For the Week Ending Sunday, July 2, 2017

Monday, June 26...From Ron: Launched at West Neck Marina for a beautiful evening of fishing. Right off the bat, I landed a nice li'l 1-2 bass on the Pop-R. A few casts later, I caught a 14 oz. bass, and as I was lipping him, he got the best of me. While the Pop-R was hanging off my thumb, I managed to get him unhooked, weighed and released before I had to deal with the drama. Cut the line and called my spouse for wire-cutter delivery (note to self: keep wire cutters in the yak). My intention was to cut the hook and push it through the skin. On my way back to the ramp, a friendly boater provided assistance. He wrapped the hook with a piece of braid, I turned my head, and one quick tug later, I was back to casting after some first aid (bacitracin and a band aid). I owe the friendly boater my thanks, but I forgot to get a name. It was inevitable that what was about my 306th bass of the year should get the better of me. At least it wasn't on a Whopper Plopper. The evening wasn't a total loss. I went on to catch a few more dinks and handled them with a new appreciation. Ended up with three dinks and the 1-2. Lost a nice one to a branch wrap.

Tuesday, June 27...From Ken: After being out of action for more than a week, I was anxious to get back on the water. Turns out that I evidently picked a good day. When all was said and done, I had boated a total of 16 bass, including 8 dinks and 8 keepers (a 1-7, 1-8, 1-9, 1-10, 1-11, two 1-12s, and a 2-12). Only one of the fish came on a Whopper Plopper. The remainder fell for a BJ Jr. I also had about a half-dozen blowups today in which the fish didn't get connected. I caught everything in West Neck, fishing both directions. I feel whipped from my 8-hour adventure, but I'm all smiles. Haven't had a day like this in a long while. Thankfully, I had time to clean up the boat and tuck it in the shed before the 30-minute deluge hit this afternoon.

Tuesday, June 27...From Ron: Went out on a limb and purchased a new lure: a Z man Pop ShadZ, white,  rigged with a 5-0 weightless off set worm hook (three pack, $4.99) for my evening trip to Beggar's Bridge. Before I reached the grass, threw regular Pop-R and caught a few crappie, as well as two small bass. Decided to try the Z man Pop ShadZ, and first impressions are good. With it being weedless and snagproof, I was able to get it right up in the shoreline and over the grass. Caught six more bass and lost a bunch because I kept forgetting it is a plastic and I have to be patient with the hookset. Lost a bowfin as well. When fished with sharp rod twitch, pops just like a Pop-R, softer rod twitch gives a walking retrieve. Very durable and think I will be using them again. My bass included 3 dinks, plus a 1-0, 1-1, 1-3, 1-15, and 2-9. Really enjoying the cooler weather, and the gauge was a nice 2.3. Water a bit murky and there was a good amount of surface debris, but the bass didn't seem to mind. Thumb shows no sign of infection, yet.

Wednesday, June 28...From Ron: Launched at Milldam Creek from Blackwater Road about 6 p.m. The crappie and white perch were aggressively biting throughout my 2.5-hour trip. Caught eight crappie on just about everything I threw, as well as several white perch. Baits that I used included the Pop-R, Zman Pop Shadz, beetlespin and Whopper Plopper. Another good trip with the Z Man Pop ShadZ, which accounted for five bass and a couple crappie. The bass included a dink, 1-2, 1-4, 1-12, and 1-15. Lost even more to short strikes. Grass is getting thick in Snake Creek, especially with the lower gauge. Another good weather trip.

Thursday, June 29...From Ron: Launched and fished at Lake Tecumseh with Alex, starting about 5:30 pm. First half hour looked promising when I caught a 2-7 trolling a Whopper Plopper. Soon after, Alex caught a 2-14 while throwing a jig to a cypress base. Then we had a lull for the next few hours, only managing  a 1-8 on the Pop ShadZ, and Alex caught two dinks on the Z man Pop ShadZ. Think we caught the tail end of the bite earlier. Water was very murky, and it was windy. Grass has not come up as expected, and the lily pads are not as prolific as I thought they would be. Been a long time since I fished Tecumseh as Loon Court launch is closed. Launched off Bull Pup Road, with the dreadful little dirt road, very high grass, mud ruts, and all with the kayak carts.

Friday, June 30...From Ken: My fishin' lesson today was this: Don't let your big fish of the day get into the trolling motor, or you can kiss it bye. My sloppy rod work, coupled with getting ahead of myself, left me looking pretty foolish. I needed that fish to fill out a limit of keepers but had to settle for only four: a 1-0, two 1-5s, and a 2-9. Once again, the only lure that worked for me was the BJ Jr. The one that got away looked to be about 3 lbs. Unlike Tuesday, I really had to work for the fish I boated today, which included those four keepers, three dinks, and a small white perch. Most of the fish came out of West Neck, but I also picked up a few in Pocaty. All my fish came off the main creeks or right at the mouth of a cove. Fished a couple of coves today but didn't have even a smell in either one.

Sunday, July 2...From Ron: Launched at Blackwater Trading post today and made the long peddle to that unnamed creek. A good long trip was what I needed (if for no other reason than to test the repaired rudder from Friday's outing). Launched about 5:30 a.m. and recovered about 9:30. Similar to what Charlie reported last year, the bigger ones were closer to the entrance; the further in I ventured, the smaller they got. Caught a 1-3, 1-8, 2-4, 2-6, and 6 dinks. Most fell to the Pop ShadZ, but when the wind picked up around 8 a.m., I started throwing the Whopper Plopper and managed a few more. Grass isn't too thick in there yet. Am really enjoying that Pop ShadZ. Only drawback I can see is that it ends up a foot or two above the hook after a catch, and you then have to rethread it. Very durable though.

Sunday, July 2...From Skip: Met Mitch at 6 a.m., and we fished 'til 11:30. Went out of West Neck and up past Godfrey's Creek. We had a limit early and ended up catching a total between 15 and 20. We caught them on everything, including the double Whopper Plopper, but no really big ones.

Technology: Enabling Anglers to Fish and Eat at the Same Time

Who knew you could take a break from the trolling motor on even the windiest of days to retie, land a fish, have a sandwich, or do whatever else you want without having to worry about where your boat will end up in the process?

It's all thanks to some of the latest electronic GPS technology available today. Minn Kota calls theirs Spot-Lock. MotorGuide calls theirs Pinpoint.

As explained by Minn Kota brand manager, Brad Henry, "We consistently have maintained a culture of innovation and continuous improvements to our products--always with the angler in mind. After the launch of i-Pilot, which brought the revolutionary benefits of Spot-Lock to anglers, we did not stop. Through this commitment, we've reinvented Spot-Lock to make it the most accurate electronic GPS anchor ever."

The Spot-Lock feature enables use of the trolling motor as an electric anchor. It comes standard in both i-Pilot and i-Pilot Link systems that are factory-installed on a wide variety of Bluetooth-enabled bow-mount trolling motors. These include Ultrex, Ulterra, Terrova, and PowerDrive, as well as Riptide Ulterra, Riptide Terrova, and Riptide PowerDrive.

With only the push of a button, anglers remain actively locked onto their spot.

Meanwhile, "Pinpoint GPS uses an ultra-precise GPS receiver and control algorithms to keep the boat positioned tightly on the target," says Ben Curtis, category director for MotorGuide.

Through a compact, easy-to-use hand-held remote, Pinpoint GPS enables anglers to move a boat in five-foot increments in any direction and store up to eight locations in "anchor" mode.

"Being able to position and jog your boat to make the best possible bait presentation is essential to bringing home a bigger catch," said Curtis.

Pinpoint GPS also features "heading lock" and "cruise control" options to navigate the boat to specific compass headings, while holding a constant speed against wind and current. In its "route memory" mode, Pinpoint GPS can store and recall up to eight routes of four miles each.

Before you rush out to buy one of these electronic marvels, it's necessary to understand this kind of technology doesn't come cheap. Based on a minimum amount of research, I learned that these trolling motors routinely retail for anywhere from $1,300 to $2,300--all of which are well out of my league.

Talk About Being in a Feeding Mood

I didn't hear a single grumpy comment from the 13 anglers in 7 boats who fished today's tournament, despite the fact their day began with some strong winds. At blastoff, the trees were swaying in a breeze that was running about 19 mph, with gusts to more than 30.

The anglers adjusted their game accordingly, and everyone brought five-fish limits to the scales. The overall weight of their 35 bass totaled 103.48 lbs., which translated into an average weight of 2.95 lbs. per fish. (Note: By comparison, Bob's top 7 tournament places today weighed a total of 97 lbs., so there were lots of nice fish caught everywhere. Makes me wonder if maybe there's something to those Astro Tables after all. They show June 22, 23 and 24 as "excellent" fishing days, with values at 93, 99 and 89, respectively.)

Walking away with all the marbles were the following two teams:

(From left) Mike Miller and Chris Fretard, 1st place, 18.40 lbs. total weight, 4.85-lb. big bass.

(From left) Duane Kessel and Bobby Moore, 2nd place, 17.77 lbs. total weight, 5.35-lb. big bass, which captured the day's lunker prize.

Mystery-weight winner was Jim Wilder, who had a sack weighing 9.79 lbs. That weight came closest to the drawn weight of 3.75 lbs.








Here is how everyone else finished the day's compeition:

     * Chris Napier and Al Napier, 17.47 lbs. total weight, 4.90-lb. big bass.
     * Randy Conkle and Bob Glass, 16.73 lbs. total weight, 3.78-lb. big bass.
     * Rob Peppers and Don Carter, 12.46 lbs. total weight, 3.76-lb. big bass.
     * Andy Morath and Diana Mendez, 10.86 lbs. total weight, 3.35-lb. big bass.

Duane Kessel is the 7th competitor to join the list of those eligible to participate in the two-day, season-ending Classic as the result of today's tournament.

Congrats to all the winners, and thanks to everyone who joined us. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, July 8, from safe light to 2 p.m. Look forward to seeing you.

I've always had bad timing for one reason or another, and today marked yet another such occasion. Because of the predicted strong winds, I had decided I was going to take the day off. Boy! Did I ever make a mistake!

I can't remember the last time I saw so many 3-plus-lb. bass coming to the scales for weigh-in. Those fish weren't just in a feeding mood...they evidently were starved. And the best part of all is that they really didn't seem to mind what you were throwing at 'em. I heard several different baits mentioned. It truly was the kind of day that takes a lot of the sting out of all those occasions when the only thing that seemingly would work is a stick of dynamite.

It also was the kind of day that would have put a big ol' smile on Dewey's face. He always enjoyed seeing the guys have a banner day, and today certainly was that.

Go Back to Bed, Or Go Fishing? That's the Question

You wake up on your first day off in a couple of weeks or more and check the weather, only to find that the forecast calls for the kind of day every fisherman abhors: a bluebird sky and little to no wind. So, the question of the day becomes: Do you say to heck with it and go back to bed, or do you get dressed, grab your gear, hook up the boat, and go fishin'?

I tend to believe most would opt for the second choice. It has been a fair spell since I last had to punch a time clock; however, I darn sure haven't forgotten how much joy I derived from spending a day off on the water. I undoubtedly passed up a few such opportunities over the years, but you can be sure it was only a few.

I just wish I had stumbled across the article I recently read online back in those earlier days. It addresses one way to tackle bluebird, calm conditions. Specifically, it talks about fishing a hard jerkbait (the classic minnow plug) on top in shallow water, say 1 to 5 feet. Sound interesting? Then stay with me here, and I'll explain the details.

Since this bait won't make too big of a splash, you need to work an area slowly and place each cast so you cover the precise area where you think the fish are holding. Ever-so-gentle movements are the key to success. A slight twitch of the rod tip is all you need. With the lure's small bill and a gentle touch, you can keep it in an area the size of a coffee cup.

Cast just past the target and slowly work the bait up to the strike zone, just like any other topwater lure. Once in the strike zone, don't get in a hurry, because any sudden jerk likely will spook any fish in the vicinity. Most times, you won't get a violent explosion. Instead, the bait usually just disappears from the surface, as the fish suspended directly below it sucks it down.

While holding in the strike zone, gently pull the bait, rather than twitching it, which will cause the lure to dip slightly to one side, then let it return to the surface. If you don't get a strike near the target, go ahead and work the bait back to the boat in the 1-to-3-foot range.

Some anglers prefer a different version of the jerkbait. They like to use a Bagley's Bang-O-Lure, which, of course, has a small prop added to the rear hook. Working this bait with a sharp jerk and, if you want, an occasional big splash, you can cover a huge area very quickly and efficiently, or you can work it slowly.

The Bang-O-Lure is always a good lure to use in those tough-bite conditions when the fish are scattered, shallow and reluctant. According to some, "It seems to work when nothing else will."

For the Week Ending Sunday, June 25, 2017

Monday, June 19...From Ron: Fished upper West Neck Creek from Indian River Road. Gauge was 3.6 and rising. Lost a bass and two gar on the Whopper Plopper. Saved from a skunk by a 7-inch crappie on the Beetlespin. At least the breeze made for a nice evening. Oh well.

Tuesday, June 20...From Ron: Launched at Old Pungo Ferry Road for a trip to Albright's. Fished from 5 o'clock to 8:30. Lost five bass on the Heddon Spook before I switched to a Pop-R. Think the slower Pop-R helped. Ended up with a 1-0, 1-10, and a 2-8. My son went out with me for a rare trip (all busy now with friends and surfing--no time for fishing). He landed a dink, 1-2,  2-4, and had a bunch of misses on a Buzzbait. Gauge still was way too high. I thought they would be back in the creeks, but most of my hits and catches were on points of feeder creeks. While following up a topwater miss with a fluke, I had the Whopper Plopper dangling on the surface with the rod across my lap when a bowfin hit the WP. He only was on for a second or two, but I suspect that is what the original miss was. The WP generated a bunch of short strikes. Tried the XTS Minnow, Flukes, Senko, and Beetlespins, but the Pop-R was the only productive lure tonight.

Wednesday, June 21...From Ron: My son and I launched at Lotus Garden about 5 p.m. Within 10 minutes, I had landed a small chain pickerel, a crappie, a white perch, and a bass on a Beetlespin. They all were dinks, but the bite was on. Alex ended up with nine bass, including a 1-0, 1-14, and 2-0. The rest ran about a pound each. He was getting them on Zoom Flukes and buzzbaits. I ended up with seven bass, including a 1-7 and 2-1. All the rest were dinks. I also caught five small white perch, two crappie, and a small sunfish. The panfish were hitting the Beetlespin. The bass fell to the Pop-R and Flukes. Was a really good trip, with a consistent bite. Lotta fun 'till the bugs came out at sunset.

Thursday, June 22...From Ron: Launched at 5 p.m., with gauge at 2.77, and fished Milldam Creek. Recovered at 9 p.m., with gauge at 2.55. Think the outflow helped with the bite. Target was panfish, so I trolled two Beetlespins under bobbers (one right side, one left), while throwing Flukes or topwater baits to the shoreline. Everything was going according to plan, and I was building a stringer of taco fare, with an occasional bass. Entrance to Snake Creek south was chock full of gar that were pestering my Beetlespins and swiping at my Pop-R. Decided to throw a Fluke and caught my first-ever gar on a plastic, hooked right under the jaw. With stringer almost full, headed to Snake Creek north. Was entering the feeder creek and hooked into a decent bass on the Whopper Plopper. As I was reeling it in, ultralight rod with Beetlespin doubled over with drag screaming. Quickly landed the whopper (1-10), placed him near my feet, and grabbed the ultralight rod. Great fight resulted in a 3-2 bass on the Beetlespin. Shortly thereafter, I was working the WP when the beetlespin rod bent a bit with a 12-inch crappie. I stopped reeling the WP to deal with the crappie, and my WP line took off with a dink that gently sucked up the motionless lure. Needless to say, it was good evening trip: six bass (three dinks, plus a 1-5, 1-10 and a 3-2), as well as six white perch and three crappie in the 11-to-12-inch range.

Friday, June 23...From Ron: With the wind blowing, decided to seek some protection in upper North Landing and hopefully a bowfin. Found wind protection but no bowfin. Saw a bunch of gar being active but no bait swimming around. Water still was rising and very clear when I launched at 6:20 and never went out as I hoped for. Managed to catch six bass, including three dinks, a 1-8, 1-10, and a 1-11. Also caught a couple sunfish on the small Pop-R. 'Twas a nice evening, and the bugs were absent due to the wind, I guess. Wind predicted to shift out of the north Saturday night...maybe will help the bite.

Saturday, June 24...From Ron: Launched about 6:20 p.m. with the kid. We headed north under the West Neck Creek Bridge and worked the feeder creeks. I ended up with six dinks on the Pop-R. Meanwhile, Alex caught a 4-2 bass. My six dinks would not have equaled half that weight. He got the big one on a Mann's 1-minus crankbait. This was a case where quality won out over quantity.

Sunday, June 25...From Ron: Launched at sunrise and fished House Cove, Back Bay, 'till about 9 o'clock, when the water clouded up and the bite seemed to turn off. Caught eight bass, including a 1-5 and seven dinks. One hit a fluke following a miss on the Whopper Plopper. All the rest came on a WP when the grass would allow. Also tried the Silver Minnow, Pop-R, and swim Senko. Alex caught four, his biggest a 1-10. This evening, Ron launched at Blackwater Road and started fishing Milldam Creek about 5:30. Hooked into a 13-inch chain pickerel in the launch creek on a Pop-R, then headed eastward. The bite improved about 7 p.m., and I managed a dink, two 1-5 bass, a 1-6, and a 2-7, all on the Pop-R. Also caught a couple crappie and six white perch but released everything this evening. It was much cooler, making for a very pleasant trip, with a rewarding sunset.

Undecided

That's the name of an old tune that begins with these lyrics:

First you say you do

And then you don't

And then you say you will

And then you won't

You're undecided now

So what are you gonna do?

"Undecided" pretty much describes the weather these 15 anglers in nine boats had to deal with in today's tournament. We would have a little sunshine for a spell, followed by a little shower, then the scenario would repeat itself. As a result, we were forced to constantly shift into and out of our rain gear. At day's end, these "quick-change artists" weighed in a total of 32 bass, for a total weight of 72.3 lbs. and an average weight of 2.25 lbs. per fish.

The following anglers comprised the winner's circle today:

(From left) Randy Conkle and Bob Glass, 1st place, five fish, 15.92 lbs. total weight, 3.49-lb. big bass.

Bobby Moore and (not pictured) Duane Kessel, five fish, 2nd place, 14.15 lbs. total weight, 3.81-lb. big bass, which was good enough to claim today's lunker pot.

(From left) Nelson Anderson and David Dozier, 3rd place, five fish, 12.34 lbs. total weight, no big bass.

(From left) Skip Schaible and Mitch Portervint, mystery-weight winners, three fish, 3.31 lbs. total weight, no big bass. Their total weight was closest to the 3.30-lb. tab that was drawn.

Here is how everyone else finished today's competition:

     * Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five fish, 10.77 lbs. total weight, 2.88-lb. big bass.

     * Al Napier, five fish, 9.72 lbs. total weight, no big fish.

     * Sean Vitovich and Jim Wilder, four fish, 6.09 lbs. total weight (after 0.25 deduction for one dead fish), no big fish.

     * Steve Bailey and Ken Testorff didn't weigh any fish.

Five more anglers qualified today to fish our season-ending two-day classic, bringing the total thus far to six.

Congrats to all of the winners, and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for next Saturday, June 24, from safe light to 2 p.m. I hope you can join us.

A common refrain from tournament anglers today, as well as others I've been talking to in recent days, is that a lot of small bass are being caught. I had five short ones today, too--all measuring between about 10 and 11 7/8 inches. I caught one white perch that was bigger than any of those five.

Topwater baits appear to be working for most folks early, with soft plastics then getting the nod. Haven't talked to any anglers who say they have been catching fish on crankbaits.

I thought about throwing a wakebait today but changed my mind when all three of my chosen topwater baits kept garnering strikes. Unfortunately, all of those strikes appeared to be random in nature, so I never was able to figure out what kind of areas I should be targeting.

From My Rearview Mirror

Quite by accident, I stumbled across a 38-year-old The Washington Post article (see https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1979/05/20/back-bay-unbeatable-for-going-bass-fishing/ca3272a2-b327-4e06-86b5-106795356532/?utm_term) the other day by Angus Phillips, the Post's outdoor writer for 35 years.

Titled "Back Bay Unbeatable for Going Bass Fishing," the article talked at length about "Virginia's 25,000-acre pond behind the dunes." As I was reading, I couldn't help thinking about my late bewhiskered pal, Dewey Mullins, who often mentioned some of the same people referenced in this article.

One name not mentioned among the group, however, was "John, the barber," whom Dewey often referred to as a good fishin' buddy of his. John was with him that September 1979 day when Dewey landed his 13-3 citation-sized bass from Back Bay.

Since I already was in a research mode anyway, I decided to go a little farther and see what I could find out about his buddy.

Turns out that John, the barber's full name was John Wesley Thornton. He lived in Virginia Beach for 60 years before his death on Jan. 9, 2010, at age 81. Like Dewey, he, too, was a Navy veteran. And he owned John's Barber Shop in London Bridge, where, according to the obituary, "Many conversations took place, but most topics revolved around bass fishing, John's favorite sport!"

For just a moment, I was taken back in time to those countless days I spent in the West Neck Marina Store, where Dewey took center stage, regaling me and others with his tales of bygone fishing trips to Back Bay and other places.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I, for one, truly miss my old friend. He left a hole that, as far as I'm concerned, never will be filled again. Why? Because you simply can't replace a genuine one-of-a-kind.

For the Week Ending Sunday, June 18, 2017

Tuesday, June 13...From Ray: Roy Gordon and I fished West Neck today. Roy caught five bass, with the largest weighing 4 lbs. 2 ozs. I caught three bass, with the largest weighing 2 lbs. We also caught 10 or so bream. which is always fun. The water was fairly clear; the temperature was 80 degrees. The lures for the day were the Senko, spinnerbait and small spinner.

Tuesday, June 13...From Ron: I finally found one to take some drag, as well as four dinks and a red-ear sunfish. My guesstimate on weight is close to 2 lbs. I fished Brush Creek Reservoir, near Butlerville, Indiana, home of the Indiana state crappie record: 4 lbs. 11ozs., caught in 1994. I didn't find any crappie. Very limited bank fishing opportunities, with heavily wooded and steep banks.

Wednesday, June 14...From Ron: Got home yesterday and dusted off the kayak. Launched Milldam from Blackwater Road and headed to Snake Creek. Found what I was looking for: taco fare, including six crappie and two white perch. Yum! With my stringer full, I targeted bass in Snake Creek south and found a few. More followers and misses than I landed, but it was great to be back out there. Panfish fell to beetlespins under bobber. Big white perch (12.5 inch) hit Pop-R. Bass on Pop-R and Whopper Plopper. Caught four bass (1-0, 1-2, 1-10, and a dink), eight crappie, and seven white perch, but I only kept the 10-inch-plus panfish (eight total).

Saturday, June 17...From Ron: Launched Beggars Bridge and headed south on a 7-mile trip that went from 0540 to 1200. Trip back was with the wind, which picked up. Caught 13 bass, including a 2-1, three dinks, and nine that were between 1 and 2 lbs. Most of my bass were caught on flukes. However, also landed a few on Whopper Plopper. Had a "floating" snake follow me around for about 10 min. He was all on top of the water. Since I was fishing a very skinny creek, I was on edge but enjoyed the long trip.

Sunday, June 18...From Ron: The gate to the Alton's Creek launch (from Blackwater Road) has been open for a month or so now. Decided to drive back there, use the cart, and launch the yak. Morning was very slow. Tried Flukes, Whopper Plopper, Pop-R, and Beetlespin. Managed 4 bass, including a dink, 1-1, 1-9, and 2-2, as well as a couple small white perch and an 8.5-inch sunfish. Called it quits about 1030, when it became too hot.

Sunday, June 18...From Ray: My son, Barry, and I fished West Neck today. The water was very high, and I didn't expect much, but we had a good time. We ended up with two 1-lb. bass and 15 bream, mostly crappie. Small spinnerbaits (not Beetlespins) were the only thing they hit, although we tried several lures. Water temperature was 83 degrees and clear. I told Barry it wasn't nice to outfish his old dad on Father's Day.

A Tough Day for Some, Not So Tough for Others

That was the feeling I got from firsthand conversations I was a part of today, as well as some I heard about while the 22 anglers in 14 boats were weighing in their catch this afternoon. The final overall tally was 43 bass caught, for a total weight of 91.72 lbs. and an average weight of 2.13 lbs. per fish.

Anglers who walked away with a pay envelope included the following:

(From left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, 1st place, five bass, 12.95 lbs. total weight, 3.90-lb. big fish.

(From left) Mike Miller and Chris Fretard, 2nd place, five bass, 12.40 lbs. total weight. Chris also claimed the day's lunker pot with a 4.09-lb. fish.

(From left) Duane Kessel and Bobby Moore, 3rd place, five bass, 12.19 lbs. total weight, 3.10-lb. big fish.

(From left) Rob Peppers and Dave Anderson, 4th place, five bass, 11.90 lbs. total weight, 3.66-lb. big fish.

Mystery-weight winner was Steve Bailey, who had a three-fish total weight of 5.55 lbs., which was closest to the drawn weight of 6.00 lbs. He didn't have a big fish.








Here is how the rest of the field finished the competition:

     * Al Napier, five bass, 9.86 lbs. total weight (after a 0.25 lb. deduction for one dead fish), no big fish.
     * The team of Mike Speedy and Stephen Hardwick, four bass, 9.19 lbs. total weight, 3.67-lb. big fish.
     * Lenny Hall, four bass, 7.50 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Zack Rhodes and Austin Taylor, five bass, 7.16 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Mitch Portervint and Skip Schaible, two bass, 3.02 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * The team of Rob Chatham and Ken Testorff disqualified themselves for Ken having started the gas motor on one occasion before donning his lifejacket.
     * The following anglers did not weigh any fish: Wayne Hayes, Andy Morath, and Jim Bauer.

The first and only angler to date to qualify for our season-ending two-day Classic is Skip Schaible, who has fished all seven contests so far. Several other anglers, however, are poised to join him on the eligibility list with the next tournament they fish.

Congratulations to all of today's winners and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is next Saturday, June 17, from safe light to 2 p.m. I hope you can join us.

Besides being a tough fishing day for both my partner and me, some things happened that made it a day I won't soon forget.

You need to understand I frequently launch casts that end up in weeds, stumps and what-have-you, then have to claw my way to the lure to save it for another occasion. Today was no exception to my propensity to make errant casts (there were about 12 of them, according to my partner). However, I only had to go get my lure one time all day, and that happened very close to the end of the day when the warm weather and eight hours of fishing time were starting to tell on me.

The rest of the day, I was amazing myself with a hitherto nonexistent uncanny ability to retrieve lures from a long distance. On one occasion, I managed to unwrap a lure that had taken three turns around a limb on a downed tree along the shoreline. On a couple other occasions, limbs simply broke off, allowing me to effortlessly retrieve everything. On yet another occasion, a lure unwrapped one turn from the limb of an upright tree, then caromed off the base of the tree and landed in the adjacent water, whereupon I simply began a normal retrieve.

Not everything about the day, though, could be framed in such a positive light. After all, there was the matter of that one occasion when I absent-mindedly started the gas motor before I had donned and fastened my lifejacket. While the tournament duo in one boat who witnessed my infraction of the rules declined to file a complaint, I was not prepared to accept their willingness to turn a blind eye and voluntarily disqualified my partner and myself for the day.

And then came the moment when Rob and I were getting ready to head for the basin for weigh-in, only to be flagged down by a young couple whose jet ski wouldn't start. They asked for a tow to the ramp area, which, of course, we honored.

Here's hoping I see a return to normalcy the next time I'm on the water.

For the Week Ending Sunday, June 11, 2017

Wednesday, June 7...From Ken: In the cool, cool, cool of the morning, I launched from West Neck and ran south to Albright's yet again. I eventually found fish but not along the same grassy shorelines as last Thursday. Business didn't pick up until I moved to the back of the creek and started targeting wood. Using the Whopper Plopper and what I affectionately call the Whopper Popper, I managed to put a total of 10 bass in the boat, including five keepers (1-2, 1-6, 1-7, 1-7, 1-8) and five dinks. Also had several blowups that didn't translate into a hookup. Seemingly had Albright's all to myself today--at least, I never heard or saw another boat. Today will be my only trip this week before our next scheduled tourney on Saturday.

Friday, June 9...From Ray: Fished West Neck today, catching a total of 13 fish, including three bass (to 2 lbs.) and 10 bream, mostly crappie.

Friday, June 9...From Ron: Tried bank fishing for first time ever at Deams Lake, Indiana, where I'm currently visiting. Grass and some kind of lure-grabbing weeds made it difficult until I hiked a bit and worked an open shoreline. Caught eight small bass and think a couple were smallmouths (?). Caught everything on Pop-R. Worked a Yum Dinger in the thick grass and caught one sunfish. I miss my kayak!