Some background first. I am in a tournament competing against other military members out of Whiteman AFB Missouri. The tourneys are every other Thursday from 1 pm to 8 pm. The main purpose is to have fun, but there is some friendly competition.

The water was realy high (18 feet above normal) a little over a month ago and they just now got it down to 1.5 foot above normal.

I had done some pre-fishing a week ago, but the pattern changed so much that was useless. The bass were pretty scattered and inactive for the most part (at least most people thought they were inactive, I didn't really think so. They were just wary due to fishing pressure).

Truman Lake is a difficult lake to fish for a few reasons. Fishing pressure is HEAVY, there is almost no vegetation, and the minimum length is 15" for all black bass (including smallmouth, spotted, and meanmouth). The only people that tend to do well in tourneys around here have been fishing this lake at least twice a week for the last 10 to 15 years.

1st place went to 2 fish at 5.99 lbs

2nd place went to my non-boater partner with 2 fish at 4.86 lbs

I took 3rd place and Big Fish with one fish at 3.86

I was determined to work on my confidence in crankbaits while I was out, and thought it would be a good day for it. Reports stated that the bass were suspending in trees at 8' in 12-15' of water.

My partner caught both of his (2.94 meanmouth and 1.92 spotted) on white spinnerbait in 4' of water, but in the last 1/2 hour of the tourney in the shade of a main-lake point.

I missed one at about 5 pm on Rattletrap in about 4' feeding on shad in a flat cove not far from the main lake. It ran about 2 1/2 to 3 and would have put me on top, but i wasn't paying enough attention and didn't get a good hookset. The fish jumped up and spit the lure right at me. He got a really good bead on me and hit me in the chest from 40'. ;D

My big fish came from a tree in 9-10' of water on a hump in the main lake on a Rapala DT-16. I cast past the tree, reeled fast to get it down to 8' then slowed down to keep it there. Right after the lure banged off a limb he hit, and hit good. I was expecting this one and got a really good hookset.

Needless to say, I no longer have a confidence problem with cranks.

Outstanding report and finish young man!!!  Some Mustad Triple Grip hooks will help solve the problem of getting a Trap thrown back at ya!  They almost do the hooking themselves.

Dan

Outstanding report and finish young man!!! Some Mustad Triple Grip hooks will help solve the problem of getting a Trap thrown back at ya! They almost do the hooking themselves.

Dan

;D Actually paying attention while I am fishing will help with the Trap getting thrown at me too. I wasn't paying close enough attention to my fishing and didn't get a good hookset.

Another difference between the two:

With the Rattletrap I was using mono, and with the DT-16 I was using braid. I have a MUCH easier time setting hooks with braid.

I have thought about changing the hooks on several of my lures (including the Traps and Torpedoes). May lure companies make great baits, but don't pay enough attention to the hooks they put on them.