I have a fishing tip for you guys, it's the best tip in the world,

and I'd rather not keep it a secret. Its Psalm 27:14 that helped

me qualify for my second All American. I think it's a great story,

so I'd like to share it here.

It started last year when the' 07 BFL schedule was released. A

Clark Hill regional, that was just what I had hoped for. After all

I had finished 6th there in '05, and since the '06 All American in

Connecticut, my goal has been to make another. The difficult part

would be the Choo Choo division. It would be difficult to overcome

all the local knowledge with Guntersville on the schedule twice,

but there I was in 41st place going into the Super Tournament. I

would need just one spot. I had a disastrous practice for the

super tournament, not catching a single keeper the Thursday

or Friday prior to the tournament. So, without so much as a

place to start fishing, I prayed for guidance on Friday night.

Sure enough, I caught a keeper in the first ten minutes Saturday

morning. I then ran all over the lake for six hours without another

bite. I was certain one fish was not going to do it. When it just

popped into my head, the Lord led me straight to the fish this

morning, then being the "Great Bass Fisherman" that I am, I

tried to do it myself. I'm a lot better off trusting God I told myself,

as I raced back to that first spot that I had been led to. 2 keepers

in the last hour proved to be more than enough, and I was on the way

to the Clark Hill regional.

I was especially confident the first morning of the regional, after all,

I had easily caught my limit all week. I also had two totally different

patterns working, and had three holes of each, so hopefully I

wouldn't run out of fish before it was over. I had located some

spinnerbait / chatterbait fish back in the stained water above the

Raysville bridge. I Also had found some jerkbait fish not too

far away in the much clearer water of Germany Creek. I tried the

jerkbait first, and caught 2 the first hour in the first spot. The morning

wore on without any more action. Finally around 10:30 or so, I moved

back to my stained water. My timing must have been perfect, because

I caught a 4 pounder on my first cast with a homemade chatterbait.

But that was it, it was now approaching 1:00 and I had my kicker,

but was still 2 short of my limit. I raced back to the clear stuff to try

and salvage my day. Finally I cast my #11 rapala into the right hole in

the grass, and a chunky 2 pounder smacked it, darn he missed...

twitch...twitch...he hit again, dangit, missed again..twitch twitch,

third times a charm. I got him. Ten minutes later, I would fill my

limit. At the end of day 1, I had 10-8, and sat in 11th place. So

far, so good.

Day 2 would be the day that Psalm 27:14 would  change my day.

I started off the same way. I would go to the jerkbait first, nothing.

next stop.....nothing. Okay, I'll move to the stained water. Finally

11:00 and a chunky keeper. Then nothing. So I went back to my

jerkbait hole, and wham another chunk. Its now approaching 2:00

and I feel the tournament slipping away. Then, while moving to

another spot, I had a song pop into my head. You see, last Summer

I had taught a group of middle schoolers during VBS. One of the songs

we sang went like this...

Trust the Lord

Trust trust the Lord

Be strong and take heart

And wait for the Lord

Trust the Lord

Trust trust the Lord

Sing Alleluia

Sing Alleluia

Sing Alleluia

Trust the lord

Psalm 27:14

When I stopped the boat, I was in the wrong spot. I had stopped

at least 400 yards from my jerkbait hole, oh well, lets just fish it.

Well, quess what happened next, That's right, 5 pounder on the jerkbait.

It would be my last fish of the day, but would it be enough? Would the

big one make up for only having 3? My day 2 total 8-9, for a two day

weight of 19-01. Now let me explain something, the BFL had a rule

change this year. In previous years they would cut to the top 6 anglers,

and everyone fishing the last day had already made the All American.

This year was different, they would cut to 12 for the last day, but there

were still only 6 spots for the All American. So who benefits the most

from this rule change? That's right, the 7th place guy, no longer was he

driving home disappointed to be on the bubble, now he was the closest

one to challenge for a spot. Amazingly, there I was 7th place. Just 1

ounce out of 6th. As I ran my boat the mile or so around the

corner from the weigh in site to the ramp I used, I sang at the top

of my lungs, TRUST THE LORD.

I woke up Saturday a half hour before my alarm went off. I was

feeling certain the Lord had something in mind for me that day.

When I met my co-angler, Allan Williams, from South Carolina,

I was positive. You see, the first thing Allen asked that morning,

was "can we pray?" It was going to be an amazing day. I would

race to my best jerkbait hole. Amazingly, I caught one on my

first cast, before I ever twitched the lure. I would eventually catch

3, and Allen 1 before 9:30. With 3 in the box, I headed to my next

jerkbait hole. I landed my Rapala in a small hole in the grass, twitched

it once, got him!. Then something happened, my line went slack.

Something was defiantly wrong. Did he get off? Do I just have

a clump of grass? No.... I'VE GOT TWO. 13 ½ incher on the front

hook and a 15 incher with one back hook, on the outside of the

gill plate! I had a limit at 9:30, but would it be enough? I guessed

my weight to be 7-8 pounds. After the double, the bite slowed down.

I caught another small keeper that didn't cull and 6 or 7 short fish.

The day sped by, and before I knew it was getting late. Allan

had managed 2 more fish Carolina rigging, and I felt sure he

had secured his spot in the All American. At 2:30 he asked,

"what time are we leaving". Well from the Raysville bridge to

Wildwood is quite a run in my boat." 2:55", I told him. The minutes

passed...Finally, I got one. It's a chunky 15 incher. I quickly cull

a 13 inch fish, untangle the Rapala from my net, and glance at

the GPS. It's exactly 2:55. How much does culling a 13 incher                        

for a 15 incher gain you? I would finish 5th place, just 7 ounces

ahead of the 7th place guy. Allan would finish 4th, so I'll be

seeing him at the All American.

This will be my second All American, amazingly, my first one

was also at the Connecticut River. I have 11 days of experience

there, so I believe I have a head start over most of the field. It

would seem the Lord has set me up to succeed, and I am extremely

grateful for that. I have only rarely posted on this site, so I hope this is

not seen as bragging. I give all the credit to God. He led me to them,

and put them on my hook. I am but a humble servant, inspired by

my experience to share what I know to be God working in my life.

So when is the All American Tournament?

great story.

The All American is May 28-31 in Hartford Connecticut

wow great story

Congats

WOW! Two co-anglers! Nice story.  

Great Story. Congrats, I'm glad Clark Hill was good to you.

That's a great story! Have fun at the All American!