I went out today for a few hours. Still, very few bass in the shallows. Caught one buck bass on a jerk bait (Jackall DD Squirrel) on the first cast. Caught three pickerel, one almost 3 pounds (on Daiwa DC Shad SP). Even the crappie action seems slow, and it was poppin' this time last year. I am seeing some baitfish in the shallows. Some balls are starting to move into the coves. But everything seems delayed this year. The water is still cold. There is almost no folage on the trees. It still seems very winter-like. I looked at some photos I took at the same lake in mid-March last year and all the trees had some green. This year, it still looks like mid-winter.

Anyone else notice this or am I just nuts?

Micro,

THE WATER IS STILL COLD!

Micro,

THE WATER IS STILL COLD!

Highest temp was 52* on top of the water at Gaston last weekend.

Otherwise, the temps are still in the high 40s.

We need some nice warm weather and warm rains.

We also need the Dogwoods to bloom.

Went to Lake Cherokee this afternoon and caught one dink in a half-hour.  Only bite I had.

He was about 70 feet from shore and at the ledge into deeper water.

Another guy floated by in his grandfather's pontoon boat and he caught nothing using live minnows.

Where is global warming when you need it?????  

Yeah, I know.  But was the water that cold this time last year?   I mean, it's like its still February around here.

I'm starting to believe Al Gore is full of crap.

It could be the very cold winter we had this year.  It was near zero at least a dozen times this winter.  Weird thing is that our trees are out here more this spring than last.  We've had some very sunny and very warm days here in the valley.   Water temps in my best pond are in the mid 50's now with 60's in the shallows on sunny days.  I'm gonna be on Lake Anna next weekend so that will really tell me how things are going.

BTW, if you guys have any little ponds in the Chesapeake area that you don't mind giving up the location of please let me know.  I've got family down there and we hit several local ponds but would like to try some more.  They live near Lynnhaven and Volvo.  

I don't fish VA Beach/Norfolk area.  I stay on then Peninsula and points west.  

Try the DGIF website.  I understand there are some very good lakes down there.

Sam, I saw some 54 degree water in several places at Gaston last Saturday. Three of them were on the North side of the lake and one was on the South side.

The highest water temp I have seen this year other than Anna Hot side was 57 degrees at Briery Creek this week.

Al Gore is full of it. There is a climate shift but no global warming. The South Pole is colder and the ice sheet is larger than the recent past. That is why the ocean water level has not risen due to the Artic ice melting and Northern Hemisphere glaciers melting. The actual overall global temp is lower by a couple of degrees in the past 5 or so years.

I am starting to see dogwoods blooming! Still no fish, though.

you heard it kids,

global warming is a myth

the earth is 6000 yrs old

and the walking worm is banned in tournaments

Micro,

You need to head up to the Potomac river. I went out today and had a blast, I caught over 50 fish and culled over 7 times.

My buddy was out today here in Virginia Beach and caught 1 white perch.  Several swirls at cranks but no hook-ups.  Don't know what the temp. might have been.  His gauge is shot.

About a month ago when we had the warm spell for a few days we found 60+ degree water.  Then the North East winds and rotten rain showed up and blew all the water out of our creek (West Neck) and god knows if there will be any fish this weekend for our first tourney.  

Next week looks good for warmer water with upper 60's forecast during the day and 50's at night.  

It's pretty green and trees are starting to bloom.  Pretty typical for spring around here.  Northeasters make life very interesting if your a fisherman.

Shortbasser

Late March = late spring?   :-?

I'm starting to believe Al Gore is full of crap.

Welcome to reality.  Where ya been?

Late March = late spring? :-?

Ha, took the words right outta my mouth.

Fishing hasn't been that bad for me, I've fished local ponds around my area, and then here at school my buddies and I hit up a Potomac river spot and my roommate caught a 3 lb smallie, and I pulled out a 2 lb lmb from the same spot... maybe micro is just havin some bad luck.

Here on Smith Mtn, I'm still pulling fish from my 'winter hole'. The area the hole is in has had shad in it ever since December and they're still there. Its a good thing too because there's not much happening up on the banks. Last weekend we did catch a few up shallow in the afternoon when the water had reached a balmy 54 degrees.

Went back yesterday and the water temp was 49 in the a.m. and had only warmed to 51-52 in one major creek (up river) by 2pm. I had to hit the winter hole again to get bit. Things are definitely a little behind. I think this coming week is when you'll start to see fish up shallow. If the temps get into the 60's this week like they're supposed to, next weekend should be a good one. The recent rains and lower temps have hurt but with the water being stained now in some key areas, it should heat up quick.  

The actual overall global temp is lower by a couple of degrees in the past 5 or so years.

Can you back that up Wayne?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Global_Warming_Map.jpg

I'm not a big proponent of the global warming conspiracy but I do vote for legislation that comes out of it.  I am an anti-pollution advocate which is real.

I went out today for about three hours.  It's the first sun I've seen since the middle of last week.  If it wasn't for the howling wind, it would have felt very warm.  The water was all whipped up, the coves were cloudy, lots of leaves and dead grass and stuff being blown around.   Starting the feel like spring  

The actual overall global temp is lower by a couple of degrees in the past 5 or so years.

Can you back that up Wayne?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Global_Warming_Map.jpg

I'm not a big proponent of the global warming conspiracy but I do vote for legislation that comes out of it. I am an anti-pollution advocate which is real.

An interesting link. If you look at the data presented in it closely it actually exposes the several fallacies inherent in the global warming scam. Thanks for the info.

^ wikipedia made up by people on the internet.  you can change it if you want to.

but yah it defiantly seams that way ive been on briey 3 times in the month and its slow. even local ponds fish arnt up shallow yet. i bet this week with things in the 70s will get things moving.. also alot of rain and stuff.... and dont forget we had a foot of snow at the start of the month

Finally got the 09 skunk off today. Andrew and another buddy and I hit some ponds today. We ended up with 10 total. 3 out of one bush on a jig for my buddy, 5 for me out of a cement drainage area and 2 for Andrew out of the same area.

Andrew and I both caught our first flipping jig bass.

I broke in my new Citica E, my new Kistler flipping stick, and my new Cumara spinning rod, getting at least one fish with each of them. Not a bad day for new stuff...

An interesting link. If you look at the data presented in it closely it actually exposes the several fallacies inherent in the global warming scam. Thanks for the info.

Please do school me offline.  I'd love to hear it.

Is NASA a better source?

http://data.giss.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gistemp/do_nmap.py?year_last=2008&month_last=12&sat=4&sst=1&type=anoms&mean_gen=0112&year1=1999&year2=2008&base1=1940&base2=1980&radius=1200&pol=reg

Just hit up a local pond and enjoyed a full 40mins of fishin.. caught a nice 1-2lber on a cavatron blood red/black.. (My fav combo) in some chocolate milk water..  not much else, but it does feed the need..

you caught one on a buzzbait at this time of year?!?! wow. did you get the water temp?

Actually, no-  I didn't get the watertemp, but it was a blast to catch  I did have some jerkbaits on standby, but i couldn't resist the topwater action

you caught one on a buzzbait at this time of year?!?! wow. did you get the water temp?

I saw a small blow-up right next to a bulkhead near the boat ramp where I was fishing.  Lots of little baitfish were there.  Not sure if it was a bass, pickerel or something else.