Art Ferguson III
Guntersville- BASS Tour February 24-27
More Tour Journals


2/21/05
Day 1, BASS Tour practice-Lake Guntersville
 
Felt like Spring today, weather up into the mid 60's with thunderstorms on and off and hail at one point. Water temps around 50 up to 52 was warmest I found. Calm most of the day, except a few wind gusts around the storms.
 
Fishing wise, I am seeing less grass in the lake from last year during that big fish catch fest that happened. I didn't do well last year and not on a good start this year either. Caught 5 keepers between myself and my friend, Rick Kaz....had one around 4lbs crush a Bandit crankbait, but besides that, nothing over 2 1/4.
 
Water is about 5 degrees warmer than last year and this you would think would get them going better. I just have to keep focused and pay close attention to what the fish want to teach me. Plan on throwing a jerkbait a bit more tomorrow and continue to crank. Confidence level is high cranking more so than trapping right now.
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Art Ferguson
2/22/05
Day 2, BASS Tour practice, Lake Guntersville
 
Day 2, just a bit worse than day 1. Not catching many fish, only 2 today including a 3lber and a 2lber.
 
Water temp rose a couple degrees on main lake and found some water in hi 50's in back bays....moving fish around and hard to keep in contact with them.
 
Caught fish today on Bandit 100 and 200 series crankbaits over grass beds.
 
Not much to report. Hope to find something better tomorrow and won't give up or try to get too discouraged. It's usually at these times when I have no clue, that God's grace falls and teaches me something new.
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Art Ferguson
2/23/05

Day 3, BASS Tour practice, Lake Guntersville:

 
UGH....day 3, not good....getting more confused as the days go on. I never caught a keeper today and only have 2 small areas to fish.
 
After reading reports on probassanglers.com, looks like I need to make an hour run north! ha
 
Anyway, have one stretch of water in lower end of lake that I caught my best fish on....so, I will head there and fish it out. Strangely, I feel confident at this point about this tournament with actually only about 3 or 4 fish over 2 1/4lbs in practice.
 
I'm going to fish my best and have God do the rest!!!  :)
 
Weather was nice today, but almost too nice for this time of year. Rain expected tomorrow with cooler temps.
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Art Ferguson
2/24/05
Day 1, BASS Tour, Lake Guntersville
 
Nice day for bass fishing, good winter/spring weather and fish were biting, unfortunetely, I have not yet found an areas that has fish to catch! ha
 
I caught 8 bass today, but only 1 keeper at 3lbs. I am a bit discouraged and know that Guntersville can bring in some big bass, but I haven't figured it out. Caught my only keeper on a Bandit 200 in about 8' of water.
 
My roommate, Gerry Gostinek caught the big bass at 9-12!! Pretty wild how we both have big bass in 2 consecutive events.
 
Just going fishing tomorrow and hoping for a repeat of Harris with figuring something out.
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Art Ferguson
2/25/05

day 2, BASS Tour, Lake Guntersville

 
A better day for me, and many didn't do so well. I asked Trip and Keith Allen if I could have the "Art Ferguson rule" where I can get an extra day of practice!! It seems consistently that I come back on day 2 from a poor first day. Again, this happened. I fished the same areas as day 1 for the most part, but different time.
 
Weather was cooler and sunny and windy in morning, then wind died and it got tough.
 
I started off fishing some rip rap and was suprised that the same area where I caught my 3lber on day 1, instantly produced 3 keepers, including a 5lber and I missed a 5lber right at the boat when it spit my Bandit 200 chartruese w/black back crankbait.
 
It was cold, I had gloves on and really didn't feel the fight as good as I should. The fished jumped right at me and got slack and that was it. BUT, I landed the next 3 and was on a good start. I worked the area around it and caught one on a rat-l-trap and another one on a Bandit 100 fishing shallow grass.
 
Tough tournament, but thank God for the comeback saving me in some points for the Classic birth. I really struggled in this one and am sitting in my motel in Augusta, GA getting ready for the next BASS event at Clarks Hill Reservoir.
 
I have no idea what to expect in this tournament. Fishing should be good.
 
Thanks for reading,
 
Art Ferguson