I need to say a big thank you to a few people

[John Barron]

Some of you know I ad some problems at Havasu last weekend. Thursday I got real sick, I think it was food poisoning and had to get off the water early morning and went to my room. I slept until 4 am the next day. I felt OK on Friday I picked up Eduard Poghosian and launched early. The wind was howling and the water was rough. I still went and decided to go up river to at least take a look. It didn't work for me so I went south. I was in the middle of Windsor Basin when bells and buzzers went off in my boat. I stopped for a couple of minutes and fired the motor back up.

Everything was fine. I told Eduard that the water on the other side of the Island would be much calmer. We splashed though the rest of the basin and got around the Island. Once on the other side the bells and buzzers went off again. I shut it off and restarted but this time the bells and buzzers came right back. I call Jordan at Anglers marine even though they were not open yet Cindy Grover answered the phone. She said Jordan wasn't there yet but would be in within the next 5 minutes or so. About 5 minutes later Jordan called me. I told him what the motor was doing and he diagnosed the problem over the phone.

About that time I ran into Clint and Mike Goodwin. They told me to go to Lakeland Marine. I said thanks and idled my way back to the marina to put the boat on the trailer. Eduard and I idled through the channel where it was flat and clam. When we got to the other end the whitecaps were more visible than the blue of the water. Eduard looked at me and just smiled.

I couldn't even get the bow up to try to block some of the waves which were 2 to 3 footers with an occasional 4 footer just to try to get you wet. We got wet! We speared half a dozen waves on the way back in and were completely soaked by the time we got to Windsor Beach. That little trip from the back side of the Island to the marina took us until 10 am. more than an hour of just idling and getting wet.

We managed to get the boat on the trailer and I took it to Lakeland Marine. They shoved me in front of 3 pleasure boats but still couldn't get to it until noon or so. I picked up the boat around 1 in the afternoon. There was no sense in getting back on the water sense it was an official prefish day I would have to get off the water at 3 anyway so I was done. No prefish for me.

After we launched and I picked you Tom my day one non boater we somehow broke a blade off of the trolling motor. Not to worry I had a spare. The problem with the spare though was it was for a Minn Kota and I switched trolling motors to a Motor guide! We still had two blades and it was time for us to blast off so we went and fished all day with a three bladed prop that only had two blades. I knew this was not going to be a good trip.

When we blasted off the wind was still howling and the rollers were 2 to 3 foot with an occasional 4 footer. As we were approaching the point of Site Six we came off of a 3 or 4 footer and speared a rouge 5 footer. This wave came through the boat and knocked my prescription glassed off of my face and put about six inches of water in the boat. I'm so glade I was in a Ranger at that point. But now I'm blind without my prescription glasses!

We managed to put one fish in the boat a good 3.14# Largemouth. And that fish was the smallest we had a shot at. We had our chances on day won and just didn't get it done.

Day two we went into a bay with a lot of grass and threw topwater and ripped Rattletraps through the grass. My day two non boater hooked up with a largemouth that went around 4# or so. This fish went nuts! It ran under the boat and Jason, my day two non boater, got him turned. The fish went the other way, turned and charged the boat. This fish slammed into the side of the boat and came off. And that would have been out first fish. After that we had a few blow ups on topwater but no hookups.
We left and went into an area that DL and I had caught fish during the Tri States.

I threw out a worm, sat my rod down and fixed a couple more baits for the area we were heading into. I saw my line twitch ever so slightly. I picked up the rod took out the slack and it loaded up. This fish was like a good DVL fish. It was a hard head shaking drag pulling fish. This fish headed straight for the habitat but I turned him before he got there.

This fish headed for deep water and I told Jason I got him, he's headed for deep water and away from the line breaking hazards. About that time the fish decided to come up. Well before he got to the top of the water he opened his mouth and spit the bait in my face! My guess was well over 5# but he didn't get in the boat so I don't know for sure..

I sat down and said a couple of things like shoot and gosh darn it and what did I do wrong to get this kind of treatment? For any of the PETA people reading this the fish is fine and doing well swimming around having a good time.

We finally decided to make a move and we took off and decided to flip some docks. Second cast I caught a 1 1/2# smallie. Next cast or so I caught a good keeper largemouth. Then Jason hooked up and the next fish in the boat. I put a solid 2 plus smallmouth in the boat. In a stretch of less than a hundred yards we put 4 fish in the boat.

This was really important for Jason because he was in 5th place with over 13 pounds on day one. Well we couldn't finish off our limit but Jason still cut a check.

Jason is local to Havasu and a good angler. I think Rooke and the Goodwins need to watch out for this kid because he's going to catch up to them real soon.

I didn't mean to make this post this long so now I need to make sure I thank the people that helped me during a really bad weekend trip.

Thanks to Clint and Mike Goodwin for telling me where to take my boat. Thanks to Jordan at Anglers Marine for diagnosing the problem over the phone. Jordan you were right on as to what the problem was. Thanks to Lakeland Marine for pushing other work out of the way to get me in and out and back on the water in time to fish the tournament. Thanks to Danny Locitas for taking care of me with my trolling motor. Thanks to both my nonboaters Tom Ochoa and Jason Marquez, You guys did good and I enjoyed fishing with you. I would fish with you guys anything you want to go.

Mrs jb asked if I had fun and you know I did. I still had a good time and will do it again. For some it's all about winning and don't get me wrong I like winning a whole lot better the losing. For me it's about the competition and the camaraderie. The whole tournament experience.
jb

[John Barron]

I need to thank Ron C, Ray L and DL and Dennis Taylor for goading......I mean supporting me with the e-mails and phone calls. Letting me know they were standing behind me and ready to laugh and point fingers at me.......I mean help me however they could. I can't help but say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
jb

[Kelly Ripa]

Good Read JB....And don't worry their is a long line of guys willing to stand behind ya and point fingers ...Er I mean help ya if ya need it. Sometimes I miss the road trips

Rip

[Darkman]

every one got nothing but love for ya JB...i think I went to far,,,heck even i don't believe that...sorry dude, I tried

[DL]

I need to thank Ron C, Ray L and DL and Dennis Taylor for goading......I mean supporting me with the e-mails and phone calls. Letting me know they were standing behind me and ready to laugh and point fingers at me.......I mean help me however they could. I can't help but say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
jb

Just for that, I won't tell anyone what really happened

[Brian D.]

there were a few guys sick during the event,... Tony C. was lookin like death warmed over during the event due to the nasty cold he had.

When I heard you had a broke TM blade I imagined the worst. Glad you hung in there JB.

[tunaman]

WOW, JB... trying tribulations for sure! You're a tough old coot!!!

Just remember - that which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger... you were already a pretty strong dude, so remind me not to arm wrestle with you next time we're together!

Glad it all 'worked out', and sorry it didn't work out better for ya - you're a great guy and deserve much more... hopefully the next one treats you better!

Roger

[John Barron]

Thanks Roger:
I really hope they move the DVL one to Mead. I haven't had the opportunity to really fish Mead in a while and would really like to. I only fish Mead when I have to so I never really go over to fun fish. And Roger any time you want to arm wrestle just let me know.
The tired old coot

[John Barron]

Tony was hurting but he stayed with it. He's a tough one and the trolling motor deal was tough. We made a lot of noise going from spot to spot on the trolling motor. I'm going to call The Trolling motor and have tehm send me two new props to through in the boat and this time I will make sure they are for MotorGuide!@#$

[Ray L.]

up yours John....
Big deal sick 1 day.
Hell you didn't even throw up over the side of the boat.

[John Barron]

Ray L you're wrong I chummed Thursday down by the pump station. At first I thought I was sea sick from the rough ride but now I think it was food poisoning. I think Rooke and Goodwin poisoned me so I wouldn't be such a threat to them.
jb

[CORYMDISPENSIERO]

John Barron welcome to my world. This event I became pro at balancing on my foot pedal/trolling motor while turning the speed up and down with right foot while flippin rippin current and wind blown banks with cover. I have gained much respect for the players on the Ballet circuit.

[DL]

It was food poisoning I'm sure..



And your pit crew had nothing to do with it either...

[tunaman]

It was food poisoning I'm sure..

PRICELESS!!! Thanks for the chuckle DL!

Roger

[Hugh_M]

Good read, JB. Glad you are OK, and kept your good attitude. They tell me that the kind of trip you had "builds character" !! But I say, who needs it. I know that you spend a lot of time on preparation, which usually averts that kind of trip, so I think you need to blame it on the Chumash spirits, you just can't control them. Heh Heh

Hang in there, good Buddy,

Hugh

[John Barron]

Ya know Hugh I had a discussion when I was on the water with my spirit guide and I asked him why? He said "Oh I don't know, sometimes it's just fun to mess with you and watch and laugh"

What else can you do but just shake your head and move on. I've been fishing tournaments for a long time and I have had a lot of things happen so I've learned to roll with it and do the best with what you get. But I've never had this much stuff hit me on one trip.

The problem was I had been on fish in previous tournaments and if I would have had some prefish I really believe I would have done better than "stinky" place, maybe not much but better. All I can say is I did not hurt the population of fish at Havasu. The fish do not tremble when they hear my name they just kinda chuckle.
Cya at Castaic
jb