This reservoir is a heavily pressured lake that can fish very small. I knew these kids would need a cast and wind type bait due to their age and fishing experience. I had a junior team win an event there a few years ago on a crankbait in the early spring. I went and checked a few areas in practice and purposely fished behind people to make sure I could still get bit. I got bit everywhere I stopped.

Jackson had never caught a smallmouth or used a spinning rod until I handed him one that morning. He got a crash course in a hurry when he caught the first keeper then minutes in that weighed 3.40 lbs and ended up winning big fish of the tournament. They ended up with 11.18 minus a .25 lb dead fish penalty from a fish caught on a different bait that netted a total of 10.93 lbs and winning by nearly 3 lbs in the event.

They are headed to Chickamauga in July to fish the BASS World Junior Championship.

I told them afterwards that they will spend the gift cards, break the rods, and blow up the reels eventually; but nobody will come take that plaque away from them.

The boys used 3/32 Black Marabou Jigs to help them win the tourney as well as "big fish of the tournament".