Eating Well Tonight

That's the title Ron chose for his emailed fishing report today. He was referring to the fact this marked the annual head-boat trip for black sea bass, and both he and son, Alex, had a good day.

Ron caught a nice 4-lb., 23-inch flounder (see photo right), and Alex contributed two decent keeper, yummy-delicious sea bass (see photo below). Tonight's dinner of fried flounder (with fillets 17 inches long and almost an inch thick at the center) and baked sea bass, with maybe some asparagus on the side, had Ron hummin', or more precisely, yummin' all the way to the table.  

Turns out today was the first trip ever in which Ron won the big-fish pool. Because there weren't many people this time, the pool only was worth $120.

"It'll be back to fresh water this week, before daylight savings time ends," concluded Ron.

Stingy Bite Accompanies Cool Morning Temps

Ron described his trip this morning as "tough." He said he managed only two bass: a dink and a 1-8. The dink went for an XTS minnow, while the 1-8 fell for a Whopper Plopper.

My friend also told me he lost two big crappie yakside. "Not much to show for three hours of fishing," he said.

A buddy who was out with Ron this morning caught some crappie--the biggest measuring 14.75 inches. All of them came on a beetlespin.  

In closing, Ron took note of the fact that mornings are tough, from the standpoint it's cold when you start out, but when the sun gets up, you then bake.

Today's Boating-Lesson Topic: A Spun Hub

Go ahead and ask me how long it takes to idle back to West Neck Creek on the gas motor from Marker 32 on the North Landing. The answer is about 42 minutes.

I didn't set out this morning to make that determination--let's just say it more or less got dumped on me.

With the high water, I was headed to the back of Albright's. I was cruising along at about 4,200 rpm and just had made my turn for the cut-through at Marker 32 when my boat started slowing at the same time the engine began revving. A phone call to my buddy and boat mechanic, Wayne, quickly ensued. When he had heard the symptoms, his first response was, "It's probably a spun hub, but I won't know 'til I can look at it. Just turn around and start idling back to West Neck. Let me know if you have any more problems en route."

My only concern as I began the trek back to West Neck was how many big boats I was going to meet along the way. As Pocaty came into sight, I thought maybe I was going to dodge that bullet, but alas, it was not to be. Here came two in a row, both putting up pretty good wakes. I never felt so helpless in all my life. I knew I was going to take water over the bow--it was just a matter of how much. When all was said and done, I personally somehow managed to stay dry, even though I did take a couple of rollers over the side that started the bilge pump running. After flipping a 3rd-finger salute to both of the a...hole helmsmen, I continued to the turn into West Neck without any further problems.

Knowing I couldn't meet Wayne until about 4 o'clock, I wasn't going to waste the day sitting at home nursing my wounds. I quickly hopped on the front pedestal and started casting an assortment of spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, shallow crankbaits, and worms, all to no avail. Given the stiff breeze I was facing, I decided to break out a Whopper Plopper (desperate conditions call for desperate measures, I figured) and, about 15 minutes later, finally hit a dink bass. "Ah, maybe things will pick up now!" I thought, but that didn't happen. I fished until 2:30 and only could muster a couple more non-hookups on the WP, with absolutely no action at all on anything else.

When I arrived at the ramp, it thankfully was clear, so I donned my boots, guided my boat onto the trailer with the launch rope, hooked up the winch strap, and winched it up to the nose stop--no harm, no foul.

It definitely was not the kind of day I had hoped for, but, at least, I didn't get skunked, and I made it back to the ramp none the worse for wear. For that, I'm grateful.

After tying the boat down and putting my gear away, I headed to Wayne's house, where he quickly ascertained I indeed had spun the hub. He replaced the prop with my spare, and in no time, I was on my way back to West Neck to tuck the boat away in its shed and head home for dinner.

Tonight's email from Ron indicated he opted for Milldam Creek this evening, since the river gauge was falling. He fished for more than two hours, with only three short strikes to show for it.

Finally, near sunset, he found two takers on a Whopper Plopper: a 1-7 and the 2-4 pictured here. However, he found no panfish, despite the fact they were his target. His beetlespin and XTS minnow just weren't working.

The two bass Ron found were near the main creek; feeders weren't producing any hits whatever--the same pattern he's had to deal with for the past few outings.  

What I'm Hearing from Friends Today

After dropping off my wife at the Pungo beauty salon earlier today, I ran over to West Neck Marina and, as luck would have it, bumped into a couple of friends who had been out looking for some fish.

The first fella I talked to was Bob G., who said he only had been out a couple of hours but had managed to find two bass in the 2-lb. range and, if my recollection serves me correct, a few perch. While we were talking, he mentioned what he had heard about some recent shock tests officials had run on the Northwest River from Bob's Fishing Hole. The word, as he got it, was that the shocks turned up a few grindle and other fish but absolutely no bass whatever.

The reality, as he put it, is that those anglers fishing the memorial tournament out of Bob's this Sunday probably had better plan on doing a little running if they want to find any bass.

I also talked to Ray S., who told me that he had found four bass today, including a couple of dinks, a 1-6, and a 1-8. His productive lures were a spinnerbait and some topwater baits.

Ray and I are a couple of guys who really enjoy fishing Albright's Creek, as evidenced by the fact we often run across each other down there. More times than not, we will stop and chat a while on those occasions. The conversations nearly always include a discussion of what's working and what's not, as well as any particular stretches of shoreline that seem to be yielding a concentration of fish.

Haven't heard from my friend, Ron, yet tonight, but plan to hold this for a little while, just to find out if I do.

"Tecumseh was near white caps with the 18-to-20-mph southerly wind that was blowing this evening," said Ron, "but I didn't mind. Got a bit wet pushing through the chop to find some protection on the southern shore, as well as a few decent bass."

The Whopper Plopper did the lion's share of the catching. It accounted for a 1-9, 2-4, and the sweet 4-2 bass pictured above. Then, near dark, came the 24.5-inch citation-size pickerel pictured below. "He swiped at the WP about four times before he committed," said Ron, adding, "I thought I had a bowfin."

My kayak friend went on to note he also caught a dink yellow perch on a beetlespin this evening.

He wrapped up his email like this: "Was a beautiful evening"--in more ways than one, I'd say.

Cool Start to the Day But Not Bad

Armed with a thermos full of coffee and my multiple layers of clothing, I headed to West Neck this morning--albeit not at the crack of dawn as usual. I slept a little longer and didn't rush getting around, as was evidenced by the fact I didn't leave the ramp until about 9 o'clock. I really don't worry about "an early-morning bite" this time of year--it just doesn't pay.

I started my search for bass with a chatterbait, which I kept hanging up, so I decided to try a little XPS wakebait from Bass Pro Shops. Almost immediately, I had a couple of fish make a pass at my bait, but both missed. That sign, though, was all the convincing I needed to stay with that wakebait for the rest of the day. Besides, I wasn't looking for a big bite. I just wanted to feel a few tugs on my line.

At the end of the day, that's exactly what I had gotten. I ended up catching five dinks (all in West Neck Creek), a couple of which would have measured at least 12 inches. With that being the case, I didn't even pause to weigh any of them or to take any pictures. I just unhooked them as quickly as possible and returned them to the water.

I fished a worm for a while today, but as was the case with the chatterbait, it wasn't generating any action, so I soon put it down and stayed with what was working.

I'm not sure if another outing this week is in the cards or not. If I do get out, will do another post. And if I receive a report from Ron a little later tonight, will add it to this note.

Found out from Ron that he ventured into upper North Landing this evening and headed to No Name Creek. He fished there from 4 p.m. 'til dark, catching one 13-inch striper on the XTS minnow and one 13-inch crappie on a Bomber A square-bill crankbait. He also had a few blowups on the Whopper Plopper but no hookups.

"Again, it got a bit chilly at sunset, brrrr!" said my friend.

"Never Give Up!"

Bass pro Mike Iaconelli lives by those words, and I have to say my friend, Ron, epitomizes the same kind of devotion. Nearly every evening, and sometimes both morning and evening, finds him taking his kayak to a local body of water in search of all species of fish. What follows are the reports from his latest three trips:

Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016

He launched at Milldam about 3 p.m., with the water level dropping at the time. However, the winds soon shifted, and before he knew it, the water was on the rise again.

Ron proceeded to fish both Milldam and Snake Creeks, where he landed six bass, including a 1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-7, 1-14, and a dink. All of his strikes came in the main creek or river, especially on points. "Every time I ventured into feeder creeks," he said, "the bite stopped. I missed more than I caught; they were short-striking the topwater stuff."

Ron went on to report that most of the grass is gone from these two creeks. He also noted that it got a bit chilly at sunset, but still, all in all, was a good evening.

Monday, Oct. 24, 2016

Both Ron and his son, Alex, headed out this beautiful evening to Lake Tecumseh about 5 p.m. and fished until 7 o'clock. Alex scored first with a dink, followed by a 2-lb. 0.5-oz. bass. Ron soon responded with a dink and 1-13 bass of his own, along with a very small crappie.

While dangling a beetle spin on a bobber, in hopes of catching some more crappie, Ron's pole suddenly doubled over, then went slack as he grabbed for it. He never had a chance to see what it was but thinks it was a gar, because he had been seeing them lurking about for a spell. "Both Alex and I lost decent-sized pickerel that gobbled up our Whopper Ploppers," Ron also reported.  

As the duo headed to the ramp for recovery, Ron was trolling when, about dead center of the lake, with no grass, lily pads or structure around, drag started to pay out. "I assumed I was snagged," he said, "but I quickly learned, instead, that I had hooked a nice 2-0."  

"Always good to get out and fish, and it helps to catch a couple," concluded Ron.

Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016

"Well, it was inevitable" is how Ron started tonight's email before subsequently explaining, "I fished Lovitt's this evening, and the bite was non-existent. The water was flowing out steadily, very clear water, minimal grass in the main creek, but no bass were interested in the offerings. Tried a variety of lures but just couldn't find a bite."

Ron went on to say he managed to catch three very, very small, non-taco white perch (see accompanying photo) on a small crankbait.

The large grass beds are still intact at the bay entrance both north and south, according to tonight's report, and Ron said he spoke with a guy in a canoe who said he had suffered a broken rod on a BIG bass while throwing a Ribbit over the grass earlier today. According to his telling, the bass was at least 8 lbs. He also mentioned that, yesterday, he had caught about 20 bass while working the grass beds and said the shad were active--none of which Ron saw this evening.

"Pretty chilly out there...hopefully, I can find a better bite tomorrow." He also assured me that he'll be armed with gloves and a hat.

A Common Bond Between Halloween and Fishing

Let's face it: Halloween is all about superstitions, whether it be bats, black cats, ghosts, goblins, witches, or otherwise.

Incidentally, if you'd like to meet a witch on Halloween night, the commonly held belief is that all you have to do is put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards. Or maybe you want to ward off evil spirits. In that case, you should walk around your home three times backwards and counterclockwise before sunset on Halloween.

As outdoor editor Charles Johnson once wrote in The Anniston Star, in Anniston, AL, "Many people believe in some kind of superstitions... . However, anglers probably have more superstitions, myths or rituals for fish-catching, at least in the attempt to catch fish, than anyone else."

He went on to say that some of these superstitions may hold merit, citing specifically B.A.S.S. pro Gerald Swindle, who doesn't pump gas into his truck or boat on the morning of a tournament. "He feels this task can be bad luck over the course of the day's fishing," explained Johnson. "The reasoning is that any lingering odors will be transferred to the lures, and the smell will be repulsive to the fish, causing them not to bite. The same can be said when using sunscreen. Always wash your hands before handling any lures or bait."

Another commonly held superstition among tournament bass anglers is that it's bad luck to catch a fish on the first cast of the day. As a result, some will make a short cast or cast in an opposite direction to avoid catching anything on the first cast.

Some anglers believe it's bad luck to fill your livewell with water before you catch a fish. Others carry good-luck charms or objects with them during tournaments. Pro angler Keith Poche, for example, carries a Buckeye (see photo above) in his pocket--one that a friend gave him. "It gives me some confidence, but I know God is the one in charge," said Poche.

As Johnson continued, "A lot of fishing superstitions involve some type of clothing. A lucky hat, shirt, or even underwear are worn specifically on fishing days, in hopes many fish will be caught."

I read about one angler who had worn the same ballcap for so long--never washed, mind you--that he had to wrap it with duct tape just to keep it from falling apart at the seams. As for me, I wear a ballcap for one season, then toss it in the trash.

"Another superstition," wrote Johnson, "that probably originated with commercial fishermen years ago and has carried over even to today's bass tournament is not having bananas onboard the boat. The origin of this old superstition goes back to when the faster cargo ships carried bananas from the tropic regions to ports in the United States before the bananas could spoil. Since the banana boats were so fast, the sailors trolling for fish never caught anything.

"Swindle is adamant about not having any bananas in his boat. There is a rumor he once threatened to eject an outdoor writer for bringing a banana aboard in a sack lunch... .

"One of my favorite fishing superstitions from when I was a lad," noted Johnson, "was when driving to the lake, if cows in the pastures were lying down, the fish would not bite. If the cows were standing and grazing, it would be a good fishing day. I always wanted to fish the same side of the lake where the cows were standing."

Probably the most common superstition about fishing involves the weather--more precisely, wind direction. Who, among us, hasn't heard the saying: "Wind from the east, fish bite the least; wind from the west, fish bite the best"?

"While this little rhyme may sound like an old tale or myth about fish-catching," said Johnson, "there could be some truth in it. After a cold front passes through, the wind usually blows from the north. High barometric pressure settles in, the sky clears, and the temperature drops. This sudden weather change causes the fish to move deeper and hold tight to cover--conditions that are not favorable for the angler. However, during most major bass tournaments, fish are caught in every weather condition and wind direction. So one has to wonder:  Is the superstition for real, or is it just an excuse thought up by old fishermen years ago to cover up their bad day on the water?"

I personally have only one standing "rule," or I suppose it could be called a "superstition," and that is: I never quit a day's fishing after just having had any kind of backlash. I will fish on until I have completed at least a couple of clean casts without any problem whatsoever. Otherwise, I feel that I will be plagued with nothing but one backlash after another my entire next trip. A sense of "doom" also settles around me if I lose the first fish I get hooked up with on any given trip. When that happens, I notoriously have to fish for hours before getting another strike.

Fishermen, as a species, are a superstitious lot. Traditions and folklore are passed down between generations on the banks of rivers and lakes, while a fire gently crackles and Coleman lanterns hiss their lives away. Over gentle conversations between grandparents and grandkids, the lore of decades is imparted in the minds of eager young kids. Some becomes vital in later years in the pursuit of fish, while some are the even more vital scripts of superstition.

We all see superstitions for what they are: beliefs based on irrational assumptions. Within a sport or hobby, though, these superstitions help to link generations that have few, if any, other connections.

For many families, it is the superstitions that are the best remembered and the last forgotten. In any family that fishes, the superstitions of fishing often play a central role in the connection of family members, even if the lore is not readily remembered.

Dad's favorite fishing hat, ratty as it may be, brings about nostalgia for the carefree days of a youth spent at the family cabin. It may not be remembered immediately that the reason the hat was favored was because Dad was wearing it the day he caught the biggest bass of his lifetime and has considered it lucky forever after. In that way, superstitions also play a role in capturing a moment, preserving it forever, without the need for camera or words.

Wild, Windy Morning Makes for a Dismal Bite

True to his word, Ron headed to Oakum this morning with a buddy. Once there, he found the wind protection he sought, but the bite wasn't anything to brag about. A 1-5 bass on the Whopper Plopper was his sole reward for a mile of effort, to use his words.

Between Oakum and North Landing proper, he boated a couple of small crappie. He also nearly got swamped in Oakum by a guy racing through there in a boat. Said Ron, "He was going way too fast and didn't even slow down when he saw us."

Not willing to quit just yet, Ron and his buddy decided to cross the North Landing and fish Milldam for a while. The white caps made for a "wet" crossing, but forturnately, there were no boats to impede their progress.

Once in Milldam, Ron caught a few dinks, plus a small yellow perch and another small crappie on a beetlespin. He also lost what he described as "maybe a 2-lb. bass." Meanwhile, his buddy scored a 27-inch, 5-lb. 14-oz. bowfin.

Then it was time to battle the wind and waves back to Munden Point and put the lid on a long, mostly unrewarding morning. As Ron noted, there wasn't a single trailer in the Munden Point parking lot. And I didn't find any at West Neck today, either, when I ventured out to replace the updated plaques in the marina store.

In conclusion, Ron noted that the water is flowing out rapidly. "Maybe that will make Sunday better," he said.

Fish Are Bitin' at Lake Tecumseh

For the benefit of any doubters, consider this: Ron boated a total of nine bass this afternoon, from 4:30 to 7 p.m. His catch included five dink bass (all near a pound), plus a 1-5, two 1-7s, and a 2-10 (pictured right). He also tallied a really nice 13.75-inch crappie (pictured below) and missed several other fish.

I'll give you three guesses what bait he was using, and the first two guesses don't count--that's right, his productive lure was none other than the Whopper Plopper.

Ron's bite shut down at sunset, but in his own words, "It was pretty steady beforehand." He expects the weather to be a challenge tomorrow morning but still plans to press his luck. "Maybe I'll hit Oakum Creek to stay out of the wind," he said.

Feeling Lucky Lately...

That's how Ron ended his emailed fishing report Thursday evening. He admitted having low expectations when he headed to West Neck Marina, given the high water still in place there. However, he was singing a different tune by the time his hour-and-a-half fishing trip came to an end at dark.

Once on the water, Ron peddled his kayak northward, under the bridge, and worked a couple of feeder creeks on the western side. The bites that subsequently materialized all came at the entrances to the feeders. "The bite diminished the further I ventured into these areas," he allowed.

It wasn't long at all before Wham! a nice 4-lb 14-oz citation bass (as pictured above), measuring 22 inches, slammed Ron's Whopper Plopper. Before the evening was over, he had added two dinks and a 1-13 to his totals.

"Maybe it was the wind," he said, adding, "regardless, I'm feeling lucky lately."

Healthy, Chubby Bass Just Can't Get Enough of the Whopper Plopper

All I can say is, WOW!!! when I keep reading about Ron and his son's fishin' exploits with Larry Dahlberg's Whopper Plopper. I give them a lot of credit for seemingly having the right touch, while I continue to flounder with the same bait every time I throw it.

And, it's not just me, either. I watched my partner, Rob, experience my kind of luck with it during our weekend tournament. For lack of a better way of putting it, "He simply couldn't buy a strike with the bait." He probably would have had better luck using a tin can with a baited hook dangling from it--and that's no exaggeration.

However, I digress.

Getting back to Ron and his son--they went to a base lake again last evening and did OK (and that's putting it mildly) for themselves. Alex caught the nice 3-1 pictured above on a Craw, then hit a slump.

Ron, on the other hand, hit a couple of dinks, supported by a 2-3, 2-5, 2-7, and 2-8 (pictured here)--all on the Whopper Plopper, and all before a chill set in just as it was getting dark. "I also lost a big bass--I'm guessing in the 5-lb. range--as sometimes happens," he said  "I also had two large gar make an attack, but luckily, they didn't get hooked up and chew up my bait." All of Ron's bass were in the 16-to-17-inch range, and they were all healthy and chubby.

"A great time of year to be on the river, if only the level would drop and open up some more opportunities," he noted, adding, "it's tough getting out after work this time of year, but six fish in just over an hour is something I'll take any day."

Still Singin' the Praises of the Whopper Plopper

I'm talking about my friend, Ron, who sent me a report by email earlier tonight. He had been to a lake on base and found some decent catches, including three dinks, a 2-3, 2-10, and the 2-14 in the picture at right. Everything came on the Whopper Plopper.

"Nothing over 17.5 inches," he said, "but they were fat and healthy. It was nice to have some weight on the end of the line for a change. Even managed a 10-inch white perch on the same bait."

Ron went on to say that, just after sunset, he caught two nice crappie (as seen at left) on back-to-back casts. One measured 13 inches; the other measured 13.5 inches. "They both were exceptionally fat and will make some great tacos," he noted, adding that they, too, fell for the Whopper Plopper.

A friend, who was out with Ron, had a bizarre hook-up: double bass at 17 and 21 inches on the same lure--a Whopper Plopper, of course (see photo at right). Ron theorized that, since his 17-incher weighed 2-10, he figured his friend had at least 8 lbs. of bass on that lure.

"He didn't have a scale," said Ron, "and I was too far away to be of any help. His hollering, though, was indicative of a great catch."

Napier and Allbritten Continue Their Lock on Classic Wins

Repeat Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic winners (from left) Jared Allbritten and Chris Napier teamed up to continue their winning ways during this 2016 season-ending event held the past two days out of West Neck Marina. They had a five-fish limit both days, with a combined total weight of 24.18 lbs.

This latest first-place victory is the third for Allbritten since this contest went to a two-day format in 2011. It is the fifth time Napier has finished in first place.

Here is how the other winners finished the contest:

Claiming 2nd place was this team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle. They, too, weighed a limit both days, for a combined total weight of 23.49 lbs.

Finishing in 3rd place was this team of  (from left) Sean Vitovich and Wayne Hayes, whose combined total weight for the two days was 21.84 lbs.

The 4th-place prize went to this team of (from left) Don Carter and Rob Peppers. They also caught a limit both days, for a combined total weight of 21.54 lbs.

Walking away with 5th place today was this team of (from left) Mark London and John Goodman. Their combined total weight for two days' limits was 21.23 lbs.

Big-fish honors for the Classic went to this team of (from left) Bobby Moore and Duane Kessel. They brought a 6.51-lb. bass to the scales today.

The seasonal lunker-award winner for the second year in a row was this man, Al Napier, with a bass that tipped the scales at 5.43 lbs. earlier this year. I should point out that, to be eligible for this award, an angler must fish at least nine tournaments throughout the year and pay the required $2 each time, including the tournament in which he caught the lunker.

Classic contenders Eddie Sapp...

                                                    Cathy Brandt...

and Randy Conkle were winners in today's raffle drawing.

Rounding out the winners was this team of (from left) Rob Chatham and yours truly, who won the mystery-weight award. We had the lowest two-day total of the whole field (only 5.98 lbs. for a total of five fish). That weight was closest to the 5.00 tab that was drawn.



Here are the other participants and their two-day combined total weights:

     * The team of Jim Sumrell and Cathy Brandt, 20.94 lbs.
     * The team of Bobby Moore and Duane Kessel, 20.78 lbs.
     * Mike Evans, 20.69 lbs.
     * The two teams of Eddie Sapp and Al Napier, and Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall, 19 lbs. even.
     * The team of David Dozier and Nelson Anderson, 18.94 lbs.
     * Steve Bailey, 17.27 lbs.
     * The team of Chris Fretard and Mike Miller, 16.93 lbs.
     * The team of Jim Wilder and Darryl Dunn, 16.67 lbs.
     * The team of Mike Speedy and Stephen Hardwick, 14.73 lbs.
     * The team of Skip Schaible and Mitch Portervint, 13.32 lbs.

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to all the participants for helping make this whole season a resounding success. I look forward to seeing you next year. In the meantime, have a safe winter.

Projects in the Works for West Neck Marina

So says this man, West Neck Marina Manager, Steve Winfree. While I was at the marina today, getting things in order for our annual Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic this weekend, Steve shared some things he has planned.

For openers, he is going to rebuild, level and straighten both catwalks at the ramp, including brightly colored posts to signal where the ramp ends. All too many folks have learned that lesson the hard way over the years. He said he already has the materials on hand.

In process at the moment is a soft-launch area for kayaks, canoes and such to the right of the ramp, as you face it. He told me he's going to pipe water to this area, so that folks can wash down their craft, if they so choose, before loading it on top of their vehicle.

Another project already underway is a play set for the kiddies. A fair portion of it already is standing, but Steve said more is yet to be added before he considers the project complete.

Anyone who has visited West Neck Marina in recent weeks undoubtedly also has noticed all the trees and brush Steve has been clearing out to the right, as you turn into the driveway. Besides the play set residing in this area, patrons also eventually will find a barbecue wagon parked in there. Along with the barbecue wagon will be some picnic tables, so folks can sit down and really enjoy themselves. At the same time, it likely will seem just like a day at the beach, because Steve plans to dump sand throughout this whole area.

Let me guess: You're probably asking, "When will these projects be complete?" Steve said he hopes to have most, if not all, of the things in place by the start of next spring. My advice is: Stay tuned to this blog, 'cause I'll post photos as everything begins to take shape.

After the Storm

Nearly a week after Hurricane Irene roared through in September 2011, tens of thousands of fish were dying in North Carolina rivers. The culprit: oxygen levels of less than 1 milligram (mg) per liter, compared to normal levels of 4 to 5. For reference purposes, consider this fact: Fisheries biologists suggest that largemouth bass usually can tolerate readings of even 2 or 3 mg per liter.

So the thousand-dollar question that looms on the horizon is this: Will we end up with the same situation around here as a result of Hurricane Matthew. Only time will reveal the answer to that question.

One thing we can be sure of, however, is that we once again will be dealing with floaters--probably for several days. The North Landing River gauge reached a reading of 4.22 at 11:45 Sunday morning before it started falling. A check just moments ago showed a reading of 2.47, and given the long-range predictions for NW and NE winds I'm seeing, the level likely will keep trending downward.

Everyone running the North Landing, especially this week, would be well-served to be alert for stuff in the water. The unfortunate reality, however, is that floaters many times lurk below the surface, so you may or may not have any warning of impending danger.

Beyond that, of course, is the question of how the fishing is going to be affected. The odds are that what was working for you before Matthew blew into town (and made a nuisance of himself) won't be working now, especially if the sun comes out bright and stays that way. Don't make that assumption, though; check it out first.

If bright conditions do follow the storm, you'll probably have to slow down your presentations and work your lures closer to cover for success.

You'll also have to check the areas you normally fish for runoff. See how muddy the water has become. If these areas were clear and then became muddy, the bass will be hard to find. The first place you'll need to look for then will be where the muddy water meets the clear. The edge created by the clear and muddy water is where bass will move to feed.

One of the main things to keep in mind is that, even if an area becomes muddy following heavy rain, you still can find clearer water if you move far enough up the feeder creeks. This is one condition you can use to your advantage. Some anglers have had banner fishing days in feeder creeks, while no one else was having any success at all.

Be aware that, right after a hard rain, you may have to deal with a current, which will position bass on points downstream and really bunch them up. Even a slight change in the current will really make the fish active and can result in an excellent day on the water. Fish will be active on points, but they will be feeding in other areas, too. Just be aware of this, and fish accordingly.

According to KVD, "The best areas for me have been those in which the water is more restricted, such as tubes, culverts or small streams coming into a lake or river. That restriction helps confine the bass to a smaller area and make them easier to locate. Oftentimes, the water is clear; other times, it's chocolate mud.

"The color dictates my lure choice (see accompanying chart at left of frequently used muddy-water baits). When it's dirty, the spinnerbait is my favorite lure, because I can fish it top to bottom. I will get as shallow as I can and cast right up to the outflow and move it out with the current.

"Don't overlook topwaters, either. If the water is clear, the Strike King Caffeine Shad, a soft jerkbait, can be a killer. Crankbaits, or even jigs, work, too. Simply choose a lure that imitates the local baitfish because that's the primary forage in that situation. And remember, this feeding frenzy can happen quickly; it may last an hour or so, or it may last for an entire day."

Fishing after a heavy rain mostly is a matter of common sense. If the water is rising, fish will move shallower; if the water is falling, they will move out deeper. And don't forget you might want to try brightly-colored and/or noisier baits should the water be muddy, whereas more natural or subtle colors can be used in clearer water.

On a final note, you might want to remember these words of KVD, "It's all about the attitude!"

(NEW) As a result of my visit to West Neck Marina yesterday (Monday, Oct. 10), I became aware that the difference between the river gauge reading and the creek reading (at the time I was there) was about 1.7 or 1.8, instead of the usual 1.3. I suspect this unusual fluctuation may have something to do with the storm that blew through, runoff, etc. The difference probably will settle in once again at about 1.3 when everything gets back to normal. Bottom line: When the river gauge was reading 2.47 yesterday, the creek was sitting at about 4.1 or 4.2, NOT the 3.7 you would expect.