# 2nd World Fishing Championships - TEXAS USA comp days part 2



## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

COMP DAY 3

Well out of contention it was time to redeem myself a bit and see If I could pull back into the top ten. A new planned had formed over beers the day before. I knew the area that held good fish I just needed a better technique for catching them.
Here enters the Frog, this is possibly the most unusual lure I think I have ever used combined with the most exciting stikes from big fish.

I was using a ribbits frog that had paddle tails of both legs an rigged it on a 2/0 gama worm hook, the technique was simple cast the frog into some where you could never get another lure and wind it back in :shock: when I say Never get another lure I mean it casting over the 2 meters of grass thick Hydrilla and into the duck reeds, the weedless presentation would simply wind back through the heavy grass.

On my first drift I am retrieving over the weeds and BOOOM this allmight fish rockets through the thick matted weed into the sky with my frog in its mouth, remember these fish dont miss, there mouth is that big they would have to be a long way off target anyway. LOL
But here is were I stuffed up I counted one two and put in a huge strike ripping the frog fishes mouth BUGGGERR

I resettle and came down from the adreniline and kept working the bank i reached the end of the bay and started working towards the next point and BOOOM the weed beds erupt again this time I dont strike and let the fish do the work the line draws tight and he's on and theres a heap of weight on the Domintar rod this is a good fish. Luckily he runs for open water out of the reed and I am able to play him into the net and a very happy camper to have such a good fish in the bag.










The first fish had demoplished the frog so after a couple of happy snaps a quick re rig I'm fishing again and not more than five casts later BOOOM the frog goes rocketing in the air with another huge bass on it, this guys heads for open water again an I'm thinking yeah but then he turns and freight trains it back into the thick hydrilla weed. 
Now we got problems the Domintor rod is bent way over with the fish and half a weed bed on, so I reel the kayak into the weeds and get up beside the fish who is deep inside around a meter deep of hydrilla but I have him hooked good with one hand keep tension on the rod, the other I grab the net and start digging my way through the weeds, after what seemed like an eternity the with my arm in the air above my head keeping tension on the rod trying not to high stick it, the other digging away I feel the net bump the fish  I dive the net deep under him and pull the fish along with about 10kg of weed into the yak Number two in the bag and its a big fat bugger, I'm squealing like a school girl at a justin bieber concert and all this before 8 o'clock










The adrenilin is pumping through me at this point delusions of grandure running through my mind but then things shut down, the next three hours were a slog working my way around the edges of the lake casting frog after frog for nothing. I went into heavily wooded bays of trees in about 3-4m of water letting the worms drift down the trunks but alas nothing. 
Reaching my planned cut off point for the day I peddled back to cove were I got the fish that morning and started frogging it up again but only recieved a strike from a very small bass. I continued to frog it up and made the turn into the home bay to see well over half the field fishing out deep in the bay. 
With thoughts of drop shooting I was not yet ready to give up on the frog and as I worked down the thick hydrilla again the water erupts for a third time another huge bass has smashed my frog, this bloke runs for deeper water but even with my rod tip low puts on a couple of aieral displays before my third for the day slides in the net.










I had managed to pull back a few spots but the only bag of the comp to hit 60" wasnt enough to get back my stuff up from day two and get me into the top ten. I was however stoked to take out Day 3 and complete my world championships on a high.










Finished up 16th over all but had a great time made some awesome new friends and really want to quailify for the next worlds now, that was such a great time. It was also good to see the top ten peppered with people from all around the world not just dominated but US or Aust. It was a true international event and I think one that a lot of people will now be aiming to get there names down for next year.










Cheers Hedgy


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## granpop (Mar 23, 2007)

What an awesome day - congrats

Dave


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## ronston (Oct 21, 2008)

Another great report mate, catching those big bass around the reeds would of been fun.
Well done again.


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Great read.
A nice day to end on indeed. Congrats.


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## blueyak (Jan 20, 2009)

Day 3 winner and biggest bag, very nice Hedgey.

What hobie have done with the worlds event is nothing short of amazing and anyone who has been lucky enough to attend has said things along the line of 'best week/comp ever'. While it is a competition it is also a venue where friendships are made and everyone has the time of their life.

Thanks for sharing.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

What an experience, and congrats on the day 3 result mate.


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Awesome report and an awesome days fishing for you Dave. I noticed your name as the day 3 winner and thought yeah baby he did it. Fishing that frog the way you did sounds like it is as good as it gets in my opinion.


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## TheFishinMusician (Feb 5, 2007)

Great reports & top effort Dave! 
Thanks, really enjoyed the read.


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Thanks Guys,



> Fishing that frog the way you did sounds like it is as good as it gets in my opinion.


I have to admit Scott it was such an exciting fish to pull out of the reeds. I though when I got that first 19" on the unweighted worm out of the reeds was yeah that was fun, but after I tried the frog I was hooked. I can feel a lot of bass sessions coming up for me this year 



> 'best week/comp ever'.


For sure Stewie it was just so different and the hits so huge, plus all the guys and girls from around the world and everyone of them could fish and was fishing hard each day.


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## ohagas (Dec 4, 2006)

You must be one proud and happy man Dave. Well done.
How can you go back to catching pissy bream after that!


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

You know you love those pissy little fish Sean lol


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Froggin' it up! I'll use that. 

So where to from here? Bonefish (on frogs)? Sailfish (on really big frogs)?

Fantastic report and even better result JC. Thanks so much for sharing the excitement. Makes me want to become a fisherman.


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## justcrusin (Oct 1, 2006)

Cheers Ado, have a look at the Ribbit frogs I reckon they would work wonders on the cod down your way, the double paddle tail puts out heaps of noise.

Dont worry mate I brought home a few extra packets of them to try on the aussie fish :twisted:

Cheers Hedgy


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