Hook, Line & Sinker...

There are days when I feel like I just should stick to doing this blog and leave the fishing to everyone else, and this is one of those days. Suffice it to say that I have been served a giant slice of humble pie, as the result of a couple emails I had waiting for me today when I returned home from West Neck. The first report came from Justin Reese (pictured here).

Justin and his buddy went to West Neck yesterday, and within 10 minutes of working the first point they came to, Justin boated this nice 13.25-inch, 1.5-lb., citation white perch. In his words, "The white perch slammed my 3-inch black-and-green, curly-tailed grub on a spinner." Shortly thereafter, discussion ensued about whether this was a citation fish--they weren't sure at the time. Justin's only real concern, though, was trying to catch about 10 more the same size.

Alas, that hope wasn't fulfilled, but the duo still had what Justin called an "OK" day, finishing with 9 bass, 2 pickerel, 2 crappie, and 2 white perch. And when they got home and learned that big white perch did qualify for a citation, Justin wasted no time. He sent off the necessary paperwork today to Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

The second email report I received today came from Eddie Sapp (pictured below), whom I ran across today as I was coming back toward the West Neck Bridge. We swapped info before I went on through the bridge. Eddie said he already had caught 10 to 13 small bass at that point. He still was out when I had cleaned up my rig and turned out of the marina parking lot, headed for home this evening.

As I learned when I asked Eddie for his final numbers, he ended up boating a total of 15 to 20 bass. He estimated his best five at somewhere close to 10 or 11 lbs., with the biggest a 3-5. He also lost a giant--probably 5+ lbs.--at the boat.

Everything Eddie caught today came off wood, with soft plastics, which reminds me of some reports I've been getting from another individual who shall remain nameless, at his request. Where he's been catching them also has to remain anonymous, because he plans to go back to the same "well" at least a few more times.

I have to admit here that I'm just a tad puzzled by this soft-plastics approach to bass fishing this time of year. I've been fishing these waters for a lot of years now, dating all the way back to 1977, and I have to admit that I've always considered the "go to" lure this time of year a crankbait, and I know some other guys who share that philosophy. Given this latest turn of events, I undoubtedly will have some kind of soft plastic tied on the next time I hit the water.

I really don't have any way to go, other than up, when you consider that my best fish today was this 1-1. My only other fish were a 10-inch bass and about a 2-lb. pickerel. The pickerel actually turned out to be my "highlight" of the day, because he executed a couple of big jumps after I set the hooks. His acrobatics were nothing short of fantastic. When I'd had a little fun, I set him free to be caught another day.

Because I am, as I've already noted, a confirmed crankbaiter this time of year, that was my primary attack today. I fished a Strike King 1XS, a Mann's Baby 1-Minus, and a Bandit Footloose, all to no avail. To my knowledge, the fish didn't even give 'em a look.

All three fish that I boated came off this same Bill Norman Thin N that has been a steady producer most outings in the last few weeks. This bait will continue to see action when I hit the water, but I can assure you that soft plastics will see their share of use, too. Never let it be said that you can't teach this "old dog" a few new tricks.

And before I forget, let me add this one other email report to the mix. My kayaker friend, Charlie Bruggemann, fished the oxbow at the mouth of Albright's today, where he caught 5 bass and 1 pickerel. His best bass was a 1-15.

Today definitely was an "off day" for Charlie. If you need some convincing, check out his trip to West Neck just the other day when his best five weighed better than 16 pounds. You can access his blog by going to http://vbfishguide.blogspot.com/. I urge you to go there and see for yourself.