Sam

Knock 'em out of the park, Jordan. Let us know how you do. Have fun and don't forget your PFD and needle nose pliers.

Only when I make that statement and I don't have any clothes on. Otherwise, everyone seems to be neutral.

Sean, I remember casting a Senko and it never started to sink after hitting the water. I then realized she had it in her mouth and was just sitting under the surface. She was a nice three pounder. Owe that success to Hank Parker and his suggestion.

OK, Blue, if you want us to help you then you have to help us. Please add your location to your avatar and your favorite places to fish. As you know, Virginia has tidal rivers, big and small lakes, plus thousands upon thousands of ponds. There is a vast difference between Lake Gaston and Kerr (Buggs Island); Smith Mountain Lake and One Fish Anna; the upper Historic James River and the tidal Historic James river below the Capital of the Confederacy; the Potomac and the Mattaponi; New River and the Pamunkey; and the list goes on. Depending on where you live, there are bass clubs sprinklered around the Commonwealth that you may want to join to pick up some up to date pointers. Go to the top of this page and look up the drop down for Links and go to "bass clubs." Go to Virginia and you can look up both the FLW and BASS organizations and then open their link to the listing of their clubs. As soon as you let us know where you are we can start to give you pointers. Welcome to the Forum.

Mandeville! Across 26-miles of scenic water from Metairie. By Lake Pontchartrain. Well, welcome to the Forum! Great having you with us. Just remember to wear your purple and gold when you go fishing and yell "Geaux Tigers!" when setting the hook. And you can dress up like Chopsley and scare the bass into your boat or the kids at Mardi Gras. Keep us posted on your adventures and add some pics.

"When it don't feel right, set the hook!" A quote from Hank Parker. Hank suggested this at an old Bassmasters University in the 90's. He said to get your rig ready to fish, cast it out, and get a good "feel" as to how the entire rig feels without any fish on it. Then reel it in and start to fish. Then, while fishing, if the set up feels "different" in any way, you set the hook. I do this all the time and have learned to duck and move when the bait comes flying out of the water back to me. You have to learn to do this with each setup as sometimes you will not feel any "tap tap" as the bass either sits there with your bait in its mouth or picks it up and swims away, slowly. Only problem I have with this philosophy is the tap tap from bream or crappie. Can drive you nuts.

Can anyone out there fill me in on the water temperature and water clarity of Lake Gaston for the weekend of April 6, 2019? Thanks in advance.

Go with the G. Loomis high end rods. You will not be sorry in the long run.

KVD Sexy Shad 1.5 square bill with rattles is at the top of the list.

Crankbait rod. Senko rod. Ned Rig rod. Alabama Rig rod. Drop Shot rod. Finesse rod. Flipping and Pitching rods. Frog rod. Probably some others I can't remember as I sit here waiting for the LSU baseball game to come out of its weather delay. If I was not so lazy tonight I would walk over to where the rods are stored and look at them.

Do the prices include the shipping tube? If you have a shipping tube already don't forget to check out the post office. Although the shipping companies seem to charge a lot, at least you know your rod is safe and can be insured if it is damaged in transit. Question: Is the rod worth the cost of shipping it to and from St. Croix? And your answer is......................

Never. Hooks too small and lakes too big. At my American Legion Post on the Historic James River, people pay to try to hit a golf ball across the river. We have been doing this for over 20-years. We figure it is about 230 yards across the river to the other side. I guess there are about 10,000 golf balls at the bottom of the river, but so far no fish have been caught with a golf ball in its mouth or stomach. So I would not be concerned about the tackle that ends up in the lake.

Yes. Just don't shoot a hole in the boat!!!!!!

Takern, you will be in fishing paradise. And take your wife fishing, too. Using live bait (shrimp and baby croakers that the redfish and speckled trout love to eat) in the marsh or the "salt" she will have a great time. My wife still has fond memories of fishing the Biloxi and catching those beautiful redfish, which you can see if you wear polarized sunglasses. She claims she out-fished me, which is true. The marshes on both sides of the mouth of the Mississippi are great. You may also consider investing in a "snake gun" just to have with you or on the boat. Go to a gun shop and get the details. You may never have to use it but at least you have it with you. Have fun and be safe!

Actually, the unrequested replies you are getting are from people who want to impress you. They really do not know bass fishing at your level but want to pretend that they do and that is why they make suggestions. Of course, some input could be very helpful; but for the most part, they mean well although you have forgotten more than they know. So smile, thank them, make mental notes of what they offered, and move along. Or, you could kick them between the legs. Just my two cents. Now go out there and do some fishing!

Nope. Too cold. How did you do when you went?

1. Hank Parker's spinnerbait collection. 2. War Eagles.

Some rules for New Orleans: 1. When in the French Quarter and a beautiful girls approaches you and asks if you want to have a good time, look at the size of her Adams Apple. 2. You don't cheer for Toolame in any sport. 3. You cheer for LSU in every sport. 4. You wear purple and gold when you go fishing. 5. You yell "Geaux Tigers" when you set the hook. 6. Crawfish season is upon us so eat all you can. 7. It is OK to set a crab net out of your boat while fishing in the marsh. Just look out for gators sneaking up and grabbing the chicken and the net. 8. Remember, a water moccasin and a leaky condom have one thing in common: you don't' _______________ with either. This is a nasty viper who will actually come after the boat and you! 9. Gigging frogs sounds like fun until you do it. 10. At Mardi Gras, wear either an LSU or an out of state school sweatshirt. Do not wear anything Toolame as the majority of the guys on the floats are LSU fans. 11. The Hurricane from Pat O'Brien's seems to be a great fruit drink until the alcohol hits your head like a brick in the Quarter. 12. Live shrimp is a great bait in the marsh for redfish and speckled trout. Sheepshead and croakers will hit a live shrimp, too. 13. If someone invites you to go shrimping with them, give it a pass. It is hard work and those shrimp can tear up your hands. Just show up at their ramp with your ice chest ready to be filled. 14. Don't fall for the tourist joke, "I know where you got them shoes." Yes, they are on my feet is the correct answer. 15. Great local restaurants. The big name restaurants sprinkled throughout the city and in the Quarter are OK but the local ones are the best. 16. Look up Rocky's and Carlo's restaurant. They measure the greatness of their po'boys by the number of napkins you use. Get a Barq's, sit down, and feast like there is no tomorrow. 17. Go to an LSU night football game. Nothing like it in the world. 18. Serio's downtown has great po'boys. Get a Barq's and a roast beef dressed. Not open on weekends. 19. Visit the WWII Museum. Outstanding. 20. As for city fishing, hit the City Park and Audubon Park ponds and lagoons. Check to see if you need a license to fish them. 21. Go to the Biloxi Marsh out of Shell Beach. Be sure you have a working GPS so you can get back to the ramp. 22. At Mardi Gras, yell "Hey Jake" at the guys on the float. They will hear you and throw you some beads. 23. There are Mardi Gras parades in Metairie. You won't see the French Quarter sights but there are clean parades and people and they are set up for families. 24. When in the Quarter, take your drivers license, your health insurance card, and some cash. Keep it in your side pants pocket. Pickpockets work the French Quarter from time to time. Leave wallet home. 25. If you do not want to see things that normal people don't like to see, then stay out of the Quarter. 26. Some of the derelicts in the Quarter are actually the police. 26. Check out the haunted plantation in St. Francisville, the Myrtles. Stay a night for fun. Now this is a starter list. I am sure you will add to it as will the guys who live in New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Algiers, and other surrounding places. And if you like to gamble, check out the casino at the foot of Canal Street. Good luck. Be safe. Don't go into tough neighborhoods. Eat like there is no tomorrow. Watch out for the other drivers who drive really bad. And go to an LSU football game and do some fishing!!! Geaux Tigers and Welcome to the Crescent City.

‎ Why Crawfish Back Up? With so many legs, a huge tail behind and two large claws to the front, why do crawfish back up? Every other creature defends themselves by displays of bravery, aggressive acts, head on charges or similar behavior. But, crawfish back up! How come? Maybe it goes back to Adam Crawfish and Eve Crawfish in the Pond of Eden. Eve listened to the serpent and crawled forward into his pot after a promise she would learn the difference between good seasoning and bad seasoning. She tasted the carrots, corn and mushrooms, then went to get Adam so he could as well. They called all their friends and when they went into the pot, Satan Crawfish slammed on the top and lit the fire. Since that day Crawfish have trusted no one and will back up most of the time. When they can't back up any further they raise their claws in prayer and ask only that the seasoning be right. Especially during Lent. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

If you Lowrance unit is old, then the company will not repair it and thy will tell you to buy a new one. If you can find a local guy who can fix the unit then give him a try. You can also look for a computer/electronics repair shop to find out if they are willing to test the unit and try to make repairs. As for your trolling motor, how old are the batteries? As stated above, just because the little green light is on your charger it does not mean the battery is holding a charge. Invest in a simple load tester and note if the battery is below a 12 or a 12.5 reading. If so, considering replacing the battery. Be sure to have a paddle with you so you can return to the ramp. Good luck.

Chris, I note that this is your second post so welcome to the Forum. After a few years of bass fishing I want you to return to this post and read it again and then apply your new found knowledge and answer your questions for yourself. Now, to basics. Please note my suggestions below and consider them and the posts above and below this one: 1. Water Temperature - Forget the air temperature. You are trying to track down an animal in its own environment. Get a swimming pool thermometer, tie a long string onto it, and throw it into the water. Then check the temperature. This is the first clue as to the bass' behavior in your pond. Don't "guess" anything. Get to the bottom line as the water temperature is the most important factor in the bass' behavior. Read all you can about how water temperature impacts the bass population and at what temperature the bass will start to hit the beds, start feeding, etc. 2. Be sure to have your needle nose pliers with you at all times. And don't lose them!!!! 3. Water Clarity - There are three basic water clarities: clear, stained, dirty. Coupling the water temperature with water clarity gives you the type of bait to consider, such as a bait that makes noise, is silent, or has a high level of vibration. 4. Forage - What is the forage in the pond? Bluegills? Minnows? Crawfish? This gives you guidance on the colors to throw and at what water column: top, middle or bottom. 5. Location - I see you are from the USA. That's great, but it does nothing to help us help you. What we tell you will be different if you live in Florida or Rhode Island or Texas or Montana. Please add you physical location to your avatar and let us know where you live and where you will be fishing. 6. Primary Plastics Colors - The three basic colors for plastics are watermelon, green pumpkin and June bug. Then there are the variations that will drive you nuts. Stay with the basic plastic colors and finesse and trick worms. 7. Primary Moving Bait Colors - Spinnerbaits can do well in all waters if they are white and chartreuse. Sexy Shad colors are basic for crankbaits and lipless crankbaits. Try to match the baits' colors with the baitfish and crawfish in the pond. This time of year a red on a Rat-L-Trap can be great as can spinnerbaits. 8. Presentations - Depending on the above, you now have the basics to decide what to throw. There are so many presentations that it is impossible to tell you the one the bass want for that day and hour. Topwaters, moving baits, plastics all have their place in your presentation arsnel. Experiment until you find the pattern. 9. Pattern - Learn what a "pattern" is and when you find it what to do. A pattern can last for 5 minutes or all day. It is basically what you throw; where you throw it; how you retrieve it; water depth; under docks; on wood; along the grass lines or banks; and the conditions surrounding your presentation. Once you find a pattern of catching the bass you stick with it until it goes away. 10. Weather Conditions - Cold fronts kill the fishing for one or two days after they pass. Wind, rain, currents (yes, even ponds and lakes have currents), tidal forces, clouds, sun, naked girls on the docks, heat, cold, night or day fishing, and on and on can have an impact on the bass' behavior. Always check out the weather conditions and dress appropriately in addition to thinking how the bass will react to the weather. 11. Read, Read, Read - You are new to this bass fishing thing and it is imperative you subscribe to magazines and read bass fishing books plus watch DVDs and the bass fishing programs on TV and YouTube. Subscribe to this Forum on Facebook for Glenn's videos. 12. Gear - May I suggest you start with a spinning rig as follows: 7' medium heavy rod; a 2000 or 2500 size spool spinning reel; 8 pound test fluorocarbon; 1/0 to 2/0 size hooks; a jig head and hook for your flipping and pitching and casing trick and Swamp Crawler worms. Learn how to tie a Palomar knot, too. You will not have to worry about backlashes, only line twist. Read about how to prevent line twist while spooling the line and fishing. 13. Logs - go to the top of this page and look under "Tools" and then down load the Free Fishing Log. Make about 30 copies and ever time you go fishing fill it in at the end of the day. Make more copies as needed. You will see patterns develop at specific fishing spots based on the weather, water clarity, presentations, baits used, those girls on the docks, etc. This will become very helpful to you after a year of fishing. So with this new knowledge and the input from the other guys, what baits should you throw and how? It is for you to figure out. But keep it simple. Texas rigged trick worm on a jig head with a 2/0 or 3/0 hook; a Senko in green pumpkin or a June Bug (purple) color fished wacky style on a 1/0 hook; a white and chartreuse spinnerbait; a lipless crankbait of your color choice; a square bill 1.5 KVD Strike King crankbait with rattles. Use a clip if possible to change out your moving baits and if possible, your plastics hooks. Check out if the bass are in the sun or under the docks and trees seeking areas without the sun. Move around and test many presentations and baits. There are no rules in bass fishing other than to think like a bass. Good luck. Read, read, read. Watch those DVDs, YouTube videos, TV shows, and keep asking your questions. But only after you add your location to your avatar.

Yes, but we don't ever say anything about the park's lakes as the populace will catch and eat the beauties. Fish early in the AM and leave before the crowds show up around 10.

As of March 28th the Dogwoods are not close to blooming. Water temp in One Fish Anna was 47* this past weekend, far from the 60* needed for them to start heading to their beds.

I use the shrink tape method. Have found that the tape will come loose during the day. Also noticed that the Senko or finesse/trick worm can be torn or thrown from your shrink tape, leaving you with a bare hook and the shrink tape. I smear MegaStrike or add JJ's Magic to all plastics when getting ready to throw the bait. I have caught 10 bass on one Senko using the shrink tape method.

Yes, keep an eye out for alligators. Especially the ones protecting their young. And remember, a gator can move fast on land. Have a fun time and let us know how you do. Good luck.