I meet Justin Yonker several month back at Bass pro Shops Garland. It was during a Lake Fork Tackle Day, Justin was very impressive on his fishing knowledge and respect for everyone he meet that day.
On Sunday September 7th, I took Justin along with his dad to Lake Cypress Springs for A " Jr Day On The Water".
Here's how Justin's Day turned out. FIRST THERE WAS A RECORD BROKE TODAY
We arrived at Lake Cypress Springs about 6:50 am and launched his dad's Skeeter. The air temp was in the mid 60's with very little wind.
7:00 Justin start off fishing around the boat ramp with a Fire Tiger Orange square billed crank bait. Casting it around concrete seawall and submerged rocks. Depth 3.1 Feet/ Water Temp 65.4
7:08 Justin has been casting around wooden docks with no luck, he decides that he needs to move to the other side of the ramp. He knows there are fish holding on the shallow isolated rocks. 7:12 After a few long cast to the seawall surrounding the ramp with his Fire tiger Crankbait Justin gets hit first strike of the day. The rod bows over and we can tell it's a nice fish.
After a short battle his dad helps him land a CHUNK OF A BASS weighing in at 2.12 LBS.Depth 3.2 feet/Water Temp 68.4 ( Justin see's the temp change and starts to focus on warmer water around the ramp getting the early morning sun)
You could see the relief of getting a fish in the boat lifted off or Justin.
7:25 After picking the ramp apart he heads back to wooden dock and makes a cast still using the Crankbait. With a quick flick of the rod and small battle he gets the fish out from the dock and lands his second bass of the day a .10 OZ Spotted Bass.
7:50 Justin has moved down the lake and starts fishing docks in deeper water. He has been fishing docks in 8-10 feet of water for about half a hour using the Fire Tiger Orange and a Chart/Blue medium running crankbait. He's throwing the Chart/Blue medium runner when he sticks his 3rd fish of the day, a .11 OZ spot. He was using spinning tackle casting to the back of the dock to trigger the strike.
7:51 Looses a good chunk on chart/blue crank. " man I just didn't get ahead of him" Justin stats. JUSTIN TALKS ABOUT SKEETERS OWNERS TOURNAMENT
8:25 After moving across lake to a shaded bank, hoping there will still be some morning feeders there, he starts casting his Fire Tiger Crankbait in 2.6 feet of water/ Water Temp 73.1 8:54 With little success Justin keeps making cast to shallow docks and looking around to make his next move when he feel that great feeling. A bass slams his crank bait, but puts up very little of a fight. A .4 OZ SPOT. Oh well he laughs that's number 4
9:06 Justin switches to a drop shot rigged with a 1/2 weight on 50 lB braid using a Craw Imitation "YUM". He's casting it into 10.5 feet of water while sitting in 15 feet.
9:24 The drop shot was short lived and he has now moved to a 10" Power worm, Tequila Sunrise. He pinches of about 1/2 inch of it telling me it adds more movement to it and makes a better hook set. He's in 6.5 feet of water/ Water temp 76.1, in stick ups
10:30 Justin has spent the last hour picking apart stickups and docks, he decides to head up lake to some isolated lily pads in 5-7 feet of water.
10:47 He has been fishing the pads for about 15 minutes with the 10" Power Worm when his line takes off and with a FAST hook set he sticks fish number 5...LIMIT FISH...a FAT .13 OZ SPOT. He was next to that shallow lay down in about a foot of water he points out. I got my limit, now just have to upgrade he tells his dad. Depth 1 foot/ Water Temp 77.1
10:48 Justin makes a cast into the thick pads when he sets the hook, a MONSTER of a bass makes two jumps and throws his 10" Power worm on a 5/0 hook.
10:55 Like every Jr angler as well as us adults should do, Justin sits down for about 5 minutes eats lunch and drinks plenty of fluids. I just like to take a break and get energized he tells me. Refocus on the fish and get back at it.
For all you Jr angler out there, this was very smart of Justin. Take the time to properly HYDRATE your self and eat something. Nothing will ruin a day faster than losing to much with out replacing you fluids and energy. GREAT JOB ON THIS PROCESS JUSTIN
11:20 Justin has been attacking Lily Pads and isolated timber for the last 20 minutes. Using the 10 Power Worm, Tequila Sunrise. 11:21 He flips the worm into a small hole in the thick pads and lets it fall t the bottom ( he's in 3.4 feet of water) after a few jigs of the rod he reels down and sets the hook. This was the toughest fight Justin would have all day. He finally plays the fish out of the pads and moves to the back of the boat to redirect the hard fighting bass. After a good battle getting the fish out of the cover and safely to the boat, Justin has landed his second biggest fish of the day. A 2.5 lb fatty. " He thumped it lightly and just sat there" he tells me and his dad. I just felt different so I set the hook.
For the next HOUR, Justin moves around the lake trying to duplicate his previous success. Hitting shallow and deep lily pads as well as docks. Throwing Crankbaits and big worms.
12:27 He has now moved to main lake docks in deeper water. he positions himself on docks with what little wind we got, was blowing into them. He starts throwing a Green Pumpkin Finesse jig with a Green Pumpkin trailer as far under the docks as he could. The docks were in 7 to 10 feet of water.
12:30 It didn't take long as Justin makes pitch in to a 1 foot wide gap in the dock and sticks a small spot. I figured they would be back under there feeding he said. The spot weighed in at .5 OZ.Depth 7.2 Feet/ Water Temp 79.7
THE REST OF THE DAY RECAP: The wind is completely dead with not a cloud in the sky. The bite has shut off and Justin keeps plugging away till the final gun. Over the next 2.5 hours he sticks 6 more fish all small spots and large mouths. He attacks points from 2 feet deep to 12 feet deep and docks along those lines as well.
Even when the bite was tough Justin never gave up, moving around and attacking a variety of different structures and technics.
I tell you all what, these Jr anglers I have had the pleasure of getting to meet, are some SERIOUS ANGLERS. They will be a force to deal with in the very near future.
[color:#000099]Justin's ability he possess this young is unbelievable. From boat control to casting all the way down to the hook setting. He know where he had learned everything from and thanks his dad for taking the time to fish with him and get him in the outdoors.
Justin, keep it up and you will go a long way. Listen to your dad, learn and cherish every fishing trip you get. [/color]
#2631343 - 09/10/0805:58 AMRe: "Jr Day On The Water"....Justin Yonker....Cypress Springs Results
[Re: armont]
Joefishin
TFF Guru
Registered: 09/29/03
Posts: 11781
Loc: Plano, Tx
Congrats Justin, very impressive decision making from a youngster. And fishing a jig, very cool!
_________________________ http://www.denalirods.com “Some men fish all their lives without knowing it is not really the fish they are after.” -Henry David Thoreau
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