Arkansas River Elite Series

Brent Chapman – Competition Wrapup
Saturday, June 11, 2011

> Day 1: 5, 9-09
> Day 2: 5, 10-03
> Day 3: 4, 6-06
> Total = 14, 26-02 (14th)

I can't complain about this one, that's for sure. It's not a win, but I'll take it. As tough as tournaments like this one are, they're typically the ones I have my most success at.

In practice I found a stretch on the main river in Pool 5 and I pulled up and tried to flip some laydowns. I didn't catch anything off the laydowns, but I picked up a crankbait and started going down the bank and I got three or four bites in a 1-mile stretch. I expanded on that on the first day of the tournament and I ended up catching just about everything along a 2-mile stretch.

I used a variety of shallow crankbaits and today I caught my first two fish on a tube. What really helped me the first 2 days was catching a decent largemouth on a TightLines UV Beaver before I locked through. I didn't get one of those today, so I guess I wore out my welcome.

I would've liked to have made the Top 12 today and gotten the chance to move up tomorrow, but the good thing is I'll definitely be within striking distance for the Classic going into that last tournament. It's going to be a nerve-wracking week, but the first part's down and now it's time to go on to the second part.

Wheeler's been good to me in the past and hopefully I can have another good one there.

Brent Chapman – Day 1
Thursday, June 9, 2011

> Day 1: 5, 9-09 (22nd)

I feel like I salvaged the day. I'm just kind of wiping my forehead and thinking, 'I survived.' But it didn't really pan out like I expected it to. I did catch a fish early before I locked through, which was nice. Other than that, I just went fishing to catch what I did. I never caught any off areas where I expected to catch them.

I had one spot – one little eddy area – that I found on Tuesday in practice. The fish were loaded in there, but it was upriver and the water dropped a lot. By this afternoon, it had dropped 4 feet there. I think that's what changed these fish to much.

I fished the same pool I planned to, but I caught them all off different stretches. I'd like to think I can go back tomorrow and catch them there again. If not, I'll have to go fishing again. I'm having to cover lots and lots of water, and about the time I least expect it, that's when I catch one.

I'm cranking and catching most of my fish that way. It's not easy.

Before this started, I was thinking I needed two Top 20s to make the Classic. That's what the math told me. The good thing is, I've survived for another day. So really, my whole season comes down to tomorrow. If I can go out and catch what I had again tomorrow, I'll keep myself alive. If I can get fortunate and catch a bigger bag, I'll hopefully make up some ground. But at a bare minimum, I need a Top 20.

Brent Chapman – End Of Practice Report
Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Yesterday I kind of expanded on what I found on Monday and I had a decent day, but today was a little bit disheartening. I'd fished the main river yesterday, but today they increased the flow so much that you couldn't fish it unless you found an eddy somewhere. I have to hope they slow it down a little bit so that more of the river is fishable.

I'll be shocked if this thing is won out of one area. I think a guy is going to have to cover a lot of water and find new water every day. I'm sure all this is moving the fish and repositioning them and all that stuff.

I've got one little spot that I feel real good about and I hope I can get there – I'm pretty sure it's going to be a race to get to it and I'll have to keep my fingers crossed. Other than that, I've got a couple of stretches of bank that I feel decent about, but after today I don't know if I can fish them.

At least I'm back in my comfort zone, though, doing what I like to do.

Brent Chapman – Practice Day 1
Monday, June 6, 2011

It seems like somehow we went to the middle of summer in no time. It's just hot – like August-hot. It's supposed to be almost 100 degrees every day this week and as soon as you walk out of the room, you're dripping sweat. A nice breeze would really help. You're going to have to be on top of your mental game just to stay focused.

I'd like to have the fish that I had bite today – I don't know how good (that weight) would be, but I assume it would be decent. I did a little bit of everything and I had bites several different ways. It's setting up to be a really good tournament. The water color's right and the current's right and conditions-wise everything looks good. I just wish I knew more about the river.

The pressure's definitely on and I wish we were at Grand Lake or somewhere like that where I had a lot more experience. The good thing is that now I'm in my comfort zone with the shallow water and everything. I can hunker down and go fishing and hopefully do well.

Again, I think the mental side with the heat is going to play as big a part as the actual fishing. It's going to be hot the whole time.