramp early Saturday morning, but to save time early is always better. 1st--- A Tournament date to mark on your calendar is April 1st -2nd The 2015 Basscat Owner's Invitational at Sam Rayburn in Jasper, Texas. Which is Open to register owners of a Basscat or Yar-Craft boat and their guest. Also open to all Qualified College Anglers under the Quest with GPA met.
2nd--Tournament is the 30th annual Cystic Fibrosis bass tournament on Norfork lake April 18th. Great yearly event that always yields big bass and big prizes. 30 years WOW what a great testiment to or giving fisherman of the area. 3rd--Tournament is our 5th annual Children's Home Bass Classic at Norfork lake out of the (Henderson Marina) April 25th. This event has been at my heart and soul since it's inception. We provide a Chairty Bass tournament for Anglers with the benefit of the Children's Home in Paragould, Arkansas.. Fishing, Food, Prize Grab Bags, and kids a Win Win. Come enjoy the Bass fishing of Norfork lake, fellowship of friends, and help this very worthy cause. |
Dewayne French
I'm a professional angler, keep up with me and my partners as we catch fish all over the southern US. Archives
August 2022
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