2009 Forrest Wood Cup

Jay Yelas – Day 2
Friday, July 31, 2009

> Day 1: 0, 0-00
> Day 2: 1, 1-07
> Total = 1, 1-07 (74th)

It was lousy. It's been a long time since I've fished a tournament where I didn't figure anything out.

Two main things were going on. One was the bite below the tailrace, and the other was the mayfly hatch under overhanging trees. It looks like most of the guys in the Top 10 are fishing that mayfly bite.

I totally missed both of those bites, so I kind of get what I deserve for a lousy practice..

Jay Yelas – Day 1
Thursday, July 30, 2009

> Day 1: 0, 0-00

I fished a different area than I fished in the 2005 Classic. I lost two keepers. I don't know. My best area was a creek that fed the Allegheny. It was gin-clear in practice. I went in there today and I could see down maybe a foot. That's not an excuse. Sometimes things just don't fall into place. I'm kind of used to it in Pittsburgh.

It's a tough deal. There's some good fish up there – 2 1/2-pounders – and I thought I could maybe catch 8 pounds today. I lost a 2-pounder on a little inline spinner. It just didn't work out.

I'm disappointed for sure. But I'm more disappointed for my wife and kids and fans and friends. They get so excited for this tournament. They've got the money spent before you win it. But for me, I'm used to it. It's part of the game. You have some good tournaments and some bad. It'll happen again. It's part of the sport. But the big letdown for me is my family and friends. That's the most disheartening part.

Jay Yelas – Practice
Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I found two areas where I think I can catch keepers. They're places where I can just drop the trolling motor and fish, and that's where I'll fish the tournament. It seemed like fishing got tougher as practice progressed. Guys were sticking the bites they got, and there just aren't that many bass in here.

Earlier I was thinking it would take 5 pounds a day to win, but now I'm thinking more like 4 pounds a day, which is about what Kevin VanDam won with (at the '05 Bassmaster Classic). Think about that, with the quality of fishermen that are in this tournament, that's what it takes to win. It's unbelievably difficult.

I'll go fish those two areas and that's all I'm going to do. I'll live and die with them. It'll be mostly (Berkley) Gulp! and PowerBait stuff. I can't find a reaction bite at all, so I'm going to have to fish slow and thorough.