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Table Rock, Missouri
2001 Bassmaster Table Rock Invitational
04/21/2001 - Praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through whom all blessings flow! I made it back to the winners circle after a 3 year hiatus at the Bassmaster Invitational at beautiful Table Rock Lake in Missouri. I thank God for the victory, and have a wonderful testimony about prayer that came out of this event.
This was the final event of the Bassmaster Central Invitationals for the season. I was tied for the lead in points with Todd Faircloth going into Table Rock, and needed a solid finish to qualify for my 11th Bassmasters Classic. I had a chance to prefish before the cut-off, and found tons of fish up cruising the shallows, but no bedding activity.
The weather was unusually warm during the off limits period, and I had a hunch on the way up there that they would be going on beds. My hunch was confirmed the first morning of practice when I saw over 30 beds in my first hour on the water. In fact, I can't ever remember seeing so many fish on beds as I did this week. I continued to try 'catching' fish for the first two days of practice off and on, but it was plainly evident by noon the second day of practice that the event could be won sightfishing bedding bass. We had a cold front move through that night and it froze the second and third nights of practice, but plenty of fish stayed locked on their beds. This sort of bass behavior is unique to the midwest. In the South, when it freezes at night, the bass leave their beds.
Every fish I weighed in the tournament was one I had found in practice. I found so many fish, I never had a chance to visit them all! I can't ever remember that happening before. I had literally hundreds of keepers located on beds, and the tournament was simply a matter of execution.
Of my 15 bass, 13 were largemouth, and 2 were spots. My fish were all males, as the females just started to move the final day of the tournament.
I fished between the Hwy. 13 bridge in Kimberling City to Campbell Point, but the water I fished was not the key. They were bedding all over the lake.
I caught most of my fish on Berkley tubes and 3" Power Craws.
The highlight of the week for me was a phone call I got from my friend Art Ferguson the night before the final day of competition. Art was led by God to call and tell me to pray Mark 11:24, one of the greatest scriptures on faith in the whole Bible. Jesus says " what ever you ask for in prayer, believe you have received it, and it will be yours." Art was absolutely adamant that I pray this, in fact, he told me so at least 10 times in a 5 minute conversation!
I don't usually pray to win. I have always figured that a selfish prayer. Frequently, I pray that a Christain will win and glorify the Lord, but I don't pray that He will let me win. Sensing the urgency in Arts voice, I prayed to win for His Glory and believed it as Jesus said to in Mark 11:24. And Hallelujah, I won, and Jesus was praised and His Word was glorified at the weigh-in on the final day! I might have to pray that more often!!
Kidding aside, as I mature as a child of God, I no longer see it as being selfish to ask God to bless me. When I ask for His blessings in my life, I am acknowledging my total dependance on Him. Without Him blessing me, I can do nothing, I am nothing. And, by Him blessing me, it opens doors for me to share my faith, and for my ministry to grow.
Come on Church! Pray for God to bless those who will be faithful in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.
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