Sam

Welcome, Clark. Nice having you with us. Now, to answer your query: Everyone on this Forum has an opinion as to where to start so let me share my suggestions with you. Spinning Rigs Easiest to learn and master. Read and view all you can about spinning rods and reels. You can throw any bait and use any line test as long as they are within the rod's parameters. Always keep your finger on the line coming off the reel. Baitcasters Harder to learn and you will get backlashes. But you have to learn how to master the baitcaster. A couple of pro's tricks: Stop Backlashes Open the reel's side door and put the brakes into an "X" position. Check the instructions that come in the box with your reel. Close the cover and rig your baitcaster as you would if you were ready to fish. Go outside after rigging up your baitcaster with your bait ready to fish and adjust your spool tension and drag so that it is not loose. Put your drag where you want it. Point your rod tip to 11 o'clock, press the bar, and release the spool. You want the bait to fall slowly to the ground and have the spool stop when the bait hits the ground. Adjust spool speed accordingly until this happens and while you are fishing. Make smaller adjustments as you wish. Suggestion - do not do this in your home on carpet. The hooks will get stuck in the carpet. Do this on hardwood, in the garage, driveway, street, boat, or in a field. Take a roll of Scotch Tape or Electrical Tape with you outside. After balancing your rod and reel above, cast your line as far as it will go and then take out two or three arm lengths of line. Place a strip of the Scotch Tape or Electrical Tape over the remaining line on the spool. Rewind the line back on the spool. Your line can not go deeper than the tape, stopping bad backlashes. Once you have your baitcaster balanced, the spool will stop when the bait hits the water. In fact, you can start your buzzbait and spinnerbait and Chatterbait and Whopper Plopper retrieves right before these baits hit the water. Balancing Your Rod and Reel Note the line test and bait weight parameters on your rods. Add up the high and low of the line test and divide by 2 to get the optimum line test for that rod. Or, make sure you don't go lower or higher than the line test limitations. Do the same with your baits. Make sure they are within the parameters. Check your baitcast reels and spinning reels to make sure they can handle the line test weight. This information is printed on your reels. One more suggestion: Buying Rods and Reels When you want a new rod or reel you will receive hundreds of suggestions on the Forum and all are valid and good to consider. What I want to pass along is that you take your reels with you that you will be using with the new rods or your rod along with you if you are checking out new reels and rig them up in the store. I mean you take your reel with you and actually put it on the rod to see how it fits, feels and balances. You take your rod with you and put your reel on it to do the same. Just let the store people know the rods and reels are yours when you enter the premises. You can now feel the setups and select the one you like best. In addition, check out the rods for "technique specific" rods. David Frits has a fantastic cranking stick. BPS' $100 rods do great and you can get them on sale in January or February. Look for the pros' drop shots, shaky heads, crankbaits, worm, etc. specific rods and you can't go wrong. Best Tactics and Baits to Learn First 1. Pitching and Flipping 2. Senkos and Stick Baits 3. Crankbaits - including lipless 4. Buzzbaits 5. Poppers 6. Chatterbaits 7. Spinnerbaits 8. Whopper Ploppers 9. Drop Shot 10. Shaky Head Don't fall for every bait hawked by the pros on TV or magazines. You will find the technique and baits you like and have confidence. Experiment. Take your time and experiment. Keep a fishing log of every outing as listed in the "Tools" link above this page. And read, read, read. Subscribe to Bass Anglers Magazine plus other bass fishing publications. Join a bass club as a non boater and learn from those guys. Hit You Tube regarding different fishing videos. Visit the pro's Internet sites, like Woo Daves, for their tips. Watch the weekend fishing shows. "Like" this Forum on Facebook. And before you know it you will be in the Bassmaster Classic! Good luck and have fun experimenting. P.S. Being from Kentucky you have to learn how to bounce a basketball while fishing and never forget the Bluegrass Miracle when LSU won the game on the last play.

Welcome. You are now officially a member!!! ? Glad you are with us and looking forward to reading your posts.

I love to fish for redfish in the Louisiana marsh. Nothing like it in the world. Welcome to the Forum.

Diversity, just the opposite for me. I went to my double secret pond and quit after landing number 35. Missed around 10 to 12 others. The pond has no management so the bass were small ones, about 1/4 to 1 pound each. But it was fun. Sorry your day did not go as well as mine. You will get them next time.

Choked it! Upper Chesapeake Bay. From Pete G.

Country, as you sit in traffic you will have time to look at the map of the Upper James River by GMCO. It shows the classes of the rapids along the river from Scottsville to Richmond. I was incorrect. Seems the Class IV rapids are in the Richmond area. There are no Class IV rapids in the upper James. Thanks for pointing this error to us so it can be corrected.

Congrats. One of the happiest days of my wife's and my lives was when she retired from the IRS. Please keep your federal health insurance if possible. Add it to your Medicare Parts A & B and other than for prescription drugs, all doctor, hospital, lab and X-Ray services are free, other than for the monthly premium you have to pay. Have a wonderful retirement and keep us posted on your articles.

Yes gang, as of July 1st, hurricane season is here. And yes, kickoffs are about 65 days away from the NFL and college football seasons. Here is what one of the larger insurance brokerage houses sent out to their clients about what is expected this year. Of course, take it with a grain of salt as no one knows what will happen. Let's hope that nothing happens regarding hurricanes and "Nor'easters" and we can continue to fish and enjoy the summer and fall with no problems. The post follows: The 2019 Hurricane season officially extends from June 1st to November 30th and predictions from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are for a “near-normal” season with an expected range of 9 to 15 names storms, four to eight which could become hurricanes, including two to four major hurricanes. The 30-year average number of storms in a season is 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. To read the NOAA’s predictions, please click here. The Weather Channel is predicting 13 names storms, five (5) hurricanes and two (2) major hurricane this season. For comparison purposes, there was a total of 15 named storms in 2018, eight became hurricanes and two were considered major storms. A "major" storm is classified as a Category 3 or stronger storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The past two hurricane seasons have been destructive, with four names storms impacting the U.S. coast last year. In fact, over the past three seasons, eight hurricanes were so destructive that their names were retired from further use by the World Meteorological Organization. As you prepare your business for the 2019 hurricane season, please see the attached windstorm checklist. This checklist is designed to provide you with the suggested actions to take before, during and after a storm and it is recommended that this be reviewed well before any approaching storm and tailored as needed. Additional information can be found at the National Hurricane Center website If we've learned anything from prior storms, preparation is critical. Now is the time to re-evaluate emergency plans and update as needed. Key personnel and stakeholders should also be reminded of critical emergency communication and business continuity procedures. Regular site inspections should be performed to identify potential hazards that can be remediated before a storm event. Also, your broker should be advised of any changes to schedules of locations or values to facilitate appropriate coverage in the event of a loss. The information below can help you review your plans and take steps to minimize loss in the event of a major hurricane this year. For additional information, please contact your Lockton Northeast Risk Services Consultant.

OK guys, here is a new one for you. Wife and I driving down Anderson Highway in Powhatan County when she sees a business' neon sign and asks me about it. The sign seems to be using the Tennessee Titans "T" in their logo. In fact, when I took a glance at it I thought it was the Tennessee Titans logo. But I am not a Titans fan so it never grabbed my attention and I never paid any attention to it. And I have no idea what type of business it is. She asks me did I see the sign she just saw. I replied "the one we just passed, what about it?" She says it looks like a jockstrap. I almost wrecked the car. She goes on to say that something like that should not be shown in public. I had no reply other than I have passed the business with that sign for a long time and never paid any attention to it. But I do know the logos of the NFL teams and wanted to refresh my memory about the Titans' logo. I got home and looked at the Titans' logo on the Internet and now think my wife is on to something. So I asked her to pull for the Titans this upcoming season just to get her goat. So far she has not seen the humor in my suggestion. And she complains that I don't notice things when we go out, especially if it is not related to fishing. Go figure?

Cold weather????

Kiss the Day Goodbye from Chorus Line. Tomorrow from Annie. I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables.

Suggestions to your query: 1. Get on the water at least 30 minutes before daybreak and start with topwaters of all types. If you can hit the pond sooner please do so. The more casts you get in before sunrise the better. Poppers, Whopper Ploppers, RICO's, frogs, buzzbaits, Manns Minus One's, Sammy's. Jerkbaits, Spybaits and the like to get the bass to hear the baits and then see them for an easy breakfast. 2. Remember to match the hatch. Bluegill colors! Minnow colors. Baby bass colors. Green Pumpkin and Junebug for plastics. Watermelon Candy can be a good choice, too. Red if there are any crawfish in the pond. 3. Fish the northern and western banks that get sunlight first. Bass like to go into these areas where the water is a little warmer to feed and sun themselves. Fish the western bank first, looking for where the sun's rays hit the water. Follow up on the north side and then go back to the western bank and do it all over. As the sun gets higher in the sky, hit all parts of the pond. 4. Use larger baits and get ready to be driven nuts by the bluegills and small bass hitting them. But the larger baits may attract the larger ladies you are seeking. Upsize your jigs and pigs. Upsize your spinnerbaits. Upsize your red Rat-L-Traps. Don't forget your swimbaits. Small, medium and large swimbaits. Hooks on top and treble hooks on the bottom. Use a number of swimbaits to see if they will attract the larger ladies. 5. Patience. You need patience. Those bass did not get large by being dumb. You have to make them angry or aggravated at your baits. In the early morning they will be feeding and you don't want to miss that window. But be patient. You will get lots of hits as stated above from the dinks and bluegills. Use trailer hooks on your spinnerbaits and buzzbaits for the short strikes. 6. Cheat. Catch a bluegill and use it as bait. You will be surprised at the number of big bass that will hit your live bluegill if they think the bluegill is in a stressful position. My friend outfished me using live bluegills in his family's pond a number of years ago as I was throwing plastics. I was really upset but he is a saltwater guy and he has no idea what a Senko is so you roll with the punches. He put me to shame. 7. Don't forget your Senkos, drop shots, Carolina rigs, MOJO rigs, NED rigs, shaky head rigs, Tokyo rigs, etc. Have a Senko ready to throw if the bass misses your topwater. Throw to the same place to see if the bass will hit the Texas or Wacky rigged Senko. 8. Experiment. You know the drill. You throw your presentations for so long until the bass tell you what they want. And concentrate. Keep your full focus on your baits and line. Keep a finger on the line coming off your reels to feel all the hits. Have a good breakfast with you so you will not get hungry and lose your focus. 9. Keep a log. Yes, a fishing log for everytime you hit that pond. Use a map of the pond to magnify the report showing where you caught what using which bait, time of day, weather conditions, water temperature, water clarity, etc. There is a log in the Tools link above so please check it out and make copies. 10. Louisiana, Florida, California, Texas, and the Chick River by the dam all have lots and lots of large ladies just waiting for you. These are "Florida and Texas Strain" bass. They are the B-I-G ones. Think about a vacation to New Orleans where you can fish for largemouth, redfish, drum, croakers, etc. and then hit the French Quarter in the evening. Remember to yell "Geaux Tigers" when you set the hook in Louisiana. OK, if the Quarter is too much for you since you do live in Virginia you can skip it and stay at one of the many camps so you can get an early start without a hangover or from being in shock from what you see in the Quarter. P.S. Leave the family home when you hit Louisiana. Nothing going on in the other states so you can make it a family vacation. 11. Google Earth. Check out the pond on Google Earth to see what you can see. You may be surprised by what the photo shows. Let us know how you do. Keep us posted on Wasabi vs. The Pond. So far it is The Pond 1, Wasabi 0. You need to change the score. Even it if means cheating a little by using live bait. Good luck and be safe. All the best for continued success!

Vinny, I fish Senkos with no weight but two friends do the following and they have been very successful with their Senko presentations. They rig the Senko wacky and put a very light bullet weight, 1/64, on top of the hook. For whatever reason, the bass seem to like this presentation. Give it a try.

Hey Foo, welcome to the Forum. Don't forget to introduce yourself in the Introductions section and always check out the Southeast section for information on Virginia waters. I can't go up river from Watkins Landing (page 75) as I do not have a kayak or jet boat, but a lot of guys head up that way to fish for smallies in their jet boats or fight the river and rapids from Scottsville to Watkins Landing or Robious Landing (page 73). Lots of rocks above Watkins Landing and water levels can get as low as one-foot. May I make two suggestions? 1. Go to Bass Pro Shop or a tackle shop in NOVA and locate the GMCO map of Upper James River. They left out the word "Historic" in the title but the map is still a good one. It will show you the Historic James River from Richmond to Scottsville. It shows the rapids difficulty classifications along the route. Or, you can go to their web site and order the map of the Upper James River, http://www.gmcomaps.com/ Check out all the Virginia maps. Upper James is on page 2 of the Virginia link. 2. Go to Bass Pro Shop or a tackle shop in NOVA and locate the booklet, 2019 Freshwater Fishing and Boating in Virginia. Page 72 starts the DGIF boat ramps and access points on all bodies of Virginia waters (note page numbers above) and there are a number of public ramps listed for the Historic James towards Scottsville. Just look under the "Body of Water" column for the James River. Remember, the Historic James is very dangerous from the Pony Pasture and then to downtown Richmond. I believe only those who are serious kayakers try their luck on this portion of the Historic James. Unless you are a pro who knows how to handle Class IV rapids, please keep it simple and don't go below the Pony Pasture to Richmond. Kayakers put in by the Huguenot Bridge (page 76) and this is the area where people take lessons on how to use a kayak. It is extremely busy on weekends. Fishing the upper Historic James River is great for smallies. As you go below Watkins Landing towards Boshers' Dam the largemouth fishing is very good, too. Good luck. Have fun. Be safe. Have all your required equipment and fishing license with you as the VDGIF conservation officers will show up from time to time at the various ramps checking on the guys and gals. Let us know what you find out and what you did. P.S. Just thought of the Richmond Fishing Expo in January at Meadow Event Park by Kings Dominion. Great people who know the Upper Historic James River and will share information with you. Here is the link to this year's past event: http://www.richmondfishingexpo.com/ Check it out and watch for it for the 2020 show.

I have two of the Megabass Pop X's but don't use them as they are so pretty that I don't want to take the chance on losing either. Actually, I did use them years ago but they never produced like my buzzbaits, RICO's and Zell Roland poppers. I put them in a tackle box to take with me to my double secret pond to give them another whack later this week, if possible. I will let you know what happens.

$130

FryDog, happens to everyone sooner or later. So far I have given the water gods: one of my favorite rod and spinning reel setups; a great net; a telescopic lure retriever; many crankbaits; four Whopper Ploppers in the grass and wood; and at least about 10+ pounds of plastics and their hooks/weights; and no telling what I will lose in the future. You just have to roll with the punches and then go out and buy some more stuff. Remember, you can't have enough rods!!!!

Senile, all the best for a fast and successful recovery. Based on the title of your post, I am sure all will be fine later this summer and you can hit the water again. Please keep us posted on your recovery and when you are able to fish again.

Hit the Historic James River with a black Norman and have some fun. For some unknown reason, black Normans work on the Historic James. No where else. Just the Historic James.

Thoughts and prayers for Ott Defoe as he goes through some heart related surgery and to Derek Remit who was in a very bad auto accident and is in the hospital. As you hear about these two guys please update this thread. Thanks.

Nolan ended up in 5th place. https://www.bassmaster.com/leaderboard/tournaments/2019-carhartt-bassmaster-college-series-st-lawrence-river-presented-bass-pro-shops

Wow! Tight race. Hope WVU can overtake Awbunn after jumping Sam Houston Institute of Technology. All 12 teams are in the running for the win. Looks like a great tournament. Can't wait to find out where everyone finishes. Geaux Nolan. Beat the War Eagles/Plainsmen/Tigers/Whatevers.

Hey everyone, I don't want to beat a dead horse but I have to share with the gang what I was told today at Bass Pro Shop in Ashland by the "guardian of the bass boats" on the sales floor. I had my two grand kids with me and they were having fun on the four-wheelers when I walked over to look at the Nitro's. The following is a synopsis of what the "guardian" said to me when I asked if BPS was going to have Rangers on the sales floor in the future. My question - the reply: Do you know if Rangers will be sold at BPS? - No. Nitro is BPS's flagship line and they and Trackers will be the only boats offered on the sales floor. Any differences betseen the Nitro's and Rangers? - Yes, Ranger will start using the Nitro hull design in the future. Why? - Because the Nitro's have a smoother ride; get on plane faster; easier to control; easier to maneuver. I was really lost for another query. Here is a guy who is selling Nitro's, which removes all impartial, objective, and honest statements so what he said was hard to swallow. But he said it and to all you Ranger guys out there I was totally floored. So, has anyone heard about Ranger changing hull designs to parallel those of Nitro? Has anyone had experience with both Ranger and Nitro and what is your input on the boats quality, construction, and ease of handling? Thanks for the feedback.

Geaux get 'em, Nolan!

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