A Net Is Only As Good As the Handler

I don't know many fishermen who haven't, at one time or another, lost a nice fish or two alongside the boat because of some sloppy net-handling.

One of my own most memorable recollections of sloppy handling dates back to the days when I fished with the Back Bay Bassmasters. I was the draw partner this one tournament for a guy with a long history of bringing heavy bags of fish to the scales at all of our club events.

The tournament in question just had gotten underway, when this fella tied into a big bass on a topwater bait. He immediately hollered for the net, and I was busy responding to that call. Unfortunately, I let my self-imposed pressure to do a good job inhibit my netting performance, and I ended up missing the fish on its first pass alongside the boat. On the next attempt, I really blew it. I accidentally hit the fish in the head with the rim of the net, and, as you probably have guessed, he instantly was gone.

The ensuing silence in that guy's boat was deafening. The set of his jaw, as I looked up at him, spoke volumes about the kind of thoughts that surely were going through his head. In short, I was certain I just had made a life-long enemy of someone I always had wanted a chance to fish with up until this time.

Later that day, as luck would have it, I pitched a Slider worm to an old boat dock and hooked up with what proved to be a better-than-4-pound bass (akin to the one I had cost my partner that morning). However, I wasn't about to break the silence and ask for some help, especially after the way I had bungled the net job for him.

I still was trying to decide how I was going to land this fish when it suddenly decided to send the drag on my ultralight rig into a screaming frenzy. At that point, the fella on the front deck jumped off the pedestal, grabbed the net, and gently started offering friendly advice on how to play the fish to get it to the net. Moments later, he scooped up my prize, handed it to me, patted me on the back, and returned to his position on the front seat. Only then did he, in a very calm tone, ask me if I had watched how he had netted my fish.

And from that point forward, we had a good day, despite the rocky start. Neither one of us won anything that day, but it didn't seem to matter in the long run, because we had a steady conversation for the rest of our fishing day and all the way home, and we remained friends until I eventually left the club.

Over the years since that incident, I have come to swinging most of my fish into the boat, even bigger ones. Several times, though, I have been burned by this method, especially with fish hooked on crankbaits. I can't tell you how often I've watched nothing more than the mere weight of the fish cause a hook to tear out of its mouth as I'm trying to swing it inside the boat. Nothing is more sobering than to see a nice fish just plop back into the water alongside the boat without your ever getting to touch it.

As a result of moments like this, I have started using my net more often. I keep it handy in the boat now, even on fun-fishing days, just in case Bubba should happen to come calling.

As soon as I feel a bigger fish on, I get off the front pedestal, grab the net, and bury about half the hoop in the water at a 45-degree angle. I make sure part of the handle rests on the gunwale and the rest of it is tucked securely between my legs. That leaves both my hands free to control the rod and guide the fish into the net. As he nears the net, I put enough pressure on his head to keep it up and prevent hooks from bumping the rim and/or tangling in the net. When the fish is about halfway inside the net, I grab the handle with one hand and lift up, so the rest of the fish slips neatly inside.

I should point out here that I always try to use the port side of the boat to land a fish. That way, I don't have a console to deal with. Of course, if your boat happens to have dual consoles, I reckon it's six of one and a half-dozen of the other.

A little Internet research revealed that Ergonomic Tools makes what they call a RoboHandle (see photo left) that easily attaches to almost any net handle to make landing fish a one-handed operation.

"Ladies and gents who fish alone see the benefits immediately," says Kevin Lee, the inventor. "Now, the netter doesn't have to worry about losing his/her grip on the net handle and allowing the net basket to twist, which can let the fish flop out.

"Instead, the angler holds onto a pistol grip, and the ring is near the elbow, so anglers can use their strong bicep muscles, instead of weaker forearm muscles, to hoist the fish in."

RoboHandle is available in two sizes: a medium size that fits pole diameters between 7/8 and 1 inch, and a large size that fits pole diameters between 1 and 1.4 inches. Both sizes attach with included clamps or #6 sheet-metal screws (not included). They retail for $19.95.

Lee originally designed this device for brooms and dustpans. "Cleaning crews immediately saw the advantages of it, and it was a natural to attach it to landing nets, too," he said. "The guys we've had as field testers, while catching muskies and big Great Lakes salmon, absolutely love it."

In case you're interested in more info or to place an order, here's the link: http://robohandle.com/.

For the Week Ending Sunday, June 4, 2017

Monday, May 29...From Rob C.: It was a good day for Mitch and me. We launched at 5:45 and fished for a little over an hour. Had to leave earlier than planned, though, to fix an issue with the water-pressure gauge on the boat. Caught a total of six bass, with the largest coming in around 2.5 lbs. My buddy, Craig, grabbed Mitch after we got my boat on the trailer, and they fished until about 12:00, catching a total of 12 bass and a few bowfin. All of the fish this morning came on a Pop-R and soft plastics.

Monday, May 29...From Ron: Went to Lovitt's this morning, with the high murky water. Only managed three dinks, all on the Whopper Plopper. Evening Milldam trip was awful. Only caught handful of tiny white perch. Missed three bass.

Tuesday, May 30...From Ron: My West Neck Marina launch this evening was better. There was no shortage of tiny perch on the beetlespin, but I also found some decent bass on the Whopper Plopper, including a 1-0, 1-4, 1-7, 1-11, and a 3-4. It was a satisfying trip with decent weather. Water was clear but still very high. All the bass were caught at the mouths of feeder creeks around structure. I ventured into the creeks but only had a few short strikes. This was the first trip in what seems like a long time that I found something over 2 lbs.

Wednesday, May 31...From Ron: Launched Indian River Road, headed south, almost to West Neck Marina, and slowly worked my way back. Got lucky with the thunderstorm cell, as it passed slightly north. Missed about 10 bass that were all decent size but managed to land eight of them. Most were dinks, but a 1-1, 1-11 and 1-15 were scale-worthy. Caught them all on the Whopper Plopper. Also caught a surprising, pole-bending chain pickerel on the WP that was not a pleasure to unhook. The chain pickerel weighed in at 3-6 and was just a hair shy of citation length. No bowfin, though.

Thursday, June 1...From Ken: After having good luck in Albright's last Saturday, decided to return there for seconds today. Once again, I had an all-day topwater bite, split between two different baits: a Whopper Plopper and a Buzzjet Jr., with the better fish coming on the latter. My totals included two small stripers and 11 bass, including six dinks, a 1-2, 1-9, 1-14, 1-15, and a 2-1. Nearly every fish came from a grassy area but one with some wood close by. Spent time in three different areas of Albright's, but the one without any visible wood on hand proved to be a waste of my efforts. I couldn't entice a single fish into taking a pass at anything I was throwing. It was an enjoyable day, given the pretty water, light winds, and all the action I had--far more than necessary to put a smile on this country boy's face.

Thursday, June 1...From Ron: Launched at West Neck Marina and headed south for a change--may have been a bad call? About third feeder creek on east side, I caught three bass (1-6, 1-7 and 2-2) in four casts on the Pop-R, then nothing for an hour and a half. Managed two tiny white perch on the beetlespin. Shifted to western feeders and had a few followers and short strikes. On way back, found two dinks along western shoreline. Slow evening overall. A guy at the ramp said he caught a slew of sunfish on the fly rod.

Thursday, June 1...From Tom: Caught 10 bass after Joe and I saw you. Two went over 2-and-a-half pounds, the rest were around a pound each. Caught them on sundry baits. Really didn't seem to matter if we were throwing buzzbaits, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, or worms--they were hitting everything. We had to be in tight to the grass, though, with the water being so high, 'cause otherwise, we didn't catch a thing. We stopped fishing at 1:30.

Saturday, June 3...From Ron: Launched Lotus Garden on Sandbridge Road Friday evening and found a few: a 2-13 and a dink bass, three small white perch, one 8-inch yellow perch, and three crappie between 10.5 and 11.5 inches. Kept the crappie in hopes of a few more today. Launched Milldam Creek this morning, trying to add to my taco fare. Caught several crappie (had to throw a few back), an 8.5-inch sunfish on the Pop R, three dink bass, plus a 2-1, 1-1, and 1-4. Bite was very good, but I had to call it quits early. Having better luck on the Pop R, compared to the Whopper Plopper. Many hits came while waiting for the initial cast rings to dissipate after landing. Interesting soft strikes; they just sucked it under while at rest. Had a great taco dinner!!! Chasing black sea bass Sunday.

Sunday, June 4...From Ron: My son and I were on a head-boat trip chasing black sea bass from 0800 to 1300. The kid caught three shorts, and I got a short flounder. All in all, it was a crappy trip. There were only about four keeper sea bass caught among 35 people. This evening, I launched at Blackwater Trading Post at 1700 and fished until 2100. River was way high and murky as all get out. Lost a very small catfish yakside and had a couple of gar strikes on the Pop-R. Not the best day. While recovering, noticed a snake on the dock that was just about underwater that had hooked up. Snake was about 4 feet long. At least someone was catching.

Fame Is Fleeting...

In the 1980s and 1990s, Guido Hibdon was building an enviable resume as one of the greatest bass fishermen ever to make a cast.

"He won the Bassmaster Classic in 1988 and the BASS Angler of the Year Award in 1990 and 1991," then-outdoors editor for the Kansas City Star, Brent Frazee, once wrote. "When his son, Dion, followed in his footsteps and won both the Bassmaster Classic and the FLW Forrest Wood Cup, the sport's highest honors, sponsors flocked to Team Hibdon.

"Father and son were members of Daiwa's Dream Team, and they were fishing celebrities, not only here but in other countries, such as Japan and Spain," continued Frazee.

"We didn't have much to worry about in those days," Guido once remarked.

"But things changed," noted Frazee. "The fishing industry started promoting its young guns...and old pros like Guido and Dion have been, for the most part, forgotten... .

"The Hibdons hit rock bottom (or so they thought at the time) during a two-day period in late fall 2014. First, Chevy announced that it was getting out of the pro fishing game, taking away Dion's title sponsor. A day later, Guido learned that one of his main sponsors, Luck-E-Strike Lures, was sold and the pro staff was reconfigured, dropping Hibdon."

The real bottom, however, didn't come until May 2016, when Guido was diagnosed with colon cancer and had to undergo chemotherapy treatments from June through December. When he finally received news he was cancer-free, his weight had dwindled from a robust 289 pounds to a mere 142, so doctors subsequently put him in the hospital "to get hydrated and give him a kickstart."

A "Go Fund Me" account was created May 4, 2017, with a goal of reaching $100,000 by July 4, 2017, to help the Hibdon family defray financial needs associated with Guido's illness. As of May 24, those proceeds stood at slightly more than $38,000.

While reading this account, I couldn't help remembering a Bassarama I attended at Richmond, VA, back in the '80s, when guest speaker Guido Hibdon seemingly had the bass-fishing world by the tail. I was OK with what he was saying until he held up the high-dollar rod and reel in his hand and told everyone in the audience that, if they couldn't afford the very best fishing gear like he had, they might as well find something else to do, because they'd never be any good. A large number of people, including me, simply got up and walked away.

Stories like this are all too common. People at the pinnacle of their success often find it difficult to remain humble...and remember from whence they came.

As award-winning author Frank Sonnenberg wrote, "These folks...buy expensive 'toys' to show how successful they've become...push aside colleagues who've helped them achieve success...abandon the values and principles that have made them successful. And worse yet, because they're successful in one area of their life, they come to think they're experts in everything. Why? They're so enamored with their own PR that their ego hardly fits in the room. Unfortunately, a swelled ego can cut short the payoff that these folks worked so hard to attain."

Does that profile fit the 70-year-old Guido Hibdon of today? I seriously doubt it--I certainly don't want to believe so. However, it was the persona he portrayed during at least one personal appearance back in the '80s, when I happened to be in the audience. And if I've remembered it this long, who's to say others haven't also? First impressions do matter.

The FLW has referred to Guido as "a legend of the sport of bass fishing. He earned a reputation as a top-notch bass angler on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri, where he began guiding at the incredibly young age of 12... . His FLW Tour career culminated in several wins and numerous top-10 tournament finishes. Known as 'the professor of finesse,' Hibdon has passed his fishing ways down throughout his family," including his son, Dion, as well as his grandson, Payden. Both currently fish the FLW Tour.

Limits All the Way Around

Seems a fair bet that all 14 anglers in the 9 boats today would tell you that they had a good time. It isn't often that everyone in the field weighs a five-fish limit, but that's exactly what happened.

Laying claim to first place was (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, with a total weight of 15.71 lbs. Their big fish weighed 4.54 lbs.

The second place prize went to (from left) Chris Fretard and Mike Miller, with a total weight of 15.46 lbs. Their big fish weighed 4.55 lbs., which was good enough to take big-fish honors.

The mystery-weight winner was Lenny Hall, with a total weight of 8.48 lbs, which was closest to the drawn weight of 4.05 lbs. He didn't weigh a big fish.








Here is how everyone else finished today's competition:

     * Steve Bailey had a total weight of 13.62 lbs. His big fish weighed 3.56 lbs.
     * Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible had a total weight of 12.67 lbs. after a 0.25 dead-fish penalty. Their big fish weighed 4.02 lbs.
     * Don Carter and Rob Peppers had a total weight of 11.40 lbs.. They didn't weigh a big fish.
     * Bobby Moore had a total weight of 10.97 lbs. He didn't weigh a big fish.
     * Wayne Hayes and Al Napier had a total weight of 10.23 lbs. They didn't weigh a big fish.
     * Ken Testorff had a total weight of 9.05 lbs. His big fish weighed 3.53 lbs.

Those numbers translate into these overall statistics: 45 bass weighed, 107.59 lbs. total weight, for an average weight of 2.39 lbs. per fish.

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to everyone who joined us today. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, June 10, from safe light to 2 p.m. I hope you can and will join us.

In the meantime, you're all invited to join Chris Vitovich and all his helpers next Sunday, June 4, at West Neck Marina for the annual Cancer Classic. You can get all the details by clicking on the article that appears at the top of the righthand sidebar on my blog's homepage.

Imagine my surprise when my bilge pump suddenly kicked on this afternoon shortly before time to head back to West Neck for weigh-in. There hadn't been a lick of rain all day, and yet a steady stream of water was being pumped over the side.

Turns out my fanny had made contact with one of the switches on my console that pumps water into the livewell. That contact had changed the switch's position from auto to manual, which was feeding a constant stream of water into the one livewell at a faster pace than the overflow could handle.

My first thought, however, was that the boat plug perhaps had failed. When I saw water spilling out of the livewell, though, I knew exactly what had happened. In no time, I had the matter under control.

This was another all-day topwater bite for me for the most part. I caught 7 of my 8 fish on the lure I'm calling my Whopper Popper. The one other fish hit my modified Senko rig. I spent the day fishing primarily four different stretches of water in Albright's.

All in all, it was a good day--plenty of sunshine, light winds, and no rain. Sure hope this is a signal of things to come. I'm really tired of the nasty stuff.

Remember the Ill-Fated S.S. Minnow of Gilligan's Island Fame?

My best-laid plans pretty well end up the same way much of the time.

For instance, just the other day, as I hopped online to order a couple spares of a certain color of a particular lure (and that's all I'm going to say about it), I couldn't find it anywhere I looked. Since the lure is relatively new, I couldn't believe this color already had been discontinued.

Then, a few days later, as I was out at the marina, trying to get some things done to my boat, people kept stopping by to chat a spell. Although it was quite easy to see what I was up to, most would ask, "What ya' doin'?" and I would oblige with a courteous answer.

My only hope was that none of them could read my innermost thoughts; after all, precious moments were slipping by ever so quickly, and I wasn't getting anything done. When the last guest finally had departed, I glanced at my watch, only to find I had no time left to finish my to-do list, so I just closed the door and headed home.

Guess maybe I'm not like most people in that, when I'm busy doing something, I'd just as soon not have any distractions. In short, I don't do well trying to walk and chew gum at the same time. I also don't drive and talk on the cellphone simultaneously.

However, I digress. Getting back to my original point, I decided to follow up the matter of lure-color availability with the manufacturer. I had an email response from a company rep in near-record time, in which he explained that the color I wanted is only available from one chain of stores. You simply cannot get it from any other outlet--not even from the manufacturer's online store.

I have no way of knowing for sure, but I'm guessing this practice very well may be duplicated throughout other establishments...for whatever reason. Just thought I'd pass the info along, for the benefit of anyone else who may have been as far in the dark as I was.

Let me also point out that, when you're looking for something like out-of-production lures on eBay, it pays to keep checking back on a regular basis. I just this past weekend happened upon a new listing for something I've been watching for the last three weeks or so. Turns out I got the last one the owner had in stock, and the mailman is supposed to deliver it today.

For the Week Ending Sunday, May 28, 2017

Tuesday, May 23...From Ron: "Launched from Indian River Road Bridge and started fishing West Neck Creek when the rain was very light, but it turned 'medium' and never let up. Caught five bass, including a dink, 1-4, 1-5, 1-8, and a 2-2, as well as an 11-inch crappie, all on the Pop R. Threw the Whopper Plopper around but had no takers. Lost three other fish on the Pop R, and think one was a bowfin. Water was crystal clear and flowing out. Needless to say, when I recovered at 8 p.m., I was soaked to the bone. Decent trip, though."

Wednesday, May 24...From Ron: "The weather-guessers got it wrong, again! The forecast was for easterly winds at 9 mph; the reality was 15-plus from the north, so Tecumseh was a bad call. I launched anyway,  in the hope that it would die down, but it never did. The lake was a murky, choppy mess. Managed a 1-6 and a 1-10 bass, as well as two 7-inch white perch. A Pop R was the ticket. The bass were little fatties that appear to be eating well. Loon Court still is closed so had to use the dirt road off Bullpup Road, which was a muddy mess of high grass, deep puddles, and a difficult launch. At least, I didn't get skunked."

Thursday, May 25...From Ron: "Launched upper West Neck at 4 p.m. and fished 'til I was stormed out at 5:30. Caught a decent 1-15 bass and had an explosive blowup on the Pop R with a big chain pickerel that I lost yakside. After the storm passed, went back out at 7 p.m. and managed to find a couple dinks. Lost a few better ones and landed a sunfish, again all on Pop R. Water clarity improved drastically AFTER the storm! Still was flowing in at recovery, 8:20 p.m. Gauge was very high. Had to limbo under the Indian River Road Bridge--a first."

Friday, May 26...From Ron: "Fished Lake Bradford this morning, but the wind was unbearable. Very murky. Caught one dink before calling it quits at 1000. Launched upper North Landing about 4:30 p.m., and the gauge was 3.5. The culvert was stacked with stripers, as the water was flowing out at a good clip, and after four of them, I headed to No Name Creek. Caught two wee dink crappie and a 1-7 bass. While heading back through the culvert, near the drawbridge, at sunset, I caught three more stripers. Had one "keeper," but he wiggled out of my grasp. Was about 20 or 21 inches. Great fight. XTS got the stripers, beetlespin got the crappie, and Pop R got the bass. Wind laid down to nonexistent near sunset, and it was a beautiful evening."

Saturday, May 27...From Ron: "Went to Rudee Inlet from 0800 to 1400 and participated in the cleanup til' about 1000, then fished and caught a big fat skunk. What you can't see in the picture is the half sofa cushion I was dragging behind me on my lip grip as it was too heavy to lift out of the water! Sure did make for slow progress. I estimate I was loaded up with about 50 lbs. of trash, not including the cushion!"

Sunday, May 28...From Ray: My son, Barry, and I had a most enjoyable trip on West Neck today. Using ultra light gear, with 4-pound-test line, we ended up with 43 fish. Included were two bass (.14 oz. the largest), with the rest crappie, blue gill, and white and yellow perch. Most of the fish were small, but there were some nice ones in the bunch. The water still was high and clear in some areas. Highest water temperature was 75 degrees. The lures we used were crankbaits, grubs and small spinnerbaits (1/6-oz. jig head, with a 2-inch grub and a #3 gold blade).

Sunday, May 28...From Ron: Launched Munden Pt. Park at 0700. Crossed and entered Snake Creek south. Fished the length of it and caught about 20 white perch (six keepers in the 10.5- to 12.5-inch range, the rest tiny). Also caught crappie, sunfish, a catfish, and two bass (1-7 and 2-10). Caught almost everything on the Pop-R, except for the catfish (beetlespin) and the 2-10 bass, which fell to the Whopper Plopper near Milldam. Exited via Milldam and back to Munden Pt. about 2 p.m. Very light boat/jet-ski traffic for the weekend, and I was thankful for that. Friend I was with had similar results but ended up catching a nice 25.5-inch bowfin on his Pop-R. Was a great day, and the tacos were yummy! Traveled about 7 miles and enjoyed the cloud cover. Prefer the white perch over the crappie, as it is "firmer," and the fillets fit just right in a 6-inch taco tortilla.

New West Neck Catwalks--A Work in Progress

For the benefit of those who my not have been around the marina in recent days, here's a current photo, courtesy of Skip, showing how the work on the new catwalks is coming along. As Skip commented, with a little luck and cooperation from the weather, we may get to christen the new fixtures at our scheduled tournament this coming Saturday.

Is There a Method to Your Madness, or Is It Just Madness?

More to the point, I'm talking about what dictates when you change lures during a typical fishing day.

For some, it's every 15 to 20 minutes. For others, it's every 30 to 40 minutes, or maybe once an hour. And for still others, it's whenever the mood hits 'em--sometimes after only a half-dozen or so casts.

If I'm throwing one of my confidence baits, I generally allow 30 minutes to an hour of no bites before I'll change lures. If I'm just running through baits to find one that works, I'm inclined to call off the dogs after as little as 10 or 15 minutes each. My goal on tournament days always is to find two or three baits early on that will draw strikes, and then wear them out for the rest of the day, provided the bites keep coming.

My research for this article turned up an angler who admitted that "the urge to change lures is a tough one" when the fish aren't biting. However, he has a special plan for areas that he feels sure hold fish, and he forces himself to stick to that plan, no matter the outcome.

"I start with tying on one of my favorite go-to lures," he said, "then tinker with retrieve, weight, color, etc." When those efforts fail, he always tries a topwater bait before leaving the area because, as he explained, "the fish sometimes are looking up, not down." He will stick with this plan through a few good areas before changing to a totally different lure and/or presentation.

I also found an angler who said, "If I want to catch large numbers of bass, I will change lures as often as necessary. If I want to catch a big bass, I will fish the same lure all day long." It would appear there may be some truth to that philosophy, because here's the photo of a fella who stayed with the same lure all day and ended up catching the 14.16-lb. bass he's holding.

In closing, let me pass along the following advice of professional bass angler Joey Nania:

"Fishing is one of the most complex sports that a person ever could get involved with, and it can be extremely frustrating if you don't know where to start.

"With thousands of baits to choose from, as well as hundreds of different bodies of water and fish species to chase, a good, solid starting ground must be found. The key to learning and growing as an angler is, first, spending time on the water, but while you do that, you need to start with a basic technique and stick with it.

"Many inexperienced anglers try to do way too much, believing that switching baits or colors will bring instant results and put more fish in the boat. Nine times out of ten, it is not so much what bait or color you're throwing, but the place and way you are throwing it.

"My suggestion is start out simple, with something like a shaky head with a straight-tail worm rigged on it. Go out in the boat with just the shaky head and nothing else and use it all day. Try it shallow, try it deep, but no matter what, get a good feel for how to slowly crawl the deadly shaky head on the bottom. I promise if you stick with it, you will get bites.

"Once you've mastered the shaky head or something similar, put it aside for a day and choose a new bait, such as a jig and craw trailer and stick with it until you find success. In fishing, it is extremely important to build confidence in different baits and presentations and then put in the time on the water that it takes to have a deep understanding of when and where to use each one."

Picking the Right Color...Not Always As Easy As It Sounds

I thought I knew how to pick colors for fishing lures, but after an online reading session yesterday, I'm not so sure.

My self-guidance always has been "dark colors on dark days, bright colors on bright days." I found one expert with the same understanding, but I also found one who had a bit different take on the subject. He advocated "natural, light-colored lures for clear water/sunny days, very bright or very dark lures for dirty water/cloudy days."

The latter's logic is that a bass' visibility is hampered by silt, and colors like chartreuse, yellow and orange are easier to see than bone, pumpkinseed and smoke. On the other hand, when water is clear and the fish can get an unobstructed look at the bait, it's best to go with softer, more natural colors.

For example, when water clarity is poor (visibility of a foot or less), many pros use spinnerbaits with chartreuse or yellow skirts or crankbaits in a firetiger pattern (orange belly, chartreuse sides, dark green back). Conversely, in clear water, white or white/blue spinnerbaits are favorites, as are crankbaits in chrome, bone and various natural finishes (crawfish, shad, sunfish, etc.).

The same principle applies to soft plastics. In dingy water, dense colors are the rule, and two-color worms with bright tails offer added visibility. Examples are grape, black or blue baits with chartreuse, red or orange tails. In clear water, lighter, more translucent lure colors seem to work best. Favored colors here include pumpkinseed, motor oil, strawberry, and smoke. Also, bits of metalflake molded into these see-through worms provide extra flash and attraction to bass in high-vis situations.

Preferred color combinations for the jig-and-pig are as follows: (clear water) black jig/blue trailer with either pork-chunk baits or plastic crawfish baits in black/brown and pumpkin pepper/green; (stained water) black/yellow and black/chartreuse are perennial producers.

So, now you know exactly what colors to throw the next time you hit the water...well, maybe not, as it turns out. What about all those unbelievably crazy color names assigned to hard lures and soft plastics alike today? You know what I'm talking about...names like nuclear chicken, roadkill, baby puke, scuppernong, foxy momma, chaos, green weenie, margarita mutilator, and the list goes on and on.

Although they seem random or downright silly, there is a very good reason for all these freaky colors: Bass love 'em, or maybe it's just that the fishermen love 'em. At any rate, they fly off shelves in tackle stores all across the country.

Believe it or not, there is a method to this madness. Experienced bass anglers have learned that presenting a completely new color to bass that aren't biting sometimes will turn them back on. They don't know, nor do they care to know the science behind this phenomenon. All they know and really care about is that, if it puts fish in the boat on a tough bite, it's worth having in their tacklebox, regardless of cost.

Look in any pro's box today, and you're apt to find at least a few colors not seen in nature--like hot pinks, blues, red chrome, and multi-colored lures--right alongside the standard colors. Take the lure color firetiger, for example. You'll rarely find a tacklebox without at least one crankbait in this wild, unnatural color (a mix of neon green, chartreuse, hot orange, and black stripes). It has been a go-to color for decades and produces bass as well as any naturally-colored lure.

The key to becoming a successful bass angler is to be willing to experiment with a variety of colors until you find what works best on your local waters. Start with colors that have been proven fish-getters in the past, or with colors the locals recommend, and branch out from there. Through trial and error, you'll eventually find the right pattern that unlocks the bite.

What's the Status of the West Neck Ramp?

That seems to be the pressing question on everyone's mind, including yours truly. I'm not sure how much help this short post will be, but for what it's worth, here's what I know, based on my fishing trip out of West Neck Marina yesterday.

The catwalk that incurred the damage during all the high water is in the process of being completely replaced. All the old stuff is gone, and a lot of the new stuff is in place, but the job is not complete. The most glaring safety concern I saw yesterday is that, while some new planks have been laid down, none of them appear to have been nailed/screwed in place. A couple of cones are in place at the head of the catwalk, but there are no signs warning you to stay away.

I want to believe that most adults, with even a little common sense, would be smart enough to stay off the new catwalk, but kids are an entirely different issue. And it has been my observation over considerable time, that, in some cases, parents let their kids run helter-skelter on the marina premises, which, given the new catwalk's unfinished state, only begs for trouble.

I called Steve before my visit yesterday morning and specifically asked if the ramp was open, to which he replied, "Yes." However, I would encourage anyone contemplating a boat launch there in the short haul to plan on using only the one remaining old catwalk.

As to when the new catwalk will be ready for use, I feel pretty certain the magic date--at the latest--will be Sunday, June 4th. That's the date for this year's Cancer Classic, which has moved its base of operations to West Neck this year, as a result of the sale of West Landing Marina. Given the crowd that usually accompanies that event, I have to believe the boat-ramp repairs at West Neck, of pure necessity, will have been completed by that date.

In the meantime, though, it is in everyone's best interests to use extra caution around the West Neck boat ramp, especially if any little ones are with you.

For the Week Ending Sunday, May 21, 2017

Monday, May 15, 2017..."Caught these two (weighing in at 1-2 and 2-5), plus four more that were all 12-inch dinks," said Jim B., who is currently fishing Lake Gaston. He went on to explain that one of them fell for a Whopper Plopper in a cove, while the rest of the fish went for a French fry. "You had to be a line watcher," he noted, "because all they were doing was picking up the FF and swimming off with it. With the wind howling out of the north, it was very interesting." In his words, "That 2.5 was dang near under the boat before I realized she was there--just swimming along as I reeled in line." Jim reported that the water level had been raised about a foot overnight. His guess is that the raise is a result of  the Roanoke River being at flood stage. "They probably have the flood gates open both here and at Kerr," he said.

Monday, May 15, 2017...Kayaker Ron made a quick trip to upper West Neck Creek, launching from Indian River Road at 6:30 p.m. The bite picked up at sunset, with Ron throwing the Whopper Plopper and Pop R. All the bass fell to the Pop R. Most hits occurred in the feeder creeks, adjacent to cypress trees. Ron ended up with four bass, including a 1-3, 1-5, 1-6, and a 2-1. He trolled a beetlespin but to no avail. "The water was very clear, and shad were jumping all around," he said.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017...This evening's email from Jim B. at Lake Gaston reported that he caught a total of nine bass today, including the three (two 1-2s and a 1-14) pictured here, plus a 12-inch dink and five more in the 6- to 8-inch range. He said he also had two good keepers come unhooked right at the boat. "The only thing that worked today was the French fry," he said. Jim stayed in the back of Pea Hill Creek today. "The water there was a bit clearer," he noted. Water temp was 72 this morning, and it had climbed to 80 when he called it a day at 3 o'clock. The one oddity on the day's events was that Jim found a 5.5-inch Senko in his first fish (1-2) that he caught this morning.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017...My outboard still was running at less than 100 percent today, but I felt comfortable taking it for a trip to Albright's this morning. It no longer is bogging down--there's just an intermittent surge issue (something that my mechanic feels is related to the fact the carbs likely need a little more cleanup). The big carp and gar were busy with their annual ritual all around Albright's, but I still managed to boat a total of eight bass, including a 1-6, 2-8, and six dinks--two or three of which would have eclipsed the 12-inch mark. The best part of the day was that it was another all-topwater bite all day long. The lure I used to catch everything was a Whopper Plopper (reckon I have to thank Skip for his "clinic" this past Saturday). Besides the eight I boated, I had about six other blowups and had short-lived hookups on two of those occasions--one of which was taking serious drag when he bid me adios. Don't know how long this topwater bite will continue, but you won't find me belly-achin' about it.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017...From Ron came this report: "Did a 6:30-to-8 p.m. trip into West Neck from the marina yesterday. Didn't get a bump until about 7:45, after a slight dip in temperature (when the sun hit the tree tops). Caught two dinks--one on a Whopper Plopper and one on a Pop R. Threw a craw to cypress, but they weren't interested. Had a couple short strikes and a couple misses. Beats a skunk. The bugs enjoyed the heat more than I did!"

Wednesday, May 17, 2017...From Ray came this report: "A friend took me to Lake Burnt Mills. He had a good day of 12 bass and a large bowfin. Meanwhile, I had a good day of three dinks and a fishing lesson (Who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks?). Senkos and other worms worked best. I also managed one bass on a jerkbait. Water temperature was in the low 70's and very deep and clear."

Thursday, May 18, 2017...From Jim B. at Lake Gaston: "Decided to check the forecast this morning and glad I did, because there was a big change from yesterday. The updated predictions were for 10-15 mph southerly wind today, with thunderstorms tomorrow afternoon and showers Saturday morning. I decided to fish a while today and get out of here tomorrow morning ahead of the weather. I don't clean boats in thunderstorms. When I cleared the cove where I'm staying this morning, that wind turned me around, and I headed to the back again. No topwater bite and nothing on the crawfish this morning, so I went back to the French fry. Fished about 3.5 hours and quit just after 1 p.m. The water temp this morning read 76 degrees--forgot to check it at 1. Caught five bass total, including the 1-4 and 1-11 in the accompanying panorama pic, as well as a 1-0 and two dinks."

Saturday, May 20, 2017...From Skip and Mitch: "We fished from about 6 a.m.to 12:15 and caught a total of 11 fish. There were no big ones but had a few around 2 lbs. Most fish were caught on flukes."

Saturday, May 20, 2017...From Ron:  "Fished House Cove Saturday morning from 0630 to 1000. 'Twas a very nice morning, clear, and the grass is coming up nicely. The trolled beetlespin got put away after the third catfish. Caught several very small bass and had my first double on the Whopper Plopper, but they were only in the six-inch range. Managed a 15-oz. and a 1-9 bass, as well as a small white perch. Most of the six bass attacked the WP, also had a couple dinks on a Silver Minnow. The trip out of House Cove was dreadful, as the wind had doubled what was forecasted. Went back out in the evening for a short trip to West Neck Marina (1830 - 2000). Fought the wind and headed north. Caught a 1-1 bass, tiny yellow perch, and a decent crappie at 13 inches. Crappie and bass hit the WP, yellow perch hit the beetlespin. All in all, not a bad day, but not a banner day, either."

Sunday, May 21, 2017...From Ron: "Having kept my lone crappie from Saturday evening, I needed a few more for the pan. Decided Milldam offered my best chances. The river gauge was low, having dropped a foot, but the water was very clear. Launched about 0800 and had five more crappie by 0900 (all between 10.5 and 12 inches). With the stringer full, I decided to target bass with the Whopper Plopper and Pop R. Caught eight bass, including a 1-0, 1-5, 1-9, 2-5 and four dinks."

Small in Numbers But Big in Enthusiasm...Despite the Nasty Weather

I'm talking, of course, about the fact we only had six boats and 11 anglers on hand for today's tournament out of Pungo Ferry, vice the usual West Neck Marina. Workmen were continuing repairs to the boat ramp at the latter site.

All boats weighed five-fish limits today, starting with the following winners:

1st Place, Gary Coderre, 13.56 lbs. total weight, 4.02-lb. big fish.

2nd Place, (from left) Mike Speedy and Stephen Hardwick, 12.45 lbs. total weight, 4.50-lb. big fish (today's lunker).

Mystery Weight winners, (from left) Duane Kessel and Bobby Moore, 9.70 lbs. total weight (closest to the drawn weight of 7.20), no big fish.







Here is how everyone else finished today's competition:

     * Paul Celentano and Paul Higgins, 11.51 lbs. total weight, 2.93-lb. big fish.
     * Wayne Hayes and Al Napier, 10.28 lbs. total weight, 2.95-lb. big fish.
     * Skip Schaible and Ken Testorff, 10.05 lbs. total weight, 3.56-lb. big fish.

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, May 27. I also have rescheduled a make-up tournament (for the one I cancelled on 4/29). The new date is Saturday, June 17. Start time for all events is safe light. The current weigh-in time is 3 p.m.

For a good while now, I've been hearing different anglers talking about the fish they are catching with the Whopper Plopper. Today, I got a firsthand demonstration at just how quickly this lure can change a person's or team's fortunes.

Somewhere around mid-morning, Skip and I were fishing along, trying to provide some company for the two bass in the livewell at the time, when all of a sudden, I see a nice bass inhale Skip's WP. I just had removed the hooks, put a culling clip in the fish's mouth, and tossed it in the livewell, when I hear another huge blowup from the same spot and look up to see Skip once again set the hooks on a nice bass. On two casts, he had put two more fish in the livewell and added between 5.5 and 6 lbs. to our total weight.

Once again, Skip swung the boat around for a third pass in the same area, but, lo, a third fish wasn't in the cards. Nevertheless, I congratulated him on the "clinic" he just had put on for my benefit. I think I almost was as excited as Skip, when all I really did was to net the fish for him.

The way I see it, nothing compares to a topwater bite. Still gives me an adrenaline rush, just thinking about those two bass Skip caught on the WP this morning. Way to go! my friend. And thanks for the ride.

While I'm passing out thanks, let me also give a big pat on the back to those "younger" ones among us for helping the "older" ones launch and recover boats and hold the weigh-in. You don't know how much we codgers appreciate your energy and strength. Makes me mighty proud to be part of an enthusiastic group dedicated to the principles of teamwork.

For the Week Ending Sunday, May 14, 2017

Wednesday, May 10, 2017...After two weeks without wetting a line, I was more than a little ready to get back into the thick of things today. The best part of the whole day is that the fish decided to cooperate with me. There was a Whopper Popper bite from 7:15 this morning when I started to 2:15 this afternoon when I made the last cast and caught my last fish. I boated a total of 10 bass, including 6 dinks, a 1-2, 1-5, 1-6, and 1-9. Easily missed at least that many more strikes that came unbuttoned en route to the boat or immediately dived in wood after I set the hook and managed to escape. Any day I have a topwater bite the whole time I'm on the water is an excellent day, as far as I'm concerned. Can't you tell I'm smiling from ear to ear? The fishing, however, isn't the only thing I'm smiling about. Wayne did a little more tweaking on my outboard this afternoon, and the subsequent test run finally went flawlessly. My ol' Skeeter popped out of the hole faster than she has in a long while. Suffice it to say she was shi..in' and gittin' all the way up West Neck Creek and back, without a single hiccup.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017...Ran into my good friend, Skip, about mid-morning in one of the West Neck coves. He chased 'em on one shoreline, while I tried to corral 'em on the other. Pictured here are two of the four fish he caught. Like me, he had some fish that got away before he could touch 'em. Skip was working a wacky worm, Pop R, and a fluke. Since neither of us has a partner lined up for the tournament this Saturday, we have decided to pool our resources and see how we work as a team. Haven't decided yet which boat we will be taking, but we still have a couple of days to work out that detail.

Wednesday, May 10, 2017...It was an evening of dinks for Ron. For the first two hours in Milldam, he couldn't find anything over a few inches, including white perch, yellow perch, sunfish, crappie, and small bass on the beetlespin. He also caught another small bass and had a few blowups on the Whopper Plopper. As darkness approached, he tried the XTS Minnow along the grass line and landed a decent 3-13 bass. Two of the crappie were pan size (at 10 and 11 inches). "At least, the bite was consistent," said Ron. "A nice variety and a nice change of pace from the saltwater fishing," he concluded.

Thursday, May 11, 2017..."Launched at Lotus Garden on Sandbridge Road for a windy, rainy sort of miserable trip this evening," said Ron. He went on to say he caught a whole bunch of very small panfish: a few keeper crappie and white perch, two chain pickerel (17- and 19-inchers), and four bass, but none over 13 inches. All the panfish were caught on a beetlespin. The bass fell for the Whopper Plopper. Ron reported having no luck at all this evening with the XTS Minnow.

Saturday, May 13, 2017...Today's weather demanded another protected creek trip. Ron fished Milldam from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., landing six bass (1-11, 1-14, 2-7 and three dinks) and losing a few. He also found some crappie and white perch on the beetlespin. A buddy with him caught chain pickerel, bass, crappie, yellow and white perch, sunfish and striper for a seven-species day. The bass were back in the feeders and aggressively striking the whopper plopper. It was very clear in Snake Creek and eastern Milldam but a murky mess back by Blackwater Road.

Sunday, May 14, 2017...When he launched today, things weren't looking good for Ron. The water was very murky, but that didn't stop him from peddling to Snake Creek, where he found clear water and an OK bite. He lost a decent bass on the Whopper Plopper and a nice bowfin on the beetlespin, but managed to boat two small white perch, one sunfish, and a bass that didn't really qualify. "Also had a slew of short strikes and misses," concluded Ron.