Hey Everyone –

We have had a very fun week this week and have caught some monster largemouth all week long. Our week culminated with a 3rd place finish in today’s Hammond’s Winter Trail Classic. My customer and now very good friend, Jimmy Cagle, came to me last fall and asked me to fish the Hammond’s Winter trail with him. He hired me to learn the finer points of tournament fishing, as well as specific techniques and approaches to finding and catching fish in a tournament situation. We worked on many different things through the season and I was able to provide Jimmy some insights and really help him grow as an angler – so says Jim anyway. It was awesome to see us really gel today as a team and to see him really put it on them. He has worked hard all season, and he is a tremendous partner. I personally have never met a finer person – Jimmy is just good people and I am proud to know him – thanks Jim and excellent work this year!! I am proud of you brother!

Our day started with me popping two pigs on a jig up shallow early, and then Jim took over and caught 5 fish in 7 casts with a crankbait and we were culling by 8:36 AM. We caught 3 limits through the day, then I popped one more pig at 2 PM, and we finished with 18.10 and 3rd place in the Classic. We weighed a bag of 4 heads and 1 spot. Congrats to Matt Willbanks and Travis Clark for yet another victory with a 22 + pound bag of largemouth. Matt is absolutely on fire. My good buddies Steve Gerbig and Matt Springer edged us out by a couple ounces for second – well done guys. Just a great day and a great end to a super season. A big thanks to Tim at Hammond’s for all his hard work in putting together a super tournament trail – the Hammond’s tournaments are always professionally ran and attract the lake’s best sticks – very nice job to Tim and the gang at Hammond’s.

As you can see from the pictures, the heads have been our focus this week. It is so awesome to see these fish making such a strong comeback on Lanier, and as I predicted, these fish have been ruling the tournament scene of late, and today was no different. My clients had an absolute blast catching the lips this week – I offered them all the choice of what to do, and they wanted to catch LM on Lanier – so that’s what we did!

We have been working shallow pockets and the backs of creeks for most of our fish. Jigs, jerkbaits, crankbaits, and the FHS have all been producing well for these big fish. It just depends on the day which one is best – today, it was the jig and crankbait.

We will see what next week brings – it should be good! I have Wednesday and Friday open if anyone would like to get out. Give me a ring or drop me a note.

Thanks, and May God Bless –

Jimbo