Sam

Great having you with us. Keep us posted on your fishing adventures. Welcome to the Forum.

This has been a hot topic in the bass fishing and environmental industries. Maryland has instituted a program that mandates all bass caught be released when fishing within specific areas of the upper Chesapeake and Potomac River. This test project is designed to find out once and for all if leaving bedding fish alone improves the spawn for that year. Personally, I don't fish bass beds. Just me. Others I know do and without regard to any damage that may be done. Their goal is to do their best when fishing and if a bass loses its bed then that's too bad. That's them. Catching one male off a bed will not hurt the spawn. But multiply that catch by thousands within one body of water and damage may occur. Stay tuned for the Maryland study results. Will be interesting.

Flyers? Did I hear Flyers? Out again this year? Bring back Bobby and the Broadway Bullies!

Awful. I hate to read about a young person passing. As parents, we take it for granted that our children do not have hidden health problems. Pediatricians do some physical workups but not on the level that adults have done when they have adult physicals. It depends on the doctor if the child gets a full physical (now free under Federal law for everyone) or a partial one that may not diagnose problems. One of my high school classmates died from leukemia. Doctors finally figured it out after a football game when his bruises would not heal and he was getting continually more tired each day. He was 17 and a senior. T&P for the family and friends. Can't think of anything worse than losing a child.

Thanks for viewing. Contacted someone down at the lake and they filled me in with some great information. Ready to rock and roll!

A dog is something special. All love and devotion. Been through it before, as you are doing now. Very sorry for your loss. Just remember that the dog had a great life with you and you have some wonderful memories. This may sound strange, but I still have the ashes of my favorite dog, Cricket, in a Chinese vase in my man-cave. She passed away in 1988. Just can't bring myself to spread them in the yard. Take care and remember that you have many guys and gals supporting you at this time.

You had a good 10-second fight and you did not have to get you hands dirty removing the hook and then releasing her back into the water. The catch counts!!!!!

X2.

Thanks guys, about the cotton cloth. I will change to spraying the line with the product and let it sit overnight. I will also ask the pro about using a cotton cloth. You always can learn new tricks on this site. Special salute to J for starring the discussion.

I know a number of people who are educated in the law but no longer practice. Law can chew you up and spit you out. As stated above, try the firefighter's occupation. Just because you went to college and then law school does not mean you have to practice law. It means you are trainable. And working for yourself and not some idiot or large company without any loyalty to you and your family is extremely rewarding. I started my own company back in 1989 and have been thankful that so far, it is successful. I get upset when I hear of layoffs and the automation installed to let people go so take charge and start your own company and enjoy the benefits. Plus, you have more time to fish!!!! Let us know what you do.

info@bassquestmagazine.com bassquestmagazine.com 20470 Jacklight Lane Bend, Oregon 97702

Water level is over 307 on Buggs which is fantastic but so far all I can find out is that the water temp is around 65*. Anyone out there fish the reservoir and could tell me if it is heavy stained or dirty? With all of the rain we have had I would think the water would be stained to muddy. I will be fishing on Buggs this weekend, May 14 and 15. Thanks for the help. Sincerely appreciate any feedback.

Bass Chaser, it is like riding a bike. You never forget. Of course, everything has changed in 43 years but you will have no problem picking up the basics and then expanding your fishing baits and techniques. Lots of fun leaning how to bass fish so don't be bashful and ask your questions. We are here to help you as best we can.

J Bab, you take a wash cloth and spray a "wet spot" on it with the KVD or other conditioning product. Using your thumb and forefinger to hold the "wet spot" you then run the line through it while spooling the reel. You respray the area while spooling to keep it moist. You can also spray the product on the line on the spool from time to time to have it soak in. A pro told me that when the line is manufactured it has a "powder" on it that needs to be removed. I have no idea if this is true or not and boil all the hype down to confidence. If you have confidence the line will perform better with the line conditioner then by all means use it. If you don't think it makes a difference then don't worry about it. As for KVD comparing with Blakemore Reel Magic, I like the KVD product best just because I have more confidence in it. I have no scientific studies to compare the two. I also have used the BPS line conditioner and I suppose it does what the KVD product is supposed to do. Once again, I have no earthly idea. So if you are more confident using the product please do so. Otherwise, I have no idea how much of an improvement in line control or casting ability the product adds to your fishing. Good luck.

I have to go get ready for our crawfish boil today but here is a listing of the different levels of tournaments as I head out of the door. Each has their own nomenclature within their organizations. Independent Tournaments Club Tournaments Regional Tournaments in different areas of one state for their Member Clubs State Federation Tournaments for the highest ranking Club members in any one state State vs State Tournaments for BASS and FLW state teams BASS and FLW Open Tournaments for Everyone wishing to enter Elite Series Tournaments for the Professionals, only Classic Tournaments for the Professionals and invited individuals, only Hopefully some of you will flush out this list and add to it as necessary. The nomenclatures you threw out can be confusing.

Sieberts and War Eagle.

Big Bass, please add a your location to your avatar so we can help you better. Also, introduce yourself so we will have some background information. I have never had any altercations fishing on the bank or in a boat. If I did, I would walk away.

Cootz, it depends on the tournament rules. Some tournaments have minimum motor and boat length requirements. For those who don't and allow you to use your jon boat you can do very well by fishing adjacent to and near the ramp. You don't need to run 25 miles at 70 MPH to find a place to fish, especially if the ramp is used by other tournaments and the bass are released at that site. I have seen many tournaments won in the creek by the ramp where the weigh-ins take place. As stated above, you will need a live well to qualify your jon boat. Go for it. Have some fun and see how you do.

Depending on the topography around the lake or pond's banks sometimes it is to your advantage to wear your PFD if there is a chance of falling in the water. Some fishing holes have rough banks with lots of trees and overhangs and some have deep holes along the bank that we have no idea are there. If you do not believe you need the PFD then don't wear it. When fishing the Historic James River from the bank or wading out into the river I wear the PFD. At my double secret pond I don't unless I wade out or take one of the boats out. Personal preference. Just remember: you can't control water or electricity. Both can be more powerful than we think we are.

Outstanding! Good luck for the upcoming tournament.

Interesting question. I read about a study where gasoline on plastics did not defer the bass bite. Then there is Dr. Keith Jones of Pure Fishing/Berkley Fishing who says molecules have to be a specific size for the bass to pick them up for taste and smell and he has run some interesting tests using different flavors and then noting the bass' response to each. The chemicals with the largest molecules did not do well in the tests. As for me, anything that is not designed for bass fishing does not touch my baits, including the residue from my lunch's ham sandwich. Of course you know that when you apply your bug spray try to note which way the wind is blowing so you won't contaminate your baits, especially those that are hanging on your stored rods on the deck. So slather up, hit the water and have a fun time.

1. Walk 50-feet from bank when moving from place to place. 2. Use a "fan" pattern for all presentations. Go right to left and then left to right each time you change baits or techniques or places. Use this "fan" pattern a few times and be patient. 3. Think of your body of water as a giant ice cube. Along the bank gets warmer than the deeper part. The bass will use the bank to feed and enjoy the warmer water. Always look straight down as your new personal best could be resting at your feet. 4. Wear a PFD in case you fall into the water. Do not wear waders unless you are sure of the bottom composition. 5. Use all baits in your arsenal. Start with topwaters then go to moving baits and then to your plastics. The fish will tell you what they want and at what depth. 6. Always bring your needle nose pliers with you. 7. Bring a swimming pool thermometer to check the water temperature. At this time you are seeking the warmest water you can find. Remember, the north and west banks heat up the fastest as they receive the most sunlight. 8. Hit all structure in the water as you can a number of times. 10-casts to one piece of structure with the same bait is a start. 9. The dam side of the pond or lake is the deepest. 10. Try to find any drop offs and fish them. 11. Don't forget drinks and snacks. Use zinc oxide as a sun screen. Expensive but the best you can use. And have a flap on the back of your fishing cap to help keep the sun off your neck and ears. 12. Have fun. Bank fishing is a blast and you can really enjoy yourself along the bank.

Great news! Keep us posted on your progress.

Don't you mean "The HISTORIC James River"??????? Good job. Congrats. Fishing the upper Historic James is always fun as it is not a tidal river and flows the same most of the time, fast and slow. Sorry to have to write that there are not many places to fish from the bank from Bosher's Dam up to Watkins Landing. The Robious Landing Park is one place; the American Legion Post is another, when it is open, and then Watkins Landing area along the bank is a third. Let us know how you do in the future along the bank of the river. Put in at Watkins Landing and go upriver for smallies and down river for largemouth. Watch the river's flow so if you go down river you don't need to have a problem getting back to Watkins. On a day when the water is flowing slowly you will have a blast and you can join the other kayakers who are on the water having fun.

Bailey, let me tell you a funny story. Fishing on Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) out of Eastland Creek a number of years ago in a club tournament, the weather turned on us and the white caps and heavy waves started to appear in the afternoon. One of the guys in the club had no fish for the day and with a 4 PM weigh-in time he knew his goose was cooked as it was 2:30, rough water, and it was going to take him about 45 minutes to an hour to fight the water back to the weigh-in creek. He pulled into a cove to rest and decided to try his "luck." And did it pay off. He landed his five fish on five casts (as he told us) and ran away with the win with over 16 pounds. Had the weather been nice he 1) would have never gone into that little cove and 2) the bass probably would not have been in the cove as they got out of the rough water. So luck can have something to do with successful bass fishing (like the time I landed one waiting to trailer the boat at the Hopewell City ramp on the Appomattox River) but for the most part, it is time on the water and the understanding of all of the elements that you have to take into consideration to find the bass and entice them to bite some sort of silly looking bait you are throwing.