Hill's Tournament

[bigcatsc]

I'm celebrating just waking up today. It was a grueling trip on this old man! Briefly... I think 51 boats. We didn't get in 'em day one and only weighed in 60 pounds. Day two we weighed in 113 pounds 4 ounces for a total of 173 pounds 4 ounces. I think we finished in the top 15. Had a great time seeing old friends and meeting new ones! James' boat finished 11th.

Bill in SC

[catfishrus]

Thanks for the update Bill.

[rivercatsc]

Yeah I was in 2nd after the first day with 120.3lbs then came the night time which everyone that knows me knows I dont fish at night if I can help it plus there was 0 wind all night so I was on the anchors all night which is my major weakness on lakes. Anyway enough whinning and crying the bite was really slow for us and we ended up with a 66.9 lbs and 1lb out of the $1000.00 10th place payout. Had a BIG blue sat night but had no weight to him. The fish was right at 39" long and only weighed 24.5lbs he looked normal and didnt seem sick matter of fact I caught him about 10pm and when I got him out of the tank to weigh him about 1pm the next day I couldnt harly hold him and he swam off strong. He should have been more like 40+lbs compared to some of the other fish we caught earlier in the day. Had a great time and would like to thank Jamie at Hills for another great tournament.

[catfishrus]

I know the feeling on the 10 the place issue...missed it by less than a pound once myself on big fish...costed us 700.00. Sounds like you had a good daytime bite though James. What did it take to win and big fish?

[rivercatsc]

294lbs I think and the Big Fish was a upper lake 48lb 2oz flathead. The team that was in 1st on day 1 held out to win also. They were on some good fish and were patient and waited them out and it payed off. They were only about 100 yards from us all day sat and sun.

[bigcatsc]

I think big fish was just over 48 pounds, and the top total weight was 280 or 290 pounds. The top nine boats all weighed in over 200 pounds. We had one fish over 40 and two in the 30s and a few 20s. Overall it was a great two days of fishing for most. Tell ya the truth, I was tuckered out and we quit Sunday morning at 8 am. We already had our three fish over 36 inches in the well and our other two kicker fish were pretty good size. had I know how close we were to tenth, I may have fished on for a while, but again, I was tuckered out and there wasn't much way to improve our weight without going over the 36 inch rule. We could have gone in and weighed the three over 36 and went out again to try and catch a couple more over 36, but we were a long way from the boat landing and it would have taken an additional tank and a half of fuel. Somehow or another, and I still haven't figured out how, I broke my transducer off one side of the boat and knocked a chunk out of the other side of the boat and created a leak. I temporarily repaired (duct taped) the transducer so we could fish. NO idea how I did it as I don't remember hitting anything. Might have happened Saturday night when the wind was high and we were rocking and rolling, but I never felt any hits. That was pretty awesome battling the high seas and fishin'. I have another transducer that is the same, and I can repair the fiberglass, but that is just another "something to do". Lost an anchor too, but my bud, Penn Slammer gave me an identical one! :-) Had a great time, and ready to do it again. I figure 15th or so out of 51 boats wasn't too shabby for us rookies on the lake. Thanks to rivercatsc for showing me a few things about the lake during the last couple of years. I will always respect the power of nature on the lake, but I'm gradually getting over being intimidated by it like I used to be.

Bill n SC

[catfishrus]

Thanks for the info fellows. Sounds like you was on the verge of releasing a trophy fish due to regulations Bill...that was my fear from the beginning with the rules...the fact it could happen and end up beating myself. Those lakes can be intimidating when they rocking and rolling...esp. at night. I dont know which way the wind was blowing but if it was from the south with all the current you fellows had...the mouth of the canal would of tested your skills. 30 hours on the water will make a old man out of you Bill. Congrates on your finishes and dedication...to both of you.

[bigcatsc]

Well, again, the way they were set up, if you caught your limit of 36 inchers, you could go in and weigh them, release them and go out for more. This was legal, but time consuming and costly due to fuel prices. I "think" the winning boat had SIX people aboard, thus were able to have six big fish over 36 inches. Perhaps they will make a rules change so the future tourneys will have a level playing field. I have NO complaints though, as we didn't have to release any over 36 inches.

<30 hours on the water will make a old man out of you Bill.>

No, the crew falling asleep on me and me having to do all the fishin' will make an old man out of me! :-) BTW: My redneck deep freezer live well kept my fish as lively as any livewell there. My fish were as pristine as they were when they came from the lake.



Bill in SC

[bigcatsc]

Here's some pics of my home made live well. It is 52 inches long, aerated, and could probably hold up to a dozen 36 inch fish. Also see a beautiful Santee sunrise and a sleeping crew. :-)

Bill in SC

[catfishrus]

I need one of them tops on my boat..that one fellow looks comfortable as can be with his head resting on that bar... I done a little sleeping at Tillery saturday myself...lol.

[bigcatsc]

I sleep on my boat QUITE OFTEN, but not when there's thousands of bucks on the line. I don't have room for my inflatable mattress with the live well aboard. I am going to remove it until the next tourney. I may have to redesign my enclosure as it keeps getting stress cracks due to my boat sides being so flexible. sigh... always something.

BB in SC

[catfishrus]

Originally Posted by bigcatsc

I may have to redesign my enclosure as it keeps getting stress cracks due to my boat sides being so flexible. sigh... always something.

BB in SC

Where is it cracking at Bill?...maybe you could add some gussets to the top angles? Aluminum just dont like vibration too much. Might head your way this saturday. Depending on what this coming rain does to the current. Im floating in about 12" of water...will that get me across the rock mountain at low tide?

[Preacher Steve]

Hey Bill,

Up here in the upstate they make jokes about rednecks having freezers on the porch. I don't know what they would say at having one on the boat!

[bigcatsc]

LOL, Steve!! Michael, I did apply gussets at the bends, after cracking occurred in that area. When I put the gussets in there, my brother told me that it wouldn't crack there again, but would crack somewhere else. He was right. It is starting to crack about an inch below the gussets. Again, my boat sides flex a LOT, thus stressing the very soft aluminum. We will get it figured out. I guess I am going to remove the enclosure to work on it before the whole thing collapses. No big deal, just something else on the "to do" list. BTW: The river is VERY high still, right now. It may recede by weekend. If you head this way and need a pard, holler at me a day in advance. Rather than go up river from Cheraw, we can put in at the hwy 74 bridge and go down. I don't know the river at all through that whole stretch as I have never been able to access it.

Bill in SC

[Preacher Steve]

Hey Bill,

The wife's mother has on old wringer washer in the barn, I might put it on my rig for a bait tank! Recon the agitator will keep ém fresh?

[rivercatsc]

Originally Posted by Preacher Steve

Hey Bill,

The wife's mother has on old wringer washer in the barn, I might put it on my rig for a bait tank! Recon the agitator will keep ém fresh?

Now that is funny right there Steve Dont give him any ideas he will do it. I can see him now rolling up at a Pee Dee Catmaster tment with a washing machine baittank and a deepfreeze livewell.

[BigBird]

Originally Posted by rivercatsc

Now that is funny right there Steve Dont give him any ideas he will do it. I can see him now rolling up at a Pee Dee Catmaster tment with a washing machine baittank and a deepfreeze livewell.

[bigcatsc]

Hmmmmm, an agitator as an aerator! Might be on to something there! I know my wife gets agitated when I mention keeping bait in the washing machine here at the house! ;-)

BB in SC

[Doug158]

Congrats on the Tourny Folks and if you put that washer on the boat make sure you take some Pic's