Well, there is something to be said for good networking in the fishing business. I spoke with Berkley after I found out about not getting on a team and they happened to have a spot open on the Co-angler side. Because it's so late in the year, and the budgets have already been reached, they cannot pay for my entry fees. Berkley is a sponsor of the FLW so they get an allotted number of spots that are specifically for them. This is not an FLW team deal, it is directly through Berkley. I really feel like I need to stay in it even if it means fishing as a Co again. It's not what I want, but I think it will be better for me in the long run; besides, FLW is actually going to great lakes at the best times of the year this season. There's always more that can be learned from fishing as a Co, even if it's what not to do! I'm really excited about going to Guntersville next week. It's the time of year when the biggest fish in the lake are caught. I haven't been there in 5 years, but I loved it the one time I was there. I will be rooming and practicing with Scott Suggs and Dan Moorehead this season; if nothing else it will be a good time traveling.

Sucks you have to room with a couple nobodies. Kidding. Way to stay in the game. Good Luck on Guntersville. One word of advice/critique FWIW. My brother lost a college scholarship because the high school assitant coach sent the wrong tape to the college he was applying at. The coach sent the tape my brother got the wind knocked out of him then fumbled instead of the one where he scored on 2 long runs. I watched most of your weigh ins last season. I forget the guys name who MCs them. Not Jones but the older guy. If hes on when you weigh in this guys a fan of yours. Watching on the computer you can tell he likes you. He wants to let you have the moment and the oppurtunity to sell yourself. My observation is he sees you and the other young guys like you as good spokesmen/role models for FLW. He intros you like he does only a few other guys. Most of them old pros. Remember your at work, dont fumble. Sometimes you come to the scale and the first thing you tell him is how your day went wrong. The guys that come across the stage and spin positive sound and look more professional on screen. Take advantage of some good face time with him for your sponsors.

Congrats Jess, this may be what it takes. At least you're there and can still compete to win.

Good luck!

Good luck Jess, I'm sure it's not what you wanted, but I'm glad
you are in as a Co Angler.
And I hope you can find a co angler for Champlain.

Tales From The Trail 2009

FLW Tour #1
Guntersville Lake - Huntsville, Alabama
Water Temp: 44 and warming
Pre Spawn



Click to enlarge...


The 16 hour drive down to Huntsville, Alabama wasn't too bad. There was minimal traffic and with much of the speed limit at 70, it turned into a 14 hour drive. I left at 4am and arrived about 5pm. I gained an hour because that area is on Central time. The lower gas prices were a welcome relief, costing only $100 from CT to AL with still a 1/2 tank left. When I left my house it was 6 degrees, when I arrived in AL it was 66. There had been a serious cold front the week before, but 2 days earlier the weather started on a warming trend with highs predicted to be in the mid 60's most of the time we would be there. It was good to see Suggs and Morehead again after almost 7 months. The people you travel with get to be like family and you miss them when they're not around; and I'm sure as everyone on this site knows, fishermen are a special breed and most are exceptionally fun to be around. So begins another year on the FLW Tour. The first day of practice I was with Suggs who has fished here quite a few times before when fishing BASS. With the weather on a warming trend the big fish supposedly getting more active, I was excited and rearing to go. I had a rough first day of practice. I only ended up catching 1 fish and it didn't come until the sun was starting to go down; 12 hours and only one fish to show. Suggs didn't fare much better catching only 3. When we got back to the room Dan let us know that he only boated 4 keepers but they weighed 22lbs; he lost 2 big ones as well. The guy that Suggs usually practices one day with showed up 2 days early and I would now fish the rest of practice with Dan. Dan had also fished here in the BASS events and knew the lake well. Unfortunately the second day was worse than the first. Neither Dan nor I caught a fish that day. I had enough non fish catching time to figure out how many casts I was making in a day. It equaled out to be about 2,000. Casting a 3/4oz rattle trap, on a big rod, ripping it through the grass, was rough work for no reward. A 12 hour upper body workout left me tired, sore, and grouchy. Day 3 was about as good as the first day. I was able to boat one fish throughout the day. The fish was bigger than the one I caught the first day at least, weighing in at just over 5 lbs. Dan caught 3 I think. By this time the dock talk was flowing and we were hearing of people catching giant sacks of fishing weighing as much as 30lbs. It was very frustrating hearing how good other people were doing when we were struggling. I wasn't looking forward to the last day of practice. The thought of casting my rattle trap another 2,000 times without catching a bass had me feeling like I was going to the dentist to have a root canal. The last day of practice was the same as the others, ending with me having caught just one fish. I was down and felt like I had learned nothing. I may as well have stayed at home until the day before the tournament. The scary thing is that Dan felt the same way. Suggs had figured something out and by the last day was on some good fish. I was really worried going into the tournament and was hoping maybe I might get a lucky draw. The guy I drew out with was a friend of Dan's and was one of the guys who was really on them; I thought my luck might have turned.