State Bound!
October 1 2011

For anyone who thinks bass fishing isn’t a sport that offers high drama, suspense, the unexpected plots, and the twist and turns of a fourth quarter comeback, think again. Launching from Guntersville State Park, the field immediately felt the wrath of Mother Nature as 20-25 mph north winds thwarted any plans of running and gunning to favorite honey holes an after thought. The field’s frustration level matched the 4-6 foot swells in intensity as the fight between man and boat control became a contest in itself.

As Friday’s day one drew nigh, Jackie Price managed to weigh in 2 bass for 5.30 pounds some 9 pounds off the lead, day two would prove to be all about determination. Although much of the field had something to show for their day one efforts, there was no clear cut dominate sacks Guntersville is famed for brought to the scales on day one which signaled anybody could pull off the victory.

Never had so much been on the line and as they say ‘it all comes down to this’-catch a few keepers and quite possibly be in contention to make the State Team . At the end of day two, Jackie Price stood head and shoulders above the field as the 2011 Boater Division Angler of the Year bringing 3 fish to the scales weighing 8.41 (13.41 two day total ) earning him valuable points en route to earning a spot on the twelve man State Team which will compete in the Southern Division during 2012.

 Jackie finished The Bass Federation sanctioned qualifier tournaments in impressive fashion weighing in twenty -two(22) bass for 50.59 pounds through 5 events amassing 1720 points and the title of Boater AOY. Goldenrod Bassmasters is extremely proud that one of our own has excelled and performed at such a high level. Jackie has certainly been a great example of hard work perseverance and the principles of Goldenrods creed. Congratulations to Jackie on an outstanding season and we extend our best to him for continued success in the upcoming season.

 Chunk : The Game Changer!

September 20, 2011
At the close of day one, Jonhson sat queitly on the deck of his TR196 Trition putting the finishing touches on his spinning rig, looking over it with the precision of a fine watchmaker, noticing every inch of line on the bale, a couple of blast of Reel Magic and into the rod locker she went ready to do battle the following morning.

Blop, blop, blop, blop, blop! SWIRL! He's got it! Check'em. BIG SWEEP HOOK SET!
Richard Johnson recalled his thoughts as he  perilously probed along grass edges during
Goldenrod Bassmaster's Tour Event held on Lake Weiss just days prior.
Enroute to winning the Tour Event at Weiss Lake, Johnson recognized the importance  of making the right moves and decisions on day 2. Johnson seized that opportunity with a 3 sack bag  of 9.08 pounds giving him a  two day total weight of 12.03 pounds(4.14 Tour Big Fish) and his first victory of the season.  

  Armed with his signature spinning rigs -outfitted with 1/8 oz and 3/16 oz shakey heads-Johnson discovered a small pocket of  Spotted bass and quickly connected.  Johnson's approach may have come by happenstance as snarly lake winds made boat control all but impoosible .The docks provided a break from the winds and Johnson took advantage by casting his lures allowing the wind blown current to push the offerings beneath the docks . "I discovered the front of the boat was in three feet while the rear was in five feet and I alternated the 1/8 oz and 3/16 oz shakey heads to get the bites I needed at that crucial moment."

Johnson is no stranger to the rigors and challenging conditions of competitive bass fishing. Afterall, he is the reigning Tour Event Champion. Making the right moves and the importance of those decisions to stick to his strengths were critical components to his victory.

Richard recalled how he thought this tournament would be a "grind'. The uncompromising attitude of "Never Give Up' certainly propelled him to victory. Congratulations to Richard Johnson on an outstanding win.

 Butler Dominates Big G
August 20, 2011

bass fishermen are prone to the errors of their ways and the better fishermen are prone to the lesson of their errors
                                                                                          -anonymous-

Its no secret that Guntersville is a great fishery and its also no big secret that Guntersville can humble and even mystify. What makes Guntersville so great is a two edged sword during the dog days of August yet simultaneously it can produce quality largemouth on consecutive cast. Such was the case Saturday  as the Goldenrod Bassmaster Tour Event Series ascended on the shores of Lake Guntersville in northeast Alabama.

Bryan Butler (aka The Butler Did It) captured first place impressively as he dominated the field of contenders en route to his first victory of the season. “ During the pre tournament official practice time, I had the opportunity to hone in on what the bass were doing” recalled Butler." I felt confident about my game plan and the location of those bass. I knew they (bass) were shallow and it was a matter of relocating them. “

Relocating them he did. Butler bested his nearest competitor by a ten pound margin,posting a 13.12 pound sack including a 4.15 toad claiming Tour Event Big Fish honors.

"The Butler" is no rookie on the Guntersville scene. In fact, Butler has quite a history on the legendary Old Lady which reads like baseball trading cards. For starters, Bryan’s personal best bass came on Guntersville in the form of a 8.15 large head. His stellar 18.9 pounds just a few years past,  a number of runner up finishes,  and now his dominating win on Tour at Guntersville sets the stage for some interesting debate as the Series draws nigh.

Butler revealed an interesting strategy about the victory that otherwise had the field baffled and miffed. The bass seemed to disappear into thin air, however Butler recognized a shallow bite in the very back reaches of a main lake creek which surprisingly had cooler flowing water and he opted to utilize his strengths in creating reaction strikes from bass as they shaded themselves in the grass laden tributary.

“The bass were stacked along the edges of the weed lines and exploded on the lure as it cleared the edges. I was able to get four good bites early and as the grass bite slowed I tossed a crank bait and quickly connected with perhaps an even larger fish but he came unbuttoned"  With the win, Butler powered his way into the top five and firmly in the discussion of Angler of the Year contention.

Its no secret that Bryan Butler will inevitably make a run toward the top. What has turned heads is his dominating performance in which he has made that rise. The Tour Event Series resumes at Lake Weiss as a two day format where the battle lines of contention will be drawn. As Butler put it “ I can’t wait”.

 Streaking!!

July 17 2011-Lake Jordan

ESPN analyst will often include statistics and other pertinent information such as all time records as a matter of due diligence to report the story, enlighten the die harts, or maybe to educate the casual sports fan.

One of the most interesting statistics has to be winning streaks over a measurable time span for instance  Joe Dimaggio's 56 game hit streak  or the 1996 Chicago Bulls winning 41 of its first 44 games and going on to finish 72-10 in the regular season and an NBA Title.
As the writer of this article began looking at streaks and how those team sports could possibly relate to the sport of bass fishing which is as individual as golf and bowling, there are some comparable streaks in  bass fishing equally measurable such as  Roland Martin's nine consecutive Angler of the Year wins or  Kevin Van Dam 57 consecutive tournament days with a limit.
Certainly we are not comparing those feats of history to Jackie's current win streak but after all isn't that how it all began. A win here and there suddenly becomes 4, then 5 in a row. Not only is it exciting to watch someone perform at such a high level, its refreshing to note that  hard work and practice pays off in the long run. To consistenly strive to perfect your craft, whether you are a Dimaggio, Martin , or a Van Dam has little relevance. What matters most is experiencing a positve and productive run to a goal we all hope to achieve each season. Great job from a great person!

 Priority Mail?

Pell City, AL.

  Its said the mailman always delivers through rain, sleet and snow. That saying failed to mention HEAT. On saturday June 18 2011, Jackie Price wasn't delivering mail as his professional life demands. No-no he was not performing his duties for the United States Post Office although the performance he delivered  could be termed priority mail.

"In practice on Thursday the fish bit really well" Price recalled, as he made his way to the ramp. En route to his fourth consecutive win on the Goldenrod Tour Event Series, Price  brought a five fish limit to the scales weighing 9.10 pounds to secure the victory at Logan Martin.

Jakie Price certainly has a winning streak that just may catapult him to his first AOY title. In fact,given his current Tour Event average of 8 plus pounds, Jackie's projected year-end total will surpass the 108 pound mark.

This year's Tour Events began as anybody's game while early test on Lay and Mitchell provided the outlet, Price found a formula for success and has parlayed it into wins in four of the last five Events and clearly a favorite for AOY at this point in the game.

Perhaps the only flaw Jackie Price has shown is that he is a better person than he is a bass fisherman. If that's his only flaw or weakness, then we are only going through the motions.

Congratulations Jackie and continued success on this year.

 Junk Fishing 101

May 22, 2011

Hall of Famer Woo Daves used “ junk fishing” en route to winning the 2000  Bassmaster Classic held on the Chicago river. Daves says “when you have an area that held fish and suddenly you can't catch them with one method, don't leave. Just try new tactics. If the bite is slow, don't get hung up on one tactic. Try to hit every place that could hold a fish or two and use whatever lure or technique fishes it best. Those tough periods are when junk fishing can save the day."

Jackie Price used the same philosophy to capture his third Goldenrod Tour Event at Lake Henry Neely. Price experienced a vanishing act of sorts as several good schools of keeper sized bass literally disappeared. Undaunted, Jackie used several tactics to entice bites. His persistence paid off as he graced the scales with a five fish limit of 9 pounds 14 ounces.” I practiced here on last week and found fish in several locations but today when I visited those places, the fish were gone”.

With the win, Jackie has taken three of the last four Tour Events, and sits atop the A.O.Yleader board with nearly a ten pound lead. Second place was grabbed by Darryl Witherspoon with a five fish limit weighing 8 pounds 9 ounces. Witherspoon also landed the Event’s Big Fish tipping the scales at 3 pounds 1 ounce. Third place went to a familiar name on Tour. Vincent Medlock also brought a five fish limit to the scales with a weight of 8 pounds and 9 ounces. Although Witherspoon and Medlock weights were identical, Goldenrod Tour Event Bylaws dictate the tie to be broken by virtue of the largest fish weighed by both anglers in question.

Witherspoon used a variety of lures to entice the lethargic bass to bite, while Medlock says” I relied on the old stand by a Zoom Lizard” to catch the passive bass.Although the bass were not in an aggressive mood, all of the Tour Event anglers tipped the scales at Neely Henry. Louis Summerville and Jeff Bobb Sr. had very good outings after a few discouraging Tout Events both men bounced back in impressive fashion.

Of the ten anglers participating in the Tour Event, there were 7 limits weighed.

Dr. Aaron Lamar gave fish “permission” to come aboard and once again inspired us all with his presence and passion. Johnson, Hill, Butler, and Douglas were able to add valuable weight to the books as the Tour Event Angler of the Year heats up.

Lake Neely Henry is a challenging Coosa Pond impoundment. The unique lure choices and tactics to catch those bass are a testament to that fact. Goldenrod Tour Event anglers are always poised for the challenge of finding, enticing, and catching bass under any condition and this is a testament to a great group of men who happen to be fishermen.

 Just Believe

Guntersville- April 24 2011

With a little over four pounds to show on day one, Jackie knew he ‘d located the right fish that would put him in contention to win the Tour Event.

Jackie Price shared words of encouragement during the pre launch hours heading into day two of the Goldenrod Bassmasters Tour Event. His words were simple in meaning but powerful in context. The word he choose to share that morning was believe.

He said “if you can just believe in what it is you are trying to accomplish and if you can believe what your heart is telling you then you will be successful”.

Jackie’s word proved to be prophetic as he stuck to his game plan and covered productive areas of the lake. On day two Price weighed in a total of five fish for 11.1 pounds capturing his second win on the Goldenrod Tour Series. Price’s two day total of 15.12 pounds edged Eddie Hill and Richard Johnson for the win.

Price has been on a tear on and off the Tour Event Series including wins at Lake Guntersville , LayLake , and the VAE Nortrak Tournament on Logan Martin. Jackie also has two second place finishes including the Alabama Bass Federation Qualifier at Demopolis Lake.

With the Goldenrod Bassmaster Tour Event Series headed back to Coosa Pond, Jackie Price is poised to make a strong push for A.O.Y. as the most important segment of the Tour gets underway.
A great win by a great fisherman.

Quiet Storm
Dateline March 20,2011

    In 2005, Ron Douglas became a member of Goldenrod Bassmasters as a co-angler and quickly cemented himself as a potential contender on the Golden Tour. Among his accomplishments were consecutive B.F.O.Y (Big Fish of the Year) Titles and numerous top three finishes. As Ron's fishing skill and knowledge grew- the alias we had become accoustomed to-THE NEW GUY- some how did not fit the skill level and expertise exhibited by this angler.

  On Saturday, March 19 2011, Ron's true personna emerged to capture another Goldenrod Tour Event on  Coosa Pond. His true personna-if we can use that term -has a history steeped with mystery as to the origin and the subsequent name(alias)  now seldom heard.

  After a brief and perhaps well earned respite , (insert name here) has returned with a vengence to dominate this month's Tour Event as if someone has questioned his gansta on the water. His approach on Lake Mitchell has been characterized as a "quiet storm" and that's the "PG-rated version. Four pounds and one ounce ahead of the second place finisher may evoke visions of total dominance but that's not his style or his personna. Ron 's victory is best described by his true alias. The Wizard.

Great win by a great fisherman!