Where’re you going in such a hurry?

Under the pressure of 70 mph speed, my face contorted like one of those astronauts going up into space. Only, this wasn’t a space capsule fastened like a spearhead onto a rocket launched from Cape Canaveral. This was a bass boat leaving the Amelia Public Boat Launch.
I should have realized something was up when my close friend and Patterson resident Gerald Foulcard donned a motorcycle helmet with a clear visor just before putting the boat’s shift lever into gear.
In the next instant we literally took off and I didn’t get a “T-Minus” launch countdown. I was sure, as I gripped in fear, the fingers of my white-knuckled left hand had dug into the boat’s fiberglass gunnel while my right hand squeezed the stuffing out of the seat cushion I was setting on. It was horrible and uncomfortable at the same time.
I couldn’t enjoy the cypress trees along the bank with their fresh spring greenery, nor the soaring bald eagles and osprey in search of a fish for breakfast.
The thing was, my bass tournament-angler friend wasn’t fishing in a competition. No. We were just out to do a little fishing on a Saturday morning in March, hoping to catch a few bass. So, what was the hurry? Dang man! Fishing isn’t supposed to be that intense.
Come to find out, like a NASCAR driver, speed is just ingrained in the tournament bass angler’s psyche. It’s not in their DNA, whether a practice day or not, to just leave the landing to leisurely fish bass. It’s pretty much get to where you’re going and make casts.
Local business owner and tournament fisherman Howard Hartley does a little speeding on the water himself.
Hartley, a BASS Nation Nationals Finalist, explained, “I believe it’s about maximizing your fishing time during the day. In typical bass tournaments you’re given an average of eight hours to fish. If you could actually be casting in high percentage areas for most of that time, then your chances of catching fish — if you have scouted enough — generally would increase.”
According to Foulcard, speed in some cases allows you to play a little defense.
Strategically speaking, Foulcard said, “The reason for the high speed is to try and beat your opponent to the best spots and try and get the early morning bite. We’re also trying to fish as many spots as possible from safe daylight to 3 p.m. weigh in. So, sometimes, speed can be an advantage to accomplish fishing a few more spots.”
Essentially, the month of March is one of the best times of year to fish largemouth bass because the spawn is in full swing. Moreover, as a result, there are tournaments galore being held across the state. Locally, there are seven tournaments being held out of Doiron’s Landing in Stephensville alone.
Foulcard said, “The big girls are on the nest and it’s not so much they like to eat, but rather are protecting the nest. So, anything that’s close to the nest, they will move or try and kill it and if hungry they will eat it. A lot of those bass are caught because while moving the bait they get hooked.”
Stephensville is one of the top locations to catch bass during March. There is an abundance of food resources like crawfish, shad and bluegill. Foulcard says the key is finding clear water.
The marshes below Bayou Black are excellent during the month of March. The Copasaw, Turtle Bayou, Bluebird Canal and 7-Mile are all top bass locations worth checking out.
Good catches of bass can be had in the Atchafalaya Basin when the conditions are right. Water level, clarity and temperature all play a role as to whether a winning stringer can be caught in this vast region. One thing for sure, crawfish and small perch are abundant and top food sources for largemouth bass.
With tournament season in full swing, there’ll be a lot of bass boats on the water this month. And, no doubt, many of them will be running like someone with their hair caught on fire trying to catch a fish or two. I’m sure, like me, you’ll be wondering, “Where’re they going in such a hurry?”
John Flores is the Morgan City Review’s outdoor writer. He can be contacted at gowiththeflo@cox.net.