Saturday, while on the way I stopped at Rob's place "The Bass Hole" and whom do I run into, but Bobby Barrack. We haven't seen each other in 15 years. Anyway he starts showing me pictures of his spread in Texas. Wow, nice spread. We joke about white hair and no hair, and gaining weight. He then does a video extoling his new I Rod "Bobby's Perfect Quercus 7'9'' rod. Apparently they were well received as Rob received 22 on Friday night at 5pm and by closing they were all gone. Bobby had brought 2 with him and I bought one. It is now my favorite frog rod, no foolin. I was concerned about it's length being vertically challenged. Then I stood next to Bobby and I was about the same height. (the heavier we get the shorter we become) OK I took it and paired it with a Lews 8:3(?) reel. Now I can't wait.
The Tournament;
First day. Off we go to Tyler's water. I'm throwing Bobby's Perfect (old school) in black. Not 5 minutes into it, gulp........line tightens and feel the fish. First turn of the crank and it comes unbuttoned. A few minutes later same thing. This happens over and over again all day. About an hour later, Tyler lands one about 7. (I being an excellent net man scoop well.
). No matter what, I keep getting bit and loosing fish in the first couple of seconds. Well come to find out at the end of the day the drag was broken. no matter how tight I cranked that star down the line would slip like I was free spooling. (that move cost us money) (BTW anyone know who does Lews repair?) Also have to thank Tyler for the wild ride to Big Break and the soaking we received on the way back in those 3' rollers. That hasn't changed since the old days. However I must admit Tyler is an excellent boat operator. (Like Dee did to me one time at Oroville when I drew him, he let me drive his boat to my water and operate the trolling motor.)Day 2, Tyler has lost confidence (sort of) in his place. So off we go to "the emergency fish". first spot nothing, (although it would have been better if the guys in the white Vexus didn't run at WOT over some of the best water, fish in an area for about 10 minutes and leave the same way. Then there was the tracker that idled over the fish. Oh well on to the next spot. A boat already in the next 2 spots. Off to spot number 4. I now have a Tatula on Bobby's Rod . We're pretty much fishing open water on outgoing tide and I get another blow up. Then another and a 3rd. (I drove my boat and ran the trolling motor). Tyler throws onto the weeds and hooks up right away. (The new Bobbys Pewrfect in black) a second later he's hooked up again, and finally a third . Wow a limit of small fish. What to do now. Tyler suggests that the water may be right at his water. Its a long long run from where we are, but off we go. (What used to take over an hour took about 30 minutes in the new boats. There are a few boats in there so we assume were fishing dirty water. We find one mat about 6 X 4 and the frog disappears under a hole that is about as big as a 5 gallon bucket. Tyler sets the hook and.............the line parts. Breaks, Yep BREAKS! Ahhhhhh phooey! (Anyone who catchs a brute with a black Bobbys Frog in his mouth can contact me to return it to Tyler
) Well times up, and off to weigh in. Out of 156 boats , I feel fortunate to place in the top 30. Especially after all these years.Thanks to Rob at the Bass Hole, Bobby for just being Bobby, Tyler for being an outstanding partner (watch out for this kid, 19y/o in college but he'll definitely be a name to contend with in the future) and Randy Pringle and his staff for an outstanding fun time.
Off to WWN
TL
FE
Oh BTW did I mention that my trim was acting up on the water so much so that when I went to put the motor toter on it wouldn't go up high enough, but miraculously fixed it self by the time I got to the storage facility. Anyone else have this problem with their power trim?
Bobby's Perfect rod did exactly what is was supposed to as Bobby explains the parabolic curve comes into play on the hook set and the one fish I hooked, on day one and sent flying to the moon was only 11".
Rod performed "perfectly" (No pun intended)
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