Pensacola Hawg Hunters
Bass Club

Founded In
1975



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


Appalachicola River
September 20,21 2003

Blackwater River
Total Fish Caught
73
Total Dead Fish
5
Total Fish Weight
120.25 lbs.
Total Year Standings
Total Fish Caught 496
Total Dead Fish 21
Total Fish Weight 745.85 lbs.
~ Tournament Winner ~

Rich Cornelius
8 Fish - 17.50 lbs
~ Tournament Big Fish ~
Ken Repine
5.35 lbs.
Place Name Fish Weight Place Name Fish Weight
1. Rich Cornelius 8 17.50 2. Dave Dyess 10 14.00
3. Kevin Simmons 7 12.80 4. Brian Metcalf 7 11.70
5. Neil Springstead 7 10.55 6. Walter McCartney 6 9.85
7. Lee Brannon 5 8.80 8. Pete Potter 5 5.65
9. Ken Repine 1 5.35 10. Fred Raby 5 5.15
11. Paul Sullivan 3 5.15 12. Terry Smith 1 3.55
13. Jeff Weaver 3 3.50 14. Jere Jaillite 2 3.10
15. Mack Cramer 2 2.25 16. Frank Kelly 1 1.35

Also Fished
Wayne Thomley, Ron Fairbanks

~ Appalachicola River ~

This month’s column is written by Frank Kelly, as John Buck was unable to attend this month’s event.

The September 2003 tournament was held on the Appalachicola River and we stayed at the Break Away Lodge. This made it very convenient for launching and getting in that extra 30 minutes sleep in the morning. There was some concern prior to the tournament that the annual DOCEE bass tournament scheduled for the same weekend would produce between 200 and 300 boats, making for some crowded fishing holes. That didn’t pan-out as only 85 boats showed up, leaving most of the honey holes empty.

I drew out Paul Sullivan, someone whom I’ve fished with before so I was looking forward to this weekend. We didn’t meet the "caravan" at J. C. Penney’s parking lot but did pull in behind them on I-10 at the Scenic Highway exit. This proved to be convenient for us until we found out that Wayne Thomley’s wife Dora, made special breakfast biscuits for Sully and I, but when we weren’t at JCP’s parking lot, Mack Cramer ate both our breakfasts. And he rubbed it in by constantly reminding us how delicious they were. Wayne…..pass on to Dora to please try again next tournament.

It had been two years since I had been on the Appalachicola, so Friday, Sully and I did some exploring, looking for some good spots for the weekend, thanks in part to a map that John Buck provided to me, showing us where to fish and what to use. And, he was right.
Our "test" spots on Friday were where he suggested and we found fish on just about every one.
A mud fish or two, here or there, but we did find bass. I hooked a nice one on a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap and was quite relieved when he got off just at the side of the boat.
Sully said he thought it might go 3 or 4 pounds. I was hoping it would still be the weekend.

On Saturday, Sully and I went back to our favorite spot, Smokehouse Creek, and he put a nice keeper in the live-well within five minutes of starting. He added another about noon and that was it for the day. Two for Sully and none for me. Both fish were found on wood and he caught both on a white fluke.
Back at the first day’s weigh in, everyone seemed quite amazed at the lack of good fish, considering this spot was noted for quality fish. The fish weren’t biting very good, but the flies were out, numbering somewhere near a million…….and I think they all found me.

Over dinner and during the evenings chatter, everyone had different stories as to where to go and what to use. I heard everything…..look for wood…..grass…..clear water……AND use……crank baits…..worms…..spinners…..etc…etc…etc.
Sully and I went back in the same direction and did fish some of the same areas, but we did change things around somewhat. Once again, he put the first keeper in the boat, again on a white fluke.
I did manage to eek out one keeper but I didn’t put him into the boat until 12:15.……
only having 15 minutes left to fish.

Who said fish right up to when you have to leave to get back to your launch site on time….
sounds like Brian Metcalf to me.

At Sundays weigh in, everyone was complaining of the flies and lack of quality fish.
The general consensus was fish Applachicola in the spring.
The final results were Rich Cornelius in first with a very respectful 8 fish for 17.50 pounds; Dave Dyess (the only one to catch 5 fish on each day) in second with 10 fish for 14.00 pounds; Kevin Simmons in third had 7 fish weighing 12.80 pounds and in fourth was Brian Metcalf with 7 fish at 11.70 pounds. Saturdays big fish went to Terry Smith who had a 3.55 pounder and Sunday was taken by our newcomer, bass fishing for only the second time in his life, Ken Revine who hauled in a nice 5.35 pound hawg….
way to go everyone…..way to go Ken.

See you next month at Martin



Frank Kelly

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