When Your Favorite "Puddle" Starts Looking Like This...

You have no choice but to do as the fish do, and follow the water...and hope, of course, that you can find a ramp that's wet enough to launch your boat. Even then, your problems aren't solved, because you next have to figure out where the fish have gone. Just don't plan on burning down the bank, fishing the visible cover you usually would.

When the water level falls, for whatever reason, bass tend to move away from the bank and suspend. They're not comfortable in that dirt-shallow stuff. They need a little water over their heads for an increased sense of security.

Start the "finding" process by not being afraid of fishing what you cannot see. All that good-looking cover you normally fish is likely going to be sitting high and dry.

As an outdoor writer described the situation, "I always start looking for the displaced bass about 10 feet in front of that cover and somewhat suspended. They often seem just to be hanging out in the middle of the water column, in some sort of a staging area. If the water comes up, they quickly can return to their preferred cover, or if it happens to fall farther, they have a readily accessible route to deeper water. I usually begin my search by making parallel casts with a square-bill.

"While it may feel a little strange at first, fishing in front of your normal shoreline cover, you'll quickly gain some confidence the first time a big bass smokes your bait.

"If you're dealing with clear, low water," said the outdoor writer, "you're crazy not to have a jerkbait rigged and ready to go. I don't say that to sound ugly, but rather to make a point. Because bass tend to suspend and, at times, get a bit lethargic with changes in the water level, a suspending jerkbait is an outstanding choice to grab their attention. As with the square-bill crankbaits, you'll likely have your greatest success working this jerkbait parallel to previously productive shoreline cover."

The writer went on to note that this technique is much better on a sunny day, with a little breeze.

"The sun really helps that jerkbait flash and attract bass from a distance," he said. "A breeze also is helpful because, not only does it position baitfish on windblown banks better, but the chop on the water helps mask some of the unnatural characteristics of your jerkbait (hooks, split rings, etc.) while it's paused."

Another favorite lure for the outdoor writer in shallow cover is a topwater frog. You work it a little differently, though, when the water is low.

"Target only the front posts of every dock," he advised. "Skip and pitch the frog a few feet past the front posts, and as it comes within a foot of each post, drastically slow your retrieve. You want to walk it in place. Even if a bass isn't actively feeding, it can't take that commotion too long."

Another excellent topwater bait for shallow cover in the early morning hours, according to the writer, is a buzzbait.

"While this bite only lasts for an hour or two," he said, "it's an awesome way to catch your biggest fish of the day. Target the fronts of docks with the buzzbait, just like you do with frogs in lowlight conditions. This lets you cover water very quickly. Put your lure in front of as many of those active early-morning bass as possible. Whatever you do, make sure you knock your buzzbait off the dock posts. If you're not making contact with the wood, your chances of a bite diminish considerably."

In closing, the outdoor writer noted that "you're not always going to go out there and bust 'em in these situations. However, don't let that mess with your confidence. Some of the better days I've ever had have occurred in low water."

Most Tournaments Are Won or Lost in Final 2 Hours of Event

That's the belief of a couple of pros I read about the other day. They contend this period of time, regardless of season or weather conditions, is when an angler's focus tends to lack the most.

"You haven't had a bite in a while; your back is hurting from standing all day; you're hot, tired, and/or hungry; and who knows whatever else may be going through your mind," they reasoned. "And now is when you will get the one bite that can make or break your tournament day. Too often, it breaks the tournament day."

As the one pro noted, "At 12 o'clock each tournament day, I tell myself, 'Let's refocus and get this thing done.' During the day, I take a minute to drink something or to eat a snack. I may think about relocating to another part of the lake, or maybe even refresh my thoughts on what I have been doing up until this point in the day. Everything or anything I can do to make sure I am just as fresh at 2 o'clock, as I was when I started at 6 in the morning is the goal. It's our job to keep our minds sharp and make good decisions."

Said the other pro, "I know that from the first half of the day until the last half, conditions on the water may change dramatically. So, I'll stop for a minute, look around, and decide what all has changed. I then determine what I need to do to adapt to those changes and fish hard, instead of just going through the motions of fishing the last couple of hours."

This fella went on to recount a 2017 tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in which he had developed a pattern of catching a lot of bass the first thing in the morning and then catching them throughout the rest of the day for three consecutive days. However, on the fourth day, the wind switched and began blowing in the complete opposite way from how it had been blowing the first three days. The bass had changed from where they were, too.

He struggled that last day, especially in the morning. He wasn't getting nearly the number of bites that he had received the previous three mornings, and he wasn't catching as many big fish, either. He continued to move around, trying to find out where the bass had gone.

With 10 minutes left before he had to run back to the weigh-in, he went to a completely new spot that he hadn't fished during the tournament.

"I had found this place with my electronics but just hadn't fished it," he said. "The first bass I caught there weighed 3.5 pounds. Then I caught a 6-pounder. Catching those two bass in the last 10 minutes was the reason I won the tournament and took home $100,000. That scenario convinced me to fish hard every time during the last two hours. One or two bass oftentimes spell the difference between a bad day and a good one."

According to these two pros, "Fishermen are good at playing mind games. Anything that is within the rules to gain a competitive advantage is fair game, so why not try to psych out your competition? Usually, the older the fishermen, the harder it is to get under their skin. Once an angler sees he can get under your skin, the mind games will continue...not just from other fishermen, but what you will do to yourself, too."

While on the water, these two pros don't answer their phone. For the most part, they also don't read text messages or respond to them. They don't want to hear someone asking or telling them what they've caught. That information will be divulged at the weigh-in.

In their words, "Before you allow someone to live in your mind rent-free, you must decide if that person is worthy of free rent.

"Control the controllable variables, and prepare for the ones you can't. As an angler, you must always take into consideration the 'what if' factors of being out on the water. A lot of non-fishing things that mentally destroy anglers on the water are things that easily could have been avoided. Not preparing for the current weather is the most common culprit, including not having enough clothes to stay warm, or not having the proper rain gear to stay dry. All these things play a role in your success as an angler. Overlooking any of them is likely to come back and bite you."

Right Bait, Wrong Color

Waited until 9 a.m. to launch this morning, 'cause it was too cool for me to get on the water any earlier. That coolness, however, didn't prevent Wayne from launching earlier, though, in his own rig.

Checking in with him soon after I was waterborne, I learned he already had put one in the boat. However, it took me about 2.5 hours before I found my first and only fish of the day. It checked in at only 1-9.

When Wayne caught up with me later, he had improved on that one fish to a total of eight, if I understood him correctly. He turned five keepers loose near where we were talking at the time, with the biggest going probably about 3 lbs. The combined weight of the five likely would have gone somewhere around 9 or 10 lbs.

As we were talking, learned that the only difference between what we were throwing was the color. Will try to keep that stored in my head for the next time around.

Water temp for both of us this morning when we first put in was about 47.6, and it had only climbed to between 48 and 50 by the time we quit. At least I now have a working transducer, which seemed to mirror Wayne's readings throughout the day. He installed a new one for me just last week.

Have no immediate plans for another trip but will keep my eyes on the forecast for next week. This time of year, I have to stay tuned to the air-temp predictions. My magic number is always around 50 for a high.

Sometimes There's No Escaping a Bad Day Once It Starts

I've often joked that if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. And the fella in the following tale was saying the same thing by the time he reached the end of the day involved here. As he added, "Some days it just doesn't pay to get out of bed."

It all started one morning when Mike backed his Suburban up to the boat trailer and tried to hook it up. The receiver on the trailer would drop onto the ball OK, but there was no way he could get it to latch down.

Said Mike, "I tried raising and lowering it, shaking it, jerking it, banging it with a hammer, and everything else I could think of, but it simply would not latch down. Finally, in desperation, I sprayed everything with WD-40, then lowered the receiver onto the ball again, and it latched with ease. Go figure."

Once on the road, Mike drove from Tulsa, Oklahoma to Lake Skiatook, about 30 miles away. The moment he got to the boat ramp, it started raining heavily. He sat for about 30 minutes, with no letup in sight, and then called his daughter, asking her to have a look at the National Weather Service radar.

"She told me there was a large cell in the vicinity and that it probably would be at least a couple of hours before it passed," Mike explained. "Thoroughly disgusted, I drove back to Tulsa...and into bright sunshine."

After arriving home, he checked the radar himself and discovered that the cell his daughter was referring to was due south of a place called Ponca City...nowhere near the lake. The radar did show a couple of popcorn showers that had popped up over the lake but then had fallen apart right after he left.

"Needless to say," he noted, "I was somewhat perturbed to learn that my daughter was geographically-challenged."

Back to the lake went Mike, where he was graced with a partly cloudy sky.

"I was boating alone," he said, "so I kicked off my new sneakers, put on my flip-flops, and backed the boat into the water. Because I drive a Suburban, I can't see the boat without opening the cargo doors. No problem. I opened the door, backed down the ramp, and got out of the truck to get the boat ready to go in."

Without realizing it at the time, he had kicked one of his new sneakers into the water as he got out of the truck. Luckily, it landed right side up. He waded around to the back of the truck and checked its cargo area before continuing the launching evolution.

"Sure enough, I had neglected to place my tackle box in the boat," he noted. "As I reached for it, I accidentally hit the door-lock button in the cargo area on the rear post. It has a 15-second delay, but I didn't hear the clunk of the door locks. In any event, now I had a locked truck, with the keys in the ignition, sitting in water up to the running boards on a busy boat ramp, and a new sneaker slowly floating away.

"First things first. I fired up the boat, chased down the sneaker, and then tied the boat to the dock," he continued.

Mike then waded back to the truck and found there was no way he could get into it without breaking out a window.

"I found a boulder about the size of my head," he explained, "and decided to break in through the window on the right side of the rear-seat door. I swear that glass must have been bulletproof. I literally ended up throwing that boulder at the glass, and it literally bounced off without a scratch. After eight or nine attempts, I gave up and decided to try the front-seat passenger window. The boulder went through the glass like a knife cutting through butter, scattering glass as if I had thrown a hand grenade into the truck."

The first thing the boulder hit inside the vehicle was the console, knocking the lid off its hinges. The boulder and a lot of glass ended up in the driver's seat.

"I do not want to discuss what those objects did to the leather in the seat," he said. "I'll cry later."

OK, so his truck still was in the water. Twenty minutes and several lacerations later, Mike had removed the boulder and enough glass from the driver's seat to allow him to get into the truck and drive it out of the water...a big relief.

"I now reminded myself that, despite the fact it was 3 p.m., my intent since 6 a.m. had been to try and catch a few bass," said Mike. "So I hopped into the boat and went tooling across the water. I was so angry with myself that all I wanted to do was haul butt across the water. I did this for about an hour and had cooled off enough to try fishing. I found a point and half-heartedly fished it for about 20 minutes, all the while thinking about all that glass and blood in my truck. Needless to say, I gave up and headed back to the landing."

In Mike's absence, a park ranger had come by, noticed the shattered window, and left a note advising that he had notified the police of a break-in. Luckily, he also had left his phone number, which Mike called to cancel the Red Alert.

The kicker came when he had the boat out of the water and was getting it ready to tow. A game warden drove up and had the audacity to ask if he had had any luck.

"Let's just say I was VERY vocal about my luck," noted Mike, adding, "He never even asked to see my fishing license."

From Tannehill With Love

A Poem Inspired by Dandy Don's Thanksgiving Stories

By Roy Montz 

The year was 1946, and times were really tough,

But Mom and Dad and seven brothers seemed to have enough.

Daddy was a farmer of a 40-acre spread,

Who never made much money, but he kept us clothed and fed.

He worked all day, from dusk to dawn, and worked from row to row,

With sweat and tears he turned the soil his dad turned long ago.

With watermelons, cotton, corn, peas, and sugar cane,

He'd plow and plant without complaint and daily prayed for rain.

And Daddy's only respite from worry and despair,

When days were cold and rainy, or skies were clear and fair,

Were times when all my brothers would grab our fishing pole,

And head out with my daddy to our favorite fishin' hole... .

We'd dig a bunch of earthworms and walk half a mile,

And head to Dugdemona Creek to sit and fish awhile.

And once when I was 10 years old, I never will forget,

I did a really silly thing I always will regret.

My dad had found a little change laying in his drawer,

Then headed down to Winnfield and to Milan's Hardware Store.

With great anticipation, he bought a fishing lure,

Something called a Water Scout, he'd seen in some brochure.

And with this artificial bait, he headed home in haste,

With bass in Dugdemona Creek, there wasn't time to waste.

But chores and crops were waiting, his conscience was his guide,

And Daddy had his farming chores and set the lure aside.

With sunrise that next morning, my brother Tom and I,

Grabbed my daddy's Water Scout...with dreams of fish to fry.

We grabbed our poles and off to Dugdemona Creek we flew,

We thought we'd catch our supper...surely catch a prize or two.

We flipped the lure into the creek and, just as we thought,

A bass latched onto the Water Scout that Daddy just had bought,

And as that big Kentucky bass continued down the stream,

It snapped my line and, in the process, compromised our scheme.

There was no fish, there was no lure, our dreams broke with the line...

There'd be no joy in Tannehill, no fish on which to dine.

And as we turned to head back home, with bad news to convey,

We saw our dad behind us, as he slowly walked away.

Watching from behind us, he'd watched the scene play out,

And stood in total silence, as we'd lost his Water Scout.

Daddy never said a word, his silence spoke instead,

But Tom and I heard volumes in the words he never said.

We quickly sought a Water Scout with money we had saved,

Asking Dad's forgiveness for the way that we'd behaved.

My dad was strong and powerful, a mountain of a man,

And Tom and I were nervous as we placed it in his hand.

But as we hung our heads in shame, tears welled up in our eyes,

Unspoken words acknowledged by the message tears implied.

Daddy said it's raining, and conditions aren't quite right,

But let's go fishin' anyway, I think the fish might bite.

And just when things were darkest and seemed so sad and bleak,

Daddy yelled, "Now hurry, and I'll meet you at the creek."

Aquarius was rising, the stars aligned just right,

The lure had barely reached the creek when Daddy got a bite!

As Daddy pulled the fish ashore, the field was filled with shouts,

As hanging from that Kentucky bass were both the Water Scouts.

Aunt Clotile and momma prepared that meal just right,

With cornbread, greens, and mounds of fish for dinner Sunday night.

I saw my daddy smiling...content and unconcerned,

I thanked God for my family and the lesson I had learned.

I Know People Get Tormented to Death...

But I also have to wonder if they maybe sometimes get "toUrNAmented" to death. I say that because Wayne called me earlier this morning and said only one boater had showed up at Pungo Ferry for the launch of another scheduled open tournament. That's after only three boats showed up for the open tournament two weeks ago.

Admittedly, there could be a host of other factors playing into these dismal results, starting with the fact we are entering the holiday season. With Thanksgiving next Thursday, followed the next day by, of course, all the big sales associated with Black Friday, it's entirely possible people's minds are on other things...besides fishing, that is.

No matter what your interests are, stores are clamoring for your business. Just a quick look around the Internet this morning revealed sales flyers...for everything from soup to nuts, so to speak...promising up to 50, 60 and even as much as 80 percent off on some goods. And, naturally, fishing gear is included, so it's entirely possible anglers are busy figuring out how they're going to gear up--not so much for the rest of this season, but for the next one.

Saw one prediction online this morning that said an estimated 140 million Americans plan to shop the pre-holiday sales (such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday) in 2022. And with an average spend of $362, Americans will part with roughly $51 billion total this year, trying to score a deal.

Of those "big spenders," it's estimated that approximately 55 percent of them will be men, compared to 52 percent of them being women. Not only do more men say they'll be shopping, but they also plan to spend more money than women. The average man plans to hand over $465, while the average woman plans to drop only $300.

All that being said, I'm left to ponder how many, if any, anglers may show up at Pungo Ferry on Dec. 10th for the third and final open tournament in the series Wayne has been hosting. He assured me this morning that he plans to be there, irrespective of what happened this morning, so if you're not "toUrNAmented," he would welcome your participation. Oh, and here's hoping all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving and that you land some delightfully good deals in your Black Friday purchases.

Where'd You Catch All Those Fish?

Ask any bass angler that question, and you might hear something like "in the water," "in the upper lip," or some other similar response.

In most cases, he/she probably isn't trying to be a wise-acre. It's more likely they, at some point, may have been burned by sharing too many details of a day on the water with a friend or two.

For example, a young fella's dad had taken him to an off-the-well-beaten-path fishing hole from the time he was a kid. This young fella, though, as he got older, made the mistake of telling a buddy about the place, and that buddy subsequently told a number of his friends. As a result, this young fella now finds 3 to 5 other people fishing the spot every time he goes there, whereas he seldom, if ever, saw anyone there when he was a kid. And, while he used to catch a number of bass every trip, he's now lucky if he gets one or two per trip.

Whatever the reason, fishermen, especially tournament fishermen, have become secretive and, oftentimes, less than truthful about the numbers and size of the fish they catch and/or how they catch them. They not only guard the spot where they caught their fish, but they also jealously guard the types of lures they used to catch 'em. Some anglers even put different lures on their rods before weighing in their fish to fool competitors.

It's even doubtful a tournament fisherman will tell a tournament director where he/she caught their fish, should the latter ask. Heard about a boater who was asked that question by a TD, and he intentionally lied. When the TD asked his draw partner the same question, he set the record straight.

There is ample proof that outdoor writers, to the disdain of tournament fishermen, often will reveal where the fish are biting. One tournament backseater I read about said he was chastised by more than one fellow fishermen for revealing their secret locations. The problem is that fishermen often forget that writers work for all the fishermen, not just two or three.

In reality, there are few secrets that last long when it comes to fishing multiple-day tournaments. On the first day, for example, some anglers will weigh bigger bags. On the next day, you can bet those anglers will find several other fishermen on the same patch of water.

It's equally hard to hide a secret lure very long, too. It's pretty much an accepted rule that someone fishing nearby eventually will see what lure you're using and spread the word.

Let's face it: The friendly, competitive nature of fishing makes every fisherman want to "one up" his buddies in the catching departments, so when a great fish-catching tactic is discovered, the angler naturally wants to keep it confidential.

Read about a fisherman whose uncle...also a fisherman...hung out at the local pool hall, where the men had a weekly pot for the biggest and most crappie. More times than not, this uncle won that money.

This nephew fished with his uncle many times on some lakes he loved and was surprised one morning when the uncle asked him to take an oath of secrecy.

"I'm going to show you how I catch all those big crappie," he said. "But you have to swear as long as I'm breathing you won't tell another soul."

The nephew swore, and as it turned out, the secret was a simple one, but its effectiveness was astounding. When the uncle caught the day's first crappie, he pulled out a dinner spoon and scaled the fish over a coffee can. He then added enough water to keep the scales moist. Every so often, he'd take a big pinch of scales and toss 'em near a bush or treetop. Then he'd drop his minnow-baited hook in the spot where he had pitched the scales.

Said the nephew, "I can't say for sure why it worked, but something about those sparkly scales fluttering through the water was irresistible to those crappie. They'd rush straight toward the cloud of scales and gobble up our minnows. True to my word, I never told a soul until after my uncle passed away."

Following is another bass-fishing secret the aforementioned uncle shared with his nephew.

Warm-weather night fishing often produces some nice bass. And, as the uncle pointed out, "Some of the best night-fishing lures are topwater crawlers like the Arbogast Jitterbug and Heddon Crazy Crawler, both of which have been around for decades.

"We all know you'll catch a lot of lunker bass by just casting and retrieving one of these baits, but you'll probably also miss a lot of fish that swirl at your lure but don't get hooked."

After swearing the nephew to secrecy, the uncle showed him a way to remedy that problem on a bassing-with-the-bats trip. The uncle would cast a big Jitterbug and start retrieving it. Then, on his signal, the nephew would cast his plug and start retrieving it back just behind the front runner. Every bass that swirled at the front lure and missed struck harder at the second lure and got hooked. Every so often, the two would rotate positions, so both could enjoy some of the action.

And finally, there's this secret the uncle shared with his nephew.

As the uncle explained, "Spiders make great fishing barometers. If you see spiders sitting close to the water on snags, cypress trees, and the like, there's no need to begin fishing there because the bass aren't biting.

"A spider tastes mighty good to a big bass," said the uncle. "And when Mr. Bass gets hungry, he makes them spiders get high and dry. You'll know it when the bass begin to strike, 'cause the spiders will run up the trees and stay there 'til it's all over. There ain't no use to fish when the spiders are low, so we don't start 'til they run up the trees."

In conclusion, I leave you with this suggestion from an avid trout fisherman, whose writings I came across in my research for this post:

"My secrets aren't your secrets. The places and dreams I find sacred and worthy of protection are likely much different than yours. Among good friends, though, the respect for another's treasure is given. It's hard to find a good fishing partner who yields to this tenet--to find a friend who will protect your secrets like his own--because secrets are a burden to carry, and most choose to shed that weight and give up a prize that isn't theirs (to give in the first place).

"So we have to accept that holding secrets is a lonely affair, and that's OK for introverts--of which many feel the majority of the fishermen's gene pool is comprised. It's the extroverts, though, that you have to be wary of... . As most of us quickly realize, good fishing friends are hard to come by," so we must choose carefully.

Looking for Something To Do This Saturday?

Maybe you'd like to test your angling skills against some others. Here's a poster outlining all the pertinent details:

 

Winter Fishing Isn't for Everyone

Michigan native Kevin VanDam, however, has no complaints about it. In his words, "There indeed are some days when winter fishing is terribly slow and conditions are tough, but bass also can get more active during the winter months than most people realize."

As VanDam noted, "There's a big difference between a 36-degree day with drizzle and one when it drops to 28 degrees and snows. The bass don't care if it's snowing, but it's that low-pressure system that accompanies the snowstorm that triggers a feed.

"The general thinking of most anglers is that fishing would be a lot better during the winter if you always had a warm, sunny day," he continued. "However, I've found the opposite to be true. Warmer days make the angler feel better about fishing, but the bass get more active on the nastier days."

VanDam cited the 2010 Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake as an example of the point he was trying to make.

"During one of the official practice days, the weather got brutal. The water temperature was in the upper 30s, the temperature dropped, and the rain turned to snow. It was late in the practice day, and a lot of guys already had gone in. It was very cold and uncomfortable, which made it difficult to be out there, but I knew I had to find a good school of fish. About the time the temperature dropped and the sleet turned to snow, the fish started biting really good.

"While I'm used to fishing in cold weather, I was pretty surprised the fish were so active. In fact, when I went out that morning, I wasn't even sure I could get a bite. When the front moved in, though, a bass literally choked my Red Eye Shad, and I knew I was onto something. I caught 12 to 15 that afternoon, including two 7-pounders.

"The fish were shallow and crushing my Red Eye Shad. I even caught some in 2 feet of water during that snowstorm.

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

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

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

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

Getting Old Doesn't Mean You're Ready for the Scrapheap of Time

As I recently read in a Wired2Fish article, there are some people, like former Marine and do-it-yourselfer Neal Baker, who find ways to keep bass fishing nearly to their dying day. Despite some physical challenges, this old-timer still was getting on the water regularly at the age of 83.

Neal Baker was a man who loved his family, loved to fish, and loved to do things himself...at times because it was cheaper, at times out of a bit of pride, but always because it just meant more to him to do it that way. As characterized in Shaye Baker's Wired2Fish article, "He was DIY before DIY was cool."

Neal Baker was like another granddad to Shaye, the best friend of his father for four decades, as well as his dad's tournament partner until the writer came of age.

Upon Neal's death, his wife and family gave a very grateful Shaye the former's modified Triton bass boat. The latter hadn't owned a boat of his own for about two years.

"I like to think Neal knows somehow that his Triton still is out on the water, being used to catch fish, and that all his hard work and DIY projects are still paying dividends," said Shaye, who decided to show off some of Neal's handiwork and perhaps help other guys come up with a few DIY-project ideas of their own.

"Neal fished on his own up until a couple months before he passed," explained Shaye. "He was a Marine and a hard worker, both of which took a heavy toll on his knees over the years, resulting in double-knee replacement. A few years ago, he started having a hard time getting up and down out of the driver's seat but was bound and determined to continue to fish and fish alone when he wanted to.

"His solution? Neal mounted a metal pole to the side of his console, attaching it to the floor with a metal plate. He then could reach up from his seat, grab the pole, and pull himself to a standing position. That worked well enough until last year, at which point Neal had to create a handrail to help him make his way to the front deck. He connected the metal pull-up bar to the pedestal seat in the front of the boat."

Another DIY project of Neal's that jumps out at you right away is the padding on the front deck of his boat. It was a bit unconventional in that he used interlocking foam floor mats. Most boats now come with padding under the carpet on the front deck; Neal's boat predates that design advancement.

As Shaye explained, "My dad was talking to Neal one day about ways to take some of the pressure off his knees when he fished. Dad suggested that he try adding a couple sections of the matting from my nieces' playroom.

"We had used the same trick on the front of my little Bass Tender 11.3 molded-plastic boat, so Neal decided to give it a try and said it made a lot of difference. This would be an especially good idea for any metal-boat fisherman. The foam is much cooler in the sun and doesn't get nearly as slick when wet as metal surfaces do. And the cushion really does help with fatigue, not to mention the added benefit of deadening the sound of a pair of pliers dropping on the metal boat's deck."

The next thing that stands out about Neal's boat is the recessed foot pedal on the trolling motor. Most boats today come with cavities already on the front deck, but Neal bought his boat before that era. 

Using the raised mount that came with the boat caused additional pain in his bad knees, so he went online and ordered a recessed foot-pedal tray, cut a hole in the deck of his boat, and mounted the tray with some screws. Shaye offered a piece of advice in this matter, however.

"If you're going to try this," he said, "make sure the tray you order will fit your particular trolling-motor pedal. The trays aren't all necessarily created equal, but you should be able to find a list of compatible trolling-motor models for each tray."

Another nifty little DIY project on Neal's boat was the motor-toter that he made, using PVC pipe and fittings.

In Shaye's words, "It was a pretty dang nice and extremely effective project. However, as with most things Neal did, there was and is no blueprint for one like it. Therefore, if you want to try it yourself, I suggest that you take a few measurements and cut yours to fit. If you're a DIY-er worth your salt, you'll be able to figure out the specifics for this one pretty easily."

Shaye went on to note that, with Neal's bad knees, it got harder and harder over the years for him to get into and out of his boat while it was still on the trailer. Whether he was wanting to climb up into the boat when it was in his shop, or trying to step into or out of it when launching or loading at the ramp, he needed help to do it, and Neal rarely was one to ask for help.

His solution for this dilemma was to order a set of steps and a hand rail to mount to his trailer. Several boat manufacturers offer these as an option nowadays on new boats. It's a safer and less strenuous way to embark or disembark a boat, regardless of whether you have bad knees or not. Best part of all is that there are several options available out there, depending on your individual trailer design.

Last but not least among Neal's DIY projects on his Triton boat was the addition of a GoPro camera.

As Shaye explained, "Neal not only fought the good fight physically but mentally, as well. He was constantly trying to keep up with the electronics game, even though his favorite technique was flipping shallow cover no more than 10 feet from the bank.

"Members of our local bass club often would pick at him about this, wagering with one another as to whether Neal even had enough line on his reel to reach the bottom in 20 feet of water. But Neal often got the last laugh, as he'd hoist the winning bag onto the scales at weigh-in...and I'm pretty certain that the line on his reels past the first 30 feet never saw the light of day.

"It was because I used GoPros a lot early in my career in the fishing industry, and Neal knew it," continued Shaye, "that he one day mentioned he'd like to film his trips. So I told him what to get, and the next time I saw him, he had hard-wired a cable directly to his cranking battery and converted an old pedestal seat to a camera mount on the back of his boat.

"Now, six or seven years later, we see almost every pro and Joe out there on the water running something similar, albeit most of theirs are 'store bought', a feature Neal never was a fan of if he could do it himself."

In conclusion, Shaye admitted that he doesn't have the capacity to do all the projects Neal was capable of.

"After all," he said, "this man would swap out his lower unit with a spare between fishing trips to 'fine tune' the old one a bit. He really could do it all.

"But I'll continue his DIY legacy to the best of my ability with my new-to-me boat. I look forward to spending days on the water, as close to him as anyone still can get, inhaling that familiar smell he loved of burned gas and oil, as his old Mercury fires up each time, while sitting in that seasoned seat in which he spent countless hours.

"Neal was a man who loved to flip and pitch from the front deck of that old Triton, enjoying God's creation the way he did for decades. And hopefully, I'll leave a legacy of a life well-lived for someone else to learn from, the same as he did for me.

"Thanks, Neal, for it all."

Unlike the central figure in this story, I unfortunately don't possess the DIY abilities he demonstrated. Thanks to a host of friends, though, who watch out for me and are always there to lend a helping hand, whatever it may be, I never want for anything more when it comes to my fishing. With them, a little luck, and the Lord's blessings, I, too, may be able to fish to my dying day. If so, it will be an answered prayer.

And a Good Laugh Was Had by All

It was just a few days before Thanksgiving when a fella's father, brother, and family came to visit for the first time. Prior to their visit, the host had been catching largemouth bass quite often, and after bragging to his father and brother, they couldn't wait to wet their lines. But with their wives organizing the Thanksgiving feast and the three adult males in charge of the kids, how could the guys possibly find time to fish?

With a whole brood of kids, ranging in age from 12 to 16, serious fishing was definitely not on the agenda...that is, until the two brothers came up with an excellent idea--paintball!

"We can kill two birds with one shot, so to speak," they thought. "We will drop the kids off at the paintball field, leaving my father, brother and me the opportunity to pursue our favorite pastime."

On the way to the paintball field, the father noticed a farm pond.

"That looks like a good place to fish," he said.

The host brother, however, was reluctant to fish there because it didn't seem very accessible, and he said so, much to his father's dismay.

After getting the overly excited kids signed into the paintball center, the overly excited adults headed out to fish. The father and guest brother kept insisting on trying the farm pond they had seen earlier. After much friendly banter, including the host brother wanting to go to his favorite spot, because he knew they would catch their fill there, he finally gave in.

The small pond forced the trio to fish shoulder-to-shoulder. While the father and guest brother tried to figure out which lure to use, the host brother selected a 4-inch topwater lure. After looking over the pond, he reasoned that he had only a few feet of water to work with and had to flip his lure over nearby bushes in order to avoid snags.

The flipping technique worked, although his first cast was uneventful. The second cast was a different story. He retrieved it to within 4 feet from the bank, then proceeded to flip the lure right into his forehead...ouch!

His dad looked at it and said one of the hooks was embedded beyond the barb. Both he and the visiting brother found it quite comical, especially after the latter blurted out, "I've never seen anyone land a 200-pound black bass before!" referring to the fact the family involved here was African American.

Needless to say, they all subsequently were in stitches. However, their fishing day was ruined, as they had to leave for the emergency room.

Several hours and stitches later, they picked up the kids from their paintball adventure and headed home. Running into the house, the kids raved about their full day of paintball fun. When the adult men were asked about their fishing luck, though, the host brother removed his fishing hat and related the story of what had happened to him. His wife, who was eight months pregnant, subsequently nearly laughed herself into premature labor!

Just goes to show why you sometimes might want to have an alternative scenario in mind. After all, it's an accepted fact that all fishermen lie...ahem, I meant to say "tell stories."

There Is a Lot of Bum Dope on the Internet, But...

Occasionally, you find something that proves to be enlightening. That was the case for me back in the summer of 2021, when I had to take my boat to the shop and get the outboard rebuilt.

It was December...just prior to Christmas...before Wayne and I picked up the boat and began breaking in the motor. We both quickly realized things still weren't right. The same hesitation and sluggishness the motor had demonstrated before the rebuild was still present.

I should explain here that, while the rebuild was taking place, I had spent a lot of time perusing the Internet for comments from other owners of older Yamahas like mine with problems similar to what I had experienced. It didn't take long to discover that several other owners had had to do battle with their own hesitation and sluggishness.

In most cases, these other owners had traced their problems to what ethanol gas was doing to their fuel pumps and hoses. I discussed my findings with Wayne, who, after considerable troubleshooting, couldn't find any other culprits and decided to change my rebuilt motor's pumps and hoses. And, voila! my problems, too, were solved.

I completed the break-in, and the boat (knock on wood) continues to run as well today as it did when I first bought it. And just yesterday, I rewarded her with a cleanup...something I hadn't done since before the rebuild. With a fresh coating of Bass Boat Saver on the ol' Skeeter, I'll have to be careful, or I could end up like a couple other fellas have done over the years--taking an unceremonious dip into the North Landing waters after stepping onto a slippery gunwale.

Oh, incidentally, on Wayne's advice, I now carry a spare set of fuel pumps for the next time the old problems return.

Why Load Your Boat With Everything but the Kitchen Sink?

That's what many folks do come autumn. Meanwhile, though, bass pro Boyd Duckett keeps things simple with his tackle selection throughout the autumn months. His strategy is to focus on five specific presentations that cover all the bases in nearly every stage of fall, starting with shallow and mid-depth crankbaits.

"If the conditions line up well," said Duckett, "you can certainly catch big fall bass by deep cranking creek ledges. A more consistent pattern, however, comes from utilizing shallow square-bills and mid-depth crankbaits.

"Target shallow flats. Most of the bass are going to be shallow this time of year," he continued. "I like to primarily target the 3-to-6-foot range and focus on shallow flats very close to creek channels. These flats are natural stopping areas.

"Water clarity matters. If the water is stained, I suggest targeting the 1-to-3-foot range," said Duckett. "In dirty water, bass will get dirt-shallow and hold close to stumps and laydowns. For moderately clear water, I target the 4-to-6-foot range.

"Cover water quickly. The key to fall fishing is putting the trolling motor on high and moving until you find something worth making multiple casts to," noted Duckett. "The fish are going to be in groups, so it's important to move quickly until you find a school of active fish. The quicker you eliminate dead water, the faster you can get on a big sack of fish.

"Be alert for the 'magic' water temperature. You can catch hundreds of bass on these crankbaits throughout the fall, but your biggest fish will move shallow when the water temperature gets into the 50-degree range.

"Keep changing it up. I use shad patterns almost exclusively in the fall, but the bass can get very peculiar when they school," cautioned Duckett. "If you're getting short strikes, it's probably not a color issue. More than likely, they want a different action. Make sure you keep switching between wide-wobbling and flat-sided crankbaits for the best results, because every school you find will be different.

"Shallow jerkbaits are extremely overlooked lures for catching schooling bass in the fall. These fish aren't difficult to locate this time of year, which means they get a lot of pressure from anglers. If you run across a wary school, a jerkbait is the way to go.

"Force a reaction bite. Jerkbaits are so effective right now because their aggressive, slashing action forces a bass to react.

"Stick with simple colors. There's no need to get too fancy with your jerkbait color selection," said Duckett. "On cloudy days or in lowlight conditions, I stick with a matte shad pattern to allow the fish to get a better bead on it. When it's sunny, you can't beat a chrome-colored Tenkuu because its flash will draw bass from a long way off to eat it.

"Wind is your friend. If you're fishing on a windy day, you need to be throwing a jerkbait," added Duckett. "You'll still catch some on other reaction baits, but windy conditions bring the big ones out of the woodwork. Focus on windblown secondary points and gravel bars if you're looking for a kicker fish. They'll show themselves pretty quickly, so there's no need to soak an area if you're not getting a few bites.

"Fishing with big swimbaits is an excellent way to catch giant fall bass. While other reaction baits are used primarily for covering water, I view a swimbait much like a cleanup hitter in a baseball lineup.

"Look for a couple of important swimbait characteristics. First, it's absolutely essential to find a swimbait that does two primary things," said Duckett. "You want the tail to produce a lot of 'thump', and you also need the body to rock side-to-side. I've fished with a lot of swimbaits, and the Yamamoto Swimbait takes the cake. The fish just annihilate that thing.

"Use it as your heavy hitter. I'll use a crankbait, jerkbait, lipless crankbait, and topwater plug to find schools, but when I find them, I'll use a swimbait to catch the larger fish. It's an excellent way to cull through schools in the fall. One- and two-pounders can be busting on top, and you can catch big four-pounders from underneath them with a swimbait. You won't get as many bites, but they'll be big.

"Head size is essential. Each swimbait has a specific cadence that gives it the most action," said Duckett. "In a sense, you're trapped at a certain reel speed, so reeling slower isn't the answer to getting deeper. You have to add weight so you don't change your retrieve speed. The Yamamoto Swimbait likes to be fished slowly, so I'll have three different head sizes rigged up (1/8-, 1/4- and 1/2-ounce).

"If you're seeing a lot of schooling bass break the surface, it's always a good idea to throw a topwater before leaving the area. Whether you're throwing a walking or popping topwater, it's important to make long casts and fish quickly.

"Catch larger fish with a walking bait. My favorite is a Yamamoto Tate 100 Series," said Duckett. "Walking topwater baits absolutely catch bigger fish in the fall, and I think it's because they really trigger a bass' predatory instincts. That big bass thinks something is trying to get away, and it can't help but attack it.

Tired of short strikes on your topwater lures? In order to hook more bass, Duckett suggests reeling in your lure when it gets halfway back to the boat. Most of his short strikes come while his lure is close to the boat, so he reels it in quickly to avoid missing any opportunities at a big bass.

"Get more bites with a popper, especially a small topwater popper, such as a Yamamoto Shibuki 60 Series," said Duckett. "So when it's tough, and a limit will carry you a long way, it's the way to go. The further you cast it, the more fish you'll catch, so long casts are essential. I use 8-pound Vicious braided line and a spinning rod to get maximum casting distance.

"There are two essential things to look for before throwing a topwater lure. I need to see bait on my electronics that is in 5 feet of water or less, and I also need to see balls of bait just underneath the surface. It's nothing for a big bass to come up from 5 feet to destroy a big topwater plug.

"Upsize your hooks. A lot of times, I'll put a larger hook on the back of my walking baits," said Duckett. "You have to be careful not to screw up the balance of the lure, but bigger hooks make it splash more and also help you get more hookups. If you don't buy a bait with ultra-sharp hooks, you need to replace them. A lot of your fall topwater fish will be hooked in the side of the face, making sharp hooks paramount.

"It's almost impossible to talk about fall fishing without mentioning the effectiveness of a lipless crankbait. Without much work at all, a lipless crankbait gives even novice anglers the chance of catching dozens of bass from a single area.

"The perfect search bait in the fall months is one like the Bill Lewis Rat-L-Trap," said Duckett. "I'm going to cover water with it like crazy.

"Stick to three basic colors: white/grey, chrome/black, and chrome/blue.

"Don't just chunk and wind. I always reel the Rat-L-Trap a few feet and give it a few aggressive pops with the rod tip. I never just cast and wind it straight back. Ripping it and letting it fall on slack line drives bass absolutely crazy. People do that on grass fisheries like Lake Guntersville, but it really doesn't have anything to do with grass. It's all about the reaction. It's making all that sound, and when it stops for a second and gets loud again, they can't help themselves.

"When you're heading out for a day of fall fishing, don't worry about bringing your entire tackle collection with you," cautioned Duckett. "If you make an effort to keep your arsenal simple, you'll be able to focus more on the fish."

Knowing When To Stay or Run Elsewhere

It's a fairly safe bet that fishermen always remember at least a few spots where they've caught a big fish and/or numbers of fish in one setting--I sure do. And most of us have a tendency to revisit those spots from time to time, looking for a repeat performance, which is definitely OK...as long as we know when it's time to move on.

Admittedly, it can be hard to tear yourself away from one of your favorite spots, even when it's not producing, but there are some factors to consider when it comes time to make that decision, as I learned the other day while researching this topic.

It was suggested that you try to recall what the conditions were like the last time you fished that spot, and if they're the same, it's a good idea to stick around a little longer. It's also OK to stick around if there are baitfish present, if you see fish feeding nearby, or if you're getting nibbles or bites now and then, even without full-on hook-ups.

Also, since most anglers start with baits that can be worked quickly, like spinnerbaits and crankbaits, it's smart to stay put until you've had time to work the area over with slower finesse baits, like a jig or Texas-rigged worm. Finally, if you know there's a big fish in the area, or if you're fishing a tournament and need a kicker fish, it might be worth your time to go over the spot one more time.

While the foregoing are reasons to stay on a spot a little longer than usual, there also are some perfectly good reasons to move somewhere else. For example, if conditions have changed dramatically from when you first found the spot, fish behavior may have done the same thing, leading to little or no activity. In these cases, it's time to pack up and leave.

And just as the presence of bait and gamefish is a sign to stick around, their absence is a clear sign to leave. If you've thrown every lure in your tackle box with no success, then there's nothing wrong with moving on.

Finally--and this is a no-brainer--if you're using a fish finder, and it's not marking any fish, obviously you should move along.

Knowing when to leave a patch of water for another is always a game of chance. Done best, it's a blend of experience, logic, foreknowledge, and instinct. No matter how it's done, though, it always involves some degree of luck. At the high end of the luck scale is accidentally picking that just-right lure, presentation, and/or depth on the first try, or finding fish where they really shouldn't be because, on a whim, you tossed your lure there as you passed by, and so on. Even if luck happens to be a lifesaver, you're wiser to rely mainly on what you learn and hone over lots of time spent on the water.

So get to know a river or lake, keep returning to it, and eventually you'll have developed a strong sense of how long to stay in one place, as well as how many lures and techniques to try before you move on to another place. Then you can apply all that understanding and experience to waters you don't know.

Another Year Has Passed...

And we still remember the man and this day...the celebration of his life...as well as if it were only yesterday. In reality, though, it's been a decade today since Dewey Mullins left his earthly family, friends, and all his acquaintances behind and went to that forever-more fishing spot. As portrayed in this photo, he indeed will always be missed.

Only 3 Boats Participate in Nov. 5th Open Tournament

It was a bright but windy day for those six anglers in three boats vying for all the marbles in today's open tournament conducted at Pungo Ferry by Wayne Hayes.

All the boats weighed fish, but the winners were (from left) Steve Bailey and Dennis Dean, who weighed a five-fish limit. Their total weight was 7.51 lbs. Finishing second but out of the money was the team of Andy Morath and John Harmon, who also weighed five fish for a 7.41-lb. total weight.

In third place was the team of  (from left) Rob Chatham and Craig Jones, who had the day's big fish...a 2.61-lber.

There also was one casualty today. While running between Albright's and West Neck, Steve lost a blade off his Merc 250 prop, as evidenced in the accompanying photo. 'Twas a bit of a shock, since he never felt any indication of having hit something in the water. He and his partner nursed the boat back to Pungo Ferry at 5 mph.

Wayne's next scheduled open tournament is set for Saturday, Nov. 19th, again at Pungo Ferry.

Spring-Like Day Yields a Few Fish

After listening to yesterday's weather forecast for today, I had decided to get up at a decent hour, grab breakfast, and head to West Neck for a day on the water. It was almost 9:30 before I launched, but even at that later-than-usual hour, I still was the first boat to launch from West Neck. One other launched just behind me, though.

Had four baits tied on when I left the dock this morning and ended up fishing three of them during the course of the five hours I was out. Had a collective total of eight hits on the three baits I used, which resulted in five fish in the boat, including a white perch and four bass, three of which were keepers. The biggest, however, only weighed 1-13.

Best of all the baits I used today was a crankbait--the same one that did absolutely squat for me the whole month of October. Couldn't buy a strike with it then.

Oh well, at least there's a little action now, and I'll gladly take it. Even saw fish movement throughout the day...but still no signs of baitfish. Fished both north and south of the bridge in West Neck.

My Fishing Widow, My Wife, My One and Only Everything

In 1970, I was working every moment of my spare time at a gas station in Alexandria, VA. I had just come out of a divorce in which I inherited the monthly payments on a new car for the ex, as well as child support for two daughters and a host of bills from the first marriage. My Navy paychecks just wouldn’t cover all my obligations, so I had no choice but to work nights and weekends pumping gas.

Little did I know when I started to work at that gas station that it would prove to be a turning point for me. As luck would have it, my night manager had a niece who had lost her husband, and as he got to know me better, took it upon himself to start playing matchmaker for his niece and me.

We finally met one night at the gas station, and in April 1971, were married. Fifty-one years later, we’re still a happily married couple...and that’s despite the fact that not too long after we said “I do,” an apartment neighbor got me hooked on bass fishing. In no time, I was all in…hook, line and sinker.

All was well until I received Navy orders to a year’s unaccompanied tour of duty with the Middle East Force Staff. I just had been advanced to chief petty officer and was being dispatched to be the admiral’s public affairs officer. This Navy assignment, however, was not the thing that nearly sank my second marriage.

You see, my bass club had a two-day tournament the weekend before I had to board a plane for Bahrain…and, yes, of course, I just had to fish the first day of it. As it worked out, some of the other wives were going to the tournament with their husbands, and I persuaded mine to join them. We all had rooms to stay in, but let’s just say these rooms left a bit…quite a bit, speaking honestly…to be desired. As a result, there were a lot of unhappy ladies.

The lackluster tournament we had…on day one, at least…was nothing, compared to the mood of our brides. And as I climbed on that plane Monday morning, I knew some things were going to be different when I returned home a year later.

My fishing widow and I had reached an understanding that I would scale back the vast amount of time I had been devoting to my hobby. And given the passage of time, I simply no longer could sustain a schedule today like the one I kept back in those early days…don’t even have the desire.

I just really appreciate the fact my wife nearly always is OK with anytime I want to spend on the water now. Back in the day, I was taking far too much for granted; actually, I had my priorities misaligned, and that’s a sure-fired way to find yourself in hot water…as I learned the hard way.

Whether you’re a fishing widow, golfing widow, or whatever, you matter…and we fishermen, if our heads are screwed on right, know it. I’ve been party to many a conversation where anglers were singing the praises of their own wives in this regard.

Because my wife is always there for me, I’m paying her this much-deserved tribute. She deserves no less, considering that she has given me the best years of my life. To her, I say, "Thank you, Love, for being the dandiest keeper I ever landed."