Wayne P.

I don't know if the hull changed later, I haven't been in one newer than 1994, but the Javelin was made in the same factory and that hull was changed during that period as I had both types.

The large slot limit implemented the past few years at Sandy River Lake has helped with the number of citation bass.

Possum, getting hung up on the stumps is pretty common. I can tell from a long distance if someone is trying to get unhung. I do it on purpose sometimes to hold the boat in position so I cover an area when the wind is blowing or I find a school of bass and don't want to scare them by running the trolling motor. Any Fluke color will work equally well, the slow fall is the attraction factor.

I'm not sure if it is a thermocline, but I have seen that same thing on just about every body of water I have been on this year and it is usually right at 12' in the same water temp range.

Personal message sent.

There are two public ramps in Aquia Creek. One is before you get to Hope Springs. It is Willow Landing Marina. Hope Springs has deeper water at the end of the ramp and is better for low tide launching and retrieving.

You will land more bass using braid than with mono. Most fishermen I know including myself make very long casts when fishing lipless cranks so they can cover a lot of water each cast. If a fish takes it "out there", getting a hook set past the barbs is not likely with mono due to the line stretch. Once the hook set is made, the angler's skill during the fight will prevent a loss providing the proper flex rod is used for throwing cranks to begin with. Most bass are lost due to the lack of hook penetration rather than the hooks being ripped out.

Marine grade plywood is most likely the original transom.

John J., you are correct about most, but the atmospheric pressure is falling (lower) prior to a front and that is a contributing factor in the fish activity. The post front is the high pressure period with difficult fishing conditions. In Florida, a high pressure period is the worst condition for fishing success.

What is the water temp?

I use Traps in timber a lot. It's a feel you get used to after a while that lets you bring it thru limbs without getting hung up much. Using braid with the Trap helps with that.

That young guy from Penn really knows some stuff. I guess those pros that catch 20#+ limits of smallmouth bass while wearing their bright red-blue-white-yellow- green- purple- shirts in boats with corresponding colors and 20# line don't know what they are doing. They don't fish from shore, so that may make a difference.

Skepticzm of the new Berkley fluorocarbon revisited. I went to Dick's Sporting Goods today to recheck the comparison of Vanish and the new Berkley fluorocarbon lines. Of the same pound test that both had represented the following is the listed diameters for each: Vanish 10#=28mm New Berkley Fluoro 10#=30mm Vanish 17#=38mm New Berkley Fluoro 17#=41mm Vanish 20#=41mm New Berkley Fluoro 20#=43mm The 12# new line was sold out so I couldn't re-compare that pound test again. I opened a box of Vanish 20# and a box of the new line in 17# which are the same diameter and they both were equally stiff and wiry feeling. I put a kink in each line and they both held that bend the same amount.

The camber of the axle is set for a level frame. If you go much higher or lower than level, you will add toe-in or toe-out tire wear.

Sure, osbornj2 http://www.fishingva.com/

JCrzy4Bass, keeping up with water temp is easy and can be cheap. I have three temps sensors on my jon boat. The cheapest one is an indoor/outdoor instrument that I bought at Walmart in the auto section-less than $5 The next most costly one is the Minnkota clock/air/water temp meter for around $15. The most costly is the one that is included in a sonar transducer. They don't all show the same temp all the time but are within a couple of degrees of each other.

This is a test to see if you want to have a raised deck on your boat. Put it on the water and stand on top of the tank seats, move from side to side. If you feel comfortable with the results, a raised deck is for you. If not, stay low as LBH suggested.

I used a heavy guage aluminum with center supports of aluminum in some areas and closed cell block foam in other areas. Lighter weight and no possibility of rotting.

That hull during that period was rough on the family jewels when negotiating boat wakes.

I agree with hawg caller, but I don't camoflage the line and don't use Power Pro.

Welcome to the site. I've fished both lakes since they were opened for fishing. They are about 75 miles from home. At Briery, I've caught several like you show and many hundreds more smaller. Briery is my favorite lake in Va. I have fished it 7 times this year so far for a total of 207 bass. I fished it last Friday and the water temp ranged from 54 degrees to 60 degrees. I've been catching them at the upper end since Jan. 7th

New Professional Grade 100% Fluorocarbon. I'm skeptacle of that line for the simple reason that with an in-store comparison of 12#, the "new" line is a larger diameter than Vanish. I just wonder if the "new" line is just re-packaged and under lable rated Vanish so it would appear as a "new" stronger line.

roadwarrior, there is an ole saying "you never get another chance to make a first impression"

"is there any way you can use them in "power fishing"? I am trying to tailor my fishing to that approach as I am a run and gun type of guy and find I catch most of my fish covering a lot of water as quickly as possible." You are starting off with the wrong mind set. Mainly to be successful you don't dictate to the fish how or with what your lure presentation is or will be to attract them. The fish will tell you what they want. I witnessed just that attitude one day last week. I was catching bass with a finesse presentation and a couple of guys came by and saw me catch a couple. They came over to ask what I was doing as they hadn't caught any. They were throwing spinnerbaits and had jigs tied on other rods. I explained how, why, and with what I had been catching the bass-offered to give them some proper hooks. Their comments were similar to yours : "I like power fishing and that is too slow for me." I watched them for a while as they moved on as I was still catching some in the area and I didn't see them catch any. Incidently, I have caught 390 bass so far this year letting the fish tell me what they want.

My motor is a 2-stroke. The problem will be finding a 9.9 2-stroke if Mercury is your choice. Mercury doesn't make 2-strokes any more except the Optimax in the larger sizes. My jon boat is rated for a 15HP. I sized the motor for the waters I'd be using it on. I been in boats with small 2-stroke HP motors of other mfg and they don't start as easily as the Merc., that is why I chose that brand. I have a 150HP on a bassboat also.