Is Your Boat's Rub Rail Rubbing You Wrong?

If the problem is with some of the screws under the rub rail working loose and creating bulges in it, there is something most average do-it-yourselfers can do to fix it. That's the word from Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Famer George Kramer in an Aug. 21, 2013 blog post he put up.

As noted in Kramer's original post, bulging rub rails are a common problem with Nitros and Skeeters...at least older models...so if you happen to own one of those boats, you're probably familiar with the problem.

The rub rail, of course, is that bumper of sorts that runs along the cap line of the hull/deck...the most outward edge of the sides of your rig. The bracket that secures the rail is screwed into the fiberglass, or as often is true with older boats, may be riveted in place. So, like everything threaded, with enough vibration, those screws can work loose and start pressing on the rail from the inside.

Close up, you can see the "grooves" that let the rubber pop back into place. Fortunately, this can be addressed with a minimum of technical savvy and tools, which is a good thing. It means that, before the rail shakes loose and blows back in your face, it can be secured for next to nothing. For Kramer, the only cost involved was $6 for some blue Loctite. It should be noted here that some fellas prefer to use silicone, vice Loctite. Either product seems to work.

With a flat screwdriver, pry off the rub rail, which will let you see the condition of the screws. You can do a whole side of the boat, or just go a few feet at a time...probably the best option if you choose to be cautious. Once exposed, simply apply a little Loctite or silicone to the screws before retightening.

As Kramer advised, you might want to check all the screws while they're exposed to find out just how tight they all are. If they come loose with only minor pressure, you likely would be better served to just go ahead and expose some more thread, apply a little Loctite or silicone, then retighten all of them fairly snugly...no more than about a quarter turn, though. Remember: You're screwing into fiberglass, so don't try to ratchet them down as if you were going metal to metal.

Now you're ready to put the rub rail back in place. While holding the lower edge of the rub rail in its slot, simply push down on the top slotting with the same large flathead screwdriver, and the rubber should ease back into its track. Then take a rubber mallet and tap along the course, and when you're done, you shouldn't be able to tell the rub rail ever was off.

It's not a big job...at least, it wasn't for Kramer. "Took me maybe an hour as a first-timer. If I had to do it again, I probably could do it in half that time," he said.

If you're interested in watching a video about how to do this job, here's the link to one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok9o-XlFlsQ.

My Thanksgiving Wish for All of You

A Thanksgiving Story

Author Unknown

I walked to the door and knocked. "Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened, and a small woman in her 90s stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat, with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knick-knacks, or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware. "Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she asked.

I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm, and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. "It's nothing," I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address, and then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."

I looked in the rearview mirror. Her eyes were glistening. "I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long." I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

"What route would you like me to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds. She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that once had been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing. As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman already was seated in a wheelchair.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent down and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said. "Thank you."

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life.

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. Instead, I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk. What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life. We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.

But great moments often catch us unaware...beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

As the award-winning poet Maya Angelou once wrote, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." You might help make the world a little kinder and more compassionate.

For Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020

Sunday, Nov. 22 (from Ron)...Got on some striped bass this morning at HRBT. They were biting well, and all were over 20 inches, with the best at 25. Great fun catching them and dinner will be yummy.

Tuesday, Nov. 24 (from Ron)...Still chasing the stripers and having a blast. Caught about a half dozen that were all short of keeper length, then around 2 a.m. (following a midnight launch), hooked into a really nice one that went 23 inches, which I kept for the oven. We tangled for a few minutes, and I eventually landed him. Felt very good indeed.

Friday, Nov. 27 (from Ron)...The striper season is going very well. Unlike years past, where I would catch about 10-15-inchers before I found a keeper (20-inch plus), almost all of them this year are over 20. Got a nice 24 and a 28.5 this morning, as well as a couple more that I didn't measure. All pretty thick and healthy. Great fun, and the weather has been near perfect.

Friday, Nov. 27 (from Ken)...Had the itch again, so got up with the alarm clock this morning and headed out in all that fog, with plans to spend a few hours in West Neck. It was "deadsville" until about 12 noon before the bite turned on a bit. Fished a chatterbait, square-billed crankbait, and a jerkbait, all to no avail, but business quickly picked up when I started tossing a coffin-lipped crankbait in one of the late-Al Napier's favorite colors. Ended up with six dinks during my last two hours on the water, which was sufficient to arrest my itch. Water temp was 59 when I started about 9:15 this morning, as well as when I threw in the towel at 2 p.m. Shared the creek with some hunters this morning, as well as some fishermen (in both boats and kayaks), plus a couple boats that were hot-dogging over each other's wakes. I kept waiting for one of them to crash because they were cutting it awfully close. Too bad John Law was no where to be found, or they surely both would have inherited citations for their actions. Started out above the bridge this morning, but some gunshots from up the way of that first blind sent me scampering the other direction. Don't like taking chances, especially on a morning when you barely can see your hand in front of your face. That fog, incidentally, lasted 'til almost 11 o'clock...not only a couple hours as the weatherman said about 7 o'clock.

What's This "Frog Fishing" Deal All About?

By George Kramer

Knowing how devious the typical bass guy can be, I got to wondering if the whole frog-fishing gig was some kind of ruse--you know, like a snipe hunt. After all, most of those tournament guys would choose the Chinese water torture over telling you and me what's working...even if it's in Taipei.

Gosh, it must be hard for foreigners to figure out the bass-speak. Why, for instance, do die-hard, catch-and-release guys still refer to certain fish as "keepers"?

And look what they've done with the term "kicker." Anyone who's been to the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame knows that's some kind of small, ancient outboard motor.

And trying to figure out the whole sonar scene? Forget about it. I'm not even going to get into a conversation about "flashers."

Anyway, this whole frog-fishing deal has got me scratching my head. The guy at the tackle shop said, "It's no bull; these Spro Bronz Eyes really catch bass."

But after today, I'm not so sure.

About this item and the author...
This item originally appeared as a Sept. 15, 2011, post in the Kramer Gone Fishing blog. Elected in 2012 to the Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame as a "legendary communicator," George Kramer began his freelance writing career in 1973. He often is associated with Western Outdoor News as a columnist and bass-fishing editor. Kramer shut down his online blog on Nov. 18, 2016, after a seven-year run.

Some People Catch Bass in the Darndest Places

And one of those places happens to be an old cemetery. I'm talking about Lake El Salto, a body of water in Sinaloa, Mexico. Some anglers consider this body to be the best trophy-bass lake in the world.

Said one visiting angler, "I never would have imagined catching bass hiding around tombstones, but that's exactly what happened. My wife, Theresa, cast a purple plastic worm, let it sink, and worked it through the headstones. On six casts, she caught six bass weighing 2 to 4 pounds. Then, much to my great pleasure, I hooked one of the biggest hawgs I've ever landed...a 9-pounder that fell for a deep-diving crankbait wiggled past a tall cross.

Also read about a fella whose son, Josh, an Arkansas avid bass angler in his own right, who often fishes a spot in eastern Arkansas the locals refer to as "The Bass Hammock." He doesn't know how the honey hole got its name, but it refers to a large tractor tire that was pushed into a broad bottomland creek. The tire produces a bass nearly every time Josh fishes there.

Josh also fishes a spot on another creek where an old peanut picker was sunk. "I hook a bass every time I fish it, but at least half the time, I break off my line trying to get the bass out. A peanut picker," he explained, "is kind of like a mansion with many rooms. Somehow, a bass can get you from the front porch to the basement quicker than you can set the hook."

Peanut pickers aren't the only vehicles that attract bass, either. As Josh further noted, "My friend, Daniel, told me there's a Chevy S-10 pickup sunk in Black River in north Arkansas that usually has some fish in it, including some dandy largemouth bass."

And a retired Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wildlife biologist tells a great story about finding a stolen vehicle in Mallard Lake in Mississippi County during a year of low water. "When we had the car hauled from the water by a wrecker service," he said, "we noticed the windows were down. Upon opening one of the front doors, a deluge of water poured from the interior, carrying with it 17 slab crappie and a 6-pound bass. The tow-truck driver wasn't happy when I released the fish back into the water, since he thought he should have had 'salvage rights.'"

Finally, there's bass pro Greg Hackney, who believes the best place to catch a large bass is where no one else is fishing...and possibly where no one ever has cast a lure. "These types of places may not be as remote as you think," he said. "If you're more concerned about how you'll get a bass out of structure than you are about a bass biting, that's where you need to fish."

Hackney goes on to describe one of the biggest bass he ever caught as coming from the center of a giant cypress stump. "I'm sure that plenty of other anglers had cast lures all around the sides, the back, and the front of that stump," he said. "However, I doubt that anyone ever had fished right in the center of it. This underwater stump had a hole in the top and bottom. From the surface, it looked like it might have been solid below the water. For some unknown reason, I threw a red-and-shad-colored worm right in the center of the stump and caught a 7-and-a-half-pound largemouth. This was how I learned to fish weird places for big bass."

When asked to tell this story, Hackney says he's usually asked how he managed to get the bass out of the stump. His response: "I pulled the boat right up next to the stump, got the bass close to the surface, and then reached down in the stump and grabbed that bass by the jaw. The stump was as big as the hood of my truck, and I couldn't believe it was hollow all the way to the bottom. I could just about guarantee that no one else was dumb enough to fish a lure right in the center of that stump...which probably is why that bass lived long enough to grow as big as it was. What made this stump even more special was that it was right out in front of the boat launch. More than likely, thousands of fishermen had driven past that stump without ever fishing the hole in it."

Continued Hackney, "I fish a number of places and structure that many other anglers also fish for bass, but I try to fish those regions in a different way, or with a different lure or presentation. "The biggest bass I ever caught in a tournament was on Lake Amistad in Texas. That fish weighed 11 pounds 11 ounces. I caught it on a Strike King Shadalicious swimbait. It was holding in the top of an underwater tree in about 25 feet of water. I was slow-rolling that swimbait through the treetop when the fish snatched it and got hung up. The water was very clear, so I could see the fish, which, at first glance, appeared to be about an 8-pounder.

"Once I finally worked the bass out of the tree, it came to the surface and jumped. I'd never seen a bass that big in my life. That same year, I caught an 11-pound 7-ounce bass during a tournament at Falcon Lake, also in Texas.

"As a result, I've learned that fishing weird places with various tactics that others weren't using could pay off with big bass," Hackney concluded.

There's More Than One Way to Work a Jerkbait

Read this in a forum post recently: "I caught one LM bass yesterday in 48-degree water while swimming a Rapala Husky Jerk 10 (HJ10) jerkbait. Water was lightly stained but overall pretty clear, considering it had been muddy the past few weeks. My question is: Does anyone just swim jerkbaits? If so, with what kind of success?

"The reason I ask is because I fished a particular area for about an hour and a half with a jerk-jerk-pause 5-30 seconds, and also a jerk-jerk-jerk-pause 5-30 seconds, with no bites. It wasn't 'til the very end of my retrieve that I began to swim the HJ10, and the bass crushed the lure. I then switched to a brighter color, I downsized, upsized, and switched to various moving baits, all with no luck."

Most of the forum responses that angler received came from wise-acres, so I decided to pursue an online investigation of my own. Found one writer who pointed out, "Jerkbaits--aka minnow baits--are similar to soft swimbaits in many ways. Both closely resemble prey fish on the retrieve. They catch predator fish everywhere, and they're easy to fish. But when bass are in a tentative mood, you need to elicit reaction strikes by manipulating lure action, and well-designed jerkbaits provide endless retrieve options."

According to pro angler Mark Fisher, "Real minnows dart around, stop quickly, and often hang in suspension. Quality jerkbaits mimic this action, while most soft swimbaits sink toward bottom on the pause. A suspending jerkbait remains in the strike zone and creates a collision that often triggers bites. Another benefit is that treble hooks catch nippers or lazy bites, whereas fish need to eat single-hook swimbaits to get pinned.

"The beauty of minnow baits is that anyone can cast them out, reel 'em in, and be successful," Fisher continued. "Just remember to experiment with a variety of retrieves until you start getting bit, then repeat what's working."

Another fisherman offered this suggestion: "Just cast the jerkbait out and retrieve it, using a combination of sporadic turns of the reel handle, coupled with well-timed twitches of the rod tip. This kind of wind-wind-jerk-pause cadence makes the bait swim enticingly just below the surface."

As this fisherman explained, however, it takes more than making a couple of casts to get the rhythm down. "Actually, the average person likely will spend several hours twitching and jerking at all the wrong times and frothing up the water so bad that any fish which might have been in the area surely will have left or decided not to eat anytime soon," he said. "You might even resemble Frankenstein chasing villagers down a hillside before you finally get the cadence."

While doing my online research, I came across a couple of videos that may help explain these details a bit better. Here are the links:

     * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9N3FODGuLQ

     * https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09AJL_iPV6A

(My apologies to anyone who was trying to read this post while I was trying to get the video links to work right. Believe me, I was sitting here cussing Windows 10 and blogger every bit as much you likely were me. Hopefully, everything is right now.)

Don't See One Like This Every Day

As published in the latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster, this ultra-rare species of what he dubbed as a "solar-flare bass" was caught by pro angler Cliff Crochet's Cajun friends on a spinnerbait.

In reality, however, these gold-colored largemouth are in no way connected to a solar flare. They turn gold because of an extremely rare occurrence that is believed to be caused by a genetic mutation. This genetic anomaly is known as Xanrochromism or xanthism. It's often associated with usual red pigmentation being replaced with yellow.

Xanthism also can affect birds, reptiles and other species of fish. This mutation causes the bass to lose its ability to produce the colors needed to turn its scales green, making it have a gold hue.

Although some of the photos floating around the Internet are photo-shopped, the one above right is the real deal. Incidentally, the photo at left shows a solar flare. As you can see, there is a distinct connection to the color of the fish you see pictured here.

"Do the Dew:" It's More Than Just a Slogan

As I learned yesterday, while engaged in some dock talk, Mountain Dew soda pop provides a lot more than a thirst-quenching refreshment for anglers. It also offers healing powers for fish that have been gill-hooked.

Said the fellow angler I was talking to, "I had such a fish in the livewell that already was belly up and barely breathing. I introduced a small amount of Mountain Dew on the injured gills through its mouth, and in no time, the fish was bouncing around in the livewell as if nothing ever had happened."

A subsequent Google search revealed that introduction of a soft drink with some citric acid (e.g., Mountain Dew, Sprite, Mellow Yellow, 7Up) indeed appears to back up what my friend had told me earlier. "Once a fish begins to bleed from the gills or gullet, pour the soda on the affected area," noted one writer. "The acid in the soda will make the capillaries shrink and reduce or stop the hemorrhaging entirely."

While pouring a soft drink may well stop a fish bleeding from the gills, there are those who contend that "it's a better strategy simply to put your fish back in the water--or a healing tank--and let it heal naturally." The only problem with this advice, however--as I see it--is that just putting your fish back in the water doesn't always work. In fact, more times than not, it doesn't work...and that's based on a number of personal experiences over the years.

Check out this video link and draw your own preliminary conclusions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g9sN1J6Yu8. You also might like to consider the following information, which I gleaned from an April 2019, Wired2Fish article that was written by fisheries biologist Steve Bardin. He conducted a study of the subject matter.

Bardin began by noting that gills are made of three main parts: The arch, which is the central structure of the gill, the rakers, which are positioned under the arch and protect the gill, and the filament, which is the red-colored part where blood actually flows against the water that enters the mouth. This process is how fish pull oxygen from the water and release waste, such as ammonia...which, ideally, should stop any bleeding of the gill fairly quickly.

The fisheries biologist designed his experiment, using three 10-fish treatment groups. All 30 fish were captured, using electrofishing and measured between 12 and 14 inches. All 30 fish were sedated and randomly assigned a treatment group.

For group "A", Bardin used a hook to create a laceration in the area where the gill arch meets filaments and applied no soda. For group "B", he used the same procedure to create a laceration, then applied soda to the gill until the bleeding appeared to stop. Group "C" was the control group, which were sedated but had their gills untreated.

Groups "A" and "B" were marked with a unique fin clip to denote their treatment type, and then all 30 fish were released into a .20-acre hatchery pond that had been stocked with forage fish but no other predatory fish.

He used angling success to determine recovery. At 24 hours post-treatment, angling began in small 15-to-30-minute attempts to measure fish recovery, based on successful recapture. Once recaptured, each fish was removed from the study, and images were taken of the gill filament.

Following laceration of the gill of treatment group "B" fish, soda was an effective method to stop bleeding. This was achieved, using low volumes of soda. For the 10 treatment fish, a total of 30 ounces of soda was used. Some lacerations did take two pouring attempts to completely stop bleeding. Interestingly enough, although sedated, every fish had a muscular reaction to the soda application. All fish released recovered from sedation, except one treatment "B" fish (soda), which died.

On day one, following the treatment, one group "A" fish (no soda) was captured via angling. The gill filament of this fish showed slight discoloration in the immediate area where the laceration occurred but appeared healthy in all other ways.

On day two, at 48 hours post-treatment, four fish were captured via angling--two from group "A" (no soda) and two from group "B" (soda). None of these four fish had discoloration in gill filament around the laceration area.

Fish were recovered in both treatment groups "A" (no soda) and "B" (soda) on days three, four and five. Day five was the first day a group "C" (control) fish was recaptured. This trend continued over 14 days, as all fish were recovered.

Based on this study and the angling results, Bardin concluded that "the best management practice for an angler who hooks a fish in the gill and causes bleeding is to use pliers to remove the hook and get that fish back into the water as quickly as possible.

"If, on the other hand, you prefer to use the soda trick, it appears to coagulate the blood and stop the bleeding but does not appear to improve recovery."

However, he also went on to note that he used only a single brand of citrus-flavored soda during the study, adding, "it would be interesting to determine if other brands had similar results." He also pointed out the study was conducted in early spring conditions, when water temperatures were stable between 58 and 65 degrees. At this temperature range, all fish appeared to recover and become catchable again within 24 to 48 hours, regardless of treatment group. "The results likely would be different as water temperatures increased into the summer months," Bardin concluded.

One vocal critic of the soda trick is outdoor writer Spencer Neuharth, who wrote a blog post in 2017, pleading with anglers to stop dousing fish with Mountain Dew. "Not only is this soda theory wrong," he wrote, "but it's potentially bad for fish. The weak acid from pop would (I suggest that he should have said could) throw off the chemistry of the fish."

My bottom-line advice is this: Follow your own convictions. Personally, I'd much rather see a fish swim off from a gill injury, rather than go belly up after I've released it.

How Cold Is Too Cold to Go Bass Fishing?

That's a $64,000 question, but this much I know: Scenes like you find in the picture at right (courtesy of Jay Kumar's latest BassBlaster) aren't nearly enough to keep some diehard bass anglers wrapped up under the covers with a nice warm mate at home...even if the latter has lovin' on their mind. Perhaps the applicable philosophy is "business before pleasure."

Now I'm not saying there may not be exceptions to this rule. After all, when you're young...something I haven't been for quite a spell...it's amazing what you can pull off at the speed of a bunny.

I think y'all can follow my drift. However, I surmise it's probably in my best interests to get back to tellin' the real story I set out to relay here, rather than just lapse into a bunch of fantasizing about days gone by.

The point I want to make is that bass fishing in cold weather can be every bit as great as it is in the summer, especially since the colder temps keep a lot of anglers cozied up next to their wood-burning stoves. Following are some tips I found online to help keep your cold-weather angling at a fever pitch.

Location...location...location. True of fishing during any season, picking the right spot to cast your line is pivotal. If you aren't sure where the good fishing spots are during the winter months, check out your state's (or the state you'll be fishing in) Department of Natural Resources website. They have all the up-to-date information on what fish are in which lakes and rivers, what time of year offers the best catch, and any creel limits you'll need to heed.

Time the weather. While you may be tempted to stick to your regular springtime and summer fishing schedule of holidays and weekends, wintertime fishing in cold weather is a bit more touch-and-go. Because the weather drastically affects fish-activity levels, some of the best conditions for fishing depend on when Mother Nature decides to present us with a cold front. Fish feed just before the passing of these, so if you can be out on the lake or river just before the front passes, you very well may catch a heaping load of fish. Regardless of the weather, the best time to fish during winter months is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you go any earlier or later, the bites are apt to be a lot fewer and farther between.

The right gear. Winter is hard on fishing gear, so make sure you tune up your reels. What only "kind of works" in summer won't cut it in the winter. Cold temperatures will freeze up your reels' stiff bearings and thicken old oil and grease. Don't know how to maintain your reels yourself? There are plenty of repair shops that will be happy to help. Sure, you'll spend a little money, but you won't be wasting a trip if you find your reel has seized up after you're floating in the middle of a lake a hundred miles from home. Also consider your line. Water that collects on it or in a rod guide will freeze and eventually prevent the line from moving through the eyelet. Use line conditioner to keep your line straight and tangle-free.

Beyond good fishing line and a freshly maintained reel, don't forget about keeping yourself warm. Frostbite is real, and it can set in fast, especially if your hands or feet end up wet. Look for insulated, waterproof boots or shoes and both a pair of insulated gloves to keep your fingers warm and fingerless gloves for when you need to be more dexterous. Wear long underwear for an added layer of warmth, as well as thick socks and a good hat to keep your head and ears warm. And, of course, you'll need a pair of good coveralls and a winter coat. If you're concerned about getting your clothing wet, there are waterproofing sprays available online that will give you added protection.

The right bait. If you insist on using lures even in winter, select ones that have either hair or feathers attached. This will help maintain action in the cold water. Also, select artificial baits that have the potential to catch multiple species of fish and reduce your lure size. Because the cold reduces a fish's metabolism, they aren't going to go for the big stuff. Two- to three-inch lures are going to catch the most fish. Also consider using attractants for soft plastic lures. With fish not as hungry in the cold, attractants will encourage them to bite and hold on longer once they do.

Play it safe. It should be obvious, but not everyone takes their safety into account when it comes to winter fishing. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, January and February are the months with the greatest boating fatalities, so play it safe.

     * First, never fish alone during the cold season, even if you're a pro. If you fall overboard, the cold water may shock your system. Your muscles will cramp, and hypothermia can set in fast. You may not be able to pull yourself back onto your boat under your own power. And because there aren't many fishermen out on the water during the cold months, it's doubtful any other anglers will be in the area to help you in case of an emergency.
     * Leave a float plan with your spouse, family or friends. Agree to check in with them on a preset schedule. If they don't hear from you, they should call the proper authorities. Never change your float plan or location without telling someone first.
     * Wear layers and avoid cotton. Synthetic fabrics or wool are best. When cotton gets wet, it'll freeze you in your tracks.
     * Consider investing in hand and foot warmers like Hothands. These are long-lasting air-activated warmers that can provide up to 18 hours of heat. Stuff them into your gloves and shoes to keep your extremities toasty warm. You can even find vests meant to be worn beneath your jacket that do the same thing.
     * Make sure you have a life jacket for each person on board your boat. You should be wearing it over your coat. Life jackets don't work if they're on the boat and you're in the water. Look into investing in a built-in boarding ladder or a rope with loops to assist you in getting back on board if you do happen to fall overboard.
     * And finally, don't forget the food. Pack plenty of high-energy foods for your trip. Granola bars are great because you can eat them with your gloves on. And don't forget a thermos (or two). Having hot coffee out on a cold lake is a godsend, and hot soup for lunch is even better.

A Just-for-the-Heck-of-It Tournament

Our formal season ended last month, but the tourney director, Wayne Hayes, wanted to see if there perhaps was some interest in getting together for another time or two before wintery-like conditions descend on our area. Toward that end, he called for an open tournament today, in which 14 anglers in seven boats met up and launched at West Neck Marina.

At the 3 p.m. weigh-in, six of the boats brought a total of 28 bass to the scales, weighing a grand total of 59.03 lbs., which breaks down into an average weight per fish of 2.10 lbs. and an average weight per boat of 9.83 lbs.

Those anglers who claimed pay envelopes at day's end were as follows:

1st Place, the team of (from left) Dustin Alley and Mark Ingram, five fish, 13.20 lbs. total weight, 3.13-lb. big bass.

2nd Place, the team of (from left) Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five fish, 12.96 lbs. total weight, 4.19-lb. big bass, which also earned them the lunker award.

Here is how everyone else faired in today's competition:

     * The team of Gary Coderre and Dave Anderson, five fish, 10.46 lbs. total weight, 2.80-lb. big bass.

     * The team of Allen Napier and Chris Napier, five fish, 10.40 lbs. total weight, 3.17-lb. big bass.

     * The team of Andy Morath and John Harmon, five fish, 8.06 lbs. total weight, 2.21-lb. big bass.

     * The team of Gabe Himmelwright and Fred Crawford, three fish, 3.95 lbs. total weight, 1.40-lb. big bass.

     * The team of Steve Bailey and Dennis Dean didn't weigh any fish.

As of this writing, there's no way of knowing if there will be any more of these informal tournaments this year. We'll just have to wait and see what the TD decides. Anyone who is interested in having their name and email address added to a list for notices about any such future events is asked to provide that info to yours truly (kenneth34@cox.net).

Tight Lines! to one and all.

Gone But Still Remembered

Dewey Mullins

1937 - 2012

For Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020

Tuesday, Nov. 10 (from Ken)...With such a slug of rain in the forecast, I was determined to take advantage of the nice weather today and wet a line. Once again fished from about 9 to 2. Managed to catch a white perch, a pickerel, and four small bass. Alternated between a jerkbait and a squarebill crankbait the whole time, catching fish on both of them. Water temp when I started was just a tad over 58 but once again forgot to check the reading when I quit today. Saw the newly retired Gary and Dave on the water today and chatted a few minutes with them after we all were off the water. They echoed my sentiments of a "very slow day." Also ran across my friend Ray, who was crappie fishing. He said he had caught about a dozen, running from one-half to three-quarters of a pound by the time he stopped. All in all, it was a nice day to be on the water. Given all the rain coming our way, it likely will be awhile before we see water again as pretty as it was today.

Open Tournament Reminder

As I first posted Oct. 19th, there's an open tournament out of West Neck Marina this next Saturday, Nov. 14th, starting at safe light, with weigh-in at 3 p.m. The entry fee is $60 per boat (regardless if one or two fishes out of it), and there also will be a big-fish pot, costing $5 per angler who wishes to enter. In addition, a ramp fee of $5 per boat, as well as a $3-per-extra-vehicle fee (where applicable), will be collected.

Please remember, too, that masking and social distancing, as called for by COVID procedures, remain in effect for this event.

The only change in plans from the original notice about this tournament is that Mark Ingram (vice Wayne Hayes, who has had something come up), will be acting TD for this event, and I'll be taking care of admin matters (sign-ins and weigh-in recordkeeping). As a result, please refer any questions to yours truly (email: kenneth34@cox.net, or call 651-2990).

Look forward to seeing you there this next Saturday.

UPDATE: Have been asked by Wayne and his replacement TD, Mark Ingram, to put out the following additional notes about this event:

* Boaters should have their Boater Education Card and proof of insurance with them.

* This will be a “boundaries” tournament. The fishing area extends from the Centerville Bridge to Munden Point, including Milldam Creek. Anyone caught outside this stretch will be DQd.

* And finally, please come with exact change if at all possible.

Try a Touch of RuPaul, You Might Like It

Actually, the fish might like it. What I'm talking about here is tweaking your tackle...such as baits that have gotten banged up over the years...with fingernail polish and restoring them to their original glory. The mention of RuPaul was just a gimmick to draw you into the story.

As noted by Wired2Fish writer Shaye Baker, "There really is a lot you can do with nail polish when it comes to fishing."

"Too many times," continued Baker, "an angler finds a bait that dips, darts, dodges, or dances perfectly and is tempted to wrap it in bubblewrap instead of throwing it. What you should do is just add a clear coat of nail polish to help protect it and repeat that process multiple times as the paint does start to wear down or chip each time."

As all lady anglers know, there are all sorts of clear nail polishes available. Home-repair do-it-yourselfers, however, probably need to compare it to the paint aisle at the hardware store, where you have high-gloss, semi-gloss, satin, and the whole lot. You have a choice of picking one that makes the bait shine, or one that's flat and lets the true colors of the bait pop.

That first scratch on a favorite bait could be likened to a scratch in the gelcoat of a new boat. More than one new boat owner has said he/she has considered going ahead and putting a scratch on their boat as soon as they get it...before they even drop it in the water the first time. "Just get it out of the way, so I don't have to dread it any longer" seems to be the mindset. Most, though, don't go that route. Instead, they wait, knowing that the dreaded first scratch eventually will happen.

As with those baits, a little nail polish can actually provide a very cheap solution for a small scratch in the gelcoat. A quick swash overtop of it with the perfectly colored nail polish will make it nearly unnoticeable. There are countless colors of nail polish on the market now, and a good portion of them contain glitter that will blend extremely well with the metal flake in gelcoats.

For deeper gashes, the ones that make you drop to your knees, nail polish still can help ease the pain a little. Granted, there will be some occasions that require the assistance of a full-fledged gelcoat-restoration specialist. But while you're saving for one of those costly repairs, a little nail polish in the right color, along with a clear coat, will at least keep your eyes from being drawn to the gouge each time you look at your boat.

Besides these uses, nail polish comes in handy for customizing everything from lead heads to hard baits of all shapes and sizes. Add to that things like clear coating the thread of a repaired rod guide. If you put your mind to it, you can come up with all sorts of reasons to raid your wife's or significant other's makeup bag. Just remember it might be wise to ask before helping yourself, though.

Truth is you might be surprised if you only knew how many of your buddies have used a little Maybelline to keep their fishing gear looking shipshape.

For Week Ending Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020

Sunday, Nov. 1 (from Ron)...Went trick or treating at the HRBT early this morning. A bunch of pesky little bluefish were driving me crazy until I found a 19-inch speckled trout and a real pole-bending, drag-screaming striper.

Tuesday, Nov. 3 (from Ron)...Had a great evening back in the freshwater of my beloved Milldam Creek. Caught eight bass, a 14-inch chain pickerel, and a near-10-inch yellow perch. Was having so much fun I forgot to weigh several of them. Realized my error, though, and weighed one at 2-14 and measured another that went 19 inches, which likely weighed a bit over 3 lbs. A 16-incher and a few dinks rounded out the evening's take. All fell to the good ol' XTS Minnow and a couple on the Bomber Square A crankbait.

Thursday, Nov. 5 (from Ron)...Searched Rudee Inlet this evening for something of length. Caught about six speckled trout, with one nice fish measuring 22.25 inches. Had never seen the inlet so crowded on a weekday. Speckled bite is HOT!

Friday, Nov. 6 (from Ken)...Decided it was time for me to get back on the water and try to catch a fish or two. Fished from 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. and caught a total of five fish, including a pickerel, crappie and three small bass. The only baits that worked for me today were the jerkbait (primary) and spinnerbait. Missed a nice fish on the jerkbait first thing this morning, while working my way north of the West Neck Bridge, then was just beating up the water. Stopped about midway to the S-curve and ran back the other direction. However, it was about 12 noon before I picked up another bite. Baits that didn't work for me today included a Senko, chatterbait and crankbait. Found entirely by accident that a couple different retrieves worked with the jerkbait today. One, of course, was the conventional jerk, jerk, pause routine, but also had some luck by just slowly retrieving the jerkbait after letting it rest for a moment after splashdown. The water temp when I started this morning was about 59. Forgot to check it when I quit for the day, though. Not sure when I'll make my next trip. Don't plan to fish the Nov. 14 open tournament out of West Neck unless a partner materializes. However, Mark Ingram and I will be running that event, as a result of Wayne having had something come up. All hands should understand Mark and I only plan to host this one event. There are no plans for us to continue running any other tournaments.

Saturday, Nov. 7 (from Ron)...Chasing the speckled trout today in the Elizabeth River. No crowds, but there was some pesky boat traffic. Caught about a half-dozen speckled trout, and one was a real drag-screamer. 'Twas perfect weather and a good day on the water.

Learned Something New This Morning...

When someone starts talking about "noodling" for catfish, you'd better find out what kind of noodling they're talking about. Here's why I say so.

Was reading an item (titled "Lake Prince resident a local catfish whisperer") in this morning's edition of the Bayside Beacon supplement to The Virginian-Pilot. Seems that Lake Prince resident, 63-year-old Terry Goodall (top left), has been experimenting with a fishing technique called jugging. I'm familiar with this technique, where bottles or jugs are used as floats, from which baited hooks are rigged--either weighted or allowed to drift.

As explained in the Bayside Beacon item, though, Goodall calls his method "noodling," which cast an altogether different image in my mind. Noodling, as I've always known it, dating back to the same time I became familiar with jugging, involves a person wading into a river or creek, reaching into a submerged catfish hole in the the bank with your arm, and pulling the catfish from its hiding place.

Suffice it to say that this old-fashioned type of noodling involves its fair share of risks. Some victims have been severely injured and/or lost limbs and appendages in the process. That, however, is not the process Goodall was talking about.

With his process, you can buy ready-made noodles (or bobbers) (right), or build your own. If you choose the latter, you'll need a piece of half-inch PVC 12 inches long, a half-inch PVC "T" joint, some PVC glue, 30- or 40-pound nylon cord, a three-eighths or half-inch egg sinker, a No. 1 barrel swivel, a No. 5 circle hook, and some reflective tape (for easily spotting the noodle at night with a flashlight). You glue the PVC "T" joint to one end of the PVC pipe and run the other end of the PVC pipe through the swim noodle. Next, drill a hold in that end of the PVC pipe, tie a 4-foot piece of the cord to the drilled hole, slip on the egg sinker, and then tie on the swivel. Tie a 3-foot piece of cord to the other end of the swivel, and then tie on the circle hook. To complete the construction, wrap the noodle with the noodle with the reflective tape.

You're now ready to bait all the noodles and take them to the area you plan to fish. You might want to drop eight to 12 noodles, then just sit back in your boat and wait for an old catfish to take one.

Said Goodall, "You know you've got one when you see the noodle go under and take off." He goes on to explain that "each noodle must be permanently marked with the owner's name, address and phone number, as well as wrapped with reflective tape for visibility at night." A Virginia fishing license also is required.

To read the whole Bayside Beacon article (from page B9), click on this link: https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/outdoors/vp-br-jugging-fisherman-1101-20201027-ocwkzhlq4vcldnwp7mt7l4ykdm-story.html.