Tournament Tails Blog

2008 Fall Fly Wrap Up
September 16th, 2008 Tim Mahaffey

Finishing second and being the Bridesmaid is a bad habit and perhaps
even “habit forming”. But that is exactly what Captain Duane Baker and
I did this past week as we were unable to overcome another strong
performance by 5 – time Islamorada Invitational Fall Fly Bonefish
Tournament Champions Carl Hiassen and Captain Tim Klein. The team
fished consistently throughout the 3 day event, catching a weight fish
each day and adding 8 releases for their record breaking performance.

It’s certainly hard to complain about the fishing we had this week, and
had it not been for the tournament, most would agree it was some pretty
awesome fishing. In 4 days of poling, Duane and I hooked 17 bonefish,
landing 15 which included 12 lb and 11.5 lb downtown slobs. The permit
fishing was so good that I believe we could have caught a couple each
day just while bonefishing. As it was, we did catch one on the Tuesday
practice day that drilled my Red Headed Step Child gotcha pattern.
During the tournament we saw permit on each flat including several on
rays (I don’t cast to them in a bonefish tourney).

Don’t Fall Out

Oxygen Bar

16 Pounds?

So while I’m disappointed to lose, the harsh reality is that I didn’t
fish good enough to win – it would have been undeserved. On the
extremely tough, summer like slick calm day 1, we caught 5 releases but
had 6 mudding weight fish shots in the last hour of the day and did not
convert.

Day 2’s fishing was tougher as we caught only 2 releases. However, I
did have 2 tailing weight shots at first light and 7 mudding weights in
the last hour without success.

We woke to stiff 20 + mph northeast winds on Day 3. With clear skies
and favorable big fish winds, I felt we had a solid chance to win. I
had 7 releases in the bank and knew that with a couple big fish our
point total would most likely be enough. Sure enough, the big fish came
out to play and at our first stop we had 7, backs out of the water,
tailing weight shots – I stunk and the pressure mounted as we witnessed
Carl and Timmy land a weight fish on the non-descript strip bank a
couple of hundred yards away.

I even lost my head a little when I suggested to Duane we should
consider going release fishing and try to win the Most Release Award. I
was reminded that we were in it to win it. This is why guides sometimes
have to play psychologist and keep their angler’s head in the game,
winning or losing. I was down and needed a kick in the butt, which is
exactly what I got. Two stops later I’m looking a ball of mudders
coming at me, the Duane Crab is delivered to the plate, and the lead
fish shot forward and ate the fly on the fall.

At the Lorelei the fish was 11.5 lbs and at the time the biggest fish of
the tournament. It was only 11:15 am and we had plenty of time to catch
two more and win.

But it was not meant to be. On the first stop after the Lorelei
diversion, I threw too close to a gigantic wad of pink nosed old timers
and blew the best shot of the whole tournament. And the last hour of
the day was the most frustrating of all. Mudding bonefish all around
me, dark skies, winds now blowing over 30 mph, and I don’t get the bite.
I’m convinced in the dirt tinged water they didn’t see the fly and thus
the tournament was lost.

Frank Juliano and Captain Mark Gilman finished less than a release
behind us for another Top 3 finish for this team. To consistently win
Invitational tournaments, I’ve always said you have to do 3 things:

1) Consistently place in the Top 5 – Very few Invitationals are won by
someone “out of the blue”. Fishing and placing consistently puts you in
a position to win in each tournament. It’s teams like Frank and Mark
that eventually win because they continue to improve and are competitive
in each tournament they fish.

2) Make the critical shots – No one is good enough to make all the
shots, but you have to make the critical ones. After weighing in an
11.5 lb fish, the next shot we had was a herd of 25 giant weights
mudding like crazy. I should have been right back to the Lorelei in 30
minutes weighing another one. That is how momentum and confidence
builds. Making the critical, game changing shot when it is front of you
is key.

3) Take advantage of the good luck – In most tournaments, you will have
both good luck and bad. Fish fall off. They break off on debris. Some
things are out of your control. But when something good falls into your
lap, the ability to capitalize on it is many times the absolute
difference maker.

So I finish the 2008 tournament year without a win. Two seconds and a
third is the best I could muster. I’m looking forward to 2009 and will
work even harder to make the critical shots, and maybe even get a little
good luck stuff happen along the way!

Smile!

Meanwhile, I’m off for a little fun this week at the annual Maverick
Boats Owners Tournament at the Breezy Palms in Islamorada. I’m hoping
the fishing will remain strong and I’ll be able to pole Maverick’s own
Charlie Johnson and his Dad to a few good fish.

So, until then,
Tim (Flatsheadd@aol.com)