Great turnout for an awesome tournament. We had 17 anglers show up the fish the first APT SHOOT-OUT. In the end it took nearly 100 inches to win with 3 sacks over 90 inches. Congrats to all of the winners and thank you to everyone that competed.
Here are the results:
1. Deric Miller 98.25
2. Joseph Sanderson 97.25
3. Michael Cates 91
4. Alan Sladek 80.5
5. Lane B. 70
6. Ross Melton 70
7. Louis Conn 67.25
8. Tyler Rawlings 65.25
9. Michael Ray 56
10. Bryan Row 54.75
11. Johnny Merchant 29.75
12. Christian Myrick NS
13. Jo King NS
14. Tom Hansen NS
15. Ron Robbins NS
16. Noah Thompson NS
17. David Rogers NS

Deric and his new Redfish




All in all over $1700 was given away in cash and prizes. Based on the feedback we'll be doing something similar in the spring. Thanks again to all of those that participated.

way to go guys!!

Too cool!! Congrats to all the winners!!!

Congrats to the winners! Way to go Deric, you really put a hurting on the bass this weekend!

Gongrats to everyone, sorry I missed this one

Well done Derrick congrats. And good job to all the winners

Man Deric, you are hard Core. Good Job! And good job to the other finishers.

Good job guys.

Way to go D!!! And congrats to all the winners!

Congrats to deric and all the winners. A hats off to APT for putting this on. Great format. Hopefully we will hear some details from the participants how many hours they fished, how far they drove, conditions and anything else they are willing to share. Again, great job.

Well it was fun. As for hours fished cudadude and I started at 8am on sat and fished till 6:30ish. The next morn I woke up and fished from 3:30-9am. I took a skunkin other than a small catfish and a sand bass. Cudadude had a sandbass. Congrats guys.

Yes great job Deric! Not surprised at all, though. I've said it before: no one around here catches more quality big fish more often than you. Congrats sir... From what I understand there were some guys who went several hundred miles south for this. Glad a local guy at a local lake took top honors. One of these days I have to watch you with your frog at that spot. I went there 2 weeks ago for what seemed like perfect 'frog' conditions and couldn't get a bite on that bait or any other...

Anyways. I ended up going to Monticello on Saturday. I'd had a pretty good mid 90s day there in late September, had no confidence in Fork, and Mill Creek was fishing slow and low and my #1 big fish spot for the year hasn't had water since late August. When I had come to Monty in September I had missed an absolute giant in the pads in the back. I figured this was my best bet for big fish. Long story short: ridiculous north wind, several 13-15 inchers I didn't photo because I figured I could do better later, zilch from the pads in the back after a grueling journey against the wind to get there, and one super fat 19.5 at the discharge that had me thinking I might have hit the jackpot for a minute. This thing was the best chunk I've caught in a while. Big shoulders and a fat belly. Easily 5 maybe more. But that was it. That north wind on that lake is brutal! White caps all afternoon and spent most of my time fighting the wind instead of fishing and patterning. When I got back to the ramp I called the wife and told her I pretty much had nothing to show for my day. She seemed a little irritated but agreed to let me stay out and fish somewhere else in the morning. She did ask that I pick up some gravel from Home Depot at some point this weekend because she was working on some landscaping in the yard.

So I went to Crockett where I had 92 inches the week before including a pretty good 22 incher. Ended up sleeping in the truck. Not really 'sleep like a baby' type stuff here. Launched at 530 Sunday morning and made my way to the back where I'd caught them last week. Fished a buzzfrog in the dark but had no takers. When the sun came up I switched to a senko on the edge of the pads. Pretty soon I started catching a few. A 17, a 13 (no pic), a 20, another 13. It was still pretty early and I thought I was gonna have no problem getting the fish for 90 inches. Then the wind picked up and for some reason the bite shut off. I switched to a spinnerbait, then a chatterbait, then a trap ripped through the grass. Nothing. It was 9 and I only had 3 fish in the camera. Those 13-15 inchers I'd thrown back without snapping a photo of were now looking good. I needed anything at this point. I switched to the other side, but the very back of each arm of the lake had duck hunters so I couldn't really fish where I wanted. I missed a few. They were in the pads a little deeper now the sun was up and with the wind starting to howl I couldn't feel the bites as well. I tried a heavier t rig various baits and it was a no go. Then a frog again. Nothing. Switched back to the senko and hit the far corner of the dam. Caught 3 fish: an 11, a 12 and a 13. Had 82 inches total. Pretty disappointing but I just felt like the quality bites weren't coming.

It was 10:00 when I loaded up. Hit McKinney at about 11:20 and was near my house at 11:45. I remembered about the gravel. I thought I had enough time to get it and deliver it to the wifey before heading over to APT. I figured it was the least I could do for her since she'd let me stay out all weekend. First HD I stop at doesn't have the white gravel she wants. Okay, still time to hit the one right by my house. I get there, get the gravel, and as I pull up to the house I realize how badly I've miscalculated the time. It's just past one at this point. I might have been able to make it if the traffic/construction gods smiled on me, but that has never happened. I made the decision to skip the weigh in. I just couldn't imagine that 82 inches would even be top 10 with this format. I felt bad about not showing up to the weigh in, but that all faded after a shower and a nap on the couch. It was probably the right call.

Congrats again to all the winners. You guys kicked butt. Thanks APT, Rick, Joe and Dan for putting on a unique and awesome tourney. Can't wait for one like this in the spring. Maybe my favorite spot will have water in it by then.

Congrats out to all that fished the tournament. It was a very long day indeed Saturday, the fishing was slow. But looking back on what I could have done better! I had nothing! I totally enjoyed just being on the water, and the canvas that the lord painted for me that day.

What a fun event to fish! My hats off to Rick, Patty, Joe, and Dan for a well run tourney. This was the first tournament I'd entered since '91 or so,and the first ever kayak tournament I tried. The atmosphere was cool and I met some nice guys. Think ill do it again..... As for the fishing. I tagged along to Monticello with Louis . When I first read about this format I knew I'd go to monti if I fished it. The decision wasn't hard because I'd fished my other two favorites(Palestine and Fork) last sat , sun, and Monday without much luck..... We got to the lake at midnight and on the water by 1 am. I got exactly 1 bite (19 incher) on a jig in 4 hrs at my first spot. The wind was rough on me so I couldn't fish the way I usually do there. I fended off an attack from two big beavers and another varmit that I couldn't identify then went on to my next spot that was better protected from the wind at daylight. I had my limit well before 8 am on a chatterbait. Biggest was 18 and a bunch of 16's I couldn't use . At around 10am I got tired of TRYING to fish in the wind, so I paddled back to the ramp and took a nap. Louis showed up at 1 or so and we went to town to get some hot grub and got back on the water at 5. After another three mile paddle back to the spot the fish were there and I upgraded a couple times on a skinny dipper and chatterbait . We then paddled back to the big bridge and on to the intake with no fish to show for it. I had enough at 10 and headed in to sleep in the truck. Up at 4 Sunday morning and at my spot with high hopes by daylight. The bait was there but the fish weren't. I got 1 bite,a 10" monster. I flipped a jig in every tree between me and the ramp on the way in with a big zero to show for it...... Today I am very sore from all the paddling. My new slayer 14 is a great fishing boat but not the sleekest paddling machine on the water..... I want to give Joe and Dan a special thanks for figuring out my camera for me. You guys didn't have to do that and I really appreciate it. I left Friday fully expecting more than 91 inches, but I wouldn't even have had that if y'all didn't get it out of the camera for me...

We need the rest of the story on this. Very interesting. I know Beavers can be aggressive. I have been close to them but never had one attack me.