Sam

Big Bill, prostrate cancer WILL hit all of us if we live long enough. Nothing we can do about it other than to have it checked on an annual basis along with a blood test. My doctor tells me that you have to have a "PSA Starting Point" to measure any PSA increases. If there is a big jump in your PSA then you have a serious problem. I don't mind the prostate cancer test. I really go bonkers when the doctor grabs the "boys" to check them out.

Welcome, Matt. Be sure to post pics of what you and your son catch.

Bass, Capitan Bill told us that two brothers landed a 10 and an 8 at the same time on one of his past trips. Bill also added that another Capitan had a larger one caught by one of his anglers. I am sure they are there but as in bass fishing, they are not caught on every cast. We all need to fish Bill Dance's private ponds where he films his TV and DVD shows and have the chummer (off camera) do his job for us.

WxSouth This could end up being quite the Winter pattern for folks in the Southeast and East in general. With the big January storm, the now incoming cold spell, and another bigger cold outbreak this Weekend.....all topped off with a Major Winter Storm arriving Sunday Night, into next week. As you know by climatology, the favored "mid February" timeframe is about here, and the last few years (and many years) there is a Winter event in part of the Southeast and East Coast. Like clock work, the models are showing that very setup happening, starting late Sunday in the Tennessee Valley to Delta regions, spreading over much of the Southeast Monday and up the East Coast Tuesday. European model has been very insistent on this setup. The cold air coming in next weekend is true hardcore ARCTIC INVASION well to Georgia. Immediately, a weak wave dropping through the Rockies begins to tap Gulf moisture and it grows with time, covering a huge chunk of the Southeast and it's throwing out some impressive snowfall numbers into Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas and up the into the Mid-Atlantic. Blockbuster numbers. But it's early yet. There's still plenty of time to watch this unfold. This particular storm looks to have extremely cold air in place, very far south, for the event, unlike many that are a "close call". As always, at this far out date there's more questions than answers, like the exact track, how much moisture, the angle of the amplifying wave, and if thunderstorms could develop to really foul up the snow and ice totals for some locations. For now, I've broad brushed the basic region that appears to be most at risk for a Winter Storm.

Try to get "Captain Bill." Tell him Sam, Scott and Fisher sent you. He is very entertaining and if you want you can throw your own tackle, baits and hooks/sinkers. There is a lot of underwater weeds so if you use your own tackle be ready to lose some. I lost a beautiful bass when she ran under an underwater root or weed and we had to break off. Bummer. Have fun.

Gardner, you will have a good trip. Bass are beautiful and very healthy. As they say at Disney, "have a magical day!"

Son, grandson and I fished the Disney World lakes last week and we had a blast. Scott is pictured below with a five pounder and I caught 4 3-pounders and over a dozen between one and half up to two and a half pounders. Grandson got to reel in a lot of them for us. Photo below is with one of the ones he landed. He was afraid of the bass at first but got the hang of it and had a good time. We lost count of the number we caught around 18 to 20. We had a great four hour trip and now I can take it off my bucket list. Special thanks to "Captain Bill" who made us feel at home and he helped my grandson have a good time. LikeCommentShare

Adam, please go to the Introductions section and introduce yourself. Then add your location to your avatar so we can know where you live to give you better advice. Favorite places to fish will also be helpful. If you look at the top of the page you will see the word, LINKS. Hit it and look for Bass Fishing Clubs. Go to Indiana and see if there is an FLW or BASS link to either or both Federations. You can contact them with your queries or specific clubs in your geographical area. Here is the line for you: http://www.bassresource.com/bassfish/bass_fishing_clubs.html We have no idea of your experience; are you in high school, college or trade school; if you are working; what is your fishing level; if you have ever fished any tournaments before; and I am sure a lot of other questions if the guys and gals start to answer your question. Welcome to the Forum and good luck with your tournaments. And Adam, the Chickahominy/James River June 4th tournament is a tidal river. Have you ever fished a tidal river before? If not, you need someone to give you pointers about tides. If so, then you are ready to rock and roll. To get to the Chick from Osborne Landing is a 45-minute trip in good water and then another half hour up the Chick to the dam. Lots of money being spent on gas and oil to go from Richmond to the Chick Lake dam and places in-between. Look up the Virginia FLW Federation and they can give you some names of local club presidents who can give you names of guys who can take you fishing. And does the FLW allow you to fish the day before a tournament? Better double check the off-limits times. We welcome you to the Capitol of the Confederacy for your FLW tournament on June 4th.

I know you have not heard those responses from your wife and are just giving us some samples. Only one I have heard, and I have been married since the world was water and son is 40-years old, is "How many fishing poles does a guy need?" But since I don' drink, hang out in bars, go dancing with other women, am completely trustworthy and support her quilting habit, I get to go fishing when ever I want. She and I are heading to Lake Gaston and Buggs Island later this year. She will stay in the room and quilt while I fish and go on the boat if she wants to go for a ride or just read a book as I fish. But there are a lot of insecure and immature women out there that would ask some of the questions you proposed. They want their men all to themselves and fishing can be a nasty habit and mistress.

Please go to the introductions section and introduce yourself. Also, please consider using proper grammar and punctuation so we can understand you better and provide better information. Thanks.

Spinnerbaits and rods are like women's shoes - - - you can never have enough. I have no idea. Probably around 60.

JBO, what is the WATER TEMPERATURE of the place you will be fishing? Air temps are not what you need to consider. It is WATER TEMPERATURE. And being from Cumberland I suppose you are fishing a lake or pond. Please let us know. Like Sandy River, Briery Creek, Cumberland Sate Park, and the other waters in the greater Cumberland area. So what to throw? I have no idea. Are the bass going to be active? In a good mood to hit your baits? Still holding deep? Going shallow to enjoy some warmer water in the sun? Hiding in grass or other underwater structure? Any docks or piers available? Water clarity? Now, with all of the variables above listed I will offer you the following suggestions: Early Morning Poppers and Cavitrons Morning Lipless Crankbaits such as Rat-L-Traps or Red Eyed Shads Chatterbaits White spinnerbaits with trailer hook Shad colored crankbaits Drop Shot Late Morning into Afternoon Jigs – Blue/Black with a Rage Tail deep blue trailer Drop Shot 1 PM to 3 PM Plastics on the bottom using a Carolina Rig or Shaky Head presentation Go back to your Morning baits Jigs once again Drop Shot 3 PM to 6 PM With water cooling as sun goes down they will go deep Jigs Carolina Rig Shaky Head Drop Shot What ever worked earlier in the day No one can give you the "magical bait" that will kill them. If they are in a bad mood they will ignore your bait. If they are hungry, aggravated or in competition with another bass they will clobber your baits. It is up to you to find what bait and technique they like to establish your pattern. So don't rely on the above as 100% correct. It will depend on their mood when you find them. And they will be all over the place, just not in a hurry to kill or eat your bait. Don't forget to wear your PFD, have lunch, stay hydrated, keep out of the sun, use sunscreen, wear a hat or cap, wear polarized sun glasses, have second change of clothes with you, don't' for get your rods, reels and tackle, bring two additional baitcasters and spinning reels just in case you get the backlash from Chicago, retie your knots after every two or three fish, check your line for abrasions, cuts, knicks and if you find any cut them out and retie, take your cell phone so you can send photos to your buddies of what you catch and post them on the Forum, have your safe boating operators certificate, fishing license and drivers license with you on the boat so when the Virginia conservation officers stop you checking your credentials you will be OK, do a Float Plan and leave it with your parents at home so they will know where you are going, be sure your batteries are charged 100%, have your map of the lake at hand and ready to write on it as necessary, and I could go on and on. Just having some fun with you. I know you do all of this, anyway. Good luck and let us know how do on Monday.

Humm. An hour from the upper Potomac. On the Maryland side? Anchor Boats Marina, 36 Iroquois Dr, North East, MD 21901, is a place you can launch your boat and run up the river into the creek area. Just check for tournaments as you don't want to be swallowed up by having 50 boats running around on the day you go fishing. As for the lower Potomac below DC, you can always go to the Willow Marina on the way to Hope Springs on Aquia Creek and head up creek from there. Good fishing in upper Aquia Creek. Look it up by starting at Stafford exit off I-95 and heading to Aquia Creek. It is up creek from Hope Springs. Depends on your setup and what Merc you have. Check with a Mercury Certified Mechanic to find out if your motor has an alternator or if it charges the battery in some other way. if the engine has an alternator then it is charging your starting battery when it runs. If you leave your house early, around 3AM and return late, after 10PM you will eliminate 70% of the traffic on the interstates in your area. If you will add your home location we can give you much better information. Right now we are shooting in the dark. And there is a marina in Aquia, VA that may let you launch your boat. If so, you will be in the middle of the upper Aquia Creek area. Look it up on Google Maps to see where it is. Try these two locations in addition to Willow Landing Marina. 1415 Washington Dr, Stafford, VA 22554 aquiaharbour.org (540) 659-4232 1415 Washington Dr, Stafford, VA 22554 ahyc.org (540) 659-6835

I included your hot side fishing in my post in Southeast Fishing about going stir crazy. Take a look and enjoy! Now go do some homework.

The term "wolf pack" is also used in bass fishing. It is a school of bass seeking out forage. If you are lucky then one day you will hit a bass "wolf pack" and have some fun fishing. Thanks for the story. Very interesting.

Stir crazy this time of year? Are you kidding me? Who goes stir crazy? Not me. I am fully sane. I don't totally crave to go fishing. In fact, my good friend, The Bait Monkey, and I are looking over all of my baits. I have all of my baits all over the house. In the kitchen. In the den. In the bathrooms. In the garage. In the dining room. In each of the four bedrooms. In the hall closet. In my Man Cave. Stir Crazy? Not me. I have it all under control. Yes, under control. With the curtains closed and the blinds shut. No one sees in my house. No one is allowed in my house. Go away. Get lost. Leave me alone. Bait Monkey and me are having fun. Yes, fun. I know those other bass fishermen in Virginia are driving by and watching me. I see them all the time. They are watching me. But they will never find anything out. I am practicing my flipping and pitching in the bath tub by standing on the toilet. Have not caught anything yet but still trying. Bait Monkey says to try lots of baits in lots of colors until I get bit or fall off the toilet. Yes, I am practicing so I can be better. Need to practice. No sleep. No TV. No news. Just flipping and pitching all day long after I reograniae my tackle. I have it together. Never lost it in the first place. Heading out to my Ranger to sit in it. Bait Monkey and I love to sit in the Ranger and turn the steering wheel. I have a fog horn that I blow as neighbors walk or drive by. The Bait Monkey and I love doing this. It is fun. But I have it all together. No problem. I still don't see the problem when the City of Richmond police showed up to ask me what I was doing. I did not let them into the house. I am sure they are from the CIA and want to see all of my baits, rods and reels. So I told them that I had no idea what they were talking about and they left. But I checked around for bugging devices just the same. The Bait Monkey tells me you can't be too safe. Heard some guys went fishing on the Hot Sid of Anna. Not me. Not showing my stuff to anyone until tournament time rolls around. And the Hot Side is not hot, anyway. The Bait Monkey tells me that anyone out there who says the Hot Side is hot is crazy. But I am not crazy. Not me. So I sleep with my rods and reels, making my wife sleep in the guest room. The Bait Monkey likes this. And I stare at the TV until a bass fishing show comes on. But not the Hot Side. No fish on the Hot Side. Everyone stay away from the Hot Side. I will fish it and let you know if there are any fish in it. So yes, I am totally sane. No problems. Looking. Watching. Knowing the CIA is out there. And I bet the CIA is on the Hot Side taking names and boat numbers. Yes. They are all around us. In the trees. In the bushes. Under houses. Using drones. All to spy on me and the Bait Monkey. Yes. Spying on me. I know it. So all is under control at my house. I will continue to keep blinds and curtains shut as I crawl on the floor so they can't see me. I know they are there. Wanting to see my baits, rods and reels. You watch out for them, too. They are sneaky. Check your trash cans. Make sure your high school teachers are not aliens from the planet BASS. They are all around us. I know it. Must go. Bait Monkey just filled up the bathtub and I need to practice my flipping and pitching. Be very careful, my friend. Very careful.

School still closed due to the snow or did you have a "fishing day" off? Great report and so glad you did well. Not too surprised to note the Hot Side was not that hot based on the snow and ice we received last weekend. Keep on trucking!

MV, a few housekeeping suggestions. Please add your location so we can give you better assistance. A guy from California can't be helped by guys in North Carolina regarding specific topics. Boat security is a big issue. Here are some suggestions to consider when traveling with your boat: 1. Purchase a “prop lock” and use it when boat is in storage or at a motel. 2. Look up the various hotels in towns where bass boats can be launched. Call them to find out if they have recharging stations. 3. Ask these motels if they give bass fishermen discounts. 4. Ask these motels if they have private security to guard the bass boats in their parking areas. 5. You can call a local tackle shop and ask for Bed and Breakfast places or private homes who rent out rooms in the area where you will be launching your boat. Be sure they allow you to plug in your battery charger to their outlets. Try to speak to an adult at the tackle store as young people will probably have no idea what you are asking about. 6. Always park your boat with other bass boats in a well illuminated area. 7. Try to park your boat near the front of the motel. 8. Get a room as close to the boat parking area as possible. 9. Always lock your compartments. 10. Always remove all rods and reels plus electronics for the night. 11. Consider installing a local sounding device if anyone tampers with your storage lockers. If nothing else it will scare the perps away. 12. Consider using a lock and key to secure the trailer to your boat hitch so no one can unhook it and drive away. 13. And always remember that it would be fun to shoot the perps if they mess with your boat but please don’t do that. You will be the one who will get into a lot of trouble. Good luck. Let us know what you find out and where you live so we can continue to give you our input. And MV, try locating the president of a local bass club in the geographical area of your lake/river as they can give you input on where to park your boat at night. Remember, you are not calling executives at corporations who will return your call in a prompt manner. You are dealing with busy bass fishermen who will return your call when they can gather the time. So call two or three bass club and the FLW and B.A.S.S. Federation in the state you will be fishing. Check out the "Links" page at the top of the Forum page. You will also have to do some homework on the computer regarding motels and bed and breakfast establishments. Tight Lines.

Dustin, as you know, you can catch bass in the marsh along with redfish, speckled trout, sheepshead, drum, croaker and an occasional baby shark. We used to fish the Biloxi and catch both salt and freshwater species when I was growing up in the Crescent City. I have a good friend who lives in Houma, Louis Melancon. We attended LSU together. Great guy. Ever heard of him? Have gun learning to fish for bass. It is challenging and very rewarding at the same time. And remember two things: 1) always wear your purple and gold when fishing and 2) yell "Geaux Tigers" when you set the hook. Now get some seafood gumbo and a load of crawfish ready so you can celebrate LSU's Number 1 recruiting class next week. And don't forget to post pics and keep us up to date on your exploits with bass fishing.

Fluorocarbon line can be used for buzzbait fishing. Please strongly consider the Cavitron line of buzzbaits. It is the best and it stays on top of the water with fluorocarbon lline.

Lake Gaston

New York strip steak with a baked potato smothered in real butter and sour cream. I would do a gumbo but I don't feel like it this year. Not sure about dessert. Maybe chocolate chip cookies out of the oven to last the second half.

White and red spoon.

Do you know Boudreau???