BaSS tIps
Tami takes on
By Tami Curtis
clear lake
F
ishing as a co-angler can be quite a learning
experience. Fishing with a different draw each
day has been quite valuable to me throughout
the years, as i am able to learn from each Pro and sometimes learn from my own mistakes.
PRE FISH
even though i only had time for one half-day of pre fishing, my confidence was high as i anxiously waited the night before the recent WoN Bass tournament on Clear lake. For me, the opportunity to pre fish with Mike Folkestad, especially since he knows the lake so well helped me to be “on fish” quickly and increase my confidence.
as i began my first and only, half-day of practice, i knew that Mike was catching fish and what he was catching them on, so i had full confidence in what he was using and decided to give some of my “old school” baits a try. Not to mention, with a little mishap, showing up to the lake with everything except my regular tackle bag, it didn’t leave me with a whole lot of options. My main tackle bag had all my drop shot hooks, weights, worms that i use at each lake, my life jacket (attached to it), pliers, and scissors, etc. i brought all
my daiwa rods and reels, and all my “just-in-case” baits and hooks; however, those baits were not the ones Mike was using. on top of it all, it would be totally embarrassing for me to mention this to Mike, just yet.
i got out a couple of things that i hadn’t used in about 8 years. Mike looked at what i was trying out and asked why i would use that after he had already suggested what they were biting on. i wasn’t sure i should tell him just yet that i had forgotten my bag so i said, “Well, i am just going to see if i can get anything else to bite first.”
Sincemyfundsaretight,iwascrossingmyfingers hopingthatmy“oldschool”baitwouldworkrightnow! thankgoodnessthe10-inchPowerwormdidn’tletme downandigotafourandahalfpoundbass,reallyquick. thatpiquedMike’sinterestandheaskedtoseewhatiwas using. Weboththrewthosetheremainderoftheday catchingsomereallynicehawgs! thatgaveusbothanother optionforaneffectivebaittouseinthetournament.
later on in the day, after we had confidence in the worm, i broke the news to Mike about my tackle bag. Thank goodness he had extra pliers, scissors, weights, the “correct” hooks to help me get through the tournament.
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