Choporoz

Got sorta quiet in here.... I haven't been out as much the last six weeks as I'd have liked. But, I'm really looking forward to the next six or eight....or twelve. Spent more time this summer on the Occoquan River than anywhere else. Had a great numbers day out there a week and a half ago. Nothing over 4#, but plenty from 2-4. There was a big tournament going on, so I was having to work my yak between a lot of bass boats...in fact one guy ran right up on me...as he trolled by, maybe 6 feet out from me, he said "Hope you don't mind...we're fishing a really big tournament"....like that excuses rude behavior. Anyway, seems like every boat was throwing drop shots or wacky worms...neither of which I have much time for. Never seen so much fast drop shot fishing. I did just fine on shaky head, Keitechs SI's and jigs, thank you. No question, the fish were pretty scattered, however. Only going to get worse before it gets better. Spent one evening in Gunston Cove...best fish were all in/around/above the nastiest grass....rare decent day with a frog...for some reason, my frogs don't get bit much in the Potomac. Was on Hunting Run all day Saturday. Thumb got tore up pretty good...funny thing was that I had different things on 7 or 8 different rods and nothing much worked...except Rage Tail Anaconda...didn't matter if it was 7" or 10"...find the outside edge of the weeds and lift/drag...set the hook....repeat.....other curly tails (Culprit) got a bit of attention, but not like the Anacondas.

Many seem to be on the side of the effects of 'negative reinforcement'. I always have been, too. So, when I do happen to catch one, I try to make it as pleasant an experience for the fish, as I possibly can. Speak gently...calmly...save the hootin and hollerin 'til after you got him back in the water; rub her belly while you're ripping that hook out of her gills; keep some weeds in the boat at your feet, to make them feel a little bit at home while you get your camera ready; offer them a drink.....a few simple touches that will go a long way towards making that fish more willing to let you catch it next time.

I use weighted swimbait hooks....a lot....but not for flukes. I prefer to fish flukes weightless, but on occasion when I want to get them down a bit, I like the weight to be separated a ways from the bait. Otherwise, the action gets killed. 1/16 oz BPS XPS Finesse Weights (pegged or unpegged) work well. A single split shot 18 inches up the line may get you exactly what you want, also.

I don't get that any more...she knows better.....I may get "What time does the launch close?" once in a while

-I don't care how sensitive your rod is, if you can't see your line, you're going to miss fish. -Now would be a good time to introduce yourself to Reins plastics...if you haven't already

Thanks, @fishballer06 and @Bluebasser86. I've tried 6/4 combos with mixed results. I find it maddening that these lures are nearly unfishable out of the package.

Great stuff, @Way2slow. Thank you much for taking the time. This thread (or at least W2S's posts) might/should be pinned. I've been using a NOCO Genius 7.2A charger (from Amazon) with good results. I recently 'acquired' a newish Schumacher like the one pictured earlier in this thread. Both seem to satisfy my requirements (3 size 27 Interstate batteries - TM use only.) Best I can tell...and after I test the maintenance voltage....I can safely use these chargers for charging and for winter 'maintenance'. New question. For my yak sonar, I use 12V 9Ah sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries. My first purchase of these came with a charger that was simply a block that plugged in and had two small gauge wires/clips. Not so much as a single indicator light. Instructions said to charge batteries for 24hrs...not much less....and be careful not much more. That worked very well for a couple years. This past spring, I had the bright idea to use my NOCO charger instead...because, well....they're 12V batteries...and it is a genius charger, right? One battery was shot in a couple months...maybe it was just old and at the end of its life...IDK. So...my question is: -Can/should I use the NOCO and/or Genius to charge 9Ah SLA batteries? Better to just use the cheap cord charger that came with?

Spent a night at Lakeshore Motel last fall; staff was great and price was even better. Went out in kayaks one day, but wind was rather brutal. We kept to a couple sheltered bays -- not much catching, but it was a beautiful lake that I'd like to return to.

Cleared that right up for ya, Kickerf

For me, it depends on time of day as much as anything. If I want to launch at 4AM....or stay out past sunset, then I go to BRM. It can be a little easier to deal with wind up there, also. Most of what I want to fish from my kayak around Fountainhead and Lake Ridge is pretty exposed. As far as the fishing...it depends I feel like I know the area between Lake Ridge and Fountainhead somewhat better than I know Bull Run and Occoquan River....but I can't say that the fishing is generally any better in any one area of the rez...from my limited experience

If I wanted to succeed with something like this, Step 1 for me would be to delete my BR account...very few days when someone here doesn't get me to visit TW

No sonar...in summer ....on the rez even with some familiarity makes for a long day. I took the yak out of BRM last night from 6-9. One short fish....lots of misses...pretty sure most were bass...some bluegills, no doubt...but setting the hook and dragging water continually. Strange thing was that I wasn't marking fish anywhere....not on drops, shallow, channels, brush, etc....strange night

but.....if it does.....stand by for something spectacular...I sent a Strikeback spinnerbait 50 feet into the woods the other day....and had the single worst backlash that I have ever seen....In Alberto's defense, it was almost certainly knot-tier malpractice

Seven up and seven back. If not on the water, I try to pay particular attention to staggering the wraps on the way back...so it looks like a braid....seems to make a cleaner knot, though probably doesn't make much difference, really

All the descriptions in the world didn't help me nearly as much as I wanted them to. My suggestion is to buy two of each different head shape/line tie -- and find what works best for you. Depending on how you fish, where you fish, what sort of bottom, cover, etc that you fish...you'll develop your own preferences. Sorry it isn't easier than that. When you're fishing them, try to pay a little attention to which line tie angle works for you..whether through wood, or rocks, grass or pads...whatever...which line tie orientation....head shape...it seems complicated, but I think you'll find that one or two will suit your fishing style best...just takes a while to figure it out. But my telling you what works for me, probably won't agree with over half the other guys' preferences

Not the cheapest, nor easiest to find, but my current favorite.

Not trying to be a smartass...it just comes naturally....but it would be easier to list the plastics that won't work on a shakey head. I have a strong preference for Reins lately, but I can't think of much that I wouldn't try

I kayak alone 80+% of the time...but never on swift rivers....but that's mostly because of transportation, I suppose

Glad you're ok. It is a bit scary. I flipped in the Shenandoah last year....got to get right back out there...don't let the nerves bother you next time you face that spot...you titled this thread 'Big Mistake'....what was it? How might you have handled that spot differently?

Update...again.... Called Fenwick about the new break - sent one pic via email (8/14.) Got brand new replacement yesterday...no sending in old one...no back and forth emails or calls this time..... So far, pleased with their warranty service...just hope that I don't have to talk to them again

Both. Duh. I will say that I have discovered an unintended positive consequence of having lots of cranks ....a sort of inverse relationship that is good for catching; -the more cranks I have, the less worried I am about losing one; thus, the more likely I am to put them in harms way....where the fish are. So....Bait Monkey wins! Having lots of lures makes me fish better.....helloooo T W.....here I come

I agree! I look forward to it. @Logan S's reports from last year on the Potomac is my favorite thread on BR about any pros.

I hope it works! Love it when a smart young entrepreneur sees a problem and devises a unique solution and can bring it to market.

I hate when people answer a question different than what's being asked....so feel free to disregard.... I fish a lot of shakey heads, but, if in the grass, I generally don't. What I will do that presents similarly, but not necessarily vertically, is use slider heads. I get them direct: http://www.sliderfishing.com/HEADS-HOOKS_c7.htm My recommendation is to get a few pro sliders and spiders and a snagless and give them a shot when you get in the grass.

I worry most about powered craft, also. That's the reason I didn't go with auto-inflate PFD. I figure that it's not unlikely that the next time I go in, I could get knocked in the head....and I prefer the peace of mind of a non-inflatable