Josh Wich - Tournaments

F.O.M #3- Nanticoke River (2nd Place)
August 1, 2009

The day started with air temps at 68 safe light was at 5:45am there were thick patches of fog that made
traveling intense. Bob Moody and I ran down river and up a well known creek about a 45 min run to our
first stop in my Legend Alpha 199. It was a bridge that had lots of debris in the water and a nice pad drop
that the fish staged on with the tide coming out. I was using my E21 Carrot Stix fishing with Picasso
shaky heads and Robo worms to probe the wood on the drop. We fished this area and had a small limit of
about 7.5lbs by 8:30.

We moved up and fished a small area of laydowns in shallow water with a Jackall Flick shake and culled
out a smaller fish till the tide stopped about 11am. That's when we went to fish some other areas that
were not very productive. In the afternoon the temps got into the high 80s and water temps around 81
and fishing slowed down with only one more fish that culled. We ended the day at 3pm with a total
weight of 9.50lbs and 2nd place. Not too bad on the Nanticoke River. All in all it was a great day of
fishing with 17 bass that went over 14 inches we just never got the big bite! I want to thank my partner,
Bob Moody, and the Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail for an awesome day!!

Eastern Shore Bassmasters #9 (6th Place)
August 16, 2009

The day started with air temps around 70 and pretty thick fog. We lunched out of the Seaford boat ramp
at 5:55 am. I ran to my first spot a 45 minute run to the Marshy Hope and there where 2 anglers fishing
it all ready. The tide was going out with only about 1 hour till it started back in. So I fished an area close
to it that had some lay downs in the water of a riprap bank. I only managed one small keeper here on a
Jackall Flick Shake. Nothing was happening here for me to hang around any longer so I made the run
back to Seaford. I fished a few pad drops here with a Picasso Shaky Head and a Robo Worm. I got my next
keeper about 10am, the day was not going as planned. My next stop was in Broad creek. I fished a
spillway up there that has very clear water, grass, pads and some rocks. I didn't get any bites up here
but I did see a nice 3lbs bass swim right under my boat. I must have spooked him. So I made the run back
to Seaford and managed one more keeper largemouth.

The day went bad from the start and I never really recovered. My friend Dave Perrego really had a good
day with over 10lbs for the win. He also stretched the points lead over me with just one tournament
remaining. I managed just less than 3lbs in a day that I needed at least 8lbs to keep pace for the AOY.
Next event at Lums pond will be a fun day of fishing with out the pressure.

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Josh Wich
Don Murray
Ron Horton
Bob Moody
Ryan Abey
Bob Wallace
Dave Perrego
John Garthwaite
Bob O'Hara
Jon White
Frank Daniels
Tony Asti
Robert Broomall
Phil Burkhardt
Kevin McC0y

244.36
155.92
125.32
125.08
92.60
68.00
60.00
40.00
40.00
15.00
10.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00

Eastern Shore Bassmasters
Current 2010 AOY Standings

As of 12/15/09

Eastern Shore Bassmasters #10 (1st Place)
Lums Pond: Bear, DE
September 19, 2009

The Last tournament of the year for the Eastern Shore Bassmasters was held at Lums Pond in Bear,
Delaware. I was about 7lbs behind eventual A.O.Y Dave Perrego. The day started at safe light and the first
place I hit was a set of docks. The only problem in trying to fish these was that we recently got a lot of rain
and there was only about 2in of space under the docks. This took a little extra time to fish but it would pay
off big!!

I was skipping a 1/16oz Flick Shake jig head and worm under the docks when there was a huge explosion
with a 3.75lbs lunker making his way from the dock to my net! I was pumped up knowing it would help to
make the difference up in the points standing. The rest of the day would be very tough to say the least. I
was throwing senkos and wacky worms to cover with no luck. So with about 45 mins left in the day I
pulled out my cranking rod and my favorite crankbait a Lucky Craft Skeet Reese square billed that dives
5-6ft the very first cast I had a small keeper in the boat! I was cranking parallel to a heavily wooded shore
line in about 8ft of water full of stumps. With about 15mins left I caught 2 more keepers off the end of a
tree on the drop both about 1.25lbs. So the day was over and it was time for the weigh in. I end up winning
the event with a total weight of 7.75lbs and Dave finished 3rd with with a total weight of 2.89lbs enough
to win the AOY the 3rd year in a row!

Eastern Shore Bassmasters #1 (2nd Place)
Sassafras River
October 24, 2009

The First tournament of the year kicked off at the Upper Bay on the Sassafras River. Safe light was
about 7:15am with water temps around 57 and the tournament director Ryan Abey called the rest of
the Upper Bay off limits do to small craft advisory with wind gust up to 40 mph. That blew my plans
for the day of running across the bay to the Susquehanna River where I had found some really good
fish stacked up on some rock piles off of the drops. Plan B, I headed to Halls Creek to a spillway with a
nice little hole that fish will hang in during the fall. I spent about 20mins there a got my first keeper
on a Lucky Craft crankbait with a black back and white sides.

It started to rain of and get windy at about 830. So I decide to go fish a few points and drops for the
next hour with no luck. Then I went in to Duffy Creek Marina and fished the floating docks with a
crankbait. I got to the boat ramp in the marina and the first cast in to it I felt a good fish slam my
Lucky Craft. It was staying deep and not showing its face till it got right to the boat. I grabbed the net
scooped it up and it was my 2nd keeper of the day a 3.42lbs chunk!! I fished a few more spots with no
success. I ended the day with 4.69lbs good enough for 2nd place over all. Don Murray with Gone
Fishing Adventures Won with 2 fish for 6.62lbs. It was a tough day with the bite off but that's fishing!

Eastern Shore Bassmasters #2 (2nd Place)
Lums Pond
November 11, 2009

The Start of the day at Lums Pond had cool air
temps in the high 30s with the water temp
around starting at 52. I had located pretty
good fish in practice in the channel of the pond
that was lined with stumps. Needless to say
these fish didn't care to play on the tournament
day! I only managed 1 keeper for a total weight
of 2.88lbs but it was good enough for 2nd place
over all.

I coaxed this fish to bite a 6ft diving
square billed Lucky Craft as it slammed of a
stump in about 7ft of water. The tournament was won with 1 fish for 4.38lbs out of the
back of my boat. That fish was caught with a split shot rig dragged through the stumps
in the channel. I had the fish located but they were lock jawed for the most part. The
plus on the day is that I moved in to the points lead for the first time with the Eastern
Shore Bassmasters. The picture for this article I am holding the first and second place
fish…Heck I put him on the fish I should get a picture with it to?

Eastern Shore Bassmasters #3 (1st Place)
Nanticoke River
December 13, 2009

The day started with air temps in the mid
30s at safe light with drizzling rain that would
turn in to a windy down pour with the air
temps getting close to the 50s in afternoon.
We experienced an extremely low tide because
of the moon phase. That played a crucial role
in my tournament when I studied the tides to
plan my day. I fished 95% of the day in a well
protected pocket where the tide would move
slow with more vertical movement then
horizontal to keep the winter bass happy.

The slow moving water was key for the lethargic fish in the 41 degree water temps. I
fished a silver buddy all day with a very relaxed presentation in order to get them to
bite. I caught a wide variety of fish in the area 4 crappie (2 over a pound) 3 big Shad
hooked in the dorsal fin and 7 Bass (3keepers). For the wet, cold, and windy conditions I
had a blast catching fish all day long and to my surprise I end up winning the
tournament with only 3.64lbs! You gotta take them as they come.