Entry 210-2

Bass Fishing at Lake Champlain with Shaw Grigsby

Part 2: First Run to the Ticonderoga

Question: Shaw, tell me about the first day of competition.

Grigsby: When we blasted-off, I raced down Lake Champlain to cover the 55 miles to the Ticonderoga region as quickly as possible. The morning was cool, and I fished on my No. 1 spot hard but got only two bites. I was somewhat depressed, but I headed to my No. 2 spot. When I arrived, I loaded the boat and quickly caught 15 pounds of largemouth bass. As soon as I had my 15 pounds for the 5-fish limit, I left my No. 2 spot to go to other areas where I’d caught fish earlier. I was trying to catch a really-big fish for my stringer. I finally caught a 4 pounder that allowed me to cull my stringer to get my total catch to over 16 pounds for the day.

Question: Why do you think the bass weren’t on your first spot but were on your second spot?

Grigsby: I really don’t know. I hit my No. 1 spot every day of the tournament and caught only one fish from what I’d believed would be my most-productive spot. When you find bass and try to go back to them and they aren’t there, telling if they’ve moved or just relocated in that same area is difficult. I was disappointed that my No. 1 spot hadn’t paid off, and after I didn’t catch bass on that spot the first day, I only returned once before giving-up on the area.

Question: Your second spot was hot, right?

Grigsby: Yes, that first day I had several 3-pound bass, and my partner caught a 5 pounder. Of that second spot, I caught 15-plus pounds really quick.

Question: What rod, reel, line and lure combination were you using?

Grigsby: I was using the Gary Klein flipping stick, which is a PT Signature Tour Edition made by Quantum. I was using 20-pound-test Suffix line, a ¼-ounce tungsten weight, a No. 4/0 High Performance hook and Strike King’ Brush Beast.

Question: What color of Brush Beast were you using?

Grigsby: I was using a watermelon-red color because the partner I was fishing with last year was using that color, and he spanked my fanny with it.

Question: How were you fishing the Brush Beast?

Grigsby: I was pitching it in the grass, letting it fall to the bottom and bouncing the bait once or twice off the bottom. If I didn’t get a strike, I’d pull the lure up, make another cast and fish it the same way. Occasionally, the bass would take the bait on the fall, but most of my strikes would occur the first time I jumped it off the bottom. Once I hooked the fish, I had to drag the bass and about 10 pounds of grass out of the place I was fishing. I caught most of my bass pitching-and-flipping, but my partner caught a few good bass casting, which made me think I might need to extend my range out past flipping distance. I started casting out into the grass and working the bait back, and I caught quite a few bass with this technique.

Question: At the end of the first day, how were you placed?

Grigsby: I was in 15th place, and I knew that I had to return to the same site the next day and try to duplicate that catch. I really believed there were enough bass in the area I was fishing to allow me to catch a 16-pound limit of bass every day. I knew there were large numbers of fish in this region, and I felt that if I could produce a 16-pound string every day, I’d have a shot at winning the tournament. Last year, Kevin VanDam finished 6th or 7th in this tournament by weighing-in 16 pounds a day. I thought if I could catch 16 pounds quickly like I had the first day and then find a few big kicker fish, I’d be set to win. I’d caught my target weight (16 pounds) on the first day. I knew that if I could catch that weight for the next two days, I could fish for all the marbles.

Question: Weren’t you concerned that someone else would pinpoint your area and your fish?

Grigsby: Not at all. All the competitors unofficially mark the regions they’ll fish on the first day of any tournament, and it’s rare for anyone else enter that area. I also knew I had several other places to catch bass if necessary. There are so many fish in Lake Champlain that I really didn’t think I’d have to worry about someone else entering the spots I’d located.

Next: Day 2 of the Lake Champlain Competition

Contents:

• Part 1: Pre-fishing Lake Champlain
• Part 2: First Run to the Ticonderoga
• Part 3: Day 2 of the Lake Champlain Competition
• Part 4: The Third Day of the Competition
• Part 5: The Last Day