BFL in Winneconne

Anyone headed out to the BFL?

I’m there…home waters….yuck!!!

Still struggle…fishing so..so….

Plenty of nice eyes though….I’m

guessing 11 lbs to get a check….

See ya there….Is the pitbull going

to be there or JC..Like to see who

they r in real life other than print

I’ll be there. I’ve been prefishin’, and I gotta tell ya, unless these puppies “turn on,” it’s going to be a low weight tournament.

See you boys there.

Thanks,

OnTheWater

I’m banking on the low weights. Will
help me out alot. Don’t think they’ll turn
on. Will have to make along run to catch
decent weight. Onthewater, you are prefishing there,
or have been. I live about 30 mins from Winneconne.
I am there in 1 hr, after I leave this hell hole called
work…..Hope it stays crappy weather also…..

You guys should give me some hints! Then I could tell you whats going on when you go the the super tournament, which happens to be my stomping grounds , been fishing here for 9 years and was raised on the banks of pool 4. Good luck guys!

Sorry,
I’ll be up on pool 8 all weekend. I have a double header.
Good luck this weekend. If they would just stop going to winneconne I might jump on this circuit. That place just doesn’t do anything for me….
jc

I am fishing that one. I am heading up tomorrow to practice. I fish non-boater so I prolly don’t even need to practice but I feel it gives me an edge over alot of people.
Keith

can you please explain to me gunaapoopaducka on how prefishing as a non-boater can give you an edge

LOOK PITBULL I WILL PUT UP $500 ME AGAINST YOU ONE DAY ON THE WATER YOUR CHOICE OF WHAT POOL! YOU NEED TO STOP RUNNIN YOUR MOUTH OFF AND THINKING YOUR BASS ANGLER OF THE YEAR! AND YES PRE FISHING AS A CO ANGLER CAN ONLY HELP YOU! LETS SEE IF MR DOUGLASS CAN PRODUCE AS MANY FISH AS HE CAN TYPE WORDS!!!!!! !

Easy boys. Don’t turn this nasty…

Dude,and I mean dude…i sure the heck don’t think i’m bass angler of the year and i sure ain’t running at da mouth..i just wanna hear an logical explanation on how pre-fishing as a co-angler will benefit ya besides casting practice that’s all

Basstracker, I’d just let what pitbull says go. After all
if the boater or non-boater cannot learn something or anything from pre-fishing I think it should be time to hang it up. When I went as non-boater I always pre-fished. First to get the heck outta the house a few days earlier… And second to maybe give my boater another option if he needs help. And I know of a few guys being on the non-boater side that I would love to be my partner for the upcoming BFL in Prairie…I also love the comment using Mr. Douglas as a reference…Didn’t think anyone but myself watched that show……Hooray for Hooterville…

PITBULL “It’s all about time on the water”

Well put mountain man, Thats the short of it if anyone wants to be successful. (Amount of Time on the water+ Quality of Mental preperation = How well you do!)

JHALL

JHALL:

Man, I wish I would have read your post sooner… I would’ve told ya what I was doing and why, but, obviously, not where.

PITBULL:

Before I was a boater, I was a nonboater… It’s been my experience that the more time I had on the water, the more dialed in I was to how the fish were biting, which lures they preferred at a given time of day, and, lastly, what to perhaps expect with a given type of weather.

Thanks,

OnTheWater

I’ll take you up if the offer is extended to everyone…
All I can say is Cha-Ching, Momma needs new shoes.

jc

winneconne just plain sucked! 38 guys on the pro side didnt catch a fish, me being one of them. This is not easy for me to come out and tell eveyone either cause it was so embarasing, and very frustrating, probly the most frustrating of all my 6 years fishing tournaments. I was on em in practice but was really just trying for 5 fish for the points aspect of the BFL. Went an hour and 20 min to my starting spot-no fish. There were some really good sticks that struggled as well but still makes me feel pissed off today! Thanks to everyone who offered help anyways

And back to the non-boater pre fishing subject. I was fishing the BFL as a non-boater for my first two years when I started. I used to tow my stratos wherever and prefish for two days reguardless. Like I said , there is no substitute for time on the water and there is no two ways about it!
JHALL

Wow, once again some clarity needs to be put one the subject. I really don’t know how many members have ever fished a “Redman” now known as BFL, but I will venture to say that not many fished from the beginning. Hey this circuit has changed immensely! Ever watch the Lock-masters cringe at the sight of supposed seasoned anglers and boaters rifle through the locking proceedure? Ever watch as your spot become a “community hole” once you boat the first good keeper? Ever take a non-boater to a good area that you spent alot of time and effort finding, only to find them there the next week!!! That person would have never found that particular area if they would have had a road map!!!
Oh, by the way they borrowed a boat or had their buddy with a boat, that got them there. In the ” Ole days” No-Boater
was a way to LEARN not TAKE. Learn how to run the river,patterning,color type,seasonal movement.Now it seems to be about celebrity and money!!! this is as far from all of that than you can possibly imagine. I post this only because it sickens me to see all of this nebulus banter,amongst fisherman who have way to much time telling and not showing. Put away your pocketbook crappola and spent time teaching a young person to fish or better yet teach them on how to enjoy the great outdoors that mother nature has bless all of us with.

o

JHALL:

Hey, send me an email…

Thanks,

OnTheWater

jhall- your right Winneconne was awful. many of the top guys hardly caught fish. I was lucky enough to catch my limit is about 45 minutes..however hardly any weight. Not enough to get a check in any other tourney. Myself was fishing only for points (which I’m still behind) also. Comeing up is Prairie and you can bet 9 lbs will get you a thank you for coming…
Bigdaddy—As you said most of the guys seems only here to brag about how much they can win and I’ll take your money. But they only want to challedge you to their waters…Maybe if you’d put them all on unfamiliar waters they’d be a little more humbled. Like the above post were JC said he’d take some cha ching from one of the guys…Hmm. Now I remember him also saying he’d fish the BFL, but didn’t like Winneconne..What does that say? Just asking…And I also think that most of these post have gotten away from helping others out with river information..how they are catching some of there fish. And other information that some people or kids read on the site. I live about 2 3/4 hrs from LaCrosse (nearest to the river), but probably go on this site and read the post as much as you all that live next to it. Not only to check out say upcoming tourneys, but how is everyone doing. Catching fish, struggling, what is the hot techique, etc…As for me, I’m far from being close to a great or successful fishman while fishing for money. I’d rather (even come tournament time), tell you how I’m doing fishing and what I’m catching fish on. This goes for the kids that I fish with back at home and their dad’s also. Tomorrow foreample I help out with a small town kids tourney. We only have about 40 kids show up, but for that couple of hours they have a ball. And everyone goes home with a prize. And learns something….fishing is fun!!!
And you’d be surprised how many dad’s and mom’s come up and say thanks for taking the time to show the kids good time and that they themselves learned something…..I do know that from some other posts here that alot of you donate your time for the kids….hopefully maybe some of you other big tournament guns do or will do the same… The reward are more fulfilling than recieving any tournament check…If you don’t believe me…I feel sorry for you…..
Just my little ole opinion…

Wonder how long it will take until i get one of Pitbull’s and Carwford’s “put your money where your mouth is” comments?

Look on the bright side Pitbull, you got 5 points and you didnt even have to bring any pizza!

Quote:

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I’ll take you up if the offer is extended to everyone…
All I can say is Cha-Ching, Momma needs new shoes.

jc

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Pitbull, what would you do if you were fishing as a non boater in BFL, just show up for the tournament?

I think you fail to understand most people fish as non-boates to learn the water or to just get out fishing. Why wouldnt you go up there acouple days early? If they ever do decide to go boater, the time they spent on the water as a non-boater will really help them.

You must have skipped practicing for that team surpeme tournament! There is no way a bass pro like you would blank…. Sucks that people keep messing up your name (its MIKE DONAHUE not Mike Douglas) Makes it hard to get the local pizza place to sponsor you!

Well the Paula Revere’s pizza man is here, i had better go eat!

I was going to be in the tourney this past weekend for catfish days, as the somewhat “non-boating” partner before a bent shaft stopped us cold ,

BUT

The wife has no idea that my time on the water may not help us in picking spots,

SOOOOO I says that if I’m throwing in my $ I have to be ready.

Long story short is that I got to fish a TON last week with no added honey-do’s or anything

What she don’t know sometimes can help me

ps. it really helped me in understanding more of the river and my area too!

JHall,

I too have experienced the humility, and depression, that
a major tournament at Winneconne can bring. In 2000, I
finished 2nd, at the Federation Zone 1 T, and 16th at
State(Pools 7-9), with this being my first ever river tournament,
and 1st place in the 2001 Federation Zone 1 T.
Then came the 2001 State tournament, at Winneconne. Hell
I was raised over there, and spent a big chunk of my
life duck hunting, and fishing that system. I blanked!
I have never blanked, but I dang sure got my butt handed
to me by those fish. I went into a huge funk, that put
my confidence into the toilet for almost a year. Time
on the water, and starting over with how I approach
tournaments, was the best medicine for me. Hopefully
you get over this sooner than I did. The next time
I fish Winneconne, those fish and I are gonna dance!
See, my confidence is back.

Big Bass Bane

I’ve been fishing local tournaments for about 6-7 years now
and only been viewing this web site for about a month. The average person can get a good pulse for the action (or lack of action) on the river by reading from these forums. I wasn’t going to throw my hat in the ring but after reading through this forum I feel strong enough about the nonboater topic to chime in. I’ve always prefished as a non boater and felt like I had a stronger feel for the river on game day by spending time trying to find fish. Two many posititves come out of pre-fishing for it to be a waste of time. Least of all just being on the water. It’s time well spent. For any of us. Good day to all.

Pitbull, This was already discussed after the last BFL. Apparently you still don’t agree, but it sounds like most other people see a benifit from prefishing. I didn’t fish Winneconne this year, but would have prefished it if I had. I still think it just makes sense to get a feel for what the fish are doing and what levels, ect. the water is at. If the bite is as tough as it was over there I’m sure that a lot of the boaters would have been very grateful if the non-boater had some idaes of what to try. At my second BFL in Red Wing two years ago my boater’s fish weren’t there and we fished mine. He didn’t have any problem taking the points he earned off the fish that I found prefishing .
By the way my brother-in-law thought his 2 fish and 4.6 lbs sucked so bad that he didn’t stick around Saturday and will have to get his $122 in the mail .

I think the question to a non boater should be why wouldnt you fish? The reason for prefishing are why to clear for me,but i could be wrong! perhaps pitbull could help me out.Why should a non boater not prefish