Sam

I like the Bandits. The 100 and 200 series do very well for me. Most expensive bait I have is the RICO. It outperforms the Pop-R and Spook for me. I have some Sammy's, too. But $49 for a bait? I don't think so. I may be crazy but I ain't stuipd.

Hey Slomoe, Udder cream is outstanding. Try it. Super stuff for chapped skin. Works like a charm. It has been around for over 20 years and farmers know about it. They actually use it on their cows udders and their hands.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste is also supposed to be good. Am not kidding. I met Dr. Boudreaux at LSU a few years ago and he says his butt paste is outstanding. Some local pharmacies carry it. Check it out on the web. I wanted to get some as "joke gifts" for Christmas but my wife said "no" so I have no idea if it works or not.

Check the bills. Draw them on a sheet of paper if necessary. Go to your local tackle shop and view their selection of crankbaits. Match your drawings to the bills on the store's cranks and you will have an "idea" of how deep they will go. You can also check the size and width when you make your comparisions to see how they will wobble. Make sure the hooks are sharp. I hate it when they throw the cranks as they approach the boat.

Good thinking. You want to get your masters in another part of the country to see how they live and think. Great schools in SEC territority and Texas. And don't forget California. Just remember, once you cross the Mason-Dixon line and there is one inch of snow, the entire area closes down and everyone goes to the grocery store and then drives into a ditch.

Hey Jeremy, Don't fret. With the drought conditions fishing in this part of the east coast has been difficult. The usual places have been destroyed by the low water and the fish have been staging deep where they can get oxygen. As soon as the rains arrive and the bodies of water start to fill up you will see the bass and bream start moving around. With good rains this winter I expect an excellent pre spawn, spawn and post spawn season. As for what to use, who knows? Usually Rat-L-Traps, spinnerbaits and crankbaits work this time of the year but so far I have not had much luck with them. And try your cranks shallow, medium and deep to see if you can find where the bass are staging. Have you tried more finesse fishing with the drop shot, shakey head and wacky rigged plastics? And what about the bulky plastics like the Fat Ikas, beavers and brush hogs? Any luck with a buzzbait without the skirt and only a fluke on it? Thrown the Pop-R or Spook? Sammy? Suspended baits like the pointers? Are you still fishing the shoreline or going deeper? Try deeper and see what happens. I have just about given up on the ponds around my area and will be fishing the James and Pamunkey Rivers in November and then fish some of the lakes with my bass club members for fun in the winter. Just experiment. I did not catch anything on any baits other than a small Senko at my local pond and the bites were not agressive. In fact, I just stood there and watched my line just walk away very slowly, not knowing when the set the hook. I caught one and missed two due to the "polite" taking of the Senko. I think they were just holding the bait in their mouths and swimming off very slowly. It was something to experience. Let us know how you do. And as for the advice regarding the guides, take it. Listen, listen and listen and then go home and make notes. Ask about baits, places to fish, hidden brush piles and beaver dams and anything else the guide can tell you about that specific body of water. It is money well spent.

This is the first time in my life that I am disappointed that a hurricane/tropical storm headed out to sea and not hit the USA. We sure could use another 4 to 6 inches of water in Virginia. At least the insurance companies are doing the happy dance today. Check out www.weatherunderground.com for great weather reports in your area and of th tropics and Atlantic regions for hurricanes. Good place to go when planning your next fishing advanture to get the weather.

c17Lat The ladies are much prettier and nicer the farther south you go. Trust me on this one. And the fishing is all-year, too.

Fantastic. Keep on fishing and posting those PBs.

Slomo, Some tips for a baitcaster..... 1. Don't overspool the reel. Leave at least a 1/8th inch from the top of the spool; more space if you are comfortable with it. 2. Set up your lure on the line and then point the rod tip to about 11 o'clock, release the bait via the baitcaster and watch the bait fall. The bait is to fall to the floor (not carpet) and the spool is to stop when the bait hits the floor. You now have your bait and reel balanced. Use the spool drag and the regular drag to have your bait fall slow to the floor without any backlashes. Also be ready to adjust the spool while fishing based on the wind and other conditions. And if you have to cast into the wind, get ready for some backlashes. Or use a heavier bait. I do not fool around with the magnets. I put them all "off" so be sure to ask the people where you purchase the baitcaster how to know if they are "off" which can be confusing. 3. Use scotch tape to help stop backlashes. Fill the spool as above in #1, go outside, and cast as far as you can with your bait. Then, pull off another 10 to 15 yards and put a piece of Scotch tape over the line on the spool. The guys use other materials to do this (as do the pros) and I know they will have suggestions for you to consider. By doing this, you stop the backlash from going deeper than the Scotch tape or electrical tape, etc. 4. Use "filler" line as the base of your line and then spool about 60 to 70 yards of your good line onto the reel. Be sure to tie the good line onto the older line. Check out Reel Mechanic's knots to find the correct knot to use. 5. Use Kevin VanDam's Lure and Line Conditioner or pure silicone sprayed on a washcloth and run the line through the "wet spot" when spooling the line onto the reel. This will help condition the line and help it lose the memory it gets after being on the original spool. And don't spool the line too tight. Just snug. Use a "spooling" setup, like the $30 one from Bass Pro Shop. Great way to spool baitcasters. Also, you will have to decide how to tie the line to the spool, which is a pain. Have some tweezers ready to pull the line under the spool and then from the eye to be able to tie it onto the spool. I use an Arbor Knot, as per the Reel Mechanic, and it works very well. 6. After you are ready to fish, grab the line and pull on it to set the drag. The correct poundage is about two and a half pounds to draw line but as long as you are happy with the drag leave it alone. Be sure the drag is set strong enough to hook the fish but loose enough to give him some play. 7. Use your thumb to control the cast. Practice stopping the spool as the bait hits the water or before it sails into the trees or brush. With practice you will master this technique and no one will realize what you are doing and they will think highly of you. Maybe. 8. Do not attempt to repair your baitcaster. Have a pro, like the Reel Mechanic, do it for you. Also, read how to service your baitcaster via the Reel Mechanic's posts and web page. 9. Practice your casting but also practice pitching and flipping. I like to pitch and also do some flipping during the hot days when I can get real close to cover or the shore. But you need to know how to pitch the bait in additon to casting. 10. Start off with the 10 or 12 pound "extra smooth" line as it casts better. You can then go to a heavier test or extra heavy line and experiment as to which line and set ups you like best for specific conditions and techniques. 11. Practice, practice and practice. You can master the baitcaster in about two or three sessions of good practice. I actually have mastered the baitcaster but when I was a teenager first learning what to do I was a disaster. A total disaster. And one more tip, take along another baitcaster with you when you go fishing. It is a lot easier to replace one baitcaster that has a very bad backlash with a second baitcaster than to sit in the boat and try to dig out the backlash. I take all my baitcasters with me and change them out as necessary. Good luck and have some fun.

Thanks for the information. I wonder what other terminal reservoirs exist in the state? Please keep us posted.

Nope, but please have your wife video all future attempts for the World's Funniest Videos show. I am sure that sooner or later, with your setup, you will make the big time TV show! ;D Good luck.

All we use are spinning reels. Zebco reels. He can practice before he participates, too. It is a lot of fun and the kids enjoy it as much as the parents. Bring a camera and take pictures.

Sorry to say that Bigfoot was a hoax. The gentlemen's family has been interviewed on TV after his death a few years ago and exposed the hoax. It seems it just got out of control once the reports made the newspapers. Now the Great Pumpkin is not a hoax. It is alive and well and living in Florida near Avid and George.

In the Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Richmond Times-Dispatch, Andy Thompson, the outdoor writer, has a column about the Virginia Tech Collegiate Bass Anglers Association club. VT is Number 1 in the country at this time, wining the National Collegiate Bass Fishing Championships. So if you want to fish in the Collegiate Bass Anglers Association program or are interested in the rankings go to the following web site for the standings: www.collegiatebass.org ESPN filmed the natiional title event and the tournametn will air on ESPN2 and ESPNU at 5 AM on Friday, November 2nd. I am sure all the guys out there who want to continue fishing while in college will want to check out the web site to view the schools in the program and obtain information about starting your own college team for next year.

Yes. It is winter and I excpect the site to slow down as we do other things like straighten our tackle and clean or rods and reels and watch DVDs and videos, etc. But the site will be here and that is what counts!

Anyone going?

Don't know if this is the correct forum to post this information so please move it to the correct area if necessary. Thanks. The "Reel Kids" Casting Contest will be held in the Gander Mountain parking lot in Richmond, Virginia this Saturday, November 3, 2007, from 10 to 2. Boys and girls ages 7 to 14 are eligible to participate. Winners in each age group will advance to the January Bassarama Kids Casting event on the state level. Prizes will be given to the winners. So bring the kids, try their luck and have some fun.

For everyone who is interested in what careers are available with a Wildlife and Fisheries degree please check out this site: www.usajobs.gov It is the Federal Government's job site. I forest ranger in the Shenandoah National Park who graduated from Kent State gave me the web site.

Hey Burley, So you recommend Astroglide over K-Y?????? Does K-Y get your rod and reel too sticky? Can you heat up K-Y like you do Astroglide before you apply it to your rod and reel? Just curious what you do in the mountains of Virginia.

Welcome aboard. You will learn so much that by this time next year you will be killing 'em, no matter the time of day or the weather. Avid's suggestion is excellent. Hire a guide so he can show you the lake. Just go with him, keep your mouth shut, and listen, listen, listen and listen some more. Ask about each time of the year as to which baits work best, too. You have to give us more information such as your rigs, baits, tackle and techniques; water clarity, depth and temperature; windy, raining, sunny, cloudy; structure and cover; and any other details you think will give us guidance in thinking over your situation. This time of the year crankbaits work very well; so do spinnerbaits; the good ole Senko rigged wacky is usually a winner; and don't forget your finesse worms and Fat Ikas. Then go back and slaughter them!

Found this on Woo Daves' site. Thought you may enjoy the "offset" mention. "When fishing a Zoom trick worm or a lizard I will use offset Mustad model 30121BLN black nickel hook. You have no sinker in front of the hook and you need the offset to keep your worm on the hook. When fishing smaller lizards, I will use a 1/0 and just work up in size with lure size. Very rarely do I ever go over a 3/0 when Carolina rigging. When fishing the trick worm, 90% of the time I will use a 2/0, depending upon the speed I am fishing the worm. In other words the heavier or bigger hook you use the faster you can fish the worm." Hope it helps explain what "offset" does for your bait.

Fivebasslimit, I know how you feel, especially with the passing game going east and west in lieu of north and south by many teams who use this type of play. I did some research on the throwing of the ball to the running backs parallel to the line of scrimmage and it seems to have come from out west. The goal is to get the ball to the running back very fast and let him run with the ball. It is supposed to be executed faster than a sweep and is designed to eliminate the linemen from the play, leaving only the linebackers, safety and corner available to stop the runner. Frankly, I hate it, but it is going to be one of the major plays in all football playbooks, both high school, college and the NFL. If you have a fast running back it is supposed to be an excellent play. It helps the slow running backs, too, as when they catch the ball they are right at the line of scrimmage and should pick up at leat 4 or 5 yards a play. Now for the Hokies to run the table and beat BC in the Championship Game down in Florida.

I fish them in the early spring and late fall when it is getting cold and the water temperatures are in the low 60s and then 50s. Do what is said on this post and be ready for a strike when you STOP THE BAIT and let it sit. Jerk...jerk...jerk...pause...strike! When it first happened to me I don't know who was more surprised, me or the bass? Just keep experimenting with this family of baits and you will find out what the fish want on a particular body of water on a particular day. And by the way, stripers and pickerel love 'em, too.

Remember...don't fall in the water. Can't wait for the report and pics. Have a safe and fun trip.