Looking for a Place to Escape Lightning?

That could be one reason young FLWer Grae Buck is in this position. After all, we are in that time of year when there can be an outbreak of lightning at the drop of a hat. Perhaps, however, this photo is nothing more than a publicity stunt. Whatever the motive, Buck should thank his lucky stars that he's undoubtedly agile enough to extricate himself from this position whenever he chooses. If I were to try this trick, someone likely would have to summon a crane to get me upright again...and then it probably would take months before I'd ever be able to walk straight. (Photo courtesy latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster)

Tourney Kicks Off With a Light Show by Mother Nature

While the anglers usually are chafing at the bit to get a tournament underway, that wasn't the case this morning...and for good reason. Streaks of lightning flashed across the sky in the wee hours, causing the 13 anglers in eight boats to be rather subdued as they waited for the start signal. To the last man, they appeared to be more focused on checking the weather apps on their phones as they pulled away from the dock, rather than being in a hurry to get to their first spot.

Despite the somber start to the morning, it's evident the fish didn't necessarily share those feelings. Five of the eight boats weighed five-fish limits and another weighed four (and would have had five if he hadn't confused the number he had in the livewell and culled one too many). The grand totals at the end of the day stood at 30 fish brought to the scales, with a total weight of 84.4 lbs., resulting in an average weight of 2.81 lbs. per fish.

Here are the folks who excelled at the "catching" today:

(From left) The team of Wayne Hayes and Al Napier weighed a limit that tipped the scales at 20.08 lbs., earning them the 1st Place award. Their big fish went 4.73 lbs.

2nd Place went to the team of (from left) Stan Krason and Eddie Sapp, who also weighed a limit. Their total weight was 19.29 lbs., anchored by a big fish weighing 5.50 lbs., which was good enough to lay claim to the day's lunker pot.

(From left) The team of Eric Killian and Jim Crist received the Mystery Weight award, with a limit totaling 6.68 lbs., which was closest to the weight drawn: 3.60 lbs.





Here is how everyone else finished the compeition:

     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five-fish limit, 17.48 lbs. total weight., 4.19-lb. big fish.
     * Rusty Girard, four fish, 10.48 lbs. total weight, 5.07-lb. big fish.
     * Jim Wilder, five-fish limit, 9.47 lbs. total weight, no big fish.
     * Skip Schaible, one fish, 0.92 lbs. total weight.
     * The team of Steve Bailey and Bobby Moore didn't weigh any fish.

Two more anglers completed the requirements to fish our annual, season-ending, two-day Classic, bringing the total thus far to 10. Those newest anglers on the list are Al Napier and Skip Schaible.

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who came out to participate, as well as everyone who helped me today. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, Aug. 11, from safe light to about 2 or 2:30 (final decision on this matter to be announced later).

One Final Cast

"If I didn't know I have cancer," said Al Napier this morning, "I'd swear I'm the best I've been in ages. I get up nearly every morning feeling great, eat a big breakfast, and then decide what I'm going to do to stay busy for the day."

That's what he told me this morning during a casual conversation while awaiting the start of the tournament. He said he has felt good ever since he dropped 63 lbs.

Al has had three chemo treatments to this point in time, but says he really hasn't suffered from them, other than not feeling too perky during the hours immediately after a treatment. He also explained that he's now starting to lose his hair, but that doesn't seem to have swayed his mood, either. He's still very positive and upbeat.

"When I wake up each morning, I feel fine and am ready to get another new day started," he noted.

About the only noticeable difference you detect in Al's performance on the water these days is that he sits most of the time, whereas he used to stand a lot. But he certainly doesn't demonstrate any loss in his prowess with a fishing rod. He and partner, Wayne Hayes, continue putting some mighty fine limits in the boat, not the least of which was today's 20.08 lbs., which garnered them another 1st Place finish--their second one in as many tournaments.

Ballad of a Fishing Widow

By Dahlia Rose

He rises in the morning

Long before the sun.

You know he won't be home again

Until the night has come.

He gathers up his tackle,

And piles up his gear.

At three o'clock in the morning,

You know Saturday is here.

His lures are his buddies,

His rod is his best friend,

His boat, his prized possession,

Its life, he will defend.

He says he won't be home late

He says that he won't linger

Just like the fish, we swallow it

Hook, line and sinker!

So, all you football widows,

Consider yours, the luck,

For all the fish in Charleston,

I wouldn't give a buck!

(My sincere apologies to the author for

the minor edits I made to this piece.)

In Appreciation of Fishing Widows Everywhere

Yes, I'm talking about those of you who spend countless long days and, sometimes, whole weekends alone, untangling fishing line from inside the vacuum-cleaner hose and/or navigating the obstacle course of treble hooks, lures and other paraphernalia. This story indeed is for you--a well-deserved "Thank You!" for putting up with and trying to understand the fishermen in your individual lives.

As one fishing widow wrote, "I've spent the last 25 years or so, racking my brain, trying to comprehend the passion--no, make that obsession--my husband and his friends have for fishing.

"It seems completely foreign to me why, instead of spending a few more precious hours in a warm, cozy bed on Saturday morning, a man will subject himself to a 3 a.m. wakeup call. He then proceeds to pile on layers of zipoff pants, sweatshirts, windbreakers, fishing vests, and, of course, tacky hats.

"Next, he schleps tons of equipment to his pickup and may drive for hours to spend the day waiting for a tug on the line (one that may never come) and/or waiting to realize the myth of landing a record-breaking fish.

"In simple terms, I do not understand the thrill of sleep deprivation, layers of drab-colored clothing, and the physical exertion required just to wait for a fish--maybe--to show up.

"Whether or not I intended to become associated with the sport of fishing is inconsequential. It seems that, when you marry an avid fisherman, you also marry his sport. Just to be clear here, I want to state for the record that I consider fish on the same plane as in-laws.

"It is mind-boggling that I'm considered a lover of everything fishing, just by association. People somehow assume I enjoy receiving gifts that are 'fishing' themed, merely because my husband is so passionate about the sport. As a result, I'm the proud owner of such things as fishing oven mitts, fishing place mats, fishing plates, fishing sculptures, fishing T-shirts...even a fishing-themed thong.

"As the role model for a fishing spouse, my duties are not limited to gracefully accepting these cheesy gifts. I also have attempted, on many occasions, to share in my husband's favorite pastime. However, I never have experienced that certain rush of adrenaline when hooking into a hard-charging fish. My only memories are of getting hooked and tangled in the many trees along the shoreline...oh, and once snagging my husband's ear. It also was my misfortune to have reeled in everything from reeds, to seaweed, to moldy sandwiches and decaying dead birds.

"I further have memories of being attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes and having to squat in a filthy port-a-potty.

"My history of enduring and surviving 'fishing hell' dates back many years. One of my earliest experiences occurred on our honeymoon. As a naive newlywed, I wanted to share in my darling love's fishing passion.

"If you are old enough to remember Gilligan and the crew of the ill-fated SS Minnow battling the waves of the dreaded storm that landed them on the deserted island, you have some clue to the misadventure otherwise known as my honeymoon fishing escapade.

"Imagine, if you will, a small fishing boat, 16-foot-high waves off the coast of Martinique, and an innocent, young, newly married, and slightly stupid girl seasick and vomiting on the captain. Afterward, my husband has to give up his prize catch--a barracuda--as compensation for his wife's unfortunate mess.

"I should have considered that $600 mishap as an omen, a sign, a precursor to all future fishing attempts. Suffice it to say none have proven successful.

"Accordingly, I long ago decided to hang up my rod and reel and relegate myself to the sidelines--make that shorelines--cheering on my husband and faking an interest in his fishing tales. The way I see it, he's lucky, 'cause I know some wives who fake other things--need I say more?"

I also read about another "two time" fishing widow. Seems this Georgia girl first watched her dad leave home regularly to travel the country as a vagabond pro on the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail.

Then, as an adult, she ended up supporting her husband, as he, too, established a career as a touring pro.

Does she have any regrets? If so, this Georgia gal isn't talking about 'em. She only seems extremely proud of her two fishermen. Both turned out to be winners, as evidenced by the fact they each have fished in the Bassmasters Classic.

And now comes my turn to 'fess up about my own actions. Speaking of regrets, let me assure everyone that I, like the two-time fishing widow, have absolutely none about getting hooked on fishing as a kid. Those hours I spent with Pop and my brother on the river, a farm pond, or the strip pits, catching whatever happened to be biting at the time, are precious memories I hope I'll never forget.

Things started getting out of hand in 1971, however, shortly after I married my second wife. One neighbor in the apartment building where we moved began inviting me along on bass-fishing trips to a local lake.

Before I knew it, I had joined a bass club, was involved with region fishing events, and, as if that wasn't enough, had joined a bowling league, too. All these things combined put me in a position where I had obligations of some kind occurring nearly every weekend.

The coup de gras came in July 1976, when I received a set of Navy orders to report to Bahrain as public affairs officer for Commander Middle East Force. I made a monumental error in judgment and signed up to fish the first day (Saturday) of a two-day tournament with my bass club, knowing full well I had to leave for Bahrain in the wee hours the very next morning. I probably should explain here that this assignment was earmarked as a one-year, unaccompanied tour.

My wife had made the tournament trip with me, but she wasn't a happy camper. To put it bluntly, she was flabbergasted that I had decided to fish, given this set of circumstances.

It should come as no surprise, especially to all the fishing widows out there, that my actions in this particular instance forced some major changes in my future fishing habits. For openers, I agreed to leave all bass club and region events in the rearview mirror. I also agreed to scale back the number of  my fun trips each year.

My wife has no problem accepting her role as a fishing widow, as long as I don't make her feel as though I'm taking advantage of her. After 47 years of marriage, I've learned my limits. And you know what? It all works because, at age 75, I honestly no longer have the stamina to fish more than a couple times (three at the very most) per week. Generally speaking, when I fish one 8-hour day, it takes me 2-3 days to regroup and be ready to go again.

Don't get me wrong. I still love my bass fishing. However, I also still love my wife, and I don't want to do anything to ruin either one of those affairs.

For what it's worth, I'd like fishing widows everywhere to know that I take my hat off to all of you. I think you're very special.

A Sampling of the Area Flooding

Pungo Ferry on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 (Courtesy Skip)

West Neck Marina on Tuesday, July 24, 2018 (Courtesy Steve)

Some of the Winners at ICAST 2018

This year, 331 companies entered a total of 974 products, hoping to win one of the 25 New Product Best of Category awards. Here is a random sampling of those category winners:

Boating Accessories Category
Johnson Outdoors Marine Electronics, Inc.
Minn Kota Ultrex with MEGA Down Imaging
MSRP: $2,449.99

Boats and Watercraft Category
Jackson Kayak
360 Angler
MSRP: $3,499

Terminal Tackle Category
Rapala
VMC NEKO Skirt
MSRP: $2.99 (2 pack)

Freshwater Hard Lure Category
Westin
Freddy the Frog
MSRP: $29.99

Freshwater Soft Lure Category
LIVETARGET
LIVETARGET Hollow Body Crawfish
MSRP: $9.99

Freshwater Reel Category
Shimano American Corporation
Curado DC Baitcasting Reel
MSRP: $249.99

Rod & Reel Combo Category
Lew's Fishing
Team Lew's Custom Black LFS Combo
MSRP: $279.99

Freshwater Rod Category
St. Croix Rods
Legend Glass
MSRP: $260.00

Electronics Category and Best of Show
Garmin USA
Garmin Panoptix LiveScope
MSRP: $1,499





To see a larger selection of products that were displayed at the ICAST 2018 show, click on the following two links:  https://www.bassmaster.com/slideshow/icast-2018, https://www.bassmaster.com/slideshow/lures-icast-2018.

For the Week Ending Sunday, July 29, 2018

Monday, July 23 (from Ron)...Launched at 5:30 p.m., with gauge at 4.11. Recovered at 8 o'clock, with gauge at 4.2. Indian River Road was almost flooded bad enough to avoid it. Lotus Garden parking area was half-covered in water. With the water this high, coupled with the wind, I wasn't expecting much. Fished two hours and five minutes  before I found a nibble on the Zoom worm. Turned out to be a 2-14 bass. Shortly after that, I also found a 1-4. Then high-tailed it before the storms arrived. Drove away just as the downpour, thunder and lightning struck.

Thursday, July 26 (from Ron)...Wednesday, the gauge stood at 4.6, so launch options were limited, considering some flooded roads. Went to Blackwater Trading Post. The docks there were completely underwater, and it was very, very murky. Launched anyway and headed west about 1.4 miles to find a clear creek. Managed four dink bass, with a li'l fatty at 15 ozs., who had a full belly. The gauge since has dropped a foot, so decided to try ol' Pungo Ferry launch this evening. Made a trip through Albright's Oxbow, where I only found two dink bass about two hours apart. Water was surprisingly clear but too high for my liking.

Friday, July 27 (from Ron)...With all this high water, decided to try Tecumseh this morning, as I had a day off. The water was very high and murky. Threw Senkos for a couple hours and only found one dink bass. The grass was well below the surface, so I threw an XTS Minnow for a bit and caught a nice sized crappie.

Saturday, July 28 (from Ron)...Fished Ashville Bridge Creek (Lotus Garden launch) Saturday morning for a few hours. Caught a 1-6 and two dinks. The kid got skunked.

Sunday, July 29 (from Ray)...My son and I fished Albright's today. The water was clear and very high. We managed to catch six bass and a dozen or so bluegill, crappie and perch. Everything was small, but had a good day on the river. Chatterbaits and spinnerbaits were the lures for the day. The bass would not touch a worm.

At All Costs, Salvage a Fishing Day

I recently was reading about some of the bass-fishing adventures of an outdoors columnist, who no longer is with us. When I saw where he had launched his boat one winter day without the plug in it, I was hooked on reading the rest of his piece, 'cause that fact means we both have something in common.

The columnist went on to note that the back end of his boat was filled with water before he ever saw it and subsequently had to wade out in near-freezing water and muscle the boat ashore.

My boat likewise had a lot of water in it before I got it back on the trailer, thanks to a partner who simply stood and watched it filling up. He never said or did anything until I had gotten to the parking lot some distance away and parked my vehicle. At that point, he hollered, "I 'think' there's a problem, because our tackleboxes are floating." Duh??? However, I digress.

Getting back to the columnist, "We had two big bass that day," he said "The first one came in like a floating log, too cold to fight. When I hooked the second one, I was too cold to fight. The fish came out of the water and spit the lure back at me. By then, my hands were so cold they were numb, but my mouth was still in good working order, and I used some uncensored words on that fish."

Let's face it: There are probably only a handful of fishermen, alive or otherwise, who haven't spent at least a few days chasing bass when the elements were, shall we say, "challenging."

This columnist described a fishing trip with a buddy when he stayed awake most of the night with a bad cold and sore throat. This buddy was a topnotch angler, and he didn't want to miss a chance of fishing with him. "So I stuffed down aspirin and managed to get up and get moving the next morning," said the columnist, "despite the fact the ground was covered with snow and big flakes still were falling."

As he admitted, "Bass fishermen are like this. We are so caught up in this thing of chasing bass that we often use bad judgment and go fishing when we'd probably catch just as many fish if we stayed home. Looking back, I fished a bunch of cold, windy, nasty days with different friends. When we had a fishing trip planned, it didn't matter if the temperature was 18 degrees, and the wind was blowing 30, we still got up and went.

"My one friend always had the same reason why we should go ahead with our plans. 'You never can tell,' he'd say. 'This might be the day we catch that great big ol' bass.' So we always went...regardless.

"I remember one longer-than-usual visit with this friend and his wife, when the temperature never did get above 30 degrees. Nevertheless, my friend and I fished every day, all day long, hoping to catch one of those big ol' bass. We didn't catch a fish the first day, and that streak continued all week long. We didn't even talk to a single fisherman who had caught a single bass. It was a winter to forget."

The columnist went on to describe a bass tournament he fished in when it was "so cold the line would freeze on our reels."

He also recalled an equally unpleasant day when the wind was blowing like crazy. "That was before bass boats appeared on the scene," he explained. "My buddy and I were fishing in a flat-bottomed metal boat, and the swells were so bad (probably the roughest I ever had seen) we actually dented the metal seats. Waves would come over the bow, and we would have to pull the plug in between waves, so the water would run out before the next wave hit. I was so concerned I told my buddy I wanted to be the first one to get out of the boat that day."

Bass pro Kevin Van Dam from Michigan is another angler who knows a thing or two about fishing in miserable conditions.

"During one of the official practice days for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake," he said, "the weather got brutal. The water temperature was in the upper 30s, the air temperature dropped, and the rain turned to snow. It was late in the practice day, and a lot of guys already had gone in. It was very cold and very uncomfortable and made it difficult to be out there, but I knew I had to find a good school of fish.

"About the time the temperature dropped and the sleet turned to snow, the fish started biting real good. And while I'm used to fishing cold weather, I was pretty surprised the fish were as active as they were. In fact, when I went out that morning, I wasn't sure I even could get a bite. But when that front moved in, a bass literally choked my Red Eye Shad, and I knew I was onto something. I caught about 12 to 15 that afternoon, including two 7-pounders. The fish were shallow and crushing my Red Eye Shad. I even caught some in 2 feet of water during that snowstorm!

"Once the tournament got started, I ended up catching them in the same areas with the same kind of techniques. It was cold--like in the 20s--when the event started, and it warmed up gradually as the week went on.

"My point in all of this discussion is thus: Don't assume bad weather drives bass deep, or that you always have to fish slow and methodical.

"And, because our cold-weather clothing is so good these days, anglers can endure a lot of bad weather if they just give it a chance.

"So, the next time you see a low-pressure system moving into your area in winter, go fishing, and don't be afraid to check out shallow-water patterns.

"Remember, it's all about the attitude!"

A Sight That "Scares the Crap" out of Most Americans

According to a 2014 survey, snakes (at 64 percent) rank at the top of Americans' fears, followed by heights (at 57 percent) and public speaking (at 56 percent). Older Americans (79 percent of people older than 65) are significantly more afraid of snakes than younger Americans (61 percent of those under 30).

Reckon those statistics explain why a snake found in the toilet of Kempsville residents James Hooper and Kenny Spruill created such a stir this week, as reported by Robyn Sidersky in the pages of today's The Virginian-Pilot.

It took Kenny's grabbing a fishing rod out of the back of his truck and fashioning a noose to slip over the snake's head to get the situation under control. Once the noose was snugly in place, Kenny just started reeling in the snake, but not before it managed to "take some drag," as he remarked.

It should be noted here, too, that Kenny had the landlord standing by with a shovel, "just in case it got loose," as he explained.

Meanwhile, Hooper called animal control. The officer who responded allowed the three-and-a-half-foot, half-black and half-albino snake to "wrap around her arm...like it was nothing," said Hooper.

After having read that local item this morning, I went to nosing around the Internet to see what else I could find in a similar vein. In the process, I stumbled across this photo of Mike Spears, who caught a snake during the 2016 Bassmaster Pro Shops Southern Open #3.

The obvious question that, as far as I'm concerned, begs to be asked here is, "Why aren't you releasing your catch, so you can get back to fishing?" I doubt that staring at it will do the job.

Following this incident, the Bassmaster staff asked their Instagram audience what they would do if they reeled in a snake, instead of a fish. Here are some of the answers they received:

     * It's one of those times when you just cut the line.

     * I'd shoot it to get my lure back.

     * I'd cast it in a tree and cut the line.

     * I'd cast it into Iaconelli's boat.

     * I'd break out the boat paddle and put it to good use.

     * Cut the line or burn the whole rod.

A couple of lessons learned that immediately spring to mind here are as follows:

     * Look before you sit.

     * Make sure you know what you're about to swing into the boat.

For the Week Ending Sunday, July 22, 2018

Sunday, July 15 thru Wednesday, July 18 (from Ron)...Been fishing, just not keeping up with reports. Sunday, caught a lone 2-15 bass to avoid the skunk in Milldam. Monday, didn't fish (spouse's birthday). Tuesday, could only find white perch on spinnerbait and no bass in Back Bay. Wednesday, fished Blackwater and caught three bass, including a dink, 1-9 and a 3-6, but I lost four other ones. That quick hookset to avoid gut hook makes it tough, but I have been avoiding the gut hook so the bass are happy! Everything fell to Zoom rubber worms very tight to shore or structure. Grass is sparse, to say the least.

Thursday, July 19 (from Ken)...Couldn't resist the urge to make another trip to my favorite haunt: Albright's. Launched about 6:30 this morning and fished 'til 2 o'clock. For the most part, it was a day of frustration, but as I've learned, you can't have a banner day every time you go. And to be downright honest, I figured today was going to try my patience before I ever left the house. I planned to throw a new frog I just bought, and to be blunt about it: I genuinely suck when it comes to setting the hook on these baits. Today was no exception. I blew five mind-blowing strikes before I put the frog away and went to work with the chatterbait. Had one bass snatch the frog as soon as it hit the water and took off running straight toward the boat with it in his mouth--I know he had it, 'cause I saw him flash in the water with the bait. He was running so hard, though, I couldn't catch up to him with the reel, and when I finally did get tension, he spit out the bait and, like the other four, simply left me nursing my ego. The chatterbait proved to be equally challenging. While I had no problem getting hooked up, I couldn't keep the fish down. They all wanted to leap...three, four or sometimes five times...despite having my rod jammed in the water. I ended up losing 10 bass that way...all in the 2- to 5-lb. range (I saw every one of them leap). Ultimately, at day's end, I had boated a total of five bass, including three dinks, a 1-5, and a 1-9...all on the chatterbait. Tried to fish a SwimSenko today, but nearly every time I threw it, the bait snagged, so put it away and just wore out the chatterbait.

Friday, July 20 (from Ron)...Launched at Lotus Garden and fished Ashville Bridge Creek from 6:30 to 8 this evening from Sandbridge Road toward Back Bay. Caught four dinks and a 1-4. Ken, saw your Thursday report and feel the missed hook-up pain. I had a huge wake descend on my Zoom Speed worm this evening. Felt the big thump, let the line run for a few seconds, and set the hook. Immediately, the drag was screaming, and I was convinced I had a monster bowfin. When he jumped, though, I got to see what was easily a 6-lb.-plus monster bass, and I was heartbroken when he threw the hook. Oh well...tomorrow is another day.

Friday, July 20 (from Charlie)...Passed the Lotus Garden on the way back from fly rodding the “D” pool at the BBNWR. Got eight bass and four pickerel...biggest was big 8 inches. Still a lot of fun.

Sunday, July 22 (from Ron)...Launched at Indian River Road this morning. Upper West Neck was a bit murky, but as I traveled south, toward West Neck Creek Road, the water became very clear. However, that didn't help the fishing. High water and increasing winds drove me away about 10:30. Did get one tap and one dink bass on the Zoom Ultra Vibe worm to avoid the skunk. Also tried topwater and spinnerbaits. Really wanted to get back out this evening, but with gauge at 3.5 and all this wind, think I will just stay home.

In the Face of One Problem After Another

After a particularly tough Friday, a fella talks his wife into letting him go fishing the next day. There are some strings attached, though. In return, he has to promise to be home early to get some things done around the house.

The fella's wife wakes him at 3 a.m., makes him a snack to take along, and packs some water in his lunch bag. A half hour later, he grabs his truck and boat keys, kisses his wife, and goes out to unhook the battery charger. In the process, he notices the boat leaning seriously to one side and finds that he has a nearly flat tire on that side. He quickly pulls out a pump and, 10 minutes later, is on his way.

He gets to the only decent ramp on the lake only to find that the launch fee has gone up $2, so he writes a lengthy explanation on a piece of paper to let management know he will pay the rest when he comes in. He's just barely away from the dock when he notices that the boat's bow light is out. He shuts down the gas motor, jiggles the light, and it come back on. He takes off again, but the light goes out again, so once more, he stops, jiggles the light yet another time, and finally is on his way for good.

Upon arriving at his favorite spot, he turns off the big motor, unhooks the kill switch, removes his life jacket, and eases the trolling motor into the water. He then picks up his favorite rod and reel and starts casting but quickly learns that someone, the last time he fished, has messed with the cast-control knob. The rod subsequently twists out of his grip and goes overboard.

As he watches it slip slowly below the surface not far from the boat, he lays down, stretches out over the gun'l, and makes a last-ditch grab. "Got it!" he hollers...just moments before he finds himself slipping into the lake. "I've gotta get my big behind back into the boat, though," he thinks, as he remembers there are two treble hooks somewhere in the water. He tosses the rod back into the boat, then works his way past the trolling motor and back to the big motor, where he puts one foot on the cavitation plate and grabs the top of the motor to pull himself up and inside the boat.

It takes three tries before he is able to drag himself, with his wet jeans, shirt and tennis shoes, back into the boat. At that point, however, he realizes his hat is missing. He searches for only a few minutes before the breeze blowing onto his wet clothes and body gets to be too much. Besides, it still is dark, and he needs to find out where the boat has drifted. Seconds later, he finds out...the hard way. The boat bumps into the bank rather hard, and, once again, he goes overboard.

Once back onboard again, the fella moves to the front of the boat, picks up his rod, and trolls down to the next boathouse. He then unleashes what he describes as a "spectacular cast" to the front of the dock and begins his retrieve. The lure only moves a short distance before it comes to an abrupt halt, and he sets the hook. Unfortunately, the hookup is with a rope dangling beneath the dock.

He trolls over, lays down on the deck, and reaches over the side to unhook the lure. While moving around to get the job done, he accidentally rolls onto the control button for the trolling motor. The boat lurches, and because he's still holding that piece of rope, he goes into the water for a third time.

For the next six hours, he's the most careful fisherman you would encounter on any lake. He stays as far away from the edge of the boat as possible and doesn't cast toward anything. He doesn't catch many fish, but he sees a beautiful sunrise, listens to the heavenly sound of songbiards singing, and witnesses the birth of a new day.

As he prepares to head home and fulfill the terms of the bargain with his wife, he suddenly decides to go back and give his starting hole one last try. "What the heck?" he thinks. "Maybe things have settled down and Mister Big is there waiting for me."

He shuts down the big motor and very carefully makes his way to the front deck, where he eases the trolling motor into the water. He then looks across the lake and, low and behold, spots his fishing cap floating lazily on the surface.

"The next time someone tells you that a bad day of fishing is better than a good day working, I suggest that you tell them this story," the fella said. "Of course, I reckon it really wasn't such a bad day after all, 'cause I did get back my favorite hat."

Oh Bring Back, Bring Back, Oh Bring Back My Clean Water to Me

That's the song most were singing at the end of today's competition. Those 18 anglers in 11 boats all found fish; however, not without having to look at a lot of nasty colored water in the process. Despite these conditions, they still put up respectable numbers, as evidenced by the 48 bass they weighed, with a total weight of 106.85 lbs. and an average weight of 2.22 lbs. per fish.

Those anglers who reaped the rewards of a hard day's fishing included the following:

1st Place, (from left) the team of Al Napier and Wayne Hayes, five-fish limit, 16.22 lbs. total weight, 5.27-lb. big fish.

2nd Place, the team of Eric Laufer and Zach Rhodes (not pictured), five-fish limit, 13.32 lbs. total weight, 2.88-lb. big fish.

3rd Place, Gary Coderre, five-fish limit, 13.01 lbs. total weight, 5.59-lb. big fish, which captured the day's lunker pot.

Mystery-weight winner was Jim Bauer, who weighed two fish with a total weight of 6.21 lbs. That weight was closest to the drawn mystery weight tab of 6.25. Jim's big fish weighed 4.33 lbs.







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

     * Jesse Munden, five-fish limit, total weight 11.37 lbs., no big fish.
     * James Wilder, five-fish limit, total weight 10.42 lbs., 2.86-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Andy and Diana Morath, five-fish limit, total weight 9.61 lbs., 3.37-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five-fish limit, total weight 8.70 lbs., 2.40-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Steve Bailey and Bobby Moore, five-fish limit, total weight after 0.25 penalty for one dead fish 8.10 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Dave Anderson and Ken Testorff, five-fish limit, total weight 7.63 lbs., no big fish.
     * The team of Rusty Girard and Samantha Tarran, two fish, total weight 3.37 lbs., no big fish.

Wayne Hayes became eligible to participate in our season-ending two-day tournament. He joined a list of seven other anglers who already have qualified.

Congrats to all of the winners, and thanks to everyone who participated today. My sincere thanks also go to everyone who helped me today. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, July 28, from safe light to a 2 p.m. weigh-in. I hope you can join us.

One Last Cast

I've been fishing the North Landing River for 41 years, but I can honestly say that I today fished a stretch of this waterway for the very first time ever. It turned out to be anything but a landmark day as far as the fishing went (I only boated one dink bass), but I sincerely appreciated the seasoned guidance of my partner, Dave Anderson, who ensured I stayed out of trouble.

On a separate note, it was nice having our brother, Al Napier, back with us again today. A check of my records reveals that Al only needs one more tournament under his belt to qualify for our Classic again this year, and I'm sure I speak for all the guys when I say, "Here's hoping you get that seventh tournament and are able to fish another two-dayer with us. We're pulling for you all the way."

For the Week Ending Sunday, July 15, 2018

Monday, July 9 (from Ron)...The gauge is way, way low. Sunday evening, I tried the Oceana pond, but it was crowded with bank fisherman, keeping me from my favorite spots. Managed three dink bass on Senkos. Tried some topwater baits, but the fish were not interested. This evening, I fished the upper North Landing and caught three more dink bass to 13 inches, as well as a small blue catfish that hit a micro spinnerbait. Northeast winds will keep the gauge low and launch options to a minimum. At least the temps are nice and comfortable.

Tuesday, July 10 (from Ron)...With the gauge at 1.3, thought I would try Milldam. Not the best call. At launch, my kayak was on dry, muddy land when it should have been floating in the water. Managed to launch and made it into Milldam. There was about 4-to-6 feet of bank below the tall grass/shoreline, and some spots were dry for 20-to-30 feet out. All the points were totally exposed, and the areas where there should have been grass to throw to were dry mud. Staying as near center of the creek as I could (feeders were out of the question), I threw plastics to any cypress base that was still in the water, and there were only a few. Spent a lot of time "aground," but managed to find seven bass, with biggest a 1-6. Tried the micro spinner and caught a few small white perch,  as well as a sunfish. At least, it was easy to get under the bridge!

Friday, July 13 (from Ron)...Water is calming down a bit and starting to clear up. Drove to launch Thursday evening and didn't bother to wet the yak or a line. Lots of debris and super murky. Headed to Lovitt's this evening and tucked into a wind-protected cove. Must have found a hole because, for a half hour, I was catching and losing 'em left and right. Had four Zoom worms get bit in half. A crab hit my bettlespin that hangs under the bobber as I was stationary and unhooking a bass. Same area I found the keeper white perch last week, but this evening, they were tiny! One small bass was odd shaped. Three dink bass, a 1-6, four small white perch, and a  bowfin that fought like a dink until he realized he was hooked, then he took some drag!

A Day Long on Short Strikes

In baseball, you only get three swings before you're out. When it comes to fishing, though, you get as many swings (and misses) as you want, and you're not out of the game until you freely decide to pack up all your marbles and head for home. If you read my latest input to the weekly fishing report, you know I had a whole bunch of swings and misses day before yesterday.

For six hours, the bass teased me by grabbing only the tail of my Senkos. I finally, however, found one fish willing to give me a fighting chance and preserved what, thus far, has been a skunkless season.

It should come as no surprise that I've spent the last couple of days scrounging around the Internet to see how other anglers have dealt with those days when the fish were...let's say...a bit finicky. Following are some of those anglers' suggestions, in their own words:

     * Try an attractant like Megastrike. Might be just enough to get them to commit fully.

     * When I get short strikes, I think short lures. If I'm fishing a 5-inch Senko, for example, I'll go to a 4-inch version and maybe even rig it wacky style. Scale down the size of both plastics and hard baits.

     * Short strikes to me indicate color change. Try some chartreuse on the head and/or another color worm.

     * Fish slower if the fish aren't feeding aggressively. You may have to aggravate them into biting.

     * Go with a spinning rig to "finesse" more. Try the drop shot and shaky head applications.

     * Throw the bait at the same target from different angles...at least 10 times from each angle.

     * Add a touch of chartreuse or lime to the tails of your plastics.

     * Dead stick. This means you throw out your plastic and just let it sit there for at least 60 seconds. While this primarily is a cold-water tactic, it can work in other conditions, too.

     * If downsizing your baits doesn't work, try upsizing them.

     * Throw Senkos and Yum Dingers rigged backwards.

     * Throw a pink worm.

     * Throw a Spook or a Cavitron topwater, followed by your choice of poppers.

Sometimes, it appears the problem is just a matter of timing. For instance, I read about a fella who went to his favorite lake late one afternoon, with plans to do some night fishing. On this occasion, though, the fish were having nothing to do with anything he threw. "Once 8 o'clock hit," he said, "it was like someone flipped a switch. Their behavior changed instantly. They were inhaling plastic as soon as it hit the water."

I also read about a tournament angler who said he and his partner always start a tournament with the lure they had caught fish on in practice. If that lure fails to produce, or the fish are short-striking, "we don't resort to radical changes," he said. "Instead, we make only a slight adjustment, such as changing the size and/or color, or adding a rattle to the lure."

Can't say I'll be trying all these options the next time I have a repeat of this past Thursday, but there are several I can and certainly will try.

For the Week Ending Sunday, July 8, 2018

Monday, July 2 (from Ron)...Went back out Sunday evening from 6:30 to 8:30. Tried upper North Landing in search of bowfin, but didn't find any, just an ugly catfish with funny little red spots all over him. On Monday evening, fished Blackwater from 6:30 to 8;30 and managed four little dinks. Oh well, at least no skunk. It was miserably hot!

Tuesday, July 3 (from Ken)...Rather than wait for a cooler day to come along, I decided to fish early and quit early today. I launched at 6 a.m. and fished until 12 noon. During that time, I caught another total of 11 bass, including five dinks and six keepers. The latter weighed in at 1-4, two at 1-6, 2-2, 2-9, and 3-8. Caught everything on a Senko worm, a chatterbait, and a topwater bait. Also caught about a 4- or 5-lb. bowfin on the chatterbait. He was all full of himself until I got the boca grips on him and released him to be caught another day. Incidentally, I didn't gut hook any bass today with my Senkos, but I did hook one on the back of his tongue and, by going in through the gills, was able to pop the hook right out, with no sign of any blood. Felt real good about that. Don't know when I'll get out again but likely will use the start and stop early routine as long as these temperatures stay this wretched hot.

Tuesday, July 3 (from Ron)...Launched at Campbell's Landing Road and headed north to a creek on Back Bay. The little ones were biting well on rubber worms, and I should have stayed with that lure. Instead, though, I was hellbent on trying topwater, but they were not interested. Caught four, weighing in at 1-1, 1-3, 1-10, and 1-12. All had bloated bellies and I gotta figure out what they are feeding on and match the hatch. Seeing so many bloated bellies is a bit weird for me, seein' as how it was two years ago that I caught a 23.5-inch bass that weighed in at 6 lbs. 1 oz. in the month of July, and he was rail thin. I gotta find him again! All my catches lately are really full and fat. I thought about an Ol' Pungo launch this evening, but with the holiday and thoughts of jet skis and loonies, I decided to stay away. Milldam will be my target for the 4th! Gauge is 2.5, and I can't wait for a weekday morning launch!

Wednesday, July 4 (from Ron)...Was really nice to head out this morning with my son. We fished Milldam from about 6:30 to 1000, and the bite was on. My scale wasn't working, so I had to guess. I caught nine bass and Alex caught six, all scale-worthy, with four over 2 lbs. He landed a nice 19-incher at 3-3, so my 19-incher must have been 3-4! Clouds and breeze were nice.

Thursday, July 5 (from Ken)...I had about the same number of hits today that I had Tuesday, but therein lies the only similarity. The results were grossly different, as evidenced by the fact I only boated this one small keeper fish today. He fell for the Senko worm, as did all but two of the strikes I had for six hours of fishing (from 6 a.m. to 12 noon). Not sure why, but better than 99 percent of the time today, the fish were only taking hold of the Senko's tail, and it didn't matter how long you let them run with the bait. In the final analysis, you simply was just going to record a swing and a miss. In one very short stretch of grassy shoreline, I had four strikes on four consecutive casts, felt every one of them, let the fish run long enough to have swallowed the bait, and yet, each time, all I got was air when I tried to set the hook. And I can't tell you how many SwimSenkos I got back with the tail missing. Started this morning in Albright's but soon ran back to West Neck because I didn't like the way the clouds were piling up down south. With no shelter close by in Albright's, I decided to err on the side of safety and go where I knew there was a bridge I could duck under if need be. The bottom line: I didn't get skunked, and, too, there's always tomorrow.

Friday, July 6 (from Ray)...Fished Whitehurst today and only had two bites. Landed both, a dink and a 4.1 bass. A worm was the lure of the day. Poor picture, but all I have.

Friday, July 6 (from Ron)...Watched the weather and launched in the post-storm window at Lovitt's. Fished from 1845 to 2030. Water was chocolate milk-colored due to runoff, but the temps were great. Managed one 13-inch bass on the Senko and lost a couple more. Threw a Pop R and caught a decent white perch, but I need a few more for the tacos, so will try again in the morning.

Saturday, July 7 (from Ron)...Wanted to target white perch at junction of Back Bay and Lovitt's, but the wind forced a change of plan. Had to settle for a side creek out of the gusty winds and was not expecting any keepers. Luckily, I found 'em! Four more panfish for my taco dinner. Have five on ice now. Ten fillets means a few tacos for me and the rest for the kid. Was not targeting bass. Only had a trolled beetlespin and was casting a micro spinnerbait for perch. Did stumble onto three dink bass, as well as a 1-12, and a 1-14, all of which hit the spinnerbait adjacent to structure. Clouds and temps were perfect. Gauge is falling rapidly...from 2.9 yesterday evening, down to 2.1 today.