A Day He'll Never Forget

By Jerry Gardner

A young friend of mine, Cam Wallis, and I spent a few hours fishing part of Moyock Creek this morning. This was Cam's second time fishing with me and, at the start of the day, still was looking to catch his first-ever freshwater fish. After dealing with several missed strikes, Cam finally hooked up with this 1-lb. 10-oz. pickerel to claim the title of his first fish.

If you follow the time stamps on the photos, you'll see that, less than 20 minutes later, Cam also boated his first-ever bass. The junebug Senko that he caught both fish on probably was bigger than the bass, but, for Cam, that bass still was a "trophy" fish.

These two fish were all that Cam would remove the hook from today, but combined with all the missed strikes and seeing me boat four bass and a pickerel, I think it's safe to say that bass fishing has a new fan.

Our best bass of the day was this one, which just reached the 14-inch mark on my "golden rule."



Fish were hard to find today, but Cam admits this is a day he'll never forget.

Mother Nature Behaved Herself Until the Last Hour...

And then she turned loose all her pent-up anxieties on the 21 anglers in 13 boats that had showed up to fish today's tournament out of West Neck Marina. There was lots of thunder, lots of lightning, and copious amounts of rain soaking us as we hurried through the weigh-in as best we could.

Besting everyone today and walking away with the 1st-place prize money was this team of (from left) Paul Celentano and Sid Ryan, who weighed five fish that tipped the scales at 12.09 lbs., anchored by a big fish weighing 3.17 lbs.










Laying claim to 2nd place was the team of Chris Napier and Al Napier (not pictured), who had five fish weighing 10.91 lbs. Their big fish weighed 3.15 lbs.

In 3rd place at day's end was this team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle. Their five fish totaled 10.35 lbs., anchored by one weighing 3.41 lbs.

Big-fish honors went to Skip Schaible, who weighed one that went 4.36 lbs. He and partner, Mitch Portervint, had five bass, with a total weight of 10.28 lbs.

Winner of the mystery-weight drawing, with three fish totaling 2.87 lbs., was Gary Coderre. His weight came closest to the 2.20-lb. tab that was drawn.








Here is how everyone else finished the competition:

     * Mike Evans, five fish, 8.27 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Jim Wilder and Chris Vitovich, five fish, 7.95 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Tom Acree and Joe McDevitt, five fish, 7.27 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Ronnie McLaughlin, four fish, 6.07 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Ken Testorff, five fish, 6.04 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Bryson Morawski and John Kindel, three fish, 4.91 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Wayne Hayes didn't weigh, nor did the team of Duane Kessel and Zach Ouellette.

Overall, today's anglers weighed a total of 50 bass for a total weight of 87.01 lbs. The average weight was 1.74 lbs.

Three new names were added to the list of anglers now eligible to fish our season-ending two-day Classic contest. Those three are Wayne Hayes, Chris Vitovich, and Mitch Portervint.

For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for Saturday, July 11th, from safe light (about 5:15 or 5:30) to weigh-in at 2 p.m. Hope you can join us.

When I left home for the marina in the wee hours Saturday morning, I had a plan--of sorts. I knew I probably was going to get wet, so I donned my rainsuit pants before I ever left the house and had the coat at my fingertips.

I also knew that, given the muddy water I had encountered Wednesday in West Neck, coupled with the open tournament going out of West Landing, I was heading south, with one overriding requirement: A bridge had to be within easy reach of my destination. If the lightning was to get to poppin', I wanted something to hide under.

And last, but certainly not least, I knew that a buzzbait was going to figure into my equation for catching fish. Those two passes I had gotten Wednesday on a buzzbait kept going over and over again in my mind--just like some of the old records I used to play on the phonograph would catch in one of the grooves and keep repeating the same few notes. The only difference Saturday was going to be a slight modification to the buzzbait--it was going to have a trailer hook.

My first stop--within a stone's throw of the Pungo Ferry Bridge--was Albright's, where I had been Wednesday. On Saturday, though, I went to the front of the creek, instead of the back. One boat already was fishing the area of the cut-through as I approached, and I had heard some guys saying they were going to the back, so I just ran on down to the oxbow and entered at the mouth of the creek. In the first five casts with the buzzbait, I had three passes but no hookups. I didn't let that deter me, though.

I stayed the course and ended up boating a total of seven keepers and two dinks, along with a big pickerel and a white perch, on the buzzbait. Had my limit by 9 o'clock, and by 11:30 had covered all the areas I wanted to fish, so headed back to West Neck, where, despite the pounding I knew it had to have taken already, I thought I might find a kicker fish.

It was now that I turned to my soft plastics. However, instead of throwing the same 5-inch Senkos that had been drawing all those tail-biters, I turned to the 4-inch model.

By this time of the day, many of the clouds directly overhead had parted, and you could see bright blue sky in several places. Trouble was brewing in the distance, though, and I could both see and hear it. The blackness was gathering strength. I knew if I didn't catch a kicker soon, I was headed to the dock and the safety of the marina store.

That thought had just passed my mind, when I felt a slick tick in my rod after making another cast to my favorite stump field. I took a couple of small turns on the reel handle, then watched my line slowly start moving to one side. Suddenly, the line really took off, and that's when I swept the rod hard the other direction. The subsequent weight I felt sent my adrenaline into overdrive. Imagine how I felt though, once I had everything beside the boat and looked over to find my braided line embedded in one of the stumps from the field. Oh, there was a fish at the end of it--all 1-lb. worth of his feisty self.

As quickly as possible, I released the fish, freed my line, wrapped everything up, and headed for the dock. That "trouble in the distance" was getting closer, and I had had enough for one day.

If It Hadn't Been for Those Tail-Biters, 'Twould've Been a Better Day

I'm beginning to wonder if this tail-nippin' of plastic worms ever is going to end. Reckon I should be thankful that at least some of the bass are grabbing the "business end," as evidenced by this 1-4, which was the best fish of three that I put in the boat today while fishing a Senko. Caught all three down in Albright's.

With all the cloud cover early this morning, I would have bet that the topwater bite would be off the charts. As it turned out, however, the topwater bite was nonexistent. The best I could muster was a couple of half-hearted swirls from fish as I drug a buzzbait by points. By 8:15--two hours after I had launched--I decided to put away all the topwater stuff and see if I could find a spinnerbait or crankbait bite.

I did manage to boat one small white perch with a crankbait, but nothing on the spinnerbait. At this point, I picked up the Senko, and the bites started almost immediately. Counting those fish that snatched only the tail, I easily had eight or nine hits. Most bites came when you tossed the worm right up next to a wind-blown grassline or to a piece of wood--be it a tree, stump or laydown. Later in the day, I had a couple of fish take my Senko on a point.

Overall, it was a decent day. The water in West Neck was brown this morning, which is why I ended up heading to Albright's--that and the high level. As I figured, the water in Albright's was in good shape.

Launching just ahead of me again this morning was my ol' friend, Tom Acree. I wasn't surprised to find that his brain works just like mine. When the water is high and/or muddy, he usually heads to the back of Albright's.

As I rounded the last bend before reaching the tree line in Albright's, there sat Tom. I quickly came off step and stopped to chat a spell as I neared his boat. We swapped notes after we both had come off the water, too. He ended the day with four bass, not including all the tail-biters he also had to deal with.

This past Saturday, Tom caught 15 bass, then backed that up on Monday with another 25. His best bait for all these fish has been and continues to be soft plastics. He didn't ask me to keep his areas anonymous, but given the fact he may be fishing Saturday's tournament with us, I'm doing so on my own.

News on the Run

 

(NEW) Latest Additions to West Neck Marina

 

Received an email from my good friend, Skip Schaible, today (6/29/2015), telling me about what he found during his most recent visit to the marina. As you'll see, if you click on this photo to enlarge it, red, white and blue solar lights now line the catwalks at the ramp. These lights compliment clear ones that extend around the water's perimeter in the vicinity of the marina.

 

 

Check Out This Weather Website

 

When you have a few extra minutes, check out the new element with this banner that I've added to the sidebar along the right side of my blog. The banner in the sidebar is interactive, which means if you click on it, you'll be taken to the aviation weather website. As heralded by Kayaker Charlie, who sent the link to me, "It's a lot better forecast than you get from the TV guys, especially for short-term wind speeds." He got the link from our mutual friend, Ray Scott, a docent of the Virginia Beach Military Aviation Museum and retired aviator. I see this website as another tool to use in planning my fishing days.

 

What's Up With All These Signs?

 

Received an email from Kayaker Charlie yesterday, telling me that Godfrey Creek now is full of "No Fishing" and posted signs. "Didn't think you could post a creek," he said. Asked if I knew anything about the situation.

 

Told him all I had heard is that the mud bar at the mouth of Godfrey has gotten considerably wider and people need to be extra careful trying to get in there now.

 

I subsequently sent a note to Chad Boyce, the local VDGIF agent, asking if he knows what all the signs are about and will post his response once I get it.

***UPDATE***

Here is Chad's June 29, 2015 email response: "I rode up into Godfrey's Creek last week, and I do not believe the signs that you mention are intended for 'no fishing.' Rather, I believe they were posted for hunting purposes, as they are only located on two trees at the mouth of the creek... ."

 

 

Marine Patrol Back on Duty

 

Have been told by the folks at West Neck Marina that, after a lengthy absence, the Virginia Beach Police Marine Patrol once again is monitoring the waters of North Landing on weekends. Am also advised that they aren't always just letting violators off with a warning--they are issuing tickets.

 

That being said, I would caution everyone to make sure you have all the proper safety equipment aboard your boats and other watercraft, as well as fishing licenses, registrations, etc., as required. Otherwise, you'd better hope Lady Luck is riding with you.

 

This Flyer Is Deceiving

 

If you're like me and subscribe to flyers from some of the tackle stores across the countryside, you may have received a flyer in your email in the last day or two from Outlet Bait & Tackle, announcing a sale on the Bomber Square A in craw/chartreuse belly color. The sale price of $1.76 each indeed is eye-catching but not as much so as a statement near the bottom of the flyer. It read as follows: "The Square A has been discontinued, and we have some of the only remaining stock. We don't have many, so if you love this lure, you should buy several or more sets while you can."

 

Well...I smelled a rat and decided to do a little investigating. I emailed Bomber Lures (actually Lurenet.com now). I told 'em what I had read in the flyer and asked if there was any truth to it, and guess what? Turns out my suspicions were right. There are no plans to discontinue the Bomber Square A, so if you haven't already placed your order for a lifetime supply, don't, 'cause there ain't no need to for the time being.

 

The good folks at Lurenet asked if I'd mind sharing a link to where I had gotten the cock 'n' bull story to start with, and I happily obliged. Ya' gotta really watch out these days, 'cause it seems like there's a shyster at every corner. Incidentally, if you'd like to see the flyer I'm talking about for yourself, here's the link I sent Lurenet: http://www.overstockbait.com/bomber-square-a-craw-chart-belly-color/?utm_source=15_06_5_Blast+Off_SquareA&utm_campaign=150619SquareA&utm_.

UPDATE: I received another email from my contact at Lurenet this morning (6/22/2015) and learned that the problem boils down to misleading phraseology in the flyer. The craw/chartreuse belly-colored Bomber Square A indeed is being discontinued, but not the whole line, as their choice of words leads you to believe.

An Unsolicited Assessment of Today's Tournament Bass Angler

The retired naval aviator and former Approach magazine editor pictured at right is a good friend of mine from our years together at the Naval Safety Center. These days, Jack spends a lot of time in their family lakeside property at Kerr Reservoir, where he gets a firsthand view of tournament bass anglers in action.

I had an opportunity yesterday to listen as Jack shared some of his perceptions. At the time, he, his wife, and I were invited guests to a farewell luncheon for another Naval Safety Center employee (and mutual friend of ours) who has decided it's time to "hang it up" and return home to Germany, where his wife and family reside.

Said Jack, "You always can tell when there's a tournament going on, just by the sheer number of boats that you see flying around the lake." He seemed particularly taken by the fact the boats always appear to be running wide open. "And when they pull into an area to fish, I'll bet they don't spend 15 minutes there before they're off and running again," he added.

"That's what they call 'running and gunning,'" I explained. I told him about a few instances I've encountered over the years when I saw tournament anglers pull up to a spot, throw over the trolling motor, and start fan casting--for maybe all of 5 minutes, at best--sometimes without ever removing their lifejacket or even killing the gas motor. I also told him about the one time Pop was with me when we witnessed such an occasion and how he never forgot that event in all the years afterward. It always was one of the highlights of our conversations whenever I visited him and Mom.

Something else that Jack finds fascinating is the casting accuracy of these tournament anglers. "I've watched guys sit there and toss a lure into what appears to be the exact same spot three and four times in a row. How much better can you possibly get than that?" he asked. "How do they do it?"

At this juncture in our conversation, I explained to my friend what I've heard from and read about some of these anglers. I talked about how they will create settings in their garage or backyard that resemble a bass boat's raised casting deck, then practice pitching and flipping lures to something as small as a distant Styrofoam coffee cup. In some cases, they do this for hours on end. "That's how they become so proficient," I said.

"But I see them catch so few fish," Jack countered. "I'll bet I haven't seen more than two fish boated," he said.

"That's why they don't stay long," I reminded him. "You have to remember all these guys are on a deadline, just like we used to be with our magazines. They have 'X' number of hours to boat a limit of fish, and then only those with the top weights go home with a paycheck."

The one thing that seems to bother Jack about the tournament bass anglers is their seemingly total disregard for the small boaters. "They don't affect me much in my pontoon boat," he said, "but I watch some folks in small craft get bounced around pretty good after one of those high-speed bass boats passes them."

I didn't really have an explanation for these actions that would satisfy even me, much less Jack or anyone else. The reality here is that it would take a lot more law enforcement on all the waterways than any governing body can afford to tame the monster that has been let loose as manufacturers build bigger and faster boats. Compound that problem with out-of-control adrenaline rushes and testosterone levels, as well as just plain bad headwork, and, for lack of a better way of saying it, "what you see is what you get." As I told Jack, "I have no delusions. I know, beyond any doubt, that it's just going to get worse."

As it turns out, situations between property owners and bass fishermen on major impoundments can be much more testy than anything my friend, Jack, apparently has encountered thus far. I offer as an example for your reading pleasure this link: http://www.kicknbass.com/anglers_and_property_owners.htm. Author Jerry Drazer discusses some issues affecting both sides as it pertains to lakes in the State of Indiana.

And if you think the same kinds of conflicts don't arise on lakes elsewhere, you have another think coming. I've personally witnessed similar incidents during fun-fishing trips to Lake Gaston with my good friend, Jim Bauer. You might be surprised what'll bring a property owner bursting out his door or chasing you down on a jet ski--yes, that latter actually happened to Jim and me.

The best advice I can give you is to put on your listening ears and watch what you say, especially if you're fishing the lake as an out-of-town guest.

With a High in the 80s, How Could I Stay Home?

Simply stated--I didn't. I got up, got around, and was on the water by 6:30 this morning. While I was getting the boat ready, I kept hearing music but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. My curiosity finally got the best of me, and I went looking for the source. Turned out someone had gone off and left the radio playing in their boat parked along the fence line in the back. The same radio still was playing when I put my rig away this afternoon, so I notified the girl in the store, and she was calling the owner as I left for home.

As for the fishing today, I've had better, but I've also had worse. Once again, there was no topwater bite this morning. A spinnerbait also didn't work, and my first choice of crankbaits was a bust, too. Shortly after I tied on a Bomber Square A, though, I caught two small bass, the biggest being a 1-2.

Once it appeared the Bomber had lost its usefulness, I picked up a SwimSenko and, despite losing several fish with it this afternoon, managed to boat three more bass by day's end at 2:30. I intermittently had problems with more of those tailbiters. On one such occasion, I lost the Senko tail on four consecutive casts and decided to toss my spinnerbait to the same spot and see what would happen. On the first cast with the spinnerbait, the fish nailed it, and I got a decent hookset. However, he made one big leap about halfway to the boat and, just that fast, what would have been my best fish of the day was gone.

Overall, it was a satisfactory day, other than for the fact I lost two spinnerbaits and a favorite crankbait. I frankly don't remember the last time I lost that many baits in one day. Looks like I'll be placing an online order tonight once this blog post is done.

As I expected with today's nicer weather, I had company on the water. My friend, Jim Bauer, was one of those I shared West Neck Creek with.

His final tally, as reported to me while we were cleaning up our boats, was nine bass, including a 1-14 and 1-7. If my memory serves me correct, he said he had one other bass that tipped the scales at better than a pound, with the other six all running 14 or 15 ozs. He caught all of his fish on a worm.

While I was dealing with the loss of lures, Jim had a problem of his own--a busted trolling-motor prop. Seems he learned--a bit too late--that a certain log is a tad bigger than he originally had thought. He ended up finding a spot to anchor and replacing a two-month-old prop with his old beat-up one that has seen several years of service. I'm certain he likewise will be placing an order for a new prop, so he can put the old one back for a spare.

And from my friend, Jerry, came this photo taken of the 2-0 bass that he caught today--also in West Neck. His fishin' buddy, Eddie, was with Jerry today and caught the first fish of the day--a 13-and-a-half-incher that fell for a white worm just a half-hour after launching. This marked the first visit to West Neck for both anglers thus far this season.

Before calling it a day at 10:30 a.m., Jerry and Eddie boated four more bass. The highlight of their morning, though, was this 7-lb. bowfin that Jerry caught in just a few inches of water. Two of their six bass were keepers. Jerry also explained that all of his fish were taken on a fluke.




I can't speak for any of the other fellas here, but unless the weather forecast for the rest of this week changes, today will have been my one and only trip. I will try to get at least one day again next week, too, in preparation for our next tourney on the 27th.

This Time It Wasn't a Tick in the Line

It was a regular ol' black-legged tick, formerly known as the deer tick, that had gotten inside my sock and taken up residence in the skin on my right ankle. I found the critter this past Sunday evening, after I had come in the house from doing some things in the backyard.

Whether I picked up this unwanted attachment Saturday during the tournament or Sunday while I was in my backyard really isn't that important. Instead, I need to remember to check myself regularly in the future to avoid having to deal with any of the three tick-borne diseases that occur most often in Virginia.

Here's a synopsis of those diseases:

Lyme Disease - The black-legged tick is the only carrier of lyme disease in the eastern U.S. An infected tick must be attached to a human for 36 hours or more to transmit the disease. Most patients (about 75 percent) will see development of a red rash called an erythema migrans ("EM" or "bully's-eye" rash) around a tick-bite site within days or weeks of the bite. This rash expands up to 12 inches in diameter and often clears around the center. The rash does not itch or hurt, so it may not be noticed if it's on a person's backside or scalp. The initial illness may cause fatigue, fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and swollen lymph nodes.

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) - RMSF is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected American dog tick. The infected tick must be attached to a human for only about four hours to transmit the bacteria. RMSF is characterized by a sudden onset of moderate to high fever (which can last for two or three weeks), severe headache, fatigue, deep muscle pain, chills, and rash. The rash begins on the legs or arms, may include the soles of the feet or palms of the hands and may spread rapidly to the trunk or rest of the body. Certain antibiotics, such as tetracycline or chloramphenicol, may be effective in treating the disease. RMSF can be fatal, so if you're concerned about symptoms, contact your doctor immediately.

Ehrlichiosis - Ehrlichiosis is transmitted by the lone star tick and most commonly by adult lone star ticks. An infected tick must be attached to a human for at least 24 hours to transmit the disease. Symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, and general discomfort. Illness can be severe, and up to 3 percent of infected people can die. Treatment will be determined based on symptoms, but ehrlichiosis responds rapidly to antibiotics.

While it's a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, you should be extra vigilant in warmer months (April through September) when ticks are most active. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself from tick bites:

     * Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
     * Walk in the center of trails.
     * Use repellents that contain 20 to 30 percent DEET on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes and mouth.
     * Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks, and tents. It remains protective through several washings. Pre-treated clothing is available and remains protective for up to 70 washings.
     * Other repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) may be found at http://cfpub.epa.gov/oppref/insect/.
     * Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
     * Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
     * Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats and day packs.
     * Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. (Some research suggests that shorter drying times also may be effective, particularly if the clothing is not wet.)

Before you arbitrarily dismiss this information, I urge you to consider that cases of lyme disease are on the rise in Virginia. In the last few years, cases have nearly doubled in the state. Nearly 200 cases are reported annually now in Fairfax County alone.

In my case, the tick extricated itself from my skin within about 20 or 30 minutes after coming to my attention. I was in the process of researching online how to remove the critter when I happened to look down and see it crawling across the mat under my desk chair. I subsequently captured and killed it, then disposed of it. Thus far, I have had no symptoms, and the spot where the tick had attached itself is slowly vanishing, but I'll stay alert.

Incidentally, here is how the Center for Disease Control (CDC) advises anyone to remove a tick:

     * Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.
     * Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
     * After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol (which is what I used), an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
     * Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in duct tape, or flushing it down the toilet (my choice of disposal). Never crush a tick with your fingers.

Avoid folklore remedies, such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible--not waiting for it to detach.

Dress and Fish Smart This Summer

The official start of summer still may be a week away, but someone apparently forgot to tell the weather gods, if the current temperatures are any indication.

With the 90s already upon us, it's smart to be thinking about your own well-being on the water, as well as that of your tournament catch. Here are some things you can do to keep both safe and comfortable.

Wear shirts preferably in colors such as white, tan or light gray. Darker colors only retain more heat. Some tournament-style shirts, including one made by Gemini Custom Apparel, even comes with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating of 25. The material in these shirts reportedly has pores that expand when it's warm outside, thus allowing more air flow to help keep you cool.

Also available are lightweight polyester shirts and pants that wick away sweat. They're a little pricey, even at places like Target, but as I've learned, well worth what you pay for them. I've worn mine now for a couple of years and have nothing bad to say about them, other than for the fact, because mine are white, they easily show dirt. And let's face it, what fisherman spends all day on the water without getting something on his clothes? I'm willing to bet you we all have at least a little ring around the collar at the end of a hot day on the water.

While you're trying to cover up areas exposed to the sun, don't forget your head, feet and hands. Several companies offer lightweight, neutral-color fishing caps with an extended collar and side flaps to protect the ears. If that's not your taste, perhaps a simple full-brimmed hat is. Either is better than an ordinary ball cap, which affords absolutely no protection for the ears or back of your neck.

As for protecting the hands, I choose to wear gloves basically year-round. I've spent enough time having surgical procedures performed on the back of my hands in recent years to warrant the minor discomfort caused by wearing the gloves, even when it's hot. Granted, I'm mostly paying for my shortsightedness in younger years, but if I dodge just one visit to the skin doctor, it makes my efforts meaningful.

If you elect to wear sandals without socks or go barefooted, don't forget to cover all those "little piggies," along with any other bare skin, with a liberal dose of sunscreen (preferably SPF 15 or higher) before you venture out into the hot sun. One other option is to wear compression-style socks. I read online about a guy who swears these are the most comfortable socks he's ever worn. He says they "help increase blood flow and circulation and help keep your feet dry and comfortable, and in my opinion, extremely cool in the summer months."

While you're taking care of "watash," don't overlook the importance of keeping yourself hydrated during all those hot, steamy fishing days. Drink plenty of cool water throughout the day (recommended intake is 16-32 ounces each hour). An occasional sports drink to replace the salt and minerals lost in sweat also is OK. It pays to keep your energy levels up, too, with things like granola bars, fiber bars, and perhaps even a sandwich. Combined, these all will go a long way in helping you focus and combating fatigue caused by the hot temperatures.

Last but certainly not least is the necessity to take equally good care of your catch. Show the bass the TLC they need to stay alive in your livewells all day.

I found one angler online who starts each summer tournament day by dumping a 10-lb. bag of ice into his boat's livewells just before filling them. He contends that the 10-lb. bag of ice cools the water about 8 to 10 degrees, which, in his opinion, is just right. At the same time, he sprinkles in a little Rejuvenade to help protect the fish's slime coat and also to help neutralize any possible additives in the ice. Once the wells are full, he sets the recirc switch to auto and doesn't pump in any more water all day.

"Make sure your livewell plugs are in, or if you have an open/closed valve, make sure it's in the closed position," he cautions, "which will ensure proper water levels throughout the day. Cooling your water first is the key to keeping your bass alive," says this angler, who claims he can't remember the last time he ever lost a fish.

One other important issue here is to get the fish in the livewell as quickly as possible. The sooner you get the hook out and attach a culling clip the better.

Tight Lines! Enjoy your summer!

Tough Conditions, Tough Fishing

A number of today's 13 competitors in nine boats were heard to comment about the sweltering weather today and the tough bite they had all day. If we're honest, though, we have to admit that we were duly forewarned about the weather well in advance by all the local weather dudes and subsequently should have surmised that the bite likely would be less than stellar. Despite these factors, we still had some great camaraderie and, of course, some winners.

Standing tall in 1st place at day's end was the team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, who brought five bass to the scales. Their total weight, after a 0.50 deduction for two dead fish, was 10.70 lbs. Their big fish weighed 3.20 lbs.

Laying claim to 2nd place was the team of John Matyiko and Mark Cable (not pictured). They, too, had five bass, with a total weight of 10.19 lbs. Their big fish tipped the scales at 3.98 lbs., which was good enough to win the day's lunker pot for John.

Winner of today's mystery-weight drawing was the team of Lenny Hall and Gary Coderre (not pictured). They had four fish for a total weight of 4.61 lbs., with no big fish. The drawn weight was 4.85.







Here is how all the other contestants finished:
    
     * Wayne Hayes, five fish, 8.58 lbs. total weight, 2.40-lb. big fish.
     * Steve Bailey, five fish, 8.14 lbs. total weight, 2.64-lb. big fish.
     * Chris Fretard, five fish, 6.68 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Ken Testorff, four fish, 6.00 lbs. total weight (after 0.50 penalty for two dead fish), 3.00-lb. big fish.
     * Jim Bauer, two fish, 2.48 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Cody Cousineau and P. J. Kirschner, two fish, 1.86 lbs. total weight, no big fish.

Overall, the anglers today weighed a total of 37 bass for a combined total weight of 59.24 lbs. The average weight was 1.60 lbs.

Completing his requirements today to fish the two-day season-ending Classic was Lenny Hall. The addition of his name to the list makes a total of 12 anglers now qualified.

For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, June 27th, from safe light (probably about 5:15 a.m.) to weigh-in at 2 p.m.

Armed with more than twice as much drinking water as I usually carry on a fishing trip, I turned south out of West Neck this morning and headed to Milldam. I was determined to restore a degree of confidence in being able to catch fish there after having my fanny handed to me the last time.

My plan was to fish topwater for the first couple hours or so, then try some spinnerbaits and/or crankbaits. If all that failed, I would go to my arsenal of Senkos.

I was nearly two hours into the day before I had my first pass on a topwater bait. The fish swirled under the bait but nothing more. The same thing happened about three more times in the next 45 minutes--all with the same negative results. I tried some spinnerbaits and crankbaits, also with no luck. It was time to break out the Senkos and get serious. In no time, I felt my first pick up, let the fish run a good ways, then set the hook.

I stayed with the Senko until I left Milldam about an hour before weigh-in and managed to catch three keeper bass, the biggest a 3-pounder. The problem, though, was that I ended up gill-hooking two of the bass because I let them run so long, and both ultimately died. That's what I get for letting those tail-biters in West Neck alter my philosophy.

The last hour in West Neck yielded one 12-inch bass on a Senko. Imagine my surprise to see a West Neck bass actually come in the boat by way of this bait, given what has been happening lately.

In the final analysis, I couldn't get hooked up with a fifth fish before weigh-in. I had some opportunities that just didn't pan out during the course of the day. And so, I continue my pursuit of a day when everything finally comes together and sees me finish in the money. Surely, the law of averages will catch up to me one of these days.