The Eyes Have It Team

                        2008

Cadillac

Lake Cadillac is not our favorite lake and after last weekends three tournaments and all the regular fishers, we thought for sure the bite was going to be tough. We kept a positive attitude and had a great night, we had quite a few keepers with 4 fish over 3#. I caught our Big Bass for the night a 3.47 #, which was Big enough to take first. We are in the Classic and pressure is off, at least as far as making sure were in the Classic. Now we can just fish, slow down our presentation and catch fish. Of course Senko's were the lure of choice, hard to try new things when you have one that's working. There were 37 boats in the first tournament, 30 of the boats caught fish, 74.02#, a very good night of fishing. Rose Lake is the next tournament and were hoping to do it again. We are going to be able to practice for this one and we will be trying the new lures we need to test.

Jolynn, with our winning 3.47# Largemouth.

Rose Lake

I caught our keeper for the night, a 2.93# Largemouth. Not a bad fish, but on Rose Lake you need bigger to hold your place in the standings. There were a lot of nice fish taken, most were caught up close, we stayed out on the sunken islands and battled the winds. Senko's again were our lure of choice, but with it as windy as it was, fishing Senko's is tough, we both caught a keeper, tough night for us. We dropped to fourth in he standings, but everyone is real close, looking to be an exciting year. Missaukee is next and from what we seen last year, there should be some good fish caught next week.

Missaukee

Tonight didn't go as well as we had planned, the night started with our big motor not starting, so we were faced with Lake Missaukee, wind and only the trolling motor. We didn't  get to far from the Launch and did manage to get a 1.99# for the night, Jolynn caught our keeper this week. We both caught plenty of fish, but couldn't get any monsters to bite. We did hold our fourth place position in the standings, so all worked out good enough, for what we had to work with.

Chippewa

Once again we were without our big motor, with only the trolling motor its tough out there. Of course it was windy and a very tough night of fishing for all. There were 39 boats tonight and only 23 caught fish. I caught our keeper for the night, a 1.73#. Wasn't the monster we wanted but we went from fourth to second place in the standings, because there were not many big fish caught. The pike terrorized us all night long, we lost a lot of baits and caught quite a few small pike.

Cadillac

Started off the night thinking we were going to be using the trolling motor again, our boat would not start. Maybe I flooded it, not sure but about an hour into the tournament, Jolynn says, I'm going to start the big motor, she tried it and it started. Turned the night around, I ended up getting our keeper for the night, a 2.46#. We both caught keepers tonight, even with all the wind. We dropped to third in the standings and away from first a little more, but the lakes coming up should get us back up there.

Martiny

What a night, storms went through for three hours before the tournament, with lightning and torrential rains. It calmed down long enough for everyone to get their boats in and start the tournament. Then it started up again, just a little lighting, but the rains pounded us for the first two hours of the tournament. Fishing was very tough, there were 31 boats only 14 caught a keeper for the night. We had a good night, we both caught keepers, Jo's fish was a nice 2.80#, which we would have settled for, but we didn't have to because I caught our big fish for the night, a 3.48#, which was good enough for second for the night. This moved us into second in the standings, only 1.60# out of first and 2.06 in front of third. Next week is Rose Lake which is our favorite lake and our favorite time of the year, we should be able get a Hawg and move up. Yes Senko's were the bait to get us our fish tonight.

Rose Lake

Our night didn't go quite as planned, we caught a good fish but not the monster we wanted. We both caught keepers tonight, 2.86# was our big one for the night and Jolynn caught this one for us this week. We didn't win the night but we're gaining on the battle, we remained in second place in the standings and now we are 1.00# out of first and 2.54# away from third. A few big fish in the last four tournaments is what we're going to need to get to the top. This season has been the season of wind and rain, we sure would like to see some nice weather for the rest of the tournaments. He looked a lot bigger in the livewell.

Missaukee

We managed to stay in second tonight, I caught our keeper, a 1.84#. The tournament was almost called because of the weather, but we got out after a late start. I lost a 3.00# fish which would have put us on top, not to happen. We had a pretty good night caught a few keepers but couldn't get a monster to the boat. Looking forward to the next three lakes, we should be able to move up on these, if I can get the big ones  to the boat. Senko's were our go to bait. I did hear a good report about the Yamamoto Flappin Hawg, might have to give these a shot.

Chippewa

Jolynn caught our keeper this week, a 2.32#, which kept us in second and a little closer to first. Third gain on us a bit, so we need to get a good one on Crooked next week. The wind blew hard as usual, good weather has not been the normal for our tournaments this year. Jo let the wind bother her a little and put a little negative in the boat and it showed we only had one keeper tonight and didn't get that one till 8:30, had us a little nervous thinking we may go in with no fish. A Positive attitude in the boat is the best thing you can have, next week positive will be back and we'll put the big one in the boat.

Crooked

Great night for fishing, there were 33 boats tonight and only 7 didn't get a fish. The worst thing of the night was, we were one of the fishless boats. We had a chance to pre-fish and found nice fish with a good pattern, seems the storm we had Tues night changed all this and I did not change with it. Yes I take credit for this skunk, Jo tried to get me to move in closer, but I just couldn't believe we wouldn't find a nice fish. We caught a ton of fish but all of them were just under 14", we could not get a good one in the boat. We moved into third place in the standings, with not much padding and quite a way from first.. By no means are  going to throw in the towel, one more tournament to go, on Rose Lake, where big fish are very possible. Hopefully we can get out of this recent slump and drag one of these monsters to the boat. First is still our goal, but we sure did made it tough on us.

Rose Lake

What a night, started out pretty good, a storm came close but missed us. Tournament started at 6:00, to go till 7:30, at 6:45 all hell broke loose, lightning was cracking all over the lake. Not just little lightning it was the kind that breaks off in three sections. Torrential rains and wind joined in. A few boats went in before it hit good, but by the time it was in full force all the boats made it back to the launch, no one was hurt, but the potential was there. Jolynn did not like being out there, I did manage to get in three last cast before she became totally hysterical, she did have cause for this, as it was no place to be. We managed to bring in a 1.86# to keep us in 3rd in the standings, I caught our keeper for the night. Three years in a row now we have taken 3rd place in the standings. We wanted first but its nice being in the top three, we can live with this. We still have the Classic to play in, the Lake that was drawn was Martiny, probably the last Lake that any of the players wanted to see be drawn, but you have to take what you get. We sure could use one more monster for this night and some better weather for a change. This year the Wed night curse kicked in good as wind, rain and lightning were the normal for most of our tournaments. It was a fun year, we had a great time and look forward to playing again next year.

Classic Martiny

Well we couldn't pull it off, very tough night of fishing. There were 16 boats and only 7 brought in fish. We only caught one small keeper all night. I lost a nice fish close to the end of the night, which could have possibly taken it. The big fish for the night was only 2.95#, definitely a tough bite.