Not a Bad Day: Went 4 for 4

I fished four different coves in West Neck yesterday and came away with one bass in each. I also had another fish on for a while in two of the coves, plus I missed a couple of strikes, so all in all, I truly couldn't complain.

The fish in this photo weighed 1-1, and the other three nearly were carbon copies of this one. My first couple of fish yesterday morning fell for a white 3/8-oz. chatterbait. My lucky lure for the other two was a white wakebait. I also fished a Pop R, crankbait and a Slider worm without even drawing a strike.

I was happy to find that my research a few days ago proved to be helpful during this outing. There definitely were fish in the coves as I fished my way toward the mouth of West Neck. However, I didn't have enough time to check out the upper stretches of the creek. Only fished from 9 to 2, and with the days getting even shorter following the time change this weekend, my average fishing day will grow even shorter. And, too, white baits were working--just as described in the same article.

The air temp when I left the house this morning was 59, compared to a reading of 70 when I left the marina this afternoon. The water temp at start time was 62, but I forgot to check that reading when I quit.

Only saw one other fisherman on the water yesterday, and he already was gone when I returned to the ramp, so I don't have a clue what kind of day he had.

A Blast From the Past

How many of you bass fishermen still have one of these gadgets laying around somewhere collecting dust? I know of one--the guy who emailed this photo to me. He sent it with this message attached: "Yup, I, too, bought one of these. Never ever helped me catch a fish. Lol."

When I went back to him asking if he ever still uses it, I got this note in response: "Not in 20 years. Saving it as an antique. Might be worth more that way."

If you're wondering who the gent is that owns this device, it's none other than good ol' Skip Schaible.

I'm not sure what he thought I'd probably do with this photo--if anything--but I'm always on the lookout for material I can turn into a blog post, and nothing better serves my penchant than something like this blast from the past. "Thanks! my friend. You really made my day."

The Color-C-Lector, as this gadget is known, was the 1984 invention of the late-Dr. Loren Hill, a former University of Oklahoma zoology professor. The 68-year-old professor passed away in 2008.

Sometimes dubbed "the most influential tool in fishing since the graphite rod," the Color-C-Lector was originally manufactured by Lake Systems Divisions of Mt. Vernon, MO. Dr. Hill spent nine years researching the device, which, according to one of its ads, "established a range of 26 colors that were best visible to the eyes of a fish. Through careful observation and patience, Dr. Hill was able to train the fish to differentiate 26 color positions under optimum conditions. He then altered those conditions to simulate various times of day and varying degrees of water clarity. With each change, the correct responses were carefully measured and recorded. The Color-C-Lector is the result of those experiments and reflects the responses of fish to color under all conditions that anglers will encounter."

The original Color-C-Lector was intended for use with a PH Guide. You dropped the probe into the water, and the hand moved to the appropriate color recommended for use during the measured water conditions. While the device had its share of detractors, it also had its adherents, and many of them are die-hards. The original unit still is sought after today, and many of them are purchased by anglers who have worn out one or more previous models. The unit's popularity is such that it's still available today--and has been since 2004--in a digital model made by Spike-It of Linwood, MI. This company makes the bottled worm dyes and color pens that you find on the market.

The Color-C-Lector not only altered the industry, it also changed the product lines and packaging of many major manufacturers. They started coming out with all kinds of weird color combinations in tried-and-true baits. Even the packaging was relabeled to list the particular color codes for that bait that matched the codes on the Color-C-Lector.

Tacklebox manufacturers also hopped aboard the same train. They created prelabeled holding systems (like the one at left) by which to organize your baits.

Then there were the TV shows at the time whose hosts used the device and/or rendered opinions on its usefulness. Bill Dance is one who appeared to be a firm believer in the system. He often would use it during his Bill Dance Outdoors shows. And the folks at In-Fisherman looked at the relevance of the meter to other species besides bass.

It certainly doesn't take a rocket scientist to quickly figure out that color remains an integral part of the tackle-sales industry yet today--regardless of whether you do or don't use a Color-C-Lector in making your selections. Just look at all the eye-popping assortments you currently find on store shelves.

"Looks Can Be Deceiving"

I still can remember one of the first times that saying ever came home to roost on my doorstep. It was way back when I was a senior in high school. I had a Saturday-night date with this drop-dead gorgeous gal who, as I would learn before having driven just two blocks, had the personality of a rattlesnake. That was the first and only time in my life I ever returned a date to her house within minutes of picking her up. My biggest satisfaction that night was seeing the surprised look on her face when I told her to get out of my car. I'm guessing it probably was the first time anyone ever had talked to her that way.

A more recent example of deceiving looks occurred a couple weeks ago as my tourney partner, Rob, and I took a mid-week practice day in preparation for the weekend Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic to see if we could find some fish.

After working a good stretch of shoreline with absolutely no action at all, we decided to check out a cove, even though we had seen no signs of activity there. In no time, we were catching chunky keeper fish with topwater baits.

A little research after I got home that day revealed that what we had found in the practice session really isn't unusual. With fall being a transitional time for bass, anglers often get fooled into believing that what we see happening on the surface correlates directly with what is happening below the surface. That's not true, though. Longer nights, coupled with passing of the season's first cool and cold fronts, start dropping the water temperatures, which trigger changes in fish behavior.

Where bass may have been busting shad throughout the day in summer, that activity likely will be delayed until late afternoon in fall, when full effects of the sun are in place. It's not uncommon for most of this fall activity to occur in the last hour of the day.

With the cooling effects of longer nights and passing fronts, many bass begin migrating toward the backs of coves, up creeks, and to shallower staging areas--the same places the baitfish start moving. That's why crankbaits, particularly those in white, bone and silver chrome, work so well in early and mid-fall. Be sure to include some lipless models in your arsenal, too.

Topwater baits, including buzzbaits, are another good choice for fall. And on bright days, you may want to try some soft plastics, especially during the mid-day hours.

As late fall arrives, and bass and baitfish begin moving back to deeper water for the winter, crankbaits still get the nod. Here's a crankbait bass my friend, Doc Murdock, boated one day late last season.

Here's another bass he also picked up on a crankbait just last Saturday.

Other late-fall baits may include, depending on the depths involved, such things as jigs and spoons fished vertically. Key factors in finding a productive late-fall pattern are water temperature, depth, wind direction (sometimes), and the color of the bait.

When Day 1 of the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic arrived, Rob and I returned to the area where we had found fish on the practice day. However, there were a couple of factors that had changed during the interim: a lower water level, as well as a reduced water temperature. And while our first half-hour in the area produced results similar to what we had encountered on the practice day, the bite suddenly shut down completely, and we were forced to spend the rest of the day in a futile search.

The bottom line for fall bass-fishing enthusiasts is that it's generally some of the best action of the year, at a time when the water is cooling off, the leaves are turning vibrant colors, and there are considerably fewer anglers to get in your way on the local bodies of water, so enjoy.

An Alternative to Towing Your Boat to the Gas Station

If your local gas station is one of those that's always busy, there's an easier way to top off the gas and oil in your boat than towing it into the thick of things.

Because I've always kept my rigs stored at West Neck Marina, I used to tow the boat to either the Red Barn or 7-11 in downtown Pungo whenever I needed fuel. Doing that this time of year isn't so bad, but in the middle of summer, it can be a royal pain having to deal with all the traffic in those two places. Accordingly, I decided to find a better way of performing that task, and it's something anyone can do, no matter where you keep your boat.

I first went out and bought five 5-gallon gas cans, which promptly demonstrated to me that they wouldn't measure up to their billing. You couldn't use the nozzles provided to pour the fuel into your boat's gas tank without also ending up with a puddle around your feet--not a good thing under any circumstances. But given the price I had paid for these cans, I was determined to make them work--one way or the other.

After some experimentation, I have settled on the Flo 'n' Go Maxflo siphon and pump (pictured here), which is available at Northern Tool (located in the JANAF Shopping Center), 1120 N. Military Hwy., Norfolk. The regular price is $39.99 + tax, and I'm here to tell you it's money well spent, if for no other reason than it, unlike the gas cans I bought, lives up to its billing. Time after time, it flawlessly delivers the fuel quickly and without any leaks. I consistently can transfer about 10 gallons of fuel from the can to the boat in about 10 or 12 minutes, and as far as I'm concerned, that's not bad.

Sure, you initially have to assemble the handful of items in the box, but when a mechanical klutz like myself can do it, you can be assured anyone can do it.

I've been using the Flo 'n' Go Maxflo since earlier this year when my tourney partner, Rob, steered me onto it. He, too, has one and has nothing but good things to say about it.

When it comes to refilling the oil reservoir on my boat, I use a Pennzoil Multi-Use Hand Pump like the one pictured here. You usually can find it at either Northern Tool or the local Walmart for about $10.

Just like the Flo 'n' Go Maxflo, you stick the top hose of this hand pump in the liquid to be transferred and the bottom hose in the reservoir. You can transfer a gallon of oil in only a few minutes. As I've learned the hard way, this method sure beats trying to use a funnel or dumping the oil directly from the container, unless you don't mind cleaning up giant messes.

As I noted in the headline to this post, this idea is offered just as an alternative to dragging your boat into the local gas station for a fill-up. It works for me, but if it's not your cup of tea, that's OK, too.

Do I Really Want to Tackle This Job Myself?

That's the hard question my long-time friend, Jim Bauer, asked himself recently when a problem developed with one of his Lew's reels--a Tournament Pro TP1H model, to be exact. He thought he knew the answer until he received the package of parts in the mail and started trying to replace them. It was then that he, like yours truly on many occasions, realized he probably was in over his head. He subsequently decided the smart thing to do was to make a phone call to the experts.

While that phone call ultimately cost him some money, it likely was some of the best money he ever spent, because he knows that when he gets the reel back, it'll be right. And if it isn't, all he has to do is send it back, and they'll make it right.

Jim's situation all began last weekend when he discovered what he first thought to be a screw missing from his Lew's baitcaster. He called the company on Monday to order a replacement screw, as well as an accompanying washer and spring, and they arrived on Thursday. When he started the job, though, he was surprised to find that the screw wasn't missing after all; the head just had broken off. He got another surprise, too--the new spring wouldn't go in.

"OK--time to call a service tech," Jim said to himself. Here's where he soon decided he may have bitten off a little bit more than he could chew. The service tech explained that he had to remove both side covers to properly get the spring inside the handle side cover, which  meant removing the handle, star drag, etc., and making sure not to screw up the gear assembly in the process.

"Whoa! Let's back this truck up!" Jim thought to himself. "That doesn't sound like something I want to do."

The gal on the other end of the phone then made it real simple for him. "You can return the reel if you want, and we'll do the work for you," she said. "There's a $15 fee and a $5 shipping charge for servicing the reel," she continued.

With that, Jim told the gal she had a deal. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to have it cleaned and tuned up, so I took care of all the paperwork on the phone and whipped a credit card on her," he explained. He went on to say she had offered a couple other options: (1) putting a check in with the reel, or (2) waiting until they got the reel and called him, whereupon he would provide the credit-card info or send a check. This last option no doubt would extend the turnaround time.

Jim subsequently learned that you have to get a return authorization number before you send Lew's any reels for service, and that number goes on the outside of the box. If you send them more than one reel for service, it's only an additional $1 (vice $5) shipping charge for each. You ship the package to the following address: Lew's Speed Service, 3031 N. Martin Ave., Springfield, MO 65803. And unlike a lot of other reel-servicing centers, these folks want you to leave the line on your reels. In the words of the service tech, "We like to see it on there because it just might help us identify a problem." That's welcome news to guys like me, who use braid exclusively.

When you're dealing with Lew's Speed Service Team, you're dealing with folks who have more than a century of combined experience in fishing-tackle repair, design and customer service. By their own admission, they're committed "to servicing all products we sell at the most economical value to our customers. Lew's first-class warranty, discount parts, extended-service policy, low-cost replacement products, and a 'Do It Right, Do It Fast' motto are more ways Lew's products truly remain the best tackle value."

Lew's Speed Service Team stands behind its repairs and replacements with a promise that products repaired or replaced by them "will function flawlessly." If you have questions, call Lew's toll-free at 1-877-470-5397.

OK, I'll Admit It--He Got Into My Head

The "he" I'm talking about here is none other than my good fishin' buddy, Skip Schaible. It all started when Skip read my recent blog posts in which I talked about seeing all those moccasins on the water. Incidentally, I saw yet another big one just this past Wednesday when I was getting ready to call it a day.

Skip subsequently told me, during one of our discussions, that seeing those posts had moved him to break out his collection of 4-inch Charlie Brewer "do nothing" Slider Worms. He settled on the color you see in this photo from Wednesday's blog post, in which he characterizes the soft plastic's color as closely resembling that of a young moccasin.

Well, this picture and that discussion got to working on my mind, and so when I had completed my "to do" list Thursday afternoon, I headed to the garage and broke out my own old collection of Slider worms. I first had to chase away a few spiders and blow dust off the lids of the storage boxes, but all the Sliders still were there, exactly as I remembered leaving them when we moved into this house several years ago.

And now those worms--all 58 different colors of 'em--are neatly tucked away, ready to be taken to the boat and put in one of its storage compartments. This way, they'll be ready next year when I find out if I can recreate some of the magic I enjoyed with these baits back in the day.

Like Skip, I have no intentions of going back to some aspects of the original Slider system. For example, you won't find me using those jig heads with thin-wire hooks. Neither will you find me using the custom Slider rod I had a local fella make for me in the beginning. I still have the rod, but it would need to be refinished first if I were to use it. And, too, I'm not fond of the idea of taping another spinning reel to that rod, or of going back to 4- and 6-lb.-test line.

This time around, I plan to experiment with some different rods, hooks and line until I find a setup I like. Then will come the task of working back through the various colors of Sliders I have, finding out what works and what doesn't. I still remember some of the colors that were proven fish-catchers in the early days, but with 58 colors to choose from, I certainly don't remember all the winners. And, besides, the fish may have different preferences nowadays.

Will this second time around with Sliders prove successful? Only time will tell. If it doesn't, I'm really out nothing, except a little time, because I already have the baits and other equipment. So stay tuned.

Even Great Blue Herons Have an Occasional Bad Day

How do I know? Because I was shadowed by one of these creatures for the better part of two hours this morning as I fished my way to the mouth of West Neck.

When I cut the gas motor at my first hole and started working the shoreline, the heron also stopped and started stalking the area, looking for breakfast. When I moved to the next stretch, as well as the one after that, so did this bird.

The one thing we had in common was that neither one of us was catching anything. By the time I had arrived at the mouth of the creek, it had become abundantly clear that what I had hoped would be my good-luck charm had turned out to be a dud. We both were left scratching different parts of our anatomies, and armed with that realization, I decided to take a boat ride to Albright's and see if I could change my luck.

Less than 15 minutes after I started tossing a Pop R down there, I had a fish on. My first thought was that I had made the right decision. Four hours later, though, I had come to the conclusion that I was wrong. I hadn't had another bite the whole time, so I wrapped things up and headed back to West Neck. Fortunately, I timed the return trip just right and didn't see a single "big boy" en route.

I was busy cleaning up the boat when my friend, Skip, came off the water and stopped by to swap results and chat a spell. Turns out he had had a pretty decent four hours on the water. The bass in this picture is one of three he boated, along with a yellow perch. As you can see here, this fish fell for a Slider worm. The yellow perch went for a crankbait.

Skip also had talked to our mutual friend, Lenny, on the water and learned that he, too, had caught three bass today.

And, finally, I was talking to a fella who stores his boat up close to mine, and he was telling me that he had gotten a couple of nice bass today, along with some bream--all on live bait. The common theme in these three reports was that all the fish came from above the West Neck Bridge.

Guess that blue heron shadowing me psyched me out--that's my story, at least, and I'm sticking to it.

On a different note, I learned today that Steve Winfree had to put ol' Zeus down. Seems he had a stroke or something a couple or so days ago and hadn't been right since. He ultimately became incapable of moving at all. I personally haven't talked to Steve, but Skip did and then told me.

A Classic Reminiscent of Days of Yore

I only can speak for myself, but this year's Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic gave me the same feeling I used to get when Dewey was running things. Despite today's wind and what some found to be tough fishing, everyone seemed to have a good time, and the cookout following today's finale definitely would have made my late friend proud. Marina manager Steve Winfree gets my pat on the back for putting on an excellent spread for all of us. I also must thank the anonymous person who footed the bill for everything. For me, it was the perfect ending to another successful tourney season, and I feel pretty sure all 22 other Classic competitors in a total of 14 boats would agree with me.

Here are the anglers who walked away with money envelopes today for their two-day totals:

1st Place, Chris Napier, 10 bass, 29.63 lbs. total weight, 4.11-lb. big fish.

2nd Place, (from left) the team of Al Napier and Allen Napier, 10 bass, 20.08 lbs. total weight, 2.58-lb. big fish. Al also won the 2015 seasonal lunker pot with a 4.72-lb. bass he caught during our April 11th tourney.

3rd Place, (from left) the team of Sid Ryan and Paul Celentano, 10 bass, 19.62 lbs. total weight, 3.32-lb. big fish.

4th Place, (from left) the team of Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, 7 bass, 18.86 lbs. total weight. They also had a 4.23-lb. big fish, which earned them bragging rights as winner of the Classic's big-fish pot. This duo further won 2015 Anglers of the Year honors.

Winner of the Classic mystery-weight drawing is Duane Kessel. His total weight for the two days was 6.96 lbs. That number was closest to the 7.70-lb. tag that was drawn. His big fish for the tournament weighed 2.95 lbs.







Here is how all the other contestants finished the day:

     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, 10 bass, 18.05 lbs. total weight, 3.72-lb. big fish.
     * Wayne Hayes, 9 bass, 15.97 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall, 8 bass, 14.28 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Jim Wilder and Chris Vitovich, 5 bass, 9.03 lbs. total weight, 3.64-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Skip Schaible and Mitch Portervint, 4 bass, 4.97 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Rob Chatham and Ken Testorff, 4 bass, 4.78 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Jim Bauer (who fished only one day), 2 bass, 3.65 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Marjorie and Nathan Gottsch, 1 bass, 1.35 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Bobby Moore only fished part of Day 1 and no part of Day 2 as the result of family issues.

Overall, these anglers weighed a total of 84 bass during the two days for a total weight of 167.23 lbs. total weight. The average weight was 1.99 lbs.

Congratulations to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who came out and supported this year's series.

This year's Classic wasn't without some amusing moments, not the least of which was the fact my partner, Rob, and I spent both days dodging huge numbers of birds that kept flying overhead and darting around us on the boat. While we managed to escape without any "souvenirs" from Day 1, the same couldn't be said about Day 2.

Rob, as well as my boat seat and outboard cover took some direct hits today. It happened purely by accident, but Rob's hat subsequently got cleaned up when one of today's strong wind gusts tossed his hat into West Neck Creek. He recovered the hat without any further incidents.

The other funny thing I'm talking about occurred shortly after friends and fellow competitors Skip Schaible and Mitch Portervint had happened by our location in West Neck Creek. The four of us had spent a few moments bemoaning the fact we couldn't seem to find any protection from all the wind and cool temperatures, then we proceeded on our respective ways.

Moments later, while we all still were within easy earshot of one another, Rob and I heard Skip utter a couple of expletives, then sink to his knees, picking up something from the floor of his boat.

Turns out that while Skip had been searching for a crankbait, the wind had seen fit to catch the lid of his storage compartment and slam it into the box full of crankbaits, sending them flying everywhere. The photo at right gives you an idea of the kind of mess he still was dealing with as we trolled off in the opposite direction.

As skip explained to me a little later, during our cookout, hooks on a couple of the lures had gotten hooked into his cotton glove and one pant leg. "Gotta love that wind!" he lamented.

So if you happen to run into Skip sometime during the next one or two days and find him a little "cranky," you'll know why he's that way. Just tell him you read about it on my blog.

As we parted company today, Skip said he always knew he was gonna get paid back one of these days for all the grief he's always facetiously heaping upon me. In all honesty, Skip is one of the nicest friends a person ever could have, and I always enjoy hearing from him.

Our 2015 Classic Day 1 Leaderboard

Here is how everyone stands after the first day of competition:

Bob Glass/Randy Conkle, 5 bass, total weight 15.55 lbs., big fish 4.23 lbs.
Chris Napier, 5 bass, total weight 15.38 lbs., big fish 4.11 lbs.
Rob Peppers/Don Carter, total weight 11.61 lbs., big fish 3.72 lbs.
Al Napier/Allen Napier, total weight 10.92 lbs., big fish 2.58 lbs.
Paul Celentano/Sid Ryan, total weight 10.09 lbs., big fish 3.32 lbs.
Jim Wilder/Chris Vitovich, total weight 9.03 lbs., big fish 3.64 lbs.
Wayne Hayes, total weight 8.96 lbs., no big fish
Duane Kessel, total weight 6.96 lbs., big fish 2.95 lbs.
Gary Coderre/Lenny Hall, total weight 5.16 lbs., no big fish
Rob Chatham/Ken Testorff, total weight 3.74 lbs., no big fish
Jim Bauer, total weight 3.65 lbs., no big fish
Skip Schaible/Mitch Portervint, total weight 3.09 lbs., no big fish
Bobby Moore, didn't weigh
Marjorie & Nathan Gottsch, didn't weigh

Stay tuned for the complete story after tomorrow's finale.

A Day on the Water With Lots of Birds

Everywhere Rob and I went today, there were birds around. And while they spent a lot of time in the air over our heads, we only had to duck once. For a moment, it appeared that raindrops were falling from the blue sky, but I assured Rob that what we were seeing wasn't raindrops. Fortunately, we escaped without any direct hits on us or the boat. I haven't always been so lucky.

Before going any further, I have to say it indeed was a welcome change to have had a day on the water without getting blown from one end of the creek to the other. There really haven't been that many days like today this whole season.

For the record, I want to acknowledge that Rob and I weren't the only anglers in pursuit of bass this fine day. We first saw Bob Glass drive into the parking lot this morning, just moments before we shoved away from the ramp. Then, as we learned after returning dockside this afternoon, Skip Schaible also had come out this morning, as evidenced by the photo of this best fish of six that he boated in only about three hours of fishing.

I probably should point out at this juncture that I won't be talking about where people fished today or what lures they were using, simply because we're all in the same boat. We were prefishing for our season-ending two-day Classic this coming weekend, and I'm intent on keeping the playing field as even as possible. Besides that, I don't like to mess with my friends after they've asked me to keep something to myself.

Given my dismal day on the water yesterday, I honestly wasn't very hopeful when I left the house this morning, and for the longest of time, it appeared all my fears were going to be realized.

Finally, however, Rob and I found a few fish, capped off with this one, which we estimated at about 4 lbs. We weren't weighing any of our fish today, concentrating instead on just getting 'em back in the water as soon as possible. Oh, I very nicely let this one know there might be something in it for him in case he/she should decide to call again Saturday or Sunday.

For a good spell today, I actually thought I might be able to file a report, minus any mention of another moccasin. However, I did spot one before we came off the water. This time, though, there was a good distance between us, which is just the way I like it.

Today's trip undoubtedly was my last before the Classic. I have an appointment tomorrow, and I'll be busy Friday making sure I haven't left any loose ends with my planning for the season finale.

My Big Excitement Today: Another Close Call With a Moccasin

I was "speed trolling" down a piece of shoreline this morning--thanks to that gusty SW wind at my back--when, all of a sudden, I caught movement out the corner of my left eye. As luck would have it, my course was taking me too darn close for my comfort to this roughly 4-foot moccasin, which was going about as fast as my boat in a crossing pattern. I immediately tried to alter my course, but with that stiff wind, I was helpless.

The snake ultimately crossed my path mere inches away from the boat and only paused long enough when he was past me to turn his head and steal a glance over his back at me before continuing on his way. I tipped my cap, wished him well, and continued working the shoreline.

Before my day ended at 2 o'clock, I saw two more baby moccasins in the distance but didn't have to play dodge ball with either one of them.

As for the fishing, there really isn't much to report. Within a couple dozen casts this morning, I had caught a dink on a topwater, and that was my lump-sum total until about 12 noon. I just had tossed my topwater on the lee side of a point, when a big fish sucked it down, and took off for the middle of the creek. I had a lot of reservations about what had snatched my bait and, as it turned out, for good reason. I only needed one look at this monster as he passed down the port side of my boat to know that I had hooked a big grindle.

With my "calming baton" well out of reach, I had no choice but to play the fish a while, trying to tire him enough to get my boca grips on him and remove the hooks--not an easy task, considering the fish weighed between 6 and 7 lbs. Finally, though, his eyes were looking a little glazed and he wasn't offering much resistance, so I eased the boca grips at him. Unfortunately, he jumped again and got his teeth around my braid, which was all he needed to gain his freedom. In a split-second, he was gone, and so was my topwater.

Didn't feel another fish the rest of the day, so headed back to Munden Point at 2, knowing that I'd have my hands full getting the boat back on the trailer with the wind blowing straight down on the ramp. Let's just say the wind didn't disappoint. It took about four passes to get the alignment right, but I managed to complete the evolution without tearing up anything.

It's Anything But Just a Hobby

To some, it's a way of life. To others, it's everything expressed in this verse... and, sometimes, even more. No matter how individuals see it, I think we all can agree on one thing--our fishing definitely is special. (Photo provided courtesy of Bob Glass, who received it from his friend, Jay Cheng.)

An Observation and a Prediction, Too...

My friend, Skip Schaible, sent me this photo at 11:18 this morning. Most likely, the vast majority simply see the high water shown here and remark, "So what's new?" I, though, along with some other old-timers, see a lot more when they look at this photo.

For example, I invite your attention to the left catwalk, which, as evidenced here, is totally submerged, except for the furthermost end post. Note, however, that the catwalk on the right appears to still be completely out of the water. A "newbie" probably would dismiss this difference without giving it a second thought, but those of us who have been around here a good spell, can't help but see this situation as a signal that something is going to happen if repairs aren't effected in the near future.

You see, in days gone by, when the catwalk on the right was "high and dry" as reflected here, you also still could see dry patches on the left catwalk. The problem reflected in this photo stems from the fact that someone carried a "good" idea too far. They should have stopped short of piling rocks against the end of that left catwalk. Notice how much that end post is leaning--that's not an optical illusion, I assure you.

I'm betting that, in time, with the constant pressure of those rocks on the end of that left catwalk, coupled with the additional pressure exerted by high water like you see here, a part if not all of that same catwalk is going to turn loose and wash away.

Of course, "Nothing Lasts Forever," as described in the following poem with the same title by Ruth Walters:

Nothing lasts forever,

nothing stays the same.

The person I was yesterday

is surely gone today.

That's why I take a picture

and keep it in my drawer,

so I may take a peek

at the ghost

of who I was before.

That concept never was brought home to me more than when I received this photo yesterday from my younger daughter, Christina, who spends considerable time doing genealogy. It's a photo taken of me when I probably was about 5, and my brother (right), Russ, had to be about 2. We're standing in front of what was the place I've always warmly remembered as home.

The sad reality is that even this piece of my life no longer remains, other than in photos and for the vacant lot on which my little two-bedroom home sat. As luck would have it, two owners removed from my parents were into meth and started a fire one night that resulted in the house being condemned. Crews moved in shortly thereafter and took everything to the ground.

On second thought, there is one thing that lasts forever, and that's the memories. As in ol' Bob Hope's theme song, I'll always be thankful for them.

In Hindsight, I Could Have Slept Longer This Morning

From 8 o'clock this morning until about 10 minutes past noon today, I would have to sum up my day thus: a drill in futility. After throwing a spinnerbait, various crankbaits, and different topwaters, I had nothing to show for my efforts. I had had one fish on with the spinnerbait but lost it en route to the boat, and there had been three or four bream hits on the same bait--otherwise, though, nothing. That's the reason I said I easily could have slept longer this morning.

My fortunes finally changed about 12:10, when I boated this 1-12 on a chatterbait. It was a pretty solid strike, so I decided to stay with the chatterbait for a while. As it turned out, I'm glad I did.

I went on to catch three more on that bait, including a 1-0 and two dinks, before 1:40. I also got one other fish to the boat, but it came unbuttoned before I could bring it aboard. Given the way the fish was fighting, plus the quick glimpse I got of it beside the boat made me think I had hooked a small striper.

All the fish I boated came out of Albright's, where the water when I quit at 2 o'clock showed a reading of 70 degrees, compared to a starting temperature this morning of 65. The water color in Albright's and parts of West Neck was good today. Other areas in the latter, though, ranged from stained to downright dirty.

One thing distinctly different about today's trip was the absence of grass in shallow areas where, just a couple weeks ago, a fair amount had been showing. And what had been green grass along the shoreline also is quickly turning brown. It's plenty evident that another fall is making its appearance--the air temp as I pulled out of my driveway this morning was 58 degrees.

I had one anxious moment this afternoon when I realized that the cast I just had made probably was going to land at the exact spot where a moccasin just happened to be resting. I managed to cut the cast short but still spooked the snake, which turned and disappeared. Never did see where it went but kept a close eye on things until I was well past the area.

Don't know for sure when I'll get out again but do plan at least a couple more trips before our two-day Classic tournament Oct. 17th and 18th.

To Pull the Plug or Not--It All Depends on What League You're Playing In

More than one local fishing event was called off by organizers this past weekend, thanks in no small measure to the combination of a persistent coastal storm and Hurricane Joaquin. For a while, it looked like we might incur the wrath of both, but in the final analysis, the hurricane took a right turn and headed out to sea, leaving all of us breathing a huge sigh of relief.

There's a big difference, however, between the way weekend warriors and the boys in the major league of bass fishing play the game when it comes to a tournament finding itself in the crosshairs of Mother Nature. The latter group isn't so inclined just to throw in the towel, given everything that's at stake.

For example, I read about a Bassmaster Open tournament on the St. Lawrence River in which 20 boats failed to make it back from Lake Ontario for weigh-in because of winds that, before blastoff, already had been predicted to run as high as 30 to 50 mph. Nine boats ended up having to be rescued, and eight had their lower units ripped off.

In addition, one of the pros buried his boat in a huge wave and couldn't get his outboard restarted. He subsequently had to "abandon ship" before it smashed against some rocks. The boat split into two pieces and had to be dragged up a 40-foot rock cliff with a winch and steel cable.

Then there was the account of a 200-boat Red Man tournament held on the Potomac River as wind and high tides from a stalled storm over the Atlantic Ocean wreaked havoc on the fishermen and their equipment alike. Read the full details of this bone-jarring adventure, as seen--and felt--firsthand through the eyes of Charles Stuart, at this link: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/lesson_in_respect.html.

Many are the encounters with Mother Nature that occur on massive bodies of water like the St. Lawrence and Potomac Rivers. So how do you handle a bass boat in big, rough water?

According to the experts, you should zigzag across the waves. The worst possible thing a boater can do is to try running perpendicular to the waves, even if safety is in that exact direction. By steering a boat directly into each roller, you run the risk of digging the bow into the water and swamping your boat. Even worse, said a Boat U.S. official, is water coming over the stern.

"When the waves are coming over the front, there is less boat to push down into the water," the Boat U.S. official explained. "Ideally, you want to cut diagonally across the waves, and when you turn, you want to time it so that you turn on the smallest waves. They tend to come in sets, so if you do it right, you can greatly reduce the risk of swamping."

Here are some basic rules designed to keep all your fishing trips safe:

     * Tell someone where you plan to fish, and stick with that plan.

     * Carry a cellphone in a watertight container.

     * Carry a weather radio, and use it.

     * Never fish alone during severe conditions, such as heavy winds, or during periods of cold water.

     * Wear your life vest at all times while fishing alone, running the boat, or fishing in cold water.

     * Install a ladder on the back of your boat. A soaked pair of coveralls and several layers of clothes can add 20 or 30 pounds to your body.

     * Trust your intuition. If you have an uneasy feeling about the weather, do the right thing and seek safety.

     * Don't push it. Storms move fast and can cut off your path back to safety.

The Difference Between NE and ENE Winds

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is an axiom I often tried to refute as a Navy journalist and Civil Service writer-editor. Can't begin to tell you how many arguments I've had over the years with photographers and photo-journalists alike on this subject.

However, I reluctantly have to admit there are times when pictures really do speak volumes, and the two photos that follow, provided courtesy of Skip Schaible, are classic examples. They very graphically demonstrate once and for all the vast difference you'll find at West Neck Marina as a result of strong NE winds (top photo), as opposed to the result of strong ENE winds (bottom photo).

This difference made a fool out of me here recently. Specifically, I cancelled our Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney scheduled for Sept. 26th, based on projected strong NE winds overnight Friday into tourney day (Saturday). Those winds ultimately were more from the east and east northeast, which just kept making the water level rise, after having fallen to an extremely low reading early Friday. By what would have been our regular launch time Saturday morning, there was plenty of water at the West Neck ramp, but I already had cancelled the tournament as of Friday afternoon--in the interest of allowing anglers to make alternate plans if they so desired.

While the effect of lunar tides on the North Landing and Northwest Rivers is negligible, the same can't be said for wind tides. Strong winds from the southeast move water northward from Currituck Sound and up the two rivers, flooding fringing marshes and swamps. Conversely, strong north to west winds result in lower water levels.

Because wind speeds, direction and duration are irregular, the frequency and duration of wind tides are highly variable. Extreme amplitudes of wind tides on the North Landing and Northwest Rivers are not precisely known, but similar wind tides have been estimated to cause as much as 4 feet of variation in the water surface of the Chowan River in North Carolina, and up to 3.28 feet of variation in Back Bay, Virginia.

Field observations indicate that powerful southerly wind-tidal events during periods of high riverine flow can drive water levels up significantly--nearly to the headwaters of these systems and their tributaries.

In my opinion, there's no one who can accurately predict wind direction and speed all the time, or if so, nobody seemingly has shared the magic formula with the local TV weather forecasters. I say that simply because they miss the mark far more often than they hit it. There is one website, however, that seems to be reliable most of the time, and it can be found at this link: http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?sta=KORF&state=VA.

When you want to know what kind of water-level conditions you're going to find at West Neck, first go to the website at this link (http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=akq&gage=cacv2), then add 1.30 to the reading you find there, and you'll have the approximate water level at the West Neck Marina ramp. Generally speaking, any reading (after adding the 1.30) that doesn't come up to at least 2.30 warrants your careful consideration before trying to launch. And part of that consideration needs to be whether the water is going out or coming in.

And finally, I offer this one last word to the wise: The West Neck launch ramp ends squarely in front of the last piling on each catwalk. I've seen the end with my own two eyes on several occasions, and I never would B.S. anyone about something as important as their personal safety or that of their equipment.

Have fun, but don't be foolish about it.

I'm Really Not the Least Bit Envious

As anyone who regularly follows my blog already knows, I haven't been getting a lot of time on the water in the last couple of weeks. While that reality doesn't sit very well with me, I certainly didn't experience any feelings of "wish I were in your shoes" when I talked to my good buddy, Wayne, yesterday afternoon.

You see, he was telling me he'd be headed to Kerr Reservoir early this morning, with plans to prefish today and Friday for a tournament on Saturday and Sunday. That's a lot of time in the great outdoors when the weather during that stretch promises to be anything but great. Let's just say I sincerely hope he, nor any of the other boaters, have trouble with their bilge pumps, 'cause they undoubtedly will get a real workout during the next four days.

Just the thought of what Wayne, his partner, and all those other competitors will endure as they chase limits of bass sends chills up my spine... and I'm not talking about the good kind. Even though it hasn't happened to me recently, I still remember my early days of bass fishing when I tried to cut a few corners and make "second best" work for me. I'm talking, of course, about cheap rainsuits.

Anyone who ever has sat through one rainy day of fishing, much less four in a row, with a "leaky Lucy" rainsuit covering you, knows what it feels like to have a streak of shriveled skin that extends all the way from the nape of your neck to your nether regions. Granted, I would venture to say the vast majority, if not all the contestants in this weekend tournament, will have top-of-the-line rain gear at their disposal, so they should dodge that "shriveled skin." However, they'll still have to deal with those raindrops that just keep falling on their heads throughout much of the practice and competition.

When asked what kind of grand prize was attached to this tournament, Wayne quickly responded, "A new, fully rigged bass boat." At this point, I understood exactly why he wasn't about to let the weather interfere with his chances of winning this thing. After all, he has delivered the goods and come home with a new bass boat on two other occasions--and that was while fishing as a back-seater. This time, he'll be in the front seat, so there's every reason to believe he might be able to pull off another victory and win a third boat.

While I wish Wayne the very best in what likely will be an extremely soggy affair, I will maintain my post here at home, trying to sort through all the necessary details to ensure a successful Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic Tournament on Oct. 17th and 18th. And, should an opportunity present itself to get in a warm-up trip or two before then, I'll be prepared to do that as well. With a coastal storm  and perhaps part of Hurricane Joaquin to deal with first, though, I'm not making any kind of bets just yet on my chances of getting to the river.

Our Classic, incidentally, is shaping up to be a pretty decent event. To this point in time, I have 24 confirmed participants and 3 planned no-shows. Of the 7 I haven't heard from yet, I anticipate at least 2 more planned no-shows. Bottom line: It appears we'll have about 16 boats and 29 anglers on hand for the two-day event, provided there are no cancellations between now and the weekend of the 17th and 18th.

In the meantime, if you're out and about this weekend, I would urge you to be watching for standing water on the roadways. And if you have some rain gear, you likely would do well to wear it. Just make sure it doesn't leak. If there's even one pinhole, I assure you those raindrops will find it.