The Advocate-Messenger from Danville, Kentucky • Page 12

12 THE KENTUCKY ADVOCATE, Danville, Kentucky, Sunday, August 26, 1984 -1 sl August good time to fish drop-off Late August is a good time to consider fishing drop-offs. That point was poignantly brought home to me in a recent bass club tournament on Dale Hollow. My depth finder suffered a mild coronary so I couldn't find the drop-offs to fish. My partner and I managed to catch four fish each which earned us fourth and fifth places, but one of the other boats found a few of the drop-offs and, shall we say, "loaded the boat." The apparent trick to fishing drop-offs is deciding what type drop-offs to fish and how deep to fish them. There are basically two types of dropoffs: "ledges" and A ledge is the type of structure that has a radical change in vertical depth over a short horizontal distance. A slope is the type of structure where there is a significant change in vertical depth but it is more gradual in relation to horizontal distance. The amount of depth change on these drops is sometimes critical. There are times when a sharp ledge drop-off of as little as three feet can be the key to success, while at other times a sloping drop of 20 feet will be the proper pattern. Most drop-offs are located on or near some type of point. Proximity to deep water and cover are two of the most critical ingredients for a "good" drop-off. I asked three local tournament fishermen for their opinions on the types of drop-offs to fish. The fishermen I interviewed were Ronnie Hardwick of Danville, Carl Anderson of Lancaster and Kyle tpA Boyle loses 14-7 By MARTY WARREN Staff Writer Sophomore Kevin Railley gained 160 yards, including 51 yards to score in the third quarter, as Washington County came from behind to defeat host Boyle County 14-7 here Friday night. Coach Jimmy Reed's Commanders beat Boyle for the fourth straight year while improving their 1984 mark to 2-0. The Rebels must now regroup from their season-opening loss as they face crosstown rival Danville, 2-0 this season, in their next outing. "Our defense kept us in the game tonight," said Reed. "Oifen-sively we are still making metal mistakes and turning the ball over. We are a senior team but we don't have experience. "Our passing game didn't go the way I expected tonight. We were on the verge of breaking two or three plays but Boyle's defense wouldn't give in." Boyle mentor Ed Rail was disappointed with the defeat and said. "It was a typical Boyle-Washington game. We played hard and other than one play (Railley's run) we had people in the right position. "Our execution wasn't there on offense and we were never consistent. Washington is a good team, though, and our kids will bounce back from this. We won't quit and we will play better next week." Eric Smith, brother of University of Kentucky gridders Jeff and Larry Smith, pounded out 81 yards Peckler's pointers Pankey of Garrard County. HARDWICK: "Any change in depth can make a difference but I prefer points with the old creek or river channel on one side or nearby. I also prefer to fish a sloping drop-off with stumps on it as opposed to a straight drop (ledge)." ANDERSON: "It doesn't make much difference to me how shallow the shallow side of the drop-off is as long as there is deep water close by. I'm not much on straight drops. I like a steep slope with lots of stumps, trees or brush." PANKEY: "I look for a channel drop-off with stumps whether its on a point or not. I like a sharp Starf Photo County's Steven Linton. defense held. "They didn't give in when we had the ball with a chance to score late," said Reed. "I was disappointed that we didn't score but we never quit fighting. Our kids just decided in the second half that they were not going to lose." STATISTICS By Darren Peckler Unofficial statistics for the game were as follows. First downs 3 12 Yards rushing 40 237 Yards passing 6 16 Total offense 46 253 Passes attempted 9 12 Passes completed 1 2 Passes intercepted by 2 1 Offensive plays 39 52 Fumbles lost 2 3 Yards penalized 20 90 Boyle County's Ronnie Walls in 16 carries for the winners. The Rebels, however, managed only 46 total yards and three first downs in the game as Washington dominated the second half. Penalties and mistakes plagued both teams early and it was a mistake that set up Boyle's only score. Steve Bramel's 32-yard punt hit Washington senior Howard Joe Young on the leg at the WC three-yard line and Scott Keeton recovered for the home team. Three plays later Dale Helton crashed in from the one and Jon Lee's conversion made it 7-0 with 9:45 left in the half. Washington moved 72 yards in 10 plays to score with Smith tallying from five yards out. Bill Pettus booted the conversion to knot the score and take what momentum Boyle had and put it back with plays before junior Joby Watkins intercepted a pass in the end zone with just 12 seconds left on the clock. Berea took the second half kickoff and drove to the GC 24 before Charles Abney picked off a pass with 5 30 left in the period. On the second play Allen fumbled but again the Garrard defense held. Garrard's defense made another strong stand in period four after a fourth down snap sailed over punter Abney's head. Berea took over at the GC 10 but could not score. Barnes and Allen had quarterback sacks as the winners took over at the 22. "In the second half I got real conservative with our offense," said Woods. "We didn't want to take any chances and beat ourselves. We made some mistakes that hurt but our defense came to life every time. "We outplayed them and the statistics show that this week. Our defense just played a heck of a game and our pass coverage was unreal. We put pressure on the quarterback and did a great defensive job covering the receivers." Abney carried 14 times for 63 yards and Rogers rushed 15 times for 63 yards as Garrard amassed 134 yards on the ground. Simpson Simpson's TO passes lead Lions to win drop (ledge) where the depth changes by 10 to 15 feet." You might ask yourself what would be the primary difference in these two types of drop-offs? One of the theories is that fish can be caught on a "slope" when they are actively and aggressively feeding or preparing to feed. However, a "ledge" will be more productive after a cold front has moved through since the fish will tend to suspend closer to the steep ledges. This may make them more catchable than if they were suspended in open water over a "slope." The techniques used in fishing these two types of drop-offs are actually very different and require different skills. In fishing a slope the bait is generally worked in short "hops" with most strikes coming as the bait falls back to the bottom or while the bait is coming over structure such as stumps. These types of strikes are usually easier to detect. In fishing a ledge the bait is worked in the traditional manner to the edge of the drop then allowed to free fall the full depth of the drop-off. The strikes will probably occur on the free fall and are more difficult to detect. Line watching is a necessity. Probably the most difficult part of fishing drop-offs is to locate the depth at which fish are holding. There is no simple or easy method for determining this factor. This is simply a matter of trial and error. As a rule of thumb, its easier for me to start fishing shallow then gradually work deeper. Also, if the fish happen to be shallow early I'll be able to have sone success quickly. I asked the three fishermen what type of baits they would use to fish drop-offs this time of year. HARDWICK: "My first choice is a 5'-inch black with chartreuse tail Gator Tail worm. I use a five-sixteenth ounce sinker and 12-14 pound test line. Occasionaly I'll throw a three-eighths ounce black short arm spinner bait with a No. 5 blade and dress it with either a white or black Uncle Josh No. 11 pork frog." ANDERSON: "If there is a moon I'll throw a black with chartreuse tail worm. If there is no moon I'll choose a black grape with a fire tail worm. I always use 14-pound test line and either a one-fourth ounce or five-sixteenth ounce sinker. I'll also throw a three-eighths ounce lead-headed jig. If there is no moon I'll use a solid black or solid brown jig with a No. 11 Uncle Josh pork frog in either black or brown. If there is a moon I opt for a black and chartreuse or brown and orange jig with a No. 11 pork frog." PANKEY: "I like a black with chartreuse tail or a black grape with chartreuse tail worm. If I'm fishing shallow water I'll go to a shorter worm (5Vi inches) but for deeper water I'll pick a 7Vi inch worm. I'll use a three-sixteenth ounce or quarter ounce sinker and 12-14 pound test line no matter what the depth or size of the worm." Fishing a drop-off is no magic solution or answer to the summer duldrums but it can be another weapon in the bass fisherman's arsenal. You'll need a good topographical map of the lake and a working depth finder. Thanks for reading, hope these tips prove useful. Catch a lot and keep what you need but release some of them. It's a wise investment in the future. By the way, don't forget to use those life jackets, it will pay LIFE-LONG dividends. DEER TAGS go on sale Sept. 4 at the Boyle County clerk's office. Wayne defeats Casey 21-8 LIBERTY Visiting Wayne County scored two times in the second period and went on to beat Casey County 21-8 here Friday night. The Rebels stayed in contention until Dewayne Winchester threw 20 yards to Alan Hopper in the fourth quarter to turn a 14-8 Wayne advantage into a 21-8 lead. Bob Limer scored on a one-yard run for Wayne after a scoreless first period. Limer then increased the lead when he broke free for an 84-yard touchdown jaunt. Jim Daniels booted each conversion for a 14-0 halftime lead. Casey got on the scoreboard in the third frame when sophomore Keith Tarter passed 26 yards to senior Keith Buis. The same duo also hooked up on the conversion pass. The Rebels were forced to play without starting quarterback Doug Tarter. He injured a knee in a motorcycle accident and his status for the upcoming game against Garrard County is still unknown. "We played well except for 105 yards in penalties," said coach Frank Parker. attempts to outrun Washington Washington. "I thought getting after getting that big break and scoring we had all the momentum," said Rail. "But then we let Washington go right down the field and score." The two teams traded fumbles in the third period before Washington scored its winning touchdown. Railley went 51 yards for the score and Pettus booted the extra point again. Washington dominated the action after that touchdown as Boyle, which ran 47 plays in the first three quarters, had the ball for only four plays in the final frame. The Commanders twice threatened to put the game out of reach as they reached the BC four once and the three on another drive. But each time the Boyle Staff Photo bv Bill Vaught Doug Simpson threw two touchdown passes to lead Garrard County to a 15-0 win over Berea Friday. was two of four throwing for 63 yards. The Lions were penalized 75 yards to Berea 's 45 but had nine first downs to seven for the losers. Watkins led the defense with 10 tackles while Rogers had seven and Randy Ash and Barnes six apiece. "This game really worried me because I expected Berea to be better than it was last year," said Woods. "This was a big win for us and we are certainly happy to be 2-0. tiotv Vw. fj Iff AS As LANCASTER Quarterback Doug Simpson completed only two passes for Garrard County Friday but both went for touchdowns to Jeff Ray as the Golden Lions downed host Berea 15-0. Garrard, now 2-0 after beating Berea for the third straight time, limited the home team to just 98 yards total offense and came up with five turnovers to secure the victory. The winners scored on the game's opening series when Simpson, a sophomore, passed 15 yards to Ray, a 5-10, 160-pound senior. Kenny Allen ran for the conversion to make it 8-0. "We wanted to control the ball and we used almost eight minutes in our first drive," said winning coach Larry Woods. "A coach can't expect a team to do any better than that." Berea picked off a Simpson pass at the GC 48-yard line in the second period but on the next play Garrard's Delbert Monhollen recovered a fumble. Simpson then hooked up with Ray for a 48-yard scoring strike. Ray's kick made it 15-0. Late in the half Berea had a chance to score when it recovered a Garrard fumble the GC 26. Bo Barnes and Allen broke up pass tiirmmm i -jBaB FREE Pickup delivery your car at 'oca' DRIVE A NEW CAR NOW ONLY $14651 PER MONTH DRIVE A BRAND NEW DODGE OMNI 4 Door sedan with front wheel drive. A Cylinder economy Now with Chrysler's Gold Key Leasing Plan. For as low as $146.51 per month; based on $296.00 down payment and 48 months term Any of our cars or trucks are available for the Gold Key Lease Pton. See us today for a quote on the car of your choke, at a payment you con afford ONLY AT SAVE 20-30 EVERYDAY!