Fair haven challenge what a couple days!

[Keep'n it Reel]

To say the least I'm still rather excited from the weekend and don't really know where to start with this roller coaster story!!!! So I will start with this I owe a huge thank you to all involved in this tournament I know very few of the guys on the big lake but I appreciate all the knowledge I have gained from the reports and few I have talked with. And I definitely owe team Yankee one a huge huge thank you for the help they have us going out of their way to haul my boat when I had truck problems thank you very much!!!! So the story began last Wednesday with a late night run to bass pro to get my new elite 7 that functioned just fine all weekend once we had it dialed in, then Thursday night installed it and fished Friday morning left Watkins glen at 3am to hit the water early, launched right in fair haven at the state park. Went to leave the dock and motor was not acting right had no power so ran around in the bay for a few min discussing possible solutions and then it hit me I had got a extra set of plugs for the boat I wonder if a wire came off well I was kinda right except I had just plane never put one back on so first problem solved lets fish! So out the shoot we went and my little 18' sport craft was greater with 4's and 5's guys saying to back on the piers we where not being rude but have fished worse in smaller not always smart but if smart do able. First fish hit in 120fow and resulted in a break off the only dropped salmon for 2 days. Kept heading into the waves and picked a 14lbs laker my personal best and this fish combined with Mother Nature made it clear we where going to earn are keeps good friend of my nick Overacker was on board the boat did the bet job and when he did we took a good wave causes him to lose his footing and hit his head in the side of the boat after a tense few minutes we found him to be ok just sore so on we went. About 30min goes by and all of a sudden the motor quits not the best situation in the waves get it running pop it in gear quits again did this another time and then nick notices a rope had slid off and wrapped up in the prop unwrapped and back fishing, lake started to lay down so we began searching for fish and we started finding them nothing fantastic but some quality we ended up finding fish in 85fow and ended the morning with a nice 28lbs king a blast on my 8' light action ugly stick rigger rods. So head back in to check into the cabins at screwy Louie's but first the truck would not move front caliper locked up get that solved and on the way, get over their setting tackle up on the side of the boat getting things cleaned I knock it all off things go everywhere, yeah just a great morning lol. Well out for the night trip not much to report until we get back to the dock at 9.pm. Truck know won't start try jumping it nothing monkey with the starter nothing nothing nothing continue drinking some apple pie seems to be helping to cope with it all. So this is where rich and his team comes in they where kind enough to come tow the boat out of the water back to the cabins and after a discussion of is not even wanting to fish they offer us a ride back over in the morning what a great group so they talk us into fishing and launch the boat for us deal with the truck later!! An the morning started right first 3 fish hit the boat in under a hour all quality to we ha a area all to ourselves and never left it just kept working it picking fish and by 11 we had 7 in the box plus a few skippers and low teens went 11 for 12 on bits the one we didn't get was just a smack never even got a hook in it. So at around 10 we realized we had the problem of getting to the weigh in still after all truck has not moved yet. So we begin networking nick finds rides while I call napa!! After a discussion with the guy at napa and conceiving him that we need the starter before 4 o'clock we get him to meet us at the launch ramp at 1 so at about 11.30 we pic lines and run in that way everything is set and ready to go tools out starter out an ready to go in,new stater installed and same thing click click click. Well it turns out just had a simple connection problem but easily over looked after a long day and dealing in the dark so with a set of jumper cables from the battery to the start we had it going and off to weigh in we went got their at about 2 lost a few hours of fishing but made it on time. We where the first team to weigh in talk about sitting on pins and needles watching everything seeing all the big names coming in an getting in line I could not even watch nerves got the best of me had to just sit back and keep talking about anything other then weights well are 146lbs box held but just barley. Team screamer had 145.7 and team sea devil had 145.2 way to close for my comfort but that's tournament fishing. So after this long story I want to say thanks to two great friends both Jim ameigh and nick Overacker with out these 2 guys would have never had the success two great fisherman and great people and also thank you to Brendan Shambo, the decker family with white cap charters, rich peaslee and his crew on Yankee one and all their help I owe those guys big time, and once again thank you to all involved in this event and all the congratulations we received from them and the fellow fisherman my hat is off to all and I have the utmost respect for you all thank you again!!! Means the world to a small time fisher man from the finger lakes!!!! Time of my life.

[lakebound88]

Well put! Great job Joe and great job to everyone!

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[Sk8man]

A good example of persistence paying off Joe and especially how important the social aspects of this great sport come into play (good folks helping out fellow fishermen etc.). Les

[kremer01]

way to go guys!

Joe, I am glad you are a better fisherman than you are a speller!!

Congrats on a great finish - sounds like you really earned it the hard way.

[Splitshot115]

   Great Job Guys,  Determination pays pays off.   

[Barndog]

Great story! Congrats on a great trip coming together for you in the end.

[1fish2fish]

Congratulations Nick, Joe and Jim on your win!

 

It was great talking to you at the weigh-in.  You guys work great as a team, and I hope to see you three at the tournaments next year. 

 

Jim

[mrclean]

Thats awesome! And here it was just a couple of weeks ago some clown comes in this forum and makes the statement "tournaments should be for the bigger boats"...

 

Thats the nice thing about Fair Haven. We help everyone! We want everyone to have success! Its all fun no matter how you slice it in our neck of the woods.

 

Congrats!

[Keep'n it Reel]

way to go guys!

Joe, I am glad you are a better fisherman than you are a speller!!

Congrats on a great finish - sounds like you really earned it the hard way.[/quote haha yeah sorry it's not that bad really but not all the touch parts of my phone work and I didn't pay all that much attention sorry for sounding like a clown lo. And thanks everyone

[Keep'n it Reel]

See what I mean can't even quote things right hahaha. I will keep working on it!! In the mean time just Keep'n it Reel

[Xxx]

Keep'n it Reel, sounds like you guys had your hands full, between the weather and your vehicle troubles and boat dilemmas it's amazing you were able to concentrate on fishing, but you were able to pull it off. Congrats. to you and your team. I find it awesome when people come together to help each other out, later to become friends. PAP.

[turf]

Congrats guys on the win and surviving the weekend lol and I would also like to thank those that put this tourney on

[711skwerlz]

With all the ups and downs it was a great weekend that won't be soon forgotten. Thank you for letting me be a part of it Joe. "Go Back!" They said. Lol

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