Sam

X2. When throwing any bait you need to know how it feels without being hit. This means you have to throw the bait and then concentrate on how it feels via your finger on the line and how you point your rod tip. You do this a few times to get a good "feel" of your presentation. Once you believe you have a good "feel" of a free floating bait, be it a plastic, jig, treble hook bait, etc, you will then know when to set the hook when the bait "feels different." I was fishing a few years ago when I flipped my Senko to the bank and the line just stopped falling. I thought maybe the Senko had landed on a stump. I remembered the "feel rule" from a previous seminar, so I reeled in the slack and set the hook. A beautiful three pound lady joined me a few seconds later. Seems she was just sitting there, minding her own business, when my Senko floated past her so she sucked it in and held it in her mouth. I knew something was "different" so I set the hook. Remember, once the bass sucks in the bait you have seconds to either set the hook or let the bass spit out the bait. This is another reason to use your favorite scent so that the bass will hold the bait in its mouth for a few seconds longer. And sight and feel are critical, too. You have to keep your eye on your line at all times when fishing Senkos and also your index finger on the line coming off the reel. On many occasions you will not feel the hit but you will see the line move to the right or left. When that happens, you take a deep breath and set the hook hard over your head. Keep using and experimenting with your Senkos and soon enough you will be a Senko pro!

Hey Big 'un, who goes fishing in the rain? If it does rain then you can leave the plug out as long as you remember to put it back in at the ramp. The weather is always beautiful for the guys and gals on the Forum. We never have to worry about fishing in the rain!

Here is Mike's web page: https://discoverthejames.com/?q=content/mike-ostrander

Wow! A most unusual person. Glad you met him and hope you can keep in touch. Using our hands to build things these days is a thing of the past. Our ancestors had to do these things since there was no Walmart down the road. And the quality of the materials and workmanship are of the highest quality. No assembly line or fake wood items. I go to a guy in Powhatan, Virginia, who repairs rods and reels. He too makes parts for the rods and reels he is fixing. He will allow you to sit down (after you shoo the dog away) in the other chair in his work room and you can watch him work his magic. Maybe this guy will let you do the same when he is working on something. Thanks for sharing.

Congrats! You did good!!!!! One small suggestion: always put in the drain plug and unplug the extension cord to the battery charger when you leave home. Make this the one thing you always do when going out in the boat. Have fun and be safe.

Welcome, Hugh. Wonderful having you with us. Lots of Virginia guys and gals on the Forum so ask your questions and keep us posted on your progress. Check out the Richmond Fishing Expo and mark it on your calendar. It is off I-95 at Meadow Park past Kings Dominion about two miles down the road. I believe it is in January. Great place to meet people in the fishing world and see the products they are selling. Welcome!

Well Pond, me and my buddy came in second in our club's Mattaponi River tournament with me catching the tournament big fish at 3.5 pounds. A good catch on the Mattaponi. I caught three of our five keepers and we both nailed dink after dink after dink until 12:30. All were just under 12 inches. Fat, happy, and with good coloring, but just children and we were looking for the adults. And we had our five keepers by 12:30 when it started to get very hot on the river. Otherwise, went to Green Top to refresh my Senko stash of favorites. Still have to clean up the boat. Will try to do that tomorrow. Today is Saturday, football day in my house.

No, but it is great! Thanks for sharing. Love it!!!!!

Hey Boat, maybe the young man can play football! Vols will be back. Just a hiccup on the road to victory. October 19th the Vols will put it together and defeat Bamasux.

Contact Mike as he may know who guides the upper Historic James River. https://discoverthejames.com/?q=content/mike-ostrander

Super! Always great to stumble on old lures and tackle. You did great.

Have not heard a word about Gaston. Probably will be a tournament out of Holly Grove Marina so you will have bass boats in Great and Holly Grove creeks plus other places that have produced in the past. If you have a GMCO map of Lake Gaston "personal message" me and I can send you some places. In the meantime, think: 1. Ned Rig 2. Carolina Rig 3. Spinnerbaits/Chatterbaits with white skirts or white and chartreuse skirts 4. Buzzbaits/Whopper Ploppers 5. Wacky Senkos 6. Trick Worms on a Shaky Head 7. Drop Shot 8. Crankbaits - Sexy Shad 9. 1/4 or 1/2 Silver with Blue Back Rat-L-Traps 10. 1/2 ounce Blue and black with blue pig jigs. Notice I do not have swimbaits listed as I have lost so many beautiful swimbaits on Lake Gaston I refuse to throw them anymore. As for colors, the usual: Watermelon with Black Flake, Green Pumpkin with Black Flake, Junebug, and Watermelon Red. The shad will be "balling" so you can consider adding silver spoons to the list if you have thrown silver spoons before. From Holly Grove you can motor up to Smith Creek by I-81 and then hit Hawtree on the way down river. Way too many places to try to list for you so PM me if you have a GMCO map. Let us know how you do. Good luck.

I attach buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, Chatterbaits and crankbaits with a snap to the split ring and have never had any problems. I do use yellow riding tractor fuel hose cut into small pieces on the buzzbaits and spinnerbaits to hold the snap in place.

Good story. Never have been close to one although we did see them in the Gulf of Mexico a few times when I was a teenager fishing with my uncles and cousins. Quite a sight to see and I am glad you are OK.

Update? How did surgery go?

Louisiana governor scored a bunch of the Popeyes special sandwiches for the team's visit to Baton Rouge. The kids loved it. Now onto the White House and hopefully to be introduced before a game in Tiger Stadium, which will top the White House visit. And then introduced before an LSU baseball game next year where each player has to give Coach Mainieri their name, address, and phone number.

Saints-Texans game was wild. Texans will do some damage this year. As long as Drew is healthy, the Saints will be a threat to go all the way. And it was nice to see the NFL apologize for the "no call" in last year's NFC championship game that cost the Saints a trip to the Super Bowl. At least you could consider it an apology as the NFL finally admitted their refs blew the call.

Yes, and it is a staple on the Mattaponi River in Virginia.

Be extremely careful when venturing into Winterpock Swamp. Lots of tree stumps and boulders. There is an "old river channel" along the Chesterfield County shoreline that you have to follow. Seems you found it on your map. Good fishing in the Swamp but it is dangerous to venture into the area without knowing what you are doing.

With the temperatures starting to fall the bass will start to feed for the winter. Be patient and wait. Sooner or later they will be biting.

Glad to have you with us. Flyers fan????

Match the hatch. What is the forage and best colors to mimic it? Then make your selection of plastics, jigs, and hard baits. The bass will tell you what they want and at what depth.

You can't beat the Grand Ole Oprah even if it is known to everyone. What about Jefferson's estate? Interesting tour.

Nothing like a good frog bite. Thanks for sharing. You did fantastic!!!