Juls
09-27-2008, 09:51 AM
This morning's take off was chilly, but the winds were calm. The top ten anglers were all excited to get going and start their day's fishing. They will be reduced to only two rods today, since the co anglers are no longer fishing with them. The weather today is expected to be nice with a forecast of:
Rest Of Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.
I spoke with every one of the top ten this morning and asked each of them these two questions:
1. What's going on in your head this morning?
2. Can you share with our readers here on Walleye Central what it is that you've been doing the last three days to get you where you are today? What presentations have worked best for you?
Tommy Skarlis: Going into day 4 is just a really exciting proposition. It's just great to make it to the FLW Championship. On top of that, you roll into the top ten? You got names like Grothe, Takasaki, Gilman...to name a few...you got Todd Frank, and power house rookies like Joe Okada, and Blosser...oh, and Tom Keenan breathing down the back of my neck! I'll tell ya, this is not a good position to be in, if you don't like the hot bright spotlights! I love it...I want the spotlight. I want the pressure, because I want to take that and I want to funnel everything into what I'm doing, and channel that energy into coming up with the fish that I'm going to need to win this event. And, if I don't catch the fish that I need to win this, then it just wasn't in the cards, or something that the good Lord wanted me to do. But, I'm going to work my tail off and I'm going to try to keep two lines in the water if I can, and I'm going to try to come out on top.
Lindy rigs and jigging with Berkley Power Baits.
Ross Grothe: It would be just an honor to take one and two with Tommy Skarlis (either way it would go). It's just such an awesome opportunity to go after this much money. I'm just hoping one of us can capitalize on it.
Tommy and I are just live bait rigging...dragging jigs and rigs with Berkley Power Bait in 6-12 feet of water.
Robert Blosser: I'm going to run all the way South, about 62 miles. I'm going to fish the same fish, and they should be there. I'm hoping for 5 bites. I've only been getting 6-7 bites a day, with four rods...but, I do have a spot in the river where I can pull fish stupidly fast, so I'm not afraid about my limit. But, I'm going to go down there and try to pull some big fish...put five of them big "nannies" in the box, and bring her home.
I'm pulling leadcore with Flicker Shads and Shad Raps...big ones...#7's. Pulling them fast around 3-4mph and fishing anywhere from 18-22 feet of water.
Todd Frank: I'm not really going to change up anything. I have a section of river that I have been working by myself...trolling cranks. I've got some jigs spots...just a few pockets that I'm taking some fish off of. It's a 13 to 15 pound fish spot, if I make all the right moves. Hopefully, if I can do a 15 pound bag like I did two days ago out of there we might have a shot at that, but I'm not going to throw away a second or third place finish to go for the win. There's just too much money there at stake. I'm going to see what order they come in and go from there.
I'm pulling crankbaits on 10 pound Fireline...pulling upstream around 2-2.2mph. We're using a bass style bait actually...it's a Bomber style bait. It's got a real loud rattle to it. I've got one bait that I put on when I first got here...it's actually the first bait I put on, and I still have it on. It's catching 4:1 to everything else I put out there...even the same baits. It's one of those baits you find sometimes that are perfectly tuned, and there's something that just makes them work. It's been on one rod the whole time. I'm happy to see everyone down to two rods today, because I got one that REALLY works! (wink wink)
Chris Gilman: I just can't gamble today, like I should be. I've gone to the big lake to look for the big fish and wasted four hours the last two days and never got one. So, I'm going to spend my time in the river. The fish aren't as big, but I think I can go through more numbers. Truthfully, with only two rods in the water today...the more fishing time might pay off. So, maybe it's a conservative approach, but I just can't go chase the dream anymore, you know?
I'm really simply trolling RS Shad Raps out in the lake around brush lines. Every now and then I would throw a jointed out there. Basically I'm just trolling the Rattling Shad Raps on Fireline in anywhere from 14-20 feet of water out on the lake was pretty much what got me in the cut. Up on the river I'm just dragging live bait down stream and verticle jigging...you know, it's typical river fishing...stuff everyone does. The fish have repositioned everyday, because the water levels and current have been changing everyday. It's been challenging trying to find them. Todd Riley just scorched them on day two and then yesterday only came in with 7 pounds yesterday, and that can happen to anyone.
Ted Takasaki: I think if I get 18 pounds, I have a pretty good shot. I've got the spot where I can catch them, so I'm going to probably head down there right away, and see if I can pop a couple good ones right off the bat, and if I do I'll just stay right there all day. Today is win it or nothing! I'm going a little further than most everyone else, I think...about 62 miles compared to most everyone going down about 50 or so.
Tom Keenan: I've caught 90% of my fish trolling the last three days. Today, since I can't use four rods, it will decrease my chances a little bit. I'm actually going to change tactics today and start the day vertical jigging. I'm going to be fishing plastic and just try to get a little more of a reactionary bite. I'm going to be snap jigging fake minnows to try to get those fish off the bottom, to see if they'll come up and actually eat it. Will it work? I don't know, but there's a bunch of fish on the breakline, and you can see them...and you get a bite here and a bite there. Hopefully by doing that I can actually get a reactionary bite. I prefer trolling crankbaits around 3-4 mph, but there's a couple other of boats fishing on that break and it makes it a bit challenging to do that. So, I'm going to change techniques today and hopefully catch a couple. I figure if I catch 16 pounds today, I'll probably be in the top 3 for sure, and a chance to win. So, that's my goal today.
Joe Okada: I think I'm going to head to exactly the same spot I've been fishing the last few days. It's about 55 miles South, right off the main river channel. I'm just trolling a tree line area. There's a lot of shad down there and fresh fish are moving in there everyday.
I'm just flatlining 4 to 5 colors of Leadcore off the back of the boat with some shad profile baits like Frenzy's, or #7 Shad Raps...around 2-2.5mph.
Todd Riley: I'm trolling out in Lake Ohae right next to the ND/SD border. There was a lot of really nice fish down there, and I'm hoping I can find those fish again today, and bring back another 20 plus pound bag and get back in the game.
Brett King: Well, I'm going to stop in a couple areas that are right on my way downriver, and make one pass through there. I had a really nice fish on within probably 20 minutes of take off yesterday, and with a little mishap on my part...end result, the fish didn't come to the boat. So, I'm going to make a pass through there this morning and see if I can get a little revenge!
Then, I'm going to run a little further South to where I've caught three 5 pound fish during the tournament and spend the majority of my time there. Obviously I have to bring some weight in today. If that doesn't work out maybe I'll leave myself an hour or something on the way back to try and grab some fish for the show. It's kind of a hero or zero day for me, because I can't go backwards...the only place to go is up.
I'm pulling cranks primarily. Some of my fill out spots I've been pulling bottom bouncers with night crawlers, but primarily I've been pulling cranks on Leadcore in 21-26 feet of water at 2.1-2.3mph.
Join us again this afternoon as we continue our LIVE coverage of the Berkley Sponsored FLW Walleye Tour Championship in Bismarck, North Dakota at the Civic Center.
You can catch the live webcast at http://www.liveleaderboard.com (http://www.liveleaderboard.com/) Just click on the "Missouri River" link under the FLW.
Rest Of Today...Partly to mostly sunny. Highs 65 to 70. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.
I spoke with every one of the top ten this morning and asked each of them these two questions:
1. What's going on in your head this morning?
2. Can you share with our readers here on Walleye Central what it is that you've been doing the last three days to get you where you are today? What presentations have worked best for you?
Tommy Skarlis: Going into day 4 is just a really exciting proposition. It's just great to make it to the FLW Championship. On top of that, you roll into the top ten? You got names like Grothe, Takasaki, Gilman...to name a few...you got Todd Frank, and power house rookies like Joe Okada, and Blosser...oh, and Tom Keenan breathing down the back of my neck! I'll tell ya, this is not a good position to be in, if you don't like the hot bright spotlights! I love it...I want the spotlight. I want the pressure, because I want to take that and I want to funnel everything into what I'm doing, and channel that energy into coming up with the fish that I'm going to need to win this event. And, if I don't catch the fish that I need to win this, then it just wasn't in the cards, or something that the good Lord wanted me to do. But, I'm going to work my tail off and I'm going to try to keep two lines in the water if I can, and I'm going to try to come out on top.
Lindy rigs and jigging with Berkley Power Baits.
Ross Grothe: It would be just an honor to take one and two with Tommy Skarlis (either way it would go). It's just such an awesome opportunity to go after this much money. I'm just hoping one of us can capitalize on it.
Tommy and I are just live bait rigging...dragging jigs and rigs with Berkley Power Bait in 6-12 feet of water.
Robert Blosser: I'm going to run all the way South, about 62 miles. I'm going to fish the same fish, and they should be there. I'm hoping for 5 bites. I've only been getting 6-7 bites a day, with four rods...but, I do have a spot in the river where I can pull fish stupidly fast, so I'm not afraid about my limit. But, I'm going to go down there and try to pull some big fish...put five of them big "nannies" in the box, and bring her home.
I'm pulling leadcore with Flicker Shads and Shad Raps...big ones...#7's. Pulling them fast around 3-4mph and fishing anywhere from 18-22 feet of water.
Todd Frank: I'm not really going to change up anything. I have a section of river that I have been working by myself...trolling cranks. I've got some jigs spots...just a few pockets that I'm taking some fish off of. It's a 13 to 15 pound fish spot, if I make all the right moves. Hopefully, if I can do a 15 pound bag like I did two days ago out of there we might have a shot at that, but I'm not going to throw away a second or third place finish to go for the win. There's just too much money there at stake. I'm going to see what order they come in and go from there.
I'm pulling crankbaits on 10 pound Fireline...pulling upstream around 2-2.2mph. We're using a bass style bait actually...it's a Bomber style bait. It's got a real loud rattle to it. I've got one bait that I put on when I first got here...it's actually the first bait I put on, and I still have it on. It's catching 4:1 to everything else I put out there...even the same baits. It's one of those baits you find sometimes that are perfectly tuned, and there's something that just makes them work. It's been on one rod the whole time. I'm happy to see everyone down to two rods today, because I got one that REALLY works! (wink wink)
Chris Gilman: I just can't gamble today, like I should be. I've gone to the big lake to look for the big fish and wasted four hours the last two days and never got one. So, I'm going to spend my time in the river. The fish aren't as big, but I think I can go through more numbers. Truthfully, with only two rods in the water today...the more fishing time might pay off. So, maybe it's a conservative approach, but I just can't go chase the dream anymore, you know?
I'm really simply trolling RS Shad Raps out in the lake around brush lines. Every now and then I would throw a jointed out there. Basically I'm just trolling the Rattling Shad Raps on Fireline in anywhere from 14-20 feet of water out on the lake was pretty much what got me in the cut. Up on the river I'm just dragging live bait down stream and verticle jigging...you know, it's typical river fishing...stuff everyone does. The fish have repositioned everyday, because the water levels and current have been changing everyday. It's been challenging trying to find them. Todd Riley just scorched them on day two and then yesterday only came in with 7 pounds yesterday, and that can happen to anyone.
Ted Takasaki: I think if I get 18 pounds, I have a pretty good shot. I've got the spot where I can catch them, so I'm going to probably head down there right away, and see if I can pop a couple good ones right off the bat, and if I do I'll just stay right there all day. Today is win it or nothing! I'm going a little further than most everyone else, I think...about 62 miles compared to most everyone going down about 50 or so.
Tom Keenan: I've caught 90% of my fish trolling the last three days. Today, since I can't use four rods, it will decrease my chances a little bit. I'm actually going to change tactics today and start the day vertical jigging. I'm going to be fishing plastic and just try to get a little more of a reactionary bite. I'm going to be snap jigging fake minnows to try to get those fish off the bottom, to see if they'll come up and actually eat it. Will it work? I don't know, but there's a bunch of fish on the breakline, and you can see them...and you get a bite here and a bite there. Hopefully by doing that I can actually get a reactionary bite. I prefer trolling crankbaits around 3-4 mph, but there's a couple other of boats fishing on that break and it makes it a bit challenging to do that. So, I'm going to change techniques today and hopefully catch a couple. I figure if I catch 16 pounds today, I'll probably be in the top 3 for sure, and a chance to win. So, that's my goal today.
Joe Okada: I think I'm going to head to exactly the same spot I've been fishing the last few days. It's about 55 miles South, right off the main river channel. I'm just trolling a tree line area. There's a lot of shad down there and fresh fish are moving in there everyday.
I'm just flatlining 4 to 5 colors of Leadcore off the back of the boat with some shad profile baits like Frenzy's, or #7 Shad Raps...around 2-2.5mph.
Todd Riley: I'm trolling out in Lake Ohae right next to the ND/SD border. There was a lot of really nice fish down there, and I'm hoping I can find those fish again today, and bring back another 20 plus pound bag and get back in the game.
Brett King: Well, I'm going to stop in a couple areas that are right on my way downriver, and make one pass through there. I had a really nice fish on within probably 20 minutes of take off yesterday, and with a little mishap on my part...end result, the fish didn't come to the boat. So, I'm going to make a pass through there this morning and see if I can get a little revenge!
Then, I'm going to run a little further South to where I've caught three 5 pound fish during the tournament and spend the majority of my time there. Obviously I have to bring some weight in today. If that doesn't work out maybe I'll leave myself an hour or something on the way back to try and grab some fish for the show. It's kind of a hero or zero day for me, because I can't go backwards...the only place to go is up.
I'm pulling cranks primarily. Some of my fill out spots I've been pulling bottom bouncers with night crawlers, but primarily I've been pulling cranks on Leadcore in 21-26 feet of water at 2.1-2.3mph.
Join us again this afternoon as we continue our LIVE coverage of the Berkley Sponsored FLW Walleye Tour Championship in Bismarck, North Dakota at the Civic Center.
You can catch the live webcast at http://www.liveleaderboard.com (http://www.liveleaderboard.com/) Just click on the "Missouri River" link under the FLW.