Forum | Next stop - Lake Conroe

Yes, I suspect the AOY Nationals will be on Barkley but who knows for sure. I'm hoping to make it in one of the two divisions I'm fishing. Right now in Div. 51 I've got a total of 786 of a possible 800 after 4 tournaments. I've got one stinkin' 189 that I need to replace with a 200 or 199 that'll give me a total of 797/796. I think at this point someone would be hard pressed to beat those numbers but ya' never know for sure. Divison 51 has 6 1-day's left and then the two day championship so anything is possible.

In district 119 we've had more tournaments cancelled than we've fished - 2 fished and 3 cancelled due to weather. The tournament director cancelled one due to "lake conditions". Boy did that have a bunch of folks upset. He rescheduled that tournament for a lake he had fished a couple of months before with Alton Jones and Judy Wong due to a contest he won in a state fishing magazine. Only 5 showed up to fish that slot lake. The slot is 14-24″. So you're either fishing for 12/13″ fish or 6+#ers. No one weighed in a fish at that tournament and the director ended up giving those that showed up their money back and cancelling the tournament.

In division 119 I'm in 2nd after two tournaments. We have a lot of trouble getting a 20 boat field to get max points. The guy that won our last tournament only got 191. So should I get AOY in both divisions I would fish with the points and AOY position from div. 51 and let someone else take the 119 title – if that's possible.

The lake I'm fishing Sunday, Conroe, had 1 - 15#er last year, several 13#ers and who knows how many 10-12's. Last year…. during practice on Friday on back to back cast I had one that was 7.08 and one 6.38. Then lost a 7#er during the tournament due to a straightend hook but ended up not needing it to win.

By the time the national happen here you will be spoiled as that time of year here a 4 lber is a kicker.

And should you be a divisional champ,look out the fish off is not normally on the same lake,but nearby.

Most likly Barkley requirring a ky fishing lic and few days earlier to arrive as its held prior to the offical practice,Barkley isnt user friendly nor good fishing,for me anyway unless I run way up in Tn.

From the state park to Bumpus Mills,from the dam thats a fair haul.

Maybe its me I manage about 2 1/2 pd average seldom with a limit on Barkley,and a 3 average with some limits on Ky.In practice I generally do somewhat better,but changing water levels daily that time of year along with additonal fishing pressure move them constantly.

You can bang them good on thurs and have a hard time getting a 15 in one on fri,water can drop a ft overnight,or raise that much.If they start dropping it because its over pool,and have been holding water back,then it drops for about a week straight,and the fish go nuts,and no they dont just pull off the banks,many wernt on the banks but on a main lake flat which becomes quite devoid.Same with the deeper fishermen ledge fishing one ledge holds them today the next they are gone,as following the shad around.

If theirs a key it is in having several holes all alike ,and moving around.Coming back to those that paid off earlier.