Out of the Game, But Still Has His Aim

That phrase describes my long-term friend Jim Bauer (right).

Yeah, it's been a couple years now since he regularly prowled West Neck Creek with his Skeeter in search of bass, but that in no way has affected his love of the sport. I can assure you that, if it hadn't been for a whole long series of health issues, this man we know with the handlebar mustache would have been right alongside all of us slinging his share of baits.

How do I know this? Because I talk to him on a regular basis. And then, too, I received a lengthy email note from him today, in which he described an incident that occurred recently at his house.

Seems he had spotted a limb from one of the trees in his yard laying on the roof, and he was intent on removing the unwanted obstacle...by whatever means necessary. It didn't take him very long to come up with a plan.

As Jim explained, "I actually had a baitcaster in my hand last week. I admittedly was a bit rusty, but I managed to prove that it's possible to move a good-sized tree limb off a roof with it, even though I had to make a few more casts than what it used to take me to snatch a tree limb on the bank.

"I had a retired rod/reel combo here that I blew the dust off of," continued Jim, "and after tying on a couple worm weights, went to work. It was far enough up the roof that I couldn't reach it from the ground. Had to clear a few bird's nests in the process, but finally got the weights to tangle around the limb and slowly pulled it off the roof.

"When my mission was complete, I retired the combo back to my rod rack," he concluded.

Having gotten a couple chuckles out of this account, I decided to share the experience with everyone. Folks still ask me about Jim, and I'm always more than happy to share what I know.

This much I can tell you with certainty: If/when he gets all his health issues under control, he will get back on the water with all the rest of us. I, for one, will gladly welcome him back. He and I already have plans to spend a day or two on the water together when the topwater bite gets going.

Gatorade Is What You Drink...

Gator Aid is what you call when you need a free ride.

(Photo courtesy latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster)

Remembering the Way It Was Back in the Day

Got to digging around the Internet today and found a wealth of information about how some old- and not-so-old-timers got hooked on fishing. Following are their stories, as told in their own words. I plan to make this a two-part series.

From a New York angler. I started slinging plugs (as they were called back in 1960), with a Jitterbug my first lure ever. Amazingly, they still catch the tar out of 'em in low light. Most guys that fished then only had a few lures. My grandfather would roll over in his grave if he ever saw all my tackle and rods today, let alone my bass boat. Back then, most guys learned fishing from their dads or granddads like I did, not by reading about it, nor seeing it on TV, and we sure didn't have the Internet then. Times and things in those days were way simpler. There were only a few channels on TV, and at a certain time every day, programming was done, and all you could see until the next morning was a station's test screen. In 1960, our family only had one TV, and it was black and white. We had no air conditioning...in the family car or the house either one. However, we had a fan...and I might add, water coolers--both home-made and store-bought--were popular back then, too (LOL). I have fished intensely my entire life...have never put it down.

From a California angler. First time I ever fished was 1958, with a spinning rig bought at Thrifty Drugstore for $4.99...or thereabouts. At 10 years old, I hopped on a bus that took me to the nearest lake. The only lure I had was a Red Devil. I didn't even know how to cast the rig. I released the anti-reverse and slung it as hard as I could, only to end up hooking some man's arm. He popped the hook out (wasn't beyond the barb), then proceeded to teach me how to cast properly. I was in heaven and fished until the mid-80s. Then my folks got divorced, and that was the end of my fishing for several years. Luckily, I got back into it when my son bought me a nice spinning rig for Christmas in 2008. He's been fishing since he was about 9 years old.

From a Pennsylvania angler. I was fortunate that my dad and uncle were really into bass fishing throughout the 40s and 50s. My first dedicated bass-fishing trips began in the early 60s. I remember many Zebcos, Mitchell 300s, and old red Ambassadeurs. I spent a lot of time growing up on my uncle's cattle farm that had a private pond. It was my personal playground. I fished it anytime I wanted...day or night. Fast forward to the late 70s, when I got so wrapped up in fishin' that I lost a wife, a house, and two jobs, and developed a few personal problems. Started a guide service, then developed some more personal problems. Fished Jitterbugs, Johnson Spoons, Snagless Sallys, Bill Plummer's bass frog, Burke flex-o-lure, Storm Thin Fins, Dying Flutters, Devil's Horses, Dalton Specials, Buck Perry Spoonplugs, and No-Bo line back then. Caught many large fish on all of them. Used Herter's catalog to order 50 assorted lures from Sports Liquidators for $19.95...as I recall. Got some of those big ol' plastic worms that had ridges on them and two weedless hooks. Looked kinda like a piece of tire tread. That's when fishing was about fishing. Today, it's about fishing and money. I see guys on TV roughing up the fish, hootin' and hollerin', high-fivin' and screamin' at the fish...and G-man doin' a high-speed pass on Randy Howell whilst he's fishin'. I really don't understand it. To me, it's just all common buffoonery. I've been doin' it about five decades now...three decades at 150 to 200 trips a year. I'm wore out, my elbows and wrists are worn out, and my boat's wore out. I'm tired of runnin' and gunnin'. I do, however, still manage to squeeze in well over a hundred days a year. There are five lakes, all within 10 minutes of where I live.

From Massachusetts angler No. 1. I started fishing in the mid-40s, using a bamboo pole, kite string, a cork bobber, a hook, and a tin can to carry my worms I dug up in an old, long-neglected orchard on my way to the pond. The first rule back then was to make sure the worm hid the point of the hook, so the fish couldn't see it.

From Massachusetts angler No. 2. Caught my first largemouth on a shiner and a $2 rod, with a fly reel given to me by a neighbor. That got me hooked. Have seen a lot of stuff come and go. I still have a tubular steel baitcasting rod (Heddon Pal) and a Pflueger "Silk Cast" knuckle-buster reel. My dad bought me a Heddon Lucky 13 (the old wooden kind) for Christmas one year, and I still have it. Times certainly have changed...some for the better, and some for the worse.

From Massachusetts angler No. 3. Times have indeed changed. I'm not sure I enjoy it any more than I did as a wide-eyed youngster of five, but it sure costs a lot more to do it. I remember going to the hardware store, where the bamboo poles were standing in an empty nail keg. These kegs are long gone now. We tied kite string to the tip of the rod, leaving a long tag end, which was secured along the rod from the tip to the stouter portion of the bamboo with a series of half-hitches. When...not if...the tip broke, you still had your line, bobber and hook. The cork was slit lengthwise, about halfway through. We slipped it over the line, then slid it up and down to adjust the depth of the bait. The biggest fish I caught in those days was a 16-inch pickerel, but I didn't catch it on that pole. I had put a shiner on my home-made stringer, made with kite string and a twig about four or five inches long tied to the string. We slid the twig between the gills and the gill plate, then out the back side. The twig prevented the fish from pulling off the line. We'd secure the stringer to a bush, rock, root, or whatever. Keep in mind this stringer was about 20 feet long, so it was more like a leash, which allowed the fish some freedom to swim about. On this day that I had put a shiner on that leash, I pulled it up when I got ready to go home and discovered that a pickerel had come along and swallowed the shiner. To me, it looked like a world-record fish, so I took it home to show off. Along the way, the pickerel slid off the shiner, but I got it home, put it in a wheelbarrow full of water, pulled up some tall grass, and put it on the water. Somehow, I thought the grass would keep the water oxygenated. After everyone saw the pickerel, I put it in a bucket and released it back into the pond (just a couple minutes' walk through the orchard), where it had been caught. It had managed to survive that ordeal.

An Angler Who "Gave the Last Full Measure of Devotion"

Wired2Fish writer Walker Smith once introduced an article titled "The Power of Bass Fishing" with the following dialog: "Have you ever taken a long look into your heart, soul and mind and asked yourself why you love this sport? How is it that a little green fish with a pea-sized brain has such an unwavering hold on you? Maybe it helps you relax. Maybe it satisfies your competitive spirit. Maybe it's just all you've ever known. Or maybe, as in the case of 24-year-old Texas State University angler David Cosner, it literally helps you survive.

"I believe, with everything I am," continued Smith, "that God places certain people in our lives to teach us imperative lessons. Some of these people might teach us perseverance, while others may teach us how to love deeper than we ever knew possible. Today, however, an angel in the form of David Cosner taught me about perspective."

Unfortunately, after a long and very public battle with Wegener's granulomatosis, a terminal lung disease, angler David Cosner passed away at 29 years old. He was diagnosed with the condition two days after his 17th birthday. Not only did he attack the disease head-on and exhaust all medical efforts to beat it, but he also kept an inspiring and positive attitude until he took his last breath.

While sick, Cosner founded the Texas State University bass cub and competed for four years in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series. He was an outstanding collegiate angler who excelled in many tournaments. But his main mission was to share his story through bass fishing.

In a conversation with Wired2Fish, Cosner summed up his disease in a few short sentences.

"I describe my disease like this," he said. "It's a liberating experience I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. It has shown me how to live my life. We should all help others, enjoy everything, and never feel guilty about taking time off work to do something we love. Life is a fragile, fragile thing. It'd be weird if I wasn't a little scared, but at the same time, I've been blessed with a huge appreciation for life. The normal, small things that make most people angry just don't matter to me anymore."

Cosner made it his goal to fish the Bassmaster Central Opens in 2018, as he was determined to compete against some of the best anglers in the country. If you knew David, once he made the decision, he went full speed and wouldn't let anything, even a terminal diagnosis, hold him back. With oxygen tank in tow, he made a run at it while his father and best friend, Don Cosner, traveled with him to ensure his wellness.

Dozens of very prominent companies in the fishing industry flocked to show their support for Cosner's inspiring mission. Each and every company that offered help, whether product-wise or financially, promptly received a handwritten note in the mail from Cosner. That's just the kind of young man he was.

As Smith concluded, "We love and will sorely miss our friend. But we're so thankful he's free from this awful disease. We love you, buddy."

You can read the entire story behind David's journey by simply clicking on this link: https://www.wired2fish.com/opinions-philosophies/the-power-of-bass-fishing.

Who's the Youngest Angler Ever To Fish a B.A.S.S. Tournament?

If you said Zell Rowland (left), you would be right. He was 13 years old when he fished the 1970 Bassmaster All-American held on Table Rock Lake, MO.

The Memphis, TN teenager came in on day 1 with a 3-pound 5-ounce bass, while his partner, Bob Branson of Springfield, MO, had only a 13-ounce catch to show for his efforts that cold November day.

According to newspaper reports, Bill Dance was leading after the first day, with Roland Martin in second, Tom Mann in fourth, and Shorty Evans tied with Johnny Morris in 13th place. Zell was in 20th after the first day but failed to cash a check at the event. And, unfortunately, there are no records available that show where Rowland ultimately ended up.

B.A.S.S. changed the rules right after this event and enforced an age limit for anglers, who now had to be over the age of 16 to compete. This means Rowland could have competed in 1973 as a 16-year-old, but his name doesn't show up in the bassmaster.com database until the 1979 Alabama Invitational. At that time, he would have been roughly 22 years old.

In the years since, Rowland has gone on to become a legendary fisherman...one who always has a legendary bait at his side. That bait, of course, is a popper.

Most anglers are familiar with the story of the Rebel Pop-R and how Zell would sand the bait down to create a unique sound...a "spit," as he calls it. He'd shave the lure millimeter by millimeter until it had just the right look--a more oval head, a more pointed tail, a smaller bait overall.

Some, however, might be less familiar with the story of Booyah's Boss Pop, a lure carried over from the Excalibur brand that brings with it Zell's own personal touch. It started as an accident.

Said Rowland, "I accidentally shaved too much off the face of a Pop-R, and it made the mouth of the bait flatter than I wanted it to be. I tried it out anyway, though, and found that the bass ate it just as good, if not better than the Pop-R. That's how the Boss Pop was born.

"The best time for Boss Pop action is just after the spawn, or when shad themselves are spawning," continued Rowland. "It's also good in the summer, when you find bass in the back ends of creeks. If you see shad flickering on the surface, the Boss Pop will catch them," he said.

The biggest fish Rowland has caught to date on the Boss Pop weighed 10.5 pounds. Right after that, however, he hooked a much larger fish, but it straightened the hooks.

A reporter once asked Rowland what was the worst moment in all of his tournament fishing. He responded by saying it probably was the final round of the 1982 B.A.S.S. North Carolina Invitational at Albemarle Sound, near Elizabeth City. He was fishing from an Eldorcraft bass boat and was making a 20-mile run to his fishing area each day. He and his partner had found the fish biting particularly well on the last day.

"By 8:30," said Rowland, "I had 25 pounds in the livewell. I felt like I had the tournament won at that point, but they were biting so good that we stayed and fished right up until the last minute. My partner had more than 20 pounds, too.

"On the way back to weigh-in, the hull on the boat delaminated, and it filled with water. It was only four feet deep, and the boat went down to the gunnel. I was able to idle over to a boat ramp and get help, but we didn't make it to weigh-in. By the time we got back, it was over. I would have won by more than eight pounds.

"I'll never forget seeing Forrest Wood standing there when I got in. When I told him what had happened, he told me it sounded like I needed to get in a Ranger. I fished out of one for the next 18 years."

Postspawn: Peak Time for Fishing Wake Baits...

So say the experts, anyway. They point out that the bass are migrating back to summertime habitat, following the same pathways they used when moving up shallow to spawn. The only difference, though, as they explain, is that the fish are looking for bream and other sources of forage to feed on to renew lost body weight due to reproduction.

There are several styles and models of wake baits available. Each one seems to be built a bit different. One thing they all have in common, however, is the signature V-wake made on the surface when retrieved.

According to outdoor writer, photographer, and professional fishing guide Brad Wiegmann, "A V-wake on the surface during postspawn is a dinner bell for bass, because it imitates a fleeing shad or bluegill. Of course, a bass has to be able to see the V-wake that shad or bluegill make, so water clarity is vital. Too much wind also has negative results, since it's impossible for a wake bait to make a V-wake during such conditions.

"Some of the best locations are obvious," continues Wiegmann. "Secondary points and main-lake points always will be productive. These locations offer open and deep-water access, with a constant supply of roaming schools of forage to feed on. Big underwater boulders and rocky areas also will hold large schools of suspending bass.

"Less obvious locations are the next best place to fish a wake bait. Laydowns often are overlooked, but bass will suspend next to the trunk or tip of the branches, depending on water clarity and time of day. The best way to fish a laydown is to cast up near shore by the tree root and reel back parallel to the trunk.

"The shady side of boat docks on shallow lakes are another great spot to catch postspawn bass. Again, it's a great ambush point, while offering a hiding place. Also, stumps in 8-to-12 feet of water will have suspending postspawn bass around them.

"If you want to know when to start fishing a wake bait, just look at the beds. When the bass start spawning, or you see a lot of empty beds, you should be casting a wake bait.

"Picking the right wake bait depends on the conditions you are facing. Overall, one of the best wake baits for all species of fish is the Cotton Cordell RedFin. It's renowned for being able to make a wake, without requiring any modification to the bill or hooks.

"RedFins come in several sizes, as well as a jointed model. The latter makes more noise and has more action than the one-piece model.

"The Bomber 15A also is renowned for catching largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass during the postspawn. It's well-known that, by flattening the lip of this bait, the lure's action becomes more erratic and irresistible to bass.

"Other productive wake baits include the Jackall Mikey Jr., Ima Roumba, and Deps Buzzjet. Handcrafted balsa wood wake baits is another option if you can find them available anywhere.

"No matter which wake bait you fish, it should be tied on with a loop knot, which will keep the front end of the bait from digging in and diving deeper. The loop knot also lets the lure have more freedom to swim back and forth.

"Having the right tackle is crucial when fishing a wake bait. Spinning tackle is perfect, because it increases the casting distance for lightweight lures. The angle of the fishing rod is upright, and you can put on plenty of monofilament fishing line that sinks slowly."

Incidentally, Wiegmann also points out that "postspawn isn't the only time fish will hit a wake bait. During the fall, once the water temperature drops below 65 degrees, the wake-bait bite will be on again. Further, smallmouth, largemouth, and spotted bass aren't the only fish willing to bite a wake bait. Stripers, hybrids, white bass, and other game fish also will hit them while being reeled across the surface," he concludes.

For Period Ending Sunday, April 3, 2022

Tuesday, March 22 (from Ken)...I wasn't satisfied having a Pepe Le Pew kind of day this past Saturday. I had to go out again today and have another "stinking" day. Went through a variety of baits, including a Senko, shallow crankbait, topwater, and spinnerbait, but had nary a taker. Said so long to the spinnerbait today. Had reared back for a long cast with it, but suffered a backlash, at which point the 20-lb. braid snapped, and the bait went AWOL. Spent the first half of my four hours on the water in Albright's before running back to West Neck and finishing out my day, hitting all the wood I could find with the Senko. Saw some other boats today, as well as a few bank fishermen, but didn't recognize a single soul. There was plenty of water...just very little with good coloration. The biggest blessing of the whole day was that the winds were manageable for a change. You even could hold the boat directly into the wind and keep moving forward. At least, I got out before the next round of rain hits, which I just heard the weatherman say will start tomorrow and continue into Thursday. The water temp today ranged from 50 to 58 degrees.

Saturday, March 26 (from Ron)...After a two-week business trip, it was good to get back out Friday evening and today. Was targeting panfish and chain pickerel. Found six bass, too. Chose Oakum Creek this morning to avoid the high winds. Launched at 0800, and all was well. Caught a bunch of fish, and when I returned at 1100, a large tree had fallen and was blocking my recovery transit path. Glad I wasn't transiting when it happened!

Friday, April 1 (from Rob and Mike)...Talked to Rob by phone yesterday afternoon and learned that he and Mike had spent about 2.5 hours during the afternoon doing battle with the wind and trying to find a few of our favorite green fish. In the final analysis, they claimed victory. Both caught fish and missed a few, too. At least Rob has the basis for developing a game plan for Sunday's tournament, which is more than some of the rest of us have. Reckon we'll just have to "wing it."

What's Not To Like About This Good Ol' Country Boy?

While researching something entirely different this morning, I came across a little story about Tennessee professional angler Andy Morgan (right). I never had heard his name before, but that's nothing new...I've admittedly never made any effort to stay abreast of all the newer crop of bass anglers who make a living with their fishing.

As it turns out, however, those who know Andy Morgan on a personal level recognize he's hilarious in his own down-home way. It's been said that there could be a whole series of quirky things this guy says and does titled "Andy Morganisms."

For example, after the second day of the 2011 FLW Tour slugfest on Lake Okeechobee, Morgan was sitting in fourth place after just sacking 30 pounds. During his post-weigh-in interview, he was asked what he caught his fish on. The response was classic Morgan: "It don't really matter. It's just one of them booger-on-a-hook deals right now."

Several writers in attendance paused with a perplexed look on their faces and asked the Evinrude pro to explain.

Morgan matter-of-factly said, "I caught some on a brush hog, some on a speed craw, and a few on a swimming fluke. But it really didn't matter what I was throwing, 'cause the bite was so good the bass would have eaten a booger on a hook."

Throughout his 20-year career as a professional bass angler, Morgan has been regarded as one of the sport's most successful competitors. His unwavering determination and consistency have led to three FLW Angler-of-the-Year titles. He also holds a place atop the FLW Tour's all-time Top-10s list with 66. And further, he has won his first championship title on Major League Fishing's Bass Pro Tour.

Off the water, Andy usually can be found in the field, pursuing his passion for waterfowl and deer hunting. He is a past host of Moultrie's The Hit List and co-host of American Archer. And today, he continues to film hunts for outdoor television.

When asked about his success, Andy is quick to point out the hard work and dedication that have gone into it. He also acknowledges the role his spirituality has played in his success. "God has blessed me in more ways than I deserve," he says. "I lean on Him daily for strength and guidance."

Country life for Andy is spending time with his wife of 20 years, Missy, their daughter, Keylee, age 17, and their dog, Elsa, on their 70-acre farm in Dayton, TN.

Blowin' in the Wind--It's a Lot More Than a '60s Tune by Bob Dylan

Don't take my word for it. Just ask any or all of the 22 anglers who participated in today's Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tournament out of West Neck Marina. Those 20-knot sustained winds and gusts that felt all of 35 or 40 knots made for one tough fishing day. Nevertheless, all but three of the 14 tournament boats weighed fish, and two of those boats suffered casualties.

At day's end, the tournament field brought a total of 47 bass to the scales, for a combined weight of 92.97 pounds, which translates into an average weight of  1.97 pounds per fish.

Here are the anglers who walked away with a payday:

1st Place, Andy Morath, limit of five fish, total weight 15.65 pounds, and a big fish weighing 4.05 pounds. Andy also claimed 60 percent of the Side Pot.

2nd Place, Kevin Mills, limit of five fish, total weight 12.90 pounds, and a big fish weighing 5.54 pounds, which also garnered him the day's Big Fish honors. He further was the recipient of 40 percent of the Side Pot.

3rd Place, the team of (from left) Rob Peppers and Don Carter, limit of five fish, total weight 12.12 pounds, and a big fish weighing 3.12 pounds.

4th Place, (from right) Eddie Sapp, as presented by the tournament director, Wayne Hayes (left), limit of five fish, total weight 9.13 pounds, and a big fish weighing 2.89 pounds.

Here is how everyone else lined up after the weigh-in:

     * Mark Ingram, limit of five fish, total weight 8.48 pounds, and a big fish weighing 2.63 pounds.
     * The brothers team of Allen and Chris Napier, limit of five fish, total weight 7.46 pounds, and a big fish weighing 1.85 pounds.
     * The team of Dennis Dean and Steve Bailey, limit of five fish, total weight 7.37 pounds, and a big fish weighing 1.82 pounds.
     * The team of Dave Anderson and Gary Coderre, limit of five fish, total weight 7.30 pounds, and a big fish weighing 2.01 pounds.
     * The team of Ken Mathers and Jim Leavis, three fish, total weight 6.85 pounds, and a big fish weighing 3.91 pounds.
     * The team of Wayne Hayes and Ken T., four fish, total weight 5.71 pounds, no big fish.
     * Chris Fretard, Bob Clarkson, and the teams of Craig Jones and Rob Chatham, and Jim Calhoun and Gabe Himmelwright didn't weigh any fish. Both Clarkson and the Calhoun - Himmelwright team suffered boat casualties today.

Congratulations to all of the winners and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. Special thanks also go to Andy Morath who went and towed the boat with Calhoun and Himmelwright aboard back to the dock at day's end.

For planning purposes, our next event is scheduled for Sunday, April 3, from safe light (about 0630) to weigh-in at 1430. We hope you can join us.

One Last Cast

Angler Gabe Himmelwright is fast becoming our roving photographer. He seems to have a knack for catching fellow competitors without any knowledge on their part that they are in the viewfinder of his smart-phone camera. In this photo, he has captured what appears to be competitor Mark Ingram as we all were making our way out the channel from the marina store for blastoff this morning.

Gabe and his partner, Jim, had the unfortunate luck to experience outboard problems as they tried to crank up and head back for weigh-in. Their outboard simply wouldn't fire, and so Andy Morath volunteered to go get them.

Accordingly, the tournament director had no option but to disqualify them for not making the 3 p.m. deadline. That's a tough reality for anyone who has a nice bag of fish "cooling" in their livewell.

I still remember one of our Classic contests from the distant past when I failed to make it back for Day 2 weigh-in...simply because I had a brain f**t and forgot what time weigh-in was scheduled for. Can't remember ever feeling so stupid...before or since.

Here's wishing Gabe and Jim best wishes for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Current Overall Statistics

There's a Time for Fishin' and a Time for Takin' Cover...

And the smart person knows the difference between the two. Unfortunately, though, statistics show that some never learn that difference or perhaps think...mistakenly...that they're invincible.

During the period between 2006 and 2017, 368 people died from lightning strikes in the U.S., with about two-thirds of them occurring during outdoor recreational activities. Fishing topped the list with 34 fatalities. Boating also ranked high with 17 deaths, and there were nine golfing victims.

Among those fishermen who died was Lorenzo Magdaleno, 51, a veteran angler and member of the Florida Bass Federation and Homestead Hawg Hunters club, who died June 8, 2012, during the final day of the TBF Southern Division Championship on Florida's Lake Okeechobee.

He and his partner, Mike Hardin, were fishing approximately 45 minutes away from the tournament launch area. Magdaleno was running the trolling motor at the time, while Hardin, the boat owner, was on the back deck and got knocked off his feet by the strike. He remembered waking up after an undetermined amount of time and not knowing what exactly had happened. Hardin was examined at the local hospital and released, but Magdaleno didn't survive.

"People often wait far too long to head to safety when a storm is approaching, and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation," said John Jensenius, a lightning safety specialist with the National Weather Service (NWS).

"Each year," he continued, "thunderstorms produce an estimated 20 to 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning flashes in the United States, and each one of those flashes is a potential killer. Some flashes strike directly under the storm, where it is raining, but others reach out away from the storm, where people perceive the lightning threat to be low or nonexistent. These often catch people by surprise."

For the record, lightning can strike from 10 miles away, so if people can hear thunder, they are in immediate danger. Many lightning deaths occur ahead of storms or after they seemingly have passed.

Fishermen and boaters can best protect themselves by monitoring weather and postponing outdoor activities when thunderstorms are forecast. Consider purchasing a portable, battery-powered, tone-alert NOAA weather radio and installing a weather-alert app on your smartphone. These will allow you to monitor short-term forecasts for changing weather conditions, and their tone-alert features will automatically tell you when the NWS issues a severe thunderstorm watch or warning.

It's also important to remember the NWS's lightning safety motto: When thunder roars, go indoors! The safest place to retreat to is a fully enclosed building with wiring and plumbing. Sheds, picnic shelters, tents, or covered porches do NOT protect you from lightning.

If a sturdy building is not nearby, get into a hard-topped metal vehicle and close all the windows. Stay inside until 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder.

The NWS says if you are out fishing or boating and cannot get back to land and safety, drop anchor and get as low as possible. Large boats with cabins, especially those with lightning-protection systems properly installed, or metal marine vessels, are relatively safe. Remember to stay inside the cabin and away from any metal surfaces. Stay off the radio unless it's an emergency.

If caught outdoors, you also should get away from the water, and do your best to avoid open areas, such as beaches. Don't be the tallest object in the area. Stay away from the tops of hills and ridges, isolated tall trees, towers, or utility poles.

Also stay away from metal conductors, such as wires or fences. Metal does not attract lightning, but it can travel long distances through the metal...the same with water.

For safety's sake, it's also essential for people in charge of activities, such as fishing tournaments, to understand the dangers of lightning, have a lightning safety plan in place, and follow the plan when thunder is heard or lightning is seen. The plan should give clear and specific guidelines to eliminate errors in judgment. These questions should be addressed in the plans:

     * When should activities be stopped? (When thunder is heard, lightning is seen, skies look threatening, or warnings are issued.)
     * Where should people go for safety? (Designate specific locales if possible; otherwise, follow general guidelines outlined earlier.)
     * When should activities be resumed? (No sooner than 30 minutes after the last thunder is heard.)
     * Who should monitor the weather and make the decision to stop activities? (A designated person or persons with access to weather-warning systems who know the safety plan's guidelines and are empowered to assure the guidelines are followed.)

Despite all precautions, it's still possible someone could be struck by lightning. If that happens, it's important that others on the scene act fast. Lightning victims do not carry an electrical charge, are safe to touch, and need urgent medical attention. Some deaths can be prevented if the victim receives the proper first aid immediately.

The NWS says to follow these steps:

     * Call for help. Call 911 or your local ambulance service.
     * Give first aid. Do not delay CPR if the person is unresponsive or not breathing. Use an automatic external defibrillator if one is available.
     * If possible, move the victim to a safer place. Lightning can strike twice. Don't become a victim.

For more information, visit https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning-safety, where you'll find NWS lightning links, forecasts and assessment.

Crazy? Brave? Both? Who Knows?

The top seven teams in today's season opener of the Carolina Anglers Team Trail (CATT), Tidewater Division, including the team of (from left) Andy Morath and Wayne Hayes, took home checks. Andy and Wayne finished in sixth place, with a total weight of 17.67 pounds.

Leading the pack today was the team of Brian Cooper and Mike Evans, who took home a $2,025 payday for their winning bag of 22.02 pounds. Other money winners included the following:

     * The team of Ken Kipler and Shawn Dunlap, 21.92 pounds.
     * The team of David Ward and Vern Townsend, 21.91 pounds.
     * The team of Gerald Murray and Spencer Murray, 18.35 pounds.
     * The team of Jordan Sanderlin and Andrew George, 17.98 pounds.
     * The team of Brandon John and Eugene Foushee, 17.12 pounds. They also had the day's big fish, an 8.6-pounder.

Nine fish weighing more than 6 pounds were brought to the scales today 

The fella writing up the Facebook report said he didn't know if "they were all crazy or brave, maybe a little bit of both," but 35 diehard teams showed up on the Pasquotank River this morning to fish. "I thought it was gonna go down as a really tough day," he continued, "and it was for some teams, but quite a few surprised us with nice bags of fish."

The next CATT, Tidewater Division, tournament is scheduled for Saturday, March 26th, on the Perquimans River. Follow this link (https://www.facebook.com/people/CATT-Tidewater-Division/100057696624168/) for additional details.

When a Fishing Day Goes From One Extreme to the Other

Was reading the firsthand account of a guy's fishing trip the other day that, by the time I had finished it, had me thinking to myself, "This just as easily could describe some of the days I've had over the years."

Seems this fella had gone to his favorite lake and was having "a wonderful day" catching bass.

"The squarebill crankbait bite was on," he said, "and we (his partner and him) were having one of our best days of the season. As our fishing day was winding down, we decided to fish a tree-covered shoreline one more time before heading back to the ramp. We were sitting in about 8 feet of water, casting up under the trees as close to the shoreline as possible. The water at the shoreline was only about a foot deep, but on this day," as he allowed, "the bass were feeding there."

In continuing his story, the fella noted, "My casting skills are not the best in the world (boy, how I can relate to that statement!), and errant casts are all too familiar (you betcha!). On my next cast, my squarebill sailed to the shoreline OK but, unfortunately, was intercepted by a tree. Deciding to go after my lure, I headed the trolling motor in that direction.

"As I neared the shore, the water was just too shallow, and I had to pull up the trolling motor. At that same moment, though, I was able to grab a tree branch fairly close to the lure. This maneuver resulted in a different kind of snag: The line at the rod's tip wrapped around some other branches, thus complicating the lure retrieval.

"Now I had a genuine twisted mess, and no matter what I tried, the branches would not break. I grabbed my trusty case knife and, while hacking away at the bundle of branches, the one holding my lure snapped with a 'twang', sending the lure back toward the boat. It ended up catching in the flap covering the zipper in my jeans.

"With the lure recovered but stuck in my fly," the fella continued, "I inched the boat back into the deeper water, 'til I could get to a safe location to remove the hazard from my pants. It didn't take long to realize the lure was hooked very well, and the only thing I could do was to cut a little slice on the zipper flap to release it. All of this took a bit of time and, quite frankly, was starting to irritate me.

"I cut the lure free, only then to accidentally drop my knife. I watched helplessly as it hit the front deck, bounced toward the trolling-motor mount, and then tumbled into the lake, to be lost forever. The recovery of a $2.99 H20 squarebill now had cost me a $40 knife.

"Still irritated, I tossed the lure onto the deck of the boat but right into my net, where it then hung. I cut loose with some inappropriate language and got scolded by my fishing partner.

"That was the last straw. I decided to heck with it and got ready to head for the ramp, with plans to call it a day (yep, been there, done that, and got lots of T-shirts to prove it!). I stowed the rods, cleared a bunch of tree branches from the deck, put on my PFD, and climbed behind the helm for the short trip to the ramp. Alas, though, the motor would not start. After uttering a few more colorful words, which elicited a scowl from my partner, I was told to check the kill switch. Sure enough, it had come unhooked during my tirade.

"Embarrassed by my actions, I turned the key, the motor roared to life, and we headed home."

This confession is a true story...one of many adventures that have befallen this angler.

"Although I'm not proud of my performance, I can't help but laugh about this particular day and how messed up things can get when you're upset," admitted the angler.

There's a saying that goes like this: "When nothing is going right, go fishing." However, there's also another one, from none other than our nation's 31st President, Herbert Hoover, that goes: "Be patient and calm--for no one can catch fish in anger." Both the angler in this account and yours truly need to remember Mr. Hoover's words, cause I'm sure there are more similar episodes ahead for both of us.

That "Big Catch" Isn't Always a Prize

Consider, for example, the retired couple I was reading about who one day were fishing Santee Cooper Reservoir, a lake known for its large bass, super huge catfish, and striped bass. Aside from the gators, the catfish are the largest of them all.

It's not uncommon to see folks with catfish greater than 40 pounds, and some boast catfish twice that size. What this means is that, from time to time, you just may hook into one of these whiskered monsters. And when you're rigged for bass, it can be a real problem landing a fish like that.

On a particularly quiet day, this couple was just drifting down a creek channel, making casts and not having a lot of success. All of a sudden, the wife hollered that she had a fish on and called for the net. The husband immediately put down his rod, got the net, and headed to the rear of the boat where she was engaged in a battle with something big.

Said the husband, "The rod tip was jumping all over the place. Her effort to move whatever was hooked up was futile and was only overworking the drag as she reeled for all she was worth. Then, however, I noticed we were drifting with the current, and it made me think that she might not have a fish after all.

"As the wife tired, she asked me to take her rod and land this monster. I took her rod and swapped places with her on the back deck and soon realized that, instead of a fish, she had hooked one of those infamous Santee stumps.

"We both started laughing as I freed her rattletrap. Although it was a bit of a disappointment and a slight embarrassment for the wife, it was exciting and the source of many stories with our friends.

"I since have let her know that anyone who fishes has done battle with a stump, thinking they had just hooked Moby Dick."

After reading this account, I started digging around the Internet and found some other examples of "big catches" I would share here.

Fishing writer Andy Whitcomb interviewed several pro bass anglers, including Casey Ashley, Mark Menendez, Alton Jones, and Mike Iaconelli. Ashley related that he has caught beer cans that "fool you until you see them." Menendez once caught a pair of roller skates with the laces tied. Jones landed the frame of a grandfather clock, which weighed 30 pounds. And Iaconelli caught a sex toy. He also related that he once lost a flotation device that he hooked a year later with a crankbait.

Whitcomb himself even made a strange catch one day while fishing a lake in North Dakota. He was dragging a crawler harness across the bottom for trout or walleye and reeled in an animal skull.

Also read about a Texas angler who thought he had hooked a monster catfish while drift fishing on Lake Conroe. Turns out, though, he had hooked a submerged 50-gallon barrel, which he managed to pull up from 40 feet of water.

Meanwhile, an Indiana angler was fishing a bass tournament on Kentucky Lake when he hooked what turned out to be an aluminum lawn chair. "Fought it for a long time before realizing what I had," he said afterward.

I suggest that Jim Nabors' TV role as "Gomer Pyle, USMC," had it right every time he belted out that familiar phrase: "Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!"

If You're Gonna Make a Splash, Might As Well Make a Big 'Un, Right?

There are at least a couple of fellas who know exactly what I'm talking about. The one guy had just bought a brand new Tracker TX-17 and was going to fish his very first bass-club tournament at a local lake with his oldest daughter.

Come tournament day, this guy had been floating around in his shiny new boat, talking with several other club members when he realized his take-off number was getting close to being called. He kicked his trolling motor on high and headed down the bank in shallow water to get around all his buddies' boats and move into position to fire up his gas motor.

Unfortunately, what he didn't see...and therefore didn't consider...was all the cables just underwater that held down the dock to the bottom of the lake. His trolling motor hit the cables at full speed, triggering a rubber-band effect that launched him airborne out of the boat head-first. All he could do at this point was dive.

Needless to say, everything went downhill from there. And fellow club members never let him forget that day. Every time one sees him, they flash a big smile and call him "the human depthfinder."

In another case, a fella was launching his boat in his first-ever tournament when he got a bad case of the jitters from feeling as though everyone...none of whom he knew...was staring at him. He got so stressed out that he fell off the trailer while climbing into the boat and totally embarrassed himself.

As noted by Wired2Fish writer Walker Smith...and the man who fell off his trailer..."It wasn't a small splash. It was a full submersion, under-the-water kind of fall."

Let's face it--people generally tend to mess up the most when they're nervous and trying their hardest not to mess up. For that reason, Smith has some tips to help calm others' jitters during tournaments.

Don't play tickle bunny. That's Smith's way of saying, "Don't spend the day retying lures when you're not getting many bites. It's important to understand that you're chasing an animal with a brain the size of your pinky fingernail. I'm not trying to diminish the challenge of bass fishing, but I think it's imperative to bring ourselves back down to earth every now and then to simplify our collective approach. After all, it's just fishing.

"The important thing is to know your strengths and weaknesses and do everything possible to zero-in on the techniques you're best at. Have confidence in what you're throwing, and if you're not getting bites, move. Try to fish the current conditions. If it doesn't feel right, though, don't fish it. Confidence seems to be the most common characteristic among outstanding tournament anglers."

Keep that trolling motor in the water. While it's sometimes important to crank the big motor and run to new spots, some of the best tournament anglers tend to settle down in one area and just fish.

As Walker noted in the previous segment: "Confidence is key."

"I think the more you doubt your decisions, the worse you're going to fish," he said. "If you think you're in an area with fish and a discernible pattern, I'd encourage you to stick it out for at least an hour or two and see what you can figure out.

"A buddy of mine once told me, 'Every second your trolling motor isn't in the water is a second you're not making a cast or catching a fish.'

"That sure made a lot of sense to me. When I first started fishing tournaments, my buddies would poke fun at me after weigh-in with comments about how much they had seen me running at 70 mph throughout the day. I'd pull up to a stretch of bank, make a few casts, and immediately start doubting myself. That would lead to my pulling up the trolling motor and running all over God's creation, trying to find something that felt comfortable. After a few hours of doing that, it's easy to get spun-out and totally abandon your game plan."

You're going to lose a lot more tournaments than you win. "Around my parts," said Smith, "you're fishing against 200-plus boats, and a lot of them are full of outstanding anglers. The numbers just simply aren't in your favor. The idea that you're going to beat those guys every weekend won't do anything other than put undue pressure on yourself. If you want to maximize your enjoyment of tournament bass fishing, it's important to become a good loser. Don't have sour grapes. Be happy for the winners and go shake their hands. Statistically speaking, we're all going to lose more than we win in this game; that's what makes it so addictive.

"When I fish a tournament, I only care about what weight won. It doesn't matter to me who caught what and who had a bad day. So if you have a bad day on the water, don't get all self-conscious and think everyone noticed. I can absolutely assure you they didn't. You either win the tournament, or you learn valuable lessons for next time. Try to keep that in mind, and your confidence will skyrocket."

In conclusion, Smith offers this advice, "The tournament community is normally an awesome group of folks, so don't be afraid to jump into a Saturday or Sunday derby. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just do your thing, and don't flip out if you don't catch 'em. It happens to everybody."

For Period Ending Sunday, March 20, 2022

Wednesday, March 9 (from Ron)...Launched at West Neck about 3:30 p.m., and the rain was very light. By 4:30, the rain had become steady, and a breeze had picked up, so I had to call it quits. Before then, however, I managed to find two white perch, three bass (biggest 1-8), and a chain pickerel. The latter made a mess of my net. Everything succumbed to a micro spinner.

Friday, March 18 (from Ken)...I had been running all week but hadn't gotten to the water yet, so I decided to change all that today. Got up this morning, gathered my stuff, and headed to West Neck. Only fished about 4.5 hours but managed to get a couple of bass and one white perch...all on a crankbait. Best bass was the one in this picture, which weighed 2-3 on my scales. The other one would have gone about 13 inches. Ran around looking for some clean water but didn't find much. Level was also a bit lower than I would have liked. Water temp hit 66 today, but I didn't have a single topwater hit...not for a lack of trying, though. Tried a variety of baits, hoping to find two or three that might work tomorrow, but about all I accomplished was ruling some out. Will just have to see how everything unfolds in the morning.

A Bad Hair Day for Some, But Not Yours Truly...

Of course, what I missed in that regard I more than made up for by having a blowout of a fishing day. Could only manage a crappie and a white perch. However, most of the guys and the gal had a pretty fair country day. The 16 anglers in nine boats weighed a total of 32 bass (including five limits), weighing a total of 79.84 pounds, for an average weight of 2.49 pounds.

Those who found themselves in the winners' circle at day's end included the following:

1st Place, the team of (from left) Dave Anderson and Gary Coderre, a limit of five bass, for a total weight of 15.91 pounds, and a big fish weighing 4.68 pounds, which also earned them the Big Fish Award.

2nd Place, the husband-wife team of (from left) Diane and Andy Morath, five bass, for a total weight of 14.24 pounds, and a big fish weighing 3.43 pounds. They also captured the first all-new Side Pot Award.

3rd Place, the team of (from left) Gabe Himmelwright and Fred Crawford, five bass, for a total weight of 12.15 pounds, and a big fish weighing 4.42 pounds.

Here is how everyone else finished the tournament day:

     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five fish, for a total weight of 11.23 pounds, and a big fish weighing 3.44 pounds.

     * The team of Chris Napier and Eddie Sapp, five fish, for a total weight of 10.66 pounds, and a big fish weighing 3.31 pounds.

     * Chris Fretard, three fish, for a total weight of 8.95 pounds, and a big fish weighing 4.18 pounds.

     * The team of Bobby Moore and J. P. Twohig, four fish, for a total weight of 6.70 pounds, and a big fish weighing 2.63 pounds.

     * The team of Steve Bailey and Dennis Dean, as well as Ken Testorff, didn't weigh any fish.

Heartiest congratulations to all of the winners. You certainly earned a payday, considering the strong winds that blew incessantly.

One Last Cast

By day's end, the vast majority of today's anglers were justifiably looking for any protected areas they could find. The kind of wind we saw today gets to be a bit much to stomach after a full day of it. I personally saw it as a good excuse to head for the ramp an hour early and get set up to do the weigh-in with Mark Ingram.

To my delight, the day was relatively free of hang-ups, but I couldn't say the same for backlashes with my baitcasters. There was even one stretch of time when I was wishing I had a spinning rod aboard my boat. If I had had one, you likely would have seen me using it, cause the backlashes certainly were adding their fair share to my overall malcontent with the conditions we had been dealt.

Knowing how the rest of March...and possibly April, too...probably lines up, I very well may be giving some serious thought to the idea of finding at least one spinning rig to use on a day such as this.

Look forward to seeing everyone at our next event, scheduled for Saturday, March 19th.

Epilog

The "old fart" in the bass boat is yours truly as I was heading to the dock early. I had no idea Gabe even captured that moment, but it's a fitting end to my day.

As is readily apparent, I'm following a kayak fisherman who "came to the dance" prepared for some serious bassin'. He wasn't paddling, nor was he pedaling. Instead, he had a trolling motor mounted on the bow of that kayak that was working to perfection in all that wind.

I'm here to tell you that the young guy driving it was moving right along. He took only one glance at me, as we both approached the channel from opposite directions, and punched up a higher speed on his trolling motor to get ahead of me...with ease, I might add.

Probably the dumbest thing I saw all day came as I was returning to West Neck from a trip down to Albright's. Here was a guy, about 25 or so yards off the shoreline of the main river and about 25 yards short of the turn into the creek, on...of all things, and I kid you not...a paddleboard. He was stroking that thing hard but going nowhere fast.

Why anyone would get on a paddleboard in such conditions boggles my mind. Did his parents bounce him on his head when he was a kid, or what?

Current Overall Statistics

Waiting for a New Owner