6:00am We arrive at Joe Pool State Park with overcast conditions and 20% chance of rain temp. in mid 70's.He's worried that the full moon and cold front conditions could affect the results for today.

6:10 We get the boat in the water and Casey starts the day by making a short run towards the dam.

6:20 He pulls up to a big open flat that is from 1-5' in depth with a water temp. in the low 80's.He starts with a Yellow Magic hoping there is something up here feeding.

6:40 With no luck he decides to make a move to the north end of the dam along the riprap.He digs through the box to find that one magic bait.He pulls out a jig and replaces the topwater.Saying he's more comfortable with plastics and jigs than other baits.

6:52 Casey comments about a boat that pulls between us and the bank,saying man thats just where I was wanting to go.Then BAM we watched as THEY catch a nice fish.Casey comments ,well thats about right.

6:58 After fishing for a few minutes with jig and he gets it hung up in the rocks and breaks off.He reaches back in his bag of tricks and pulls out a bait,that Ronnie Parker from LFTlures gave him,called LFT Swimmin slug.For the next 20-30 minutes he goes back and forth with that and a hyper worm trying to make something happen.

7:25 After fishing the dam area with no results we move down the lake to try and find some kind of cover,and on this lake GOOD LUCK not a whole lot there.

7:30 He pulls into a spot that has some timber setting in about 1-6' of water,saying this is more like what I am used to fishing.He picks up his Hyper worm and starts pitching around.

7:40 Casey comments about me having a short write up today by just writing up a big ole' zero.I reassure him it's still early and he has plenty of time.

7:45 He pitches up by the only little patch of grass in the area and tick!He sets the hook!But you know when you get a new reel,the drag is never set,well Casey has forgotten to set the drag and the fish wrapped him up and gets off.

7:57 Continuing to fish the trees with no luck,he starts to fish the rocks along the boatramp here out towards the main lake thinking there should be something out here feeding.

8:15 Decides to go towards the Lynn Creek area,whern we arrive there are locals fishing in every spot he wants to fish,so he decides to go back to the State Park area and fish the tire reefs around the marina.

9:00 After much frustration on not having a bite for the last 2 hours we are on the move again back to the dam.by watching everyone else on the lake it seems like this is what everybody does here,noone ever set long on any 1 spot.

9:15 Starts by throwing a white lipless crankbait along riprap with no takers.For the next hour or so he moves to several spots trying to find somekind of fish.Throwing several baits with no luck.

10:30 Finally some folks leave and he heads behind Lynn Creek Marina and fishes the riprap between the boat stalls and down to the bridge.He gets to the back and he states,finally man theres grass all up in here there has to be something here,Well he fishes it with topwaters,twitch worms and any other plastic,pitchen around stumps and bot stalls with no takers.

11:00 He started to get concerned about not getting a fish yet worrying about getting slammed on the TFF and says; well if I dish it out I better get ready to take it.But you know what, I have a feeling that most of us that he has taking out would be having the same feelings.

11:30 After fishing and not getting biten.He comments about how there has to be fish on the dam so off we go by now he nows his way back and forth to the dam.

12:00 After fishing the dam with a worm for a while the sun starts to peak out and he decides to go back to the timber he had found earlier commenting on how he feels more confindent doing that since that was the only place he has been bitten today.So you guessed it off we go.

12:30 He throws a twitch worm rigged texas style along a bare bank and misses a fish.He continues to fish throughout this area for the next hour working it over really well hoping to get a bite.

1:30 Well he has about 1 hour left and is starting to relize that somedays you catch them and sometimes you don't.Thats why its called fishing and not catching I say.We head back towards the State Park and he finishes out the day around the concrete walkway and rocky banks.

2:00 Well the time has come to end the day and he's kinda taking this one to the heart this lake really got the best of him today guys and gals but you know what?What better way to spend a day than on the lake with a good friend I really enjoyed being on this side of the camera and doing this for everyone.Casey sorry you didn't catch a fish but like you was saying you did this so the guys like Brian Clark and Stan Browning would;nt feel so bad if they zeroed.


I hope eveyone enjoyes this, don't be to hard on him Mark Perry.This is a totally different lake than we are used to I'm just glad my DOW is done because I have a feeling he's not going to be nice to the people coming up.All in all it was still a great day with a great man that does alot for the fishing folks around the area.So without any more rambling...

THANKS CASEY for all you do and it was my pleasure being out there with you today.


Results:Sticks and Boat stalls 4

Backlashes and fish ZERO!!!!!

Fishing Dam




Fishing drop off in 35 feet of water/T-Rig



Shallow Timber





Rigging LFT Hyper Freak getting ready to Flip/Pitch Tires

Cranking Dam


Shallow Spinner Baiting ML point


Getting ready to fish Lynn Creek with LFT Hyper Worm


Hung Up




Shaky Heading Docks


Cranking DD22 drop off 20 feet to 38 feet


Joe Pool

Casey is loading his own pics because of my slow dialup connection

Nice write up Ken and congratulations on your record setting day Casey. Your positive attitude still shines even after a humbling day.

Looks like a tough day, we've all been there. Heck, even Denny Brauer blanked a number of years ago in a Classic (of course, he came back a year or two later and won the darn thing). Days like this just give me more motivation to practice harder for future tourneys and make the good days that much sweeter.

Thanks and for the record I would hate to go to that lake for my dow

ya did good Casey. your effort shine through the tough fishing. You never gave up. We've all been there and thrown everything in the box at them... sometimes they just dont cooperate with us.

Nice meeting you this morning Ken. It was a little early, sorry if I wasnt too talkative Once I dropped off my partner back at that store, a man told me thier diesel pumps were running a dollar short of what was advertised. I couldnt help myself, and needed diesel.. filled up for $3.11 a gallon!

It was tough out there today. The wind was blowing a lot harder than they predicted, but that's ALWAYS the case. We boated some fish, but not nearly as many as I would have thought given the cloud cover and cooler temps.

Nice write-up. It's all about the attitude, and you seem to have it.

It seemed everybody ran to the dam today. I guess it was you that I saw because I noticed a blue boat running between the dam and the marina all morning and I was wondering what was up. Maybe got a hold of some bad mexican food the night before? Haha... Just FYI, all of our fish came out of 8-12' of water.

Casey dont worry about it,it happens to us all at one time are another,now then for my response to a tough lake choice,,,I guess im going to be your fall guy for the worst lake possible since i already know where Brian is going.....


Its ok i can take it.

What boat where you in?

I pretty much got to see everyone today...LOL

Casey

The great thing about our sport is it is challenging, that is what keeps most us interested in green fish!! Sorry you had a tough day but good news is you were fishing.

We were in a green/silver Hydrasport. We didn't move much. Mostly anchored in one general area for most of the day because of the wind. Caught most of our fish there so there wasn't much of a reason to leave.

Sorry you had a bad day Casey. I think you should get another shot, even if at another lake.

Still enjoyed the write up...don't be to hard on yourself. It happens to the best of them on any given day. Go get'em!

I would motion that Casey gets another shot on Lake Fork

Dude, it's gotta suck being you right now!!!


What? Somebody had to say it!

I really thought that was going to be me on my day. I even thought about backing out, I got so nervous! LOL Sorry about your day, but I've had more of those than I care to remember!

Casey, like everybody said, we all have those days. My partner and I had one in a tournament last weekend on Cedar Creek. Previous two trips there, we caught well over a hundred fish. Last Sunday, we ZEROED. Donated lots of money and dude broke his favorite Kistler. Between boat and truck gas, entry fees, and a broken $180 rod... expensive trip. Could have been worse for ya.


Don't give up on that lake. It's got a ton of fish and some real pigs too.

Sorry about the day, but atleast you never gave up. I kept reading waiting for that one fish to come up but never did. We have all been there and it's better than work.

Nope doesn't suck to be me, I ZERO more than I care to talk about.

The thing about days like to day is to learn something from it. I have been writing in my journal all evening jotting down things that maybe I over looked and things I may want to try next time.

I really enjoy fishing, and understand this happens sometimes.

I would like to say thanks to Ken for doing this today.
Thanks to everyone who takes part in these, reading/responding/fishing.

I have got some big plans for these, and you guys have made those possible.

Thank you ALL very much.

Casey Allison

Lets go fish it some time I would really like to learn the lake, hate to think it got the best of me.

Casey

Casey,

Great job with keeping a great attitude on a tough day. Just make another cast when you get back on the water and keep going. It happens and it just was not your day today. No worries on me dogging you, most folks know we pick at each other only in fun and if cracking a joke at my expense draws a laugh its all good. You can however expect a jab here or there in the future...LOL
Like I said on the phone earlier I'd rather have your day and not get bit then to find them and not execute and get them in the boat after hooking them. Yours can be blamed on conditions my day was truly my own fault. Hang in there and keep up the good work. Great job on the write up Ken as well.

Casey, we'll definitely have to get out there. I've got a few spots I can show ya...

I was just joking because everyone was being so easy on you. Don't sull up on me now! LOL If I had a dollar for every zero I had I could probably fish the rest of the year instead of working. What I meant by it must suck being you right now is because of what you just said, you're sitting there writing notes on what you should have done, could have done and wish you had done, replaying it back over and over like we all do when we have a bad day. Get over it, trash Mark a little and you'll catch 'em next time. Stan is up next and we'll see what he does...I was really hoping that you broke all the records today so we could all brag about what we had taught you...just kidding again! By the way, I've had a couple of calls from Ca. about this write up too.

I think he zeroed on purpose so Charlie Moore wouldnt be afraid to come down and fish.

Casey, Keep up the good work. Enjoy all you do.

Rick

Casey..

Some times You're the Bug and Some times You're the Windshield. You have to pay the dues for them good days.

We lost 4 fish on Fork today that made the difference between 5 Dink keepers or a check with 5 Nice keepers. I lost a Big jig fish this morning that had my (45# test rated) Musky rod bowed up real good... She pulled the hook.. I feel your pain.

Bazz

Great Job Casey!! It happens to the best of us....

maybe its because you shook my hand the day before and my luck stuck with you? Cypress and bob sandlin werent the best lakes this weekend either.

Casey if you want we can do another lake and I'll even let you help pick this one.

It just makes those of us who zero on a regular basis feel better about ourselves! It happens more than any of us probably like to admit. Just keep the lure in the water and sooner or later... Well you know.

Casey,

I think you said it best in your interview, "it's tough when your taken out of your element". The West side fishes alot different than the East side. I like it that you didn't make a bunch of excuses and I thought you handled it well. I think the weather messed things up and I hope you get another "Day on the water" when the conditions are more stable.

Nice job Ken, enjoyed the review...

Thanks, thats the first time I've ever written anything up like that and I told Casey earlier on here that we can do it again with a lake of his choice.but knowing him he will be wanting to go back and try to figure out the lake.Oh well we will leave that up to him.He is a super guy and does alot for us that like to fish.For anyone that has a chance to meet him and become a friend I encourage that.I've only known Casey since January of this year and its like we've been friends our whole life.

Thanks Casey and get ready to redeem yourself wherever you want.

Remember a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work.

A men to that brother!

Casey, no sweat my man. DOW is designed to help all of us who choose to read and participate so that we may better our angling abilities and catch more fish. Even though the fish didn't cooperate Saturday doesn't mean that we didn't learn anything. In fact IMO, and for the rest of us here, it was a complete success. Ken did a commendable job with this DOW write up and we all enjoyed it. Good job Ken.

FYI...Casey, I think you should let Ken pick the lake for future DOW's.

Thanks MTGMAN look forward to meeting everyone at the championship.Should be loads of fun.
Ken

There will be days like that- Rock On !