MattStrykul

Was out Tuesday and caught 6 total, largest being 3.5 lbs. Found some clear water and it paid off! Water temps dropped roughly 4 degrees since I went out last Tuesday, and the water is up about 8-12 inches. Funny story, I set the hook on a fish and the line dug into itself pretty good. I didn't realize and sat down to retie, and the very next cast I pitched toward some grass and as soon as the line his the spot where it had dug into itself POP goes my rod into the drink. Fished for it for 45 minutes and decided to move on because I had a buddy on the boat and didn't want to waste anymore of his time. Went back yesterday with some more appropriate snagging tools and caught it after 45 minutes.

Ace is a beast, all I can say is I'm glad he's on my team. The kid is clutch! I'm excited for the next event myself, hope we can just get bit more honestly. Haven't really had any "numbers days" out there. Thanks! Gotta grab that net quick! haha

Well guess I'm the idiot then.

I got a humminbird 899 from them, all was fine EXCEPT that my Transducer was not in factory sealed package. I wanted to trade it in for the HD ducer but since it wasn't sealed I couldn't do it. Never said anything and just used the compact si transducer. Just thought I'd chime in.

Trust me, you will be plenty fine! My brother and I grew up fishing out there in a 10' plastic coleman crawdad. We'd take 2-3 batteries with us and TROLL across the lake from Peahill. We stay at Sherwood Forest campground just down from Washburn's. We graduated to a 14' vhull with decks and a 9.9, then finally a 17' nitro. It will definitely be a little rough, but just take your time and really learn the boat and how it handles, you'll be fine. Be safe, have fun, and catch some fish! Love Gaston!

Added videos from the past 2 tourneys out on the rez. Caught most fish shallow, no site fishing though. Nothing giant but still a fun time out there as always. Give me some tips on making these videos better please! Hope you guys enjoy Matt

Thanks Nitro I will come back after next week(s) tournament(s) and fill you guys in on where and how I was catching these fish. I'm sure some of you will already be able to figure it out, but all in due time.

Some prefishing from yesterday, check it out! Let me know what you guys think, Matt

Slowly learning my friend

Here's the smaller of the 2 big ones yesterday

It died 10 minutes before catching this and I forgot my adapter to be able to charge it! I did get one of the 5lbrs on the GoPro though!:)

Hoping for some run good and pulling a #1 chip so we can be the first ones out!! Jokes aside, bite will most likely be completely different. I'm just hoping to catch some fish on Sunday.

Close, but a little further down and to the right

Had an awesome day before work, got out around 8, grabbed 2 immediately on blade and chatterbait that went around 3.5 and my buddy's was 5lbs...went 2 hours without a bite, then grabbed a 2lbr, then another 5lbr, and topped it off with this giant...I am guessing around 7lbs. Unfortunately no scale, but I'll let you all be the judge. About 22 lbs for 5 fish

I caught 7 Sunday with 4 keepers, nothing too exciting. Spoke with a few others and they seemed to smash them downlake though!

Sunday is gonna be a mess! I hope we can get em!! Check out this video I made pre fishing on Monday on the Rez and let me know what you guys think! It's my first GoPro video so any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Variance is all it is. Fishing is like being a professional poker player; you can be the best in the world and still go on cold streaks.

I was out today from 8-2. I went downlake just passed Sandy Run, water was super dirty, 3 inches of visibility max...Fished deep, shallow, points, bluffs, flats, you name it. Water temps ranged from 50-55 throughout the day. Decided to run up a little and fish some mid lake stuff and see what that water was looking like. A little cleaner mid lake still no bites. I saw another guy snag a catfish, that was the only action I saw all day. The new boat runs well though and I can't wait to fish these tourneys. See you guys out there Sunday!

I'm about to pick up the Humminbird 899 side imaging unit. I plan on taking a couple days and just mapping out the entire rez, and truly learning how to use the unit to the fullest. As Jon said, I do believe it will be especially helpful for those summer months.

Carolina Rig the Crankbait.....but you didn't hear that from me.

Best guide on the Rez.... That's our ongoing joke since he takes us out all the time. T Bryan never fails! He's actually selling us his old boat too for the tourneys this year. Just need to find a place to keep it....

Went out yesterday from 9:30-3 and did well. Left from Bull Run, and headed down in search for some clear water considering it was chocolate milk around the launch. We had some luck in the back of creeks with clear water on spinnerbaits, missed a few on jigs, and chatterbaits. My brother caught a solid 5, Trevor caught a 3.5 and a keeper, and I finished up with a 3.5 at the end of the day. My fish hit my jig like a topwater...I popped it over some dead grass and the fish jumped out of the water behind it! They seemed to be hungry. Water temps 54-57.

A buddy I met from another forum, who is a big time blue cat guy caught the NC state record Sunday morning. Unfortunately he couldn't find anywhere that was open with a certified scale so he kept this 91lb catfish alive overnight and hung out until this morning to get it certified. Gets his pics with the beautiful fish, gets it recorded, a biologist comes out and witnessed the fish, and Zakk released it back into the lake. He continues to go back out and BEATS his own record an hour after it had been set! 105 lbr! I thought it was a really cool story, and this guy fishes HARD!! Very much deserved. So much respect for Zakk https://www.facebook.com/zakk.royce/posts/999934143379316?fref=nf&pnref=story.unseen-section

^^^ This I grew up fishing Gaston, and still learning it! Around this time of year, I'm fishing deep points and bluffs with jigs and shakeyheads. You can work a jerkbait painfully slow and get some monsters as well.

"22 states now “force public schools to allow homeschoolers some type of access to classes or sports. These include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming." " Did a little research for you and it looks like you can join a school fishing team if you wanted. Personally, I would have loved to do that, but being from Washington DC not many kids were into fishing. Just have fun with it, be competitive, and learn as much as you can.