Ready, Set, Blow!
Another beautiful week in South GA slowly began giving way to the next spring cold front, sending many fishermen back to the drawing board to develop their game plan. The cold front never quiet seemed to break through the unusual southeasterner that also began to build. By Friday night the winds were up to 8-10mph, and before the tournament ended, was blowing at an uncomfortable 25 - 30mph, with occasional gusts of 35mph or more. Talk of a trailer tournament was circulating through groups of fishermen, which would allow anglers to trailer their rigs to any ramp on the lake after morning check-in, but the big wind showed up a little too late to force the change.
Paul Love, fishing with his dad Lynn, both from Crawfordville, Florida, made the decision to stick with their game plan, even though it meant running all the way to the south end of the lake in the rough water. Paul and Lynn would wind up with a five-fish limit which weighed 16.94 pounds.
The Love's worked areas on the south end between 4 to 8 foot deep. They caught 3 of their keepers on spinner-baits, and the other two on Zoom Horny Toads.
The Zoom Horny Toad offers some great features not found on any other soft plastic bait. The shape resembles a frog and most anglers will use them for a top-water frog presentation. The Zoom Horny Toad features two Ultra-Vibe legs that buzz and churn on the surface with a moderate retrieve, and it can be rigged weedless and fished over grass and pads. The Zoom Horny Toad is also great as a jig trailer with the Ultra-Vibe legs giving out plenty of fish attracting vibration in the water. The belly of the Horny Toad is slotted for your hook, allowing the point to push out further for a more positive hookset.
Paul and Lynn also bagged the 2nd largest bass of the tournament, a beautiful 5.74 long-time resident of Lake Eufaula. Paul said that they moved into a pocket with a notable amount of grass in it and remembered thinking, "This ought' to be a good spot for a Horny Toad!" About 10 casts later, the big one jumped on it, and would be enough to help them finish about a pound-and-a-half above the rest of the field.
This was Paul and Lynn's first, 1st Place Finish with FOM, winning a 20 dollar bill shy of $1,200. The next tournament, on the 5-stop Trail, will be on the "Far-North" end of Lake Eufaula, fishing the Hooch out of Columbus, Ga. There is probably a pretty good chance that the grass flats at River Bend will see more than a 5-pack of Horny Toads before the next weigh-in.
Special thanks to all the fine companies that make FOM possible;
Triton Boats
Mercury
Shakespeare
All Star Rods
Pflueger
Strike King Lure Company
Reese Marine Towpower
XTools
Solar Bat
Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits
Berkley
Keelshield
Grace Full Gospel Church
MotorGuide
SOSPENDERS
Marshall’s Marine Lake City SC
Kistler
Mizmo Bait Company
Dual Pro Charger
Buckeye Lures
Stanley Jigs
Deka Marine Master Batteries
Spike-It
Jacobs Glass
Poor Boys Baits
T&H Marine
Rejuvenade
Keep Alive Oxygen Infusers
Local sponsors for this tournament
were:
Lee King Benefit Buddy Tournament
Calvary Baptist Church
Sea Tow
Masterbuilt Outdoor Products
Hawg Heaven Gear
JJ's Magic