For Week Ending Sunday, April 5, 2020

Monday, March 30 (from Skip)...Fishing was better than I thought it would be. I had a couple I lost trying to lift them in the boat. I had a couple more come unbuttoned. I had action while the carp were doing their thing. But the bite stopped when the carp stopped. The wind also shifted, so who knows?

Monday, March 30 (from Ron)...Fished Ashville Bridge Creek and found a few. Only one small bass, but got a decent white perch, couple crappie, and a pole-bending 11-lb. catfish that hit the SwimSenko. The catfish dragged me around for a while and put a stress on the rod and reel. Was a great fight.

Thursday, April 2 (from Ron)...Crazy times. Frustrated with the wind and low water of late. Couldn't take it any longer and went out this evening. Fished upper North Landing (drawbridge area) and caught a dink. Then, caught a really nice 5-1 that made my week! Zoom U Vibe worm was on the menu. Didn't try anything else. More north wind tomorrow, and the launch options will be limited, to say the least.

Friday, April 3 (from Ron)...Water still was very low and more murky than last evening, but I managed to find one bass at 2-14. Would have been three pounds if he had had an intact tail!

Saturday, April 4 (from Andy)...Fished West Neck from 8 a.m. to noon today and "found a few nice ones." Andy, my friend, you're far too modest. When you catch fish like this, you deserve to shout it from the rooftop. In any event, know that I'm patting you on the back...oops, make that bumping knuckles on such a fine catch, especially in only four hours of fishing. A job extremely well done!





Sunday, April 5 (from Fred and Gabe)...Water was low and muddy. We got a little nervous about going anywhere because of the level, so we just stayed in West Neck. Fishing was tough. We ended up with two perch, one pickerel, and two bass (I got one that weighed 5.2, and Gabe had one that weighed about 2 lbs.). Unfortunately, we didn't get any pictures. We caught everything but the pickerel on crankbaits, and it fell for a speedworm.

Sunday, April 5 (from Ron)...Tried the saltwater on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Only caught a small speckled trout and an undersized puppy drum an inch short of skillet. Fished upper North Landing this evening and found six small bass and a couple very small white perch. Water was clear, back to normal height, and the weather seems to have turned for the better.

I'm a Glutton for Punishment...

Or, at least, that must be the image I portray to my friends, 'cause one of them texted me yesterday, shortly after I had returned home from the marina, asking if I planned to go fishing out there today. My immediate response, of course, was "NO WAY, JOSE!!!"

After all, the first thing I saw after turning into West Neck yesterday was a boat with its cowling removed, and the tow vehicle's driver leaving in what looked like it might be a fit of anger. My guess would be that this fella had let his boat sit all winter without so much as a look, and then decided to go fishing yesterday without even a cursory check of the essentials...starting with the batteries. And, furthermore, he probably figured it should take off and run like a champ. Right? Wrong!

This cycle gets repeated countless times each and every year. Why everyone doesn't eventually learn their lesson is beyond me, but they don't.

That fact aside, I received another text from the same friend this morning, saying, "It's a zoo out here!"...of which, I have no doubts, especially considering the weather prediction for even warmer temps today than yesterday. He evidently needed to see it to believe it, though.

Just so happened that, while I was doing a little cleanup on my boat yesterday, a couple friends stopped by, one of whom is my tournament partner. He was telling me that he had gone by Pungo Ferry before stopping by West Neck and that both parking lots were filled to overflowing. That info, combined with what I had seen for myself upon turning into West Neck, quickly convinced me I should leave my boat parked in its storage shed until some point after this weekend, which is what I had planned all along.

The last thing I'm ever looking for is another lesson in dealing with frustration...most notably one caused by someone else--like a guy who has the ramp tied up and no clear solution in sight. I encounter enough of those by accident to know better than to go looking for one on purpose.

Suffice it to say the only thing I possibly could be talked into this moment would be to take my camera and go shoot photos of all the failures that are certain to occur at boat ramps around the local area again today. However, even that is too painful a thought.

A Changing of the Guard

Earlier today, I learned there will be a change in the day-to-day operations at West Neck Marina. Management is going to revert back to the owner, Dave Winfree, and family members, effective tomorrow, as I understand it. I'm led to believe this arrangement may be temporary--perhaps only lasting until such time as a new full-time manager can be hired. In the meantime, it probably would be in everyone's best interests to remain flexible.

For Week Ending Sunday, March 29, 2020

Thursday, March 26 (from Ron)...Skunked in Albright's on Monday, skunked in Rudee on Tuesday, and rained out Wednesday. Fished the little Oceana pond today and caught two dinks and a 1 -12 to break the skunk streak (swimsenkos were the ticket). Low water and murky conditions in the rivers and creeks drove me to the little, clear pond. Was nice to break the skunk streak. Can only get better.

Friday, March 27 (from Ron)...Fished a murky Milldam Creek this evening. Went two hours without a single bite and was trolling an XTS back to launch when the pole doubled over. Thought I had a first-of-the-season bowfin, but turned out to be a big ol' blue catfish (5+ lbs.). When I netted him, he did several rolls and made a nasty mess of everything. After cutting lines and untangling him, let him go to bother someone else. No bass.

Sunday, March 29 (from Ron)...Fished Rudee Inlet Saturday and caught the skunk. Went to launch Saturday evening, but the fresh water was more the color and consistency of chocolate milk, so I didn't launch. Went to Tecumseh this morning, and the bite was good. Caught nine bass between 1-1 and 2-1 (eight were over 1-5). Was throwing the SwimSenko and craws. Surprised that I also netted two crappie at 1-1 and 1-3 on the plastics. The way things have been this past week, I ain't complaining.

A Leap of Faith???

Reckon that's what you might call it. In any event, I never would have tried what MLFer Mike McClelland is doing here...even back when I had a healthy level of testosterone. Suffice it to say I had a few too many scares back in my early Navy days, when some hard-nosed bosun's mate would put my young butt over the side to slap some haze gray on that "tin can" I was calling home at the time.

Photo borrowed from latest issue of Jay Kumar's "BassBlaster."

What the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks Just Happened?

That's the question a boater, as well as his 17-year-old tournament partner, were wondering about just  moments after the latter tried to make a cast. "It sounded like my DD22 crankbait (see picture right) exploded," explained the partner.

All he knew for sure was that his lure had disappeared from the line but was nowhere to be found. He also had the boater staring at him with one of those "what did you just do to my brand new boat" looks on his face.

Dumbfounded, the partner grabbed another rod and continued fishing. After all, he had been whacking 'em pretty good with that crankbait. When it came time to move to another spot, however, things quickly went south. The moment the boater cranked his new Mercury outboard, it was accompanied by a horrible sound.

Once they had the cowling off the outboard, it became abundantly clear what was causing this noise, as well as what was behind the earlier "explosion." Despite the improbability of such a one-in-a-million shot happening, it was evident that the partner's earlier sidearm cast had sent the crankbait hurtling through one of the holes on the outboard's cowling. Little specks of green plastic were everywhere.

The partner later theorized that the new boat's hydraulic jack plate may have raised the motor just enough that he couldn't cast like he normally did. And in the process of slinging his bait sidearm to get it up next to a blowdown, it hit the motor and shattered.

As the young partner lamented, "Thank God it only scratched the cowling and caused a mess; I thought the boater was going to kill me." He went on to describe the guy as "a pretty good mentor," but also noted that he didn't consider him a great fisherman. "If there's a good topwater bite in the morning and a jig bite in the evening, he can catch fish," he allowed, but added, "if any other pattern exists, he nearly always blanks."

While sharing this story with one of his friends, the partner had to answer this question: "Did your life flash before your eyes when you realized it was your crankbait making that horrible sound?" I'd be willing to bet you it did.

For Week Ending Sunday, March 22, 2020

Sunday, March 22 (from Ron)...Made the mistake of fishing Albright's on Saturday evening. Wind was a bear and didn't find a single tap. Switched gears and fished Rudee Inlet this morning. Wind beat me down, but I managed to find two under-slot Puppy Drum to avoid the skunk. They fight well, and are very tasty when they reach keeper size.

What's the Worst Thing a Non-Boater Ever Did to You?

Ask that question in any group setting, and you're apt to hear a large variety of responses. Here's one I read about recently, which reminded me of something that happened a few years ago to a good friend of mine.

The incident I read about involved a young tournament angler who belonged to a club that made annual trips to Canada, where the boaters paired up with non-boaters for a week of fun fishing and camaraderie. In the third year of those trips, this young fella paired up with someone new to the club and looking to buy his first boat.

"By this point," explained the young man, "I had learned a lot about the lake...had spots/areas/techniques/etc. all mapped out. Anyway, as you'd expect with a group trip like this, we'd all talk fishing when we weren't actually fishing, and my non-boater constantly would frame our success his own way. In short, he would try to take credit for everything I had done."

We all know the kind. He would say things like, "Yeah, I found this hump...I found this school of smallmouth...I ran out to the islands...I figured out they wanted a drop shot, etc." It went on like this for the whole week.

Said the young boater, "I guess his ego couldn't handle the fact that a 19-year-old kid was running the show."

In any event, the club members all went back to the same lake the next year, and here was that guy in a new boat, fishing all the spots...literally, every single one of them...he had learned from the young angler the previous year. It was so blatant that all the members noticed what was happening.

That aha moment brings me to the one I mentioned earlier, involving my boater friend. He had been fishing tournaments all season long with the same non-boater when he decided to take a break from the action. The non-boater immediately paired up with another boater, and they proceeded to walk away with a payday at the first event they fished together.

That win for them was OK with my friend, but how they did it was a different matter. Turns out my friend was on hand for that weigh-in, and when he asked his former backseater where he and his new partner had fished, his response was, "Our spots."

My friend followed up with, "Which ones?"

"All of them," came the reply from my friend's former backseater.

Needless to say, that exchange ended a friendship. As the old saying goes, however, "The devil is in the details." And what you need to understand here is how far out of his way my friend had gone to make the tournament situation work with his former backseater.

For example, he let the backseater shower and stay overnight at his personal residence before a tournament. He also fixed breakfast for him the next morning and supplied a sandwich for tournament day. And further, on many occasions, he made up the difference when the backseater didn't have sufficient funds in his pockets to cover his share of tournament expenses. Get the picture yet?

My friend's wife and I tried to impress on him that he was being played for a fool, but he refused to listen. The sad reality here, though, is that, more often than not, my friend today usually fishes solo.

A $70+K Fiberglass Bass Boat Does Not a Tournament Winner Necessarily Make

Who says you need one of those high-priced, high-octane, fiberglass rigs with a go-fast big motor to win bass tournaments? The opening-day tournament of the 2020 Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series is proof otherwise. While fishing from the deck of an aluminum rig, anglers Gabe Himmelwright and Fred Crawford bested a field of 13 boats and 21 anglers with a five-fish limit weighing 16.03 pounds to walk away Sunday, March 15, with a first-place victory.

The same thing even happens occasionally in the pro ranks. One such name that immediately springs to mind is that of Steve Kennedy (pictured left).

This Alabama pro made a promise to himself after graduation from college in 1992 that he'd someday make his living by bass fishing. He stuck with his program and chalked up 15 top-10 finishes in the BFL and the EverStart Series, as well as five out-and-out BFL wins over the next 10 years. By 2002, he'd earned a third-place finish and $10,000 at the All-American.

He accomplished all this while, for the better part of eight years, competing as a non-boater. He remained a non-boater until the introduction of the boater/co-angler format in 2000, when he jumped into the boater division. His boat at the time was a 17-foot aluminum BassTracker, rigged with a 50-horse outboard. He won the Super Tournament at the end of that year in the Bama Division and won the first tournament of the next year in the Bulldog Division. He fished nine tournaments that year in two different divisions and won two Super Tournaments back-to-back in 2001 out of the Tracker.

Said Kennedy, "The Tracker certainly never rumbled at takeoffs or impressed anyone with its blistering top-end speed, but its sneaky disposition kept me in uninterrupted contact with the fish... . I won $25,000 or $30,000 in two years fishing out of my little boat, so I had absolutely no qualms with fishing anywhere against anybody in it."

In 2001, while working full-time as a mechanical engineer, Kennedy decided to become a full-time pro angler. Wanting to move up to the FLW Tour, he knew he needed a bigger boat, so he went out and bought a used 354 Ranger for $1,500. However, the boat didn't have a motor on it, the livewells didn't work, and it had no carpeting at all. Accordingly, he kept using the Tracker in 2002, fishing four FLW Tour events and pocketing more than $6,000, including a third-place finish at Santee Cooper.

While the Tracker fit Kennedy like a glove, and he had all the confidence in the world in his abilities to perform within its comfy confines, the same couldn't always be said for his co-angler partners. Of all the guys who fished out of the Tracker with him, though, only one had any issues with it, he said.

"When I told him at the pairing meeting that we'd be in a Tracker, he was like, 'What?' He thought I was kidding... . Everyone else didn't seem to mind, or at least they didn't say anything."

Heading into the fifth event of 2002, Kennedy knew he would have to get the Ranger up and running for the big water at Lake Champlain. He put a 90-horse motor on the back for that event and finished the season with it. At the first stop in 2003, however, things took a turn for the worse. He burned up the 90-horse in the grass at Okeechobee. His dad then gave him a state-of-the-art 150, and after installing new carpeting from stem to stern and getting the boat's electronics and livewell systems to working,  he was back in business.

Later in 2003, Kennedy landed a team deal, and he won his first FLW event. The rest, as they say, is history. The promise he had made himself back in 1992 after graduation from college had come true.

Modified from a story by Brent Conway.

If Anything, the Weather Helped Attendance Today

The new tournament director, Wayne Hayes, shoved off 21 anglers in 13 boats at 7 o'clock this morning. When those anglers returned at 3 o'clock this afternoon, they weighed in a total of 54 bass for a grand total weight of 124.65 lbs. That equates to an average weight per person of 5.93 lbs., average weight per boat of 9.58 lbs., and an average weight per fish of 2.30 lbs.

I don't recall another inaugural tourney of the season when we've launched that many boats or had that many participants--all of whom brought fish to the scales. Good on everyone!

Claiming the top three spots in today's tournament were the following teams, all of whom weighed limits:

1st Place, (from left) Gabe Himmelwright and Fred Crawford, 16.03 lbs. total weight, 4.87-lb. big fish. (Note: The presenter of all awards was Wayne Hayes.)

2nd Place, (from left) Chris Napier and Jared Allbritten, 15.64 lbs. total weight, 3.72-lb. big fish.

3rd Place, (middle to right) Dave Anderson and Ken Testorff, 13.95 lbs. total weight, 3.23-lb. big fish.

Today's lunker-pot winner was the team of Zech Morath (left) and Zach Bubier (not pictured), with a bass that tipped the scales at 6.81 lbs. It was the only fish they weighed, but the point of the matter is that it was a money-winner.






Here is how all the other competitors lined up at day's end:

     * The team of Chris Fretard and Mike Miller, five fish, 13.33 lbs. total weight, 3.40-lb. big fish.
     * Andy Morath, five fish, 9.12 lbs. total weight, 2.67-lb. big fish.
     * Steve Bailey, five fish, 8.56 lbs. total weight, 2.75-lb. big fish.
     * Gary Coderre, four fish, 8.31 lbs. total weight, 2.73-lb. big fish.
     * Jim Wilder, five fish, 8.07 lbs. total weight, 2.09-lb. big fish.
     * The team of David Dozier and Nelson Anderson, four fish, 7.32 lbs. total weight, 2.86-lb. big fish.
     * Mark Ingram, four fish, 6.94 lbs. total weight, 2.97-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Jim Crist and Eric Killian, four fish, 6.13 lbs. total weight, 2.50-lb. big fish.
     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, two fish, 4.44 lbs. total weight, 3.39-lb. big fish.

Congrats to all of today's winners, and thanks to everyone who came out and kicked off the 2020 season with a bang.

Our next scheduled tournament is Saturday, April 4, starting at safe light.

Trolling motors got one heckuva workout in the strong winds blowing through all the creeks today. Dave and I encountered one team in the channel, leading up to the marina store, as we all were heading to the dock for weigh-in, and their batteries were on their last leg. We offered a tow for the last few yards, but they declined, saying they were going to use the gas motor the rest of the way.

For Dave and me, the day boiled down to one short stretch of shoreline in one short stretch of time. Before and after the biting streak, it pretty much was "deadsville." In the final analysis, however, we had no squawks, even though we never found the "kicker" we desperately were looking for. It definitely was not for a lack of trying.

I'm truly grateful for my 100 mph Gortex suit that saw its first duty today. Not sure how I would have held up in the conditions today without that suit. As I told Dave near the end of the day, the suit more than paid for itself in just today's outing. You can bet it won't be the last time it gets used.

A "Fiendly" (And No, I Don't Mean "Friendly") Warnin' to Bass Feeshes Ev'rywhere

A new tournament season commences tomorrow, and I'ma comin' fer 'ya. Whether I prove to be yer worst nightmare or just another wannabe remains to be seen. But just know this: Neither rain, nor sleet, nor a little cold air will deter me from chasin' yer little...or (preferably) big...butts all over the water. In short, be prepared to see a whole bunch of hooks comin' yer way...courtesy of yers truly.

For Week Ending Sunday, March 15, 2020

Received the following note today,

Friday, March 13,

from Andy Morath:

Found a good one today.

And based on what this scale reads,

I have to agree.

Good on 'ya, Andy!

Monday, March 9 (from Ron)...Chased panfish this evening in Ashville Bridge Creek. Caught one decent crappie, couple of fun-size white perch, three dink bass, a 1- 8 bass, and two medium-size chain pickerel (about 15 inches apiece). Water was very murky and still pretty low. Had something hitting my beetlespin under a bobber and wish I had had a topwater handy.

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 10 and 11 (from Ron)...Fished in the wind and rain on Tuesday evening at Ashville Bridge Creek. Water was very murky mess, and the rain and wind didn't help. Caught one 9-inch white perch to avoid the skunk. This evening, I fished Milldam, and the panfish were hitting consistently, but they were all very small. Caught one dink bass to round out the evening. Must have caught seven or eight white perch, all of which ran 9 to 10 inches, along with a couple of crappie that were about 6 inches apiece. Water in Milldam was clear, and the gauge is back up to about normal.

Wednesday, March 11 (from Dave and Ken)...The weather was pretty nice, but the fishing--in a word--sucked. We stayed at it from 8 o'clock this morning 'til 3 o'clock this afternoon. In that amount of time, Dave put two small white perch in the boat (in the last hour), he earlier lost a nice bass when it demonstrated a backflip on the way to the boat, and he missed getting a solid hookset on a couple more strikes. I, on the other hand, didn't have but one strike late this morning, while throwing a big jointed Jitterbug. I had been throwing this bait for probably 45 minutes to an hour, with absolutely nothing at all happening, when suddenly, the water erupted, and I watched the Jitterbug disappear, but when I set the hook, nothing was there. Neither Dave nor I could believe there was no hookup on what turned out to be the day's best strike. However, we weren't the only ones to log nothing short of a lackluster day. Rob P. was out today, too, and when we talked to him just before he called it a day, he had boated one bass and lost another one (in the 3-lb. class), when the fish broke the line and unceremoniously departed the scene with Rob's crankbait still lodged firmly in its jaw. Said Rob, "I watched the fish then jump three times, trying to shake the lure, but it still was firmly in place." Skip also was on the water and told me before I left West Neck this afternoon, that he had gotten shut out today, as well. So, all around, you would have to chalk it up as a lousy fishing day, even though the water temp when we started registered 53 and, in places, had read nearly 60 degrees before we quit. Water clarity in places wasn't bad but left a lot to be desired in others. Can only hope tourney day this Sunday proves to be better for all concerned.

Thursday, March 12 (from Ron)...Fished Ashville Bridge Creek from 5 to 8 p.m. Had a beetlespin under a bobber trolling from both port and starboard as I was throwing a micro crankbait to shore and structure. The bite was so hot I had to stop throwing the little crankbait after the third triple hookup. Too many lines to manage! Both trolling rods would bend over as I hooked into another with the li'l crankbait. Got complicated! Landed 16 crappie, 2 sunfish, 3 white perch, 1 wayward mud cat, 2 bass (biggest 14 inches), and a tiny yellow perch.

Friday, March 13 (from Ron)...Still chasin' those panfish. Tried Back Bay (Beggars Bridge area) and almost didn't launch due to very muddy water. Launched regardless and found three decent crappie. Had something with size and weight hit my Bitsy Minnow but threw those little trebles. The crappie all hit the trolled beetlespins.

Saturday, March 14 (from Ron)...Went out for a short evening trip at West Neck. Was trying to find some crappie but couldn't. Instead, caught a small bass, a dink white perch, and a catfish that hit my beetlespin. At least the catfish gave a good fight on the ultra light.

Whaddya Call Someone With a Little Rust Around the Collar?

Like a fella I read about online, "I'd just call him an old-timer." This same fella went on to note, "There are some of these guys in my club, who have taught me so many things I can't ever remember them all. Sometimes, old school is cool!"

That's the lesson learned by another angler I read about who was at his wife's grandmother's house, practicing his flipping technique outdoors when the old man next door walked up and started a conversation. Before that conversation ended, the old man had offered some worms to the angler, who mistook the offer to mean live worms, so he just thanked him but said he didn't need any.

The old man, however, kept insisting that the guy come over and check out his worms. So, eventually he walked over...and was in total disbelief when he saw what the old man had hanging on the wall of his shed. There were four or five mounted hawgs that easily were in double digits, plus another 15 that would have gone 5 pounds or better.

"So we got to talking about how he had caught these," said the angler, "and the old man pulled out his tackle and started showing me all these antique lures they don't even make anymore, as well as some they still do--like the Jitterbug. I asked him how he had mounted his fish, and he told me 'with a pocket knife and paper-mache.' He went on to explain that he mounted all of them himself probably more than 30 years ago."

The angler subsequently took his father-in-law with him to visit the old-timer, and they learned that he had caught nearly all the fish on plastic worms and live spring lizards on Lake York in South Carolina. The ol' gent went on to say he was over 80 years old and didn't have any grandchildren to pass his stuff down to. He also said he couldn't fish anymore because of the arthritis in his hands.

As a result, the old-timer started giving the angler a little of his stuff each time the younger fella visited his wife's grandmother's house.

Another Bird Story...But With an Unfamiliar Twist

Most bass fishermen have their own stories about birds that have gone after their topwater lures at one time or another. Here's the tale, though, about a clumsy bird that made for one heckuva story for a Kansas motorist back in late October 2019.

As reported in a whole host of different local news outlets at the time, William Myers was driving toward Hardtner, KS, on Highway 281 when he saw a hawk trying to fly and carry something in its claws. While taking off, the bird dropped what was in its claws.

Said Myers, "I thought the bird was going to break my windshield when it hit my F-150, but it finally went over the top."

Believing that the crisis was averted, Myers continued on his way home. Once there, he got out of his pickup and went inside, completely oblivious to anything different about his truck.

"It wasn't until about two hours later," said Myers, "when I went out to move my pickup, that I saw something sticking out the grill. It turned out to be a 12-inch bass."

If you would like to see a short video produced by one of the news outlets, just click on the following link: https://www.kwch.com/content/news/Driver-hits-fish-in-Barber-County----you-heard-right-563800271.html.

For Week Ending Sunday, March 8, 2020

Monday, March 2 (from Ron)...Chased the panfish in Ashville Bridge creek. Weather was great, and the gauge was back up to normal, with water very clear. Found five crappie, a nice yellow perch, a near-citation slime dart, and a lone bass for an all-around good evening. Beetlespins and micro-spinner were the ticket.

Tuesday, March 3 (from Ron)...Very nice evening. When I checked the wind at 3 p.m, it was about 20, with gusts over 25. Launched Ashville Bridge Creek about 4 p.m., and it was very calm. Trees were still, almost no wind at all. Light rain did not deter. Caught a half dozen crappie, one 1-5 bass, and a first white perch that was a bit small, but gave me hope for tacos. Maybe in the next week or so, I can find a few worth keeping. Crappie are really beautiful fish in my opinion.

Wednesday, March 4 (from Ron)...Fished Milldam Creek from 3 to 6 p.m. Bite was very slow until about 5 p.m., and then the panfish turned on, and they were my target species. Caught about six or seven small white perch and one at 11 inches. A few crappie to the 11 inch size and a surprise 2-5 bass hit my trolled beetlespin mid-channel for the pole bender of the evening (elephants eat peanuts). Water was very clear once I got away from Blackwater Road. Maybe should have targeted bass?

Wednesday, March 4 (from Skip)...My friend Skip completed his "beauty rest" and launched this morning about 11 o'clock. He ran to Godfrey's Creek, which from his report, sounds like it was a smart decision. He caught nine fish on what appears to be a variety of baits--the biggest being somewhere between 2 and 3 lbs. Have to admit I'm a little surprised to find that the fish have moved up into water as shallow as what you find in Godfrey's.

Wednesday, March 4 (from Dave and Ken)...Yes, we, too, got in on the action today. However, we don't require all that "beauty rest" Skip needs. As a result, we already had been fishing three hours when Skip finally launched this morning. We also ended the day with a total of nine bass (caught on a variety of baits), with two of them weighing 3+ pounds. Our five best would have weighed in at about 13 lbs. The water temp already was more than 50 degrees when we launched and made it up to just under 56 when we came off the water about 3 o'clock.

Thursday, March 5 (from Ron)...Launched Old Pungo Ferry ramp about 4 p.m. in hopes of finding some bigger white perch. Was trolling my two beetlespins and an XTS en route to my panfish hot spot when my XTS pole doubled over. Reeled in a tangled mess of two trolled beetlespins and a nice 21-inch striper. After cleaning up that mess, switched to just the trolled XTS center channel and found another striper. Yum! No panfish but did manage one bass to round out the evening. The striper fights were great, and they will be even better after I cook 'em up!

Saturday, March 7 (from Ron)...Got cabin fever and headed out to Lake Smith (Norfolk) for a 3 to 5:30 trip. Was reluctant to get a Norfolk permit, but bit the bullet and fished. Found one bass at 1-15 on the micro-spinner and a small crappie that didn't help much. At least no skunk. Kind of windy and cold, though.

Sunday, March 8 (from Ron)...Chased the panfish all day but couldn't find any worth the effort. Found a couple dink bass, a small chain pickerel, and some sardine-size yellow perch. The low water presents a challenge, but I am up for it!

Kevin Wirth--A Winner in Many Circles

The date was May 19, 2007, and it was Day Two of the Bassmaster American in Greensboro, NC, a tournament presented by Advance Auto Parts. At stake was a quarter-million dollars for the winner.

Competitor Kevin Wirth (see right), however, seemed shaken and had decided he wasn't going to weigh fish, which meant his first-day total of only two fish and 3 pounds would stay. He didn't mind. It had been a very long day for this native Kentuckian.

When Wirth left the launch area at 6 a.m. that Friday morning, he was accompanied by a young observer named John Clift. It was still early when Wirth headed to a point near the shore, instead of turning toward open water, as he had been considering. The two arrived at an area near a dock about 4 miles away, near the High Rock Dam.

After making about six casts, Wirth heard a noise from the back of the boat--a grunt, followed by a thud. He turned just in time to see Clift's head overboard, sinking. "I'm thinking he just slipped," said Wirth. "We do that sometimes."

Wirth ran to the back of the boat to help, but it took a second for the bubbles in Clift's rainsuit to buoy him. When he resurfaced, he was on his side, with his face in the water. "I could see where he was in convulsions," Wirth explained.

Stiff winds were pushing Clift toward the dock, away from the boat's stern. Wirth rushed back to the front of his boat, frantic. "I ran back to the trolling motor to swing the boat around and move all the way back to him. The wind was like a strong current, sucking him under the dock," said Wirth.

By the time Wirth reached the dock, Clift had drifted an arm's length under the dock and sunk a foot below the surface. Wirth's thought was, "He's going down!" Wirth subsequently crashed into the dock and reached for Clift's hood, turning him onto his back. By this time, Clift was purple--"no breath of air, totally lifeless," noted Wirth, as he pulled the cord on Clift's life vest to inflate it.

Suddenly, Clift gasped and coughed, and Wirth saw some blood come up. He realized he had hold of a man whose body knew it was drowning.

With the wind still pushing Wirth's boat, and with Clift between the moving boat and the dock, Wirth wrestled Clift around the side, so he could use the trolling motor. He charged toward a nearby ramp, clutching Clift in the process. As the ramp met the bottom of the boat, Wirth, on his knees, pulled up the the trolling motor and dragged the lifeless Clift onto the ramp. Then he ran to the boat for his phone.

Wirth talked with B.A.S.S. officials, who were the first on the scene. With Clift breathing, they worked to ensure he didn't suffer hypothermia. In the 45-degree morning chill, with a 10-mph wind blowing, Wirth worked Clift out of his wet clothes and covered him with his own fleece, rain suit, and dry towels. Meanwhile, the officials massaged color back into the victim.

Clift was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was deemed fine. Wirth, however, was done fishing for the day. The wiry ex-Kentucky Derby jockey, who weighs 140 pounds soaking wet, had exhausted himself with handling a man he estimated at nearly 100 pounds heavier. He simply went for a bite to eat, then back to his hotel room.

"My body was drained," said Wirth. "My knees buckled for three hours."

Word of the ordeal had spread by the time anglers weighed in. One, Greg Gutierrez, praised Wirth while weighing in his fish and later voiced deep appreciation for the poise Wirth had showed.

It's one thing to achieve one or two goals during a lifetime. It's something entirely different, though, to accomplish the number of life's dreams that can be attributed to Kevin Wirth--championship speed skater, Kentucky Derby jockey, professional bass fisherman, two-handicap golfer, horse dentist...and last but certainly not least, a lifesaver. What more could anyone ever ask for?

How Deep Are Your Pockets?

That's probably the most limiting factor in a new breed of marine lithium batteries I just learned about yesterday. I thought the blue topper gel batteries like I have in my Skeeter were expensive, but this new breed far eclipses what I paid--or, more importantly, ever plan to pay.

For the purpose of this blog article, I've chosen to talk about two different models of only one brand: the Dakota lithium 24-volt deep-cycle marine trolling-motor batteries. Their 54-amp-hour model retails for a "modest" $949 apiece, while their 100-amp-hour model sells for $1,699 apiece. If you're still gasping for air, take a moment to catch your breath, then read on.

Both of these models are built Dakota tough and designed to give you the power to fish from morning 'til night. Engineered with Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) technology, they have twice the power, half the weight, and lasts four times longer than a sealed lead-acid (SLA) battery--providing exceptional lifetime value. Both come with a best-in-class 11-year manufacturer-defect warranty.

Where the 54-amp-hour model is optimal for trolling motors with less than 80 pounds of thrust, the 100-amp-hour model is designed to handle larger trolling motors. You can add a 24-volt trolling-motor connection kit to either for an additional $69 or a 24-volt trolling-motor connection kit (with onboard charging) for an extra $79.

Each 54-amp-hour battery measures 9.01 inches long by 5.43 inches wide by 8.38 inches high and weighs 17.6 pounds. Each 100-amp-hour battery measures 12.99 inches long by 6.77 inches wide by 8.66 inches high and weighs 31.9 pounds.

Other distinguishing features of these batteries include the following:

Lifecycles (Battery Lifespan). Up to 80 percent capacity for 2,000 cycles in recommended conditions. For comparison, the typical SLA has 400 cycles. Dakota Lithium batteries last so long that the price per use is a fraction of traditional batteries.

Operating Temperature. Ideal for rugged and harsh environments. Much better than SLA or other lithiums. Minus 20'F minimum, plus 120'F maximum optimal environmental operating temps.

Active BMS Protection. Contains a circuit that handles cell balancing, low-voltage cutoff, high-voltage cutoff, short-circuit protection, and temperature protection for increased performance and longer life.

So, the bottom line here is this: Just how deep are your pockets?