Milk Run Order

I have a question, if you have a series of locations that you would like to fish in a day either in a tournament or in just a practice run, do you go to your best spots where you know you can pull a limit first. or do you go and look for a kicker first and then focus on your limit if you feel confident you can pull a limit there? In other words do you go to the hot bite right away or do you go and look for your kicker fish, especially in Wisconsin where you can not cull fish so what goes in the boat stays in the boat until the end of the day? so would it be wise to go and look for larger fish and still have that hot spot to fall back on later in the day? Thanks,
Nick

Give me the GPS coordinates to all of your spots & I will let you know what order you should fish them in.

Thats good!

I personally would try to get a limit first, hopefully my spots where I can get a limit are also occupied with good fish. If your only on keepers, chances are you are not going to place well. And plus I can always cull out some of the smaller ones…you know when I am fishing out of Iowa

Nobody culls on the river

It usually takes 12 lbs to cash a check in most tournaments, but often times more, depending on the organization. I know that it took over 15 lbs to cash a check in the BWSTA on pool 9 earlier this month

It is Ideal to have a series of spots that are “stacked” with good fish in the 2-1/2 to 3 lb range. Some people think all you need is one good spot, but fish are constantly moving in and out of areas and could be off that spot on a tournament day. Having a “milkrun” of these good spots will hold down your chances of finding the fish. And yes going for the limit is way more important than finding a kicker. 2 5 lb fish only gives you 10 lbs. 5 2-1/2 lbers gives you 12-1/2 lbs and then you can hit your big fish spots. say you catch a 4 lber..suddenly you have 14 lbs and will make a check in most tournaments

I guess it is kind of a obvious when fishing in states that have no regulations on culling that you would go ahead and catch a limit and then start looking for fish to upgrade your sack with. But in a state like wisconsin where you are trying to follow the regulations what would be the best way to go about bringing in a large limit. which fish do pass up in hopes of catching a large limit for that tournament? When you are selecting fish that are going to get you a limit right away then its a little tough to upgrade legally… am i right or are we all just out there breaking the laws I guess thats how some of us think were so good…

My best is advice for going by the books is try to find areas that are holding the best 5 or 6 fish you can find. If you are on 14-15 inchers, try to find a spot holding larger fish, and if by tournament day all you have are the small fish areas go hit them and hope for the best. Fish sometimes stack by size, but not all of the time. I am by no means an expert, but this is just how I approach tournaments.

I think you have to take into consideration what kind of tournament you are fishing.

If you are fishing a series of tournaments for points that will qualify you a larger tournament, I would get the small limit and then try to cull with bigger fish.

If you are jackpotting a tournament it makes more sense to me to try and get a big limit because you are looking to cash, not get points from a small limit.

That’s how I always looked at it.

I agree with BassHog on this one. You just got to play it smart and get your points to get to the big tournament, and then if you get there go for it all and try to find your larger fish.

i think the hard truth is that culling happens quite often on the river. Tough to be the guy following the rules in that case. Good luck with such a dilemma. ike

Cade, How many tournaments do you have under your belt?
Not trying to judge but wating time on fish that will not put a check in your pocket is wastefull. Just putting a limit in the boat might help you save face but in all honestly you need to concentrate on larger fish. I have countless times pulled 4 good fish and then went on a quick run for just another keeper but in almost every instance it was lesson in donating my money. The order should be to do your homework, find your 3 – 3.5 lb fish and go there first, if they are not home use a little common sense and figure out where they went, dial them in, cash a check. If you wast 2 or 3 hours on just keepers you will lose EVERY TIME you fish against any of us.

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say you catch a 4 lber..suddenly you have 14 lbs and will make a check in most tournaments

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i agree, i have not fish in any big tournaments but i have gone to enough weigh ins to know that 14 lbs is just an OK limit most times. the last weigh in i went to had almost 21 lbs for 6 fish. most of the weigh ins i have gone too you need a 3- 3.5 lb average to at least cash a check sometimes more…

I’d be looking for a limit first and then try and seek out some bigger fish. It puts the mind way more at ease knowing you have at least a limit in the boat allowing you to mentally slow down and fish some areas that are known to hold bigger fish a little more thoroughly.

Well, I guess if it makes you feel better getting a small limit then go for it… What tournaments do you fish again?

I’m not going to lie, I miss having Mr Crawford around, saying things that most people are just thinking

I hear what your saying but I used to be that way and it didn’t work too much except at the club level and not always there either. If all you have is 14″ to go catch and weigh, you might as well either load up and go home(save fuel) or go fish stuff you didn’t practice and hope to stumble into some better fish. All this assuming you want to place high.

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I’m not going to lie, I miss having Mr Crawford around, saying things that most people are just thinking

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DITTO we definately need balance around here!

Simon Cowell (JC)

Randy (Blue Fleck)

Paula (Tim Domaille)

Cade what tournaments do you fish, so I can come and fish where all I need is 13 to 14 lbs to cash. If I am fishing a tourney where there is a 5 bass limit and the lake regulary gives up 20lb sacks, I dont even bother with small fish. I will concentrate on my spots that can produce big bites. I would rather swing for the fences and fail then just try to weigh a limit to save face. I will sit on one spot all day and wait the the fish out if I know there are hogs there. I know that on the river you have more room, but on lakes in the twin cities area there is so much presure that if you leave one spot for another you may end up with nothing to fish.

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I’m not going to lie, I miss having Mr Crawford around, saying things that most people are just thinking

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DITTO we definately need balance around here!

Simon Cowell (JC)

Randy (Blue Fleck)

Paula (Tim Domaille)

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YO YO YO Dawg!!! That’s some funny Shizzle right Dizzle. Dat was off da HOOK DAWG!!!!

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5 2-1/2 lbers gives you 12-1/2 lbs and then you can hit your big fish spots. say you catch a 4 lber..suddenly you have 14 lbs and will make a check in most tournaments

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Cade is actually correct.A 2.8 pound average will cash a check in most tournaments. All you need to do is go to classic bass and look at the results.Many tournaments are won with a 2.8 pound average….even on the river.

SLee I agree with that if it is an 8 fish limit, like in the classic. When you fish a 5 fish limit it changes though. We are talking about big bodies of water(River&Tonka)what if we are fishing smaller bodies of water like Waconia. Would you fish it any differant SLee?

I think the BFL qualifies as a pretty large tournament… just over 12 lbs was the check……

Last years stren, I remember around 22-25 lbs for 2 days cashed a check….I’m not talking about filling your limit of 14″ers either. I feel that when I practice my goal is to find areas where I can catch a limit of 16″ers. If I have 12+ lbs early, I feel that I have set myself for a great tournament once I continue to my big fish stuff. I am usually shooting for the 15 lb mark on any given day. I have grass points and such where at times you can catch 8-10 keepers all in the 2-1/2 lb range. note, I said at times…But if I am on them in practice, and I know I can get my limit of those quick, I’m going to shoot for them. And I don’t know what kind of big sticks some people seem to think they are, but 14 lbs would have got you well into the top 10 in the bfl here a few weeks ago.

Statistics don’t lie….
BFL June 9th

Note that some of the biggest names of the area fished this event.

Also note that the check is at 12-05

Also note that 14 lbs would give you an 8th place check.

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5 2-1/2 lbers gives you 12-1/2 lbs and then you can hit your big fish spots. say you catch a 4 lber..suddenly you have 14 lbs and will make a check in most tournaments

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Cade is actually correct.A 2.8 pound average will cash a check in most tournaments. All you need to do is go to classic bass and look at the results.Many tournaments are won with a 2.8 pound average….even on the river.

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Classic Bass doesent show hardly any of the river tournaments. A 2.8 lb average might win you a tournament up at Le Homme Dieu but not on the River.

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5 bass limit and the lake regulary gives up 20lb sacks, I dont even bother with small fish

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How often do you catch 20 lb sacks, this time of year, on the river?

Can I come out in your boat a few times? I promise, I won’t even bring a rod, I just want to see it done.

Some tournaments I don’t even put 1.5 pounders in the well. Others even a 12 incher goes in. Depends on the lake,how the bite is and what I have going.

It just varies from lake to lake/river. Time of year,one day or multiple day event. But….you really never know how others did till weigh in.

Some days I fish to win….other days just hopeing to cash a check.

But….day in and day out a 2.8 pound average will cover the entry fees even with a five fish limit. Guys have even won on Tonka on the wed. nighters with 14 pounds for 5 fish. Not very often though.

I just made the earlier post because it seemed like some were being a little hash on Cade….when in fact he was correct.

One can also look at the results from the Bassmaster weekend series. They have 5 fish limit and 14 pounds would win many of them. If Cade was just talking one pool/lake at one time of year I can see where others would disagree…but he wasn’t.

You do realize this is the mississippi river forum right? The lowest wieghts I have ever seen win have at least a 3lb average.

Cade, When ever you are ready I would be glad to show you a 20lb sack. A full day guided trip… Well ya better save your allowance.

jc

Mississippi River May 13, 2007 Big Bass TOTAL PRIZE

TEAM lb oz # lb oz $$$$

1 Rick House & Randy Wieczorec 4 2 8 24 10 $2,120

2 Andy Young & Tim Lehner 3 14 8 21 8 $1,000

3 Paul Sherman & Jed Perrson 4 8 8 21 7 $400

4 Scott Coultier & Scott Fischer 3 2.5 8 20 12

5 Mark Sandberg & Chris Wolfe 4 4 8 20 2

Big Bass Paul Sherman & Jed Perrson 4 8 $400

[image]Mississippi River May 13, 2007 Big Bass TOTAL PRIZE [/image]

Maybe not a win…but 2nd place.

I can dig up tournaments where a 2.8 pound average did win on the river….but my point was that it does happen.

It also depends on what part of the river one is talking about. Some pools are just that much better than others.

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You do realize this is the mississippi river forum right? The lowest wieghts I have ever seen win have at least a 3lb average.
Cade, When ever you are ready I would be glad to show you a 20lb sack. A full day guided trip… Well ya better save your allowance.
jc

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Is this guide trip open to anyone?

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Team Supreme North Star Division
Miss River@Alma
5/21/06
28 Teams

PLACE TEAM #FISH WEIGHT WINNINGS
1 ROTERING/MAHUTGA 6 17.67 $1,400
2 KOKOTT/FERNHOLZ 6 17.16 $391
3 LAROCQUE/HALL 6 16.62 $241
4 WALDERA/AMES 6 15.80 $120
5 MICHALKE/RIEK 6 14.78 $110
Big Bass LAROCQUE/HALL 5.24 $392

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Angler’s Elite Tour
Miss River Pool 4 & 5
5/20/06
34 Pro/Am Teams

Placing Anglers
Pro listed 1st #
Weight Award
1 Troy Schwab $3,000
Jessy Wicht 8 23.40 $1,500
2 Andy Young $1,800
Greg Peters 8 18.21 $900
3 Aaron LaRocque $1,000
Dustin Anderson 8 17.61 $500
4 Bradley Leifermann $900
Leo Ohmann 8 17.58 $400
5 Pat Martin $800
Chris Lindstrom 8 17.13 $400
6 Seth Feider $650
Mike Beck 8 16.67 $300
7 Cody Zdrazil $450
Shane Kraemer 8 15.62 $200
Big Bass Troy Schwab 4.12

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