It’s 12:30 as I write this with no idea when and if it ever reaches Bassmaster.com.
I’m hesitant to say it: but the wind is laying down on St. Clair. I like that considering the bumpy ride this morning. But I have no idea what it will do to the fishing.
I know Christie has been wanting the wind. Even though he can’t actually see the fish with his eyes, he does think less wind allows the fish to detect his presence easier. He’s felt a stronger wind would help him build a bigger bag.
Too early to know if what he has is enough but he doesn’t win events by not pushing things to the limit.
He just caught a 4-pound class fish and culled with. But moments before that he had hooked up with a bigger fish and it jumped off. That was the fish he needed. He didn’t get it but it must have fired up the school.
After the 4-pounder came in, he caught another. But it didn’t cull.
He said the fish he lost was in the same exact spot as the 5-pounder he caught yesterday. And it looked every bit as big. If he doesn’t win this event and loses any spots in the standings, it’s a good bet he will think about that fish for a long time.
It’s 1:10 and it’s been quite a while since we’ve had any service.
Christie is still hanging around in that 21-pound neighborhood and he’s certain he doesn’t have enough to win. I base that last assumption on the little things he’s said.
We certainly don’t know. Every once in a while we run through a pocket of cell service and an email or text will he through. But I’ve yet to see or hear anything on how the rest of the field is doing in the last couple of hours.
The wind has definitely laid so the conditions are about as easy as they’ve been all week. And the fish are still biting. The big ones though are tough to come across.
Even Christie is having to change some things. He’s spent most of the day throwing a 3/4-ounce tube on a baitcaster. But we occasionally see him pick up a spinning rod and pull a drop shot around.
I’ve lost count of the smallmouth he’s caught. And I’ve lost count of the big drum he’s caught. For both his equipment is getting a workout. And St. Clair is as calm as I’ve ever seen it.
One of the interesting things you will see on the Bassmaster Show when it airs is what Christie is doing with the tube.
Earlier he was spending a lot of time on his electronics and casting to targets he could see. Currently, he’s having to make long casts because of the lack of wind.
Because of that, he’s ripping that tube. Some I assume to get out of a clump of grass. But he’s doing it regularly enough that it appears as if he’s doing it to initiate a strike.
It’s worked a couple times. But it’s my guess he wishes the wind was still blowing.