Sam

Nope. Use the real Whopper Ploppers. Lost two in one day on the Chickahominy River.

Mister, another $64,000 question. On the Internet and in some publications there are articles regarding finding bass. The articles state that we waste our time fishing 90% of the unproductive water and not fishing the 10% where the bass are hanging out. We can give you general replies as there are so many variables associated locating where the bass are located that we will hurt your efforts more than help you. I mean the bass move around. So if we tell you to look for some nice docks near deep water or that have fishing rods on them or stand by themselves along the bank and you follow our suggestions, the bass may not be there when you arrive. After you don't get a bite and leave the docks, the bass will move into the area you just fished, directed by water temperature, water clarity, time of day, season of the year, wind, baitfish, sun or clouds, milk run, etc. You then mark your maps or make a mental note that the docks were not productive and to forget them next time out. You have to think like a bass under specific conditions. You have to use your electronics to find places holding fish. You have to look at the structure on top of the water and decide if it makes good habitat under the water. You have to check the water temperature. You have to note the water clarity. And this is just for starters for each pond, lake, river, creek, stream, etc. you fish. Add into the formula the baits and techniques you are using and you can see the hundreds of different approaches to use for any one target or pond, etc. In simpler terms, you have to just try your luck with the baits you have confidence. Keep a diary of each pond and body of water you fish. You can use the Free Fishing Log in "Tools" at the top of this page to keep a running diary and record of each outing. Then, after about 10 to 15 trips to your favorite pond, you will see a pattern emerge. Use this pattern for future adventures. Good luck and go out and catch your new personal best. Merry Christmas.

I remove all line from all reels when the winter arrives and I am not fishing. I put new line on the reels I will be using for tournaments. I keep this line on the reels while fun fishing between tournaments. I have been using more and more braid so I leave the braid on the reels during fishing season, even when the green color fades. I use a mono for backing for all braid line.

Our club's last tournament of the year this past November on the Historic James River had me nailing a used condom. I shook it lose and never touched it. Gross.

Mike, check out the following and go to "Links" above this page and look for the BASS and TBF addresses. Local clubs in the tri-cities would be for you to check out Regions 3 and 6: https://www.vabassnation.com/members/1097-2/ Richmond Bassmasters is a B.A.S.S. affiliated club that is seeking new members. Give Charlie (804.598.4204), Jeff (804.350.9297) or Rick (804.937.2752) a call and get the details about this club. You can join as an individual or with your Region and State Federation partner. Tell them Sam from the club sent you. If Richmond is too far for you to travel then look for another club. Richmond does have a guy from Colonial Heights and we have had others from down that way. The TBF is also an option. Contact them by clicking on their link. Don't forget the Richmond Fishing Expo in late January. Nice event and you can meet some of the guys with the B.A.S.S. state federation. http://www.richmondfishingexpo.com/ Welcome to Richmond.

The Tracker would be a very nice option. Just try to get one that does not have the gunnel rail painted black as you will burn yourself in the summer heat. As for fishing the Historic James, Appomattox, Chick River and Chick Lake for starters, a Tracker will serve you well. The Tracker did great on the Rapp, Mattaponi, Potomac, Pamunkey and all the lakes in Virginia. Just remember it is a light boat and if your have wind causing white caps you can't venture out of a creek into the rough water. Just be sure to always check the tide charts and time so you won't get caught in a creek or the Barge Pit. And the weather, especially the wind. I suggest you get the largest motor the Tracker is rated to handle. Also, you will have fun upgrading the boat each year, from a 12 volt to a 24 volt trolling motor; installing the Grass Goat on your trolling motor; adding an Oxygenator to your live well; putting in a three bank charger for your 24 volt trolling motor system; and other things that you can get done easily. Remember to check the rod lockers to see if they will accommodate a 7-foot and longer rods. If I recall, my Pro Tracker 185 could not handle the longer rods in the rod lockers. Check out "Tracker" on this site's search engine to see what others have to say about the boat and motor. Let us know when you get the boat and what you named it.

X2

Mo, sorry to tell you that I don't keep any freshwater fish. I throw them all back. Growing up in south Louisiana we cooked the saltwater fish we caught and to this day I prefer saltwater species. So why don't I eat the local fish? Pollution. Virginia Game and Inland fisheries says the Kepone that leaked into the Historic James River at Hopewell (Follow the Dead Fish to Hopewell) is now under the bottom mud and it is safe to eat "X-Number" of catfish a week. Now doesn't that just make you feel good about eating freshwater fish out of the Historic James? And we see the algae and bottom slop on other local rivers and lakes where the farmers' chemicals spill into the rivers and lakes. Now I will eat pond raised freshwater fish but they don't have any taste. I have to really season them and hope for the best. To each their own. For you guys who love freshwater swimmers go and enjoy the bounty. As for me, it is saltwater or pond grown fish. P.S. My Cajun grandmother made one fantastic Redfish Courtbullion (Creole Dish as it has tomatoes in it). I have tried to duplicate what she did as I remember it but my version is never as good as I remember hers to be. Look it up on Google and give it a try with your bass, etc.

Bank, I fished with a guy who was a high school teacher and assistant football coach and he used low end rods and reels. This guy could out-fish anyone. He would catch either the big bass in our tournaments or most of our tournament fish. And we did pretty good in tournaments. His theory was that the fish don't know what the equipment costs and if it breaks you throw it away and get another low price rod or reel to replace it. So to answer your question: It doesn't matter. $40, $50, $100, $250, $500. You use them until they break and you then decide to get them repaired or throw them away. Just make sure the line test matches your rod's line test parameters and the reel fits you hand comfortably. Now go out there and slay them on your $40 reel.

KVD 1.5 in Sexy Shad

Here is Dave's latest prediction about the weekend of December 21st. ***ALERT *** MAJOR RAIN EVENT LIKELY THURSDAY 12/20 ..THURS NIGHT ..INTO FRIDAY AM DEC 21 ... and T-STORMS are POSSIBLE as well. Models and the atmospheric patterns show a MASSIVE long wave trough -- see image #1 stretching from MN to Gulf coast DEC 20.. which goes " negative" -- NW- SW on DEC 21. This drives the LOW up the coast either over the mountains or Just East of the mountains. With HIGH pressure off the East coast.. strong south winds will drive in mild air and heavy moisture. Max temps East of the mountains in VA MD NC DEL into eastern PA NJ NYC could hit 60 on DEC 21 and NO there is no chance that this LOW will shift further east or that the precip will fall as snow.

One more thought. When storing your reel during fishing season and in the winter, always back off the drag and spool tension. You want the spool to spin freely when not in use. Just another suggestion.

Yes. Here is my two cents. 1) anything I need to do to this reel out of the box? Seems like some platforms have must do tips before you do anything at all. - YES. SOMETIMES THE GREASE INSIDE THE REEL WILL NOT PERFORM AT 100% DUE TO THE TIME THE REEL WAS ON THE SHELF. I WOULD SUGGEST YOU TAKE THE REEL TO A REPUTABLE PERSON WHO CAN OPEN IT AND ADD OR REPLACE THE GREASE WITH NEW GREASE. PUT THE BRAKES IN AN "X" PATTERN OR TURN THEM OFF. THEN ADJUST THEM AS NECESSARY TO AVOID BACKLASHES. SEE BELOW FOR A TIP ON SETTING UP YOUR BAITCASTER TO AVOID BACKLASHES. AND CHECK OUT THE REEL TO NOTE IF YOU NEED TO PUT ANY OIL ON THE SCREW OR OTHER PARTS OF THE REEL. 2) Planning 30lb sufix, 15 flouro leader. Worried maybe it's too heavy? The idea of being able to stop worrying about weed/pad snags is pretty interesting though. Thoughts? Also should I back the sufix with anything or just spool it all on there? - LOOK FOR THE LINE TEST LIMITS ON THE REEL TO MATCH YOUR ROD. CHECK OUT THE ROD'S LINE TEST AND BAIT WEIGHT PARAMATERS. ADD THE LOW AND HIGH LINE TEST NUMBERS TOGETHER AND DIVIDE BY 2 TO OBTAIN THE BEST LINE TEST PERFORMANCE FOR YOUR ROD. JUST MAKE SURE YOUR REEL CAN HANDLE THE ROD'S LINE TEST GUIDELINES AND YOU WILL BE FINE. ALSO, DON'T OVERSPOOL THE LINE ON THE REEL. LEAVE ABOUT A QUARTER OF AN INCH FROM THE TOP OF THE SPOOL UNFILLED. BACK UP BRAID WITH MONO ON YOUR SPOOL TO KEEP IT FROM SLIPPING. 3) I understand that the setup procedure for this is a little different. Anything I need to do other than read the instructions and do what it says? - OF COURSE, BUT WE DON'T DO THAT. WE JUST START FISHING WITH OUR NEW REELS. HERE IS WHAT I SUGGEST YOU DO WITH YOUR NEW BAITCASTER FOR EVERY BAIT YOU USE AT THE TIME YOU USE IT. THIS IS NOT MY IDEA. I GOT IT FROM IKE: RIG UP BAITCASTING RIG AS YOU WOULD TO CAST IT TO START TO FISH. PUT BRAKES IN AN "X" PATTERN OR TURN THEM OFF. POINT ROD TIP TO 11 O'CLOCK AND RELEASE THE SPOOL. USING YOUR THUMB, SLOW DOWN THE BAIT'S FALL TO THE FLOOR (NOT CARPET) SO THE SPOOL STOPS WHEN THE BAIT HITS THE GROUND. ADJUST THE DRAG TO HAVE IT TIGHT AND ADJUST THE SPOOL TENSION SO THAT WHEN YOU DROP EACH BAIT THE SPOOL WILL STOP TURNING WHEN THE BAIT HITS THE GROUND. KEEP DOING THIS UNTIL THE SPOOL STOPS WHEN THE BAIT HITS THE FLOOR. YOU CAN THEN ADJUST THE SPOOL TENSION BY LOOSENING OR TIGHTING IT A LITTLE AFTER A FEW CASTS. THIS WILL STOP BACKLASHES AND WHEN YOU THROW YOUR TOPWATERS YOU CAN START YOUR RETRIEVE JUST AS THE BAIT IS GETTING READY TO HIT THE WATER WITHOUT FEAR OF A BACKLASH. REMEMBER TO DO THIS EVERYTIME YOU CHANGE YOUR BAITS WHILE FISHING. IT WILL BECOME A SIMPLE THING TO DO. YOU WILL HAVE TO DROP YOUR BAIT A NUMBER OF TIMES UNTIL YOU GET THE SPOOL TO STOP WHEN THE BAIT HITS THE FLOOR. JUST KEEP DOING IT OVER AND OVER AND YOU WILL GET THE HANG OF IT. When reeling in your line put tension on the line so it goes back on the spool tight. Also, when fishing, always keep a finger on the line as it comes off the reel so you can feel for strikes. Of course, you can't do this when using moving baits, but you can do it for plastics. With your baitcaster set up, put it aside and go out and purchase a knitting needle from Joann's Fabrics or Walmart. One of those long gold ones. Use it to help get any backlashes out if you do get one. Remember, by setting up your baitcasting rig as outlined above the chances for a backlash diminish almost 100%. Have your baitcaster reel serviced at the beginning of each year. If you can find someone who can put some graphite into the grease you will not have any internal problems. Wash the reel when you get home from fishing, drying it as best you can, and letting it air dry in your man cave. Also, check the cowling screw. If it becomes loose, your line will pile up on one side or the other of your spool. Try to tighten the screw which is easier said than done. If the screw is loose, take it to your repair guy to check out the reel and tighten the screw. You use oil on the outside moving parts of your baitcaster. DO NOT USE ANY GREASE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE REEL. If you do, you will be inviting dirt into your reel and you will get the grease all over the place. Change mono and fluoro line with new line when you go fishing. Always check the line by running it over your thumbnail by using your index finger to keep it tight on your thumbnail while you are fishing. If you feel any nicks, cuts, abrasions, or anything "different" you have to cut the line to remove the weak spots. You can keep the braid on your baitcaster without any problems. After the season, remove all line from the spool; loosen the spool's tension so it spins freely; and loosen the drag. Hope this gives you some insight on baitcasters and how to keep your reels in tip top condition. Now go out there and catch something for us. Merry Christmas! P.S. How about introducing yourself in the Introductions section of the Forum?

Lots more rain heading our way for December 21st and into the weekend. Check out Wxrisk.com on Facebook and Dave will fill you in. As I have posted, the Historic James River is dirty and high. So if I was you I would forget the Historic James. Same may be true for the Rapp, Mattaponi, and Pamunkey rivers, too. Check 'em out and let us know. Thinking that the Seven Springs Marina on Lake Chesdin would flood again like it did for Hurricane Florence due to the snow and ice runoff and the rain. No idea about Sandy River reservoir, Diascund or Briery Creek. The Chick may be high and dirty, too. One Fish Anna may be a good place to try your luck. Now, to answer your query, where would you look for fish? I would start with any north and/or west shore rip rap and rocks that could hold heat and fish those areas shallow. As you know, the north and west side of any body of water gets the sun for the longest time each day. North and west shorelines are always good places to start your quest. I would look for wood, especially any stickups or wood sitting alone by itself away from other structure. And I would fish all lonely structure that is standing alone in the water. You know the bass will just hover in place, waiting for something to swim by so they can grab it without expending much energy. So I would throw a crankbait (5 to 8 feet), spinnerbait, hair jig and pig, and a lipless crankbait. Then follow up along the same bank with a wacky Senko or a Zoom trick worm on a shaky head followed by a drop shot presentation. Presentations will depend on water quality. Let us know where you end up fishing; the conditions; what you caught; and on what technique and lures. Be safe. Merry Christmas!

Congrats to your daughter and you and your wife for earning her masters degree. Great achievement. Now it is onto her Ph.D.!!!!!!!

For you guys and gals living in Virginia or who are thinking of fishing the Historic James River for bass or catfish, hold on. Right now the river is high and dirty. And with the rain we are getting in Virginia it will rise even higher and get nasty. So go somewhere else to fish until the river calms down after all the water from upriver passes by Richmond and heads towards the Chick allowing the river to go down and the water clarity to improve. We have cleared 60-inches in the greater Richmond area so far this year in total rain. I know the willow trees love it but it has really put a damper on weekend fishing for many of us. Be safe and everyone have a great Christmas and Chanukah.

First, rod length can be a factor of your height. If you are short go with a 6'6" rod. If you are tall go with the 7'8" rod. If you are in-between go with an in-between length rod that feels comfortable to you. Second, there are "crankbait specific" rods in the marketplace that are made especially for crankbait fishing. I have a David Fritts that I love more than my G. Loomis. Go figure? The David Fritts crankbait series "Lew's Perfect Crank Baitcasting rods" is an example. Other companies have "crankbait specific" rods to select among. Your preference. And FYI, Fritts is the one and only pro on tour that throws crankbaits almost all the time. Take the reel you will be using and bring it with you to your favorite tackle store and put it on the rods of different lengths to see how the rod feels in your hands. Note the weight, balance and performance of the rod. Close your eyes and move the rod around; simulate casting; move it side to side like when you set the hook; and look at the overall construction in addition to the line test and bait weight parameters. May I suggest you get the November/December 2018 Bassmaster Magazine and read the article about Fritts on a lake in their "A Day on The Lake" series. I think you will learn a little more about crankbait fishing from the master himself. Good luck in your selection. And be sure to let us know what you finally purchased. The Bait Monkey awaits you.

2/0 to 3/0

Bankfisher, let me add one more thing that I just thought about. You have to be double quiet while fishing from the bank at night. The usual water background noise is at a minimum and the bass can tell you are on the bank via your vibrations when you move or walk. So be as stealth as possible. Move very quietly. Don't talk. Move as far from the bank as possible when changing locations. Creep up to the water's edge as softly as possible. Watch where you shine your flashlight. Be a ghost. The only sound you want the bass to hear is your bait hitting the water and what it does while under water. Now go out there and show those fish who is boss!

Yes. I have a lot of hard baits and plastics so I do not plan to buy any more until I run out of a specific color I want. Otherwise, the Bait Monkey will not love me next year.

Using 4 or 6 pound test on a spinning rig the techniques can include anything for flipping and pitching the following to your targets with the goal of having a very quiet water entry. Use a light or medium rod as long as the rod is rated for 4 or 6 pound test. Use spinning reel that can accommodate 4 to 6 pound test. Do not overfill the spool or you will have a mess on your hands when the line spins off. Use your fingers to reel in the line tight when necessary. Use a braid backing to secure your fluorocarbon line to the braid on your spool to stop any line slippage. Use a 1/16 tungsten weight where necessary. Drop Shot with small drop shot worm or finesse worm Shaky Head with Swamp Crawler or finesse worm Texas rigged finesse worm Light weight crankbait Light weight spinnerbait Swim jig Small jig with a pig Crappie baits Rooster Tails Small Flukes unweighted Baby Brush Hogs Ned Rig Rage Tail crawfish Fish these baits slow on the bottom or as slow as possible for your moving baits. Let the flukes and other plastics sink slowly to the bottom. Check out the smaller crankbaits at your favorite tackle store. Keep finger on line to feel strikes. Bring bottom baits back to you slowly. Experiment with the speed of your moving baits. Flip or pitch your baits into any blow downs you can find. Target anything that looks a bass would be holding on it. Throw to the outside first and then go inside the target. You will lose some setups but that is where the bass will be holding. Do not overset the hook. Use normal pressure on your rod when setting the hook. No slack in line when fighting any fish. Let the fish play itself out in deeper water. Try to keep fish away from shallow water and any structure that would cut the line. Stick rod tip in the water to keep fish from jumping. Experiment. Throw as many different baits as you can to try to find a pattern. At night you want a dark color bait. Go with Junebug or blue/black when you can. Small black crankbaits if you can find them or paint some small cranks (crappie size) black with hobby shop paint or Hard as Nails nail polish with a clear Hard as Nails coat on top of the new paint to secure the paint to the lure. Remember, the bass are seeking cover, safety, and a good ambush point just in case something interesting swims by. They usually use sight as their first sense to see their prey and then follow up with the prey's vibrations and noise. At night their sense of sight is diminished but they can still see your baits if close enough to them. Let us know how you do. Merry Christmas.

As stated above, a beautiful puppy. Arlo, like in Arlo Guthrie? Post some pics of him on your boat this coming season and his reaction to the bass you catch. Congrats on finding a wonderful friend. Merry Christmas.

It's the Classic. The B-I-G bass fishing event of the year no matter who is fishing in the tournament. The field is set; the guys are getting ready; the vendors will put on a fantastic show; the TV ratings will be high; and the winner will go down in infamy. Politics aside, this will be another successful Classic, no matter who fishes or wins. And if the winner pulls out from BASS, which has happened in the past and goes to another tournament trail, so be it. He will still be a Classic winner even if he fades from memory. And don't forget the guys in all tournaments are fishing for a living and not on the water to socialize. It is their careers and they want to win. Putting up with a marshal in itself is a pain; having a coangler who wants to BS all day is a deterrent. I don't blame the pros for not being sociable or nice when in a tournament. The pros have to concentrate on a lot of things to place high in the tournament and that is their job. If you want to fish with a pro then go out and find one to be your guide for a day. You will learn a lot and have a good time when they are not working.

Funny.

Congrats. What a fantastic Christmas present you received. Start dreaming about that bass boat and what equipment you want on it. Merry Christmas!