Been prefishing around for about a month - hitting all my spots and JTs spots too
. Was working with Hays and Howard from Panama City - working as a team trying to cover the most ground and find some good fish. Hays had some fish - I did too, but didn't like their location and proximity to community holes. Hays fish were more secluded and not subject to weekend pressure like mine. Hays's wife had one in the oven and not due until later this month - luck would have it she went into labor and they had a baby girl early Friday morning. So, they were out and he gave me his spot. So, me and Paul Chavis had a spot all to ourselves.
The rules of the tournament changed from a ramp launch in Destin to an open trailer event. Which I pitched a fit about, rather run with fish in a boat vice trailering its quicker and better for the fish. So, we went hunting way east and found some fish, not enough to make the run. Though I did find a lot of trout and I told Jumptrout and he won - I'm still waiting on my commission
Fished some water close to the house and didn't see the water or fish improving...my fish from the spring tournament had vanished. One more spot needed to be checked and me and Paul checked it Friday. It looked horrible and little redfish to show for it....we almost left, but keep the Majek tower boat going and we rolled a school of 30...got one real quick - perfect fish. Looked a little more and found another school about the same size with some overs mixed in. Got a few of them and then moved some more. Found some scattered fish on a bank and then rolled another big school. So, we went from thinking we had nothing to having three schools.
It may seem odd but I didn't feel right fishing Hays fish - always been a fish my own fish person. So, we choose to fish what we found on Friday.
On tournament day I couldn't sleep and was up at 3 and was sitting at the ramp at 5:15
...We rolled out about 6:00 and started blind casting the bank with the scattered fish...we didn't get nothing but trash fish until we hit the first dock. Got a few fish...there was a lot of fish, but they were eating real funny...not even Gulp (Paul tried not me!).We moved to see if the other schools would eat and let that school rest. We blowed the second school up and they ran for their lives. We chased them into a small bayou. Thought they were gone...ran around in the bayou..we were leaving and ran over them in deep water. Shut down and turned around...following them back into the bayou. I'm down low and Paul is up on the tower - I say is that floaters (floaters are those fish up top, that will eat a rusty nail). There they were about 50 fish floating up top...we fired into them and doubled up about 10 times. 6.5 lb fish and overs. Then like a light was shining on us saying everyone come here....one boat comes in and anchors up behind us...that is fine. Then another boat comes in plowing like it is okay and then another comes and I could have touched the second with my rod. Guess what the school is gone - game over. I don't claim to own the ocean, but etiquette and common courtesy is lost. There was actually a forum member in this area and I recognized him and we gave him and everyone else plenty of room.
We leave and head back to the scattered fish...figure we have 13lbs in the well and are going to weigh in, but think we need more, some Mobile bay teams were in the mix. We fish the scattered fish and make a few upgrades. The last fish I catch is right on the button of 7 lbs...got it to the boat quick, lip hooked...into the live well - fresh water, rejuvenate added....it starts rolling over
We head to the ramp, I'm down below holding the fish up...its already getting stiff 
We load up and drive like mad men for the weigh in....a two hour drive and its 92 degrees. I had ice in the truck...we put a bag in and a frozen bottle in live well. We stop along the route and the fish are okay...the one is not doing well but still moving fins and breathing.
We roll into Bass Pro and 13.2 is leading...we threw back 13 lbs all day...we got this, Jack!
Roll out of the truck...eveyone is looking..cameras are rolling....get the fish in the bag. Run to the weigh master...tell him that one is on life support, need a confirmation of all live...he says all alive. First fish bumped...good. Second bumped
....he says, "its over." I'm like what...he flips it...I lean in and it's a gnats ass hair over...over is over and game over, Jack! 
I always try to reflect and build off of each tournament - so after me and Paul start talking it over. We checked everything, the weight and made sure they were kept alive...we didn't recheck the lengths. We think when we got into the first school we got too fast and excited and made a mistake. We threw back 13 lbs several times - if you don't think it smarts - it does. Probably why I was awake at 0500 this morning lol
The entire intent of this years events was to have fun - we had fun, caught a ton of fish and lived it to the edge - we just leaned a little too far and it cost us. Thanks for Paul Chavis for fishing with me. Oakley tournament was great - if you get a chance to fish one of their tournaments, please do - class act.
Baits - it took the kitchen sink to catch them - spoons, flukes, Rapala, Zman, Mirrolure, bite a bait...it took it all. Gulp got nothing...watched 10 reds swim around a dead sticked gulp on bottom...not even a sniff.
