Derek Remitz: Lake Amistad

Derek Remitz explains what happened on Lake Amistad

Battle on the Border Preview: Remitz’s approach

Last week, Derek Remitz told us weights would be down this year at Amistad. “The big bite just isn’t here. I don’t really know why but I’m beginning to wonder if it’s not past its prime,” he said after two days of tough practice.

 That turned out not to be true. The top three winners bagged 15 bass apiece that averaged just over 5 pounds per fish. If Day 1 hadn’t been cancelled, the total weights probably would have hit the 100-pound mark. And, let’s not forget Greg Hackney’s 11-pound, 11-ounce monster on Saturday. That’s a big bass anywhere, anytime.

 Analyzing his own fishing, however, was easier for the Alabama angler. He said he would move from spot to spot tossing a Senko and an Omega jig, struggling to put together a good bag. He expected he’d scale 17 pounds or so and would be “thrilled” with 20 on the first day.His Day 1 (Friday) weight was 20-5. On Day 2 he put another 17-7 on the board. His total of 37-12 put him in 30th place in the fourth 2008 Elite Series event.”I was having trouble finding good bass,” he explains. “I would fish shallow for awhile; then go deep; then try in the middle; and finally end up back in shallow water. I don’t do well when I’m fishing that way.”I wasn’t catching enough bass, and that gave me too much time to think. I consider myself lucky to have gotten a check.”Based on his experience, as well as what he was hearing from the other pros during practice, Remitz theorized that fish would be caught shallow and deep during the tournament.He was exactly right. Several anglers fished very deep but others fished very shallow. Some threw Carolina and Texas rigged plastics but others cranked shallow running swimbaits. They all caught bass.

 Considering everything he knew about Amistad, Remitz told us to watch three anglers during this tournament — Kevin VanDam, Mike McClelland and Jeff Kriet.VanDam had two tough days. He boated 31 pounds, 14 ounces for a 56th place finish. McClelland, on the other hand, finished 4th with a total weight of 71-1 and is currently leading the Angler of the Year race. Kriet finished 38th with 35-12.His wind warning turned out to be a mixed bag. He said it could be wicked. Well, Day 1 (Thursday) was cancelled because of high wind warnings. They never developed but just a few miles north of Lake Amistad and Del Rio the winds were so high on Friday that semi trucks turned over on the highways and at least one railroad ceased operations for a time.Remitz earned a B for his preview. He got most of it right.

 

Battle on the Border Preview: Remitz’s approach