I went to my cabin, when the first sign of trouble was spotted. A Skeeter boat with a dog parked in the same camping spot as last year when the arrogant Fresno Bass Club folks were there.
Hoping I wouldn't have to deal with the same jerk as last year, I prepped the boat. I thought I might be able to drop my stuff off at the cabin. I wound up leaving the boat cover on the deck. Got to North Ramp and it was a pretty hairy launch with trailers and vehicles parked on the ramp. Wasn't too sure I could make the turn around, so drove to the south ramp. While parked at the top of the ramp a Merced Irrigation truck pulled up. I inquired about the ramps being closed this weekend and he wasn't aware of any bike race. (See post "Was Fish and Game untruthful) He then asked me if my boat used ratchet straps. Opps, it dawns on me that I didn't remove the ratchet straps for the cover. He laughed and said one was by the speed bump and the other by the trash bin at the North ramp. I thanked him and retrieved both. The good Lord must have been smiling on me as when I got back a spot had opened up on the ramp. Off to fishing. Using my "new" Jacob Wheeler medium action rod with a Diawa Tatula reel and a vision 110 jerkbait
I would catch keepers every 30 minutes or so. I'd catch one for sizing and leave. In other areas that I believed to be more productive spots I would scan with side imaging and FFS and leave. Jigs, D/S all were working. It was a good day. When I went to put the boat back on the trailer I found the hook had broken away at the strap.
I jury rigged the strap on the hook with 2 half hitches and it held just fine. ( I figured if 2 half hiches can hole on a FG knot it should hold on the trailer hook too. 
) Back at the cabin I unpacked, drove to Jamestown for dinner and gas.
Thursday
I woke to torrential rains and wind. So being an old fuddy duddy, decided to take the day and go get some more baits. (as if I didn't have enough
) I called John and asked if he needed anything and of course he needed the same thing he needed the last tournament. So who do I run into at Fishermans Warehouse, but my old mentor and friend LeRoy Bertolero. I hadn't seen him in close to 30 years. It was great catching up with him. He still fishes although I'm not sure competitively. After our chat, the sky cleared and off to the cabin I went albeit $150.00 poorer. 
Friday
Fished in the pouring rain. Found out that my 40 year old guide wear bibs ain't what they used to be, but my frog top top worked just fine. Fishing was the same and I was excited to get started. That is til I goit back to the cabin and there they were. The Fresno Bass Club had arrived and was parking where ever the heck they wanted. One old guy was irritated to say the least when I pulled up to my cabin to park. So in order to avoid the same crap from last year, and the fact we were going to use John's Vexus, I move and covered the boat to a grassy location.
Tournament Day
I woke to thick tule fog. So thick mind you that I drove past the turn out to McClure point and found my self 30 minutes away in Snelling. Never heard of Snelling but now I can say I've been there. Loaded Johns boat and because we were Veterans we got to go first. That was pretty nice of CBL. Anyway John wanted to fish a spot he historically did good on after I told him I was finding fish in the backs of deep water coves with running water in them.
Now I start throwing the jerkbait and not 3 minutes go by when wham! Somethin smacks that bait and pulls about 15" of drag when we see an explosion and this monster fish comes out of the water. Neither John or I get a good look at it, but then it makes these runs, one after another and again, finally it tires and its one of the largest Trout I've seen, or caught for that matter. We try to release it and it goes belly up. after several attempts to release it we just put in in the livewell for John to take home. Right after that I jerk our first keeper. OK so it's only 12 inches but it's a keeper.
Then I hook up again on a drop shot, then John hooks up and by 8:30 we have a limit. Apparently John and I have a good chemistry, as he'll take one water column and I'll take another. Works well. We're catching fish about every 20 minutes or so when the fog rolls in and the bite dies. We travel to several other areas to no avail. Finally, with about 2 hours left we go back to our stating spot and throw jigs. John catches a nice upgrade as do I and time has run out.Weigh In
As we are weighing in I ask if we can weigh a fish that was in a 1lb basses mouth and they say yes......if it's a bass. John shows them the trout and we have a good laugh. Our weight? 8.92 good for 2nd at the moment. John has a date and I need to pack before the Fresno guys get back. Opps 6th place gets a check I believe.
Oh well hope we can collect at the next tourney in Jan. Congrats to the winners
TL
FE
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