Life Is Full of Extremes...

And that includes local waterways, which, as captured in this photo by Skip Schaible...

or these two (one above, one below), taken by Mark London and forwarded to me by his tourney partner, John Goodman...

 

 

or these three below, which were taken by Charlie Bruggemann, can be way up. All of these photos were taken today, April 30, 2014. 

 

Then, for the sake of comparison, consider that, just 10 days ago, I stood on the slab of concrete that is the bottom section of the West Neck Marina ramp and could see the end of it. This is the sort of stuff people sometimes write songs about. Maybe there's a tune in our future, too.

 

In the meantime--and I can't believe I'm saying this--I'm praying we get some northeast winds, or at least some lighter winds, so some of this water we have now will go back from where it came.

 

As of earlier this morning (5/1/2014), here is what West Landing Marina looked like, courtesy of John Goodman.

And when I called Munden Point Park a few minutes ago, I was told they already have water coming into the grassy areas. So anyone planning a local fishing trip this weekend better keep an eye on things and call the marina before you waste your time.

 

As of early morning Friday, May 2, water levels on all fronts appear to be dropping. The launch ramp at Munden Point already appears to be usable. However, the same cannot be said yet for West Neck or West Landing, if my sources are accurate.

His Time Finally Has Come

The man behind the cool shades and beard in this photo is about to take his bass-fishing experience to a whole new level. He's none other than Paul Celentano, a member of the Great Bridge Bassmasters and frequent competitor in the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series, Region 7 events, and other local open tournaments.

Let's just say "The Merry Month of May" promises to be a great deal more for Paul than just the name of an old poem he may have heard or read about somewhere along the way. You see, May is when this husband and father of one expects to take ownership of his first-ever bass rig.

Being nosey, like any good reporter always is, I was quick to ask him what kind of new "toy" he had decided was worth putting himself into such hock for, and here's what he told me. "I'm getting a 2014 Triton 18XS with a 150, complete with two Lowrance HDS touch screens with structure scan.

"I priced a bunch of different boats in the same class," Paul continued, "and was surprised to find that all of them in this size are evenly priced. I was very close to getting a Nitro Z7 but wasn't happy at all with the customer service at Bass Pro in Hampton."

I'm pleased for Paul, not the least of which is for the reason I had the pleasure of his company for several tournaments during the Dewey Mullins Memorial Series a couple years back. I got to see firsthand what it's like to have a "young gun" in your boat. He constantly was changing rods, changing baits, or modifying them--whatever it took to find something that would catch fish. And, man, when he set the hook on one, I felt the movement clear up on the front pedestal. 'Twas no need for me to look around and see what was happening--I just always dropped everything and started grabbing for the net.

Paul had talked about getting his own boat for a few years now, but rather than rush things, he set a list of priorities and stuck to it. While he was working toward this date with a new boat, he familiarized himself with what different platforms had to offer. He did this through his affiliation with a local bass club and fishing various open events with different partners. And, of course, there was the comparison of brochures and discussions with sales reps.

With his days of waiting nearly at an end now, Paul rightfully is anxious to get on with the freedom that comes with owning your own boat. No longer will he have to wait for or find a ride with someone else. He'll be able to go whenever he wants, wherever he wants, and that's a nice feeling indeed.

Noted Paul in his closing remarks to me in an email, "I can't wait to get it and join you guys!"--meaning, of course, the fellas who fish the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series.

We're looking forward to having you, my friend. And let me be among the first to wish you a hearty congratulations.

Some Battery Problems, But Otherwise a Good Day

Three of the 11 boats that participated in today's third event of the 2014 series experienced dead-battery problems. In two of the cases, the anglers on board had a limit of fish that never got weighed in. All, however, made it back to the marina.

Capturing the 1st-place limelight today among the 17 anglers was this team of (from left) Mark London and John Goodman. They weighed in five bass with a total weight of 15.25 lbs. Their big fish was a 3.67-pounder.

Claiming the 2nd-place prize money was this team of (from left) Mike Miller and Chris Fretard, who also weighed five bass with a total weight of 12.44 lbs. Their big fish tipped the scales at 4.20 lbs.

This team of (from left) Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall pocketed the 3rd-place envelope for their five-fish limit weighing 12.37 lbs., anchored by a 4.23-pounder that Gary caught. He subsequently walked away with big-fish honors for the day.

The final team to take home some money today was (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, who won the mystery-weight drawing. They boated five bass with a total weight of 7.25 lbs. but had no big fish. That weight came closest to the one drawn, which was 2.90 lbs.



Here is how everyone else finished the competition:
     * Chris Napier, five bass, 12.11 lbs., big fish 3.79 lbs.
     * John and Jamie McLaughlin, four bass, 7.74 lbs., big fish 3.08 lbs.
     * Steve Bailey, Skip Schaible, Brent Gregory, the team of Bobby Moore and J. P. Twohig, and Ken Testorff didn't weigh any fish.

The field today weighed a total of 29 bass, with a total weight of 67.16 lbs., for an average weight of 2.31 lbs.

For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, from safe light (about 6 o'clock) to 2 p.m. I hope you can join us.

A Successful Father-Daughter Outing

Catmaster Joe Venable is as adept at landing big carp as he is big catfish (see my post dated April 18). I submit for evidence this photo of Joe holding the 16-lb. 3-oz. carp he caught yesterday during an outing with his 22-year-old daughter, Ashley.

Said Joe, "This fish was another new personal best for me."

In my earlier post about the catfish Joe caught, I was talking about the fact it easily qualified for a Virginia citation, but that was when Joe thought he had caught a channel catfish. Turns out, though, that Chad Boyce, who works with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, saw Joe's catfish on Charlie's blog and said, "Wait a minute. That doesn't look like a channel cat to me. I think it's a blue cat."

Since then, Joe and Chad have been in communication with each other, trying to resolve the issue, and I'm waiting to hear what they decide, so I can post an "update" to my earlier article. Once I have that information, y'all will be the first to hear--I promise.

Getting back to yesterday's success story, however, I should point out that it was Ashley's first-ever carp-fishing trip, and she made it memorable in that she landed one weighing 10 lbs. and another weighing 12 lbs. I'm sorry, but I don't know which one she's holding in the photo at left.

As Joe explained, "We had a gorgeous day and a great time being together." Fishing, though, wasn't the only thing on the agenda. Joe and Ashley ended the day with a late lunch at Moe's Southwest Grill. How was it? you may be asking. "Umm umm good!" is how Joe described it.

Just moments after posting the above article, I received an email from Joe, telling me that Chad Boyce officially has declared Joe's earlier catch a blue cat, instead of a channel cat. "So no trophy certificate for me (sob...)," Joe joked. The cutoff for a Virginia blue-cat citation is 30 lbs. or 38 inches.

For the Benefit of All Ye Would-Be Doubters...

The launch ramp at West Neck Marina (shown here this past winter) ends in front of--NOT even with, nor behind--but in front of (I can't overemphasize this point) the two posts (one left and one right) at the end of the catwalks.

Back when Dewey Mullins was the marina manager, there used to be little placards attached to the front side of these posts bearing the words: RAMP ENDS HERE. Despite this warning, as well as the verbal warning Dewey routinely used to give new patrons, he still often had to help them recover their rigs after they had backed too far and dropped the wheels of their trailer off the end of the concrete.

As you see here, those little placards long since have disappeared, and I don't imagine the current store workers often warn any patrons by word of mouth. As a result, the dangers of some folks backing their rigs off the end of the ramp are increased significantly. It's my understanding that one person experienced such a problem firsthand this past weekend. He dropped both his trailer wheels and the rear wheels of his tow vehicle off the end of the ramp, which makes a bad situation even worse.

I would urge anyone who uses the West Neck launch ramp to consider the following suggestions very carefully--for your own welfare:

     * Accept the fact that the ramp ends exactly where I emphasized it does in my lead paragraph of this story. I've personally stood on that ramp when the water was so low you could see the very end as clearly as the nose on your face--twice in the past couple of months alone. And I've been patronizing West Neck Marina since August 1977.
     * Only when the water-level gauge at the store reads 2.3 feet or more is it safe to launch full-sized bass rigs and boats of comparable size. When the level is any less than 2.3 feet, I wouldn't recommend anything larger than a kayak or johnboat trying to launch. I'm aware that one seasoned, local bass angler launched his full-sized bass rig with a tandem-wheel trailer just last week when the water level was 1.9 feet, but I wouldn't advise anyone else to try repeating that maneuver. It simply isn't safe.
     * When you're backing down the ramp, do so at a controlled rate. Some people have a tendency, when the water level is lower than usual, to back hurriedly, then hit the brake, causing the boat to slide off the bunks. If that's the only way you can launch, you need to (1) find another launch facility or (2) wait for a day when the water level is sufficient. The only local alternate launch facility that usually will accommodate boats during low-water conditions--to my knowledge--is Munden Point Park.

I understand that some people are hell-bent on always learning things the hard way. For those, I'm probably wasting my time with a story like this. For a few others, though, I'm hoping I spare them the trouble of having an otherwise pleasant outing turned into a giant headache.

His Biggest Bass to Date

That's how local angler Chris Napier described this Virginia freshwater-citation bass that he caught yesterday during a club tournament on the Chickahominy River. Weighing 9.27 lbs., this lunker beauty anchored a five-fish limit totaling 18.5 lbs.

Said Chris, "I was working a popper on a shallow flat with pads on it that dropped off to around 4 feet of water. I had started reeling slowly when I noticed a 'submarine' coming behind it. I stopped the popper," he continued, "and twitched it twice ever so lightly when she sucked it in. I knew she was big, but I never suspected she was that big."

This trophy fish may mark his biggest to date, but Chris is a proven top-notch angler in several circles--not just the Great Bridge Bassmasters he fished with yesterday. He also is a consistent winner in the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourneys, and just recently claimed the last spot on the BASS Nation state team while fishing as a member of the Performance Fishing Team. He finished the six-man tournament at Occaneechee State Park on Kerr Reservoir April 12-13, 2014, in 8th place with a 10-fish limit weighing 22.89 lbs.

Please accept my heartiest congratulations, Chris, on a job well done. That's one fine fish and track record. Tight Lines!

"Play It Again, Sam"

These Easter Sunday views of the area around West Neck Marina are depressing, to say the least. Once again, Mother Nature and several straight days of persistently strong northeast winds have played a cruel joke on this body of water. My thanks to Skip Schaible for providing these photos. One only can hope that we start seeing a lot fewer of these scenes here soon.

Man Lands Virginia Citation Channel Catfish

This hulkin' channel catfish, caught earlier today by Charlie's friend, Joe Venable, tipped the scales at 22 lbs. 2 ozs. and measured between 34 and 35 inches, which is well past the requirements for a Virginia freshwater fishing citation: 12 lbs. and 30 inches.

Said Joe, "I had the good fortune to be off work today, so I finally got a chance to get back out ('on a lake in the Greenbrier area of Chesapeake' is as specific as he would get) for some carpin'. Well, I only caught one fish, and it wasn't a carp, but I am pleased nonetheless... My biggest fish of any sort ever! Yee haw!!!"

Do you get the idea that Joe was just a little excited? Can't say that I blame him. I only can imagine what it had to have felt like to have hold of a fish like that. My biggest channel cat to date only weighed 6+ pounds, and it put up one heckuva fight. Joe's fish was more than 3.5 times that weight, so I know he had to have been feeling some kind of an adrenaline rush as he wrestled with this monster.

"It was quite a tussle," said Joe. "When my bite alarm went off, and I picked up that rod, I could tell it was one heavy--and powerful--fish. I couldn't believe my eyes when I caught the first glimpse of gray-blue just beneath the surface; I was expecting gold (carp). The swirls that bad boy was putting out were something like I'd never seen before. I was doubly surprised because I'd never caught any catfish in this lake, other than some bullheads. I didn't even know there were channel cats in there," he continued.

As Joe explained, the battle lasted about 10 minutes. He said he was fishing to his right--about 40 yards out--when the fish started cruising left with the line. He gained a lot of slack line during that movement. The fish made several hard runs, though, so he kept the reel's drag set pretty light--"just firm enough so that I could reel without twisting the line," he said. "Whenever he wanted to run, I let him. When he stopped, I would pump him in some more. Eventually, he tired, and I was able to get him into the net. Whew!"

Joe explained that he routinely uses a large Bass Pro Shops catfish-landing net with about a 6-foot handle just for such occasions. "All I had to do was crouch down and gently guide the beast into the net, which already was waiting in the water." He went on to say he then hoisted the fish about 15 feet away from the water's edge, where he removed the hook with pliers and weighed him in the net (so as not to hurt him). After snapping some pictures and measuring the fish, he turned his prize catch loose to fight another day.

It was 9:45 this morning when Joe caught the citation channel cat. He kept fishing until 3 p.m. without getting another run. "I was a bit disappointed," he said, adding "but how disappointed can you be when you catch the biggest fish of your life a half hour into the day's fishing?"

Here is the equipment Joe was using today:
     * Bank Fishing Systems Black Phantom Class Rod (12 feet, 2.75-lb. test curve)
     * Okuma Avenger ABF50 spinning reel loaded with Berkley Big Game 15-lb. test mono and Korda N-Trap 15-lb. coated braid hook link
     * Squid-flavored boilie (a squid bait used in carp fishing that is fairly firm and resistant to nuisance species) tipped with a white fake plastic piece of corn, fished while using a bolt rig on the bottom. Said Joe, "I was fishing with a spod mix (a type of chum) composed of bird seed, powdered molasses, canned tuna, and sweet corn as an attractant."

Last spring, while fishing for carp in the lake behind his house, Joe caught a 9-lb. channel cat. Since that fish was close to trophy-certificate size, he got interested in learning more about catfishing. Last summer was a disappointment, though, in that he went a half-dozen times just for channel cats and blanked every time. "Oh, I caught some big white perch and a 4-lb. bowfin," he explained, "but no catfish. I'm also still in pursuit of a 20+ pound carp (trophy-certificate size) but, so far, have only managed a 15-lb. 8-oz. specimen."

In closing, Joe told me that he even fantasizes about hiring a guide and "fishing for some of those big blue cats in the James. They get up to 100 pounds!" he exclaimed. Meanwhile, however, he's still basking in the joy of having caught a trophy channel cat today, especially one so close to home.

Please know that my hat's off to ya, Joe, for this fine catch. You did well, my good man.

A New Hazard to Navigation

Last night's storm created the obstacle you see in this photo.  I can't say whether Steve will have it removed by the weekend or not, so felt it only fair to make everyone aware that it exists. It's undoubtedly obvious to everyone familiar with West Neck that the fallen tree is on the point directly aft of the ramp.

That's the only change I saw earlier today when I was at the marina putting a new trim/tilt switch on my boat and taking a picture of the water-level gauge.

Incidentally, when I took my picture at 1:30, the gauge read 2.76 feet. I just now (at 4:15) called Taylor in the store, though, and he told me that the water level has come up to 3 feet. That report gives me hope for the tourney Saturday, but, of course, we still have to get through tomorrow and Friday. I'll be monitoring closely--that's a promise.

As of 1:45 p.m. Friday, April 18, the water level at West Neck stood at 1.82 feet and still was dropping, which gave me reason to cancel the scheduled Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney tomorrow. In my opinion, it's just not safe to launch boats in those conditions, and I don't want to be responsible for someone getting hurt or damaging their equipment.

Bought Any Banjo Minnows Yet?

I ask that question because of what I read this morning on the website for Bob's Fishing Hole (www.bobsfishinghole.com). Specifically, I was looking at their Guestbook entries, one of which mentioned that Andrew George weighed an 8.65-lb. largemouth bass at Bob's on Tuesday, April 8. When I went to their Braggin' Rights page, I found a picture of him holding the fish for the camera--a nice fish, indeed. That much of the story is "fact."

Another Guestbook entry I read, however, indicated that Andrew may have caught his Northwest River hawg on a Banjo Minnow. In the same entry, it was suggested that Mike Evans had caught his five-fish, 17.51-lb. winning limit in Bob's tourney this past Saturday, April 12, also on the Banjo Minnow. At this point, the lines of "fact" and "fiction" cross. James at the Hole assures me the big fish in question was caught in the Northwest River, and Mike Evans indeed had a winning limit Saturday as specified. The Banjo Minnow suggestion, though, was merely a ploy by Dennis at the Hole to be funny, cute or whatever. 

I would caution that mixing fact and fiction is better left to seasoned writers, who are more inclined to have an appreciation for the potential "power of the pen."

This Party Boat Rocks...

Or, rather, it may, provided the new owner of this pontoon craft doesn't wreck it and/or maim a member of his family before he learns how to launch and operate it safely.

As luck would have it, my buddy, Skip Schaible, was on hand at West Neck Marina this morning when the owner and his family showed up to take out their newly acquired (not sure if boat is brand new or well-preserved used) pride and joy for a day on the water. Skip initially whipped out his cellphone, snapped a quick photo (see left), and emailed it to me with these words attached: "Biggest boat I have seen launched at West Neck."

I went back to him with this note, "Better hope the guy knows what he's doing--and stays sober until he gets the boat back on the trailer."

That's when I got this response from Skip, "He has no clue of what he is doing. For starters, if the water was any lower, he would have driven off the end of the ramp."

Skip went on to explain that the owner had waded into the water, with a cellphone in his pocket--no less, to push the boat off the trailer. Meanwhile, his 9- or 10-year-old son was running up and down the catwalk, jumping on and off the boat, and there wasn't a life jacket in sight.

Once the craft was in the water, then came the task of backing it away from the catwalk. With the new operator probably trying to remember what the boat salesman had told him or what he had read about backing, the wife looked over and realized the wind was blowing the boat into the dock. As she leaned over to try and push the boat off, the new operator suddenly gunned the outboard and nearly threw her overboard.

The net result of these actions was the boat wedged up against the dock. The owner/operator jumped out, pushed the boat off, then hurriedly hopped back aboard, only to drive the boat into the trees on the right side (facing the ramp). Eventually, more thanks to luck than to skill, the owner/operator got the boat into the channel, leaving only one unanswered question in Skip's mind as the family drove toward open water: Why did the guy keep gunning the motor?

And just so you know. If you happened to miss seeing today's how-not-to demonstration at the ramp, there's a chance you still might get a free ringside seat at a future showing. Know why? Because it just so happens the guy is storing his pontoon boat at the marina. In the words of that tune, "Ain't we the lucky ones?"

I understand Skip's wife, Leslie, got to witness this morning's episode. Said Skip in closing, "I think she is beginning to understand why I don't go out on weekends." Roger that, my friend.

One Angler Shined Today--the Rest of Us, Not So Much

The angler who shined is Jim Bauer, who caught this 4-15.

                    He also boated this 4-0.

Then there was this 2-1, too, along with, just for good measure, a 1-10, giving him a four-fish total weight of 12-10. Don't know how the rest of you feel, but as far as I'm concerned, that, my friends, is a pretty fair day's haul. Said Jim, "It's been a long time since I had that much weight in four fish."

All these fish came from what little protection Jim could find in West Neck coves today. He didn't specify which ones, but he did tell me that he patted all the fish on the head before releasing them, and told 'em he'd be back on tourney day to get 'em.

I had an email from another angler who fished West Nest for 2.5 hours today and only came away with a 9-incher for his efforts--beats a skunk, as he aptly noted. He told me the dink went for a Senko. I'm not sure where this angler fished, but I have a feeling he didn't check out the coves, or he probably would have found some of the same action as Jim.

I also talked to Skip Schaible today, who was fishing his second day in a row. He spent some time in Albright's first thing this morning but finally got tired of fighting the wind, tied everything down, and headed to Pocaty, where he knew he could find a little break from the conditions. There, he managed to boat six bass. "All of 'em were over a pound, but none went 2," he said.

And bringing up the rear is yours truly, whose best fish (in the boat, that is) was this 1-2. I also caught a 1-0, as well as, near the end of the day, a pickerel that would have weighed a couple pounds. He kept thrashing beside the boat long enough to gain his freedom without my having to help the process, which always tickles me pink.

My day was highlighted by a couple of nice ones that got away--in one case, through nobody's fault but my own. That fish easily was 5 lbs., and the problem started when I disregarded the common-sense rule about using a net anytime you have a big fish on. I, instead, tried to swing it aboard. The fish was about a foot or so out of the water when he flipped his tail, and that's all it took for the hook to tear loose. I kicked myself all afternoon and am still kicking myself over that one, and if Rob had been in the boat, he likely would have given me one just for good measure.

I lost another nice bass when casting to a small patch of very calm water at the very back of a cove. He blasted my topwater, then immediately dove in a submerged tree. I kept a tight line and fought my way to where the fish had dove, only to find both hooks buried in the wood but no sign of the fish.

I would be less than truthful if I didn't say I'm feeling pretty humble tonight after my experiences today. Hopefully, there will be some opportunities to redeem myself before the season is over. One thing is certain: I will use the net on any fish that takes drag and chases me around my boat the way that big one did today.

I'm going to close this post out with this personal note for my tourney partner, Rob. Remember what I was telling you last evening about the way we need to fish that one particular tree--from just one direction? Well, I'm more convinced than ever. I missed a fish there today because I was just a tad too slow in my reaction time. In case I forget the next time we're there, Rob, remind me what we need to do.

Another Angler Reports a Good Day

Skip's email this evening provided more evidence that spring bass fishing indeed is starting to turn on. This 2-lb. fish was his first of the day.

This fish tipped the scales at 3 lbs. on the nose.









Skip went on to tell me that he also had two more fish close to the first one, as well as one that looked as though it would have measured about 12 inches.

The "magic" baits today included a fluke-like lure and a Lake Fork minnow. Skip said he had a couple blowups on the fluke-like lure that didn't connect, and he added that a lot of fish bumped the Lake Fork minnow. The three that he caught on the latter, though, "nailed it," to use his words.

A toothy critter found the minnow so enticing it couldn't resist a chance to snatch the bait, and according to Skip, "would not fall off" for anything.

The one thing weird about today was that, once the wind shifted to the south, the fishing slowed dramatically--"or maybe I just slowed," Skip allowed.

"Trying to get out tomorrow again" is how Skip wrapped up his email, and I'm willing to bet he'll have at least a little company, seein' as how it's Friday and the fishing seem to be heating up. I'll be waiting for any and all reports tomorrow evening.

My Best Day So Far This Year

This time of year, it doesn't take much motivation to get me out of my easy chair and onto the water, and today was no exception. This 2-3 alone would have been sufficient reward for the day, but as it turned out, this fish was one of nine fish--all keepers--that I managed to put in the boat today between 8:30 this morning and 3 o'clock this afternoon.

Given my lack of hookups last Saturday with my topwater bait, I was intent on working out the kinks with the timing of my hooksets. I haven't totally mastered the problem yet, but my confidence level certainly got a boost today after boating all nine of my fish on a topwater bait. I also had four other fish hooked on topwaters today but lost them en route to the boat.

This 2-7 came aboard late in the day, and when combined with the fish above, along with a 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3, gave me a best-five-fish total of 8 lbs. even. The other four bass all measured 12 to 13 inches, but none of them weighed a pound.

As I told my friend, Charlie, in an email after I got home this afternoon, I'm all smiles following a day like this. My only disappointment was not having enough time to fish some areas I had hoped to get to before I had to quit. In trying to do so, I found myself spending too much time on the trolling motor and hurrying my retrieves. The result was several missed strikes.

The water temperature when I launched this morning read 54 degrees. It had risen to 60 degrees as I motored back to the ramp in the no-wake zone this afternoon.

Thus far, I've talked to three fellas who have told me they plan to try their luck tomorrow. If the weatherman is right, it should be a pretty day. Here's wishing all of you good luck. Drop me a report by email if you're so inclined.

Go Get Him for Me, Charlie

That was my roundabout advice to my good friend when I learned he is planning a trip to fish that oxbow full of old barges and various boats downriver from West Neck Creek.

As I told Charlie in one of our email swaps yesterday, that's a spot where a couple other friends who once fished our Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series used to do rather well on a constant basis. They won more than a few of our outings in just that one area, and they made no bones about it.

Several years ago, I, too, fished that area a lot, as well as the little stream that lies about halfway between the two ends. And, I even got brave enough a few times to pick my way into the middle of all those barges and fish--with success--but with caution, as well, I might add. Those metal spikes on those old barges aren't to be taken lightly, I assure you. More than once, I had an unnerving moment when my boat's fiberglass hull would s-c-c-c-r-a-p-e across one of those spikes.

The memory that I was referring to, though, when I passed my advice to Charlie involves that big white rock that stands at one end of the oxbow. It was early one summer morning many years ago when I eased my boat within casting distance of that ol' rock, with the sun barely peeking over the horizon, and let go a long, arcing cast with a topwater bait. I watched my bait land right beside that rock and just let it rest for the longest of times. Finally, when I couldn't stand to wait any longer, I twitched the bait ever so slightly, at which point the water literally exploded, and the battle between David (me) and Goliath (the fish) was on.

To this day, I don't have a clue what kind of fish it was--could have been the world's biggest grindle, as far as I know, but I'll never forget that power I felt at the end of my 14-lb.-test mono line and the rod clenched ever so tightly in my hand. This battle didn't last long, because my mono was no match for what was in the water around that rock.

I've stopped a few times at the same rock in the years since that incident and tried to tempt "Bubba" one more time to give me a chance with my braid, but he has chosen to ignore me. Or, maybe he's found a new home, or perhaps some other angler has claimed him as his prize. If he's still taking refuge in that same ol' rock, though, nothing would please me more than to see my buddy, Charlie, get hold of him. After all, my friend still is looking for his first 5-pounder, and I can guarantee you the fish I lost that summer morning weighed a lot more than 5 lbs.

If Charlie locks up with that fish, he'd best hold on tight to that yellow kayak, as well as his rod, 'cause I predict he's going for a ride like he's never had before. He'll have a story he'll be talking about for the rest of his life.

Incidentally, for the benefit of those who haven't seen Charlie's latest blog video, I urge you to take a look (http://vbfishguide.blogspot.com/). You'll get to see him use his paddle to scoop up a turtle shell, minus the turtle, and toss it in his kayak. He tells me that, once it's cleaned up, the shell will go on display beside the nutria skull he found a few years back.

What's next for this seasoned fisherman/kayaker/adventurer/computer guru/taxidermist/lure painter/etc.? I can't help but wonder.

A Suggested New Use for License-Plate Readers

If you read this morning's local newspaper, then surely you saw the lead story on the front page about license-plate readers (similar to what you see in the photo at right) on police cars. It seems this effective crime-fighting tool is getting the hackles up on some civil libertarians, to whom I say: "Stuff it where the sun don't shine!"

If anything, I'd like to see the use of these readers expanded to include sticking it to those people who drive around the streets of Hampton Roads (and no, thank you, I don't care to use "Coastal Virginia," even if one local mayor does seem to love it) with expired license plates. Did I happen to mention that this is one of my top pet peeves of all time?

Just this past week, while I was in the parking lot at Lynnhaven Mall, I ran across a late-model Jeep parked there with license-plate decals that expired in December 2013. I can't help but wonder what the owner has been doing the last four months. It's more than a little evident that he/she hasn't been checking their mail during that time, or they surely would have seen a little notice from the Virginia DMV.

Something that peaked my interest a bit more than usual about these particular expired plates was the fact that the rear plate included this abbreviation: PF. That's right--the vehicle belongs to a professional firefighter. Don't get me wrong. I have a lot of respect for those guys, as well as law enforcement--they both have tough jobs. But that respect stops when they start breaking the same laws I'm forced to live with. And the last time I checked, when your license plates expire, you have only two "legal" choices: Renew your registration, or park the vehicle until you do.

Last month, however, during one of my routine visits to West Neck Marina, I ran across a set of expired tags that caused me to do a double-take when I first saw them. Those tags had an expiration date of March 2013. That's right--a whole year past due, and that vehicle, a Dodge Ram 1500, still was operating on the streets of Hampton Roads--again in your ear, Mr. Mayor.

And making this case even more suspect was the inspection sticker. The year was missing entirely, the whole sticker was all wrinkled, and it just "smelled" of having been altered. But as I said, it still was operating on city streets.

These are but two recent examples. However, I rarely venture out onto the streets of Hampton Roads (one last time in your ear, Mr. Mayor) without finding one or two vehicles with expired license plates. Thus, my position is that, instead of succumbing to the wishes of those civil libertarians, police should expand their use of license-plate readers to include nailing people for expired decals on their license tags.

I've always functioned on the premise that "right is right, and wrong is wrong." In short, pay up, or park it.

Everybody Caught Fish Today

I felt certain everyone was going to bring fish to the scales at today's weigh-in, and I'm happy to report that no one disappointed me. All 21 anglers in 12 boats found fish.

Leading the charge was this team of (l-r) Mike Evans and Joe Glazebrook, who had a bag of five fish weighing 15.99 lbs. Their big fish tipped the scales at 4.75 lbs.

Finishing in 2nd place was this team of (l-r) Chris and Al Napier, who also had a sack of five bass, with a total weight of 14.44 lbs. Their big fish weighed 3.41 lbs.

Claiming 3rd place was this team of (l-r) Randy Conkle and Bob Glass, with a bag of five bass that tipped the scales at 11.80 lbs. Their big fish weighed 4.71 lbs.

The prize money for today's big fish went to (left) Chris Fretard, who weighed in a 4.86-lb. bass. He and his partner, Mike Miller, had five fish, for a total weight of 11.09 lbs.

And walking away with the mystery-weight award was (right) Ronnie McLaughlin and his partner (not pictured), Dennis Cohen. Their sack of five fish totaled 7.19 lbs., which was closest to the drawn weight-tag, showing 7.50 lbs. They didn't weigh a big fish.







Here's how everyone else finished today's tourney--the second event in the 2014 Dewey Mullins Memorial Series:
     * The team of Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall, five fish, 9.82 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Mark London and Lee Scearce, five fish, 9.68 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Skip Schaible and Mitch Portervint, five fish, 9.19 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Rob Chatham and Ken Testorff, five fish, 8.45 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Chris Carmell, five fisih, 7.92 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Jim Bauer, four fish, 6.23 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Jesse Munden, four fish, 5.46 lbs. total weight, no big fish.

Last but certainly not least, as far as I'm concerned, I just would like to point out that, if we had presented a sportsmanship award today, the hands-down winner undeniably would have been Steve Bailey (left). Here's why I make that statement.

Steve's boat is in the shop at the moment undergoing some work, and he knew in advance that he wouldn't be able to fish today's tournament. So, a few days ago, he called me and offered up his favorite early-spring haunts, which notoriously help him finish in the money year after year.

My partner and I, unfortunately, were not able to capitalize on his offer today, but that in no way erases the magnitude of what he did. He even went so far not just to give Rob and me a map but to tell us what lures and colors he usually fishes. His only request was that I not publish any of that information, and I'm more than happy to oblige. I salute you, Steve. Please know that we did boat a couple of fish in your one hole but were unable to find a kicker fish to go with our limit.

For planning purposes, our next event in the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series is scheduled for Saturday, April 19 (correction from first posting, sorry, my bad), from safe light to 2:30 p.m. Hope you can join us.