"Time of year is not the issue. Covid 19 is the issue. Summer is not normally crowded at all and yet all of those overs and many more are still swimming in our lake. Did any of you notice how many of the overs were small? And skinny too."

Yep. Same down here.

Went out there two weeks ago on a Wed. 100 degree day with no wind and boats were stacked on every spot. Pretty ridiculous

I hadn't been on the lake in months. As for the fishing it was so-so. One of the fish I caught was 15 15/16ths but wasn't fat at all. Weighed 2.05 at weigh in. I would've normally known the weight, but when I went to replace the battery in my scale, the scales lead busted off.

As far as the boat traffic, where I was it had traffic, but not as bad as McDonalds. There were 6 boats on the same mainlake point, but everyone played well together. Didn't hear any bellyaching. Like many of you, I've fished several of the big bass tourneys over the years...probably 20 of them or so. Yes...you need to allow extra time at the ramp. Yes, boats are probably going to be sitting on the holes you want to fish. However, in all of those tourneys I've always been surrounded by some really cool dudes.

Oh yeah, I always wonder about the boats that have no clue where they're driving. Had one blow thru inside of everyone on the point. He couldn't have been in three foot of water. Wonder if he puckered up when his depth finder jumped up??? It didn't upset me though...just know that some people don't know the lay of the lake. It's not personal.

Really enjoyed another well run tournament. Congrats to those that cashed a check.

Saturday was pretty much eliminating water for us. Not by intent, just how bad we sucked. Made an adjustment Sunday and caught all good slot fish. Felt we were running the right stuff and sooner or later might get lucky on an over, that never happened. For the most part everyone we encountered was more than courteous on the water.

Now at the LFM ramp Sunday evening was a different story. There was a little man that came up to my truck passenger window while I was waiting to pull into the back ramp. He asked me to move so he could pull through but literally I was next to pull down and had nowhere I could go other than down to the ramp. I politely said sure thing just one minute buddy at which time he said "if you gonna be an a$$hole then go right ahead". Well being in the heat all day that got my temper going pretty good and I told him he best get away from my truck window, I didn't cuss him, don't go cussing at me. He offered me to stop by his trailer by the gas pump and walked off. It was less than 5 minutes I had the boat loaded and was up by that trailer at the gas pump and good thing for both of us he was nowhere to be found. When we got back to our room the guys next to us was talking about the same guy and apparently he was giving others a bunch of [censored] down at the ramp too. So little buddy, if you on this forum you now know my name. I frequent LFM almost weekly and look forward to formerly introducing myself.

Our day was interesting and blessed. On Saturday night as we were rigging up, I told my youngest son that I was breaking out the "special" reel for this event. This is the one my oldest son gave me as Best Man present at his wedding in 2007. Little did we know that 3 months later he would be diagnosed with stomach cancer.

I 've only used that reel about 5-6 times since Clay passed in '09, but I felt that the time was right for another outing with that important reminder of a very special son. Like everyone, Kaden and I passed about 5 different structure locations with one or more boats and quickly realized we had to find more obscure locations. After about 3 hours up Big Caney arm, I told him lets start hitting our crappie brushpiles. Everyone knows that big bass love hanging around crappie schools. There's always good cover and easy meals within about 10 fin strokes when they're ready to eat.

On our third pile, I was working the zoom ol monster across the top of a limb when I felt that famous tick and light pressure. She dove in when I set, but luckily was able to keep good pressure and she swam up out of it for that famous head shake to try and throw the worm. After a 45 second harrowing battle, Kaden slid the net under a 24 1/2" bass and I knew the premonition was correct.

We went in for the 11:00 hour and I didn't wait, as the fish needed fizzing and I don't like holding these great fish any longer than necessary. She weighed 8.63 and incredibly held up for the half hour and to net a $15,000 hourly check. I was the only over, followed by 6 overs in the 12:00 hour. Son, thank you for holding all those people off....

At 1:15, Kaden reared back and set the hook on the edge of a 20' brushpile and it was on. It was like he hooked on the back of an 18-wheeler, there was no winner emerging. He had all 225 lbs leaned into her trying to keep her out of the big tree around which the brushpile is laid, when all of a sudden is rod snapped 18" above the handle and the frayed graphite cut his line. His was bigger than my 11.59 in McDonalds several years back, we were sick.... Last night, spent 4 figures ordering made in the USA top graphite blank Xheavy rods for Kaden, that ain't happening again! These made in China blanks are [censored].

But, we had a great day and the invisible boat captain by my side took care of his dad and brother, without a doubt. Had one 6, two 7's the 8.63 and the heartbreaker. Thanks for the ride along, son. I love you Clay, see you on the other side, buddy......

Great story and thanks for sharing! Sounds like you won before you put the boat in the water!

Great story Fork Man! Glad for your success with such a special reel!

I think it was bad in the Spring with Covid. But honestly the last few weeks Ive been fishing havent been bad at all. Some days hardly nobody out there. Havent even seen many guides out.

Great story man...love hearing stuff like that

Pretty slim pickings for us. Actually found a decent spot without a boat where I wanted to fish first thing. Partner caught a good slot on a jig right off the bat and I followed up with a 15 7/8” 1.97 rail of a fish on a ol monster. Left there at 8:30 and ran around looking for somewhere to fit in. Went and hit a few brushpiles that were open to no avail. Set down on a fish I couldn’t turn for a few seconds until she opened up and gave me my mag shakey back. Caught 2 more slots the rest of the day off brush and that about sums it up. I told my partner who has never fished a big bass event that he was gonna get to see some knuckleheads and he wasn’t disappointed as we saw some pretty comical moves by some guys. I was graphing a point and another boat just came off plane. I waypointed a spot and go about 10yds to drop the tm and fish it. I turn around and this guy is hitting a waypoint where he saw me do it. Another guy trolled over on top of a pile we were throwing in, looked down at his livescope and told us there were just crappie there, no bass. I actually think this guy thought he was helping us out. I just laughed and kept casting.

I didn't fish it..........

I fished shallow early and caught one dink; found my crowded deep water point around 9AM and spot locked and sat until I finally got a bite - 6lb 14oz slot, 23 inches. No more bites the rest of the day.

Fork Man..great story thanks for sharing.

Fork Man, awesome story sir and congratulations. But, more importantly, just shows how much fishing means to the relationship between sons/daughters and Dads. Man, I am sitting here with giant tears. I have 4 sons and a daughter. Can't imagine the pain of losing a child. But, I know your heart was so warmed by feeling your son's presence in the boat with you and Kaden.

So, Megabass. Started on the dam, caught 4,000 one pound fish. Got sick of reeling. Kept thinking we might hang a 2.5 or an over. We did catch one slot, but after the hour and a half of sitting, then 2 hours of catching midgets, we moved. Ran around, Little Caney, Chaney road bed, up into Birch, Dale, past Axton's, all over. Caught 4 more fish all day, with nothing to weigh. Closest to being able to weigh was a 1.5. Did have some dummies running right at us in the lane, just split the middle. Also, had a fool at take off from Fisherman's, who was running about 25, along with the rest of us fools out of there. Hit my horn twice, went to pass on the left, WIDE of buoys, and the dude cuts dead left in front of me, and shuts down in the lane. My partner and I scream, he gasses it, and barely gets out of our way. Really felt like we were gonna be on top of him. So, after that, the day was great!!

I will say, all day, the people we encountered, were all very nice. Seemed everyone was playing nice! Not happy the one dude and his wife/girlfriend sat on my personal Little Caney brushpile spot all freakin' day!! Dang him!!