Farewell to a Bassin' Buddy

Duane E. Kessel

July 15, 1960 - Jan. 29, 2018

It was with great shock and sadness that I learned of the passing of friend and fellow bass angler, Duane Kessel, on Monday, Jan. 29th. Mere weeks earlier, I had the pleasure of talking one-on-one with Duane after he had come off the water from a day of fishing.

Little did I know our parting handshake on that occasion would be our final one--ever. Makes a person give due pause to consider the fragility of this thing called "life." None of us know when we will draw our last breath, but we all should live as though the next one very well may be the last.

Here's hoping, Duane, that the great pond up yonder is filled with nothing but 8-pounders. If it is, there's no doubt you will be one happy camper. In the meantime, please know you'll never be forgotten by those of us left behind.

Rest in peace, my brother.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, at Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Great Neck Chapel. Condolences may be offered to the family at www.hollomon-brown.com.

Losing a Fish, Especially a Big One, Sucks

Before you go any further, I invite you to take time and watch the video that goes with this photo. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okJh49x9qTs.

It's one thing to lose a monster catch due to your own angling skills (or lack thereof), or because your tackle fails, but when the culprit is a speeding idiot on a boat, you're left with a whole different form of frustration.

As noted by Jesse Males, the gent who posted this item on the Web, "It would have been hard not to (want to) find a way to get some sweet revenge" for anyone who had been this kind of victim.

Who knows? Perhaps this bite had been the fella's only one all day. If so, this loss had to be doubly bad.

Males contends that recovery from losing a fish involves seven stages. First, there is denial, during which time you may have some self doubts about whether you ever would have been able to land the fish in the first place.

Then comes the realization that you didn't land the fish, and you'll likely never see it again.

The third stage is assigning blame, which, in this case, is quite easy--it was the idiot driving the speeding boat. Otherwise, it might have been the line's fault, or maybe the rod and reel hadn't worked right, or perhaps your horoscope for that day had you jinxed (it had said not to expect any good luck).

At this point, you fly into a rage. All your anger about what happened comes bubbling to the top.

Once your anger calms down, you get slapped in the face with a bout of despair. There's just no other way to feel about the hawg that got away but sad.

Then comes recovery, as you realize there are plenty of other fish in the sea.

Finally, it's on to the next one. You just get a few seconds to run through all of these emotions, before it's time to make another cast and try to get your next fish.

Even kids have been known to throw a temper tantrum over losing a fish. Males says the young man in the accompanying photo went totally bonkers when he lost one. "He even tried to attack his fellow fisherman and the guy with the camera."

Here's hoping all your future fishing trips allow you to come away smiling from ear to ear.

In Case You've Been Wondering...

As the 90th day draws nigh, progress is being made on the new Pungo Ferry launch ramp (photo taken Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018). However, I suggest it looks like completion probably won't occur until sometime in February, at the earliest. Will continue these periodic updates until I see the first boats launching again.

A Fair-Weather Fisherman, He Isn't

Pictured here is FLW angler Ron Penders, Jr. of Rochester, NY. I really don't understand how anyone maintains their concentration under conditions like this, but more power to those who can. Found this photo in the latest issue of Jay Kumar's Bassblaster.

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

I've done plenty of stupid things on the water (for that matter, I reckon most of us probably have), but as I've learned from my Internet research, there is lots of company out there. Following are a few examples I found during one recent day of surfing:

It was November and the end of a fisherman's first year in his very own bass boat. He and his partner were fishing an open tournament. At the day's halfway point, they had 5 of their 8-fish limit and were feeling good about their chances. After going to a spot they had pre-fished a couple days earlier, they just had started fishing down a bank with the wind when they heard someone motoring toward them. The guys in the other boat proceeded to drop the trolling motor and started fishing only a cast away ahead of them. The flag on their trolling motor clearly signaled they also were in the tournament.

That's all it took to tick off the first boatowner. Rather than start chunking baits at the second boat and probably cause an argument, though, the first boatowner decided to motor up and leap frog 'em. He strapped his rods down, started the gas motor, and dropped the hammer. Next thing he knew, however, he was getting soaked by a spray of water. Seems he had forgotten to lift the trolling motor. Damage included a bent shaft and chewed up pinion-nut gears. Moral of the story: Learn from your stupidity. Always double- and triple-check that you have pulled up your trolling motor before you take off.

A guy and his partner were fishing a 5-fish-limit team tournament. With only 10 minutes of fishing time left, the one dude boated about a 3-lb. largemouth. There was just one problem: In the excitement of the moment, he then opened the livewell and...threw the fish back in the lake!!! Talk about a brain fart! His partner of 35 years later told him the look on his face was priceless. "We still laugh about it to this day," admitted the duo.

Remember that saying, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again?" I read about a fella who carried that saying to the extreme. It started by casting an expensive crankbait to a spot where it got hung up, and he ultimately lost the lure. He then mistakenly thought "that won't happen again," and cast another expensive lure to the same spot. Once again, he was forced to break off. As luck would have it, he ended up losing a total of four expensive lures to the same spot in as many casts before he finally figured out he would be better served to find a different area.

Unfortunately, bad luck seemed to follow this fella everywhere he went. At a later date, he once again fell victim to Murphy's Law. Seems he failed to tighten the cap on his pontoon boat after filling it with air. And when he was about halfway across the lake, he heard the cap pop off the pontoon, followed by that telltale whoosh of air subsequently shooting out the hole. It wasn't much fun realizing that he was going to be anything but dry by the time he made it back to shore.

Finally, we come to a fisherman who made it a habit never to pull the boat's drain plug because, as he put it, "I'm too scatterbrained to remember to put it back in." One morning, after having just gotten his boat out of storage at the local marina, he was planning to spend the day on the water. It wasn't 'til he had launched the boat and was parking his rig that he decided he'd better check the plug, in case the marina had pulled it. That quick check revealed no water in the bilge, so he figured he was good to go. Did I happen to mention that he planned to make a long run that day?

Anyway, after fishing for 4 or 5 hours, he was heading back when he happened to glance down and saw water coming up through the floor drain (boy! can I ever relate to that sickening sight!). He came off step and activated the bilge pump but quickly figured out it wasn't keeping up with the inflow of water. "Gotta try to get back on pad," he thought. "If I can, the water probably will drain out." He was only a mile or so from the marina at the time but still had to cross a deep-water channel. He trimmed the outboard down, dropped the hammer, and, after what seemed like an eternity, finally got on pad.

"Got it made now!" he undoubtedly was thinking, as he watched his speed reach 65...but that was before he looked up ahead and saw the big cruiser that was running up the channel. "I hit that freakin' wake and went airborne," he said. "All that water shifted to the driver's side, and that boat went like 80 degrees sideways before it hit. I found myself looking over my right shoulder straight down at the water.

"The angel that looks out for idiots was watching over me that day because the hull went down, instead of over," he continued. "I'd lost a lot of speed, so plowed through the other rollers but made it back to the ramp and trailered my boat in near-record time."

Inspection revealed that a plastic bag evidently had the bilge hole plugged when he first checked it, but then, throughout the day, it had to have been moving around, allowing more and more water to enter. After that incident, the angler started pulling the plug every trip, making a point of checking it very carefully as he pulled the transom saver each time before launch.

While all of these incidents, I think you'll agree, display a certain degree of stupidity, none probably seem as blatant as an example I saw the author of "Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid" use in one of the book's chapters. The author noted that, a couple of months earlier, he had gone fishing with a buddy.

"When we pulled his boat into the dock," he said, "I lifted up this big ol' stringer of bass, and this idiot on the dock queries, 'Hey, y'all catch all them fish?'

"Nope," I thought in silence. "Talked 'em into giving up. Here's your sign."

As the author continued, "Language is used literally by some and more figuratively by others. When we ask a person, 'How are you?' we may care to know, or we may simply want to signal that we are polite. If the person takes the question literally, discord may result when we barely wait for an answer. The person may then feel stupid for thinking that we care. Perhaps we do, but that is not what the interaction was about for us. As demonstrated in the above example, words spoken by the 'stupid' are not meant literally. They are meant to convey a friendly nod.

"Stupidity is an unkind but not infrequent attribution made by observers of behavior. Our behavior makes sense to us, or else we would not engage in it. Nevertheless, when we consider our behavior in retrospect, or when others observe us and they do not see the sense the behavior made to us at the time, the conclusion is that it was senseless, and we should have known better. Some people are slower to grasp concepts than others, but it is difficult to know whether this is because they are processing the same information less well, or because they are processing different information or the same information differently... .

"By implicitly assuming there is 'one world out there' and only one way to think about it, we remain oblivious to the difference between actors and observers. Not only do we see different things, we frequently see the same things differently. As such, it may be that the attribution of stupidity follows more from the mindlessness of the observer than from the actor's lack of mental acuity."

That's good stuff to consider before we rush to judgment the next time we're talking to someone who, in our minds, doesn't seem "to git it." As I see things, this world we live in today is in dire need of some kinder, gentler people.

The Lost and Found Department...This Way

It would seem a fairly safe bet that we've all left a smattering of lures in places we fished over the years. You know the kind I'm talking about...ones too deep or too shallow, maybe a bit too high in a tree, or perhaps snarled in a bush too distant to reach. I know I certainly have left my share behind. On the other hand, though, I also have been fortunate enough to run across some that fellow anglers decided wasn't worth the effort or chances involved in trying to retrieve.

I even read about a young, at-the-time high-school boy up in Alaska who made money by setting up a booth at Saturday arts fairs and selling fishing lures he salvaged by diving in local rivers. Those lures that cleaned up good, he sold for anywhere from $1 to $4 apiece. The more battered ones, he sold as parts--"great for arts, crafts, jewelry," a sign said.

The young lad got his entrepreneurial idea while living in Maine, where he often would spot lures caught on logs as he walked along the banks. With his dad and brother along to help, the young lad donned a wet suit and snorkeled the local rivers. Before you start doubting how lucrative a business such as this could possibly be, consider that he found about 500 lures in a single eight-hour day in just one river alone.

He took all the lures home and, with old toothbrushes and soap, cleaned them up. Then he replaced all the rusty, broken and missing hooks with new ones before mounting all the recycled lures on "For Sale" display boards.

A "before" photo by Walker Smith

The concept of restoring old fishing lures is anything but lost on Wired2fish team member Walker Smith.

"The next time you find an old lure, whether it's in a forgotten tackle box or on the bottom of your favorite lake, don't throw it away," he said. "With a little work and the right approach, you often can bring it back to its original luster and functionality." This angler and writer truly believes that one man's trash can become another man's treasure. Here's how he does it.

First, he removes all the old hooks and split rings with a pair of side cutters, even if they look remotely salvageable. Then he rinses the lure with warm water to remove as many abrasive impurities as possible. "If you start scrubbing beforehand, there's a big chance you'll cause irreparable damage to the lure's clear coat and paint," he cautions. "It's tempting to rub the surface of the lure with your fingers during this process, but avoid it if possible. Instead, use the spray setting on your kitchen-sink faucet to rinse any stubborn areas."

Once you can run your fingers over the lure without feeling any dirt, put a liberal amount of Dawn dish detergent on a wet paper towel and gently scrub the surface of the lure. This process removes a large majority of the grime. "Every few seconds, feel the lure with your bare hands," said Smith. "The smoother the surface, the harder you can scrub with the wet paper towel."

"After" photo of the same lures by Walker Smith

While the dish detergent will make a big difference, some bad areas will remain. To remove them, spray a liberal amount of toilet-bowl cleaner directly onto the lure, wet your toothbrush, and lightly scrub the problem areas. "I've found a tight circular motion to be most effective," said Smith. Repeated rinsing is suggested throughout this process in order to avoid removing the clear coat or paint. "I scrub for about 20 seconds, rinse, and check to make sure the lure is holding up OK, then reapply the cleaner and resume scrubbing," Smith continued, cautioning to "be sure to scrub the bill or, when applicable, any joints in the lure. These areas often contain the most crud after being exposed to the elements."

Next, rinse off all the cleaner with warm water. Smith usually takes the lures outside and sprays them thoroughly with a hose to remove all the remaining impurities. For jointed lures only, he then applies a light household oil to all the moving parts.

The final step in Smith's restoration process is to spray a bunch of Lucas Slick Mist Speed Wax on the lures, let them sit for 5 or 10 seconds, then rub them dry with a microfiber rag. With a separate, dry microfiber, polish the surface, "and the results are incredible," according to Smith.

The next time you run across an old, neglected fishing lure, don't throw it away. Use this process, and over time, you can amass an impressive collection of good-looking--and free--fishing lures.

For the Week Ending Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018

Monday, Jan. 22 (from Ron)...The Government shutdown afforded me a half-day off, and with the temps near 60, I decided to go fishing. Was able to avoid the skunk (have had too many already this year) with three small bass: a dink, 1-0, and a 1-6, plus two chain pickerel at 16 inches and a 23-incher weighing in at 3-7. It was nice to finally catch something. XTS was the ticket today, but I wonder if I should try something else.

Tuesday, Jan. 23 (from Ron)...Launched at Indian River Road this afternoon and fished from 3:30 to 5:30. 'Twas almost impossible to fish through the heavy surface debris, but as I headed south, clarity and surface congestion improved. Ended up catching one 9-inch bass and a crappie; also lost something of decent size. Mouths of feeder creeks was the only place I found 'em, but did see some swirls and activity in the side creeks. Oh well, at least it was warm.

Wednesday, Jan. 24 (from Ron)...Launched at Lotus Garden for an evening trip. Fished from 3:30 to 5:45. Water was clear but low. Found a couple dink bass and a few panfish for the fryer to make some tasty tacos. Beetlespin was the ticket.

Thursday, Jan. 25 (from Ron)...Had a short window and fished Milldam from 4 to 6 p.m. Gauge was way down (1.3), but the water was very clear. No dreaded bridge limbo. Got a bit chilly when the sun went below the tree line. Caught five dink bass to 12 inches and a feisty li'l striper to close out the evening, all on XTS jerkbait. Surprisingly, no panfish or chain pickerel. As usual, 'twas nice to be out.

Friday, Jan. 26 (from Ron)...Fished upper North Landing from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. First hour, I was finding a bunch of dinks that entertained for a while. However, ended up with 14 bass, including nine dinks, plus a 1-0, 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, and a 2-6, all on XTS. As I started to get cold, headed back to launch, but saw an enticing swirl in the culvert. Made about six or eight passes, trying to find a striper, as I know they hang out in there. As it started to get really cold (37 degrees), told myself  "just one more pass," and that's when I caught a 20-inch one to round out the evening. Best trip of 2018 so far.

Saturday, Jan. 27 (from Ron)...Fished from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Covered 7.3 miles in those five hours. My trolling revealed a sporadic bite in sheer random locations. Am determined to install my fish finder as I suspect I was trolling over "holes" when they hit. Casting to shoreline and structure didn't produce any bites. All my bites were on the XTS minnow. Caught four bass at 1-0, 1-5, 1-6, and 2-10, as well as two big chain pickerel at 23 and 24 inches, plus a dink. Averaged just over a fish per hour.

Sunday, Jan. 28 (from Ron)...When they are all scale-worthy, it is a good day. Fished from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Periods of rain eventually got me a bit too wet and cold, but it was worth it. Caught seven bass, weighing in at 1-3, 1-6, 1-7, 1-11, 1-12, 2-5, and a nice 3-12. Also caught a 23- and 24-inch chain pickerel. Very glad I went out in the drizzle. Caught everything while trolling XTS. Experimented with a wakebait that didn't entice a single strike.

"I'd Rather Be Lucky Than Good"

A lot of people say that, including those who have spent a lot of time fishing.

One angler I read about online claims he has found some tricks that really can improve your fishing luck. Here are three of his favorite--albeit unusual--tricks:

The real money trick. When you set a line, let out a few extra feet, then fold a dollar bill and lay it on the spool. Hold it in place while you take a few turns on the reel, so your fishing line pins it down. Then set the drag loosely and wait for a bite. Since the fish can sense that eating your bait will now cost you extra money, they'll be far more likely to strike. Savvy anglers up the ante by using a $20 bill.

Toss your change over the side. It doesn't matter if your reason for doing so is to please the fish gods, or if the flash of sinking coins actually may attract a fish or two. The fact of the matter is that sinking your shrapnel makes things happen.

Converse before you cast. Talking to your bait or lure works wonders. The referenced angler here claims he has a fishing buddy whom he once watched spend a solid five minutes telling his jig how much he loved it, how pretty it was, and how sure he was that it could attract a bluefin tuna if it tried just a little bit harder. On the next drop, he caught the only tuna of the day. Remember, the idea here is to encourage your bait, not berate it for failing to produce. Be nice to it, and it will be nice to you.

Elsewhere, in New England, for example, many professional fishermen follow a customary routine before leaving port in the morning. They insert a coin into a cork and set it afloat as an offering, hoping that it will help them secure a good catch at sea.

In other parts of America, fishermen make it a point to return the first fish they catch back to the sea in order for their luck to continue. Every fish counts in the South, though, so fishermen there hang the first fish from a tree.

Likewise, some fishermen spit on their bait in the hope they will get lucky.

Most consider it unlucky to reveal the number of fish they have caught if someone asks them.

And last, many also believe that, if you change poles during a day of fishing, bad luck will follow.

As it turns out, though, luck is not something that can be proven or scientifically measured, which means there literally is no "wrong or right" answer. Bottom line: Go with what works for you.

Three Survive the Scare of a Lifetime

Imagine sitting near the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean in your 20-foot fishing boat when you look up and see a 31-foot motorboat barreling straight at you. All the waving of arms and repeated screams go unheeded, and the motorboat eventually crashes into your boat just moments before you and two pals plunge into the bone-chilling water to save your lives.

Sounds like the script for a move, but it's not. Rather, it's a true story that unfolded back on Aug. 12, 2017. The photo above shows some of the devastating aftermath.

Fishing-boat owner Bryan Maess and his two passengers, Christopher McMahon and Roni Durham, undoubtedly are alive today because they took that plunge. Maess, however, a police officer, continues to suffer vision problems, headaches and injuries to his ankle, leg and arm as a result of what happened.

Maess has filed a $372,500 lawsuit, alleging the motorboat driver, 75-year-old Marlin Lee Larsen, was distracted by his cellphone just before the dramatic crash was caputed on video by a GoPro camera mounted on the fishing boat (click on this link: https://www.facebook.com/zeikelfishing/videos/1597492390334917/).

Larsen, who uses a motorized scooter on land, told investigators he couldn't see where he was driving, since he was sitting down. He admitted he probably should have been standing, according to a sheriff's report. However, he denied using his cellphone while driving the boat, claiming that allegations to the contrary were "fake news." He has pleaded not guilty as his criminal case unfolds.

Larsen's son-in-law, though, who also was on the boat at the time of the crash, told investigators he saw Larsen using his cellphone while driving the boat.

Drugs and alcohol do not appear to have been a factor in the crash. Meanwhile, Larsen has been cited for reckless operation, three counts of reckless endangerment, and three counts of fourth-degree assault.

Furthermore, McMahon and Durham have hired attorneys to also file lawsuits against Larsen. Both suffered psychological trauma during the crash and haven't been able to return to the water.

As I learned late yesterday, from the latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster, the investigation, among other things, has revealed that two of the three people in the fishing boat had no PFD when they were forced to jump overboard. The third one did have a PFD, but it didn't inflate. Lucky? Definitely. I suggest, however, that all their respective guardian angels must have been keeping a taut watch that particular day, too.

I Hate Snow! I Hate Snow! I Hate Snow!

(To the tune of Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!)

Author Unknown

Oh, the traffic outside is frightful,

Accidents aren't so delightful,

I'm stuck in this stop-and-go,

I hate snow! I hate snow! I hate snow!

Cars are having troubles stopping,

Each other they keep popping;

I am moving so really slow,

I hate snow! I hate snow! I hate snow!

When I make it back home tonight,

How I'll hate going out in the storm;

Because cutting wood really bites,

But I need more to stay warm.

Traffic is slowly dying,

While I sit here, I keep crying,

'Cause it just won't end, I know,

I hate snow! I hate snow! I hate snow!

When I make it back home tonight,

How I'll hate going out to the store;

And the crowds that I'll have to fight,

I am sure that they won't have any more.

Oh, the blizzard outside is frightful,

Snowflakes aren't so delightful,

I'm trapped with no place to go,

I hate snow! I hate snow! I hate snow!

Long-Time Blackwater Fixture Getting Giant Facelift

Photo by
Heather Gray

If you happen to venture down Blackwater Trading Post way in another couple of months, it's highly possible you'll be more than a little surprised when you see what the new owners, Heather and Billy Gray, have done to the more-than-100-year-old place.

That's the gist of an article written by correspondent Kathy Van Mullekom, as it appeared in the Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, edition of VB Beacon.

"The couple purchased the retail oasis, tucked away in southeastern Virginia Beach, in August (from West Neck Marina's Steve Winfree)," said Kathy. "Their original plan was to do some repairs, make some cosmetic changes, and open in a few weeks to a month. However, when they started the remodel, they realized the building was in poor condition--lots of rot from age and neglected leaks. Now they hope to open this spring," she continued.

"Instead of putting a Band-Aid on issues that were major or doing temporary fixes," explained Heather, "we decided, since we already were shut down, we were going to do it right, so she will be good for many, many years to come."

The Grays have given the trading post, with its 1,500 square feet of retail and 1,300 square feet of storage and office space, new siding, roof and paint and trim--all done in the building's historically familiar red and white. They also have upgraded the former small kitchen into a fully functioning unit that will serve fresh-made deli sandwiches, wings, barbecue, soups, and more. Customers wanting breakfast, lunch or dinner will be able to sit on chairs at a new dining bar.

If basics, such as chips, drinks, milk, bread, and eggs, are all you want, they, too, will be available. Likewise with diesel fuel, regular gas, and alcohol. The trading post also will sell live bait and tackle. Boat-ramp fees will be $5, and there will be a free dock and bank fishing.

Indoor bathrooms are being updated to be ADA-compliant for the disabled. And the front porch that was removed years ago is being reinstalled, this time with a handicap-accessible ramp. Furthermore, space outdoors is being cleaned up to accommodate a picnic area.

Despite all these upgrades, the trading post will retain one important feature from the old days. The rattlesnake-tail display case, with the names and dates of customers and locals who caught the reptiles, will still be on hand. The glass-enclosed shadow box, however, according to Heather Gray, "is getting a much-needed rehab, including a new case that seals better and LED lighting to better show off the contents."

Seems only fitting that the Grays, both of whom grew up hanging out in Pungo, should be the ones making the Blackwater Trading Post "pretty again, fixing her issues, and making her shine like the diamond she is," to borrow Heather's words. "My husband and I have gone to that store for years, and we love it. We are excited to be able to open her again and service the community better than ever."

An Invitation to Join Our Group of Weekend Warriors

In the event there may be some blog readers looking to engage in a little friendly competition when the 2018 Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series kicks off in March, please know I will be happy to email you a package of documents containing all the pertinent details. To receive a set of your own, just email me (kenneth34@cox.net).

Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer Can Be Killers

That message sinks in about the time, as one angler put it, "a dermatologist starts cutting chunks of meat off you."

I have no problem relating to that statement--been there, done that, and have many T-shirts to prove it. As a matter of fact, I was in my dermatologist's office just this past Wednesday, having yet another chunk of meat cut out of my right arm.

I knew this would be the drill as early as two or three weeks ago when a little red spot suddenly showed up, started growing, and nearly immediately felt sore.Those are the usual first signs that I'm destined for another episode with the scalpel.

Like the fella who made the comment in the opening paragraph, I never worried about sun protection as a kid. I spent many hours outdoor, getting, in the words of my mom, "as brown as a berry." It should come as no surprise that I carried that same care-free attitude well into my adult years. That exposure, however, is what I'm paying for today. No matter how much protection I use now, I can't dodge the reality that I'll be paying for that earlier stupidity for the rest of my life.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, more than five million people in the U.S. are treated for skin cancer every year, and an estimated 10,000 people die of melanoma annually.

Fishermen are particularly susceptible to sun damage because we get a double whammy: direct sun from above, as well as reflected sun from the water. Add in the fact we spend countless hours standing on boats during full sun, and you have a recipe for disaster. The good news is that there are lots of ways to protect ourselves from the effects of the sun, starting with sunscreen lotions applied to all exposed portions of skin. Most people, however, don't apply enough, and they fail to reapply after sweating. Staying in the shade helps, but even if you use an umbrella on the boat, you're still exposed to light reflected from the water.

Clothing should be our first line of defense. A lot of people settle for an ordinary T-shirt, but the best protection is afforded by shirts made of a moisture-wicking fabric with UV protection built in. If you're a fisherman who spends whole days on the water, look for shirts with an SPF of at least 50.

Another popular piece of clothing with fishermen today is gaiters, which are designed to cover various parts of the body that your regular shirt and hat may leave exposed, including hands, neck, lower part of your face, etc. These, too, are available in fabrics that wick away moisture to keep you comfortable. Hand gaiters are especially great for guys who won't put sunscreen on their hands for fear of getting it on the baits and turning off the fish. Neck/face gaiters can be pulled up to cover the entire lower portion of the face, including the nose and lips. With a great pair of UV-protection sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, you have excellent coverage, even from sunlight reflected off the water.

If you don't wear gaiters, then at least get a broad-brimmed hat or one of those saltwater hats with fabric that covers your neck, and wear sunscreen on your face. Don't forget to reapply several times each day. SPF-rated sunglasses are an absolute must, and they have the added benefit of letting you see into the water much better.

Another option is a sun hoodie. Designed to protect your neck and ears, as well as the sides of your face, it is light weight, moisture-wicking, and has an SPF of 50.

You also might consider woven fabric shirts, which tend to stand away from the skin and allow more air to circulate. Many are vented in the back and under the arms to keep you cooler.

Technology keeps advancing, so many companies offer clothing with SPF properties that last the lifetime of the garment. Here's the deal, though: Read the labels and follow the laundering instructions. That's crucial.

The bottom line is cover up and live.

The Best Part of Tidewater Fishing...

When the freshwater bite slows down...

the saltwater bite picks up.







So says Chris Vitovich. According to his email I received today, these pictures were taken Dec. 28th, when the thermometer read a balmy 22 degrees.

For the Week Ending Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018

Tuesday, Jan. 9 (from Ron)...Couldn't find a launch site, yet. Decided to go and throw a few lures at the culvert near the draw bridge at North Landing. Didn't get a tap, but at least I scratched the itch. Hopefully, I can find a launch tomorrow.

Friday, Jan. 12 (from Ron)...NSTR: That's short for Nothing Significant to Report, which fits yesterday's trip to West Neck Marina perfectly. All the ice was gone, but it would seem the fish left with it. Tried to find something--anything--from 3 to 5:30 p.m. but couldn't arouse a single tap. The temperature was very nice, with the wind a bit on the stiff side, though. Next few days don't look good for me to try and figure out this winter pattern.

Saturday, Jan. 13 (from Ron)...When I left the house at 9:30 this morning, it was 60 degrees. An hour later, it was near 30, and the wind was howling, but I had to get out. Fished Milldam from 10:15 to 1:30. Water was very murky--chocolate milk, actually--and debris was all over the place. Nevertheless, I managed one bass and one li'l fat chain pickerel to break out of my slump. The Beetlespin was the ticket to my success today. Also lost two somethings on the same lure. Was nearly hypothermic by the time I recovered but happy I had something to show for my efforts.

Sunday, Jan. 14 (from Ron)...With the river gauge at about zero, the wind howling, and the temps low, thought I could find some fish and wind protection in Crystal Lake. The shady creek leading there was frozen over, so had to stay in Tecumseh, where the water was very, very murky, choppy (near whitecaps), and windy. Didn't get a tap for my 2.5-hour effort. I think the real-feel wind chill was in the high teens. It was impossible to cast and retrieve due to ice on the guides and reel spool. Transiting north against the wind was way too choppy, and the splashes were uncomfortable, to say the least. Heading south, I was tracking 2.8 mph without peddling,  just drifting with the wind. At least, it was sunny.

A Little of This, And a Little of That

With all this white stuff still hanging around, coupled with the record-cold temperatures we're still having, and everything that is frozen, starting with the North Landing River and including, as of first thing this morning, the water pipes in my house, it's a bit difficult to even think about fishing. However, I'm going to try.

Before going any further, though, let me just say that we dodged a bullet this morning with our frozen pipes. My first move was to get some space heaters aimed inside all the kitchen and bathroom vanities. Then we took a couple of hair dryers to the cold-water intake lines therein.

When those steps failed to show any noticeable difference, I started calling some plumbers. I quickly figured out that the commercial avenue wasn't going to work; they all were slammed with earlier service calls--more than 40 at one of them I called.

One commercial venture, however, was kind enough to give me the name and phone number of an independent plumber with an outstanding approval record, and he really was helpful. After letting me know I was only No. 3 on his list for the day, he told me to crank up my heat in the house higher than normal, keep all the doors to the bathrooms and vanities open, and continue using the space heaters and hair dryers until he arrived.

As things worked out, in the neighborhood of an hour later, every faucet in the house suddenly started running freely. I subsequently called the plumber back and notified him, then asked what he recommended I do to prevent another incident until warmer weather returns. His instructions were to keep all the bathroom and vanity doors open at night, keep one faucet dripping slowly both upstairs and down, and not to push the heat back to a lower setting at night, as I routinely do, until it warms up around here.

This is the first time in all the years we've lived in this house that frozen pipes ever have been a problem. Hopefully, it also will be the last. You can be certain of two things: First, I will keep this independent plumber's advice handy, and second, his phone numbers will remain at my fingertips all the time.

With all of that said, let me now get back to at least trying to think about fishing for a few minutes. What I want to pass along is nothing big; rather, it's just something I found last evening while doing a little online research into another baitcast reel.

I happened across The Old Farmer's Almanac predictions for best fishing days in 2018. Here is that list:

January 1, 16-31
February 15-March 1
March 17-31
April 15-29
May 15-20
June 13-28
July 12-27
August 11-26
September 9-24
October 8-24
November 7-23
December 7-22

Incidentally, after about a week of looking, I finally found a reel like I wanted and ordered it last night before going to bed. I had been looking hard at three different ones, all made by different manufacturers, and I liked all of them about the same. The tipping point for me, though, was that one of them offered a far better drag than either of the other two.

Did I need it? No. Was that ever a consideration? Not really. Was the price right? Yep. Will I use it? You can bet on it.

And finally, I also must pay my utmost thanks to the friend who volunteered to shovel my driveway afternoon before last. He accomplished in about an hour and a half what, when I did it the last time, took me between four and five hours to finish. I've known for a good spell now that I'm not even remotely close to the "hoss" I used to be (not that I ever was much of one), and my friend proved it, once and for always. "You're the best, Shipmate, and I'll be eternally grateful...not just for all the shoveling but for the good fishing conversation we had, too."

To Some It's a "Winter Wonderland"...

And I heard one young, local, female newscaster last evening make this remark, "I can't wait for the snow to start--I'm so excited!"

But considering I once spent 20 months in Adak, Alaska, where I saw this kind of weather every single day, I've got just two words for ya: 

BAH, HUMBUG!!!

If I were to go every day for the rest of my life without seeing another snowflake, I would be perfectly content. In most cases, that white stuff is nothing but trouble for me, e.g., I've had a couple of traffic accidents because of it, and I've lost power several times, too, as a result of it. This blizzard was no exception. The power went off at 5:30 this morning, and it didn't come back on until 4:30 this afternoon.

Take 'Em With You to the Shower

Bet you'll never guess what I'm talking about. And, I'll even go so far as to say you probably won't believe me after I tell you. I didn't believe it, either, when I first read the article, but I was convinced by the time I had read it a couple of times.

So what am I suggesting that you take to the shower? The answer is: your fishing rods.

Suffice it to say that I, too, clean up my bevy of fishin' rods after every trip. However, I've never yet, nor do I ever plan to haul them into the shower with me for an old-fashioned soap-up, scrub-down, and rinse-off evolution. If I did, I fully would expect my wife to call the fellas with the straightjackets to come and get me.

While I generally just wipe down my rods with a damp cloth, followed by loosening all the controls and covering all the reels, then standing them in a carousel, I can see the value of adopting a regimen similar to the one used by pro angler Aaron Martens. Here is what he does to take care of his "sticks."

Clean the guides. They get a lot of use and abuse. Over time, stuff builds up on them that can damage your line. In some lakes and rivers, it's minerals, and in others, it's grass and other kinds of vegetation. No matter, it all needs to be removed. "I clean mine with a Q-tip and Reel Magic, WD-40, or, in extreme cases, Dawn dish soap," he says. "Soak the Q-tip real well and then rub all around the guides, both inside and outside, until they're perfectly clean. In some cases, you may want to use a soft-plastic brush, but never use a wire one. The latter will really wipe out rod guides," he continues. "If it's hot out, and stuff is drying on my guides while I'm fishing, I clean them real quickly with water and my shirt, just to get through the day. It only takes a couple of seconds, but it can make all the difference in the world."

Clean the handles and reel-mounting hardware. For this, Martens uses a white towel, soaked with rubbing alcohol. He rubs everything real hard. "When done, you'll be able to handle the rod without it sticking to your hand, which could cause you to lose a fish," he says. Martens cleans even new rod handles the same way, 'cause he thinks there's a lot of dirt on them, too. Besides removing all the nasty cork dust, the alcohol disinfects the handle.

Make them look good. To make the finish last longer and look better, Martens wipes off the blank a couple times each year with Pledge. "It repels water and makes them shine," he says. "You also can use a carnauba-based wax, but I personally think that's a little extreme."

Store them properly. Rods you're not using should be stored in sleeves, which protect them and keep them from getting all tangled up. If possible, always store your rods vertical. That keeps the blanks straight. If you have to lay them down, never do it with a bend in the blank 'cause, over time, that bend will set in the rod, and it'll be ruined. Never store rods in a hot place, like your car or truck. Heat can weaken them. And finally, never lay your rod over something hard, like the boat gunwale or something in your vehicle, where it can bounce up and down on the same spot. That also will weaken the blank and cause it to break under pressure--like when you're fighting a big fish.

Rods don't last forever. "Replace your rods every so often, even if they look good," says Martens. "They weaken over time, and after several years, they go soft and won't hold up like when they were new." The way to test this is to take an old rod and compare it to an identical new one. "You'll see and feel the difference immediately," assures Martens.