Saturday July 15, Big Hammer hosted the first event in the 2006 Big Hammer Tournament Series at Haskell's beach in Goleta. We had a good turn out with 12 fishermen participating. We had yakers and float tubers from as far north as Santa Maria and as far south as San Diego.

Due to 2 hurricanes churning off Baja, the contestants were greeted by unusually large surf. While some launched without incident there were a couple of poundings handed out.

The bass fishing started off slow with a nasty low tide around 7:30, but after the tide change things picked up and most contestants enjoyed a steady pick on Calico's with a few Sandbass thrown in.

The really big bass remained elusive, but there were several 4 pound fish with the Big Bass jackpot going to a chunky 5 pound 7 ounce Calico.

Final results were:

1st Place: 13.14 pounds Bryan Davis
2nd Place: 13.03 pounds Craig Keefer
3rd Place: 7.06 pounds MJ Kennedy
4th Place: 5.12 pounds Pete Wolf
5th Place 5.10 pounds Leo Rutten

Big fish: Craig Keefer 5.7 lb Calico
Big Bass: MJ Kennedy 4.7 lb Calico
(Craig did not enter the big bass side pot)

The Winner’s Report,
By Bryan Davis

After all of the quality fish I have been sticking in my prefishing, I had a solid plan. First off I was going to go out and fish my structure spot, that has always been good for a early fish or two. Then I would go to my "Honey Hole" and fill up on toads after the sun got up good. It had proven itself week after week.

About 3 casts into my plan out at my structure spot, I stick my first fish, a little 2 pounder on a 5.5 inch Big Hammer in "Red Calico Hunter". My plan was falling into place perfectly. Didn’t give that spot too long and headed early to the honey hole. That’s when everything went horribly wrong. My spot was a mess of brown dirty water and full of floating and submerged eel grass. Last weekend was clean, green and full of big bass. I didn't even get a bite in my spot, couldn't even get a clean cast in. All of a sudden I went from a sweet plan to scrambling for back up spots.

I tried to get away from the dirty water by heading for my deep water spot. It was a good 10 to 15 min. kick in the float tube. I have been pretty successful in the past finding the spot as I can line it up 2 ways using land marks. Well the current was kickin and all the kelp was down and I couldn't find the spot. I know I was close, but I couldn't get on the big kelp and didn't even get a bite. Now I'm really starting to panic.

OK, it's time for plan C, except I don't have a plan C. I ended up heading back in shallow and finally found some really sad looking stringers, but at least the water was clean. Bam, Bam, Bam, 20 min. and three fish later, I'm feeling a bit better. Nothing big, but at least I've got 4 weighable fish. All those fish came on the 5.5 inch "Christmas Tree" Hammer. Went back to the honey hole for more dirty water and no bites. So I headed back to the Plan C spot for number 5. Cool, I'm ready to start cullin. Number 6 was a dink 12 incher and didn't even qualify.

With about 45 min. left, the weigh boat comes by and tells me that he just weighed a 5 pound 7 ounce fish and that the person (Craig) had 5 fish weighed. Man I need a kicker. At this point I've worked all the visible kelp and I'm blind casting. Bam, oh this feels solid, number 7 comes up a 3 pound 7 ounce fish. Yes! I needed that one bad. Culled out a 1 pound 9 ounce fish. Final weight was 13 pounds 14 ounces and was good enough to win both the bass division and the multi species by 11 ounces. Stoked to be able to still do well when my original plan went bad.

All fish were caught using Pro-Cure Pro Gel in "Krill" flavor. Using the Krill I've had an eight pound and 2 seven pound Calico's this year along with a ton of other solid bass.



Now as a last note, the Big Hammer tournament series will continue next month on August 28th so keep that date open on your calendar. The tournament site has not yet been decided but I will likely be in the Malibu area so all you Malibu boys better do some prefishing! Keep checking the message boards and our website www.swimbait.com/tournament for more information. Until then keep you line tight and get the fish in the boat.

Tournament Director,

Brian Kettler


http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/5160-MJ_407.jpg

MJ Kennedy with his 4.07 Big Calico

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/5161-Craig507.JPG

Craig Keefer with his 5.07 Big Fish

Attachment #1, (.jpg file)
Attachment #2, (.JPG file)