Wintertime fishing can be brutal; cold and slow. As I approached an offshore stump field, invisible to the naked eye, I grabbed old faithful, a 1/2oz black and blue jig, something I’ve had a lot of success on lately. Settled in 9-12 feet of water, bites were sporadic but never enticed one to completely commit and swallow the dancing jig. So what do you do? I had to change it up! Looking back at the app and realizing a square bill crank bait is something I found success on this time last year so I dig in my tackle box and find the exact one from last year. Starting on the outside of the stumps I feel the crank bait violently deflect off the stump bouncing around like a pinball. It wasn’t but the second cast when the plug hits a stump and stops, making me thing I have somehow buried a treble hook into the side of the old cypress stump. But oh how I was wrong. The aggravated largemouth shuck its head and I knew it was a good one. After that five pounder, I thought I was on to something, but could only muster one more keeper over the next hour or so.
Time to change again! Slaloming the narrows of a creek I run as far into the back as I could go, somewhere the app showed I’ve had a lot of success previously. Starting with a finesse worm, then jig, crank bait, and ending up with the kitchen sink, I didn’t catch a cold. What have I not done? What did those earlier bites tell me?
It hit me. A reaction bite. I pick up my #8 Tackle Co. rod, paired with an Ardent Elite reel, that has my black and blue 1/2 ounce spinner bait on. First cast, BOOM, one slams it. Gaining confidence, I cruise down the bank, not getting more than 50 more yards and bam I get hit so 
hard, the fish knocks 5’ of slack in the line. Scrambling to catch up, I set the hook and the fight was on. Uttering a quick prayer I begged Jesus to let me get this bass in. One more excruciating run under the boat and the fish comes up just enough to slide the net under. My best fish by far, totaling just at 7 pounds. What a rush!
All in all it was a great tournament! These FatSack tournaments are always challenging especially when you have competitors like Baxley and South C. I want to say real quick, South C were praying for you man, hope everything is going well with you and your family and we can’t wait until you can get back on the water! FatSack outdoors is head and shoulders above every other app with these tournaments, I have never had so much fun on the water! So on to the next tournament, should be a blast as always!
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