John Buck

John's Club Report Covering The Pensacola Hawg Hunters 2008 Season Email: John Buck

Founded In 1975

Place Name Fish Weight 1. Bill Myrick 5 8.30 2. Mack Cramer 5 6.79 3. Jeff Weaver 5 5.86 4. John Buck 5 5.50 5. Dave Dyess 4 5.48 Big Fish Winner Bill Myrick 2.58lbs

*** Tournament Winner *** Bill Myrick 5 Fish - 8.30lbs Also Fished Charles Cetti Glenn Kittrell - Kevin Simmons

Place Name Fish Weight 6. Jere Jaillite 4 4.79 7. Lee Brannon 2 2.85 8. Randy Cole 2 2.56 9. Frank Kelly 2 1.91 Big Fish Of The Year Bill Myrick 2.58lbs

PENSACOLA HAWG HUNTERS
TOURNAMENT REPORT
NOVEMBER 17, 2007

The Hawg Hunters started off the 2008 fishing season with a tournament on the Tensaw Delta. We launched out of Scott's on the Mobile causeway. The morning temps were in the low 40's but rose to near 70 by early afternoon. Water temps stayed around 61-62 all day.
We had an outgoing tide for the day and by late morning a strong south wind.

My partner, Charles Cetti and I decided to start out in the mid-delta area in Crab Creek. When we got to our first stop everything looked great. However with in about 10 minutes four other boats had joined us and the small area that we wanted to fish was just too crowded for me.
Besides we didn't get a hit in the first 30 minutes. We left there and headed down stream to fish main river banks on the Appalachee River.
When we got there we found boats everywhere (speckled trout fishermen). We counted 15 boats on one point. There was also a boat anchored exactly where we wanted to start, so we headed across the river to fish sawgrass banks. I was able to get 2 short fish and Charles got a couple also, but no keepers. River traffic was really heavy with bay boats plowing along throwing 3 foot wakes, and fishing there was really uncomfortable between the wakes and the strong wind. I had some deep ledges I wanted to try but the wind made it impossible to fish them effectively so I headed to Bay Minette Bay. We found some marginal shelter from the wind behind some of the taller cane banks and started to pick up a few fish. Most of the fish were short but every once in a while I'd get a keeper. No big fish but rather 12-13 inch "green trout" as the locals call them. I wound up catching about 15 with 5 measuring. Charles, while fishing very hard, just couldn't get the keeper bite. We were both fishing june bug u-tail worms, same brand, same size, on just plain cane banks in about 4 ft of water. The wind became a real problem by early afternoon and made worm fishing very difficult. We tried spinner baits but couldn't get the bite. Who knows, maybe if we had stayed with the spinner baits longer we'd of caught better fish. Charlie and I had a good time fishing and visiting on the water, and I look forward to fishing with him again.

At the weigh-in, there were both smiles and long faces. Most had fish but for those who didn't it had been a long day. Billy Myric took first place with 5 fish weighing 8.30 lbs. He also had the lunker @ 2.58 lbs. The amazing thing about this was, he did it fishing behind Mack Cramer who finished 2nd with 5 fish @ 6.79 lbs. Mack did the same favor to his November partner last year and finished 2nd in that tournament also. Guess we'll just have to wait a year and see if he can do it 3 times in a row. Back seat boating into the 3rd slot was Jeff Weaver with 5 fish @ 5.86 lbs. (Guys, when Jeff is in his boat and tells you to run the trolling motor, don't be fooled, he has a plan. He's done this to his partner more than once!) I managed to squeeze out 4th place with my meager limit @ 5.50 lbs. I said squeeze because Dave Dyess had 5.48lbs for the 5th place. Overall it was a good day, but then every day you get to go fishing is a good one! Most of the fish were caught either on spinner baits or worms. Thanks goes to all who pitched in and lent a hand with the weigh in. Everything went very smooth. The golf ball draw rolled over as no one drew the yellow ball from the bag. Don't forget that both our December meeting and tournament are moved up a week due to the holidays. We will meet on December 12, and we will be fishing Escambia River on December 15. Make your plans to participate now. See you at the meeting on the 12th.

'Til next time...Keep your hooks sharp.
Creek Chub