Sam

http://www.lakegastonguide.com/?q=node/17

I called BASS headquarters today and spoke with a wonderful guy who is an Elite Tournament Director. He told me the reasons the Classic is held in March. First, with football season starting in September and ending in January, that part of the calendar is off the table. Follow that up with the heat of summer and you fall back into late winter or early spring, i.e. March. And yes, the weather is a crap shoot. But the weather will always be a crap shoot no matter the time of the year or venue. What he did not say was that getting a convention hall, parking, good ramps, great fishing, restaurants and hotel/motel rooms is also something that has to be taken into consideration. So that, in a nutshell, are the reasons the Classic is held in March of each year, subject to change, of course.

Yes, it is the first day of spring today. We are having up to 2-inces of snow forecasted for Virginia, with a lot more heading north. But wait!!!!! It is not over. Check out what Dave says on Wxrisk.com about this Sunday: Snow Dog! Wxrisk.com March 19, 2018 ARE YOU ALL READY FOR THE PUNCHLINE ? I'm sure many you are thinking that this Wed event is the last one for the season. Well as Yoda said to OBI-WAN in Star Wars Episode 5......"no, there is another..." Some of the models are taking the Next system and dropping it much further south as it comes in from Ohio. The Monday afternoon European has a pretty decent snowstorm for much of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware on Sunday March 25...

I called and was told to call back tomorrow when they are open. I have to speak to an Elite Tournament Director. Will let all know what I was told.

Ryan, that is the $64,000 question. I was told why it was done this way but I don't remember. I guess we could come up with a number of reasons but I am going to contact BASS and ask them. Will let you and the guys know what I find out.

Remember, forget the above water temperature. Go for the water temperature as that is a major factor in bass behavior. It could be in the 40's with water temps in the 60's, or vise versa. You stick with the water temperature and wait for the spawn to end and you will do great.

I like to get close. Usually I nail the dock, pier, piling, boat house doors, boats, motors, stumps or watch my attempt get hung up on the walkway to the boat house, on the wood under the boat house, tree limbs or over hanging weeds before and during my attempts and then I nail it! Perfect cast; super skip; everything went as planned. Am I happy or what? I am usually within 10-yards of my targets. Sometimes I will go back to 15-yards but with accuracy more important than distance the closer you can get to the area you want to skip the better you will be. But not too close to spook the bass. Just remember to end up with your rod tip pointed at the location where you want the bait to go and don't put a lot of force behind the wrist cast. A nice, easy fluid cast with rod tip pointing at the target is what you are seeking. As you practice your skipping you can nail those bass hiding under the docks, piers and boat houses plus under tree limbs and overhanging weeds without hitting the trees, boat houses, piers, docks, etc.

Slade, please note my input below: Ok so the dogwood trees are not flowers yet but there are these white and pink trees that started to bloom near my house - CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES. THEY FOOL US EVERY YEAR. GIVE THE DOGWOODS A FEW MORE WEEKS TO BLOSSOM. no I have not tried a wacky rigged senko - WHY NOT? GOOD BAIT. TRY COLORS 194 OR 297 PLUS 174. OR THE COLOR OF YOUR CHOICE. yet I have tried a lipless and have done that ripping thru the grass thing but hadn’t had any luck - KEEP TRYING. GO WITH A RED OR ORANGE COLOR. IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, GET YOUR MOM'S ORANGE NAIL POLISH AND PUT DOTS ON EACH SIDE BY THE EYES. REMOVE REAR HOOK IF THEY START TO GET HUNG UP. MAY HELP REDUCE HANG UPS. YOU CAN ALSO DOWNSIZE YOUR LIPLESS CRANKBAITS TO A SMALLER SIZE. BUT WITH THE BASS ON THEIR BEDS THEY WILL NOT BE INTERESTED IN ANY CRANKBAIT OF ANY TYPE. yes the bass move to make beds in the shallow water but only when it’s warm for like 3 weeks then they go back when it gets cold again but when it was warm and I could see them I threw a Ned rigged white grub on a 1/8 ounce jig head and they just looked at they saw it and would move there heads but did not want to bite it even when it was right in front of them - NORMAL "BASS ON THEIR BEDS" BEHAVIOR. YOU CAN THROW ANYTHING YOU WANT AND UNLESS YOU AGGRAVATE THEM THEY WILL NUDGE YOUR BAIT OUT OF THE BED OR JUST IGNORE IT. TRY A LIZARD ON A SHAKY HEAD JIG HEAD AND DRAG IT SLOWLY THROUGH THE BED. AND AS STATED ABOVE, THEY WILL IGNOR YOUR CRANKBAIT SELECTIONS PLUS OTHER MOVING BAITS. YOU HAVE TO DRAG YOUR PLASTICS THROUGH THE BED TO GET THEM TO HIT IT. AND MANY TIMES THEY JUST WON'T HIT YOUR PRESENTATIONS. it says the water temp is 67 in lake Norman but I don’t fish there so what am I doing wrong? - NOTHING. 67* IS PERFECT FOR SPAWNING. THEY ARE ON THEIR BEDS SO YOU HAVE ABOUT TWO TO THREE WEEKS FOR THEM TO START TO BITE ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE LARGE FEMALES WILL TAKE ABOUT 3 TO 5 DAYS OFF RECUPERATING AND THE SMALLER BUCK BASS WILL LEAVE THE FRY AND TAKE OFF LOOKING FOR SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT, LIKE A GIRL SCOUT COOKIE (JUST KIDDING). REMEMBER, THE BASS WILL SPAWN IN STAGDES. THE MORE POWERFUL ONES FIRST FOLLOWED DURING THE NEXT TWO TO THREE WEEKS BY THE SMALLER ONES. LOOK FOR "WHITE SPLOTCHES" ON THE BOTTOM WHERE THE MALE HAS FANNED THE SLOP AWAY WAITING FOR HIS GIRL FRIEND TO ARRIVE. KEEP ON FISHING WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN EACH YEAR SO DON'T GET UPSET WHEN YOU GET SKUNKED. IT IS PART OF THE BASS LIFE CYCLE. FOLLOW UP AND LET US KNOW HOW YOU DO NOW AND IN A MONTH. Slade- SAM

No problem. Just walk up and down the aisles and select one of each type and color of all baits offered. Sounds like fun to me.

ICAST is a manufacturer's showcase for new products. Happens in all industries. The construction industry has their show in Las Vegas each year. At these shows orders are submitted for the new products and friendships are reignited. Great show for those in the fishing industry. So get good grades; get your college degree in marketing; apply and get a job with a fishing manufacturing company; and maybe, just maybe, you can go to a future ICAST on behalf of your employer. I sincerely hope one day you can attend an ICAST event and enjoy making new friends and contacts in the bass fishing industry.

Drop shot with a finesse worm in Junebug. Will keep bait off the bottom and out of the slop and above the grass and the bass will have an easier time seeing it. Now, what is the water temperature? Have the smaller males started to move up to make their beds? What stage are the dogwood trees' blooms? Senkos. Have you thrown any unweighted wacky Senkos? Rat-L-Trap lipless baits. Have you thrown any lipless crankbaits? Should I go on????? Check out the water temperature and the Charlotte area dogwood trees ass they may be in bloom meaning the bass are on their nests and will not hit your baits. Let us know about all of the above so we can help you and consider adding Charlotte to your avatar so we will know where you are located. Thanks.

Today is the day this trophy will be given away.

Well Mike, first, thank you for your service. Second, you are stationed in a state that has fantastic bass and redfish/speckled trout fishing. Third, you are stationed in a state that has some of the best hunting you can ask for. Fourth, if you jump out of perfectly good airplanes you will fit in with us with no problems. Just remember two things: 1) wear purple and gold when you hunt and fish and 2) yell "Geaux Tigers" when you set that hook. Super having you with us. Welcome to the Forum.

Festivus, I remember seeing a rock in a creek and on top of this rock was an acorn. Then, I noticed a squirrel in a tree eyeing the acorn. The squirrel came down the tree, jumped on the rock and went for the acorn. Just then, this big bass (had to be 10 pounds) jumped out of the water, grabbed the squirrel and ate it in one bite. When the water calmed down, would you believe that big bass then jumped out of the water and spit that acorn back on the rock?

I look at the end of the day's leaderboard. Weather today will make it tough. Will be interesting to see who makes the cut.

Wow, EG! You have some great results now. Way to go!!!! A tungsten weight is smaller but it transmits what it hits better than the lead weights. However, you need a heavy lead weight to drag to find what you think is on the bottom. You use the 1/2 to 1-ounce weight to find structure and if you get snagged you have not lost a valuable tungsten weight. Keep on mapping that pond, without getting into it, of course.

Though he threatened to move the Saints to Mississippi during negotiations with the City of New Orleans many years ago, Tom Benson was a great guy. Glad he saw the Saints win a Super Bowl. RIP Mr. Benson. P.S. He won the negotiations with the City, too. ?

From the LSU baseball Facebook page: Our thoughts and prayers are with Texas Baseball, Cal State Fullerton Baseball and Illinois Baseball after the passing of legendary baseball coach, Augie Garrido. ‬ ‪We were privileged to have him at The Box earlier this season and are forever grateful for his contributions to college baseball.‬

Male - Johnny Cash Female - Dolly Parton Confused - Bruce Jenner

We have "Florida Strain Bass" in the Chickahominy River and now, due to the weigh-ins at Osborne Landing on the Historic James River, we have the large Florida Strain Bass in the James, too. I was told by a guy in the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries that our local bass will spawn with the Florida Strain Bass. That is why the guys who blast off at Osborne Landing or (Follow the Dead Fish to) Hopewell run like crazy to the Chickahominy River and race to the dam. They want those large Florida Strain Bass. It is like the Indy 500 on the water at blast off.

EG, as the days, weeks and years go by you will learn the pond. For starters, look up the "Carolina Rig" and set one up using a one-ounce weight (or at least a half-ounce weight) with no hooks or baits. Use a braid line to have the best conductor of communication via the weight and line back to your fingers. Just tie the weight onto the braid and you are ready to hit the pond. Then walk around the pond and throw the rig, reeling it back to yourself slowly. You can use a "fan" pattern every where you stop to throw the rig. The weight will move over what is on the bottom giving you an idea of any structure (wood, tires, bushes, grass, etc.) that is on the bottom that the bass will be attracted. If the weight gets hung up and you have to cut your line, congratulations! You have just found some structure that will attract the bass. You can do the same with a "MOJO" rig. The weight is a cylinder type which can move over structure easier and may not get hung up as often. By doing this you will be able to locate any underwater structure that will hold bass. But that's not all!!!!!! Draw a map. Yes, draw a map of what you feel on the bottom. Then fish the areas to find the most productive locations. And keep a fishing log for every day you fish the pond. Check out the Free Fishing Log in the "Tools" section of this page on the upper right hand side. Good luck and have fun with your recon mission and map drawing.

X2

Could have another storm next week. Stay tuned! X2. At least "bud out."

Glad they found it and glad you are with us.

X2. I have seen a large female taking it easy by resting in the sun next to a pier on Lake Gaston after she spawned. She was not interested in anything we offered.