Pensacola Hawg Hunters
Bass Club
Founded In
1975



John Buck
"John's Club Report"
Covering The Pensacola Hawg Hunters
Email: John Buck


Tensaw River

June 22, 2002

Tensaw River Standings
Total Fish Caught
44
Total Dead Fish
1
Total Fish Weight
58.45 lbs.
Total Year Standings
Total Fish Caught 449
Total Dead Fish 7
Total Fish Weight 617.75 lbs.
~ Tournament Winner ~

Neil "Blinky" Springstead
7.80 lbs
~ Tournament Big Fish ~

Wally "Wally2" McCartney
3.70 lbs.
Place Name Fish Weight Place Name Fish Weight
1 Neil Springstead 6 7.80 2 Pete Potter 6 7.65
3 Ron Fairbanks 5 7.50 4 John Buck 3 5.25
5 Wally McCartney 2 4.80 6 Brian Metcalf 4 4.10
7 Jeff Weaver 2 3.35 8 Mack Cramer 3 3.15
9 Terry Smith 1 2.85 10 Dave Dyess 1 2.45
11 Mitch Gardner 2 1.70 12 Jere Jaillite 1 1.55
13 Fred Raby 1 1.40 14 Lee Brannon 1 1.35
14 Kevin Simmons 1 1.35 16 Jim Bailey Sr 1 1.10
16 Chris Malena 1 1.10

Also Fished
Tony Boyett-DQ
, Wally Cassiano, Rich Cornelius, Frank Kelly
Bob Hanson, Jack Maher, Paul Sullivan-DQ



~ Tensaw River Report ~

The Hawg Hunters held their June tourney out of Live Oak Landing on the Tensaw River.
We had 12 boats (24 fishermen) searching for the summertime largemouths. My partner Terry Smith and I started out the morning running to the back of Briar Creek. We were hoping to pull a few off the grass lines and spring heads feeding the creek.. Once we arrived we found the water very clear and nice. We only had a couple of boats for company and that was great also. We started with shad puppies and buzz baits on the surface and got only a few rolls. Terry switched to a mertholiate floating worm and got a hook up in a small spring head. He boated a nice 2.85 lb LM and that started the morning.
I missed a nice fish deeper in the spring head on a puppy. Then it seemed to shut down in that spot.
We fished the other side of the creek for a while and came back to the spring where the water was a couple of degrees cooler. While Terry continued with the floater I threw a green pumpkin finesse worm into the spring head and got a hit. It was a 2.9 lb LM. Again with one fish from the hole the action stopped. We went actoss the creek again and I caught another keeper on the finesse worm.
We continued to work up the creek with floating worms and finesse worms. We each caught several small fish and numerous warmouths. Near mid-day we started to get bit again, this time across the grassline up against the bank. Terry hooked up with a nice fish (about a 3 lber) but we couldn't get it over the weed and grass line which was about 20-30 feet wide. We each missed a couple of fish that way but at least they were biting. Alas as fate would have it we had to leave.
The Hawg Hunters were having a split weigh-in and we had to report in by noon.
So we left the fish biting and headed for the scales.

Once back at Live Oak we found that there were a few fish caught but most of the guys had to work really hard for what they had and in many cases they had nothing. As much as I didn't like to leave the fish biting, it was best for the fish. To soften the effect of coming in early, Chief Fry Cook Mac Cramer had made arrangements to have fried chicken, baked beans, and potato salad delivered for us to have a nice lunch. It was delicious! And a special THANK YOU goes out to Mack's wife SANDRA for making the delivery. (There's no telling what kind of "honey do's" Mac is obligated to now!!)

After a 2 1/2 hour break we hit the water again for a 4 hour sprint to the finish. After seeing what the rest of the field had brought in we decided that we would go back where we were during the morning.
We arrived back to find that the tide had pulled the water out and we had about 18 inches less water. With those conditions our bank bite was gone. We concentrated on the deeper edges and depressions where spring heads fed the creek. I was able to pull 1 more keeper on a pink floating worm and that was it for us. We continued to catch small fish and pan fish until it was time to go.
As we started back we ran into a Tensaw Frog Strangler Rain Storm. Raindrops felt like rocks.
Thank goodnesss for a gortex rainsuit and a motorcycle helmet.

At the 2nd and final weigh in there were many tales of the ones that got away and of the lightning strikes that were nearby. It turned out to be a great time to get off the water! Winding up in first place was Neil (Blinky) Springstead with 6 fish weighing 7.8 lbs. (Since we had 2 weigh ins, we were allowed to have a 5 fish limit each time) Pistol Pete Potter wound up with a total of 6 keepers for 7.65 lbs. To take 2nd Place. Ron Fairbanks came in 3rd with 5 fish weighing 7.5 lbs and a new member
Wally McCartney (his 1st tournament with us) brought in the lunker at 3.7 lbs.
Congratulations to all the guys who caught fish on this tough fishing day.

Most of the fish either came off grasslines or were tight to wood. Most took soft plastic jerk baits, floating worms, t rig worms, or spinner baits. Fish were caught on a mixed bag of colors in the soft plastics. Color didn't seem to matter too much if you had the right action on the bait and right presentation.

During these extremely hot times don't forget to keep your live wells running, periodically cool down the water, and use catch and release to help reduce stress on the fish. Also keep your own stress down by drinking lots of water and eating fruit. Don't forget the sunscreen either.
Our next tournament is out of Isaac Creek at Claiborne Lock and Dam on the Alabama River.


‘Til next time.
*Keep your hooks sharp!

Creek Chub

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