Volume: 3
Issue: 9

Minutes of the Meeting:

The July 2000 meeting of the Pensacola Hawg Hunters was brought to order at 7:00 p.m. on July 19, 2000. The meeting was held at the Seafood Shanty on Hwy 29 and was presided over by President Jack Maher. There were 27 members present.

President
Jack Maher
Vice President/Treasure
Jere Jaillite
Secretary
Dwayne Mills
Tournament Director
Neil Springstead
Asst. Tournament Director
Mack Cramer

Old Business:

Any member in good standing can turn as many Constitutional and By-Law changes as they like, but the changes must be received by the September meeting in writing.
Officer nominations are due by the September meeting.Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the September and October meetings.
There was a recommendation made by the E-Board that the money received from the B.A.S.S. Federation tickets be divided three separate ways and disseminated as follows:

New Business:

one third to the fish off pot, one third towards the banquet and one third to a family function. A motion was made and all Hawg hunters present voted on it and it passed. There is a committee of four Hawg hunters that volunteered to put the family function together. The volunteers are: Brian Metcalf, Kevin Simmons, Pete Potter and Mack Cramer.

July Tournament:

The July tournament took place on the Tensaw River out of Live Oak Landing. There were 20 Hawg Hunters ready to fish at safe daylight. The tournament director called out the numbers one by one and everyone was gone in a flash. The humidity was high and the temperatures were rising. The field of twenty Hawg Hunters was split with about half of the club headed up river and the other headed down. With the temperatures rising everyone wanted to put fish in the boat early. At mid-day the temperature was in the mid 90's. At about 1 o'clock there was a severe thunderstorm that came through, it was so severe that it even dropped hail.

July Tournament:

The tournament director opened the scales at 4 o'clock and started weighing fish. There were forty-one fished weighed with one dead fish. After the scales were closed the club had weighed in a total of 66.05 lbs of fish. Congratulation goes to Lee Brannon for bringing in four nice fish for a total of 10.65 lbs. Lee also took lunker of the day with a nice bass that weighed 4.55 lbs. Coming in second was Brian Metcalf with a limit of fish weighing in at 8.55 lbs. Brian's big fish weighed in at 2.85 lbs. Rounding out the top three was Fred Raby with three fish weighing in at 6.70 lbs. Fred's big fish went 2.65 lbs. There were two other fish that were weighed in for big fish and they belonged to Mack Cramer 3.15 lbs and Neil Springstead 2.65 lbs. Great job Lee on a good win and moving into the top six.
Everyone was skeptical about how many fish would be weighed in, but the scales did the talking and it was a great summer tournament for the Hawg Hunters. Next month we will be headed back to Tensaw River to fish out of Upper Bryant's Landing.

From the Daily Planner:
August Tournament

Full Moon: August 15
New Moon: August 29
Peak Fishing Times:
August 19 1st Dawn
2nd 9:30 am - 10:45 am

Tides:
Low High
10:48 am 7:12 am
11:39 pm 4:30 pm

Sunrise/Sunset:
August 19
Sunrise 6:22 am
Sunset 7:30 pm

The Fish-Off pot is currently up to $1030.00, if the fish-off were to be this weekend the pay outs would be as follows:

1st $ 206.00, 2nd $ 154.50,
3rd $ 123.60, 4th $ 113.30
5th $ 103.00, 6th $ 92.70
7th $ 82.40, 8th $ 72.10
9th $ 51.50, 10th $ 30.90

Hawg Hunters currently eligible for Fish-Off: Cliff Armstrong, Jim Bailey Sr., Lee Brannon, John Buck, Wally Cassiano, Randy Cole, Mack Cramer, Dave Dyess, Jere Jaillite, Jack Maher, Brian Metcalf, Dwayne Mills, Pete Potter, Fred Raby, Rich Renner, Neil Springstead, Paul Sullivan, Mike Tyson, Jeff Weaver, and Mitch Gardner.

Hawg Hunters currently needing to fish more tournaments: JimBray 2, Rich Cornelius 1, Terry Smith 1, Don Jahnke 2, Frank Kelly 1, David Powell 2, Kevin Simmons 1, and Stan Wright 2.

Hawg Hunters not eligible for Fish- Off: Jim Bailey Jr., Jim Bolleter, Tony Boyette, Drew Brown, Charles Cetti, Bob Hanson, John Schaeff, and Stacy Blackburn.

Are the Dog-Days of Summer another excuse

With the hot, Muggy days of Summer, we usually see marked decrease in fishing activity. There are few anglers on the waters and those who do venture out enjoy rather short days, mainly confined to the cooler periods of early morning/late afternoon. With this natural avoidance of creature discomforts has come the misconception that fishing successes are somewhere between ‘poor' and ‘impossible' during the Summer months. Possibly, the relationship of hot weather to poor fishing is simply a well-planned excuse to stay indoors under the air conditioner, while watching the ‘boys of Summer' turn those double plays and hit their home-runs. Whatever the case, it is time to dispel the myths of the supposed ‘dog-days of Summer'.

Myth #1: Bass stop feeding in hot weather.

Myth #2: In hot weather, bass always go to deep water.

Myth #3: Bass have certain temperature preferences and will always adhere to them.

Next month we will cover the myths and how to over come the ‘Dog-Days of Summer'. Until next month don't stay home under the air conditioner and sulk; get out on the water and enjoy some of the great sunshine and summer bass fishing.