First I'd like to thank John for putting on a great event.I think everyone who was there would agree , the T.O.C. was something we all strive to be at again next year. Thanks B-N-T Staff.
Second....How the Hell did I win?!! Well, it's like this........
Day 1.....I stayed back by the launch ramp while everyone else headed out...This decision proved to be a bad one....I had one keeper at 12:30 and I think I hooked everything else in the cove that swam...I finally moved out to the tulleys after that ....I knew it had been worked over by everyone else, twice by then...not much confidence in whatever I might do ....I through the same stuff I always tried at Clearlake.....No success! 1:30.....Last ditch effort....Weightless 6" Green Pro Worm....In one spot ,I caught 4 keepers and made it back to weigh in with a 7.12....After Weigh In I talked to a guy from Yamamoto who was there to prefish for the Bassmasters. He turned me on to a couple packs of Pumpkin, Green and Purple flake Creature Baits...
Day 2........I had one of those Creature Baits Texas rigged on one rod and BAM!...It was on from the get go...Caught a fish next to the ramp in the first 10 minutes....through back 3 Rats soon after....Then I moved around the point from the hotel marina in a nothing looking spot of shallow mud...I tossed the Creature ....Jumping it off the bottom in a fast motion...and here it came....one of those hook-ups where you know this is the one!...I got her to my boat and in the net...I had a "Kool Aid " Smile and the shakes at the same time....I kept using the same method and bait the rest of the day ...I had my limit by 11:00....Yesterday I went looking through my boat....I only had 3 of those baits left out of 2 packs.......That right there tells you'all ....what kind of a second day I really had!
Tad
S.R.B-N-T.

once again congrats on the win and thanks for the report. c ya at the 2005 SR opener in March