Brian Snowden's Tournament Journal

www.missouriangling.com

What: Citgo Bassmaster Tour

When: January 26-30, 2004

Where: Harris Chain of Lakes, FL

Finish: 31st

Winnings: $3,500.00

It was a warm Florida day with the air temperature in the high 70s, and the
water temperature was 57-62 degrees. There was a light, south wind with high
clouds. I started practice in Lake Eustis fishing main lake Kissimmee grass. I was using
a Texas rigged, YUM Shakin’ Worm in the June bug color. I rigged the worm with a 3/16
oz., Excalibur TG Weight and Excalibur TX3 Point Hook. I was using a 7 foot,
medium action, St. Croix Spinning Rod, with 8 pound, Silver Thread Line. I worked the
worm slowly along the outside edge of the vegetation about six to eight feet deep.
This produced a few small fish, so I decided to try some canals in the area. I was
only able to catch one small keeper out of the canals. As the day went on I tried a
Carolina rig and a Bomber Flat A in red crawfish without any success.

The next day of practice I concentrated on Lake Harris. I started the morning
out  throwing a 3/8 oz., Booyah Blade in white, with a double willow leaf. This
produced a 4 1/2-5 pound bass working the bait along the edge of the Kissimmee grass.
After fishing with the spinnerbait for awhile without any bites I went back through the area
with a Texas rigged Shakin’ Worm. It produced three more keepers. After this I
decided to try a few canals and the Dead River. In these areas I fished lily pads producing
only one keeper fish.

The third day of practice I decided to try Little Lake Harris and Harris
looking for similar areas of Kissimmee grass. This pattern produced a limit by 9:30. I then went and looked for some more protected lily pads. I found one area of pads that produced two nice keepers on a Texas rigged, YUM, Ribbontail Worm, in red shad with green flake.
The rest of the day was spent using crankbaits and spinnerbaits to try and figure
out a way to catch a larger fish.

The first day of competition I began in Lake Harris fishing the lily pads with
a Texas rigged worm. This area only produced two fish. One was small, and the other
one was a nice keeper that I lost at the boat (isn’t that always the way it goes!). I
then went to the Kissimmee grass areas that had produced in practice. I was able to catch a nice limit within two hours. I finished the day with 12.5 pounds putting me in 46th place after
day one.

The second day of the tournament I decided to spend my entire day fishing the
Kissimmee grass on the main lakes of Lake Harris and Little Lake Harris. I decided to
use a bigger worm and sinker. I switched to a YUM Houdini Worm, in black and blue flake,
with a 1/4 oz. weight. I was using a 7 foot, medium heavy, St. Croix Casting Rod with 12
lb., Silver Thread, Fluorocarbon Line. I worked the bait slowly along the outside edge of
the cuts and points of the Kissimmee grass. This produced another limit weighing 14.4
lbs., putting me in 31st place for the event.