I would like to start by saying thanks to Andy Caldwell for doing "A Day On The Water". We give Andy a hard time here on the TFF, and most of it deserved. ( LOL ). I will say to those of you that know him you know where I'm coming from, those of you that don't Andy is a good stick, and fun to be in the boat with. If you ever get a chance, take him up on it.

Andy was thrown on Lake Quitman, 5 miles out side of the town of Quitman.

For those of you that don't know about Quitman, it can be VERY TOUGH on the best of angler. If the bite is of, it is a Nightmare trying to locate active fish.

Here's how Andy's "Day On The Water" went.

5:00 am
We meet at Moser's for breakfast, and to talk about what to expect as far as pictures and video's.

6:20
We launch the boat after getting Andy's tackle put into Stan Brownings boat. ( Andy had to put his in the shop) so with out complaining about not having his own boat and equipment and launches off the steep ramp.



6:25
Andy has made his way over to a Main Lake Point half way back and starts fishing boat docks and shallow weeds in the water.
The depth is 3 feet, he's casting a Snag Proof Frog to the back of the grass. With the wind blowing straight into the bank the top water bite is hard to come by and he quickly switches to a Lucky Craft LVRD 7



For the next 25 minute he switches back and forth from the Frog and Rattle trap.

6:50
Andy cast up to a bulk head and WHAM. I see his rod bow and instantly knows it's a good fish. After playing the Bass for a second he lands his first Fish of the day a 3.6 lb beauty. On the LVRD 7.



I put the fish in the Live well so I can get him off the docks because of the wind,

7:05
As I'm getting ready to weigh the fish I here him say I got a big one, well not really. LOOK AT THE VIDEO BELOW.




Yep after we got them in the boat I stuck both SOLID KEEPERS in the Live well with some Please Release Me, and got situated
Fish #1.........(3.2 lbs)
Fish #2.........(2.2 lbs)

Thats 5.4 lbs on one cast.

That was NOT a sign of things to come, after those fish the bite SHUT OFF and Andy had to start running and gunning the lake to scratch out a solid limit.

For the next 1 hr and 8 minutes Andy caught 1 small bass while attacking, Shallow docks, Bulk heads, Shallow ledges. During this period he has many fish slap his LVRD 7 and slap his frog. None of the fish would take the bait though.



8:13
Finally a 1.4 lbs bass takes His Yellow Magic and puts up no fight at all really. Thats a LIMIT though. he says.

He continues to work steep banks and shallow docks. He has now switched to a LVRD 10 Baby Bass Pattern.

9:15
After already loosing, a LVRD 7 and a LVRD 10 he reties a 7 back on Baby Bass Pattern on next cast he sticks a nice chunk and it comes uncorked half way back. The look on his face said it all, he knew that he needed that heavy keeper.

He has honed in on the fact the Bass are holding on the outside edges of shallow weeds and Cattails, and docks with one of these at the back.

9:40
Puts on a Lake Fork Tackle Hyper Worm, and starts cast to grass around docks.



10:52
Since 9:40 he has stuck 2 small bass, while casting LVRD 7 Baby Bass Pattern around Steep drop offs with rocks and docks with weeds at the back of them. He picks up a Jig with a Lake Fork Tackle Hyper Freak trailer



after a few minutes pitching docks he moves to a steep drop off by the boat ramp, and starts throwing a Live Magic Shad. He gets two quick strikes, but just like earlier the fish are slapping the lure and not taking it.






Lets take a Break in the action and talk about something, Most of you might notice the phrase "Don't Fish Chicken" on the back of Andy's shirt.....Here is where that comes from.......I for get the year, but Gary Dobyns was having a BAD year, no money earn and couldn't get anything going. Well he said that what he was doing was fishing like a chicken trying to get points and not trying to WIN. The next year he started back going for the win in every tournament and letting the points worry about them selves. Needles to say his winning ways picked back up.

11:20
Moves to the dam and starts back with a LVRD 10 Shad Pattern, he has seen bass blow up on smaller bait fish and hope that the bigger bait will attract bigger fish to strike.




12:03
After picking apart a bank with cattails and isolated weed patches with frogs and LVRD 10's he makes a cast that will count. As soon as it hits the water a nice 3.3 lb bass loads his rod up, and after a little battle Andy wins and a the fish is boated.



He spends the next 1 hr and 30 min fishing the extended bank where he caught the 3.3 lb bass, with little luck. Although he did stick a nice trot line....TWICE?????? LOL

1:45
He has now moved over to the big Island, and tries to pick up a Bass with Shad pattern LVRD 10 after hanging up and breaking off he reties with a TomatoCraw LVRD 10. On first cast sticks a nice bass and POP........he must have had a bad spot in the line and lost the fish that would have put him over the top.

OK,
He fishes the Island for another 30 minutes and then moves to docks on down from the ramp that have deep water in front of them. He sticks a few dinks in between, while fishing the Big Island....




2:18
This is where I thought ANDY was going to get sick. The boat is in 12.6 feet of water and he is casting to a dock in 4 feet of water, He's throwing a TomatoCraw LVRD 10, he makes a cast and 3 turns into...His rod loads up and the fight is on, the fish never comes up but keeps digging and heading fro deeper water. The fish gets under the boat and is pulling so hard that he can't click or thumb drag. After about 1 minute the fish POP off and I could see all color leave ANDY. That does it I'm done he stats and thats how the day ended.

Andy's Fish
#1..................(3.6 lbs)
#2..................(3.3 lbs)
#3..................(2.2 lbs)
#4..................(1.4 lbs)
#5..................(3.2 lbs)

Total Weight........(13.1 lbs)

No hard feeling to Mark Perry who I repeatedly make fun of.

Casey

Way to go Andy ! Hmmmmm, I need a T-Shirt like that !

very nice! Those LVR's look like some pretty nice lures

Great write up...

Nice job Andy........once again thanks Casey....

Good Job Andy and Casey!

Casey-someone needs to reverse the roles and let YOU have a day on the water! Benbrook Lake is calling your name

Nice limit for a hot muggy day like yesterday. Add the few that came unbuttoned and it could of easily topped the 15# mark. Nice side note about Gary Dobyns, just the little touch that makes for a great read. Thanks guys!

Nice job guys! Sounds like an expensive "Day on the Water" That's a lot of lost Lucky Crafts!

I was thinking the same... and he just kept tying them on.

I must say that I had a ball! Casey is fun to be in the boat with and can take it as well as he dish's it out. It was a tough day and I wanted to use more techniques but the reaction bite was all I could seem to get bit on and I didn't want to look too bad after all the smack talk that "Casey" put me up to then left me under the bus! But I got him back a couple of times during the day and I'm sure that will never make print! LOL I wanted to showcase some great new products that Lake Fork Tackle has out as well as some of my other sponsor's products but it looks like an infomercial for Lucky Craft and they are not even a sponsor! Oh well, at least I didn't skunk! Stan Browning, I am forever in your debt and won't forget the favor you did me!!!

I added more pics, there in the Second and Third post.

Casey

congrats Andy, great job as well Casey.

Sounds like a pretty good day. Good job Andy on figuring those hot weather fish out!

Good job Andy and Casey!

Well, I haven't posted here much, But, Good Job Andy. Glad to see you didn't show em all your secret methods. Don't want to let too much out too fast!!!!

Mark Hiser

Hey Mark, good to see you posting here. Did y'all get all the fires put out in northern california??? I know you were working seven days a week for a while! Next trip out I'll break out the Gann's jigs and spinnerbaits because it's the championship. Didn't want to expose all the secret weapons at once, ya know...

Heck No, Cali is gonna burn up and then fall in the ocean!!! It is making for some loooong days, but I'll get through it!!
We better start gettin you in shape for the championship, so from now on, it's up at 0400, 3 miles at a good paced jog, finish with 1 1/2 mile full gallop, then hit the weights!!!!

We will get you some secret weapons so you "finish it" when it's your turn.

Just reading on here makes me think these guys kinda know you!!

Nice forum, still reading the old ones

have a good day
Mark Hiser

LOL, even if they don't know me, it don't slow the smack! Kinda like the Dobyns crew...LOL

AWESOME job Andy and Casey. I bet there were a few film takes that never got used. Casey you were to easy on him. In reversed roles Andy would have been nasty. Looks like you guys had fun and that always makes for a better day. CONGRATS guys on a great job.

Casey you need to set a day up with Gary himself!

A FEW FILM TAKES....LOL....there were a BUNCH of outakes from that trip. Andy is a great guy, If you guys ever get the chance with Andy or any of the guys from " Day On The Water" take it. you will learn something everytime.

Mark Perry.

Not a bad Idea if Gary comes down here or if I ever get out there I will do that if he wants to.

Casey

Well Andy I guess I am going to quit giving you a hard time about your fishing skills, even though you dish it to me all the time. LOL...Great job on the fishing and for all that was involved on making this happen. I don't know you Casey, but you are doing a really good job on "A day on the water", i know it is alot of work but i really enjoy reading and watching what you are posting, keep it up. Chad

Good job !