TTBC Judge Re-Cap

BassAm · Status: Offline

TTBC Judge Re-Cap

rgunter · Status: Offline

Great write up DT.

Heard a lot of good stories from the pros last week. Alton Jones was commenting to his judge how we (SCBC) have done our homework (rersearch) with the native plant restoration. Other judges mentioned how their pros commented on the great fishery at Conroe...and how they wish that they could fish it more often.

Spoke with Ike after we got back from the fish off. He did not take the news very well (on the water) when he heard that he lost the T, but was fairly composed when we got back. He just mentioned how strong the fishery is here...and that he will get his chance one of these days. Ike was headed up to Fairfield yesterday to do a fundraiser with G-Man and Scroggins.

Scroggins said that he enjoyed his visit (wished that he could have done better), and that Conroe is a great lake.

mrtbob · Status: Offline

Sorry I was not in town to experience this event. Thanks for sharing the stories and if anyone can share some of the pros experience on Conroe that would be great to hear.

BassAm · Status: Offline

Snowden made a comment to me before take-off on Sunday that his Saturday judge complained that we did not give out any info. I asked Brian if he told him he should join the club?

Brian fished the new SB field at the dam, but said he only caught one keeper on it on a shakey head. He was getting hung up a lot. It was just great to see him fish something that he helped create, if only for a day.

Skeeterbrain · Status: Offline

I fished with Westley Strader on Friday and the legend Harold Allen on Saturday. Westley started out close to the launch site ,Waterpoint, and his first cast with a square billed crankbait got broke off. He continued to work the shallow water throwing mainly a swinbait and chatterbait. He caught a 6.4 on a chatterbait in about 10" of water. We spent most of the day flipping the swimbait or chatterbait in the boatstalls at Inland Marine. He ended up in 6th place after day one with 20.4 . On Saturday I was with Harold Allen and had a great time. That man really likes to talk. At one time he told me "Ron you do know that I can fish and shoot the breeze at the same time" so from that point on we talked almost constantly. Harold had a rough time of it, he broke off 2 or 3 big fish and I don't know how many he missed on the hookset. 99% of the time he was throwing a worm. They varied in length from 11" to 4" finess worm. Harlod is my age and we had a great time. He told me if I would take him hunting on my ranch that he would take me on a guided fishing trip on Rayburn or TB. I am trying to find out when the December JJ is going to be so I can see about scheduling a huntring trip with him.

mrtbob · Status: Offline

I revised the Gibbons Creek date. I had November versus December. The date will be December 10. Usually our Food Bank tournament serves for the November JJ which may be canceled due to low water conditions. Ron K; Thanks for sharing your experience that is just awesome.

NitroZ9 · Status: Offline

My judging adventure.
Friday I judged for Chad Morganthaler. Chad is a FLW Pro and has several wins in that tour. This is his second time to compete in the TTBC here at Conroe. His first was the first Conroe event back in 2009. Chad informed me first thing in the morning that he wasn't on much and that he was just going fishing for 5. He started over on the Bird Island flats throwing a crank and c-rig. He came up dry there so he began the "milk run" hitting brush piles in Little Lake, Adkins and everywhere South that he had found brush piles. Remember, Friday it was nasty out there. We spoke alot about the lake conditions with the low water levels taking all his past spots out of the water. He likes the docks. He also gave us kudoos for what we have done here on Conroe.
Saturday I was off from judging so I hooked up the boat and hit the water with Jason Gunter to see what the pros were doing. Saw several including Snowden who was fishing the Harbor Town Lighthouse with a shaky head.
Sunday I was with Edwin Evers for the TOP 10. Edwin was sitting in fourth going into the final day after a strong Saturday working a citrus Fat Free Shad on brush piles in the 15 feet water depth at the mouth of Live Branch. BUT!!!! the Conroe trade mark of here one day gone the next got him. On his 5th cast he caught a 1.5 pounder and never got another fish all day on that pattern. He did manage to bout a skinny 14 incher later on a square bill in the back of Little Lake Creek. The day just was not there for him. He worked his azz off trying to locate where the fish had moved to. When he finally decided to abandone the deep water he went hunting with the square bill. At his first spot he activated his power poles and one of them snapped in two in the upper metal arm. He said he has never seen them to break there. We also talked about the lake and what the SCBC has done to make this lake a good fishery along with TPWD. He also said that if this event is back here next year he will be coming down to fish with us with Snowden. He also talked about how he wished they could have the Classic here in the future but we don't have a indoor site big enough to handle the venue that is close enough to the lake.

I had a blast.

glassman · Status: Offline

I enjoyed reading yall's stories thanks for sharing.

David · Status: Offline

Me too. it was great hearing you guys stories, glad everyone had a great time.

Gwen · Status: Offline

Judging has always been fun. I've managed to pick up something from each of the 6 anglers I've had, in short:
2009- Steve Kennedy (flipped a FL and TX rigged black blue senko under docks 98% of the day. Never bothered changing colors or shape. He also didn't bother working the rig longer than 2 seconds. It was all about target. I'm still amazed at his prowess. No gap was too small. He also backlashed all the time - made me feel better. Super duper nice guy.
2009- Anthony Gagliardi (chased the schooling bass in the backs of coves. Witnessed a rookie FLW angler struggling to bag any of the schoolies, and finally motored over to him and gave him a lure that would work.) He was tickled to listen to the radio and witness his friend AndyMontgomery doing so well (and they were working the same dock pattern and baits)
2010- Todd Auten (when everyone else was catching them under the docks - he banged the 'no cover, 1' depth, bulkheads with a chatterbait in places I never would have bothered with - and did very well). tWO LURES ALL DAY (white chatterbait and BB jig). He also said something that stuck with me. working the chatterbait under the docks - he doesn't have to be so precise - they should come get it. blow and go. Another super nice guy.
2010- Sean Horeneke (locals are handicapped by what they 'know')
2011- Terry Butcher (he was on some big fish in practice - broke off several on Friday - in Little Lake cranking the shallow stickups past the power lines. he was using 17 lb florocarbon/palomar. With 10 minutes left to fish, he got pissed and changed his line out to 20 lb. mostly a sexy shad color, but he had more bites on a color/bait that his amature gave him (outfished his sexyshad 3-1 on THursday) - I don't know the color, but it looked like a perch - bluish-purple back. purple and green stripes on the sides, light brown belly.
2011- Bryan Thrift (working the Alabama rig with swimbaits/25 lb floro). He had three keepers on it in an hour at the 1097 bridge, and a 9 pounder there in practice. Expensive rig though - $30 with swimbaits and ching ching with crankbaits. TheAlabamaRig.com is backordered for 5 weeks. Bryan is frustrated that Lake Conroe kicks his butt. He must have said 'I hate Lake Conroe' 20 times. This from a guy that had a 9 pounder and several 7's in practice. But then he would say - "when were done today, you HAVE to tell me what I'm doing wrong. " He fished the same water in Little Lake, and the super shallow stuff in Lewis Creek, which produced one keeper, a gar and a 30 lb. catfish.

Sktr22 · Status: Offline

I liked yours the best Gwen, the others just sound a bit fishy.