"Fred's Club Report"
Covering The Panhandle Bass Club
Email fpraby@cox.net

The promise of Lake Martin is always an exciting one, and that was our choice for our March tournament. The water was still well below normal pool, and fishing reports were mixed.

Several members decided to go up Thursday to locate their secret spots for success, most of the rest of the club traveled Friday morning so we could get in some prefishing. I was able to find some fish Friday and felt fairly good about my chances for the tournament. Again reports were mixed Friday afternoon as we checked in to the Bob White. Some had found fish some had not.

We blasted off Saturday with a club from Georgia behind us. My fish had moved and I did not put a keeper in the boat until 1:30 pm. I found a crankbait bite and managed four keepers.
The consistency was the same, a very mixed catch for the club. We had 2 also fished on Saturday,
John Kasic had a limit and the lead with just over 12 pounds, Rich was second with 7.12 and
Billy Blackwell was third with 5.31.

Billy Blackwell managed lunker at 5.31 Saturday on a rattle trap. The wind got up, predicted to be 30 mph gusts and the lake was very rough. We were fortunate to have everyone in safely.

Sunday found many of us reevaluating our position and strategy. It was cold in the morning but warmed up quickly. I managed to find some fish and watched Artie put them in the boat early.
I moved up to my crankbait spot and found nothing. It was 12:37 pm before I put my only keeper in the boat. John Kasic also had his problems on Sunday, Jeff Weaver and Walter McCartney found the best bite and came in with two good stringers all on June bug worm (and in my hole!).

John Kasic won it with 14.88 pounds, Walter McCartney was second, 12.88, and Frank Bost took third, 11.33. John Buck had lunker Sunday 3.06. Everyone caught fish, and all in all it was a good tournament. We always expect more from Lake Martin but it has its bad days too.