Announcing an Addition to My Blog's Homepage

For some time now, I've wondered how the stats for our Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series out of West Neck Marina would look alongside those from the regular Saturday tourneys out of Bob's Fishing Hole. Today, at last, I found out.

I went to Bob's website and pulled all the results from this year, which always are published in the Guestbook. Then, using my records from the Dewey Mullins tourneys, I came up with a comparison chart. Everyone has access to it. All you have to do is go to the charts at the bottom of my homepage.

I was a little surprised to find how closely some of the numbers for both locations resemble each other, while in other cases, there's a distinct difference. I'd only be guessing if I tried to figure out what all might be involved with these differences.

One incident I heard about at the Dewey Mullins tourney yesterday, however, highlights what even a difference in lures can have in determining whether someone catches a fish or not. A friend of mine had worn out the base of a cypress tree with his soft-plastic bait for several minutes without getting even a bump.

He just had left the tree when another friend of mine rolled up to it, tossed his square-billed crankbait to the base, and immediately set the hook on a 4.60-lb. bass. With only 10 minutes remaining before weigh-in, that fish propelled him and his partner into 2nd place and also earned my friend big-fish honors for the day.

And, of course, we all know that factors such as water clarity, oxygen content, and a litany of other things can have a dramatic effect on who does and doesn't catch fish. Whether any of these issues account for some of the differences in my tourney-results comparison chart, though, is anyone's guess.

I just wanted all my readers to know about the new chart, so that if you're interested, you can scroll to the bottom of the homepage and have a look for yourself. I'll keep it and the others posted there updated as events pass.

A Pleasant Day Temperature-Wise but a Little Windy

I didn't hear a single person complaining about the pleasant temperature today; however, I couldn't say the same for the wind. On multiple occasions, the wind was responsible for my lures overshooting their intended target, but, of course, I always have some of that problem--with or without any wind.

A total of 17 anglers in 11 boats showed up for today's event. Claiming the 1st-place prize money was this grandfather-grandson duo of John Matyiko and Hayden Capper. They weighed a five-fish limit with a total weight of 13.68 lbs. Their big fish weighed in at 3.86 lbs.

Walking away with 2nd-place prize money was this team of (from left) Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall, who also weighed a five-bass limit totaling 10.83 lbs. Gary also weighed the day's big fish, a 4.60-lb. bass.

Capturing 3rd place was Dave Meers, who weighed five bass totaling 8.72 lbs. His big fish tipped the scales at 3.32 lbs.

And for the third time in as many tournaments, yours truly took home the mystery-weight money. The weight drawn was 3.75 lbs., and I had three bass weighing 3.37 lbs., with no big fish.







Here is how all the other competitors finished the ninth event of the current series:
     * The team of Mark London and John Goodman, five fish, 8.12 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Ronnie McLaughlin and Chandler McLaughlin, five fish, 6.99 lbs. total weight after 0.25 deduction for one dead fish, no big fish.
     * The team of Randy Conkle and Bob Glass, five fish, 6.45 lbs. total weight after 0.25 deduction for one dead fish, no big fish.
     * Jim Bauer, 5 fish, 5.63 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible, one fish, 1.30 lbs. total weight.
     * Steve Bailey and Duane Kessel didn't weigh their fish, although I heard they both had some.

Overall, the anglers today weighed a total of 39 bass for a total weight of 65.09 lbs. The average weight was 1.66 lbs.

For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, July 12, from safe light (about 5:30 or 5:45) to 2 p.m.

Eddie Puts It on Jerry

For the first time in about a month, my friend, Jerry, and his weekday fishing partner, Eddie, headed to the Northwest River today to try their luck. They made their first casts at 0540, and 15 minutes later, Eddie was bringing this nice 1-10 keeper bass in the boat. He caught it on a white worm.

"Over the next four hours," said Jerry, "we found that we didn't have a lure in our tackle boxes that would land another bass. We did, however, land three nice pickerel, of which the largest was 2 lbs. 13 ozs."

Despite the lack of fish, both anglers still had a good time. Noted Jerry, though, his partner took great delight in doing a little "trash talkin'" on the way home today. You see, this is the first time Eddie has, in Jerry's words, "whupped me, with his three fish, compared to my one."

How to Catch the Big 'Uns

Anyone who knows Bob Glass knows that he loves to tinker with boats. He buys an old one, fixes it up, tests it on the water, refines his tinkering if necessary, fishes out of it for a spell, then sells it, buys another old fixer-upper, and the process starts all over. It's nothing unusual to see him fish out of as many as three or four different boats in the course of any given fishing season.

Now, however, Bob has added a new wrinkle to his process. After he has worked on the motor, and the boat is ready for a test run, he takes it to West Neck and drops it in the water. He then runs it for 20 to 30 minutes, at which point he grabs the one rod he always takes along. I'm guessing he believes in the adage that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Whatever the reason, that one rod is always with him for that test run, and here's conclusive proof that it serves him well. He caught this 6-plus pounder trip before last while fishing below the bridge on the right shoreline.

As Bob explains, "I seem to catch big ones almost every time." There's just one problem. "They leave town on tournament days," he says.

In his latest test run, however, Bob boated this 5-plus pounder on the other side of the bridge, about 200 yards down, on the left side.

Bob won't hesitate to tell you that he can't always claim success from the test runs of his boats, but the "fishing part" of those test runs is an altogether different story.

Here's his advice to anyone who would like to achieve the same kind of success: "If you want to catch the big ones, do as I do by first getting yourself an old boat and motor. Then tinker with it a while and carry it to West Neck for a 20-to-30-minute test run, being sure to carry along one rod." As he promises, "You'll be amazed."

The only problem I see with this whole process, personally speaking, is that I would be scared to death to run any boat that I had tinkered with. It would be nothing short of a miracle, for that matter, if I even was able to get the motor to fire, much less drive the boat away from the dock.

Comes a Time When You Need to Think Seriously About Skin Cancer

And if you're a fisherman who wants to enjoy your favorite pastime well into your senior years, the earlier you start thinking about it, the better off you'll likely be. Why? Because skin cancer is on the rise.

According to the American Cancer Society, more than 2 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed each year. That figure compares to about 68,000 cases of melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, which are diagnosed annually.

"Fishing is about spending time outdoors," said the head of a plastic and reconstructive-surgery practice. "And more often than not, most people enjoy fishing when the weather is nice, and the sun is at its strongest. That puts many of America's 50 million anglers (as of 2011) at risk for skin cancer. The more time you spend outdoors fishing, the greater the risk of exposure to harmful ultraviolet radiation and sunburn."

Here are some tips for anglers about how to reduce your risk of getting skin cancer without giving up your favorite pastime:

Apply sunblock. Always apply sunblock lotion at least 30 minutes before going out into the sun, before you start to perspire, allowing the sunblock to soak into your skin. Repeat several times throughout the day. Use a sunblock with an SPF rating of at least 30 on your arms, legs, face, and neck and a water-resistant SPF of 50+ on your nose and the top of your ears.

Wear a hat. The most susceptible place on your body for skin cancer is your head and face. Whether it's sunny or cloudy out, at the very least, wear a cap with a front bill. Ideally, wear a cap with both a front and back bill (similar to the one pictured here, which is what I've just started wearing on the water) to cover up the back of your neck.

Here's the link to a discussion of another type of hat designed with fishermen in mind that I read about for the first time just today: http://www.wired2fish.com/sunday-afternoons-adventure-hat/.

Cover your head, too, because you can get skin cancer on your scalp, even if you have a full head of hair. Always cover your ears, nose and back of your neck with sunblock.

Wear polarized UV-blocking sunglasses. Wear sunglasses to protect your retinas from harmful UV rays. Sunglasses that wrap around your face offer the best protection. Polarized lenses help cut the glare, help you see more fish, and protect your eyes from flying fishing lures. This is one piece of equipment that every angler should invest in. It's equally important as buying a high-quality rod and reel.

Wear protective clothing. If you have a high risk or history of skin cancer, you should look into protective clothing. Saltwater-flats guides who spend their days in the sun in Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and California know a thing or two about skin cancer. That's why, on even the hottest days, they wear long but lightweight, light-colored pants, long-sleeve shirts, caps, gloves, and lightweight shoes. Saltwater guides also rely upon lightweight face and head masks or what downhill skiers call "gators," which they can pull up over the nose, just under their sunglasses and over their ears.

Wear shirts and pants that are specially made to block the sun and wick away moisture to keep you cool while out on the water. Look for shirts and pants that offer a UPF rating of at least 30+, as recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation, to protect against harmful UVA/UVB rays.

Avoid sunburns. Repeated sunburns over time can cause significant damage to your skin. That's why it's important to avoid them. Take extra care to prevent your kids from getting sunburned. Severe sunburns as a child are a leading risk factor in developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns happen, though, despite our best intentions. If you receive a severe sunburn, treat the sunburned area with an aloe-based lotion, take cool showers, and if you're experiencing headaches, take a pain reliever.

Stay hydrated. To maintain healthy skin, don't forget to stay hydrated while fishing by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic beverages and avoiding wind burn. When your skin dries out or is not hydrated properly, it's more susceptible to sunburn and long-term skin damage.

Conduct skin cancer self-examinations. If you have a fair complexion, multiple freckles and moles, and experienced severe sunburns as a child, you have some of the leading risk factors for skin cancer. Take this seriously, especially if you spend a fair amount of time outside working or playing. At least once a month, before you get into or just out of the shower, look at your skin. Look at moles and freckles to see if you notice any changes in their shape, size, color, or asymmetry.

Make an appointment with your doctor or a dermatologist once a year, or more frequently, if it's so recommended, to look at your skin as part of an annual exam.

Because of my history, the dermatologist has had me on a six-month exam schedule for a couple of years now. Especially watch moles and freckles on high-risk areas of your body: the face, nose, ears, the back of your hands, and your calves.

It's really not a matter of how "kool" you look or, to a certain degree, how "cool" you feel when you're spending a day on the water; it's more a matter of taking care of your skin so that you can enjoy your favorite pastime well into your senior years. I'm not crazy about some of the preparations I have to go through any more to get ready for a day's fishing trip, but I want to stay on the "green side" as long as the good Lord is willing to let me stay. Therefore, I just do  it.

...And I Thought I Had Problems With Mr. Murphy

But that was before I received a couple of emails from my friend, Skip. Here's how a Bradford pear tree on his property looked after the storm blew through our area last Thursday--bad news, to say the least. What Skip didn't know, however, was that things just were going to go downhill from this point.

My friend wasted no time contacting his neighbor, who agreed to help Skip cut up the mess. They then placed it all in four neat piles by the road, thinking the city would pick up everything on the next regular trash day, which was yesterday. To Skip's chagrin, though, all four piles still were by the road after the trucks went through his area.

So Skip called the city and was told that the mess all had to be in 4-foot piles. He and the neighbor complied with the instructions (as seen here), then Skip called the city again, only to be told that the piles would all be picked up on a one-per-week basis.

Skip, in his own words, "blew a gasket" at that point and reminded the city he didn't have to play by those rules during the last storm. And to add further insult, the city told him he could rent an open-top truck, but they wouldn't rent it to him until he talked to the supervisor, since he had called the city manager's office. Skip subsequently called another friend who drives a tool truck and asked if he could help him. As luck would have it, though, that friend called Skip as he was en route and reported that his truck just had broken down.

Now don't get too comfortable, 'cause there's more to Skip's situation. He had started Tuesday morning with an 8:30 doctor's appointment. When he arrived, a sign on the door said: Closing Soon.

"That's great," thought Skip. "I have a doc I like, and now he's leaving."

Skip tried the door, but it was locked, so he called and asked if they were open. The response he got was that they would open at 9:30. He also learned that his doctor had been gone since Easter. The really-down-on-his-luck Skip turned around, went home, and started trying to find another general practitioner who had an open appointment this year. His wife, Leslie, got involved and finally located a GP with an open date in September.

"Must be something in the air" is how Skip ended that first email.

Today, then, I received another note from him. He began by telling me he had gone fishing this morning at West neck. "I was fishing a little past the bridge," he said, "when about 8 o'clock I looked to the south and saw rain coming, despite the weatherman's earlier prediction there wouldn't be any today." Ten minutes later, it started raining again, so he headed for the bridge and the cover it would provide.

Enter Mr. Murphy yet again. To wit, Skip glanced down at his tachometer as he fired the big motor to move to the bridge. It was reading about 7,000 rpm. "No way," he thought, before shutting it down and thinking about this new problem a little bit. He again started it up, this time watching the tach shoot up to 4,000 rpm.

Skip subsequently loaded the boat and called Wayne, his outboard mechanic, who showed up to take a look at things. Wayne said he figures the problem is a bad voltage regulator, or the tach perhaps is gone. The plan is that Skip will try and find replacement parts tomorrow, and Wayne will install them tomorrow evening.

"The week from Hell continues" is how Skip ended this latest email, adding, though, "You gotta keep smiling."

As I said in my earlier story about Murphy's Law, "When it gets hold of you, it doesn't want to let go." I believe that with all my heart, and I'm willing to bet you that Skip feels the same way.

Guess what? I just received another short email from Skip. Seems the SIMS card in his phone just died. Leslie loaned him the card from her phone, "and now mine works again," said Skip.

One simply has to wonder, "When will it ever end?"

A Day With Mr. Murphy--How Lucky Can One Get?

The problem with Murphy's Law is that, when it gets hold of you, it doesn't want to let go. Through breakfast, the trip to West Neck, and rigging my boat for a day's fishing, everything this morning was, as my pop used to say, "copacetic."

The picture started changing when I reached for the trim/tilt switch to raise the outboard enough to haul my boat to the ramp for launching. The trim/tilt seemed sluggish, but I chalked it up to my imagination and headed on down toward the ramp. Since I was the first and only person getting ready to launch, I took my time and made sure I didn't make any mistakes. When I was satisfied I hadn't overlooked anything, I got in the van, backed the trailer down the ramp, touched the brakes, and watched the boat slide gently into the water. I then secured it to the catwalk and parked my van.

Minutes later, I stepped aboard the boat, lowered the outboard (again noticing that the trim/tilt seemed sluggish), and turned the key. All I got was a groan--similar to the kind I usually make when I try to get out of a chair any more. After a couple of tries, I got the motor to spin fast enough to fire and let it warm up for a few minutes, as I mulled over the situation. I knew all the lights on my charger had showed green before I disconnected the power cord this morning, but I also am all too familiar with what a bad battery sounds like, and I knew that was the problem. To be on the safe side, I left the outboard running while I walked to the van and grabbed my jumper cables, just in case I might need to jump start the starting battery from one of my trolling-motor batteries later in the day.

With the jumper cables stored safely in my boat, I pulled away from the catwalk and headed to Albright's for a day's fishing. Off and on throughout the day, I kept checking whether the outboard would start, and I occasionally had to work with it as I had the first thing this morning.

Despite this distraction, I managed to find four bass, including this 1-3 and three dinks. All the fish went for crankbaits. I did feel a few fish with the chatterbaits I threw early, but they weren't in the taking mood.

After a couple hours in Albright's this morning, I ran into my friends Ray and Charlie, who were fishing out of Ray's boat. Said Charlie in an email to me this evening, "Not the best day, but it was nice not having to paddle." His totals for the day were seven dinks. Meanwhile, Ray boated three. His best weighed 1-7.

By 2:30, I had had enough and decided to head for West Neck. I arrived at the ramp just in time to have to wait behind a fella trying to load his aluminum boat on his trailer without getting his feet wet. After repeated failures, he finally sat down, removed his shoes and socks, and got the boat loaded, so I could have my turn. Thankfully, Mr. Murphy left this evolution alone, provided you disregard the splinter I ran in my thumb as I pulled up to the catwalk and grabbed it, and I had my boat loaded in no time.

Once I had found a shady spot to wipe down everything, I parked my van and retrieved my hydrometer from the storage shed so I could test my starting battery. Sure enough, while five of the cells tested good, one didn't, and it's going back to Walmart where I purchased it only about two months ago. On the way home this evening, I stopped at NAPA in Pungo and purchased a new battery from them. I was explaining my situation with the Walmart battery to the salesman, and he stopped me when he said, "Yeah, we know all about those 'Never Start' batteries."

Having left NAPA, I headed on home but, as luck would have it, had two more run-ins with Mr. Murphy before I pulled into my driveway. The first situation occurred when not one but two cars ran a Stop sign and raced through the intersection in front of me. The first one made it with no sweat, but had I been going any faster, with no maneuvering room, I would have broadsided the second idiot.

My second and final close call on the trip home came as I turned left onto the street where I live. A young impetuous dude on one of those blasted motor scooters was turning right onto the street I was coming off of. He looked left but missed seeing me entirely and nearly broadsided my van. Once I had parked in my driveway, I vowed that nothing short of a medical emergency would get me back out on the roadways this evening.

My one hope is that Mr. Murphy will find it more appealing to bother someone else tomorrow when I head back to West Neck to install my new battery and to return the bad one to Walmart with some clear-cut instructions on what they can do with it.

Froggy Went a Bassin'

Froggy went a bassin' and he did blurp, uh-huh

Froggy went a bassin' and he did blurp, uh-huh

Froggy went a bassin' and he did blurp

'Till Bubba snatched him and got hooked, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh

Those are my adapted title and the beginning lyrics to a tune that, if I understand what I read correctly, dates back as far as the 1500s. The tune has been recorded by many artists over the years, usually with this perhaps more familiar title: "Froggy Went a Courtin'." In any event, it's just my facetious way of saying that my friends, Rob and Mitch, went fishin' this morning, and they didn't do too bad, thanks to the frog baits they were throwing most of the time.

Here's Rob, during some of the rain we had this morning, with a bass that tipped the scales at 2-5.

Meanwhile, Mitch holds up the 2-8 bass that he also caught during the overcast conditions.

My friends told me, that between West Neck and Albright's, they boated a total of 13 bass, with their best five (including another 2-plus pounder) totaling between 9 and 10 lbs. Said Rob, "The fish were in and around wood--in some cases, right up against cypress trees."

While frogs were responsible for most of the fish caught today, they weren't the only baits that proved successful. Rob and Mitch also caught fish on the Pop R and buzzbaits.

And bass weren't the only fish on the "catching" menu. My friends found themselves staring down the gullet of some grindle--three, to be exact--as they worked to unhook the ugly creatures. A nice crappie rounded out their day's total.

Rob and Mitch told me that, along about the same time as the sun finally came out, the bite turned off, and it didn't take much discussion at that point for them to agree on calling it quits.

Way to go, fellas. Ya did good.

An All-in-One Product That's a Step Ahead of the Rest

Until last year, I always had added Yamaha ring-free and fuel conditioner, as well as Star Tron ethanol-fuel treatment to my boat's gas tank each time I filled up. Those three additives were getting to be a costly and tiresome venture. All that changed, though, when my outboard mechanic told me about Gas-Shok.

Manufactured by USA Fuel Service LLC, based in Punta Gorda, Florida, Gas-Shok replaced all three of the former additives I had used for so many years. And given the fact that 1 ounce treats 10 gallons of gas, a quart bottle of the stuff lasts forever, especially when your outboard is only a Yamaha 115.

"So who or what is this USA Fuel Service LLC?" you may be asking. It's a large, professional, tank-cleaning company that specializes in cleaning tanks and restoring fuels with ethanol issues. They have more than 40 years of experience and have blended fuels and booster additives for H.P. and lubrication for use in fuel drag boats, tractor pulls, motorcycles, and offshore racers.

Originally, they developed additives strictly for their own use. In recent years, though, their tank-cleaning clients were so impressed by the superior results of their tank-cleaning/fuel-restoration service they demanded access to the chemicals used. Thus was born a dealer network, which now makes the products available to the general public.

If you like things such as prevention of water issues in ethanol-blended gas, added MPG, reduced smoke/emissions, added lubrication, and stabilized fuel for 12 to 18 months, you'll like Gas-Shok.

Said one USA Fuel Service LLC official, "It's simple. If these products didn't work, our tank-cleaning company would be out of business." He went on to say that, unlike other additives, theirs do not contain any added explosive chemicals to boost the fuel. They also do not contain any alcohols or derivatives. "Our Gas-Shok and Desl-Shok products are a blend of several highly modified pure-petroleum ingredients that work by changing the molecular structure of the fuel," he assured.

"In simple terms, we dramatically increase the ability of the fuel to absorb more oxygen during the high heat created in the combustion process," he continued. "Therefore, you are burning 10 to 20 percent more of the fuel and losing less of it out the exhaust. The fuel actually produces more horsepower, more MPG, and less smoke and pollution from each gallon of fuel."

The company official also noted that they add stabilizers to prevent water issues and concentrated synthetic lubricants that typically will double the life of a fuel pump and injectors. The potential reward for you, of course, is thousands saved in downtime and maintenance.

I, for one, am sold on the value of using Gas-Shok in your boat's gas tank. It comes in three different sizes (8 ozs., 32 ozs. and 128 ozs.), depending on individual needs, and is available online, as well as at Norfolk Marine, which is where I bought my first and, thus far, only bottle. It also may be available at other local outlets--I just haven't checked.

I've had the same boat mechanic for a lot of years now, and he's never once steered me wrong. He personally sat through a presentation about Gas-Shok and has used it in his Ranger's Yamaha ever since--without incident. So why wouldn't I listen to him about what's best for my Skeeter's Yamaha?

It's Time for a Wake-Up Call

That's my take on things after the little incident I experienced yesterday with lightning while out at West Neck. I'm here to tell you that the c-r-r-r-a-c-k I heard yesterday afternoon far surpassed "just getting my attention." It rattled me and got me to doing some serious thinking, which, when coupled with a photo my friend, Charlie, sent me this morning, along with some things my buddy, Jim, said, prompted me to start assembling this new blog article.

After all, it is that time of year when electrical storms start rumbling across the countryside, and we, as fishermen, need to pay special attention because those rods we all hold in our hands can be our ticket to a whole bunch of pain and suffering--or, sometimes, worse. Just ask Gabe, the fella in this photo (by Jim Flink, KMBC). He's holding what was left of his custom graphite rod after a lightning strike.

Gabe and his 17-year-old son, Christian, were fishing a Missouri lake in the summer of 2010 when the lightning first hit. It lasted about four seconds, which made Gabe think to himself, "That's pretty close."

Christian, meanwhile, offered this take on the situation. "My dad and I knew it was going to rain that day, but we didn't think much of it. The storm came up quick. It started pouring, and we put on our rain jackets. Before long, the rain stopped, and the clouds broke. But then we saw lightning. The thunder rumbled closer, and I looked over at my dad and said, 'That doesn't sound good.' However, we kept fishing our way back to the dock. I actually just had caught a small largemouth. I released the fish and went to cast. That's when everything went black."

Gabe described the moment of reckoning as "if someone hit you in the chest with a sledgehammer. I was in the water immediately."

Christian, on the other hand, said he didn't feel any pain at all when he first came to--he just felt cold. He had been launched backward and landed between the two consoles. "Everything looked like a negative," he said, continuing, "colors were different, nothing looked like it should. It smelled like an electrical fire--the most vile smell. It still haunts me."

At first, Christian was slipping in and out of consciousness. When he really came to, he said he felt like he was on fire. He described everything as seeming to be "in slow motion."

"My muscles were all contracted," he explained. "I couldn't move my legs or my toes or anything else. I didn't know where my dad was. I leaned over and saw a boat coming. Someone was yelling that they were coming to get us. One of the men on that boat, Andy was his name, turned out to be an Iraq war veteran. He, his girlfriend, and his father had been fishing close by, and they pulled my dad out of the water. Andy kept talking to me, while his dad called 9-1-1.

"In the ambulance," Christian continued, "I heard one of the paramedics say to the driver: 'Hit it as fast as you can go on the straightaways.' Then everything started getting far away, everything was echoing, and I thought, 'This is it. I'm going to die.' I remember the paramedic grabbing this box, and he pushed a yellow button that said 'shock.' Then I was out."

When Andy reached Gabe, he was about to drown. Then Andy went to Christian, who as he described, "was still smoldering. I dumped some water on him to put out the fire in his hair. I could tell he was the one who had taken the main hit from the lightning."

"My heartbeat was so erratic," noted Christian, "they said if they didn't do something, it would kill me."

Paramedics arrived and took both men to the hospital, where Christian spent about a week. He still has some scars from his ordeal--mostly on his hand and lower waist. (For a photo gallery of his injuries and the healing process, check out this link: http://imgur.com/gallery/F1S8M?gallery#0. Just arrow down to see all 25 photos.)

Gabe, who makes fishing rods for a living, said he thinks his graphite rod served as a lightning rod. It's his opinion that the lightning struck the rod first, thus saving his son's life. And Christian calls it a miracle "that the lightning didn't just rip us apart."

A couple more anglers also need to thank their lucky stars for dodging potential disaster, as evidenced in this photo. Teenage pro angler Tucker K. Owings and Garrett Seagraves, who was driving the boat here, were fishing Lake Athens, Texas, Oct. 12, 2013, when a storm came up.

Both made it back to the dock safely, but not without some harrowing moments. For a very short but "eye-popping" video of the action they saw during their ride (like you see in this photo), visit http://www.wired2fish.com/fishing-close-encounters-with-lightning. Said Jason Sealock of Wired 2Fish.com, "This makes our skin crawl. It might be the best reason we've ever seen not to fish during lightning." Owings shared the photo with Wired2Fish from his Facebook page.

And last but by no means least comes this tragic tale of South Florida bass fisherman, Lorenzo Magdaleno (pictured left), 51, who was fatally struck by lightning while fishing a tournament on Lake Okeechobee June 8, 2012.

An investigation reported that the lightning had hit either Magdaleno or the boat. His fishing partner, Mike Hardin, was knocked unconscious but survived.

According to preliminary reports, a quick-moving afternoon storm had passed over part of the lake, while other parts remained clear and sunny. Still other parts reportedly were cloudy with drizzle. The deceased and his partner were fishing approximately 45 minutes away from the tournament launch area. Hardin, the boat owner, had gotten his limit during the first half of the day and had relinquished the trolling motor to Magdaleno for his half.

When the lightning hit, Hardin was knocked off his feet and awoke after an undetermined amount of time on the back deck of the boat, not knowing exactly what had happened. He was examined and released at a local hospital, but Magdaleno did not survive.

Noted Matt, the author of this tragic tale, "It's important to stop fishing during lightning storms. When in doubt, call it quits for the day--or until the storm passes. The bass aren't going anywhere."

If you need a refresher on the facts about lightning, you can brush up at this website: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/06/0623_040623_lightningfacts_2.html.

NOTE: The first incident described in this post represents my compilation of two separate interview accounts. One appeared on http://www.fieldandstream.com, the other on http://www.fishingworld.com.au.

Here are some links to additional subject-matter references:
     * http://fishing.about.com/od/basicfishinginstruction/a/fishing_light.htm
     * http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/boating_safety.html
     * http://www.bassfishingusa.com/Articles/BudFields/BF-Article-06.html
     * http://www.wmi.org/bassfish/bassboard/boats_motors/message.html?message_id=324859
     * http://www.bassfan.com/opinion_article.asp?ID=66#.U6MhpkvD-M8

Debunking the 5 Most Common Myths About Lightning Strikes and Safety

1. Golfers are most at risk of getting hit.
Not true. Among the 261 people killed by lightning between 2006 and 2013, fishermen accounted for more than three times as many fatalities as golfers, and camping and boating each chalked up almost twice as many deaths as golf.

2. The "30/30 rule" can keep you safe.
It's been years since experts relied on the 30/30 rule, which went like this: If it takes less than 30 seconds to hear thunder after seeing a lightning flash, lightning is close enough to pose a threat, so go indoors. And, after the storm ends, wait 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities. Instead, the new advice is just to go inside, either a substantial shelter or a hard-topped metal vehicle, at the first sound of thunder. Once there, experts still recommend waiting a half-hour before going back outside. The general rule is that if you can hear thunder, you're within striking distance of the storm, and you need to inside right away.

3. If you're caught outside, assume the "lightning squat."
The idea was to squat down low with your two feet together. Some had you putting your hands over your head or your ears, basically to get yourself into a ball. But that's also wrong. People are endangered as much by ground lightning as they are by a direct strike. For instance, lightning can hit a tree and then spread along the surface of the earth. If you're crouching on the ground, you're likely to get hit. Again, the best advice is to head to shelter at the first sign of a storm.

4. Just go ahead with your plans during a lightning storm.
The biggest mistake most people make is not being willing to cancel or postpone activities when dangerous weather crops up. Men, who make up more than 80 percent of lightning fatalities, are notoriously unwilling to postpone a hike or head back to shore on a fishing trip. But that stubbornness may be a deadly decision.

5. You'll hear a storm in time to get to safety.
People are able to hear thunder from about 10 miles away. But any number of factors can interfere with the warning. In many cases, you can't hear it that far because of background noise. You won't hear it if you're near a highway or in a crowd at a fair or ball game--or, as we often are confronted with around here: jet noise. And if the wind is blowing, it will muffle the sound.

Bottom line: Don't take chances with lightning. The odds of being struck may be one in a million in a given year and one in 10,000 over a lifetime, but it's better not to be that one.

What a Difference a Little Breeze Makes

The weatherman promised it would be hot today, and he didn't disappoint. I wanted to get at least one day on the water this week, though, so I went prepared to deal with the elements. And, as luck would have it, Mother Nature provided an ever-so-slight breeze at intervals, which made an otherwise miserably hot day bearable.

I launched at 6:30 and, thanks to the recurring little breeze, was able to fish until 2:30. Given the weather forecast I saw a little earlier for the rest of this week, don't reckon I'll be venturing out again unless things improve dramatically.

The bass in the accompanying photo was my best of six keepers for the day. It weighed in at 1-12. I also boated a crappie to round out my catch. All seven fish fell for a chatterbait. The only other bait I fished today was a crankbait, and I didn't stay with it very long, because nothing was happening. I didn't see any topwater action at all early this morning, especially not in West Neck, where I started, so I didn't even take a topwater bait out of my box.

As is often the case, I have to report that "the big 'un--fortunately--got away" today. I say "fortunately" because the fish in question was one of the biggest gars I've ever had hold of.

Split-seconds after snatching my chatterbait, I saw my line quickly crossing the boat's bow, at which point, I didn't know what I had. All I could tell was that it was big. Then, in the blink of an eye, I saw the fish flash in the water, but I still couldn't tell what it was, so I just hung on and hoped for the best. In the next instant, the fish came flying through the air--all about 10 or 15 lbs. worth. Just as he splashed down, I saw his mouth open, and my chatterbait came flying. I'll never know for sure, but I don't think the gar was hooked at all. Rather, I suggest that he just had clamped his mouth shut on the bait.

That excitement by itself would have satisfied my day's requirement for an adrenaline rush, but as it turned out, I was in for yet another "moment" before my day would end. It happened shortly after I had finished wiping down the boat and spread the cover over it. Raindrops just had started falling gently, so rather than flush the outboard, I had decided to put the boat in the shed and save that chore for another day.

Having gotten the boat backed in, the jackwheel down, and the battery charger plugged in, I had moved to the door of my shed to take a look at the darkening sky. At that very moment, a bolt of lightning must have hit something very close by, because it sounded like someone had fired a gun directly over my head. I ducked instinctively--but did NOT venture outside the shed for a closer look. With that crack of lightning, the sky opened up and, for the next 30 straight minutes, it rained barrels full.

When it had let up just a tad, I snatched the door down, locked it, and hopped in my van for the trip home. Thus ended my "excitement" for the day--or, at least, I hope there's nothing more in store for me before my head hits the pillow. At my age, I can only stand a certain amount of excitement in any 24-hour period.

We've Reached the Halfway Point

Today's event No. 8 marked the halfway point of the 2014 season. Twenty anglers in 12 boats participated, and all but one contestant weighed fish.

This team of (from left) Brad Allen and Dave Meers finished in 1st place with five bass totaling 15.70 lbs. Anchoring their limit was a 5.77-pounder that earned Dave big-fish honors.

Claiming 2nd-place prize money was this team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, who also weighed five bass. Their total weight, after a 1.00-lb. penalty for four dead fish, was 12.00 lbs., which included a big fish that tipped the scales at 3.19 lbs.

In 3rd place was this team of (from left) Lenny Hall and Gary Coderre. Their five bass totaled 11.10 lbs., and their big fish weighed 3.51 lbs.

And, finally, yours truly walked away as repeat winner of the day's mystery-weight drawing. I had four bass weighing 7.82 lbs., with no big fish. The weight drawn was 7.80 lbs.








Here is how all the other anglers finished today's tourney:

     * Jim Bauer, five bass, total weight 10.45 lbs., big fish 3.94 lbs.
     * The team of John Matyiko and Hayden Capper, five bass, total weight 10.41 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Vic Spence and Allen Napier, five bass, total weight 9.72 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Paul Celentano and Matt Floyd, five bass, total weight 7.60 lbs., no big fish.
     * Jeff Garnes, five bass, total weight 6.73 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Red Bruun and Al Napier, five bass, total weight 5.19 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible, one bass, total weight 1.05 lbs., no big fish.
     * Steve Bailey didn't weigh any fish.

Overall, the anglers today weighed a total of 50 bass for a total weight of 97.77 lbs. The average weight was 1.95 lbs.

At the halfway mark of the season, we have a total of 17 anglers qualified to fish the two-day Classic scheduled for Oct. 18 and 19. They are as follows: Mark London, Steve Bailey, Al Napier, Randy Conkle, Bob Glass, Gary Coderre, Ronnie McLaughlin, Skip Schaible, Mitch Portervint, Lenny Hall, Chris Fretard, Mike Miller, Chris Napier, John Goodman, Jim Bauer, Rob Chatham, and Ken Testorff.

For planning purposes, our next tourney is slated for Saturday, June 28. I anticipate shoving everyone off about 5:15 a.m., with a 2 p.m. weigh-in.

Congratulations to all of today's winners, and thanks to everyone who came out and participated.

The New "Jewel" of Virginia Beach

That's what my friend, Jerry, is calling the new boat ramp/park facility under construction on Lake Smith, which is very close to where he lives. "I would say that Virginia Beach is building a facility that John Q. Public is really going to enjoy," he said in an email today, adding that he's heard the first phase of construction should be completed by the end of July.

Here are some photos Jerry attached to his email:

This shows the location of the new double-wide ramp. It's in the corner of the cove on the right when leaving the old ramp.

Here you see the lower sections of the new ramp that already are in place. Take a look, too, at the new docks being built.

And then there's this new fishing-pier complex, which really should tickle the bank fishermen. While built in an area of shallow water, the complex will put the fishermen within easy reach of deeper water.





Since the closing of Lake Whitehurst several years ago, Lake Smith and Little Creek have been the only freshwater options available here in the metro area. "When this new facility opens," said Jerry, "I fully expect this ramp to be a 'madhouse' on weekends."

UPDATE (as of early morning, Saturday, June 14)

I had an email from my friend and fellow blogger, Max, who had read this item about Lake Smith. A friend and he had gone there yesterday (opposite side from where the construction is taking place). Max landed two bass dinks, and his buddy landed two bass, as well this monster catfish, which weighed in at 16 lbs. He caught the catfish on a Texas-rigged worm.

New Price List, Effective June 1, 2014

Bank Fishing - $3 per Person

 

Ramp Use for Boats - $5

 

Ramp Use for Kayaks (Car Top) - $4

 

Parking for Extra Vehicles - $3

 

All-Day Johnboat Rentals - $60

 

Kayak Rentals - $10 for up to 4 hours,

$20 past 4 hours

 

If you have any questions, call the marina at 426-6735.

How Would You Like To Save Hundreds of Dollars?

The next time your reels start grinding a little and/or not casting so good, instead of running out and buying all new ones, why don't you simply replace the bearings in your old ones? That's exactly what Charles "Doc" Murdock did recently, "And now they (both baitcaster and spinning reels) cast like new," he assured me.

However, Doc didn't rush into this project blind. For openers, he carefully read the article found at this link: www.tackletour.com/articlebearings101. He also watched some videos he discovered on YouTube. Then he researched different replacement brands before settling on Boca Bearings.

At that point, Doc downloaded a copy of the "Fishing Reel Ceramic Bearing Guide" from the Boca Bearings website and simultaneously ordered the bearings, as well as the tools he would need to do the work. And to make sure he would have the bearing guide for future reference, he laminated the copy he had downloaded.

For the benefit of all those mechanically-inclined individuals (of which I'm not one) who may be willing to try their hand at following in Doc's footsteps, here are some other web links that you may find helpful:

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/supertune-baitcaster.html
http://www.leeroysramblings.com/fishing_reel_maintenance.htm
http://www.bocabearings.com/bearing-info/fishing-reel-bearing-maintenance-installation-guide
http://www.bassfishingandcatching.com/fishing-reel-bearings.html

And here's the link to a whole list of videos that you also might find beneficial:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE1FE12F753C6B80E

I think we all can agree that reel maintenance is extremely important. The following are just a few general tips I found online to prolong the life of a reel:

     * Never leave the reel on a rod after use. (Can't say I've ever heard that one before.)
     * Lightly rinse reels with fresh water.
     * Use warm soapy water and a cloth to wipe the reel clean.
     * Spray reel with a moisture repellent.
     * Back the drags off to prevent constant compression of the drag washers.
     * Do not leave in direct sunlight.
     * Reels should be serviced completely once a year.
     * After cleaning, store the reel in a neoprene cover for extra protection.

Young Liam Shows Granddad How It's Done

With a full season of T-ball now under his belt, Jerry's grandson, Liam, is well on his way to being, in Jerry's words, "a better ballplayer than his dad, Chris, or he ever could have hoped to be." Now Liam is turning his attention to fishing. He, Dad and Granddad took a trip to the water yesterday, then emailed me a report of their adventure, along with pictures.

Here we find young Liam trying to decide which soft plastic he thinks will work best for him this trip. As noted by Jerry, this decision is one "those of us who have fished for many years still find ourselves in a quandary over many times."

A-h-h-h... the feeling of sweet success is written all over the face of young Liam as he proudly holds up his first-ever freshwater fish--a nice one at that--for Granddad to snap a picture.

In this photo, we find young Liam showcasing his second fish of the day, with Dad holding him close.






As Grandpa explained, there was no question at day's end who the better fisherman was yesterday. "Liam caught three nice fish, while I got only one," he said. Meanwhile, Dad came away with a lot of smiles, high fives, and some very priceless memories.

Most Would Agree It Was a Tough Fishing Day

If comments I heard from the 24 anglers in 13 boats who fished today's tournament are any indication, it would appear that bass are resuming their usual summer patterns. Several guys were talking about the fish who leaped and threw their baits or just pulled off en route to the boat--the same sort of things I experienced this past Tuesday when I was out doing a little pre-fishing for today's 7th event in our current series.

Despite all the missed fish, everyone brought fish to the scales today, including this duo of (from left) Dave Meers and Allen Napier, who captured 1st place with a five-fish limit weighing 12.46 lbs. Their big fish weighed 2.93 lbs.

Walking away with 2nd place today was this team of  (from left) Steve Bailey and Jason Fittro, who weighed a five-bass limit totaling 9.91 lbs. Steve also took Big Fish honors with a bass weighing 4.64 lbs.

Third-place honors today went to this team of (from left) Al Napier and Chris Napier, who brought five bass to the scales with a total weight of 9.89 lbs. They didn't have a big fish.

Finishing in 4th place was the team of (from left) John Goodman and Mark London. They had a five-bass limit weighing 9.74 lbs., anchored by a big fish weighing 2.80 lbs.

Rounding out the list of anglers who took home a money envelope was this team of (from left) Ken Testorff and Rob Chatham, who won the mystery-weight drawing. They weighed four fish that tipped the scales at 5.85 lbs., which was closest to the drawn weight of 6.05 lbs. They didn't have a big fish.


Here is how all the other contestants finished today:

     * The team of Chris Fretard and Mike Miller, five fish, total weight 9.43 lbs., no big fish.
     * Bobby Moore, four fish, total weight 8.77 lbs., big fish 3.78 lbs.
     * The team of Phil Glennon and Mike McCluskey, three fish, total weight 8.57 lbs., big fish 3.55 lbs.
     * The team of Ronnie McLaughlin and Chandler McLaughlin, five fish, total weight 7.32 lbs. after 0.25 penalty for one dead fish, big fish 3.43 lbs.
     * The team of Bob Glass and Randy McConkle, five fish, total weight 7.21 lbs., big fish 2.47 lbs.
     * Jim Bauer, four fish, total weight 5.66 lbs., no big fsih.
     * The team of Lenny Hall and Gary Coderre, five fish, total weight 5.03 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible, four fish, total weight 4.30 lbs., no big bass.

Overall, the anglers today weighed a total of 58 bass for a total weight of 104.14 lbs. The average weight was 1.79 lbs.

Congratulations to all of the tourney winners, and thanks to everyone who came out today.

For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for next Saturday, June 14, from safe light (about 5:15 or 5:30) to 2 p.m. I hope you can join us. Please know, too, that I plan to close registration for next Saturday's tourney at 5 a.m. sharp.

Five Fish--All Keepers

That's the report I got from my buddy, Skip, about his day on the water yesterday. His best fish was the one in this photo, which tipped the scales at just shy of 2 lbs.

Besides those bass, though, Skip also boated this nice crappie yesterday.









The same email spoke of a coyote Skip spotted just south of the Pungo Ferry Bridge. "It was swimming across North Landing River," he said. "I first thought it was a dog, but when I got closer, I realized what it really was." Skip went on to say that he was going to take a picture, but with three big boats coming, he thought better of the idea, not to mention that the coyote, in his words, "looked pretty freaked" by them. He theorized the coyote might not have realized how deep or wide the river is, nor how much traffic there is this time of year.

In hindsight, it would appear that Skip's decision not to try and get a picture of the coyote probably was the smart move, because as it worked out, none of the boats slowed as they entered the old "no wake" zone at Capt. George's. All came through the area on step, causing Skip to ask me if I know whether the "no wake" zone actually still exists. Unfortunately, I'm still getting mixed comments from folks, so I couldn't answer his question.

Baitfish Were Jumpin', And So Were the Bass

I had done exactly as my dermatologist told me for one day shy of two weeks and stayed off the water. Today, though, I couldn't stand it any longer. Decided to gamble on my stitches because they come out tomorrow anyway.

By 7 o'clock, I was on my first hole, and by 7:20, I had my first fish in the boat. Caught it on a topwater, but for the next couple of hours, the topwater bite was null and void, so I put it down and went to work with "everything but the kitchen sink." I wanted to see if it mattered what I threw, and as I learned, it didn't, as long as it wasn't a topwater bait.

I ended the day with a total of 16 hookups, only 11 of which, however, made it into the boat. When I said the baitfish and bass were jumpin', I meant exactly that. No matter how far I rammed my rod into the water, nearly all of the fish found a way to get airborne. All of them pulled like 2- or 3-pounders, too, but my best one in the boat all day was the 1-14 in the accompanying photo. Rounding out my top five were a 1-8, 1-4, 1-3 and 1-2.

My biggest excitement of the day, however, was a fish I never saw or felt but that provided one of the darndest shows I've ever seen in my life. He went after my spinnerbait about 10 or 12 feet off the bow of my boat and threw water everywhere. I kinda think it may have been a really big gar or bowfin, because I've never had a bass act that way. Scared the crap out of me when it happened. He smacked the water two or three more times, even as my spinnerbait dangled right beside the boat. In case you're wondering, I didn't throw back in the same spot, 'cause I pretty well was convinced it was a fish with which I really didn't have any desire to do battle.

It wasn't until I got back to the ramp this afternoon that I found out I had been sitting on more than just my jacket from this morning's cool start during the return trip. It seems that a chatterbait I had used today somehow had found its way smack dab in the middle of the jacket. Guess I should thank the good Lord for giving me a clean run back this afternoon without having to jump any big boys' wakes. I might have incurred an injury that would have been really difficult to explain. And I'm certain I never would have lived it down.

In any event, it was really good to get out again after a two-week layoff. Here's hoping I don't have any more interruptions this year.

I Have To Say It Again: Chris Vitovich Really Knows How To Throw a Party...

Especially when it's his annual event to raise money for the American Cancer Society in honor of his late friend and best fishin' buddy of all time, Steve Gambill.

I've taken pictures for the last two Cancer Classics. And I'm here to tell you that, if participation is any indication of an event's success, there has been no letdown in Steve and his staff's drive, nor the number of people who show up to help them achieve their goal.

I can't speak for anyone else, but in an era when I get totally frustrated at the dysfunctional body we know as the U.S. Congress, it's refreshing to see a group of people who consistently demonstrate that they unquestionably have their act together. I, for one, salute all those who, year after year, throw their heart and soul, as well as their wallets, into making the Annual Cancer Classic such a resounding success.

With that introduction, I'm not going to bore you with a lot more rhetoric. Instead, I'll present the story of the 13th Annual Cancer Classic in a series of photos I took today, along with a bare minimum of caption material.

There, of course, was the fishing to start the day.

 

Then came the weigh-in.

 

Now it was time to "chow down" at the picnic.

 

What's a party without some music?

 

...or some games?

 

How about this "uninvited guest" with a hapless catfish locked in its now-dead jaws?

 

Despite the abundant muddy water, I was able to photograph these carefree little minnows.

 

Check out these Classic cars in attendance today.

 

Here's Chris with all the winning anglers today.

 

The traditional finale, of course, is the raffle drawing.

 

And last but certainly not least, folks, guess what--Chris says you're all invited back next year for more of the same.