Paying Tribute Where It's Due

Need to acknowledge some folks who are more help than they perhaps realize when it comes to doing these Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tournaments. As a young guy, I took great pride in being able to do a job all by myself. As I've grown older, though, I've had to accept the reality I'm no longer capable of doing everything (in fact, very little) alone...unless you don't mind watching someone perform at the speed of a turtle.

I try to make a point of thanking everyone who helps me with all the tournaments on a continuing basis, but I'm sure there are times I forget to do so. For that reason, I'm using this forum to demonstrate my appreciation for all those who regularly have my back.

Let me begin with Skip's wife, Leslie, who, since last year, has been recording all the numbers from our tournament weigh-ins. She also assists as needed with setting up and/or closing down the weigh-ins. And last June, when I had to give up driving for a spell, after having an episode of transient global amnesia, Leslie provided transportation to and from the tournament site. This is the same woman, too, who regularly shows up at oh-dark-30 on tournament mornings to help Skip launch his boat and then helps him recover it at day's end. I still recall, as well, a tournament a few years back, before the new catwalks were built at West Neck, when Leslie sloshed through high water to help not only Skip, but a whole host of other tournament competitors launch their boats. And when she's not busy with something on tournament day, she's the one who asks, "Anything else I can do to help?" What I wouldn't have given for a few more like her when I was a Navy chief.

Fellow West Neck tournament angler, Gary, is another steady contributor I can count on to set up and take down the scales, answer questions from whomever about whatever, distribute weigh-in bags, lend a hand to anglers getting in or out of their boats, and, in general, be a Good Samaritan. For example, at our April 13 tournament, he was quick to loan his jump-starter to my partner, Dave, when the starting battery in his boat died. And because our tournament last Saturday included a lot of solo anglers, he quickly recovered his boat, then turned right around and started helping other solo anglers get their rigs on the trailer. With him, things like that are par for the course. Like Leslie, he's a tireless volunteer.

Rounding out my helpers are two fellas from West Neck Marina. Tom (pictured right) is always on hand at the end of tournament days to assist with loading the two tote boxes of supplies and equipment into my van. He further tips me off to potential new tournament fishermen and/or gives them one of my business cards and suggests that they call or email me for the full details. More recently, Tom has been forwarding photos of the flooding as it occurs at West Neck for use on my blog. He's also been a strong tournament supporter in a way I'm not at liberty to divulge, because he asked me to keep it to myself.

And last, but certainly not least, I need to thank Gene, the new manager of West Neck Marina. Besides staying on top of all the marina's daily activities, he's the go-to guy for all my questions and serves as my tournament-day banker (making change for me as necessary). Further, when I don't have a tournament partner, as was the case last Saturday, Gene is ever-ready to assist me with launching and recovering the boat, then parking my vehicle. If there's a problem with my storage shed, he's quick to respond then, too. He just recently helped me install conduit over the power cord that connects my shed to the adjacent building. Seems rats or mice had been gnawing on the exposed cord and had caused it to short out. And finally, Gene is my "strong man." A retired firefighter, he has the proverbial strength of a bull. I know, because I've seen it in action.

I'm grateful for all these people, and I want them to know it. Without their assistance, these Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourneys likely would look a lot different...and not in a positive way, either. For everything you do, Thank you! Thank you! A million times over, thank you!

For the Week Ending Sunday, May 5, 2019

Monday, April 29 (from Ron)...Had an interesting evening. Started slow with some micro panfish (crappie, white perch, and a sunfish on the micro spinner), then started finding some small bass on a spinner and Senkos in Milldam Creek. As the sun started setting, shifted to topwater, and it was pretty good. Caught 11 bass, with most between 11 and 13 inches. Also had a couple of 17-inchers, and then the big 'un slammed the Pop R. Didn't have my scale, but my guess is maybe 7 lbs.? I base that guess on my previous catches. This thing was a hog that made my drag scream! Missed several as well.

Tuesday, April 30 (from Ron)...Fished Milldam from 5:30 'til dark. Didn't get a tap until about 7 p.m., then caught a 1-2, 1-4, 2-4 and a 5-8 (22.75-inch citation). Top water bite never materialized; got 'em all on SwimSenkos. The bites were very subtle. The 5-8 was a real drag-screamer and made my night. Dead calm, clear skies, and not as good as last night. Two 9-inch white perch hit the trolled beetlespin. Had a few gar strikes, with one that held on for a few seconds. Surprised I haven't found any bowfin in Milldam yet. Tested the new scale before heading out. Used three known weights, and the scale was accurate...BUT, I wonder. Couple years ago, I got a 23.5-inch in August. It was very skinny, and weighed in at 6-1. Oh well, it is what it is. Revised my guesstimate from the 21-incher, and will log it as a 5-5.

Wednesday, May 1 (from Skip)...Skip had good numbers today. Included here are three of about 15 or 20 fish that he put in the boat. He told me that his biggest fish probably would have gone about 2 lbs. Considering he had a limit last Saturday, weighing better than 9 lbs., it would seem that Skip is finding his stride for the 2019 season. Nothing shabby about that last tournament or today's catch, either one.

Wednesday, May 1 (from Ken)...Unlike Skip, I had a slow day, but it primarily was due to my choice of baits. As I've been doing for a few weeks now, I was throwing a big topwater bait most of the day, and as a result, I wasn't getting a lot of bites. However, I managed to boat a total of five bass, including a 1-1 and a 4-6. I also lost three more nice keeper bass that came unbuttoned while putting on a show of their acrobatic abilities. In addition, I came up with a couple of creatures I really wasn't looking for. The first was a gar that likely would have run about 3 or 4 lbs. He snatched the big crankbait I was throwing at the time. Luckily, both hooks were buried on the topside of his snout, so he couldn't saw my line in half. Because of his rowdiness, however, I had no choice but to whack his noggin' a couple of times and cross his eyeballs, so I could remove the hooks. Then, on about my third cast from the end of the day, I saw something snatch my big topwater on the grassline and move off toward deeper water, never once showing himself but taking some drag. Not knowing what I had, I played it carefully, in case it was another big bass. On his first pass forward on my port side, he was too deep for me to see what it was, so I turned and brought him back down the port side, moving him toward the surface the whole time. Once alongside, I saw an ugly head, a couple of beady eyes, and those ever-so-recognizable claws of an old turtle. I was lucky again, in that he didn't have the hooks; he was just grasping the lure in his claws. Accordingly, I just raised straight up with the rod, and he immediately turned loose. Rather than take any more chances, I decided to call it a day and headed for the dock.

Wednesday, May 1 (from Ron)...Fished Back Bay in search of panfish. Found a few. The wind seemed to increase as the sunset, which was odd. Threw the Whopper Plopper around for a bit to see if I could find a bass, but only got an aggressive li'l white perch. At least no skunk. Too windy for the Senkos. Didn't see my goose friend.

Thursday, May 2 (from Ron)...Chasing panfish again tonight. Wind was a bear, but found some protection and a few panfish. Didn't target bass, and only used li'l jigs and beetlespin.

Friday, May 3 (from Ron)...Fished upper Back Bay in search of panfish. High water and stiff winds made for a tough trip. Didn't find any panfish but avoided the skunk with a dink and a 2-1 bass on the Whopper Plopper. The new Plopper 75 has the same action but a more pronounced belly, and it is a bit shorter and lighter.

Saturday, May 4, a.m. (from Ron)...Mornings are not my thing. I usually get big crappie at Lake Smith right at sunset, not so much in the morning. Fished from 7:30 to 11 a.m. and found a few little crappie. Also got six bass, including two 2-7s, a 1-6, and three dinks. Productive lures for the bass were the Whopper Plopper, micro spinner, and Senko. Am watching the weather. This morning was supposed to be cloudy, and I didn't have my sunglasses--big mistake!

Saturday, May 4, p.m. (from Ron)...Fished from 5 p.m. beyond dark. First fish on was "a beautiful bowfin" (his words, not mine) that slammed the Whopper Plopper. Had to cut the line after unhooking, due to so many line twists. It was a real mess, but she swam away unharmed. Great fight! Also caught a couple of 10-to-12.5-inch crappie and two sunfish...no bass, but I wasn't really trying.

Sunday, May 5 (from Ron)...Watched the weather and saw a window of opportunity about 6:30 p.m. Fished upper Back Bay 'till dark. Caught three bass at 12, 15 and 27 inches, all on Whopper Plopper. Wanted to get a weight on the 17-incher, but as I was reeling him in, my ultralight with a trolled beetlespin bent way over. Had a 21-inch catfish on it. Some rod management ensued. The WP enticed a couple bites from small white perch, as well as a "really pretty gar." No panfish for the stringer, and the serious storms were well south.

All But 1 Boat Weighs Fish

There was no doubt in the minds of those 15 anglers in 11 boats what the day held in store for us. All the local forecasts were nearly in sync, predicting that we would have westerly winds averaging about 18 miles per hour, and boy were they ever right! It blew and blew, then blew some more...all day long.

Even with the wind, though, the anglers managed to put together a pretty decent day, as evidenced by the 45 bass they collectively weighed in at 2 o'clock. Their collective weight was 101.61 pounds, which yielded an average weight of 2.25 pounds per fish and 9.32 pounds per boat.

Those who laid claim to a payday included the following anglers:

Stan Krason, 1st place, with five fish weighing 17.78 pounds and a big fish weighing 5.13 pounds, which also earned him the day's lunker prize.

Gary Coderre, 2nd place, with five fish weighing 13.52 pounds (after a 0.25 deduction for one dead fish) and a big fish weighing 4.04 pounds.

The team of (from left) Bobby Moore and Steve Bailey, 3rd place, with five fish weighing 12.54 pounds and a big fish weighing 4.71 pounds.

Winners of the mystery-weight award were Mike Miller and Chris Fretard (not pictured), whose four-fish total weight of 5.24 pounds came closest to the drawn weight of 5.75 pounds.







Here is how everyone else finished:

     * Chris Napier, five fish, total weight 12.48 pounds, big fish 4.08 pounds.
     * Eddie Sapp, five fish, total weight 12.29 pounds, big fish  2.93 pounds.
     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five fish, total weight 12.19 pounds, no big fish.
     * Skip Schaible, five fish, total weight 9.22 pounds, big fish 2.42 pounds.
     * Jim Wilder, four fish, total weight 4.33 pounds, no big fish.
     * Ken Testorff, two fish, total weight 2.02 pounds, no big fish.
     * The team of Zack Rhodes and Lamar Hines didn't weigh any fish.

Congratulations to all of the winners, and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. I also would like to tip my hat to those who helped with all the details that go into planning one of these events. For planning purposes, our next scheduled tournament is Saturday, May 11. It will kick off at safe light (about 6 o'clock), with weigh-in at 2 p.m.

One Last Cast

"Wrong Way" Corrigan has nothing on me. I, too, often have been known for doing things bass-ackwards, and today was no exception.

After having two practice sessions in as many weeks, one of which yielded better than 11 pounds of fish, and the other, more than 12 pounds, I barely made a showing in today's tournament. I had more strikes today, but the fish were short-striking my topwater baits. Two minimal keepers, one dink, and a big bowfin, which I nearly mistook for a bass before I got a good look at it, were the extent of my action.

The day got off on a bad note. My partner called and said his knee had popped out, and he wouldn't be able to make the tournament. Another surprise came mid-morning, when I picked up one of my St. Croix cranking rods and went to make a cast. There immediately was a loud pop, as the rod snapped in half. Can't remember the last time I had that happen to me. At least I don't have to buy a replacement, because, as it turns out, I have several other St. Croix cranking rods in my arsenal. Will just change the reel over and be ready to go again.

Even Tangle-Free Landing Nets Can Leave You Talking to Yourself

That’s a lesson I learned during my trip Wednesday. The scenario went something like this.

I already had boated one fish over 4 pounds by swinging him over the side but had second thoughts about using the same method on another fish that I knew had to be in the same class, considering the amount of drag he was taking. Accordingly, I started reaching for my rubberized net while still playing the fish.

To get the net, though, I first had to move a couple of rods I absent-mindedly had laid on top earlier. If I had been able to use both hands, this evolution would have been easy, but with only one hand, it ultimately put me in jeopardy of losing the fish, as well as the rods. You see, the rods’ guides became entangled in my “tangle-free” net, and they simply wouldn’t let go.

Realizing my helplessness, I decided to chance the tangled nets staying tangled as I slowly slid the net over the side of the boat and guided the fish into the cavity. Once in the net, the lure quickly became dislodged from the fish’s mouth (and yes, also entangled), so I set the net with all its entanglements out of my way, weighed the fish and snapped a photo, then released it.

I subsequently embarked on a 30-minute odyssey trying to untangle everything from my net—all to no avail. It wasn’t until I had returned to the dock at day’s end and had put the boat on the trailer that I went back to working on the tangled rods and lure. At the end of another 30 minutes, which resulted in only being able to extract the lure, I reached for my scissors and made quick work of the rubberized net’s death grip on the two rods.

I’ve already ordered a replacement net, which is supposed to arrive sometime Friday, ahead of the tournament on Saturday.

The primary lesson to be learned from this experience is to keep a tidy boat. When you start laying things on top of other things, you’re simply asking for trouble to strike at an awkward moment. I was just lucky in that no one was around to memorialize the whole event on camera.

For the Week Ending Sunday, April 28, 2019

Wednesday, April 24 (from Ken)...It was a great fishing day, but it also had its moments when things took a downturn. Those latter moments included dodging snakes, swatting bees, and having to land a fish with two rods caught in the landing net. I really figured that evolution with the landing net would end in disaster, but I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled it off without a hitch. Don't mind telling you, though, that this scene reminded me of some of those Harry 'n' Charlie episodes from the pages of Bassmaster magazine. Am just glad I didn't see anyone around with a camera, filming the whole thing. As I said, the fishing was great. Caught a total of 12 bass, including six dinks, plus two 1-0s, a 1-1, 1-2, 1-7, 4-4, and a 4-10. My best five weighed a combined 12-8. Best of all, I had an all-day topwater bite. In addition to the 12 I boated, I also lost another five or six. Just hope I can duplicate the positive aspects of today again during Saturday's tournament.

Thursday, April 25 (from Skip)...While fishing West Neck today, Skip caught a total of five bass. His best of the day was a 3.1.

Sunday, April 28 (from Ron)...'Twas a bit breezy this morning, but because I know where to find shelter, fished Back Bay from 9 to 12:30. Didn't get a tap until about 12:00, then took two bass in short order. One was a tagged fish--my third. Threw a variety of lures but could only catch them with SwimSenkos very, very tight to shore (high water). Had my goose friend follow me around again.

Volunteers Needed for Warrior Week Fishing Event

BASS Nation Director, Sid Ryan, is looking for volunteer boat captains for the 2019 USO Warrior Week Fishing for Our Troops event to be held Friday, May 31, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Munden Point Park, Virginia Beach.

Sponsored by Bassmaster Elite Series professional angler Rick Morris and Leebcor, this event will be highlighted with fishing for military members, lunch for all, and a small token of appreciation for all boat captains.

Please contact Sid Ryan at 757-287-5650 or sidryan@cox.net if you are able to help.

Will Someone Please Tell Me WTF Is Going On?

The Navy first tried to freeze my butt in Adak, Alaska, and when that didn't work, they tried cooking it in Manama, Bahrain...again to no avail. Now I feel like I'm living in a d**n rainforest (be assured I don't need any more "shriveling" at my age). What the h-e-double hockey sticks can possibly be next?

Oh, I just got my answer to that question. Take a gander at what our local fishin' hole looks like this morning, courtesy of Tom at West Neck (and in case you're interested: yes, the store is flooded...again):

Don't know about the rest of you, but I, for one, am d**n sick and tired of all the friggin' rain and playing with this "yo-yo," otherwise known as the North Landing River. I just wish I could take a giant dump on the whole thing and then flush it all away in one fell swoop.

And now that I've said my piece, please pardon me while I go back to my snack of nails and razor blades.

Watch for Hints Your Cranking Battery is Dying

In most cases, we all know when something is out of whack with our bodies. And, if we pay close attention to the starting battery in our boat, we often will get a hint or two that something also is wrong there. Here are some things to watch for:

     * If you're one of those who keeps your onboard charger plugged in 24/7, take a minute each time you walk by your boat to check the charger's indicator lights. If you start noticing the battery charging more often than normal, make a mental note of it. For instance, if the battery charges up OK after a trip but then kicks on again every three or four days for a top-off, that may signal trouble ahead.

     * Also be mindful if the trim motor seems to start running slower than usual.

     * If the outboard starts cranking slower that normal, that can be another sign of trouble in the making. In a lot of cases, though, you won't notice this particular change because it happens so gradually.

     * If running the electronics while fishing starts dropping the battery voltage more than usual, that, too, can be a signal your battery is getting ready to die.

A messy but, by far, the best way to check a flooded battery is to check the electrolyte's specific gravity with a hydrometer. Your battery still might be showing all green lights after a charge but not be fully charged. The hydrometer test will tell you for sure.

The smart angler is the one who pays attention to his cranking battery--all batteries, for that matter. And some will tell you it's a good idea to have an equalization charge done on a flooded battery (you can't do them on sealed batteries) once a season, along with a set of health tests. An equalization charge is a carefully controlled overcharge that brings weak cells back up to a normal level without damaging healthy cells that are already there.

Paying attention to your batteries won't keep them from sending you death notices sooner or later, but it should keep them from coming as a surprise.

For the Week Ending Sunday, April 21, 2019

Wednesday, April 17 (from Skip)...This is not to say that Skip caught a tree today. It's just a reminder to everyone that the locally windy conditions have moved another one of these navigational challenges to a spot that, according to Skip, is just as you exit the ramp area. So, the next time you launch at West Neck, be on the lookout. Skip did explain that he managed to catch three fish today. In his words, "I had two, then the wind shifted, and I only got one after that happened."

A Blog Reader Responds

My blog post the other day about the NOCO Genius Boost jump-starter elicited the following response from John Goodman (right):

"During the three years I've owned my Ranger boat, I've only had one instance where my motor failed to start. It scared the h-e-double hockey sticks out of me because I was probably 20-25 miles from the tournament launch site. The outside temps ranged in the upper 90s, and thunderstorms were in the immediate future. Of course, I had forgotten my cellphone, etc., so I was up a creek.

"I was lucky in that my Ranger has a switch that allows me to jump-start the engine (uses the power left in the battery and one of the trolling-motor batteries), and it performed as advertised. I was on my way before long.

"Contrary to what we have heard or read, boat manufacturers toss in their favorite starting and trolling-motor batteries when the boat is prepped for delivery. They aren't always the freshest, and some are clearly outdated when the boat sells. Shortly after that incident, I purchased a Sears PM1 starting battery (which they discontinued selling when they closed most of their stores) that was highly recommended by the Mercury expert on Bass Boat Central. It has started my boat without any problem ever since.

"A couple weeks ago, one of my trolling-motor batteries finally gave up the ghost, so I purchased two new ones from Tom at Motor Tech. The older I get, the more I worry about no-starts, etc.

"After reading your post regarding the NOCO Genius Boost, I decided to investigate the product. A couple hours of research on the Internet, reading everything I could comprehend, and I was ready to purchase three of the GB40s (an upgrade from the basic GB20). I like the additional power provided by them. One goes in the boat, one in my truck, and the third will go in my wife's Honda CRV. Up until now, we've always carried a bulkier jump-starter in each of our day-to-day vehicles, but I will feel much more prepared with the NOCO. Maybe the older I get, the more I like security."

Repairs Underway to Pungo Ferry Bridge

Photo by Skip Schaible

Workers are repairing damage to the Pungo Ferry Bridge fender system caused by an errant barge back in March 2019. A small pusher boat and three barges, blocking approximately 30 feet of the navigable channel, will be on-scene each day from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. until June 30. As published in a U.S. Coast Guard advisory, the on-scene vessel can move upon request. Call on VHF FM CH13. Mariners should use caution when transiting this area during the repair period.

A Tool Every Boater Should Keep in His/Her Rig

Until yesterday, I only had heard a lot of good things about a NOCO Genius Boost jump-starting device. Yesterday, I got a firsthand look at how efficiently it works, and I'm here to tell you I'm happy I bought one of the GB30 units sometime ago--even though I've had no occasion to use it yet, and hopefully never will.

Yesterday afternoon, with only 30 minutes remaining before tournament weigh-in, my partner and I were getting ready to head back to the launch site in his boat. When he hit the ignition switch, however, all we heard were clicks. The boat's outboard simply would not crank.

With the handwriting on the walls, I called a friend at the weigh-in site and asked if he would dispatch some help. Moments later, a fellow tournament fisherman arrived on the scene with a NOCO Genius Boost starting unit in his hand. My partner subsequently hooked up the device to his battery, and within minutes, the outboard motor fired up, and we finally were on our way back.

There is a whole series of these starting devices available, and I urge anyone who uses his/her boat on a regular basis to at least check out these units. Everybody needs their own because help may not always be as readily accessible as it was for us yesterday. Cannot speak for anyone other than myself, but I have no desire to spend a night on the river because of a dead battery, especially with weather like we had yesterday.

Fix It Now...Or Wish You Had

That advice obviously could apply to any number of different situations, but, in this case, I'm talking about braided line that's wound improperly on a baitcasting reel.

Having used all-braid for several years, I've learned, through a painful process of trial and error, that the smart angler is the one who stops and fixes problems with braid as soon as they occur. If the problem is one you can't resolve while on the water, you'll be better served just to put down the affected reel until you get home and can take care of it properly.

To cut to the chase, I happened to notice this past Wednesday that the braid on one of my reels was spooled in such a manner that I was just "asking" for trouble (in the form of buried-line backlash) with every cast. Was I going to stop? Not on your life...not on a day when I was lucky enough to be dialed into some nice fish.

How the line came to be all fouled up, I'm not certain. Perhaps I was only half awake when I last spooled the reel. In any event, however, as the saying goes, "Ask and ye shall receive."

In case you can't figure out what happened, I'll explain. I saw a fish move on the distant shoreline and let loose with some extra oomph on a cast that quickly would have me muttering some really nasty things to myself as I tried to "unbury" the 40-pound braid. For openers, my line pick was broken when I finally found it, so I should have waved the white flag right then and there. But what...me give up without a fight? I can count the number of times I've ever done that on one hand and have fingers left over.

It wasn't until I finally heard myself say out loud, "For 2 cents, I'd heave this whole d**n mess as far as I could send it" that I realized I'd better set the rod and reel in the corner of the boat before I did something I'd truly regret. You see, I actually performed that trick once many years ago and never have forgotten it. Besides, I still had three rigs I could use, and I quickly found out they, too, would catch the fish I was on that day.

After dinner Wednesday evening--when I once again was cool, calm and collected--I picked up the reel with the problem and started cutting off all the old line. When I was done, I grabbed a new spool of Stren braid, along with my Berkley portable line-spooling station, and did the job right.

If You're a North Landing River Gauge Watcher...

You probably have noticed that the gauge seems to have been stuck since Saturday, April 7. Well, actually it isn't stuck, but that's what most folks are saying about it. The truth of the matter, however, lies buried in a little notice at the top of the online page, which reads as follows:

"NOTICE: There is a service interruption for a number of stream gauges nationwide, due to the Global Positioning System (GPS) Rollover that occurred on April 6, at 23:59 GMT. The National Weather Service is working with federal, state and local partners to ensure those affected gauges obtain the necessary updates to resume data transmission. We apologize for the service interruption and hope to have the data restored as soon as possible."

UPDATE: As of 1155 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, I happened to notice this gauge once again is working. Don't know if it will last, but at least for the moment, it's up and functioning.

When It Rains, It Pours...and Pours...and Pours Some More

That certainly was the case today for those 17 anglers in 11 boats who showed up in the wee hours this morning to fish our tournament out of Pungo Ferry. Despite the abysmal weather, every boat managed to catch a limit of five bass. Their collective total weight for 55 bass was 166.46 lbs., with an average weight of 15.13 lbs. per boat and 3.02 lbs. per fish.

At day's end, here are the anglers who received paychecks:

1st place went to the team of (from left) Mark London and John Goodman, whose total weight was 24.44 lbs., with a big fish weighing 6.33 lbs.

2nd place went to the team of (from left) Wayne Hayes and Eric Killian, whose total weight was 21.97 lbs. Their 7.04-lb. big fish made them the day's lunker winners, too. (Photo by Skip Schaible)

3rd place went to the team of Mike Miller (not pictured) and Chris Fretard, whose total weight was 19.21 lbs. after a 0.25 deduction for one dead fish. Their big fish weighed 5.45 lbs.

Winner of the mystery-weight award was Cody Wilson, who weighed 6.59 lbs., which was closest to the weight drawn: 7.40 lbs.








Here is how everyone else finished the day:

     * The team of Steve Bailey and Bobby Moore weighed 17.88 lbs., including a big fish that tipped the scales at 6.08 lbs.
     * The team of Dave Anderson and Ken Testorff weighed 16.82 lbs. No big fish. They were disqualified for arriving late to the weigh-in.
     * The team of Zack Rhodes and Eric Lawfer weighed 13.73 lbs. No big fish.
     * Andy Morath weighed 12.78 lbs., including a big fish that tipped the scales at 5.21 lbs.
     * Rob Peppers weighed 11.86 lbs. No big fish.
     * Stan Krason weighed 11.51 lbs. No big fish.
     * Gary Coderre weighed 9.66 lbs. No big fish.

Congratulations to all of the winners, and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. I also tip my cap to everyone who helped me with weigh-in details. It truly takes a team to make these events a continued success.

For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for Saturday, April 27, from safe light (about 6:30 a.m.) to weigh-in at 2:30 p.m. Hope you can join us.

One Last Cast

Many of us, including yours truly, expected some nice bags of fish to be brought to the scales today. And we all were fairly sure we were going to get wet. Therein, however, things deviated from the expected.

For example, Dave and I were talking at one point today, while I allowed my popper to sit at rest on the water. I was yakking away when I suddenly heard a loud crash and looked around to see a bass blowing up on my bait. Moments later, Dave was netting the fish for me. Once the fish was in the livewell, Dave pointed out that I probably should slow down my retrieve from that point forward...and I did.

The next oddball thing that occurred was when we both had tucked away all of our gear for the ride back to Pungo Ferry for weigh-in. Once his lifevest was in place, Dave turned the key, only to hear a series of clicks. Each time he tried again, it was with the same results. A few minutes before our scheduled 2:30 weigh-in, we were left with no other choice but to summon help from those already back at Pungo Ferry.

Help was on the way in no time, but the rescue took a bit longer than we expected. It seems the rescue boat experienced an oil alarm on the way to us. The operator finally was able to clear the alarm but kept his speed down to prevent any additional problems.

We finally all were gathered for the weigh-in...about the same time we started hearing some claps of thunder off in the distance. We all hustled as much as possible to finish up, climb in our vehicles, and head for the safety of our homes.

For the Week Ending Sunday, April 14, 2019

Tuesday, April 9 (from Ron)...Fished upper North Landing Monday and only found one small white perch to avoid the skunk. The bite was ON...if you count mosquitoes! Altered my load out to include bug spray, some plastics, and headed to northern Back Bay this evening. Was unable to find a bite on the spinner, so shifted to Senkos. Throwing very, very tight to shore, I found a couple, but the bite was oh so subtle. No thumps or bumps. Instead, I would see a slight swirl or movement and then wait for what seemed like forever for the line to move. Lost a couple and caught a 1-14 and a 2-4. Painfully slow...

Wednesday, April 10 (from Ken)...Fished my INT No. 2 bait all day today and had a ball. Water temp at start was 60, and it had hit 70 by the time I quit. Caught a total of six bass, all of them keepers. In ascending order, they weighed in at 1-1, 1-5, 1-15, 2-6, 2-14, and 3-0, for a best-five total weight of 11-8. What made all the fish so special was that they all put on a tail-walking show like I haven't seen in a mighty long time. Fortunately, not a single one of them was able to spit the hook. My only hope is that, if I'm lucky enough to get into some more of the same kind of fish this coming Saturday, I can keep all of them down. Don't enjoy those acrobatics during a tournament.

Wednesday, April 10 (from Ron)...Five days ago, I had the goose trailing me at Beggars Bridge. Went back today and, after I launched, he came out to greet me again. He hung out for the next two hours doing his goose thing. Wasn't interested in my SwimSenko, the fish I caught, and I never offered any food. Stuck with me right up to recovery. After I got home, the spouse looked up Internet stuff. Apparently, ducks and geese will "imprint" with humans where they identify with a human if encountered after birth, but this wasn't a baby. Also, this time of year, they are always "paired up." Very odd. Anyway, me and my shadow caught four small bass, all on SwimSenko with subtle taps. I was being methodical, and all the hookups were nice lip hooksets. Not my favorite type of fishing, but the patience paid off.

Saturday, April 13 (from Ron)...Don't know how ya'll pulled in all those bass on Saturday. I went to Back Bay, and the reeds were flooded with no discernible "shoreline." Was a slow drive just to get to Horn Point, as the roads all were flooded about a foot deep. Fished back Bay and managed one bass at 1-9 to end a three-day skunk streak. I could see the reeds moving several feet beyond where I could possibly cast anything. The gar were obviously doing their springtime ritual, but the subtle reed movement most likely was bass feeding on the bait way up in the "grass" and reeds. Got soaked through and through. Will be off the water for a couple weeks.

Sunday, April 14 (from Ray)...Worked on my boat this morning and thought it would be un-American to be so close to my boat and not go fishing. I got on the water around 10. Hooked a total of three fish in West Neck, including a 3.06-pounder, a dink, and a nice fish that ended up breaking my line. I believe the line was frayed. The baits I used today were the lizard and Senko.