Stren #3 - Kentucky Lake

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Brian Ingersoll

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I just finished the third Stren of the year, originally scheduled for Fort Madison but moved to Kentucky Lake. It was a tough practice with a lot of new grass (milfoil) down south and the time of year for ledges to be going strong.



I split my practice between the two (turned out to be a mistake) but couldn't find any quality on the ledges, mostly just 1 1/2 pound fish - not what I was needing. I knew the better quality fish were in the grass but hadn't found a way to consistently get the bigger bites. I decided to go with my strength, the shallow fish, and work my way to the deep grass (6-8 foot)after I had my limit to upgrade.



Day 1 started with a broke trolling motor before take-off. Luckily the Ranger support guy was able to get me going 10 minutes after everyone left. I had a hard time getting a limit shallow and couldn't pattern the fish. A long day later I weighed five for 7-12. I ended the day 102 out of 170.:(



Day 2 I decided to hit the shallows early then go to the grass fish and try to figure them out. I caught 30 or 40 fish but had a hard time getting them to cross the 15" line. I was able to get two 15 1/2" fish and two good ones and start to see something. I weighed in four for 11-11, but felt better since 2 of them were close to four pound apeice. I moved up some to 78th place.



From looking at the standings I knew I needed 16-17 to get a check so I decided to swinig for the fences and hit the grass all day. I was questioning that decision with 2 1/2 hours to fish and one 15" fish in the box. Then everything started clicking for me. I was able to put four good fish in the boat that went from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds and lost one more that wrapped me up and got off. Unfortunately time ran out before I could cull the last small fish. I came in with five for 17-4 which is a personal best for me.:D It was the 9th largest sack of the day and moved me all the way up to 40th place and a $900 check.



I am now sitting in 22cd place in the yearly standings with only one tournament left to go and as long as I don't bomb it I should make the Stren Championship:blink:!



This was an eye-opening experience that I learned a lot from - and most of it had nothing to do with fishing. Being a somewhat local I felt it would be easy to get a high finish and good check. After the first day I was really down on myself, but felt I just needed to go out and get on the right pattern and turn it around. After the second day it got worse, I had caught a better sack and had a couple really good fish, but hadn't figured anything out and didn't feel I could repeat the better fish. I was wondering to myself if I had gotten in over my head and shouldn't be in this level of competition. I was really down, but at blast off I put it out of my head and decided to go fishing and let what happens, happen. By the end of the third day I regained all my confidence and realized I had taken just a little to long to find the pattern, but eventually was able to put it all together. I had limited myself in practice trying to make things work instead of just fishing my strengths and doing what I like to do. There is more of a mental aspect to it then I had ever thought.



I'm ready to go to Lake of the Ozarks in October now and get this championship qualification done!
 
I'm going to put some stuff together for you on LOZ and see if we can't get you a check.Have you ever been there before?
 
I've never been there, but I hear there's a dock or two that you can fish.:lol:

How's the water clarity that time of year?
 
Wish you the best Brian and remember...the best fishermen are right here;)
 
When in OCT. are you going to be there?? This year the lake is not fishing like she normaly fishes. I like to fish spiner baits and jigs in Oct. around the docks with bruch piles. Just look for chairs or fishing pole holders to find the brush, or a dock with a bass boat on it. Good luck!
 
Great report!! You touched on a couple of good things. Usually the loocal boys overthink their gameplan and get frustrated. You also showed that not only do you have to have a gameplan, you have to be able to change up. Good luck in the land of OZ.



TOXIC
 
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