By Marty Dixon/Staff Correspondent
I only managed to fish a few days this past week due to family obligations. Of course, I can’t make it through a week without doing something like a knot head. My lack of success on the river was mostly due to bad decisions more than anything. Quite frankly, I should have stayed at home.
My brother Butch and I decided at the last minute to fish in the Wednesday evening tournament. The fun began just as soon as we got into the boat. It had been sunny and hot most all day, which is why we decided to fish. We had planned to fish a few docks and then work around the grass.
As started to head to Coosa Landing from the house, the wind began to pick up, which not good when it is July in Alabama. No sooner than did we arrive and pay the fee that a storm came in with the wind, basically destroying our plans. As we sat there in the rain, we waited too long to get a refund, so left to go back home. That’s what we should have done in the first place if I could have made a decision early on. I honestly didn’t know that the storm would last as long as it did.
As we left Coosa Landing, the storm cleared out a little bit, but that was just to lull you into security. After we pass under the I-759 bridge the rain began, followed by hail. That makes for a painful boat ride in a boat with little or no protection. As we drew near our fishing spot, we could see the rain moving across the river, so we decided to wait it out the fish where we were. After about an hour, we made it down to our spot, only to stink it up fishing.
I managed to get out a little bit this past weekend and fish. Note that I used the word “fish,” not “catch.” Need I say more? I suffered a complete meltdown after backlashing beyond the ability to get it fixed. I promptly cut all the line off and threw the rod at the boat motor. I felt better after uttering a few profanities at the rod and reel. For some reason, I managed to calm down, and I soon caught a fish or two.
We flipped a jig Tuesday evening with only two keepers, although we did catch a ton of stripers on point near Wills Creek on a crankbait. I fished a little bit Wednesday just to relax. I tried several new places, to no avail. Before coming in, however, I caught a couple flipping around the grass.
All in all, I’m as clueless as possible about catching a fish right now and continue to carry out the textbook definition of stupidity in doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. My frog bite has been non-existent in the afternoon over the last month. I do know that several fish were caught on a frog last Saturday early in the morning before bite died. Most of the fishermen I spoke with, including Hammerin’ Hank Hallmark, caught the majority of their fish flipping plastics and jigs.
Judging by the weights in the afternoon tournaments, it really does seem to be a tough bite all over the area. The best bite appears to be in the morning for the bigger fish. If you had eight pounds in the evening tournaments over the past two or three weeks, you finished in the top 3. It’s definitely tough all over.
As far as I’m concerned, it is looking more and more like it is time to pull a Crocodile Dundee and use a little dynamite.
Tuesday tournament results: first place went to Garett with 8.59 pounds, second place went to Tracy and Dylon with eight pounds and third went to Pockets and Greg with 6.84 pounds and a big fish of 3.41 pounds.
Wednesday tournament results: first place went to J.D. and Jeremiah with 6.97 pounds, second place went to Derick and Dennis with 5.70 pounds and a big fish of 2.86 pounds and third place went to Hunter and Rodney with 3.01 pounds.
Until next time, keep a tight line.
Marty Dixon is a 1982 Sardis High School graduate and retired high school educator and coach. He was head coach of the Gadsden State women’s basketball team from 2015 to 2019. He and his wife Texann live in Gadsden. He can be contacted at fishn4funin02@yahoo.com and the Neely Henry Bass Fishing page on Facebook.