Hey guys,

  Its been awhile since I've been on here so I figured I'd catch everyone up on how things have been and how my practice for tomorrows tournament went. up to this point i haven't fished in two weeks. but two weeks ago I finished second in a tournament with 16lbs and in two practices the weekend before i caught a 20 and 22lb stringers. The big man has blessed me lately.

     Two days Ago I finally got to practice for a big tournament this weekend. The boat had a few trim issues that slowed me down and took a day of practice away. The area that I was fishing, I haven't seen since I was 13...10 years ago. So I was starting from a clean slate. I know its a river system. The fish should be in pre summer patterns. (which I based on the time of year) but for the most part it tells me I've got a lot of looking to do.

    I put in at the marina 6:30 and an old man tells me that the fishing has been tough past 9 oclock. maybe I can prove that wrong. I decide to fish area the slough to see if I can catch a fish shallow with the spinnerbait. no takers. small slough so I'm moving to the next one down. I think the biggest fish is still shallow and in backwater so I'm gonna do that for awhile. I fish fast from the front to back of the next slough without a bite with a blade. At the back is a cut with a point with a stump on it. I pitch to it with a jig and immediately get bit. 2 lbers. I look behind me and there is the same situation. fire a pitch off and I catch another fish. I had came in throwing a blade so I decided to quickly work my way out with the jig to see if I can rule something out. no takers in a bunch of nice looking lay down. So I'm thinking the pattern is cuts with wood on the point out from it. I'm not completely sold on it but thats what I'm gonna do. I run to the next slough and go straight to the first cut I see and catch another small fish. move to the nest one up the bank and catch a three pounder...move to the next and  another three pounder. I felt like I was on to something. remember that 9 oclock deadline that old guy told me about. well he was right because I went from 9am-3pm working backwater without catching another quality fish.

    I tried a number of different baits with no luck. I noticed bluegill sunning themselves and playing so I picked up a swimbait and topwater but didn't have any luck. This is practice so I was pretty comfortable the whole while. basically I feel that my pattern is a morning time deal so I need to find an afternoon pattern. I'm a river fisherman at heart so I take it to the river and start to run down a random bank. I fish through alot of nothing before I hit and area with shad fry running everywhere. Thick wood is looking good. I instantly catch a small fish and then stick a 3 lber but it comes undone. The area made a nice current break and that was key. I kept down the bank and ran into a bluff wall. I flipped it intently and began catching 2.5 lbers left and right. The deal was that the current had to be there. if the current was off the wall I wouldn't catch a thing. after learning this I went to random sections of bank to prove my theory. it worked again and again.

   All in all I feel that I know enough to do well tomorrow. I'll need the big man to bless me with a big fish to win but I put in a good practice and stayed after it after blanking for 6 hours. I' m proud of myself for that but then again I stayed there for 12 hours so I was catching fish half to the time lol. oh well. guys thanks for listening and wish me luck

Mottfia

OK ~ Good Luck

A-Jay

Where is your next tourney.  I too am from Alabama.  What series do you fish in?  Lmk where u are fishing i might can help you out.  I fish from cooters pond to ellis on the alabama river and lay to jordan on the coosa.  also eufaula. just lmk.