Decisions, Decisions, Decisions.  For Mineola, Texas, professional angler Mark Park, that was his dilemma.  Could his body stand up to the punishment that Kentucky Lake is famous for dishing out?  Could his equipment stand up to the punishment?  Weather was also going to play into his decision on where he was going to fish.  A strong north or south wind means big rollers and that equals less fishing once Pack would get to his spot south of Paris Landing from the northern launch site.  Pack knew he could either play it safe or take a risk that could cost him a chance at competing in the FLW Forest Wood Cup Championship.

Pack knew to win the 2009 Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Kentucky Lake an angler was going to have to catch quality fish off ledges.  In practice, Pack had figured out points running out into the main river channel was going to hold big bass.  The question was Pack going to run 75 miles south to catch his fish?
Day one: (15.11 pounds) Pack had decided on using four during the tournament depending on depth and if the TVA was pulling water cause there to be current.  On day one there was current, so Pack fished a Carolina Rig with either a 5-inch Lake Fork Trophy Lure Hyper Worm or 10-inch Lake Fork Trophy Lure Worm in red bug, or a Texas rigged Lake Fork Trophy Lure Hyper Worm.
Day two: (6-02 pounds, 21-13 pounds total weight for the tournament)  Unlike day one, There was no current so Pack used the same lures as day one plus a Lake fork Trophy Lures Flutter Spoon in magic shad pattern. “I was targeting deeper water 20 to 25 feet, compared to 15 to 18 feet the day before,” Pack continued, “I really relied on the Carolina rig and the flutter spoon to catch them deep.”  Pack report no shortage of fish caught on day two but only could catch three keepers.  Pack also changed location deciding to travel less and fish more.

Key: “I caught 50% of all my fish on a Carolina rig,” Pack continued, “I would drag it , stop, shake it; that would call fish to it, some fish even hit my weights but if I waited long enough the fish would find the lure”.  Pack’s Carolina rig consisted of 30-pound braid for the main line, two ½-ounce Lake Fork Trophy Lure bullet shaped Mega-weights weights back to back with a plastic bead in the center, swivel, and then 20-pound Lake Fork Trophy Lures Parallelium FluoroHybrid FH Line for a leader.

Lures:  5-inch Lake Fork Trophy Lures Flutter Spoon in magic shad, 5-inch Lake Fork Trophy Lures Fork Creature bait, 10-inch Lake fork trophy Lures Worm in red bug, 5-inch Lake Fork Hyper Freak, unnamed jig with a blue and black skirt.

Pack now sits just two places away from qualifying for the 2009 Forest Wood Cup Championship with only one tournament remaining.  “I am going to try for a top 20 but I think a top 60 place finish will get me to the championship,” said Pack.  The good news for Pack is that he has fished Lake Champlain in New York before and been successful there.