John Murray – Pickwick Picked on Me

I’m not quite sure what to think after Pickwick.

I fished the South End of the lake on day one, and I caught 12 pounds, 7 ounces. I flipped for most of the first day and didn’t get any big bites.

Knowing that I needed a heavier bag to move up, I decided to try the other end of the lake, and something new. So I went to the north end of the lake and threw a spinnerbait and a vibrating jig, and caught 12 pounds, 7 ounces.

I just don’t get it; every time I come here I seem to catch 12 pounds; I think the lake is picking on me; just kidding, I just didn’t figure out the better ones.

I caught them on a Sweet Beaver and a craw on the first day, then switched to the River2Sea Crystal Spin and the vibrating jig on the second day. I flipped with my Powell Endurance 775 and threw the Crystal Spin and vibrating jig on an Endurance 764 C; both of them set up with an Ardent XS1000 reel.
Not that any of you really care how I caught 12 pounds a day at Pickwick, but that’s what I did.

We camped at McFarland Park there in Florence, and the campground was awesome. We were out towards the river, and I’m glad we were, because some of the guys got broken into back in the corner of the park. I wish they would catch them, because there seems to be a ring of bass fishing thieves in the area, because the Elite Series got hit two years in a row.

Outside of the thieves, everything else about the park was perfect; the kids could play and Amy and T.J. could walk to weigh-in each day; it really is a neat setup.

We took our time getting down to Toledo Bend because nobody is really getting any rest. T.J. is cutting molars and the poor little guy is uncomfortable and cranky; so he’s not sleeping very well.

We’re here now, and I’m doing tackle getting ready for practice. This was the site of one of my B.A.S.S. wins in the 2003 Open Championship, and while it was a different time of the year; it makes me feel a little more comfortable.

We’ll fly home next week for a few days between tournaments, we’ll get to see my mom who just had some surgery and spend a little time at home; then we’ll get back to it.

I’ll talk to you after Toledo Bend.

www.johnmurrayfishing.com