After frustrating performances in the first two FLW Tour tournaments, Kyle Weisenburger bounced back with his best outing in a FLW tourney last weekend on Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Florida.
Big bass on two limit catches on the first two-days of the tourney vaulted the Ottawa angler into 10th place and qualified him for the third day of the event. A smaller weight on a five-bass limit kept him out of fishing on the final day. However, he had his best finish since joining the FLW tour and wound up 24th. His bet finish last year was 26th in a tourney.
“There are many positives I’m pulling from the week,” Weisenburger said. “It was a great week to get back on track. It would have been really nice to stay in that top 10.”
After disappointing finishes at Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Florida, and Harris Chain of Lakes in Leesburg, Florida, where he thought he would do well, he said “This boost at Lake Lanier could not have came at a better time.”
It was quite a lift as he moved up nearly 50 places in the points standings, climbing from 167 to 118.
“It also gives me confidence heading into the second part of the season,” the Limaland basser said.
Weisenburger went away from his comfort zone of largemouth bass fishing and decided to focus on spotted bass on Lanier. He had a good first day of practice by the dam at the lower end of the lake and decided “to go all in with my practice at that end of the lake.” He added, “I also knew that end of the lake would stay more consistent and stable with an approaching cold front and rain.”
Weisenburger said the good practice round had him “dialed” in when the tourney began.
“I was able to pull some quality spotted bass from this clear water once the tournament began. It was a major change going from heavy tackle in Florida to 10-pound line and less all week for the spotted bass. It’s fun trying to land a big spot on 8-pound test line,” he said
On the first day, Weisenburger had a weight of 17, pounds 5 ounces, which was an average of 3.5 pounds per fish. He caught a limit that weighed 14 pounds, 15 ounces, an average of 3 pounds per fish on the second day. He dropped to 8 pounds, 4 ounces on the third day with a five-bass limit and wounds up with 40 pounds, 8 ounces for his three-day total.
Next up on the tour is a familiar lake for Weisenburger. He missed a check by less than a pound on Lake Cumberland, Kentucky last year. The tourney is slated for April 12-15.
“I am excited to get back there. I have begun thinking of a game plan of how I would like to approach my three practice days and what areas of the lake I want to focus on and what species of bass I would like to target. Although it has three species, I think smallmouths will be a huge factor.”
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Next week (March 18-24) is a great time to take a boating safety course during the “Spring Aboard” national campaign. The educational effort is a partnership of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), various government agencies like the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and nonprofit.
U.S. Coast Guard statistics indicate that of the accidents where the level of operator education was known, 77 percent of boating deaths occurred on boats where the boat operator had never received boating education instruction.
In Ohio, a boater education course is required for anyone wanting to operate a boat over 10 horsepower who was born after Jan. 1, 1982. Ohio’s boater requirement can be met by taking and passing an approved boating education course (classroom, online or home study), or by taking and passing a proficiency exam. For a summary of Ohio’s regulations and available courses, go to: watercraft.ohiodnr.gov/coursesearch.
Free classroom courses are being offered around the state next Saturday, including at
Maumee Bay State Park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 419-836-6003 or email [email protected] to reserve a place. Another course is slated at East Fork State Park from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 513-734-2730 or email [email protected] to reserve your place. And another course is set for Alum Creek State Park from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 740-548-5490 or email [email protected] to reserve your place.
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There are still seats available for a free deer management workshop that will take place on Saturday, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at the Miami Valley Career Center, Adult Education Building located at 6801 Hoke Rd., in Clayton.
Matt Ross, the assistant director of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) and Dr. Mike Tonkovich is the DOW’s deer program manager. Ross will present the keynote on deer movement and home range use while Tonkovich, will share information on Ohio’s statewide deer management plan.
Also on the agenda are open-land habitat management, forest management for deer, aging deer, managing hunting pressure and newly added a presentation on the popular pastime of shed hunting.
To register call the Wildlife District Five office, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at 937-372-9261 by Thursday. Lunch will be provided.
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