FLW BFL 2day - Everglades - 9/19/09

[CFLCoangler]

here it is Monday...and I'm writing my report about Saturday. notice two things: I didn't write it the night after (not like me) and i didn't fish both days in the 2 day tx...never a good sign.

i have been wrestling around with my emotions and how the day went and I've finally decided to put it in writing....here we go.

I didn't get to practice, which is normal, and I figured that I knew the lake and was comfortable with the techniques that had been catching fish on the chain (flipping, c-rigs, traps, flukes, etc) so practice wasn't a concern.

At the meeting on Friday night, I was paired up with Dale Walker from Miami and he was a real down to earth, cool dude. He was on fish in an area that was "co-angler" friendly. I was stoked about my chances.

We met up Saturday morning at Camp Mack and put the boat in. This is when things got weird. We had just found out that another boater in the tournament had wrecked his boat while running from Cypress over to Camp Mack in the dark. Reports stated that he had ran up into the cypress trees and totaled his boat and took a trip to the hospital in an ambulance. You never want to hear that. Safety is a priority and it really stinks when someone else gets hurt.

His co-angler was sitting at the ramp without a boat to fish from and had told Dale if he found a boater/co-angler to agree to it, that he could fish out of their boat and it be okay. Since he was in first place in the points in that division it was very important that he fish and not spend the day sitting on the dock. I couldn't imagine being in that position I would be sick to my stomach. Being the "nice guy" I agreed to let him fish from Dale's boat with us and so it was.

We got everything situated and launched in the 8th spot. We got to our spot quickly and the fishing was on.

Immediately upon arriving, I eyed down an awesome group of pads and tossed my Chubby frog to it. On the third cast or so a TOAD blew up on it and I let it take it, then I set the hook. The fish surged away in a hurry and snapped my 50# braid. I was heartbroken (bad spot in new line, bad knot, who knows?) The fish kept making a commotion and we all got a look at what seemed to be a 7+lb fish, my biggest tx fish by a long shot. GONE. DONE. I'm sick now.

Dale and Jimmy (the other co-angler) began picking off keepers on everything from speed worms to spooks. I couldn't buy a 2nd bite until 10 or so.

Both guys ended up with limits in a decent time and I had only 2 12" keepers that went for 2.2lbs. Dale caught a 6lb+ fish to cap off his 12lb+ limit and Jimmy had 5 that went for just over 7lbs. Dale didn't make the day 2 cut, but Jimmy made it in the last or second to last spot. I went home... nice guys, my friends, finish last.

I caught both my fish on a watermelon red gambler stud and ace.

I am torn down the middle with how i feel about what happened. The competitive side of me told me to say no and leave the guy at the dock, but the human side said that my time to shine was down the road and I'll be better for what I did for Jimmy. I left it all on the water and made every cast with purpose and only missed the one fish.

I have a single day tx on Sunday (27th) and my Gator Division 2day the weekend after that and I'm going to whack 'em... I'm due!

The weekend wasn't a total loss, I won in fantasy football (i was a 10pt underdog,) Ohio state won, ucf came back and won and my jets beat the patriots.

This morning, my bad luck came right back though. My shipment of new rods from Deep South Rods wasn't delivered because it was destroyed in transit. Rich at Deep South sent out a new set today...he's the best in the business!

Whew...got that out...sorry for the long post. I had to get it out there!

[rooster tail]

sounds like life to me. Good job of making a unselfish decision.

[EL Skeeter]

Don't feel too bad,I would've made the same decision.Your gesture will be returned in an unlikely unexpected way.Nice guys finish last,for the time being.

[Thmkat]

sorry your tx didn't goes as hoped for, I would have made the same decision. Here is a picture of the boat that crashed, that guy was pretty lucky to come out of that with minor injuries compared to what could have been.
Hopefully your next tx works out for ya and if for some reason Rich can't get your rods to ya by then, let me know, I have a couple here at the house that we can work something out with Rich.

[Rodney]

where did he crash?? and how? did he not know where he was going or waht?

[SwampNinja]

That was very unselfish of you I bet you made Jimmy's' day Don't worry bro, what goes around comes around. I have been reading all of your fishing reports on here, and this one goes to prove that you are as much of a gentleman as you are a passionate angler. It's only a matter of time ( gut feeling says it wont be long) till you are posting a pic of a huge fish and saying "I took first place!" My hats off to you and good luck on your upcoming TX's

[Shef]

Pat, don't sweat the decision. almost any of us would have made the same one. It was really nice meeting you at the weigh in. Your time will come and you'll get the win and/or angler of the year. Good things happen to good people. Best of luck in the Gator. For what it's worth i did not fish TX on Sunday either, but I did manage a 23rd overall for the year so it's off to Seminole in a few weeks.

[CFLCoangler]

small world moment of my life: the owner of that boat, who wrecked... is one of my college fraternity little brothers, kyle. holy crap! im going to contact him now...i will let you know the details.

so my little brother wrecks, ends up sending his co-angler to fish in my boat, and the same co-angler ended up fishing the 2nd day with my roomate. nuts.

[runt4561]

although you did not intend it at the time, your decision has just boosted your credibility as a desirable person. i dont know you personally but i know who your sponsors are and your situation has made me associate your sponsors with an ethincal angler. your sponsors have just had a small victory due to your misfortune. there is some truth to the fact that you dont always have to catch fish to impress sponsors. if they get wind of this they should be proud. good job!!!!! i hope to meet you one day and shake your hand for what you did