SteveV

I really like the BBZ1 and Jr for here in the northeast, but I just got a new Matt lures bass hardbait from matt and I tried it out and I think I am really going to like this bait a lot. In a few months I will really know but so far it is great! Thanks Matt! I appreciate it!

To catch winter bass you will need to approach your fishing from a different angle. Try looking in some spots you have previously neglected, and spend more time with your depth finder and fish a little slower, it's hard, but it can be done. In the Potomac, last year in a tournament, the new state record largemouth bass was caught with ice on the water in the "Spoils" during a tournament on a blade bait. It was over 11 pounds. lol Start by looking for flats and other locations with deep water nearby as the fish will move off toward deeper water as fall turns into winter. Largemouths won't move any farther than they have to though.If they were feeding on a hump before, I fish alongside that same hump. If they were feeding up on a pointl, follow that same point out into where it drops off into a channel or a breakline. They get together pretty tight in the winter so you really have to be able to read the electronics to find them and put the bait right on top of them as they won't chase the bait very far. I use a jig with a pork trailer in winter and never forget that there is sometimes a shallow water pattern, especially if you can find any type of green vegetation at all, as it has oxygen that I think increases their metabolism and turns them on at times. Once in Delaware in the winter, using a small jig and light line I caught more than 30 bass in a day that were all decent fish and a few hit 5 pounds. Good luck and tight lines, Steve

Yes, and the biggest females will spawn before any other others and in water traditionally thought to be too cold from what you read. They will also take the best spots and usually the same spots or VERY close by year after year until they are caught or die especially in lakes. The water temperature is key, but the angle of the sun has a lot to do wth it as well. There is much more to it though. lol

Just wanted to take a minute to say hi. I fish for nothing but trophy bass now since I retired in 2005. I used to fish tournaments and run a bass guide service, tackle store, did some radio/tv shows, seminars for Bass Pro Shops and such, but now I just trophy hunt. Got close to a state record several times but missed it by a few ounces, so I am still looking. Been fishing for a long time since the late 60's all over the country from Delaware to California, but moved back East here now permanently since 1991. Still travel around fishing other states though. planning on going over to Japan later this year and back to California if things work out. Talk to you all soon, Steve

I have fished Johnsons a lot and live nearby so if you need some info just let me know.

A lot has been written recently about Manabu Kurita, a 32 year old trophy bass hunter from Japan, about his catch of the new world record largemouth bass. In case you have been living in a cave, he caught a 22.311 pound largemouth bass on July2, 2009, from one of Japan's oldest lakes, Lake Biwa, a 165,000 acre lake, surpassing George Perry's long standing record of 77 years. It is illegal to release bass back into the lake in Japan as the Japanese government considers them an invasive species and is trying to irradicate them and the Bluegill that reside there. This however has nothing to do with the attitude of the majority of Japanese bass anglers or Manabu Kurita regarding this highly prized gamefish. Manabu is one of my closest friends and has proven his dedication and honesty to me many times over in the past year. Many of you may have seen the article that appeared recently in Bassmaster magazine on Manabu Kurita and his trophy hunting tactics. After this article appeared I got many comments on his methods from all over the world, some good, some bad, but, i will tell you now that there is no other trophy bass hunter alive today who is more dedicated and more commited to the pursuit and preservation of trophy largemouth bass than my friend Manabu Kurita. He is shy and unassuming and his honesty is very refreshing. He has taken more giant bass on swimbaits, the "Mother" in particular, which he designed himself, than most other anglers could ever hope to see in their lifetime. Before he landed the new world record bass this year, he already held the lake record for Lake Biwa, with an 18 pound behemoth he caught in 2008 on the "Mother' swimbait. Congratulations to Manabu Kurita. He is a true trophy hunter dedicated to the pursuit of world record bass like no other. I am proud to say that in the past year he has become one of my closest friends, Another person who helps him a great deal but receives no real credit is Reika Ishaguro who designs his website, communicates his thoughts and wishes to me and others, and also is a great angler in her own right.

LOCATION AND RAMPS The Nanticoke River is located in both Delaware and Maryland, and runs through several small towns all the way to the Chesapeake Bay. There are two ramps that you can access from Delaware. Phillips landing is the most popular. It has a big parking lot with room for about 30 boats and trailers. It has two ramps that can be reached by taking rt.13a to the town of Bethel, going over the Bethel bridges, and past the Bethel hole to Portsville. Take your second right after Portsville Pond, and follow the signs to Phillips landing. The other ramp can be reached by turning off rt.13, and taking rt. #20 west, down to Shipley Street in Seaford, and following the green signs to the launching ramp. There are restroom facilities, and room for about 40 trailers. There are two ramps there with deep water and good docks. LOCATIONS AND LURES The best location to start searching depends on the time of the year. In the spring from April to the end of May, launch at Phillips landing, and head to the right towards Broad Creek. About 1/4 mile up, past the lily pads on the left hand side, is a series of laydowns, and underwater boulders. The sun hits this area all day, and warms the water up a few degrees more than the rest of the area. Start working all the visible structure, laydowns, etc.with a fast moving bait such as a 3/8 ounce Terminator Spinnerbait in chartruese/white, with tandem blades. If you don't get any takers in a short time, rework the same area with a crankbait parallel to the pads and in the wood. You should have a spider grub rigged on a spinning rod also, with 6-8 pound test line. Brown/orange or watermelon are a good choice. If you can't locate any bass in this area, then continue up into Broad Creek, all the way towards the Bethel Hole. Work the bridge pilings and the wood on the turn before the Bethel Hole, with a black/blue tube bait, jig, and a buzzbait. If these locations fail to produce, turn on the outboard and head back towards Phillips Landing. Proceed past the ramps, and make a turn at the main channel towards the Woodland Ferry. There will be a series of docks and pilings a short distance before the Woodland ferry that should be worked well with a buzzbait and spinnerbait, then move in closer and flip a black/blue jig or a Senko. After working these docks, cross over to the entrance of the creek, and work the mouth with a spinnerbait and a buzzbait, then work all the wood with a jig and a Senko. Next, move down to the Ferry crossing, and throw small worms and Senkos right up against the sea wall, being careful of the ferry and the cable. After leaving this area, head up river towards Maryland to the next major creek on your right. There is a lot of wood there that should be worked thoroughly with spinnerbaits and buzzbaits first, then rework the same area with the jig and Senko. Many times while searching for bass here you will run into some decent size Stripers. BEST TIMES The best time to work these areas is the first two hours of the incoming tide, and the last two hours of the outgoing tide. Three days prior to a new moon in April are best, but other times produce with a little patience. Many 2-3 pound bass are caught in this area. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS When all else fails, run up into "Broad Creek," on either tide, and work the Bethel hole with tube baits and Senkos cast directly up on the bank and then pull them slowly into the water. This is a bass spawning area, and only one of a few on the river, so be respectful, and practice catch and release. BAIT STORES AND LICENSE A&K tackle has a variety of lures and bait, and are open year round. You don't need a freshwater license in Delaware to fish tidewater, but you need both a Freshwater and Bay Sport license in Maryland. The weekends will have a lot of boat traffic, jet skis and the like, but all in all, most people are pretty respectful. There is a variety of wildlife along the river to enjoy, so take the whole family sometimes. It will keep them occupied all day.