Total Year Standings
Total Fish Caught 698
Total Dead Fish 25
Total Limits 75
Big Fish 6.96
Total Fish Weight 1155.43 lbs

Tournament Results

We had a unique setting for our tournament this month. September is usually a 2 day event and this month we fished Lay Lake on Saturday and Lake Mitchell on Sunday.  Both lakes are located close to Clanton Alabama on the Coosa River.  The water was beautiful after a weak cool front on Thursday. Air temps were in the mid 50’s in the mornings and rose to low 80’s during the day. Both days had basically high blue skies.

Water temps were around 78-79 in the mornings both days and both lakes were pretty clear with Mitchell being the clearer of the two.

Tony Boyette and I drew out as partners.  We really fished well together this weekend and each had a good time fishing and telling stories.  We even got lucky and caught a few fish, but we made a big mistake in our strategy on Sunday, and it probably cost us a better bag of fish.  Saturday we found fish holding on rocky points in the main lake area and they would basically only bite a worm for us.  We fished this pattern all day Saturday and each had a limit and we each culled 3-4 fish.  Basically we had a bite all day.  Sunday we just lost our minds and tried to make an earlier pattern work instead of trying the same pattern in Mitchell that we found in Lay.  Sunday we only had 3-4 each and they came on worms also.  Basically we caught all our fish both days on green pumpkin trick worms.

At the Saturday weigh-in Buddy Yates showed everyone he still could use a fluke and had a nice limit weighing 10.36 lbs, taking 1^st place in day one.  Jeff Weaver as usual showed up with a limit to take 2^nd place @ 10.16 lbs.  Tony Boyette brought in a limit to take 3^rd @ 9.40 lbs. while Dave Dyess had a limit @ 9.28 to take the 4^th slot.  The weights from there tapered very evenly and there was a lot of room for the rest of the field to make a push to place on day 2.

As usually we had a cook out on Saturday evening.  This is one activity that is a tradition with the Hawg Hunters.  While we have our competition, we have always placed a high value on social values within our group.  Thanks again to Dave Dyess for putting everything together. We enjoyed hamburgers and chips, and as always there were too many lies and stories batted around to mention.  Thanks also to Jeff’s “Better Half” Brenda for providing brownies for dessert. They were great as always.  Neil Springstead, who lives in Andalusia came up to fish with us and enjoy the fellowship. He did not fish the tournament but he did fish and enjoyed catching some of those Coosa spots.  We also enjoyed a visit from lifetime member Pete Potter and his wife Vi.  They now live in Clanton and they came out to visit with us.  It was really good to see you again and we hope you can fish with us when we return in that area. (Maybe its something in the water there…but Pete and Vi never seem to age..They look the same as 20 year ago..wow!)

Day 2 took us to a new setting, Lake Mitchell. I think there was a lot of skepticism in fishing 2 lakes in 2 days but Lake Mitchell proved its worth.  Even though the average size was slightly smaller we caught 4 more fish in the half day at Mitchell than we did in the whole day at Lay, and this is the first time in over 10 years that we have fished Mitchell! If we had fished a whole day there I think we would have had a much better club performance than we did at Lay Lake. 

Day 2 weigh in saw a few changes and shifts in the leaders.  Mack Cramer took day 2 first place with a limit @ 11.94 lbs.  He was followed by Buddy Yates @ 10.19 lbs, Kevin Simmons @ 8.54 lbs, and Jeff Weaver @ 7.56 lbs.

Final standing in the tournament were 1^st place..Buddy Yates 20.55 lbs. 2^nd place..Mack Cramer 20.19 lbs, 3^rd place..Jeff Weaver17.72 lbs, and 4^th place..Dave Dyess @ 15.19lbs.  CONGRATULATIONS to each of you!!!

Most fish this weekend were caught on soft plastics ranging from flukes to worms in many colors.  Although some fish were caught shallow most were caught on deep grass edges or on ledges and deep rocky points.

This tournament tightened up the yearly standings a lot and there will be a big race to see who can win the “Top Six” positions for the year and the “Fisherman of the Year” award.  Our next tournament will decide the outcome for this year as it is our last tournament of the season and also our yearly “Fish-off” tournament. This special tournament will pay out 10 places instead of 4.  It will be at Appalachicola and will be a 2 day tournament. Also we will have our special cookout (President’s Dinner) which will feature a steak cookout furnished by our special fund.  Appalachicola is a great fishery and this is a great time to be there.  I encourage all members to try to make this one cause it will be lots of fun.  Please make every effort to attend the October meeting and tournament.  This will be our final meeting and tournament of the season. It will also be the meeting when we elect a new eboard. (Check the newsletter for more info.) Our new tournament year will start in November.  Until next time…Keep your hooks sharp!!!

John