Hung up Paul

It's still a bit early in the season. Water temps are still pretty low. Give it another week I say. Still no luck for me in Barton. I'm still looking for my first LM of the year.

-----Original Message----- From: Fairfax CEAN [mailto:alert4118@cean.fairfaxcounty.gov] Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 7:58 PM To: Fairfax CEAN Users Subject: Emergency alert from Fairfax County Residents Urged to Avoid Four Mile Run Stream Arlington County reports a broken pipe caused sewage to leak into Four Mile Run Stream near Bluemont Junction, affecting waters all the way to the Potomac. All residents are advised not to fish in or have any contact with the waters - including wading or swimming - until further notice. Sent by Fairfax County Watch Center to All users (e-mail accounts, pagers, cell phones) through the Fairfax County CEAN

Yeah I know, but I didn't think they are open for the season yet. Are they?

Speaking of the Burke area, anyone know where to get live bait around here? I want to take my two little girls fishing this weekend and I'm going to need some nightcrawlers and/or minnows. I usually get them at Burke Lake Park, but it's not open for the season yet. I don't want to drive too far either.

I saw this old guy pull in a 7-8 lber. off the Burke Lake fishing pier one early morning last August. Pretty sure he was using a bluegill or something else he caught a while earlier as bait. I felt bad for that poor fish. The guy threw it on a stringer and let it flop around in the shallow water while he went back to business... it was like any other fish to the guy. I guess a guy's gotta eat. That same morning another guy pulled in a 5 lber. using a live crayfish and an ultra slow retrieve. I was amazed that the high pressure pier would pull in such big fish.

I'm in Burke Centre and will most likely be hitting Lake Barton this weekend at least once. Can't say exactly when though. The three kids at home don't let me get out much.

Welcome! There are lots of NOVA guys here that go out regularly. Often we'll post where we are going and when.... that's usually a public invitation to join the fun.

Yeah... if you can see them, they most likely see you. I bet I can count the fingers on one hand the bass I've caught by actually "seeing" them first. I two young daughters like to watch the panfish nibble at their worm but sight is not really important in fishing in general. However... you do have a better chance with a good pair of polarized sunglasses. If that doesn't work, you can try this gadget... http://www.letmom.com/choose/home/underwater-video-camera-fshtv-p-169451.html

It was good to associate more usernames with faces. I pulled kind of a d*ck move too. Sorry I bolted so quickly without saying bye. I walked over and fished near the manhole cover by the parking area. No luck there either. I got discouraged and just hopped in the car. I had some things to get done at the house. I'll have to talk to more of you next time.

I just got home from lake Barton... skunked again. 90% sure I'll be at Royal in the morning.

The wife and kids are in Nebraska! I'll be there unless I'm too hungover to get up. When the wife is away, I will play!

Read this thread: http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1204417178/0

Rob where abouts was your friend having luck at Barton? off the dam? I went there for about a half hour at dawn on Saturday with no luck on rattletraps. I have no idea where the deep spots or structure is on that lake. I seemed to hook a bunch of leaves about every other cast. Running too deep I assume.

Wish I could go, but I can't stay out that long. I'll probably be hitting lake Barton and/or some local ponds for a couple hours in the morning.

What time are you heading out?

Lot's of talk about Mercer lately... the get together is still scheduled for Royal though right?

Thanks. I was just looking at a couple travel kits like that and they come in their own case. That's what I'm leaning toward now.

Whatever dude. If you don't have something positive to say then ignore the thread. Like I said, I just want to get a few casts in on a local lake on my way home from work. With 3 small children I don't get very much time to fish at all.

Last October I started walking to and from my house to the commuter train station 2 miles away to burn some extra calories. The walk takes me through some woods and around a small man made lake. I know the lake holds some nice sized LMB but I haven't really had a chance to fish it yet. I started thinking last week as I'm walking on the trail around it that it sure would be nice to throw in a line for 10-15 minutes before the wife starts wondering where I am... lol. I started thinking about portable setups that would be small enough to fit in my backpack. Not looking for anything fancy, just small and at least semi reliable. I'm tempted to buy this Eagle Claw setup that I found on Amazon... http://www.amazon.com/EAGLE-CLAW-PK46TAS-TELESCOPING-FISHING/dp/B000OWNPA6/ref=pd_sbs_sg_title_4 Unfortunately even that looks like it might get beat up in my pack. Ideally I'd like something that comes with it's own hard case but still small enough for my backpack. Any suggestions? I didn't look at Bass Pro yet, but thought I'd see if anyone has ideas.

Welcome to the site Tuco! I've never fished Mercer but rondef had some real good luck from the shore there late last year. I think you can park off Hooes road... those were the directions given to me anyway.

Nice!

Actually, the butterfly peacock was introduced to control the spotted tilapia, which are overrun and stunted in many south Florida waters. Roger ...you gotta read my post again and notice the "in part" part... Per wikipedia: "In 1984, Florida officials deliberately introduced butterfly peacock bass and speckled peacock bass to the southern region of that state. There they prey on other non-native and invasive species such as the oscar and the spotted tilapia."

I'd love to go peacock fishing some time when I visit down there. I hear pound for pound they put up twice the fight of a LMB. I've done some reading and learned that they are not really bass at all, they are actually cichlids. Interesting... and for the guy that's worried about Oscars taking over, the peacocks were introduced in part to keep the Oscars in check... oscars are the baitfish lol.

Welcome cjbs, Are you the guy that put in the craigslist ad?