USA Bassin Divisional Champs 2012

To win or place in a tournament there are several factors that have to take place. Making good decisions, executing your opportunities, and a little luck. This year my partner Josh Jackson and I competed in the USA Bassin Kinkaid/Cedar Division. We did manage to win one and got second in two others. The last event would determine the divisional points champions and that was a goal of mine this year. Josh had located a few fish the week before so we decided to stick to that game plan. For the last several months when it gets dark on Cedar Lake, the bite dies. We knew that we only had about two hours to catch a limit before the sun went down. In a four hour tournament, with only two hours being productive, it would be tough to do. We made it to his first spot where Josh boated three unders real quick. The length limit on this lake is three under 14 inches and two over 18 inches. We fished around for an hour and decided we better make a move. On our way back up the lake with forty five minutes left of daylight I decided to stop on a spot where I had caught a four pounder two weeks before. Josh boated two solid over fish on back to back casts. Then I caught another over fish and was able to cull. That would be our last bite. We knew it would be close and had only one team that could catch us in the points standings if they had caught a big bag. At the weigh in we ended up getting second place and won the divisional points champion. As I look back, we made all the right decisions and it worked out. We caught our fish on a variety of lures. I threw a Strike King 6XD and Josh threw a ½ oz. Strike King Jig. I also threw a Strike King Finesse worm. We used 17 pound test Vicious Fluorocarbon on the jig and 10 pound on the crankbait and finesse worm. We were using Ardent Edge Tour Reels with a 7.2:1 gear ratio. I would like to thank everyone coming out and fishing the USA Bassin Kinkaid/Cedar division. We will be back at it next year. Good luck to all of you that are competing in the regional in hopes for a classic berth.