I will have to say, when I told Mark 3 weeks ago I wouldn't give him a CREAM PUFF Lake it turned out I wasn't lying.
I took Mark Perry to lake Alvarado, just west of Alvarado City down highway 67.
Mark worked all night at his fire station and came straight from work to the lake.
I have posted some Pics and videos. This might take two post so here goes.
This is Mark Perry's " Day On The Water"
9:00 AM
Arrives at Alvarado Lake pulling a Skeeter ZX250 with Yamaha 250 VMax
9:18
After getting boat ready for his attack on Alvarado Lake he backs down the long ramp and launches.
9:20
Looks around the lake for a minute and heads south around point near the boat ramp.
9:23
Pulls up to a area that is loaded with Cat Tails and looks to be a drainage ditch surrounding a Cat Tail point. Spray Lake Fork Tackle Hawg Wild on his hands, this will get the smell of anything he exclaims.
9:24
Digs through tackle box and pulls out a Green Pumpkin Tube rigs it with a 3/16 tungsten weight9:26
Starts off casting to cat tails in 2 foot of water with water temp of 74.6 degrees
9:28
Moves around shallow dock quickly stating they may be too shallow with no drop off or brush under or around them, so they may not hold fish as you can see the bottom. Laughs and says there's probably a 8 pounder hiding under it.
9:29
Feels a fish tap on his bait near the front side of some Cat Tails and slows down to pick it apart.
9:30
Finds a small boat ramp in the back of a pocket and runs tube down it, feels a perch and ask if thats would count as a keeper, and tells me how ramps are great areas for holding fish.
9:31
Something breaks water in middle of canal and Mark makes a few casts at it with no success.
9:32
Tries to flip under a dock and UH OH first of MANY backlashes on the day. He tries to explain that since his reels are so loose it will happen a lot.....LOL
9:34
He sees some Cat Tails move and makes a few casts at a lay down around them. No luck.
9:35
Moves to back of drainage ditch in 2.8 feet of water with 74.5 water temp
9:37
After casting up to a lay down Marks looks off for a SECOND and his line starts to move off ( I see it ) when he looks back he lowers his rod and whack, Not a fish and the bait hits the guy in the back of the boat's shoulder. He laughs and says guess I should have watched it better.
9:38
Tells me don't feel bad I have hit a camera man in a video shoot before as well as the host with a bait.
9:39
Looks around and tells me " If you look around and don't see locals around you might be doing something wrong".
9:41
Reminds me that if he throws a crank bait to watch out since he swings most of his fish, Don't want to dig that out he laughingly states.
9:45
Tells me about a great tournament Fun-N-Sun puts on for veterans that he is getting ready for this week.
9:46
You get to talking when your not catching fish he says, NOT TRUE FOR MARK he talks all the time, but is a fun guy to be in the boat with. LOL
9:47
Pulls out a Lucky Craft 1.5 White/Shad pattern and tells me this is his go to bait and money bait and has a lot of confidence in it
9:48
On second cast catches a cat tail and says see I can catch anything with this bait.
9:49
After making a cast down the Cat Tails WHACK a Bass Hammers his Crank Bait and Mark flips it in the boat. He was in 2.3 feet of water with 74.6 degree water and was the 4th cast with the crank.
The bass weighed 1.9 pounds
9:50
Gives me a weird WOO WOO and states I didn't zero. LOL
9:52
I make a comment about bass holding to certain areas and he tells me " Sorry but the bass don't always read the same books we do. Always keep a open mind he states and don't be afraid to experiment.
9:54
Talks about how these Cat Tails have no true pockets or openings in them and thats why he threw a crank around them. Most people throw spinner baits so the wont get hung up in this shallow of water and a lot of guys will not throw a crankbait so its a fresh look for the fish.
9:55
Laughs and says if he keeps catching fish on the crank bait if he will be like a FAT KVD!!!!!!!
9:57
Goes to a blue fleck seven inch worm on a 3/16 tungsten weight.
10:00
Keeps flipping worm unto small gaps in the Cat Tails.
10:01
Goes back to Lucky Craft Crank bait, running it into and beside Cat Tails10:04
Back to Green Pumpkin Tube, flipping it in and around Cat Tails10:05
Moves way back into some thick trees and lay downs to look for bedders, and spots a good bass on a bed.
10:06
After one cast she's off to the races and doesn't return, Not locked on right now he states.
10:07
Spots another good bass on a bed and makes a cast at her, she turns away and wants nothing to do with his lure. A few more casts and the fish is not showing any interest and moves away.
10:09
Backs his boat out of the area and tells me he's not going to waste time on searching for bass in there right now as its as far back as he can go and thats all he saw.
10:11
Back out side heavy trees he starts flipping Cat Tails with the tube again.
10:12
Picks back up Lucky Craft Crank Bait10:15
I ask him " If you only catch that one bass will you hear it??
To his reply " I run with a rough crowd and they'll never let me live it down, while laughing"
10:16
Starts casting at metal pole dock and mentions he doesn't really like metal pole docks like this. The poles are small and spread out too far and really offer no cover. He's in 2.8 feet of water.
10:17
Makes cast at small run off ditch and starts looking off WHAM a fish hammers it, and he looks at me and says see always pay attention. I thought that drain may hold a fish and it did.
10:18
Casts at fish busting water near main lake Cat Tails. lots of bait but no takers.
10:19
Casts and puts a nice thump into a boat house, I think the whole lake heard that, I'm thinking.
10:21
He tells me about how he keeps fishing simple and tries not to over think it to much. Simple colors and try to keep a bait wet.
10:25
Still trying to locate fish with Lucky Craft Crankbait.
10:27
Starts casting at a sea wall in 3.7 feet of water with 74 degree water with no luck.
10:29
Pulls up trolling motor and gets ready to move. Mentions on bluebird days there is often a flurry of activity around noon so that may be a good window to get bit in.
10:40
Idles south and moves to a shallow point where there another boat on the point, I hope they move past that I like the way it looks he tells me.
10:43
pulls up to point on south end of lake and starts flipping seven in Blue/Fleck worm around lay downs10:45
Starts casting Lucky Craft Crank bait over lay downs on shallow bank. No luck.
10:46
Gets crank bait hung up in lay down and runs in after it, hey these cost too much to loose. Had it been a cheaper bait I would have broke the line and fished around the cover then go back and get bait later.
10:47
Starts flipping Green Pumpkin tube around Cat Tails next to lay down he just got hung up in.10:48
3 casts with the tube was enough back to Crank Bait10:50
Picks up a Bandit 200 shad color runs it over the main lake point in 8-13 feet of water10:51
Picks up a spinning reel and throws a BAMA BUG finesse worm on a shaky head in 13.8 feet of water with 74.5 water temp10:52
Mark starts thinking out loud on what he should be throwing to catch fish on this lake. Water is less stained up here and finesse baits may be the deal.
10:54
Pulls up trolling motor and heads back up north to a sea wall.
10:58
Starts cast shaky head Bama Bug at steps on sea wall.
11:00
Starts picking apart a brush pile on the sea wall.
11:01
Hangs up in brush pile and can't shake it free and has to go in after it, Man there went a great piece of cover he states.
11:03 Cast shaky head under dock in 4.4 feet of water with 75.2 water temp.
11:04
Feels brush pile under dock and slows down a little trying to exploit it, the brush pile is 5 to 7 feet under dock.
11:05
Starts casting Lucky Craft around sea wall in 4.7 feet of water.11:11
Cast Crank Bait at drainage ditch off main lake. No fish are interested.
11:16
Goes back to Blue Fleck seven inch worm around dock in ditch area.
11:18
Flips lure to back of boat under shaded over hang and feels a perch bite, hope thats not all I have left today he states.
11:20
Starts heading back out of ditch while flipping Cat Tails.
11:21
See's some old fence post in water and looks at me and smiles theres one there, the post is in 5.9 feet of water and temp of 76.2
11:25
After no luck on fence post he tries his luck with a dock on the main lake
11:30
Goes back to Lucky Craft Crank bait and throws it along main lake rocks.
11:32
Picks back up Seven inch worm and starts casting to Cat Tails11:34
WHAM..............well not a fish as bait hits his trolling motor, got a nice back lash out of it though.
11:35
Starts casting at lay down on rock pile.
11:36
Fish pick up worm and runs towards baot, but he can't catch up to it before it spits it out.
11:38
Straps down and heads back up to north end of lake.
11:40
Pulls out COLD Breakfast burrito mixes in some hash browns and chows down.
11:45
Pulls up to ramp with a over hanging tree and starts casting Blue/Fleck worm
11:47
Reels down and sets hook on AIR???????? Maybe a perch bite he states
11:49
Picks up Lucky Craft Crank bait and cast at shad splashing top of water near dock11:50
Back to Blue/Fleck worm11:51
It's been a while since Mark has had a solid bite, but he keeps a straight head and focuses on his casts and presentation, He tells me I think I need to find a channel or small ditch or drain in these cat tails.
11:55
Picks up a white spinner bait and says he going to match what the fish are blowing up on around us.11:57
Keeps chunking Spinner Bait across main lake point, with no success.
12:00
Tells me about how he loves being a FIREMAN and what he gets to do for other people
12:01
Starts up motor and moves up north some more.
12:09
Moves to where a small opening gives way to a stock pond behind it and picks back up the Green Pumpkin tube. This time dipping the tail in Spike-It. He's in 2.5 feet of water with the wind blowing in on the Cat Tails.12:13
After a few small pecks he can feel he's in the right place he states. They are here I just got to get them to bite now. Referred back to earlier comment of expected increased afternoon activity on bluebird days and importance on settling down on a spot and fishing it thoroughly.
12:16
He continues flipping HEAVY Cat Tails and waits for that one BIG BITE. He says.
12:20
With one fast fluid movement Mark reels down and sets the hook on a toad in the middle of some Cat Tails, after the hook set I see the fish swirl and let me tell you, it would have broken the record for day on the water, IT WAS A NICE BASS. It gets caught up in the thick Tails and comes uncorked. Mark's face, white and dazed said it all. It was big he says while looking at his bent out hook.
12:25
Starts back by casting at shallow brush pile in the back of the pond.
12:32
Tells me he wished the Cat Tails had some bigger openings so he could cast back up in them deeper because he feels the bigger fish are buried up in them while the smaller fsih are active on the outer edges. So he settles for casting out in front of them to fill his limit. WHAM a fish pops his Green Pumpkin Tube, Second fish of the day a 1.7 pound Bass that cam out of 2 feet of water. 
12:40
After putting on another Tube and weighing fish Mark positions him self back like he was and makes a cast back across Cat Tails.......WHACK he sticks another Bass, a .12 ounce LUNKER.
But fish 3 none the less.12:43
Reels down again and brings in a NICE stalk of Cat Tail.
12:55
After several cast and no bites he moves up North some more trying to find more productive Cat Tails.
1:05
After going to the northern most part of the lake, he returns back to the spot where he caught fish 2 and 3.
1:08
Tells me he has to figure out how to get his bait deeper into the Cat Tails since he knows thats where the BIG SALS are hanging out.
1:15
Continues casting tube around Cast Tails with great focus and is dialed in to what the fish want and where they are. Bite is very light but predictable in a few areas.
1:16
Cast to the back of a small pocket and Thump, he sets the hook on a bass after a short fight out of the Reeds he land him a 13 pounder....wait 1.3 pounder Fish number 4 though he states
1:17
One more and thats a small limit, he replies.
1:18
Tells me he's confident he will get a limit and hopes it's a chunk, just gotta weed through these small fish.
11:19
He makes a cast to a small open patch of Cat Tails and perks up at he ready's for a hook set. Thats exactly what came next. He sticks LIMIT FISH number 5 and Bass weighing in at .14 ounces
on tube.Ok got that out of the way. Lets upgrade now1:22
Sets hook and misses fish, just a perch he exclaims.
1:24
Tells me those two fish on beds were chunks and will check them later to see if there locked on and catchable.
1:26
Has a hard hook set on a keeper fish and fights it to the boat, about 5 feet out it comes uncorked. Never had the hook in its mouth he tells me. Baits is almost pulled from hook as he pulls it in.
1:30
Moves back to where he lost the big fish earlier and wind has muddied up area more.
1:43
feels perch bite and sets hook.
Hey if he wants to play with it I'll catch him. While laughing
1:44
Flips tube into reeds and sets the hook on ANOTHER nice fish. It gets hung up in the stalks and pulls the hook out.
1:46
Pulls up trolling motor and moves back to where he caught fish number 1.
1:51
Goes back to green pumpkin tubes and starts back casting at cat tails where he caught fish number 1.
1:53
See's a snake in the water and tells me , he can have the boat if he crawls in with us. You are on your own.
1:55
Slowly creeps up where we saw the two bed fish
2:00
He sees something where she was and tries to get closer, only to see it's not her and the other bass is gone as well. Guess they were pulling off the bed when he saw them earlier which may explain the skittishness.
2:03
Backs out of thick cover hangs and picks up Lucky Craft Crank Bait2:05 sees another snake and tells me he already seen to many today. No way I'm lipping a bass in the cat tails.LOL
2:08
After a few cast with the crank bait he picks back up Tube and states if it isn't broke don't fix it. Stay with it2:12
No bites yet and tells me we may need to move back to honey hole where he caught fish 2-5
2:14
Shows me a neat trick with the Daiwa reels and how to flip with them.
2:16
Moves to shallow bank in a drainage ditch and starts casting 1/2 white spinner bait along bank since had are still active.
2:22
Pulls up trolling motor and idles out into open and eats another cold burrito
2:40
He has now went back south to the dam and starts casting Green Pumpkin Tube along dam over lay downs
2:43
Picks up 1/2 oz spinner bait and starts casting along Dam2:45
Grabs Lucky Craft Crank Bait and runs it into lay downs on dam2:47
Cast Blue/fleck worm in Lay Downs and works it down a drop of from 2 feet to 6 feet of water 77 degree water temp2:50
He cant understand why the fish wont bite on the dam and they not on the drop off or in the deeper water either
2:53
Goes back to Green Pumpkin Tube2:55
Throws Lucky Craft Crank bait around over flow spill way2:56
Gets a nice back lash and yes I PICS, Thats what he gets for changing lure so often I couldn't keep up LOL
3:00
With no luck on the dam he moves back to where he caught fish 2-5
3:12
The wind has really picked up and Mark starts fishing the opening to the pond again. TICK TICK BOOM, he sets the hook into another bass this one weighing .9 ounces
3:13
Mark hand me the bass to weigh he reels down and sets the hook into a nice BASS...BUT when it gets free of the Cat Tails it tilts the scales at .10 ounces3:20
Mark returns back to where he lost the SAL earlier and hopes maybe shes still there.
3:25
Starts fishing wind blown corners off the pond intake
3:32
Sits down to retie and grab a bigger tube and tells me he's getting ready for a big MOMMA BASS. Its time to go to a bigger tube since he just needs a good kicker at this point and the big bait will get a big bite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcK-cPBE46Y3:39
Flips lure into shaded pocket and mentions there should be a bass in there
3:42
Cast to where on of his fish can uncorked earlier
3:45
Talks about how he feels ok about the day, he has gotten good bites but hasn't capitalized on his bigger fish. Found lots of fish in smaller areas but has not taken advantage of all he has found.
3:47
Fires up big motor and moves about 50 yards back south to reposition his self around opening of pond
3:51
Mark sticks a NICE 3lbs or better bass and lands it.....ON WAIT he swung it in the boat but BASS DIDN'T stay in boat...big bait got a big bite.CHECK OUT VIDEO BELOW.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnqwFSIoeV84:00
DID you see it he said, yes I did I reply. All the while a BASS picks up his lure and Mark can't catch up to it before it spit it
4:25
Has been a drought of fish catching and TALKING whats going on???? He cast to a isolated patch of Cat Tails and feel what he thinks is a bass and sets hook and breaks line off at reel? Line must be getting old and worn from all my backlashes he states...LOL
4:26
Wind is really getting up and his trolling charger is messed up so his batteries aren't working right, one dead battery so 36V has been running on only 2 batteries most of day and are shot from the wind so he fires up big motor and moves to a bay area near dam
4:36
He starts with Green Pumpkin tube in 4.3 feet of water with 76.3 water temp
4:45
I tell him 15 minutes left, no pressure but you have the lowest total of Day On The Lake so far. He laughs
4:55
Bite has tapered of and so has his trolling motor power. trolling motor is about dead.
5:00
well it's over I wished I could have stayed on the pond cut to really pick it apart even more but thats fishing he states.
I put Mark on a TOUGH LAKE. I called 3 weeks ago and again Friday evening to check on the lake. I talked to a guy who fishes the lake 3-5 times a week. He told me a new person on the lake, unless they stuck a big one should only look for about a 5-7 pound limit. This lake has no depth and structure away from the bank you can find in one day.
Mark KEPT HIS HEAD UP AND WAS A BLAST riding with today.
Total weigh5.13 POUNDS
I have more videos if I can figure out how to crop them down and resize them.
Casey Allison
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