Well after long consideration, Thomas Ross and I will be fishing Media next year in there Big D division.

I know there are a lot of JR anglers out there starting to look around at what a trail is like to fish.

Thomas and I will do season documentary on our experience, starting now on prefishing and going till the last bell has rang.

We will have video reports of Prefishing as well as what plans and details we have to work out for the tournament's. Once at the tournament I have already got the ok to do Picture and Video reports from launches and weigh-in's. At the end of each tournament we will sit down and do a video on what we did and what we would do different next time. As well as interview winners and other anglers from each tournament if they are willing.

Our whole goal is to shed some light on what it takes to fish a trail for the year, and any info we can provide to help out any angler.

Here are the Dates and Lakes
we will be fishing next year.

TX Team Big 'D'.....2-7-09.....Cedar Creek.....Log Cabin
TX Team Big 'D'.....3-7-09.....Tawakoni.....State Park
TX Team Big 'D'.....4-18-09.....Ray Hubbard.....Chandler's Landing
TX Team Big 'D'.....5-9-09.....Tawakoni.....State Park
TX Team Big 'D'.....6-13-09.....Ray Hubbard.....Chandler's Landing
TX Team Big 'D'.....7-11-09.....Cedar Creek.....Log Cabin

Everything will be done here on the TFF as "Rookies on the Trail". (This is not associated with the "Day On The Water" series)

Let us have your inputs. What's something you would like us to cover or seek out for you. What are some question you would like answered about trail fishing

What are some tips you can give us, on fishing a trail for the first time. What's some situations you went through and what will be the biggest obstacles for us?

Casey

Honestly you are making it too big a deal. Its just Media, its really about like a large club tournament. Being competitive in Media is not all that hard. You guys are putting WAY too much pressure on yourself. Relax, have fun, its just fishing. Cool idea on the chronicling of it but remember to keep it fun. Also the tournaments repeat on the lakes so be very careful about what you show if you plan on fishing it again. Trust me someone will recognize it and hit it. You always have to keep it fun.

Yeah, I know it's not that big a deal, but I thought it would be neat to show everyone on the TFF what they are like.

I do agree Mark, we will make it fun, but it will be different for us that are going from a club that has anywhere from 10-15 boats to a tournament with 50-80 boats.

Casey

Sounds pretty cool, just add it to all the other things we appreciate you do here.

make sure the video camera is only on, while fishing someone elses spots

It would be nice to have an extra mic on each angler. I have no idea if that is possible or not for your set-up, but that would be cool.
ps. thanks for ALL you do!

Casey,
Me and Stan will be fishing the Hwy 31 division which fishes the same day as Big D on the two Cedar Creek tournaments. I will help you in any way I can. The hardest thing I had to get used to for years was fishing a trail with a lot of anglers you knew of and respected and automatically thinking I had to go out and catch a good limit early to think I had a chance to compete. You have to go out fishing for one fish at a time and not let the competition dictate what you do. Fish to your strengths and let instinct take over when conditions change or the fish change from what might have been working in practice. Take each day, even each hour as it comes and never slack off until time to come in. You definitely have to put forth maximum effort the stronger the competition but you have to stay within yourselves and not let who you are fishing against have any bearing on what you do. It is you against the fish.

This Man just doesn't stop. I seriously don't know where you find the time. I think it's a great idea, Casey. Media is a pretty big step up from a Club Tournament. A lot more people, pressure and money involved.
I have a helmet cam around the house you can use if you want to attach it to your hat or something. I use to use it to record some of my races when I raced sportbikes. It's hands free and everyone gets to see what your seeing.

I just want to see the BLOOPERS reel.......

I expect the entire video to be bloopers.

I expect one of us to fall in the water at least once a tournament.

good luck.......

Mr. Bizzle and TRoss on a trail together!! This is going to be fun. Another great idea from Mr. Bizzle.

The only obstacles you'll face is each other.

What's the OVER/Under on T-Ross going "WOOOOOOOO-WOOOOOOOO" during the trail?

youd better hope Im saying that alot.

Having fished with both of y'all I can tell everyone that they will complement each other very well. Thier styles are similar but their strengths are different. They should be able to find some good fish and compete very well.

If I can offer one piece of advice it is "don't sweat the small stuff, and it is all small stuff". Your weakness is that you each get too intense on yourselves and you lose focus. You need to reel each other in when you see it start to happen.

Tips:

• Begin each tournament with a personal prayer and rely on prayer throughout the day.
• 1 fish at a time
• Fish for winning fish.

The one thing that I hope to see y'all cover is the winners circle. Good luck and blessings on your adventure.

I agree with what Mark said as far as staying relaxed and not getting over-hyped. I do however, disagree with the statement that it is not hard to be competitive in Media. It still takes some pre-fishing and lake knowledge. I do not care what people say, Media is still the best middle-to-upper level local trail and it will consistently draw the best sticks around. You are doing the right thing by taking it seriously and not just going out to make a video and donate your money. Keep up the good work and it will pay off hansomely for sure.

Hwy 31 is a great division. You'll be competing against some good local sticks. My partner fished it last year. We fished one basscamps event last year as well and honestly there wasn't that much of a difference in my opinion. Now I may change my mind after this year as we are fishing basschamps and not media. Good luck!! Oh and watch out for cops on 175 on your way to cc. they know when tournament season starts.

I've won a Media Ind. and have cashed quite a few Media checks and I suck at fishing. Trust me its not that hard. If I can compete anyone can.

At least you can admit it

I would like to see lots of detail on CC. Just in case I fish the championship there.

Give yourself some credit Mark. I've only lived in the DFW area for a little over a year. You don't win a media tournament and suck at fishing.

ask Mr Bristow how to do it with style.. the observer and myself both gave him a solid "7".. woulda been better, but his feet were too far apart and made a splash...

Be careful Casey...I agree with Mark in the sense that you are putting more pressure on yourselves being first year and all.

I have always said it takes a team 2 years before they really start clicking or they blow up whichever comes first. Adding this pressure to the already existing pressure you put on yourself might be a bit much.

Good luck, if you are bent on doing it then I hope it works out for you.

Yeah Judd,

I think T-Ross and I have the understanding down already that there will be a learning curve.

We are going into this year looking at it as a learning year. We hope to be really competitive in a year or so.

Once again we wanted this more to be neat for the TFF'ers. They always hear of Media, and other trails and this will be a cool way of showing them the in's and out's of the trail with out being there.

Casey