Sam

It was around 2005 when my club had a March tournament on Lake Gaston on the Virginia/North Carolina border. Weather was not good. We had about an inch of ice on the boat's deck and it was c-o-l-d. We started fishing the mouth of a creek and the boater landed a beautiful lady, around six pounds. My shad colored crankbait got hit, I set the hook, and she decided to run back to the boat. I could not stop her. She swam under the boat and my line 8-pound fluoro popped. Gone forever. The boater went on to catch another large lady and it turned out to be the big bass of the year. That experience still haunts me. Still remember seeing the line heading towards me and nothing I could do. That is what makes fishing a great sport. Man against beast.

Hey Coach! Enjoying the first feel of winter in Bamaland? My "go to winter baits" consist of hot chocolate, coffee cake and coffee, chips, a warm quilt and a comfortable chair to watch football and other sports on TV. Being from south Louisiana means that no matter where I am, when the temperature goes below 70* it is cold outside and it is time to reorganize my tackle and baits and enjoy the "great inside."

BassCats. thanks for letting us know the deal went through. You know, things change all the time in business. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse. Take Sears. Why in the world did they purchase K-Mart? And BPS taking over Cabela's? BPS taking control of Ranger and Triton? I know everyone out there can add to this list so be my guest. You wonder "what in the world are these guys thinking?" Are there great profits to be made by purchasing other companies and making changes to bolster the bottom line? What Wall Street executive gave them the idea in the first place and then what accounting and banking firms helped them with the purchase? You know changes are coming in our industry. Large and small changes. And the sale of Pure Fishing is a large change. The older guys and gals who made Pure Fishing prosper and be profitable will either leave now with nice buy-outs or be let go. The people responsible for Pure Fishing's success will be replaced by others who may or may not know the fishing business. The bottom line becomes extremely important and we know layoffs are right around the corner. Hope they wait until after the holidays to step in and destroy the current management and work force. And although we focus on product, the executives and accountants focus on money. What sells? What does not? What is a profitable division and what isn't? What formula changes can be made and still improve sales and the bottom line? It is all financially driven, not product driven. Any product from clothes to auto parts to furniture to hardware to fishing and hunting items make no difference. It is all financial and all decisions will be based on money. Lots of unknowns for everyone associated with Pure Fishing on all levels. This is true of all large take-overs. Maybe more part timers to save on benefits? Maybe lower quality products? Maybe a reduction in management at the plants, distribution points and the retail outlets? Maybe less employees (like hospitals having one nurse for you and 10 other patients for their 8 hour shifts) to cut costs? Maybe purchase more and more products from overseas where the quality can be questionable? Longevity does not mean anything. Those who have worked for Pure Fishing for many, many years mean nothing. Many times buy-outs mean no loyalty to the working staff who have worked so hard for so many years. Employees who have reached age 62 to 65 may be forced out for people who will now make minimum wage or lower annual salaries (younger guys and gals) or work part-time so the company will not have to give them health insurance and other benefits. It is all financial. The accountants will run the show. Nothing to do with products or services. Totally financial. All we can do is sit back and see what happens. Maybe this is a great assumption. Maybe not. Time will tell. Everyone stay tuned.

Part 3 I forgot Roc-A-Hoc's ramp. Check it out. It is by the dam on the river side. There is a launch fee at all places.

Yes, fished it in September. I like two places to launch. If you are coming from Chesterfield County cross the Historic James River and take Route 5 to the mouth of the Chick where you will find Chickahominy Riverfront Park. Check out this web site. https://jamescitycountyva.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Chickahominy-Riverfront-Park-2 Second place is in the middle of the river, Helen's as we called it. But its name has changed to Rivers' Rest. Check out the web page and note the best way to drive to the hotel and restaurant. https://riversrestblueheron.com/ These are the two most popular places to launch. Safe, good bathrooms, good ramps. Watch the tides. Get a GMCO map of the Chick River and go have some fun. Good luck. Part 2 - Biggest Obstacles Mud flats. Get a GMCO map where they show the water depth at low tide and stay away from the mud flats. So many great places to fish up and down the river that it will take you years to fish them all. Big ones are up by the dam.

Really bad service. They want you to throw your current unit away and purchase a new unit. I took my Lowrance unit to a Virginia retailer who also repairs them and after waiting one month to get it back the unit still does not work correctly. It seems it cannot find its location for some unknown reason. I use it for speed and water temperature. If I ever replace it I will go to Raymarine. Their units are easier to use and the side and down scan pictures are outstanding. I saw them at a Bassmaster Classic a few years ago and fell in love with their units.

This is the answer. Check the specs or call Tracker and ask them for guidance.

Right. Never have been in a kayak. Maybe next year.

No, but have you checked the Internet? In January there is the Richmond Fishing Expo where you will find guys selling kayaks and also hawking their guide services. I would think they would have knowledge of kayak tournaments in the greater Tidewater area. Here is the like to their web page. Maybe you can contact some now that look interesting. http://www.richmondfishingexpo.com/

Yes.

Too much clutter. You have too much clutter on your brain. Suggested course of action: Write it down. Make lists. Have one specific place for papers, baits, etc. Just don't blast off and remember your rods and reels are at home!!!!

X2

Agree. What Dr. Jones found was in a controlled atmosphere in a lab. And we don't know the amount of the anise or garlic he used. He just published what happened during the experiments. In the real world things can be different or else the bass are hitting the baits because you are a "Bass Magnet"!!!! Would be nice if the bass would read some books and magazines so they would know what they are supposed to do under specific conditions. This is what makes bass fishing so much fun. Anything goes while nothing goes. Can drive you nuts.

Only in tournaments. Use MegaStrike. Since I set the hook when the bass hits the crankbait I have no idea if the MegaStrike does anything to improve the hook set. But it can't hurt.

Don't forget your drop shot and wacky Senkos.

Start your own club and call it The Rougaroux Bass Club. On a serious note, if you go to Links at the top of the page you can find a listing of bass clubs throughout the country listed by state. Here are the clubs listed for Louisiana. Louisiana Barataria Bass Masters Bastrop Bass Club Bayou Bassmasters Bayou Boys Bass Busters Louisiana B.A.S.S. South Lafourche Bass Masters You can also contact both FLW (TBF) and the B.A.S.S. state federations and ask them for the names and contact details for any clubs in your area. Look them up on the web site. Good luck.

Thanks, Glenn. Works fine, now. I had not noticed that box before and must have somehow clicked on it. Hope you and Kim are doing well and getting ready for the holidays. Take care.

If you can open the attachment it shows what my screen brings up. 20181103055139826.pdf

Browse Forums Gallery Rules & FAQ's Member List Staff Online Users More Activity FAQ's & Rules All Activity My Activity Streams Default Streams View New Content stream_title_43 Content I Started Content I Follow Members I Follow Content I Posted In Create New Stream Content I Started Search More Member Map Leaderboard FAQ's & Rules More View New Content Mark site read Bass Fishing Forums Start new topic Forums Start new topic Bass Fishing Forums General Bass Fishing Forum 311,235 posts Let's talk bass fishing! Join thousands of anglers on the most popular bass forum on the Web! Confusion level over 100% By Sam, 7 minutes ago Introductions 68,307 posts Tell us about yourself! Be sure to include where you like to fish and how long you've been fishing. Lurking Lunker Lander By Hook2Jaw, Thursday at 12:50 PM Smallmouth Bass Fishing 29,516 posts A smallmouth bass forum for the bronzeback aficionados. If your question or comment has anything to do with the attitude-packed cousin of the largemouth, this is the place! Possible new PA state record r… By A-Jay, 8 hours ago Browse Forums Gallery Rules & FAQ's Member List Staff Online Users More Activity FAQ's & Rules All Activity My Activity Streams Default Streams View New Content stream_title_43 Content I Started Content I Follow Members I Follow Content I Posted In Create New Stream Content I Started Search More Member Map Leaderboard FAQ's & Rules More View New Content Mark site read Bass Fishing Forums Start new topic Forums Start new topic Bass Fishing Forums General Bass Fishing Forum 311,235 posts Let's talk bass fishing! Join thousands of anglers on the most popular bass forum on the Web! Confusion level over 100% By Sam, 7 minutes ago Introductions 68,307 posts Tell us about yourself! Be sure to include where you like to fish and how long you've been fishing. Lurking Lunker Lander By Hook2Jaw, Thursday at 12:50 PM Smallmouth Bass Fishing 29,516 posts A smallmouth bass forum for the bronzeback aficionados. If your question or comment has anything to do with the attitude-packed cousin of the largemouth, this is the place! Possible new PA state record r… By A-Jay, 8 hours ago Browse Forums Gallery Rules & FAQ's Member List Staff Online Users More Activity FAQ's & Rules All Activity My Activity Streams Default Streams View New Content stream_title_43 Content I Started Content I Follow Members I Follow Content I Posted In Create New Stream Content I Started Search More Member Map Leaderboard FAQ's & Rules More View New Content Mark site read Bass Fishing Forums Start new topic Forums Start new topic Bass Fishing Forums General Bass Fishing Forum 311,235 posts Let's talk bass fishing! Join thousands of anglers on the most popular bass forum on the Web! Confusion level over 100% By Sam, 7 minutes ago Introductions 68,307 posts Tell us about yourself! Be sure to include where you like to fish and how long you've been fishing. Lurking Lunker Lander By Hook2Jaw, Thursday at 12:50 PM Smallmouth Bass Fishing 29,516 posts A smallmouth bass forum for the bronzeback aficionados. If your question or comment has anything to do with the attitude-packed cousin of the largemouth, this is the place! Possible new PA state record r… By A-Jay, 8 hours ago

They are going shallow to fatten up for the winter and to find some warmer water. When you got the hits the bass were in the area seeking food. This is why you always are ready to set the hook on all casts. You never know where they will be, especially at this time of the year when they sense winter coming and are going to feed a lot in the grass, pads or shallows.

12, my computer has each topic in a "box" in lieu of a list. I have no idea what I did to change it. Maybe the Mods or Glenn can let us know if it is my computer or a new profile.

Did I miss the memo? Do we have a new format? Or is it just my computer????

Yep. But Tom, Dr. Jones gave me his secret formula. As for what scents work best, here is the list from page 57 of his book: BASS RESPONSE TO COMMON FLAVORS Worm Extract 100% Sugar 3% Garlic 2% Anise 1% Salt 3% Prey Salt Mix 3% One of my past best bass friends, who passed away, had a secret mixture of anise and Canola oil that he soaked his plastics in the day before he went fishing. He swore by this formula and he was one heck of a fisherman and guide. Really miss him. Now, to Dr. Jones' publication. On pages 72 he publishes his study on the effects of adding scent to crankbaits and by far the cranks with scent had more strikes and they have a longer retention in the bass' mouths. Page 74 notes the scent effects on soft bait retention. Here is what he writes: "Bass are not always the aggressive feeders they are made out to be. Attacks on slow moving soft plastics often come in a series of short pecks with quick release times. As revealed in the probability distributions, less than 20 percent of the strikes on plain, unscented worms result in a bass holding the worm longer than eight seconds. Only 30 percent of the strikes lasted longer than four seconds and fully half ended in less than a second and a half. Adding an attractive scent to the soft plastic does not fully reverse this trend, as some bass continued to only peck at the worm regardless of the scent. However, scent does increase the probability that the bass will hang on longer. More than half the strikes on a scented worm, for instance, were held for close to six seconds. (From Berkley Fish Research data bank; printed with permission from Pure Fishing)" Interesting, to say the least. Looks like that on average when we get a bite on a scented worm we have a maximum of no more than six seconds to set the hook. This is why we watch the line and keep a finger on the line coming off the reel. Dr. Jones' book is out of print and copies are very expensive. So if you score a copy get one and sit back for a lot of fantastic information based on Dr. Jones and Pure Fishing's studies. And once again, it boils down to confidence. If you have confidence in a specific scent, go for it.

Jim, I plan to be carried out feet first. I love what I do, although it can be challenging and stressful at times. I had my right knee replaced and had to stay home for six weeks. Drove myself, and my wife, crazy. If I don't have a challenge I get depressed and moody. So I need to continue to work as an independent and impartial insurance consultant and continue to try to screw the insurance companies before they screw my clients. Like today. I found a possible answer to a serious problem one of my clients has regarding their December 1st group health renewal. Why the agent failed to obtain the same information and solution as I did is a mystery to me. But it looks like the company can continue offering group health benefits into 2019. It is things like this that make me feel that I am still making a positive difference for my clients. And I have the time to go fishing during the week, too.

We could write books on scent and if it actually does any good. It boils down to confidence. If you have confidence in using a scent please continue to do so. However, with that penned, in his book, Knowing Bass, Dr. Keith Jones of Berkeley (Pure Fishing) research labs wrote about scent. To condense what he said boils down to the following as I give you his input as best I can: Bass have nostrils that allow only certain size molecules to enter the passage. If the scent's molecules are too big then they cannot pass through the nostrils and are worthless. There is just way too much information in his book on odor and taste sensitivity to continue what he wrote via his studies. However he does list different scents and how the bass react to each in his book. Dr. Jones gave me the best home made scent formula which I am keeping as a secret until I retire from bass fishing. It is not a nice scent; it is messy to make; you better not make it your kitchen; and it could make you throw up. But Dr. Jones says it is the best one anyone could use and I will try it once again on the Historic James River on November 11th, if the weather allows me to fish my club's last tournament. So scent boils down to confidence. I have confidence in MegaStrike which I use most of the time unless I am using Dr. Jones' formula in a tournament. But that's just me.