Fished an area with Paul Chavis two weeks ago and we breezed through the area and hit the high points only. We picked off 25-30 fish in one pass. Fast forward two weeks later and we are at the tournament day in Panama City. We draw boat number 9 and the black Lake and Bay is strapped down for the big run. Funny thing is that I have never been on this boat nor have ever been on a boat with a 300 Mercury racing engine on it. We check out at 0530 and 7 boats got west and one in front of us went east and was in the lead for the first 100 yards
. The wind was pumping at 15 knots from the south and we were across from the pass and the roller were rolling in...the L&B went air born a couple of times until we cleared the rough stuff.Once we got into the bay, Paul eased into the throttle and we were peaking at around 72 mph with a tournament load
. We fly thru the bay and into the ICW in just a few minutes. Birddog was supposed to be fishing East Bay and running interference for us 
...I assumed that we would pass in the ICW but he was already in East Bay. He said he was waving like heck and said we looked like a black rocket ship coming across the bay. Also stating that some others were in pursuit, but they were not going to catch us, which they didn't. I was looking for him...but if you turn your head at 70 mph your eyelids start to flap and you can not see 1hour and ten minutes later we were far from Panama City and getting the boat ready to fish. In about 10 more minutes the first red was caught - 15" and in ten more minutes Paul catches a 5.71 lb fish that went into the live well. We did not have a cull permit for the county we were in. We had made a decision to only put 6.5 in the livewell, but it was hard to throw a 5.71 lb fish back when less than 12lbs won the tournament two weeks ago. We fished JT51's holes like heck the rest of the day - catching a plethora of 4.5 lb redfish. Speculate that we threw back 20 or so fish that morning.
Finally around 1200 me and Paul decide if we catch another 4.5 fish it is going in the livewell and we are going to PC to see if we can upgrade. Well it took another 30 minutes to catch another fish and in the drink it went. We stopped for 30 gallons of fuel and let the Mercury 300 eat. We had some fun dogging logs and passing offshore boat cruising the ICW. Rounding the bend into Eastbay the Mercury died like the kill switch had been pulled. We hit the kill switch and she fired and we ran 5 more miles and she died again...we jiggled and twisted and checked and she fired and ran 100 yards and that was all she wrote.
We figure we have around 9.5 lbs and have an hour and half until check in and we are only 6 miles from the ramp. Try to flag down this one boat and they ignore us and leave as a rain cloud approaches. Finally the same boat that helped Paul before comes by and offers to help. At the same time Jake and Joey come up in their Lake and Bay and with only 20 minutes left we let the small boat go. Joey gives me some clips to tag our fish as Paul calls the tournament director to let him know that I am getting on another boat. We pull Paul to the bank and I get on Jakes boat and we haul azz to the check-in in the rain.
After the dust settles we have 10.09 lbs good enough for 12th place...money started at 10.64. If we could have caught another few ounces, but I will take 12th out of 44 boat any day.
Fred and Bruce caught only two fish and won another boat....you only need two and they got the right ones....but they broke a trolling motor head off get to those two
Congrats to my neighbor Ricky and Matt for their 6th place finish - those guys fished everyday for almost two weeks - they deserve and earned their check. If it had not been for Jake Matney and Joey Sostheim for giving us a ride we would have not weighed our fish, so big thanks to those top notch guys for helping us out.
Paul's cousin Dustin and hist partner Thurlow placed 4th. Got to meet and eat dinner with these guys Friday night and they went and got Paul out of East bay and pulled him to a ramp where I was waiting with the trailer. Congrats and big thanks for them guys going and getting Paul.
Thanks to the folks that sponsored me - my wife and South Georgia Outdoors.
Really appreciate Paul Chavis for teaming up with me and going with my heart on the location to fish - thanks for the ride.
Fish were caught on Aqua Dream Spoons and Rapala Skitterwalk. My rods were Challenger rods matched with Shimano reels from South Georgia Outdoors. Paul was using T. Allen custom rods matched with Shimano reels.
Pics from the launch...will post the fish when they post them.
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