BFL Regional Lake Seminole - I Posted a Big Double Zero

I can't believe I fished for two days and didn't even weigh a keeper.  If you had fished the tournament, you might understand how it happened, it was tough and I wasn't the only one posting a big double zero.  The BFL Regional on Lake Seminole was probably my biggest event of the year and I just couldn't get it done.  It wasn't for lost chances or poor performance, it was just brutal out there.  Going in to the event, I was prepared for tough fishing.  Last year the event was tough, Seminole is always difficult (in my experience) and to top it off, this event was right after the BASS Southern Open and the Bassmaster Weekend Series Regional.  A tricky lake, pressured fish, and a difficult time of year usually add up to bad fishing.  Even with all of this going against us, I was still optimistic driving up there.

On Day 1, I drew a local who was really on some big fish punchin' grass mats.  I felt really good about my chances going into the day.  It wasn't like I didn't get bites, I just got the wrong kind.  My list of catches was strange and just plain annoying.  I caught a MONSTER mudfish on a drop-shot, a chain pickerel on a Repo Man, another one on a swim jig, another flipping, and another couple mudfish punchin' the mats.  I also caught three small non-keeper bass.  I was catching them, again just the wrong kind.  My partner caught four fish, but they were all bass and had 11 and a half pounds.  Very frustrating, but what can you do.

Day 2, I drew a guy who had two pounds on Day 1, so we were both "swinging for the fences" I guess.  Looking back, all I needed was around 7 pounds total to get a check.  I also had a few chances on Day 2, they just didn't go my way.  Starting off, I had one attack my fluke as I pulled it out of the water.  I had one pull off in the grass (don't know what kind it was).  I also saw a bass swimming along, threw my drop-shot in front of it and he ran over and ate it and spit it in a split second.  Not two minutes later, I hooked one on the drop-shot on the opposite lily pad line and it got off in the pad stalks (didn't see if it was a bass or not).  We  fished hard to the end and still came up empty.

Driving home and even this morning, I have been pretty down about the results, but I'm starting to look at the positives.  I got to fish out of state, hung out with some friends, and met some new people.  Like they always say: "a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work".  That statement is very true.  When I left Alabama a few weeks ago, I didn't want to come back to Florida, but after Seminole I couldn't wait to get back into the Sunshine State.