A Man Who Knows How To Git 'R Done

Whether he's turning a wrench or, as earlier today, flippin' a piece of soft plastic with a spinning rod, no one gets better results than Wayne Hayes. Here's the 6.74-lb. bass that he found in... er, I reckon I best not say where, 'cause I made a promise to keep my mouth shut. After all, he does plan to fish the tournament tomorrow, and, too, I have no doubt I'll need some more outboard work done somewhere down the road. [Incidentally, he has tamed those overheat alarms I was getting. Removed the thermostats last evening, and I drove the crap out of the boat this morning without a single problem.]

That being said, I can't help noting a couple of significant attributes of this big fish, which Wayne mentioned a couple of times during our phone conversation. It had a big belly and a bloody tail, which makes me feel like I've been locked in some sort of time warp, given the fact that, according to my calendar, today is Aug. 21st.

However, there are those who say multiple spawning cycles occur among bass populations in any given year. A fish-hatcheries spokesman in Arkansas, for example, said that while bass typically spawn twice a year there, they can spawn up to six times in one year. Numerous factors influence the spawn, including but not limited to water temp, moon phases, amount of sunlight hitting the nesting sites, number of hours of daylight, rain patterns, opportunity for food and cover. The Arkansas fish-hatcheries spokesman went on to explain that bass in an area with little or no cover will not spawn, nor will they if the population outweighs the food in an area. And, too, the number of eggs laid is determined by as many factors. Typically speaking, for every hundred eggs laid, only 20 percent ever reach maturity.

I can't say how Virginia compares to Arkansas in this respect, but given the condition of the fish that Wayne caught today, it would seem a safe bet that at least a second 2015 spawning cycle has occurred locally.

In our conversation today, Wayne relayed that he felt like a one-armed paper hanger when that big fish hit. Simultaneously with his setting the hook, the fish started zipping off drag. Trying to control that situation with one hand and grab for the net with the other created some doubts in his mind whether he'd ever get a close look at the prize.

He got 'r done, though, as evidenced by the accompanying photo. Congrats! my friend.