Luke Estel

My partner Josh and I qualified for the Bassmaster Team Championship on the Harris Chain of Lakes by winning the Anglers Choice Classic in March held on Lake Guntersville. I had visited the Harris Chain before but the times I was there the events were held in January where the bass are typically spawning. Early December would fish much different so we set out on our two and a half day practice with absolutely no clue on what to do. We started fishing a few shell beds I had previously found and immediately started catching some fish but they were small. We did scan one area where Chopper found some bass using our side scan where he caught one three pounder and had several more bites. After our practice had ended we decided to start at that on spot and see what we could do. As our boat number was called, we raced across the lake to the spot and realized it was unfishable. The four and five foot waves made it impossible for me to even stand on the front deck and even the spot lock couldn’t stay in the water. The few other spots we had found were the same way. I started kicking myself for not finding areas that the wind wouldn’t have affected us that much but we didn’t. We ended up catching four small ones that weighed a whopping four pounds. Good enough for 165^thplace after day one. The next morning we decided to explore some new water in hopes of finding the mother load. At 1:30 we were fishless and Chopper asked if we should just go hit our spot so we could at least catch some fish. I sat the boat down on our waypoint and Chopper’s eyes lit up. “They are here and they are big!” He said. I nonchalantly agreed as we worked down the bank. I caught 3 small keepers real quick and then what I thought could never happened, happened. The bite was not hard but it felt good. I set the hook into what felt like a cinder black. “There is no way this is a bass.” I said to Chopper. Chopper looked at me and said, “It’s a giant, I know it is.” The fish jumped completely out of the water and I thought I was going to pass out. I had a ten pounder on!! Of course, we don’t like to carry a net in the boat so I played her around so Chopper could reach her, She surged and I hit my button only to realize my reel wouldn’t engage back.” If I lose this fish, we are putting it on the trailer!” I yelled.  The real finally engaged and I brought her back to the boat and Chopper grabbed it. We were screaming and hugging. I had never seen a fish that big before in my life. In fact, she was so big I could hardly get her in my livewell. At 27 inches long and the mouth the size of a volleyball, it didn’t seem real. “Well, that helps, let’s get another one.” Chopper said calmly. About that time another boat pulled up within a 100 yards of us fishing the same stuff we were. And let me tell you, they put on a clinic. They were catching them so fast it was impressive to watch. As we stood there watching I got another bite and this time it was a five. Ten minutes later Chopper catches a 4 and a 2.5. Then it was time to go. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. We got to the weigh in and my big fish wouldn’t even fit in the bag. When she settled on the scales, it read 9.5 pounds! Our entire limit weighed 22 pounds. We ended up winning day 2 big bass and moved all the way up to 33^rdplace. The team that we watched catch all those bass had 29 pounds and the boater won the entire event on that spot catching another 26 and 32 pounds off of it. What an amazing spot and we had found it all by ourselves. I just wish we would have had more time but that’s fishing and plus, I caught my personal best. All of our fish came off a Strike King Rage Cut-R worm. Not only did we not give up, we got to experience a day that will be hard to beat. Remember, It’s just fishing.