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Stretch's Message & Event Schedule

Stretch's Message
P. R. E. P.
1. Physical Conditioning
  a. Prepare yourself to deal with the stressors associated with tournament fishing such as extreme weather, time constraints, varying conditions, and long hours.
2.  Research
    a. locate and purchase maps, check the internet, network with friends, and check longrange weather forecast.
3.  Equipment
    a. Ensure your boat is up to the task, give it a good check over
    b. Ensure your rod/reels are cleaned and loaded with fresh line
    c. Ensure you've packed adequate clothing to endure both possible weather
        extremes
    d. Reorganize your tackle to enhance your ability to locate what you need.
4.  Preparation
    a. Start preparing for the next tournament as soon as you complete this one
    b. When you've completed your preparation...prep some more
 
Decision-Making & Execution
Stay with the plan
by Larry Gaines
 All tournament fishermen have experienced when their decision to move off a spot or even stay with a particular pattern for to long has backfired and short-circuited their fishing success.  Well I experienced firsthand that no matter what uncontrollable variables you encounter, you still must maintain focus on executing properly to minimize your disappointments during a days fishing.  No matter how effective your fishing has been recently you must never take your execution for granted.  I recently fished an Angler's Paradise tournament on Lake Neely Henry where my expectation for a solid topwater bite was met with fish blowing up on very small shad and not even giving any of my topwater lures a second look.  I made a decision to scale down to a Lucky Craft Bevy Crank, which is one their smallest crankbaits, this decision was sound because I caught a small limit by 09:00 A.M. and caught fish consistently all morning long.  I was able to cull my smallest largemouth (a 1.1 lb. fish) at approximately 11:20 which gave me a solid 9 lbs. in the boat.  I opted to go for a "kicker" so I switched to a blue/black jig and pitched it to a laydown that was beckoning for attention.  The jig was immediately inhaled which stimulated me to respond with an instantaneous hookset.  I missed, so I returned the lure in the "sweet spot" only to meet with disappointment.  I decided to give the bass ample time to return to its lair so I went back to casting the crankbait in the area where it was making me money.  At approximately 12:40 I returned thinking the bass was repositioned, after two consecutive pitches to the "sweet spot" I spied a small isolated bush approximately 3 feet to the left of the "sweet spot."  I made my presentation as soft as I could manage and "Bam" there she was again.  I uttered to myself that I've got you this time and set the hook hard.  The behemoth, approximately 4.5 - 5 lbs. launched itself upward towards the boat.  I reacted with a sense of urgency that surpassed that of any of the fish I had previously hooked and landed, which in itself stood out as peculiar.  I reeled in as much slack as I could making it possible for me to lift the behemoth onto the boat's front deck.  However, not compensating for the adenaline rush I was experiencing, I afforded the fish the right amount of forward momentum for it to flip and thrust itself over the other side.  Of course, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion but I couldn't reach out fast enough to recover my Kicker.  I felt sick with the knowledge that the Lord gave me the opportunity I had asked him to provide and that it wasn't fulfilled because of my over exhuberance.  Had I taken the time to execute as solidly as I did with each fish previously caught...I'd have won the tournament and been $3000 richer.  The message I want to convey in a nutshell.  Execute! Execute! Execute!  Use your net on every fish!
 
Follow-up Message (13 Oct 03)
by Larry Gaines
 I just returned from Sam Rayburn where I experienced the best practice session of my life while also experiencing the worst situation that I had ever seen in all my years of fishing.  I had a co-angler on board who had competed on the pro side some years ago that couldn't get in on the pro side anymore.  He showed that he was an evil malicious person when he purposedly knocked a 5 lb. fish off my lure the morning of the first day of the event.  I've been tournament fishing for better than 15 years and never encountered such a flagrant act.  He jabbed the fish on the head and swung the net up and away from the head lifting the fish by the lure's hooks, there was nothing I could do but watch the fish drop back in the water.  After it happened I lost my mind, having never seen anything like that before initially I didn't know how to react.  I maintained as cool a demeanor as possible all morning while bottling up my anger.  I purposedly didn't fish my plan that had consistently produced a strong limit, that included multiple big fish, each practice day.  I sacrificed my first day's fishing plan to ensure he wouldn't advance on the co-angler side.  It may sound stupid of me but I couldn't see me helping such an evil person to advance in the sport I love so well.  I figured I may not advance but it was worth it not to have him advance and possibly repeat such a haneous act.  I lost quite a few fish by my own hands the rest of the day and that may have been the lords way of telling me that what I was doing was wrong, I don't second guess my decision.  I fished my plan the next day and weighed-in a small 10 lb. limit.  The military taught me that we should all work together as a team, but outside the military you encounter forces that pull against you, for no apparent reason.  My lessons are all expensive but also good ones, life teaches the best lessons.  I know that I didn't execute my fishing plan and you can best believe that this won't happen to me again, I'll manage to take control of every process that affects my fishing success, within my means.
Tourn dates          Lake               2009 Florida TBF Federation $110            Launch
Feb 7/8            Lake Okeechobee   1st Qualifier                                          
Mar 21/22        Lake Seminole        2nd Qualifier                                         Seminole Lodge
Apr 4/5           St Johns River         3rd Qualifier                                          City Docks
May 30-31      Lake Istokpoga       4th Qualifier                                          Istokpoga Ramp
Jun 27/28         Lake Harris           Last Chance Qualifier                             Hickory Point
Oct 24/25         Platka                   State Championship                                City Docks
                                                    2009 Florida BASS Federation Nation $110
Mar 08            Lake Toho               1st Qualifier Central Region             City Ramp
Mar 17            Lake Harris               2nd Qualifier Central Region           Hickory Point
Feb 14            Lake Seminole          1st Qualifier Northwest Region      Seminole Lodge
Apr 25           Lake Seminole           2nd Qualifier Northwest Region    Seminole Lodge
Aug 29          Lake Kissimmee        Central Last Chance                        City Docks
Jun 27           Lake Talquin              Northern Last Chance                     Ingram's Lodge
Oct 4/5         Lake Okeechobee      State Championship                        Scott Driver
                      Dixie Division           2009 Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League $200
Mar 14         Lake Martin              1st Qualifier                                      Wind Creek State Park
Apr 25         West Point Lake      2nd Qualifier                                     Southern Harbor
May 9          Lay Lake                   3rd Qualifier                                      Beeswax Landing
Jun 6           Lake Neely Henry    4th Qualifier                                      Coosa Landing
Sep 26/27    Lake Logan Martin     2-Day Super Tournament             Lakeside Park
Oct 22-23    Seminole Lake              Regional Championship               Seminole Lake
Fri/Sat         TBD                              Chevy Wildcard                             TBD
                                              2009 Invitational/Benefit Tournaments $150
Jan 19         Scatter             Martin Luther King Open Team Tournament    Oviedo, Fl
???           Lake Harris        Central Florida Invitational Tournament            Buzzard Beach 
May 3-9   Red River          Military Team Bass Tournament                        Alexandria, LA
 
                                          2009 American Bass Anglers Div. D114 $75  
Nov 16      Lake Seminole          1st Qualifier                                             Seminole Lodge
Dec 14      Lake Seminole          3rd Qualifier                                             Seminole Lodge  
Jan 18       Lake Seminole           4th Qualifier                                            Seminole Lodge
Feb 1        Lake Seminole          5th Qualifier                                             Seminole Lodge
Feb 15      Lake Seminole          6th Qualifier                                             Seminole Lodge
Mar 1       Lake Seminole          7th Qualifier                                             Seminole Lodge
Jun 13/14  Lake Seminole    2-day Divisional                                           Seminole Lodge
                                                             2009 Bass Pro Shop Events
Dec 13                                            Boy Scout "Sportsman Challenge"            Spanish Trail
Feb 27/28   Mar 5/6                      Destin BPS "Spring Classic"                        Destin, FL
                                                     2009 Parades and Youth Activities
Jan 19                                         Martin Luther King Youth Fishing Derby     Oviedo,FL
                                         2009 BPS Panhandle Tournament Trail $100
Feb 21    Apalachicola River           1st Qualifier                                         White City
Mar 28   Choctawhatchee River     2nd Qualifier                                        Black Creek
Apr 11    Lake Seminole                   3rd Qualifier                                      Seminole Lodge
May 23   Lake Seminole                   4th Qualifier                                      Seminole Lodge
                                             2009 Hub City Bassmasters Club $20 
Jan 31    Choctawhatchee River       1st Qualifier                                              Black Creek
?????      Lake Frank Jackson            2nd Qualifier                                           Opp, AL
?????     Seminole Lake                     3rd Qualifier                                             Seminole Lodge
?????    Deep Point Lake                 4th Qualifier                                       Highpoint Landing
?????  Mobile Delta                        5th Qualifier                                       Live Oak Landing
?????   Apalachicola River              6th Qualifier                                             White City
 
Red Dates = Scheduling Conflicts
Black Dates = Confirmed Commitments