This has been a tough blog to write. The day 2 at Kansas Bass Nation Youth Team Series on Wilson, is a day boys and I would like to forget. We got to our spot. The first pass through, we caught three small bass. While a couple of high school teams across from us were catching keepers. I kept trying to tell the boys to not worry about it. Finally, Kyle caught a 3 pound smallmouth. I told the boys were are ok. We just need 4 more keepers and everything would be good. Then the high school team pulled up to us, and told the boys they had 4 fish. I told the boys don’t worry about it, being two hours into the tournament only having 1 fish. It was getting to them. Then the next hour, we caught 5 small fish. The day before, we had all keepers and never caught a fish under 2 pounds. I decided to moved to another spot after a couple of the other teams moved out. Nick caught a good largemouth, so we had two keepers and everything was good. Then just before the break, Nick caught another keeper. On Friday, Nick caught the same fish. At break, I told the boys all we needed was two more keepers. Then, Nick hooked up right after break. Kyle was snagged, and I was trying to get him unhooked. I told Kyle to get the net. Just then the fish came off. Nick said it wasn’t a keeper, but it looked like one to me. One problem the boys have is they like to watch the other one fight the fish while I net it. They really need to learn to get the net fast. Then off a point which the wind was blowing really hard, Nick hooked up with a big fish. It started to swim out deep. I knew this was the biggest fish we have had all week. Just then it was gone. Nick didn’t get a good hookset. They were very upset. Next two hours, we didn’t get a bite. Driving to the ramp with 3 fish, we were all sick. We just need two more keepers. We had around 8 pounds, and we finished second place with 25 pounds plus. First place team did a great job. They were consistent having around 15 pounds both days. A lot of the teams that didn’t catch them the first day, caught them the second day.
I really feel bad for the twins. There a lot of things I should have done since being the coach. I really feel like the fish had used the spot we fished the first day for traveling to spawn. We caught them the first day moving to the back. We should have moved shallower. Also, should have gone out the night before after weigh-in to look for bedding fish like a couple of other teams did. Also, I told myself Wilson Lake you have to fish the condition. They change daily and hourly. Catching them so good the first day, I really felt they would really be there still. Two day tournaments are different then one day. Also, great job to all the youth teams and captains that fished all year together. We fished some tough events. It was great to see all the kids weigh fish in on Wilson.
We will learn from this and get better. I would like to tell the champs great job and good luck at Nationals in August on Carroll County Lake, Tennessee.