Sam

You were in the "Twilight Zone" and "they" were watching you. "They" knew your every move. "They" were watching and thinking, "here comes another one." May I suggest speaking to the rangers and others fishing the body of water and ask for suggestions? Not detials on what type of specific baits to throw or where to go to fish, but general, overall suggestions. And the old geezers may also give you some helpful tips, too. A vertical presentation may work better than sight fishing, because if you can see "them" then "they" can see you. And with water that clear "they" are used to you and your kind and "they" will ignor your free food offerings. Fishing clear water is a challenge. A big challenge so don't fret as when we fish clear water, other than for shoreline sightfishing, you will find that "they" have an advantage over you and your kind.

And to build on Catt's answer, cloud cover, rain, wind, structure, cover, hard/soft bottom, barometric pressure, grasses and pads, slop on top of the water, leaves on top of the water, water depths, humps and holes, and where the baitfish and crawfish are located all have an impact on what the fish do durng each season. And the fish move daily within their own"milk run" so they can be here today and gone tomorrow. In other words, they have their favorite places within a specific radius and they travel to and from their favorite hiding places. So, as Catt says, throw a topwater close to and parallel to the shore in the early AM, switching to your finesse baits and Senkos and moving hardbaits during the day, and then back to the topwaters during the evening. To check out the bottom, purchase a tungston barrel weight and fish it Carolina-style and get a good feel of what , if anything, is on the bottom like rocks, stumps, grass, etc. Then you will know if the bottom is clear or has some good structure. Senkos fished Wacky usually work well as do finesse worms. And scale down on bait sizes, weights and hook sizes unless you know there are some lunkers in the water. Try throwing a small white grub on a small (1/32 or smaller) jig head to check out the baitfish, too, and then try to "match" the baitfish. A crankbait or a small spinnerbait or buzzbait along with topwaters like a Pop-R or a Scum Frog may produce results, too. The fun half of fishing is trying to decipher your conditions and then outsmart the fish. The other half of fishing is fishing!!!! Experiment, experiment and then experiment some more. Have fun.

I would have guessed it was a catfish. They will hit topwaters. Wow, an alligator gar in a pond. Someone put him in there. I guess all the bass are gone.

Another National Championship to the SEC. Football and Women's basketball. Now to see if we can win the College World Series and if LSU or Arkansas can nail down another men's and women's track title.

I agree with Burley plus a 1/0 circle hook works good, too.

I don't want to be a "nag" but where is your PFD? You really need to wear a PFD when in a canoe as you know, they can tip over. And sunscreen. Don't be dumb and forget the sunscreen or everyone will think you are a Miami alumni which is worse than getting sunburn.

Please, please, please do not keep them if you do not know what you are doing. The Conservations Officers show up at the Ancarrows ramp from time to time and they check your catch. If you mess up and keep the wrong fish or over the legal limit you will get a ticket. Please heed Micro's words of wisdom. Simon, we don't want to visit you on weekends in jail. ;D

CJBS, Does this mean that you do not want to launch at Hope Springs or Leesylvania? Maybe you need to check the Maryland Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (or whatever they call themselves) for a listing of the Maryland ramps on the Potomac. Good luck.

Welcome and we are glad to have you in our family. Go the section on Fishing Locations and ask your queries about fishing the waters in your geographical area. You will receive some wonderful advice. And read, read, read the articles on this site and just ask your questions and we will answer them for you to the best of our knowledge.

The best time not to use crawfish is in your gumbo if it is chicken or sausage. Also, you don't use crawfish on top of a dessert unless you live in the bayou. Otherwise, crawfish rule!!!!

When you plan your client meetings around local ponds to fish before or after the meetings.

At LSU we named our softball team the first year...The Nads, as in Go Nads. The second year we were... the Mother Truckers, but the coaches made us change it. So either one should do fine for a Georgia guy.

Welcome to the forum. Best place to be on the web. I don't fish NOVA other than for the Potomac and some private ponds in Maryland but I am sure the guys will fill you in. The NOVA guys are super. You will really like them and learn a lot. Glad you are with us.

I refuse to click. X2

Nice catfish, but a baby when compared to the ones at the Pony Pasture in Richmond's James River Park.

Risk Kid, Be it LSU, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and any other SEC team - there is nothing like an SEC football game. I sincerely hope you can make a night game in Tiger Stadium. It is electric, just like Knoxville. Fantastic. Nothing like it in the world. 86,000 drunk Coonasses and 6,000 guests going bonkers. The noise is so loud you cannot hear the person next to you. I am so glad you know about SEC football. It is a religion down south. Great adventures and memories every year. And being so close the president was a trip in itself. My next visit will be as the Bassmaster Classic champion. ;D

TRIP TO WHITE HOUSE ON MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2008 My wife, a friend and I received special invitations to the White House for the honoring of the LSU Fighting Tiger football team winning the National Championship from a friend in Washington, DC. Our host was President George W. Bush. We left Richmond around 9:45 and had a peaceful trip up I-95 in the mist to DC, arriving around 11:30. We parked the car; walked to the White House entrance gate to see where it was; and then went to a French caf é for some coffee and French pastries. Around 12:20 we walked over to the White House gate and met a number of LSU fans that had already assembled. We met friends from Dallas, Baton Rouge, DC and New Orleans plus other LSU fans and their families from all over the USA. The three buses arrived with the team and coaches and we saw Les Miles and the team get off the bus and go through the gate. What was surprising was that there was no contingent of LSU Athletics Department, Alumni Association, TAF or high-ranking LSU executives or staff. Just the coaches, Mrs. Miles and the team were on the buses. I was looking forward to seeing Skip Bertman but he was in Tampa for tonight's NCAA basketball finals. The gates opened at 12:45 and by that time there were at least 400 LSU fans at the gate. So we got in line and waited our turn to enter the White House grounds and to go through security, which was easier than at any airport. We walked through one of the White House halls and into the South Lawn where chairs were set up and the camera crews were on a scaffold behind us. The Marine Corps Band played some very nice music until the event started. During this time we said hello to General Richard of TAF and a number of other nice people from all over the country who had flown into DC for the event. The team and coaches were inside the White House and at 2:05 they were introduced as the LSU Tigers National Champions and the guys walked down the circular stairs leading to the lawn, about half the team and coaches on one side and the other half on the other side and the seniors and starters on the stage behind the President's podium. The Marine Corps band played Touchdown and Hey Fighting Tigers for us and then The President and Les Miles walked out from the left and to the podium. The President's speech was excellent; sprinklered with personal stories about some of the players and funny antidotes. When he was finished he said he was looking forward to receiving his LSU football jersey and Coach Miles also gave him an autographed football. The President left and we got to mingle with the players and coaches. I found Coach Sam Nadar and we said hello and were glad to see each other once again. Herman Johnson helped me find Sam, as Herman must be at least eight feet tall. I tried to locate Joe Maltempi from the Richmond area with the aid of a few of the players but when we finally saw him he was walking up the stairs to go back into the White House so we missed him. All of the players and coaches were very nice. Miles was signing anything given to him and he was a gentleman with the rush of people around him getting photos and autographs. The military ushers were gracious and really made you feel welcome. Security was all over the place and at the same time they were not there. But you knew they were there, you just did not see them. It was a dream come true as we were about 60 feet from the President who was an excellent host and he made some funny jokes about Louisiana politicians and other humorous remarks about our season, the players and Coach Miles. One thing the President said to the team in his speech was to be sure to act in the proper manner and you are still expected to do your best off the field after your playing days are over. The President's message was excellent and well delivered. I hope Perry-Lou was listening. On the way home we stopped at Olive Garden for a late lunch and arrived back in Richmond around 6:00. Great adventure and lots of wonderful memories. Later, Sam

Don't fret. Down here in Virginia we had our TBF Mr. Bass tournament pitting the top two fishermen in each club against each other. Fishing was a disaster. Windy all day long and it rained. I did not fish it but my friend caught one keeper (15 inch limit) and he won big fish. I think he said he caught about 20 bass today but other than for the 7 and a half pounder all were under 15inches. He got skunked yesterday. The other guy in our club got skunked for the tournament. I am sure you guys in Ohio and Penna will have some good fishing in August when the snow and ice melt. ;D

We need rain all around Virginia. In fact, I would not be upset if we get the rain from a hurricane that hits Florida, Georgia or South Carolina and moves up the coast giving us about 6 to 8 inches of rain without the wind. The James River will be a better fishery as soon as the rain in the western part of the state travels down this way. Come on rain!

You put in at Ancarrows on the south side of the James River in Richmond and troll all around the area with the other 1,000 boats and have the guys on the dock yell at you when you get too close. Using Shad Darts on light line can do well. Fly fishing does even better. Way too many people around Ancarrows unless you go during the week and then there are only 500 boats but the same number of fishermen on the docks. You guys give it a try. I dont' think the Shad Dart colors make a big difference. And you can then venture under the I-95 bridge and fish for bass in that area in additon to the area from the bridge towards the small island and then back to Ancarrows. Look up Ancarrows on a Richmond map. It is called James River Park and it is on page 316 of the ADC Metro Richmond map book. And don't leave any valuables in your vehicle. Clean it out before you go. Take everything out. And don't go alone. Make sure other boaters are there. If something looks "odd" or "strange" then leave and come back when there are more people. Have fun.

P.S. Welcome to the forum!

Ninja Fish, First you make a roux. Opps. Sorry. Thinking about food. Throwing a wacky rigged finesse or Senko is a great suggestion. I nail them like fish in a barrel at one of my client's ponds using that technique and it seems to work great all over the place: ponds, rivers and lakes. In fact, any finesse worm or Senko fished Texas, shaky or wacky should work. Use those weedless hooks from Eagle Claw and Gamakatsu to help prevente snags. As for moving baits, have you gone out in the early AM and thrown a black buzzbait? Give it a try, too. Sometimes moving baits work well, but I have found over the years that a finesse worm or Senko fished Texas, wacky or shaky produces the best results. Now, after you have your roux the right color put in your trinity and sautee until it is soft and then add your fish stock and okra. Bring to a boil. Remember to add at leat one pound of shrimp and crabmeat along with seven to eight bay leaves. Cook up some Lousiana long grain white rice. Add some nice French bread and you are set for the day. Stay home and enjoy watching some LSU football videos in place of fishing!!!! Just a suggestion.

Why don't you contact your division of wildlife and see if they have any programs set up to control productivity of lakes relating to bass.

Thanks for letting us know, Burley. Appreicate the post. Man, what a loss. Not only was Charleston Heston an excellent actor, but he was one of the last beacons of normalcy in Hollywood. He will be greatly missed. He is a super American and a great partiot.

Hope Springs is on Aquia Creek. Go out during the week as the bass clubs are having their tournaments on the Potomac as will Virginia B.A.S.S. and the TBF Federations so the ramp can get crowded with guys with short tempers. Look at a road map and head for the bay on the road leading from Stafford to Hope Springs. It dead-ends at the marina. I have a tournament on the Potomac on May 3 but I am skipping it and going to the NASCAR race in Richmond so I have no information on the Potomac to share with you. Be sure to let us know what worked and what did not work.