Shattered club record

[steverowbotham]

Yesterday our club had a tournament on Lake Couchiching, it was our smallest turnout of the year which was dissapointing, but I'm always excited for a Cooch tournament. I only got out 1 time to practise and only for a few hours as I was having trolling motor issues. Now fixed.

 

In past club tournaments on Cooch, I have placed 1st (2008), 7th (2007), 1st (2006) and 2nd (2005). This is known to be "my lake" in the club, and the expectations are always high. It puts a lot of pressure on me, but I love it!

 

My pre-fish was bittersweet. I found some BIG fish, but couldnt get a single fish to bite. With the stable weather we've been having, I figure the fish were full. No pressure changes to stop their feeding patterns and what not, but who knows. Just a theory.

 

I pull up to my first location, a smallmouth spot in 6 feet of water and with the 15k winds, started chucking spinnerbaits. My non-boater was up first and landed a 2 pounder. Decent start. Within 5 minutes, my rod stops dead and my line peels sideways. Thought for sure it was a pike until a 4+ largie hits the surface. Craned her in the boat and I've got my first. Up into 3 feet of water now and I put a couple little 13 inchers in the livewell. Move to a rocky break and hit a 3.7 pound smallie. Not bad. I've got my limit.

 

Our club works differently than most in that we keep 4 fish each. I keep 4 and my non-boater keeps 4. My individual 4 go towards angler of the year standings, and our combined 8 go towards cash awards for that tournament.

 

I've got a decent weight (around 11 pounds I figured) I won it with 13.55 last year, setting a new club record for the lake, so 11 pounds is a good weight, and it's only 8:30.

 

Now I needed my partner to get fish. Moved to an area thats usually good for a bunch of 1.5 - 2 pounders so he could get a limit. He threw senkos and I tossed around a jig'n'pig. I felt the unmistakable thump of a good largie and set the hook hard, I quickly put a 3.8 pounder in the boat. She had company and my partner hooked a 2.5 pounder on a senko. Before unhooking mine, I pitched a tube out there then unhooked my fish. Picked up my tube rod and it had weight. I brought in another 4 very carefully on light line. Now I've got over 15lbs for my 4. My partner landed another 3 pounder and the action died.

 

Went to a big fish spot to swing for the fences, throwing jigs and big worms. I hit a 4.80 pound largie to cull out my 3.7 smallie. Got lots more 2 pounders that wouldnt help and it was time for weigh in.

 

Our club record for Cooch was 13.55lbs for 4 and 24.35lbs for 8. Our record for 4 fish overall, was 15.70 pounds from Dalrymple.

 

I waited until the end to weigh my fish and the second last guy weighed 13.55 lbs, that created quite a buzz as it tied the record and I got some razzing. I handed my weigh bag over and the weighmaster gave me the "holy shittake mushrooms" look. On the scales the 4 went 16.80 pounds, destroying the club record and our combined 8 at 27.35 set a new team record as well.

 

I can't wait to try and break the record again at our next tourney on Simcoe. Here's a pic, its a cell phone pic for now as I havent received one from a camera yet.

 

[splashhopper]

wtg Steve.... and the non-boater dude too !

[misfish]

Well done Steve.

Whens the simcoe open one?

[anders]

Good For you...awsome work

[NAW]

Well, I guess Couch really is "your lake".

 

Congrets on your success!

[backbay]

Great job, Steve! WTG!

[tonyb]

Wow...that is a good weight for 5 fish let alone 4!

 

Nice work...but you're going to be adding a lot of pressure to beat that limit in the coming years heheh...that's an amazing day on couchiching!

[wil wegman]

Way to go Steve ... man that's an outstanding weight for Cooch. Did any club members get any tagged bass? I heard there were a couple of other club tournies on Cooch over the weekend and rumors of tagged fish caught ... but other than one report (where the angler didn't supply numbers because he said they were covered in green algae - although he could read the phone number on the oher side) nothing has come in.

 

Please remember guys - for all those fishing Cooch and Simcoe this fall ... there are afew undred tagged bass out there waiting to be caught AND REPORTED ... WITH NUMBERS! You will very liekely see hard green algae overtop the tags, (2 placed beside the dorsal fin up top) but this can be scraped away with a pen knife. I'd say use a fillet knife ... but you're likely to scare the bee-jeebers out of the poor bass if you get one of those too close! And ... of course in order for that fish to continue being part of this important research project ... we stronly encourage catch and release. To routinely carry a pen and paper to record the phone number and tag #'s and important details - size, condition, tag color, general location (eg north end of Cooch) is also a good idea.

 

Thanks and once again congratt's Steve ... you have established a enviable record on Cooch.

 

Wil

[steverowbotham]

Wil, I havent caught a tagged fish out there since I emailed you about the last one. I never heard of any caught, but I didnt ask either. Ask Gerry to send an email out to the club and maybe remind some of the guys, our Simcoe tournament is a couple weeks away.

[MCTFisher9120]

WOW you kicked ass man, great job! A record is something that nobody else has done before and for that I praise you Just playin around. What's the info in this tournament circuit? Would like to try the amateur side of things next year maybe.

 

Take care and congrads man!

MTBF

[Leecher]

AWESOME STEVE

Congratulation on breaking to old club records

Leechman