If you are interested in purchasing products by BTR Custom Lures, go to the website in my signature. I am developing a products page, soon to be updated with complete specs and pics. Thanks, Boone

Anybody going to fish Whitney in the morning?
If so are you leaving out of loafers bend?
Bob

it should be a nice day... mostly sunny but great looking day as far as temperature goes

i think i am waiting till next weekend to fish

Bob, I'll be there in the Am... I'll say hi if I see you

good Luck

From Boating to flying in one fail swoop.

Saturday while fishing on Whitney I hit a floating log under the surface that I never saw. I had heard of people hitting them and was always concerned, but seemed very unlikely in the water I was in. I was wrong!
I was crusing along about 25-30mph in 25ft of water when there was a loud bang and I was no longer in the water. The 20ft boat was airboarn. It was one of the most surreal moments I ever had. You know when they say events seem to happen in slow motion? This was one of those cases. Thank God it came down on its hull. It hit the water on its hull and bounced turning the but almost exactly 180 degrees, but stayed right side up. When the boat hit the log it threw me up but the steering wheel held me in the boat. I was real lucky that I did not fly out or that my son was not with me. I was NOT wearing a life jacket.
When the boat came to rest I was a little shocked. I looked around and everything on the deck was still there (strapped down). I splashed a little water in the boat but not much. The motor was still running and I was still floating. I put the boat in neutral and then back into forward to see if the boat would run. It slipped right into gear like usual and started to move. I turned on the bilge pumps in case I had ripped a huge hole in the boat and ran back to the ramp at normal speed. I trailerd the boat and crawled under to have a look around. There seemed to be no water coming out of any holes. There were chips of gelcoat missing but appeared to be no structual damamge, and no gapping holes in the boat. When I got homw I but a water hose in the bilge and checked again to see if water came out the bottom. I found out that after a certain amount of water in the boat the bilge pumps come on automatically.I will take the boat to a local fiberglass boat man and have him look at it and do any needed fiberglass repairs.

I am normally not a life jacket man. I have them on the boat but usually only wear them when required. Well, I was normally not a life jacket man. This event was a warning and the big motor will no longer run without life jackets. Had I had a passenger with me, I think they would surely have been thrown out of the boat. God was watching Saturday and told me in his way "son, it's time for you to start wearing your life jacket".
Thanks God!
Bob

dang, where did you hit it at?

if anyone ever hears of open tournaments on any of the lakes we've fished this year ( other than R.C. )...
I'd appreciate the info.

thanks!

Derek,
I was on Whitney coming out of the state park heading towards the island.
Looks like it did some pretty severe damage. The say they will have to take the motor off and roll the boat over to fix it. Thank goodness for insurance.
Bob

dang, i cant believe you hit it out there.

Would like to see if we can meet the first weekend of December. What does everybody think?
I am thinking maybe Hog Creek Ice house or the new place at Speeglevile marina.

Let me know what you think
Bob

sounds good to me. either place is good.

Just let me know the date and time and I will be there. Either place will be fine with me.

Any one planning on going to Whitney today. Iwill be heading there shortly. Should be there before 9:00 a.m. I think I will launch at Loafers bend on the other side of the dam.

NOT TO BE DIFFICULT BUT IT MAY BE A BETTER IDEA TO SHOOT FOR A NOVEMBER DATE FOR THE MEETING. THE MONTH OF DECEMBER CAN GET VERY HECTIC. I MYSELF HAVE ABOUT 4 or 5 CHRISTMAS GET-TO-GETHERS W/ A COUPLE OF CHURCH FUNCTIONS TO ATTEND.
ALSO , I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR WHILE FRESH ON MY MIND:

1. 5 FISH LIMIT - AS IT IS NOW... WHOEVER CATCHES THE BIG ONE MOST LIKELY WINS THE WHOLE THING. IT WOULD JUST BE MORE COMPETITIVE & FUN THAT WAY.
2. EVERYONE TAKES OFF AT THE SAME TIME!!! THIS IS THE ONE THING I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CHANGED MORE THAN ANYTHING. AS IT IS NOW , IF YOU DON'T HAVE GPS... YOU ARE AT A DIS-ADVANTAGE TO THE GUYS WHO CAN AFFORD TO LEAVE YOU @ THE BOAT RAMP WAITING UNTIL "SAFE LIGHT" WHICH IS WHEN WE SHOULD LEAVE OUT. ALL AT THE SAME TIME.
IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO GET TO YOUR HOLE & BE READY WHEN THE TOURNAMENT BEGINS , SURE , BUT THIS WOULD MAKE IT MORE FAIR FOR EVERYONE.

JUST A THOUGT

JR, I couldn't agree more. I have GPS in my boat, but I still would like to make it a level playing field. 5 fish is a good idea. I don't mind 3 fish in a jackpot, three hour tourny, but if we are going to fish for 6-7 hours, 5 is the way to go, IMHO.

yep i would like to see those things change too , but we will need a big turnout at the meeting. but i guess we will talk about it at the tournament.

JR i certainly agree with the 5 fish limit. And the safe light. I have always liked trailoring but that is what we need to meet for so that we can work these things out.
I will talk to Derek today if he comes by my office and look at a calender and see i9f we can make it a November date.
Bob

will we be voting on positions @ our meeting? I know this will be the 1st meeting but time is running out before the start of '08.
We really need to get this club figured out. I suggest we use this forum or better yet email ( for privacy ) to get some things going.

I would like to meet on the 1st of December for the first meeting. At either the new place at Speegleville ( I am going to scope this place out on Saturday)or the hog creek icehouse. The time should be during the day I like 2 or 3 in the afternoon we should be able to come to the decissions needed to start things off as well as set another meeting date. This is the Saturday after the thanksgiving weekend.

We need to vote our bylaws into place as well as our rules and concesus. We could worry about electing officers in the next meeting. But turnout at the first meeting is going to be most important. At the last meeting it was Derek and me and that was it. If we are going to do this thing we need to do it. I do NOT like the email idea. I want to see everyone in person and voting and discussing ideas right there in the same room.

I Will bring a fresh copy of the packets that I emailed out. Nothing changed but in case you lost yours.

I am collecting a file of everyones email so PLEASE email me (AS SOON AS YOU CAN)even if you have a packet so that I can make sure I have your email on file.

robert.lovelace@tstc.edu

Thanks
Bob

your right jason, we do need to get this thing rolling preety fast. but we just need a good turnout of people.

TFF 2007 Tournament #9
lake whitney rules and regulations

NEW RULE- you must pre register each month on a waco tournament trail thread to be eligible to fish that months tournament. you can find the pre registered list at the bottom of the rules.


OFFICIAL RULES
start time 6:30 am - 3:00 pm
Saturday Nov. 17th 2007

LOCATION
Lofers Bend Ramp. 2 lane Ramp. its right by the dam

ENTRY
Sign up for this tournament will be held at the launch site(lofers Bend ramp) between 5:50 am and 6:20 am on the morning of Nov. 17th. All contestants will be required to pay in cash at the time of sign in. No late entries will be accepted without permission of tournament officials. No entries will be accepted for any reason after tournament starts.The weigh in will be at 3:00 pm at the launch site. you can go to your holes early but cannot start until 6:30 am

FEES
$20- per boat
$5- big bass per team.Optional
$1- total weight after seies ends
$26- total

PAYOFF
The entry fee and the big bass pot will be kept separate
The pot will pay:
1st place 75% of total pot
2nd place 25% of total pot

BIG BASS: Biggest bass takes all

WEIGH IN and BAG LIMIT
legal fish will include Largemouth Bass, Spotted Bass, Smallmouth Bass.
All fish wieghed in must be at least 14 inches in length, 18 inches on designated lakes.Short fish will not count. Measurement of any fish will be done at tournament official's discretion.A dead fish weighed in will be a 1/4 pound or 4 ounces penalty for each dead fish.
3 FISH LIMIT

WEIGH IN TIME:
You must be in line to weigh in by 3:00 pm sharp.
There will be a 1 pound penalty for every minute late up to 5 min.
Tournament officials will keep official time. Make sure to get official time at sign in.
After 5 min. the team will be automatically disqualified.

OTHER RULES
NO TRAILORING ALLOWED
Artificial baits only
Livewells will be checked by tournament officials before launching boat(at sign in).
Any complaints or challenges will be taken up at the weigh in with tournament officials at the end of the event. Tournament officials reserve the right to deny entry to anyone.
Remember guys this tournament is for fun. Fishing and boat courtesy is the same as any other tournament.
we will (try) to give a copy of these rules at sign up.
if you have any suggestions about these rules just ask

TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS:
BOB LOVELACE-254-716-5569
DEREK BAKER-254-495-9108
JEFF BAKER-254-867-0259

pre registered list:
1.Skeeter TZX 200
2.Bassonly
3.Bassman76
4.Huckleberry
5.Jrx2
6.Centexmav/chilihead1k
7.JCatch7

does 6:30 sound right about the start time.

Derek,
There will be no class Tuesday afternoon.
Also I should know today if my boat will be ready this weekend.
Bob

sounds good bob