Many anglers typically cringe when they receive the list of new venues for an upcoming season.  Especially when this list contains fisheries that anglers have not yet figured out how to be productive in.  As luck would have it Barkhurst/Landry were presented with the opportunity to redeem themselves in an area that had dealt them such a devastating blow in last years points race for the all coveted Championship.  First stop…Clearwater, FL!        

            “Admittedly we were extremely nervous about having to go back to Clearwater.  This fishery could really set the tone for our entire season.  We needed to do well here and prove to ourselves that we could handle the adversity.  Playing it safe this time around was not an option.  We had to go for it!”

 


            After two days of scouting Barkhurst/Landry weren’t really finding any dependable fish in the Tampa Bay area.  “It really was slim pickings as far as the Redfish were concerned.  The Trout and Snook were everywhere we went!”  After a brief discussion, with fellow teammates, it was decided that everyone pack up shop and start over about eighty miles away from the area.  “It was a bold move but it had to be done.  We knew we had the boats to make an open gulf long distance run if necessary.  The local fish were obviously too pressured.” 

            Their new location turned out to be a gold mine.  Redfish gold that is.  “Ideal conditions for scouting in Florida are basically light wind with no cloud cover.  Locating fish is mainly done by actually seeing them on the shallow flats.  Our new dilemma was that it was windy and extremely overcast.”  Finding them may have proven to be difficult if it had not been for the very first spot they pulled into.  “Within several minutes we caught some really nice Reds without even having to actually see them first.”  That day Barkhurst/Landry caught fifteen or so fish in about a four-mile area.  Those were the ones they didn’t see.  The fish they did manage to actually put their eyes on cruising the flats they left alone.  “These Reds had to have been transplanted from Louisiana.  They would run the baits down all the way to the boat.  Sometimes actually running into the side of the boat trying to get the lure.”  The other Blue Wave Pure Bay Team boats found very similar results in this area. The following days of practice Barkhurst/Landry picked apart the area just trying to see how many they could see and learning how the fish reacted to different stages of the tides.  “We found where the Reds went at basically each stage of the tide.  We knew their comfort zones and their travel routes throughout the course of the day.”  The stage was set for them to do well and catch a lot of fish in the process.

            On the first day of the tournament each Pure Bay made this nearly 160 mile run with their brand new Yamaha F-225’s.  “We really can’t say enough about how much we love this new Pure Bay design.  Coupled with these new Yamaha Four Strokers we roll past other brands of boats with identical power and burn less fuel in the process.”  Upon Barkhurst/Landry’s arrival they proceeded to catch Reds nearly all day long.  The weight they came in with was a little less than they expected and ended up in 22nd after day 1.  On day 2 of the event the Reds cooperated just as they did on day 1.  “We caught a ton of fish both days and never really managed to burn them up.  We also did something that has been hard for us to accomplish in the past.  We came in with more weight on the second day. That shot us all the way up to 7th place!”  Barkhurst/Landry had their revenge on the Clearwater venue with a top 10 finish!  Now the stage has been set for another productive season.

*Special thanks to Blue Wave dealer and marine supply center T.A. Mahoney Co. of Tampa, FL for sponsoring Team Barkhurst/Landry and Team Ballay/Ballay at this event.  This dealer can be reached at (813)241-6500.

Ross Barkhurst owns and operates Argonaut Charters in Venice, LA
 to contact please call: 504-329-0586