Hunter Baughman: Ouachita

Where do I begin? When I entered all the Central Stren tournys back in January I had mixed emotions. These would be the highest level derbies I had fished, and out of the 3 lakes on the schedule I had never seen Lake of the Ozarks or Kentucky Lake. The ray of hope was the derby on Ouachita. The lake is about 90 miles from my home here in Arkansas. I have a mixed history there, but seem to usually do fair on that pond. When I left Missouri last month, with a finish way down in the 90's, my next goal was Ouachita. I arrived in town on Sat. evening and began practice on Sun. My first day of practice I had Around 13.5lbs and followed it up on the second day with near 16lbs. My pattern was a weightless zoom trick worm rigged wacky style until the sun got high. Hopefully by then I would have a strong limit and could go look for 1 or 2 big bed fish. Tues. I went back into town for my college classes, so that only left me with one more practice day. On Wed. I cut my hook tip off and went to my primary area and shook 11 bites in about an hour. From what I could tell, the fish I shook would have weighed 13-16 lbs. I honestly felt like I was in very good shape to make the top 10. Derby day 1 began in my primary area and I struggled to have 4 swimmers by the time the bite died. Went looking and found a 3lb bedder to finish my limit. Ended the day with 8.5lbs...not exactly what I was expecting. Day 2 I swung for the fences and stayed on the main lake in areas that have produced well in the past a search of a 20 lb bag to make up ground. Luck didn't swing my way and I lost 5 solid keepers and 1 big head on a jerkbait and floating worm. Weighed in 2 swimmers for 4.5lbs and ended the derby in 89th. Honestly not sure of what I should have done differently, not a happy camper with the outcome. On a side note I did have fun hangin out with Mike Haggerty and Eric Pinter. My next big derby is the weekend series on Greers Ferry in a couple of weeks and I will try to keep everyone updated.

Amistad last week moving on to Ouachita (for some of us)

So two of our guys are getting ready for the central open on Amistad starting tomorrow. I was with them up to two days ago but had to take off for Ouachita practice for the Stren and I kinda wish I was still there, about one DONKEY a day was being caught on average by our crew and well it is not every day you get to go after the fish of a life time. I learned a hell of a lot while I was there as did all our guys I am sure but it is different knowing you were not in the derby, less pressure, more willing to throw the trophy hunter baits etc etc. Amistad is known as a grass lake but we caught it at a time when the emergent grass was really tall and spindly with almost no mass and the fish just were not in it rather they were generally moving to and from spawning flats, 15 to 25 feet with trees on the flats. I believe we caught the fish on the tail end of the spawn, I just saw too many abandoned beds but how can you really know since they spawn so deep on this lake, either way the daily movements could be predicted fairly well and that is cool as hell when you can dial fish in like that, personally I know it is one of the first times in my short career I could do so with a high degree of success. I was always in search of that tiny drain, cut or irregularity which led to feeding/spawning flats which was utilized as the travel route by the fish when they became active and in the mood to eat. Electronics play a critical role in that search and for the guy who does not have that technology bolted to his boat well, he is not on a level playing field with everyone who does and I think that will point will play a role here on Ouachita as it is a deep clear lake as well. I feel like I may be reaching a threshold in my career where a little light just kicks in (hey, fish use this two lane highway, graph it and see), at least I hope so. I have high expectations for myself (as usual) for the Stren and I hope in some small way I was able to help out my friends fishing the open as well.