71Rig

Best I have found is a 3-way swivel rigged with an 8-12 inch drop with weight then a plastic skirt and bead rig on a 24 inch leader, a spinner blade works on this also. You can find these prerigged for about $2 at any good saltwater bait shop. I usually put a killie AND a strip of cut squid on. Cast and just bounce it off the bottom on the retrieve. The current will let you know how much weight to use. You have to keep contact with the bottom. Using both the killie and squid is key! I have fished all types side to side and the killie/squid combo out catches both hands down. Good luck

I think I see what your going for here. All these plastic heads get confused with feathers and fur ;D. Don't even try to explain dubbing to them :-/. You might want to check out some drys like a royal wulff, humpy's, large hare's ear patterns tied with long hackle, black ants, blue wing olives, and just full hackle 2x-3x long hooks work great with a heavy body to mimic a caterpillar. If you have trouble getting them on the top there are a lot wets to throw. My favorite is a clouser minnow or wholly bugger. You can go with a brassy with long peacock hackle just stripped through the water, another favorite. You can always use small poppers too. just experiment and use normal bass flies in smaller sizes or trout flies tied bulkier and a bit bigger.

My fish came down lake too. Both south of Sandy Run. I picked the wife up at Lake Ridge around 11 (she had lunch so I couldn't refuse) and we went up lake to the Occoquan River and no luck up there. Only threw some c-rigs and shakey heads for a little near that "island" before the weather started to turn. no takers. I welcome the spinnnerbait bite return. I had one last weekend on it but nothing since.

The bald eagle exists, I will attest to that, but the bass are another story. Fished my favorite producing main points and slopes but not so much drop offs and got 2. Both came early on the shakey head. I had quite a few hits but since it's been a while doing the shakey head thing I missed a few. Lots of shad were balled up today and look like they were being actively chased. Spent some time chasing them and throwing everything that has worked before with no luck. At least all my lipless cranks got washed today.

Hit the main points with deep diving cranks, suspending jerk baits, jigs, and carolina rigs. if that is not working try throwing spinnerbaits and shallow cranks tight to wood and on gradual slopes. As the sun gets up and the water warms concentrate deep or in shaded water. If all else fails go to a wacky rigged senko type bait on the dropoffs in the same areas. Good luck.

Sweet. Thanks for the info guys. Guess I will run with the trolling motor set high and take it slow when on the gas. I'll post a report if I make it out there on Friday morning. If not, send a tow boat out to get me ;D.

Looks like you had a good day out there. Just getting out of the house and spending time with the kids is worth it if you catch fish or not. Not to hijack the thread but how would a jon boat with a 9.9 do here? Never put in on a river and just wanted a heads up before getting in too deep. I assume that it's ok with a canoe so a jon must be suitable. Is it so shallow that you can damage a lower unit? Any help would be appreciated.

Where are you fishing? I only fish for them during the spawn so I can only give advice for that time period. But what I found to work is 1/32- 1/16 oz jig heads with curly tail grubs rigged two to three to a line. Cast out, reel back. You can yo-yo them a little on the retrieve which sometimes triggers a hit. Colors range from white, yellow, chartreuse, green, and red. Mix and match tails to jigs till you find what they like better. Other then that, it all timing of the season for them.

Tilia americana ;D

Smoother then herculiner and easier to clean once applied since it doesn't have the nooks and crannies. Just follow the prep directions to a T and don't take any shortcuts and it works great.

Yep, bass type spinnerbaits. You can crank them fast or slow. And if you have some dense vegetation in deeper water don't be shy about casting one and ripping it across the top of the slop. That's how I like to fish them, almost as a topwater. Lots of fun. Even the $1 Wally-World jobbers work so you don't have to worry about screwing up any of your nice ones .

If it went out suddenly it is possible that it will come back on suddenly. But then again, maybe not. Do you really use temperatures that much? I know I use them to some degree (no pun intended) in the spring and fall but I don't rely that heavily on it. Plus it is only giving you surface temps. I would say forget about it and go without. Or get a cheep digital meat thermometer with the cable and probe and hang it overboard.

I can give you $100 worth of reasons ;D. I actually have the large screed version of this unit and have had a few hickups with it but never had the temp go out. If all else still works I wouldn't worry to much about it. Get a small meat thermometer ($2) and keep it with you if temp is that much of a concern. Otherwise you are looking at replacing the transducer for about $45. I say get the meat thermometer and go pick up some Lucky Craft cranks with the money you saved.

I had the great fortune to meet Bob Clouser when I was a member of TU in Pennsylvania. For you that don't know him he "invented" the Clouser Minnow fly and is a professional guide on the Susquehanna River. He told us a story of taking a client out on the river one morning and in the dark. and also in a rush, forgot to tie the boat up when he went to park the truck. The client showed up, they walked down to the river and both looked at the empty ramp in disbelief. As I remember, he had a nice walk down river to retrieve his boat. So even the legends do it now and again. Just so happens that I forgot my plug this past weekend. At least the boat was still hooked to the trailer when I noticed. I think that was the last time I will make that mistake.

Also try plastic jerk baits like Slug-gos, flukes, zulus...or a plastic frog rigged to sink around the weeds. I found that pike like the erratic movement and will inhale them. Just make sure to use a thick hook (like an Owner in 4/0) since pike are known to straighten out a wire hook. They are a lot cheaper then ruining a good bass bait on the toothy critters.

One of my favorite fish to catch. I like to use spinner baits for them as they last longer since the teeth do little damage. If that guy gave you a thrill wait till you hook into a larger one...you will definitely be hooked then! Just remember to use steel leaders with the them.

FishingJames is correct, the bowfin (Amia calva) is not related to the Northern Snakehead (Channa argus) which is an invasive species to the US. Both are capable of aestivation (breathing air) and are hearty fish that can live in extreme conditions (silting, muddy water, low oxygen, etc). But the bowfin is a native North American species. The actual impact of the northern snakehead has not been seen and lot of the reports are "knee jerk" reactions and sensationalized to the point that you hear of one snakehead eating an entire pond of fish in a year then walking to a neighboring pond and eating all the fish there too. It may be that it finds a niche in the ecosystem like a bowfin and that it's young become a staple food for largemouth bass. Either way, in Virginia you are required to kill them on site (snakehaeds) but throwback the bowfins.

What about a tuna fighting chair bolted to the back of a pickup truck, a Penn 50 reel on a stout boat rod and a big treble hook with an apple on it. You can spread apples and corn all over a field to act as your "chum slick" and wait. When one takes it you set the hook and the fight begins! Maybe put some ambisol on the hook so it numbs the deer's mouth, no need to be cruel.

Hey Sam, Thanks for the heads up on this place. I must have stayed across the street about a dozen times without even noticing it. I guess the "pawn shop" kept me from checking it out. I picked up a handful of cranks and some topwaters this morning. Great deals and there are more left. I'll be back down next week and might stop in to clear out the rest of the old stock. I guess thats a warning for those that want to get some before I get down on Tuesday ;D. Thanks again and tight lines.

10 ticks this year? I pull 10-20 a day! Of course I work outside and in places most other people don't want to go....If you don't like picking off the critters try some of these. My advice is to wear BDU's (for you who don't know they are combat fatigues) since they are light and airy in the hot weather. Also, duct tape the cuffs or use spray with at least 50% DEET. I would opt for 80%+ DEET if you can find it (Ben Meadows carries it as well as Forestry Suppliers. If you can dedicate some clothing to fishing and wear the same thing every outing (I know, call the fashion police) then look for Permethrin. This is a clothing treatment that lasts several weeks and is applied to just clothing and allowed to dry before use. pretty effective. Another trick is to put duct tape on inside out (so the sticky side is facing out) under your pant legs. This will catch any ticks traveling up your leg since they stick to the tape. Just make sure to put it on over socks as to not loose any leg hair. Or just pick them off as you see them. Plus it's a nice way to end the day with a loved one doing a tick check ;D. Now all you have to worry about is the chiggers!

Forget the nail knot and go to a loop to loop flyline end. They are chinese finger trap style and have heat shrink on them. cheep, easy to use and make for quick leader changes. If you need help finding them give me a PM and I will point you in the right direction.

A 6wt is a little light for largemouth but perfect for smallies. If you are going to be learning it will do well for 1-3 lb fish but if you want to go after lunkers you will want to beef up to a 8 or 10wt. Also consider the length and speed of the rod. A fast action 9 is a great bass rod in a 9' length. But I get away with a 8wt fast rod and have never had any troubles. Just makes it easier to load large flies and handle/fight bigger fish. Any fish on a light rod is fun to catch so I say stick to the 6 for now, have some fun and make sure you have a lot of backing on ;D. Then when you want to improve your fishing go to a heavier rod.

Nice fish. If you are hooked on muskies now do yourself a favor and get a canoe and hit the Turtle Flambeau Flowage just south of Pine Lake. Loaded with musky and northerns plus you have the added thrill of being in a canoe. I caught a 45-inch musky there back in 1993 and it pulled us for quite a while in our little 17 foot canoe. lots of wood and good cabbage to fish in the fall. Fish all the coves around Big Island and just pull top waters or spinner baits across the weed mats. Well worth a weekend trip.

Clouser Minnow. You can tie them fast and catch almost any type of fish on them. Use different sizes/weights and colors. If you are fishing a floating line use a loop to loop sink tip to bring the line down a little. but a sink tip line would work best in deeper water. I personally use a SA floating line with the loop to loop sink tip with no trouble. I also suggest a muddler minnow in natural colors and any of the big eye flies in bright colors. Again, mix and match to see what works on your water. Most of these are cast and strip presentations. You can let them sink by counting down to locate fish then keep imitating the presentation. Add this to a top water arsenal like vicdotcom suggested and you will be palming a spinning spool in no time.

do you know how long the sale will last? Was there still a lot there? Need to check it out when I'm down next week.