A Day on the Water for Son, Just Another Day at Work for Dad

Early this morning, Ron dropped off his son, Alex, at Back Bay. That act alone was tough for Ron. Imagine how he felt, though, when he went back at 11 o'clock and picked up Alex and kayak and learned the details of his son's morning adventure.

You see, Alex bagged a total of 22 bass, with three of them going more than a pound and a few more just missing the mark. He also caught one that weighed 2-1, along with two chain pickerel, a crappie, and a few white perch. Alex said the only fish he lost was a striper.

"Guess the bite was good!" said Ron.

Most of the fish fell for a Senko. A few, though, hit the Whopper Plopper.

"Suspect I won't find those numbers if I go out this evening," said Ron in an email to me and fellow kayaker, Charlie, who also spent the morning on the water. He was only able to muster 10 bass, plus a pickerel. Seems like a "birthday boy" should be entitled to a few more "rewards" than that.

I was bettin' Ron would make up for lost fishin' time today, and I was right. An email I just received confirmed it. "Had a brilliant evening at Back Bay, in the vicinity of Beggars Bridge," read the opening line. "Right off the bat, I landed a 'small' 18-inch bowfin on a Silver Minnow, followed by a small white perch and a dink bass, all within four casts," he exclaimed. "As I headed deeper into the creek, the bite stayed solid for two hours."

Before all was said and done, Ron had notched a total of 19 bass, including eight dinks, plus a 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, three 1-3s, a 1-7, two 1-9s, a 1-13, and, finally, a 1-14. As he explained, "Caught most of them on the Whopper Plopper, plus a few on Senkos when the grass got too thick. Had a swipe, miss or catch on almost every cast." He summed up the bass action as "a very exciting evening with topwater."

As darkness fell, Ron said the white perch bite picked up, allowing him to score four decent panfish for the table. His catch included two at 11 inches and two at 12.5 inches (see photo above, left), all on the Whopper Plopper. Soon after that, he landed another one of his favorites: a 23.5-inch, 4-lb. 13-oz. bowfin (see photo below, right). It then was time to call it a night.

It was one bang-up evening, and Ron assured me he has the "bass thumb" to prove it. "Horse flies and mosquitoes swarmed me the whole time, but I didn't care," he concluded. 

Ron told me he fished every day in August (sometimes twice in one day). The grand totals for his 36 trips during the month were 153 bass, two storm-outs, three skunks, and a whole bunch of miles.

"What will September bring?" That's the question Ron ponders after an August when his fishing every bit matched the hot temperatures we had around here most of the time.

Combination of Topwater Baits Does It for Me Today

With the low water, I decided to stay in West Neck, and as it turned out, that decision was OK. It seemed like more than one of us had the same idea. Rob Peppers and Dave Anderson launched just ahead of me this morning, and Skip Schaible joined us a little later this morning.

I have no clue how the day turned out for Rob and Dave; they were long gone when I arrived at the dock this afternoon. I talked to Skip, though, and learned that he caught two bass. His best of the day was the 1-3 pictured here. I had Skip's permission to make that weight read 3-1, depending on how big the fish looked in the picture.

Oh, and you might like to know, too, that my friend had his umbrella with him again today. About the time the sun got to bearing down, I happened to glance in his direction and saw him hoist the umbrella into position. He's tickled with this addition to his Nitro. How he manages to always remember not to come overhand with a cast is beyond me. I can only imagine the giant mess I'd have on my hands if I were to buy an umbrella like his.

All that aside, I fished with three different topwater baits in vastly different colors today and ended up catching fish with all of them before I called it quits about 2:45. Those baits included the INT, a popper, and a wakebait.

My totals on the day were seven bass, including four dinks, a 2-4, 2-7, and 2-15 (pictured at right). All three of these bigger fish really slammed my bait. The thought that kept running through my head as I boated each one, however, was, "Where are fish like this on tournament day when I really need them?"

I reckon it might just be a case of bad timing. It wouldn't be the first time I've had that problem, as anyone who reads this blog already knows. Maybe one of these days I'll get the whole situation all sorted out.

I plan on trying to get in one more day on the water this week, but that's going to depend on what happens with the weather. Seems like all the local forecasters still are trying to get a handle on what these weather-makers headed our way ultimately are going to do. It's that time of year when the tropics really start heating up. Until I find out what we're in for, I'll just keep my fingers crossed.

Still Whoopin' Up on 'Em With the Whopper Plopper

That was the gist of the news from my friend, Ron, as he described the results of his fishing trips yesterday and this morning. However, yesterday's success for both Alex and him, like what we Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney anglers experienced, was very limited.

In Ron's words, "It was a beautiful morning that quickly became a bit too hot, but the bite wasn't. Alex scored the nice 2-lb. 5-oz bass pictured here with the Whopper." He also missed a few.

Meanwhile, Ron had a massive blow up but miss early on, also with the Whopper. Three hours later, he only had managed a 1 -5 on the same bait, along with the 3-13 bowfin, as seen in the picture at right. He caught it on a 10-inch worm. "That bowfin really made my day," said Ron.

This morning about 6 a.m. then, Ron launched his kayak at the end of Old Pungo Ferry Road and headed southward to the oxbow and Spitzle Creek where he lost a big bass (as always) and two dinks before a slow spell. "The action, as well as the wind, picked up about 8:30," said Ron. He subsequently caught a 1-0, 1-1, 1-4, 1-10, and a 1-11 bass, plus a favorite 2-14 bowfin. Everything went for the Whopper, even though he tried several other lures.   

Ron described today's bite as "much better," compared to what he encountered yesterday. He also told me he ran across a couple of our tournament competitors Saturday in Milldam. He recognized them from their picture in my tournament post. "They told me they were only finding small ones at the time," he said.

[UPDATE] In a late Monday-evening email, I learned that Ron had made a quick trip to the upper North Landing this evening. This trip yielded three bass, including one dink, a 1-4, and a 1-11. Ron also scored a first: a chain pickerel, measuring 22.5 inches and weighing 2 lbs. 8 ozs (see accompanying photo). He caught everything on the Whopper Plopper. "I also lost a small striper and several bass and had many short strikes and following wakes that wouldn't commit," said Ron. "Overall, another beautiful evening.

How Many Ways Can I Say, "It Was a Tough Fishing Day"?

But the important thing to take note of here is that, for the very first time ever in its recorded history, we had a "grand marshal" leading our 32 anglers in 18 boats out the starting blocks for today's Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney. And a fine grand marshal Skip Schaible (on front of boat at right) doth make, wouldn't you say? I can't attest to its authenticity, but I also heard a rumor being circulated that part of the reason for Skip's umbrella today was that he was testing an all new formula of skin moisturizer for Olay--or more precisely, Oil of Olay, as Skip reminded me.

All kidding aside, we had no grand marshal, and Skip only used the umbrella to get a little relief from the incessant sun that beat down on us all day long. Truth be known, I might even have envied his ingenuity to a certain degree. However, I have no intentions of running out and getting one of my own. I'll just "borrow" Skip's when he isn't looking--again, I'm only kidding. That's not the way I treat any of my friends.

Getting down to the heart of the matter, here are those individuals and teams who "earned" (and I can't stress that word sufficiently) their way to a pay envelope in today's competition:

Claiming 1st Place was this team of (from left) Jared Allbritten and Chris Napier. Their limit of five bass weighed a total of 10.17 lbs. They had no big fish.

Walking away with 2nd Place was this team of (from left) Rob Peppers and Dave Anderson. Their limit of five bass weighed a total of 9.13 lbs., buoyed by a big fish that tipped the scales at 3.16 lbs.

Taking 3rd Place was the team of Paul Celentano and Hal Scott (not pictured). Their limit of five bass weighed 8.47 lbs., anchored by a big fish that tipped the scales at 2.55 lbs.

Finishing in 4th Place was this team of (from left) Eddie Sapp and Al Napier. Their limit of five bass weighed 7.57 lbs. They had no big fish.

Coming home in 5th Place was the team of Duane Kessel and Bobby Moore (not pictured). Their four bass weighed a total of 7.47 lbs., with a big fish that tipped the scales at 2.61 lbs. Incidentally, I erroneously reported in an Aug. 22nd blog post that Duane recently had caught a 7-lb. bass. As I learned today, however, the 22-inch citation-size bass actually only weighed 6-2, which still is a nice catch.

Capturing today's Lunker Award was Gary Coderre, who weighed a 3.32-lb. bass. Gary also is the current leader in the 2016 Angler of the Year competition. He and his partner, Nathan Gottsch, finished the day with a three-bass total weight of 5.80 lbs.

Rounding out today's winners was this team of (from left) Wayne Hayes and Sean Vitovich, who claimed the Mystery Weight Award with five bass weighing a total of 7.32 lbs. They had no big fish. Their total weight was closest to the drawn weight of 7.80, discounting the weight of the 4th-place team. FYI: Our rules state that a place winner cannot also be the mystery-weight winner.


Here is how all the other contestants finished the day:

     * The team of Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible, five bass, 6.50 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Randy Conkle and Bob Glass, five bass, 5.87 lbs. total weight after 0.25 deduction for one dead fish, no big fish.
     * Jim Bauer, three bass, 5.49 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * David Dozier, four bass, 5.28 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Jonathan Glasscock and JD Glasscock, two bass, 4.22 lbs. total weight, 3.07-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Jim Sumrell and Cathy Brandt, three bass, 4.21 lbs. total weight after 0.25 deduction for one dead fish, no big fish.
     * Ronnie McLaughlin, two bass, 3.27 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Darryl Dunn and Jim Wilder, one bass, 1.57 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Rob Chatham and Ken Testorff, one bass, 1.39 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Steve Bailey and the team of Mike Miller and Chris Fretard did not weigh any fish.

Overall, today's anglers weighed a total of 58 bass for a total weight of 93.73 lbs. The average weight was 1.61 lbs.

Four more anglers became eligible to fish our season-ending two-day Classic.

Congratulations to all of today's winners, and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, Sept. 10th, from safe light (about 6:15 or 6:20) to weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. I hope you can join us.

It was refreshing to see so many anglers turn out for today's contest. I have to believe that, somewhere, ol' Dewey was smiling down on us. He always got excited anytime we had such a big participation.

A quick check of my records back to 2013 revealed that, while we, on occasion, have had a few more boats participating in our tourneys, I could not find a single instance when we had 32 anglers on hand. I applaud everyone who helped us achieve this new benchmark. Good on ya!

Having heard outboards running hither and yon throughout the tourney's eight hours, I suspected a lot of folks were experiencing much the same kind of day my partner and I were having. Accordingly, I wasn't surprised at the final numbers we put up. The hope of all, of course, is that, as the temperatures start cooling, we will see an improved bite. It's just not that much fun to step outside in the wee hours and immediately get smacked with humidity like what we had this morning--so thick you nearly could slice it with a knife. Nevertheless, we persevere.

They Do Things Differently Down in Northeast Texas...

You don't have to take my word for it. Just check out this video I found in Jay Kumar's latest BassBlaster.

Let me say that I've had my share of no-frills wannabe bassin' boats over the years but nothing that I remember approaching the level of the one in this video. Check it out for yourself. Just click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMuecId7_78.

To Each His/Her Own When It Comes to a "Favorite" Fish

Like fishermen everywhere, Ron is susceptible to forgetting something every once in a while when he's packing for a fishing trip. Such was the case this evening, when he forgot the peddle drive for his kayak.

As a result, his planned trip south to Spitzle Creek became a paddling trip over to Albright's, where he spent two hours before finding any action. He first caught a dink on the Whopper Plopper.

About a half-hour later, he landed a "nice 4-lb. bowfin (see right)," to borrow his words. "That fish took five distinct swipes at the Plopper," said Ron. "I just kept reeling steady and slow, and he finally nailed it."

"Yep, I learned a long time ago that, when I get multiple strikes with no hookup, I’m likely dealing with one of those toothy critters," I responded. "Unlike you, though," I continued, "I get my mess back to the boat as fast as possible and make another cast. If I never was to catch another bowfin, I’d be perfectly content."

Ron quickly came back to me, saying, "Bowfin are my favorite. If that was all I caught, I would be happy. Bigger, nastier, the better!"

Before ending his series of e-mails, Ron noted that the southwestern corner was loaded with gar playing around on the surface. "I avoid them because I don't want to risk a Whopper and the $$$ I spend for each one on a gar. I always see them in that area," he concluded.

My final note to Ron explained Dewey Mullins' method for dealing with gar. He always told me I should break out a crankbait anytime I saw them working an area. "Choose a crankbait that'll get down under 'em, because that's where the bass will be hanging out." I spent many a time trying to prove that method to be true but quite frankly never was able to do so. The problem, however, likely was with me, not with what Dewey had told me. He certainly was right about so many other things over the years.

A Golden Oldie Shines Yet Again

The "golden oldie" in this case happens to be a gold-colored Johnson Silver Minnow, which Ron took to northern Back Bay for two-and-a-half hours this morning before heading to work.

He decided on a morning, rather than evening, trip today because of the strong northerly winds. It was calm when he launched at 6:30, but by 9 o'clock, when he quit, the Bay was rough and windy.

"I was targeting white perch with ultralight and a gold-colored Johnson Silver Minnow when I started," said Ron. "After six bass, including a 1-2, two 1-3s, a 2-4 (pictured here), and two dinks, I was getting disappointed." He finally, however, caught a yellow perch and had several followers, but only managed two white perch.

Ron also noted that he had something slam and snap off his Gold Minnow (could have been a bowfin or gar--he's not sure). His strangest catch of the day, though, was the needlefish pictured here. It fell for the Silver Minnow, which was all he had left after losing the Gold Minnow.

"Boating the 2-4 bass was tough, considering all the grass and ultralight set up," conceded Ron. "Only one of the dinks was caught on the Whopper Plopper; everything else fell to the Gold Minnow."

If Not for the Dinks, Today Would Have Been a Bust

Since I had found my fish on wood during my trip to the river last week, I knew I'd be starting today the same way. There was just one problem: Someone apparently forgot to tell the fish that Skip and I were coming.

We went to the back of Albright's first thing, where the water level was dropping steadily behind those northerly winds. We each just had gotten two fish when we met up and exchanged a few pleasantries before continuing our pursuit. I had decided to shift my focus to the front end of the creek but initially found the going there every bit as tough as what I had found in the back.

Eventually, though, I hit a stretch of 100 yards or so, where the fish were in a more cooperative mood and quickly put four more dinks in the boat. After that, the best I could do was elicit some blowups on my topwater baits, but none of the strikers were getting enough of the lure to bury a hook in 'em. That pattern continued for the rest of my day.

Skip already was in the parking lot when I got back there about 2:45, and I soon found out that the two he had when I talked to him this morning were the extent of his day. One of those came on a Whopper Plopper, and the other fish fell for a KVD soft plastic in white.

As best I can remember, four of my fish went for a wakebait. I caught the other two on my INT 1 bait. Meanwhile, most of the blowups this afternoon were coming on my INT 2 bait. It could be I was working this bait a bit too fast. That sort of thing is a recurring problem with me. I have every confidence, though, I'll eventually find my stride with this second secret bait and will start putting some fish in the boat with it.

The talk around the marina today was about the 7-lb. bass that Duane Kessel caught in West Neck sometime in the last few days. I know he had to be one happy angler with a catch like that. I'm certain I speak for the majority, Duane, when I say, "Congrats!"

Just received an email from Ron, with the following report on his evening trip: Launched Horn Point about 1730. Fought northerly wind and waves to get to Hells Point Creek. Tried the western extension up past Indian Cove Campground to Sandbridge Road, where the water was very murky.

Backtracked and turned to the eastern extension, where the water cleared up, as well as the bite. Caught three dinks, a 2-9 (pictured here), and a white perch, all on a Whopper Plopper, toward sunset. Tried throwing Johnson Silver Minnow, to no avail.

Unlike my results in other Back Bay Creeks, the bass got bigger the further I went in, where the grass became more abundant.

What's Better Than Having a Secret Bait?

I think we probably all know the logical answer to that question is having two of 'em. I mean, after all, what red-white-and-blue-blooded American angler wouldn't rather have a solid one-two punch, especially when the going gets really tough?

With that thought in mind, I've spent time the last few days researching an idea online and developing some working models. I'm now ready to begin the field-testing phase for what, if I'm successful, likely will come to be known as INT Bait No. 2--at least, for the time being.

"So whatz da matta? Gittin' noivous yer INT Bait No. 1 is gonna fail ya?" some of you very well may be asking. That's not the case at all. I'd just rather, as depicted in the old Wrigley's doublemint gum commercial, "double my pleasure, double my fun."

Let's face it, nothing can compare to topwater bassin'--not in my books, anyway. Whether they blow up on the bait when it hits the water, or just suck it down, nothing gets my adrenaline to pumping faster or harder than a topwater strike. And if I maybe can find a way to get twice as many of those strikes, so much the better. Right?

I'm not the only one who feels that way, either. Years ago, Outdoor editor of the Kansas City Star, Ray Heady, claimed there's nothing like catching bass with a topwater lure. "When bass come roaring up out of the depths of water with their big mouths wide open, and you see the fish exploding through the center spray, it gets your adrenaline going like nothing else in fishing," he wrote.

"The excitement of using topwater lures are just that," Heady continued. "They stay on top of the water, and fish come up from underneath and do their best to give the angler a heart attack. Fish hitting a topwater lure are doing more than picking up dinner; they are trying to kill that frog, bug, rodent, or baitfish struggling on top."

Well-known pro bass angler, Hank Parker, echoed similar sentiments. He once said, "I don't think I have ever met a bass fisherman who didn't get excited when talking about topwater fishing. There is no greater thrill in angling than a bass exploding on your surface lure."

And if you're looking for a way to interest a kid in bass fishing, topwater lures are an excellent choice. Once they see a bass explode on their lure, they are hooked...often for life.

As noted earlier, I'm looking for something to complete a one-two punch--an idea that ol' Tennessee Ernie Ford expressed in his classic tune "16 Tons." A line from that song goes, "If the right one don't get you, then the left one will." That's what I want to have in my hip pocket.

Maybe I'll find it, maybe I won't. "You never know 'till you try," though, or so the saying goes.

Could It Have Been a Coincidence?

That's a question Ron is asking as a result of what happened during his morning sojourn to Back Bay. He ended up landing 17 bass and one white perch. There's nothing particularly noteworthy about that fact until you consider that he logged exactly the same numbers on another trip to Back Bay just a week ago.

On that earlier occasion, he caught everything on Senkos. This morning's successful lure, on the other hand, was a Whopper Plopper. He also was in a different creek last time, but the differences end there.

Ron acknowledged that, while most of the fish this morning were small, he did manage to boat a 1-0, 1-7, 1-9, and 1-11 (pictured above right). The lone white perch, in his own words, was "an aggressive little fella," considering his small size.

And what fishing trip this time of year would be complete without at least one or two sightings of those venomous creatures that slither across the water's surface? Such was Ron's luck, starting with a welcoming critter at the mouth of the creek he fished, along with several more further along the way. You don't have to look very hard to see the creature in the lower lefthand corner of this photo, which also shows one of Ron's kayaking friends, who caught 14 bass this morning on--you guessed it--a Whopper Plopper.

Incidentally, for anyone interested, I was in Ocean's East today and noticed that they have a few more of the smaller versions of this hot bait hanging on the pegs. If you want any, my suggestion is not to hesitate, 'cause all the retailers seem to be singing the same tune: "They fly out the door as fast as we receive a new order."

And last but not least, speaking of those cottonmouths that seem to be appearing in abundance now, I include a comment Ron made in his morning email: "There's nothing like untangling a line fouled around hooks or a fish, while worrying about what lurks in the nearby grass you keep drifting ever closer to." I'm sure I don't need to tell you to be extra vigilant.

Being Stormed Out Early Doesn't Count As a Skunk

That's the stance Ron is taking after being chased off Back Bay last evening without a single fish to show for his efforts. He only had been there about a half-hour when a thunderstorm cell suddenly formed.

"It seemed to form all around us with darkening skies, not just from one direction," he said. "I think it was a matter of westward weather meeting Back Bay moisture."

With Wednesday's skunk still fresh in his memory, Ron was hell-bent on catching something during yesterday's trip after work. The storm cell, though, changed his mind. "I decided to hightail it to safety, and I'm glad I made that choice," he explained.

Ron arrived home, only to learn that NOAA had issued a warning for Back Bay and Munden. The warning called for local flooding, with 2 to 4 inches of rain possible. Sitting there in the relative calm of his home, though, soon had Ron tempted to try somewhere AWAY from the thunderstorm, but he quickly realized it was too late at this point.

He also remembered a conversation he once had had with an ol' timer who kayaks the inlets around Eastern Shore, as well as the "shoals" just below Cape Charles, off Fisherman's Island, during bull-red drum season (May). His comment was, "I ain't risking my life for a fish I can't even eat!"

UPDATE

A man who believes in getting in as many licks as he can, especially when he's trying to get back on track from a skunk, Ron hit Milldam last evening. There he found low water, as well as lots of weeds and grass.

"Lost a nice bowfin yak-side and caught one measly white perch," he said, "Also had several big wakes following the Whopper Plopper but no action whatsoever from flukes, Senkos or hollow-body frogs."

On the positive side, Ron was quick to add that the otherwise uneventful evening at least was pleasantly cool. "First time in a while I wasn't sweating," he noted. "Also got to witness a gorgeous sunset (see the two accompanying photos)."

To Boldly Go Where No One Has Gone Before

That famous line from "Star Trek" took on new meaning back in May 2013, on Day 3 of the Elite Series Alabama River Charge. That's when competitor Jared Miller decided to take his boat--and his marshal, Lisa Cox--to the base of Jordan Dam.

In the words of Trip Weldon, "I've been fishing this area for 40 years. Never seen a fiberglass boat below Jordan Dam. It takes 6 to 8 miles of nerve-racking white water to get to where Jared Miller is in this photo."

Normally, water levels would have been much lower, and the only craft you'd have seen are canoes, kayaks and maybe a jet boat or two. Because of heavy rains, however, Jordan Dam was spilling water over its floodgates and generating power as well, creating lots of turbulence and higher water in the river below.

Miller had followed Brent Chapman up near the dam. Chapman, though, stopped a half-mile below the dam, while Miller continued until he and Cox literally could reach out and touch the massive structure. At this point, they were in a mist created by waves and the water coming down from the dam. "It was exciting up there," said Cox, but she also admitted to being a little nervous, too.

After fishing near the dam for 20 minutes or so, Miller decided to trek back through the treacherous rapids and head downstream. He hadn't much more than entered the powerful current when his boat came to a dead stop after hitting a submerged rock.

Cox, an experienced angler in her own right, reacted quickly and moved toward the bow of the boat to help balance it out. Miller, meanwhile, trimmed his outboard and gunned it, freeing the boat from its precarious position.

He paused only briefly in a nearby calm eddy before continuing on to safer waters. At day's end, he weighed 13 pounds of fish and finished 13th in the tournament, barely missing the cut for Day 4.

If you were to apply the principles of risk management to this episode, it doesn't take very long to realize the decision Miller made to fish the dam in the first place was, at best, a hair-brained idea. The risks he placed himself and Cox in far outweighed any gains he might have realized. Let's face it: They both easily could have been killed if this foolhardy endeavor had gone horribly wrong.

I like to catch fish as much as the next guy, and I understand wanting to get away from the crowd, but I'm not going to risk my boat, and certainly not life and/or limbs, just to accommodate those desires. Of course, there is this consideration: The boat wasn't one Miller had paid for; it had been given to him. However, that fact in no way diminishes the value one should place on people's lives.

To see this whole mindless event unfold before your very eyes, simply click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjEc_dZNyTQ.

Found 'Em Mostly on Wood Today

There wasn't another car in the West Neck parking lot when I launched at 6 o'clock this morning. I feel pretty sure that was more a reflection of the predicted highs today than anything else. I was prepared, though, and once the boat was in the water, there was no turning back.

My first stop this morning was the front end of Blackwater, where I safely can say not much was happening. About 11 o'clock, I decided to run to Albright's, where I encountered a duplicate of what I had found in Blackwater. It wasn't until I picked up and headed to the back of Albright's that business suddenly picked up. The trees, stumps and laydowns back there were speaking volumes.

By 2:30, when I heard a couple of distinct rumbles of thunder off in the distance, I had boated a total of six bass. Four of 'em were dinks; but I also had a 1-7 and a 1-8 (pictured here). There would have been about a 4-pounder, too, but he went airborne right beside the boat and was gone in a flash.

My productive baits today was, of course, the INT and a wakebait. The INT accounted for all but two of the fish. It's also what I had on when I hooked the nice one that got away. Once again, I fished the Whopper Plopper without so much as a smell.

With the thunder seemingly picking up, I wasted no time putting everything away and running back to West Neck. The ramp was clear when I got there, so I loaded the boat and got busy cleaning it up and flushing the outboard.

There was an email waiting for me from Ron when I got home this afternoon. Alex and he had decided to launch at Lotus Garden Launch about 6 p.m. yesterday. It was 9:30 by the time they recovered.

Said Ron, "We had 100 percent grass and surface scum for the first 3/4 mile. Then we finally were able to put the peddles and rudders down and head toward Back Bay/Muddy Creek."

Alex ended up catching four bass last evening--his biggest the 2-4 pictured here. In case you can't make it out for yourself, Alex is dressed in mosquito netting and a head lamp.

Meanwhile, Ron managed three dinks, a 1-1, and a white perch, thus keeping his stretch of no skunks very much alive. Both father and son caught everything on Whopper Ploppers fished along the edges of grass. They also threw some hollow-body frogs and Senkos but had no luck at all with them.

In closing, Ron noted that the moon rise last night coincided with sunset. "It was a beautiful evening, with just enough breeze to make it comfortable."

Then came this news in an email tonight. "Well, it finally happened," said Ron "I logged my first skunk tonight since July 17th."

He and Alex had launched at Horn Point and headed into Muddy Creek. Soon afterward, Alex scored a couple of dinks but got frightened by the thunderstorms to the north (see photo right) and went in toward the campground in an effort to have an escape route.

Ron continued onward and had five swipes at the Whopper Plopper but no hookups. He also tried Senkos to no avail and had no choice but to take a goose egg on the evening.

Alex ended up landing a 1-3 on the Whopper Plopper, and they called it a night at 2100. "Beautiful evening nonetheless," said Ron. "No grass at the eastern extent of that creek coming in from Back Bay. It only starts when you get into Ashville Bridge Creek.

"Oh well," concluded Ron, "maybe tomorrow, I can begin a new streak, or maybe not."

Along with the photo above, Ron included this one, which depicts a creature like I, too, saw today. As a matter of fact, I saw two of them in a very short span of time, and I don't mind telling you I made quick tracks to a new location after the second one had crossed my bow.

All in all, it was another gorgeous evening, and as he frequently does, Ron noted that he was pleased that Alex had hooked up tonight. "Whenever he out fishes me, I am pleased," said Ron.