Never have a husband and wife made FLW history by making a Top 10 together. The place was the The Chevy Open held at Detroit River, Michigan, held July 10th-13th.
There were 200 anglers competing and for both of us to make the Top 10 was a dream come true. This is something that we have dreamed of, to make a Top 10, but when we both did it together, wow! Words don't come close to describing how it felt to look up on the weigh in board at the convention center and see De La Garza and then see De La Garza again was out of this world!
After day #1 Hector was in 78th place with 13 lb. 8 ounces. My weight was 17 pounds 14 ounces which was 9th place.
Day #2 Hector was the comeback kid. He brought in 19 pounds 8 ounces. One of his fish weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces which earned him Snickers Big Bass which meant he had the largest fish caught out of the entire tournament and paid nicely. I jumped up to 6th place with 14 pounds 10 ounces. I lost a 4 pound fish that I thought was going to cost me the top 10. Luckily it didn't.
So, day #3 was exciting. Our first experience making a top 10. Cameras, microphones on and 190 less boats to contend with. The weather didn't cooperate. We ran in to electrical storms. I had never heard my fishing rod,"hum," as it did. When I cast out my line I couldn't understand why my line was arc'ed to the sky. Then I figured it out, lightening was near and we had to GO! Our camera boat drivers were scared and so was I. I was fortunate to fish with Michael Bennett. He is an awesome angler. I felt grateful to bring in the 4 fish weighing 10 pounds 4 ounces to earn me 6th place.
FLW had Hector and I weigh in our fish in a Shootout format. They had Hector weigh in his fish first. Hector and I had our own side bet where the angler that finished on top didn't have to do laundry or cook for week. I am happy to say that I got a break!
Hector brought in 1 fish that weighed 2 pounds 9 ounces to earn 9th place.
We both used Berkley Gulp 3 inch minnow in smelt color. This was the key to our success. The bait fish looked exactly like it.
If you plan on going smallmouth fishing we highly recommend getting some of the Berkley Gulp products.
We both fished Lake St. Clair on the final day. This is an incredible fishery. Hector fished Lake Erie on day #1. Also, an incredible fishery. These fisheries are probably the best smallmouth fishing in the country.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Saturday, April 12, 2008
1st Stop Women's Bassmaster Tournament Trail- AND THE WIND BLEW!!!
I had a personal goal set for myself. I have always wanted to see what it was like fishing in the front of the boat during a tournament. So, when the Women's Bassmaster Tournament Trail had their first stop at Lake Lewisville I thought here is my chance. I signed up to fish as a Professional.
Being from Garland, TX, Lake Lewisville is only about 40 minutes away. Since there are so many great fisheries nearby we don't fish Lewisville very much. It is more of a pleasure lake than a fishing lake. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few "hawgs" caught out of there, but you have to compete with the pleasure cruisers and jet skiers.
I feel like if I can fish Lake Lewisville while the wind was blowing as it did then everything else will be uphill from here.
And the wind did blow. We had 20-30 mph winds. It was difficult holding the boat still while trying to fish certain spots.
On the first day, I was throwing a DD crankbait and I thought I was hung up on something. Maybe a stick or some underwater trash. I kept reeling it in not knowing what it was. It just felt like dead weight. I kept reeling. Then finally she showed herself. Yes, it was a fish and a very nice one. She was at least a 5 1/2-6 pounder. She came up out of the water and threw my crankbait out of her mouth. I am haunted by that moment still and will be for a while. Ten minutes later I was throwing a Carolina rig and landed a 2 lb.14ounce fish.
I struggled on day 2. My front depth finder stopped working around 10:00 a.m. I must have jolted something loose after going across the lake with the high waves crashing. I felt like I was driving blind all day. Amazing how important my Lowrance electronics are. It was 1:15 and I just landed a keeper. I caught 6 fish in this one spot, but only one measured.
All and all it was a great experience. I caught fish both days, fought the wind and proved to myself that I could do it. I felt like a kid again learning something new.
So, off we go in a week to fish Lake Norman in North Carolina for the 3rd stop of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.
Stay tuned for more fishing adventures.
Being from Garland, TX, Lake Lewisville is only about 40 minutes away. Since there are so many great fisheries nearby we don't fish Lewisville very much. It is more of a pleasure lake than a fishing lake. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few "hawgs" caught out of there, but you have to compete with the pleasure cruisers and jet skiers.
I feel like if I can fish Lake Lewisville while the wind was blowing as it did then everything else will be uphill from here.
And the wind did blow. We had 20-30 mph winds. It was difficult holding the boat still while trying to fish certain spots.
On the first day, I was throwing a DD crankbait and I thought I was hung up on something. Maybe a stick or some underwater trash. I kept reeling it in not knowing what it was. It just felt like dead weight. I kept reeling. Then finally she showed herself. Yes, it was a fish and a very nice one. She was at least a 5 1/2-6 pounder. She came up out of the water and threw my crankbait out of her mouth. I am haunted by that moment still and will be for a while. Ten minutes later I was throwing a Carolina rig and landed a 2 lb.14ounce fish.
I struggled on day 2. My front depth finder stopped working around 10:00 a.m. I must have jolted something loose after going across the lake with the high waves crashing. I felt like I was driving blind all day. Amazing how important my Lowrance electronics are. It was 1:15 and I just landed a keeper. I caught 6 fish in this one spot, but only one measured.
All and all it was a great experience. I caught fish both days, fought the wind and proved to myself that I could do it. I felt like a kid again learning something new.
So, off we go in a week to fish Lake Norman in North Carolina for the 3rd stop of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour.
Stay tuned for more fishing adventures.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Stop #2-Lewis Smith Lake, Jasper, Alabama
We knew that the fishing was going to be a challenge when we learned the creel limit was 15 inches. Boy, were we right! Factor in fishing clear, clear deep water where water depths reach over 100 feet deep. The fish that we caught were definately suspended.
We were able to bring our boat and practice a few days. Finally on the last day of practice we figured out something. Hector caught 3 fish in 10 minutes. They were solid 2 1/2 and 3 pounders. The fish were suspended off the end of boat docks this day.
Now we were just hoping the guys we drew out were doing what we had figured out.
That is one of the many challenges fishing out of the back of the boat. Being able to adjust to different fishing conditions and not being able to share information that we knew. This is a new rule this year with FLW. It is more competitive for the boaters not being able to gather information from the co-anglers.
On Thursday I lost a really nice fish around 9:45. I was using 6 pound test and I must have had a nick in the line. When the fish came unbuttoned I felt sick to my stomach. I knew that fish would come back to haunt me. At least I managed to catch 3 keepers on that day. On day 2 we had some major storms. There were even tornadoes in Birmingham. The sky was black and the rain fell hard. I was grateful to have caught my only keeper that day. It was a nice spotted bass weighing 2 lbs. 5 ounces.
I ended up in 39th place. Hector finished in 56th place. We both managed to get a check! Woo-Hoo!
Tune in next time for more Tournament Tales!!!
Keep on Fishin'
We were able to bring our boat and practice a few days. Finally on the last day of practice we figured out something. Hector caught 3 fish in 10 minutes. They were solid 2 1/2 and 3 pounders. The fish were suspended off the end of boat docks this day.
Now we were just hoping the guys we drew out were doing what we had figured out.
That is one of the many challenges fishing out of the back of the boat. Being able to adjust to different fishing conditions and not being able to share information that we knew. This is a new rule this year with FLW. It is more competitive for the boaters not being able to gather information from the co-anglers.
On Thursday I lost a really nice fish around 9:45. I was using 6 pound test and I must have had a nick in the line. When the fish came unbuttoned I felt sick to my stomach. I knew that fish would come back to haunt me. At least I managed to catch 3 keepers on that day. On day 2 we had some major storms. There were even tornadoes in Birmingham. The sky was black and the rain fell hard. I was grateful to have caught my only keeper that day. It was a nice spotted bass weighing 2 lbs. 5 ounces.
I ended up in 39th place. Hector finished in 56th place. We both managed to get a check! Woo-Hoo!
Tune in next time for more Tournament Tales!!!
Keep on Fishin'
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Lake Toho -Stop 1 FLW Tour
Practice was so different that the actual tournament for me. I actually had two fish that would have gone about 8 pounds combined. The water temperature was about 63 degrees. The fish loved my Berkley power worm in Junebug color. I felt pretty comfortable and ready for the tournament.
Then the cold front hit. When you have a cold front hit in Florida it is so different than when cold front hits in Texas. The fish really do get "lock jaw," in Florida. The bite was so difficult when tournament day hit. What I did in practice was not at all what caught the fish for me during the tournament. Day one I was able to bring in 4 pounds 2 ounces to the scales with two fish. It was nice to be on the board. You have to be able to adjust your game plan when conditions change. There were 78 zeros on day 1 on the co-angler side. Even some of the locals couldn't figure it out.
On day 2 Hector had an awesome day. He had zeroed on day one, but day 2 was a different day. Around 8:00 Hector had a 7lb. 10 ounce Florida bass attack his spinnerbait that he had been throwing all morning. What a beautiful fish. He was leading big bass until the end of tournament when another angler brought in a 7 lb. 14 ounce fish. Hector wound up with 3 fish with 10 lbs. 7 ounces and earned 28th place out of 200. What a great way to start the year.
Next we go to Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Alabama. Tune in to hear how things go!
Keep on fishing!
Then the cold front hit. When you have a cold front hit in Florida it is so different than when cold front hits in Texas. The fish really do get "lock jaw," in Florida. The bite was so difficult when tournament day hit. What I did in practice was not at all what caught the fish for me during the tournament. Day one I was able to bring in 4 pounds 2 ounces to the scales with two fish. It was nice to be on the board. You have to be able to adjust your game plan when conditions change. There were 78 zeros on day 1 on the co-angler side. Even some of the locals couldn't figure it out.
On day 2 Hector had an awesome day. He had zeroed on day one, but day 2 was a different day. Around 8:00 Hector had a 7lb. 10 ounce Florida bass attack his spinnerbait that he had been throwing all morning. What a beautiful fish. He was leading big bass until the end of tournament when another angler brought in a 7 lb. 14 ounce fish. Hector wound up with 3 fish with 10 lbs. 7 ounces and earned 28th place out of 200. What a great way to start the year.
Next we go to Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Alabama. Tune in to hear how things go!
Keep on fishing!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Happy New Year!!!
With the start of a New Year comes a new Tournament season to look forward to. The FLW Tour event isn't until 2/28 at Lake Toho in Kissimmee, FL. Hector has his first Stren Series Texas Tournament at Falcon Lake January, 9th.
At the end of January I am going to attend the NMMA boat show in Louisville, KY on behalf of Angler's Legacy. Angler's Legacy is an amazing program. What a great way to grow the sport and spend time with family and friends all at the same time. Being a part of Angler's Legacy is where we all can make a difference.
Don't forget to check out www.fantasyfishing.com so you can register and have your chance to win 1.7 million dollars in cash and prizes. Did you hear what I said, 1.7 million dollars in cash and prizes. And the best part, it costs NOTHING to play.
At the end of January I am going to attend the NMMA boat show in Louisville, KY on behalf of Angler's Legacy. Angler's Legacy is an amazing program. What a great way to grow the sport and spend time with family and friends all at the same time. Being a part of Angler's Legacy is where we all can make a difference.
Don't forget to check out www.fantasyfishing.com so you can register and have your chance to win 1.7 million dollars in cash and prizes. Did you hear what I said, 1.7 million dollars in cash and prizes. And the best part, it costs NOTHING to play.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
