A "Country Boy's" Take on Topwater Lures

I've often referred to myself as a "country boy" over the years, mainly because my little hometown is a rural area, with a lot of farmers among the fewer-than-2,000 population. While we weren't farmers, we lived on the edge of town, nearly within spitting distance of several folks who were, and I dated more than one farmer's daughter during my youth. Of course, I also dated a couple of preacher's daughters, but all that's a whole different story.

Let me mention just one more thing here before I get to what I really want to talk about, though. Just for grins and giggles, I went to the online Urban Dictionary for its definition of "country boy," and I couldn't help but chuckle just a bit when I read one of the descriptions it offered. "Can usually fix just about anything that needs fixing, including trucks, home repair, yard repair, light to heavy machinery, etc.," it said. If my wife had seen that description, she still would be doubled over in unrestrained laughter, 'cause just between you, me and the fencepost, you can count the number of things I've ever fixed on one hand and have fingers left over. Mechanically inclined--I'm not.

That being said, I'll turn my attention to the reason I started this post in the first place. I know some anglers sort their topwater lures into multiple categories, e.g., poppers, dog-walkers, prop baits, wake baits, buzzbaits, and so forth. I, however, like to keep things simple. I lump everything into just two categories: noisy or quiet.

On days when it's dead calm or there's only a slight chop on the water, my usual go-to baits are things like the Pop-R, Torpedo, or Bang-O-Lure. When the wind is kicking up its heels, buzzbaits (or the Rage Tail Shad), the Buzzjet Jr., or maybe a Jitterbug normally get the nod. If I had to limit my picks to only two topwaters, I'd have to go with the Bang-O-Lure for a quiet bait and the Buzzjet Jr. for a noisy bait. And if I didn't have either one of these in my tacklebox but had a wake bait, I'd gladly throw it all day long, under any conditions. Why these particular baits? Simply because they're my confidence lures.

As anyone who has fished a number of years knows, however, nothing is locked in concrete when it comes to this sport. The one thing that seems to hold true without exception is the fact we all love those days when we can catch 'em on top. Just remember: Sometimes, less is more, and more is just enough. Tight Lines!

In Tune with the Astro Tables

When Charlie and I first spotted each other through that dense fog on West Neck Creek this morning, one of the first things he hollered to me was that, according to the Astro Tables in Bassmaster magazine, today from about 10 to about 2 o'clock promised to be the best fishing for the whole month of January. I routinely don't pay attention to such things and probably wouldn't have today either, except for the fact I actually had a pretty decent outing.

Starting with my first fish, which hit about 10:30, and concluding with my last fish, which hit about 2:30, I boated a total of 7 bass and 1 white perch today. I also had 3 other bass hooked up momentarily, 2 of which were nice fish, but lost them en route to the boat. I was particularly pleased to catch my first 2 bass and the white perch on my new Mylar Minnow that Charlie just made for me a couple days ago. The bait is duly initiated--I even hung it a couple times today and had to go get it. I can assure you this lure will get plenty of time on the water before this year is over. I really like its action, and you can cast it a country mile.

I started out fishing the main West Neck shoreline this morning but didn't have the first bump, so finally turned into one of the coves, and that's when the bite got started. Once things slowed with the Mylar Minnow, I picked up my Strike King 1XS in firetiger pattern, and that bait put all the rest of the fish in my boat today. Every one of my fish came from coves, without exception. The water there appeared to be clearing faster than the main creek, but all of it is getting better.

I likely won't get back on the water again before next Monday, given the forecast I saw on TV this evening. However, I look forward to it, 'cause I want to get better acquainted with this Mylar Minnow.

Muddy Water, Few Fish: That's the Common Theme

I had an email today from Eddie Sapp, who said he managed 4 short fish back in Tulls yesterday, despite all the muddy water he found everywhere he went. His words for it were "an all around crappy day but better than working."

When I saw John Goodman's report of his Big Bass Tournament yesterday at Bob's, I came really close to changing my plans to hit West Neck today. I knew my buddy, Charlie, was going there, though, so I decided to keep my plans. Between 9:30 and 2:30, I caught 2 small bass on a Bomber Square A, with both fish coming after 1 o'clock.

Moments after I had boated my second fish, I met Charlie at the mouth of a cove, and he started throwing that Mylar Minnow that he makes. He hadn't made but a half-dozen casts or so when he set the hook on what turned out to be a nice 4-14 bass--also his second bass for the day. He noted, however, that he had boated a couple of 1-lb. white perch earlier, too.

As I was preparing to leave the marina today, I got a second-hand report that Red Bruun had boated 7 bass today. So, it looks like everyone was catching a few fish but only a few. This time of year, though, especially with all the muddy water, I'll gladly take whatever I get.

Maybe the Little Engine Could...

But the 12 anglers in nine boats could NOT--put a big bass in the boat today, that is. They cast, and they cast, and they cast some more, but, alas, at the end of the day, all they could do was throw their hands in the air and say, "Aargh, I reckon that's why it's called fishin' and not catchin'."

And, so, let the records show that event No. 9 in the 2013-14 Goody's Big Bass Tournament trail ended without a single fish being brought to the scales. Thus, as explained by John Goodman, the tournament director, all money collected today will be rolled over to the next tournament in the series, which is scheduled for Jan. 26th at Bob's. Start time will be 8 a.m., with weigh-in at 2 p.m.

John thanks all those who showed up to fish today and says he hopes you'll return in two weeks and take another shot at walking away with the expanded prize pots.

Pre-Fishing: Does It Really Have an Adverse Effect on Our Tourney-Day Chances?



According to some anglers I know, there's more bad than good to be derived from pre-fishing for a tournament. They feel that if you give a bass a sore mouth today, you don't stand much of a chance of catching that fish tomorrow--or even in two or three days. I'm among the first to admit that philosophy sounds solid; however, what I know personally, combined with what I've been reading, makes me pause and wonder just how sound that philosophy really is.

For example, some years back, when I fished Milldam Creek on a regular basis, I vividly recall one day when I know for a fact that I caught the same bass twice within a span of not more than 15 or 20 minutes. I stumbled upon a school of smaller bass that had taken up temporary residence in a submerged collection of old Christmas trees. These trees were anchored in a tight turn, near some deeper water.

I had been catching fish nearly one after the other for several minutes when I suddenly noticed a bass missing part of its dorsal fin and having a disfigured mouth. After releasing the fish, I continued tossing the same spinnerbait past the submerged trees, then working it back to the boat. It wasn't long before I again was unbuttoning that bass with the missing part of dorsal fin and disfigured mouth.

Until recently, I really hadn't thought much about that incident, other than I figured it likely had been a once-in-a-lifetime event. Then, however, I went to digging around the Internet and found other accounts in which people had encountered the same or a similar experience.

I first read about a fella who hooked a nice smallmouth on a Carolina rig one afternoon and fought the fish halfway to the boat, only to have the line break when something on the bottom cut it. Fifteen or 20 minutes later, he tied on another Carolina rig, using the same kind of lizard, and threw back to the same spot where he had set the hook on the other fish. He instantly had a bite, again set the hook, and reeled in the fish to find the hook and lizard from the previous cast buried deep in its throat.

In another case, I read about a guy who was fishing a pond with his friend when the friend caught about a 2-pounder from the other bank. The line broke before his friend got the fish in, though, so he hollered across to his friend and asked what kind of bait he was using. In a matter of minutes, the guy had tied on a crawdad like his friend was using, threw to the same spot, and almost immediately set the hook on a fish. The friend's crawdad still was in the fish's mouth as he reached in to unhook it.

There were several other accounts similar to these, but I figured you would get the general idea from this sampling that not all fish let a sore mouth stop them from chasing lures--many times, the same lure, within just minutes. I wouldn't go so far as to say that all fish would be so inclined. It might depend on just how many times the same fish has been caught and/or how old it is.

Based on these findings, I certainly can't advocate that pre-fishing diminishes your chances of having a successful tourney day. The way I see it, we all just have to decide what's best for us. For that matter, my experience more times than not has been that it doesn't really matter how many fish I put in the boat on a pre-fishing day. By tourney day, the patterns nearly always seem to have changed.

Where Do the Big Bass Live?

I think I know what some of you may be thinking... "anywhere they want." All kidding aside, though, there are some factors that can help predict where you're more likely to find a trophy fish.

I think most people remember everywhere they've ever caught a big bass--I know I do. And I can assure you that Tom Acree (pictured in photo at right) remembers where he caught the 8-2 he's holding here. He caught this fish back on Aug. 13, 2012. As far as I know, it's the latest but surely won't be the last citation fish to be plucked from West Neck Creek.

Anytime I'm in the vicinity of a spot where I once caught a big bass, I always stop by to see if there's some truth to what I've always heard about big fish. They say that when you catch a big bass from a spot, another big one eventually will move in and take up residence in the same spot.

Perhaps that idea is only a myth--anyone's guess is as good as mine. I always just like to make at least a few casts to check things out for myself.

Out of respect for the real, honest-to-goodness experts on this subject matter, I'm attaching the Internet links to what some of them have to say. Here's hoping you find their comments helpful as you pursue those big 'uns.

http://www.freebasslures.com/LocatingBigBass.htm

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/catch_big_bass.html

http://www.berkley-fishing.com/angler-education/articles/whats-double-digit-bass

http://www.bassfishingandcatching.com/big-bass-fishing.html

I also found these underwater videos of bass that I thought I would share:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gHsS_1ipmM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3UG-vuSmG8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpYC4J1f2Lo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5KgXm5At8o

Here's hoping y'all find Bubba or one of his cousins this year. If you do, I ask only one thing: Make sure you take a photo and send me a copy of it, along with all the pertinent info, so I can post the whole story here on my blog. Good luck!

Sometimes It Takes a 1 - 2 Punch

On not more than my third or fourth cast ever with a Strike King Rage Tail Shad, I nearly had the rod snatched out of my hands by a 3-lb. bass, and I went on that day to have one of my most memorable trips of all times with that topwater bait. As the day wore on, however, the nature of the strikes changed, and I started tallying a lot of swings but misses.

Finally, by accident, I stumbled onto a solution to the problem. I just had had another bass blow up but miss my bait, and I allowed the bait to fall as I momentarily scratched my head, wondering what to do. It was while the bait was falling that I suddenly saw my line jump to one side and reared back with a hookset. A few seconds later, I was swinging another nice bass over the gunwale.

For the rest of that day, I repeated what just had occurred. Every time I missed a strike, I let the bait fall, and in at least 75 percent of the cases, the fish would grab the Rage Tail again on the fall, with a subsequent hookup. I do the same thing yet today when I'm fishing that bait, and it still works far more often than it fails.

There are occasions, however, especially when fishing other topwater lures, that you need to have a follow-up bait rigged and ready to use after a missed strike. Here are the links to some different anglers' thoughts on this matter:

http://www.insideline.net/index.php/hard-baits/270-swing-and-a-miss-follow-up-baits-the-back-up-plan

http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/second-chance-baits

http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/kriet-increasing-topwater-hookups

http://www.bassresource.com/fish/topwaters.html

http://www.finsntales.com/all/early-fall-topwaters-with-cliff-pirch/#.Us11vUso6M8

From their earliest days, young boxers are taught how to throw a 1 - 2 punch combination. Similarly, anglers--young and old--need to understand why they should keep a backup rod rigged and ready for use anytime they encounter a swing and a miss. If you happen to be fishing with a partner as quick and as accurate as mine, you might want to consider letting him make the second cast to a missed fish. Rob, who always has a soft plastic tied onto at least one of his rods, has pulled this off to near-perfection more than once.

The way I see it is this: It doesn't matter who catches the fish--just get it in the boat.

The After Effects of a Polar Vortex

Thanks to Skip Schaible, I have confirmed there's still water--in some form--at West Neck Creek, but...

I'm not certain how many brave souls would like to try and follow this trail of what appears to have been a kayak or other such craft out the channel.


I know I can't speak for anyone other than myself, but my hope is that we never ever see another one of these things again. And I feel pretty sure there are a lot of much-harder-hit folks strung all across this country who would second that idea.

'Twould seem as if the Farmer's Almanac was right once again--this winter has been worse so far than most. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that conditions only improve from this point forward.

In Pursuit of Kicker Tournament Fish

"If only we could have caught a kicker fish or two today." How many times have you stood around after a tournament weigh-in and heard guys make that comment? It happens all the time. Most of us can lay claim to several instances where we've been there, done that, and have the T-shirts to prove it, and that includes yours truly.

My personal goal in any tournament always has been to go out and first catch a respectable limit, then start looking for kicker fish, and I've talked to several other anglers who share that same philosophy. Unfortunately, I too often find myself spending the entire day just trying to catch a limit, much less a "respectable" limit. And I probably can count the number of times on one hand--with fingers left over--that I ever got lucky enough to bag a nice 5-fish limit and have three or so hours left in which to look for some kicker fish.

I'm not a Lone Ranger here--I know that--so believe me when I say I'm not crying "woe is me." Instead, I decided to go online looking for some advice from anglers who share my tournament goal and have succeeded in making it happen consistently. The first article I came across in my Internet search is the one at this link: http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/unlocking-bass-3-keys-kicker, authored by Bassmaster Elite Series angler Todd Faircloth.

In his article, Todd talks about finding your "comfort zone" for tournaments, e.g., how much weight it probably will take to walk away with a paycheck. In the case of those who fish our Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series, you would be well-served to set your comfort zone at about 13 lbs. Why? Because that's the average weight, as revealed by my records, that was required to claim the 1st-place prize at any one of our 17 tournaments last year leading up to the season-ending two-day Classic.

Here are links to a couple other articles I came across:

http://www.gameandfishmag.com/2011/04/07/fishing_bass-fishing_top_kicker_bass_baits_for_tournament_success0411/

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/frog_baits.html

Following is the link to a video I found that demonstrates how effective jigs are in catching quality kicker fish: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMdJ3giDZjk. Other baits that I think most will agree have earned high marks for producing good kicker fish are soft plastics and topwater lures, not the least of which are hollow-bodied frogs. If this froggin' video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OwagktQetM, doesn't get your adrenaline pumping, perhaps this one will:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9kgPVz68_o.

In conclusion, here's hoping there are some kicker fish in everyone's future this 2014 season. Tight lines to one and all!

Fishing Cold, Muddy Water

When I ventured out to West Neck Marina yesterday to get an updated picture of the water-level gauge to post on my blog, I saw a friend's rig in the parking lot and decided to email him for a fishing report. He responded later in the evening with a note saying that neither he, nor another friend whom he had talked to on the water, had even felt a bump yesterday.

I can't honestly say I was surprised to hear that kind of report, given the muddy water I found at the West Neck ramp yesterday. And then this morning, I read on the website for Bob's Fishing Hole that yesterday's tourney winners out there had boated only three fish for a total of 4.33 lbs. So, on the whole, I think it would be fair to say that absolutely no one was setting the water on fire yesterday.

Could I have done any better? Undoubtedly not. I've never done well in muddy water, much less cold, muddy water. However, there are those "experts" who claim to have the knowledge and ability to put together a game-winning scenario in these conditions, and I decided to take a look at what some of them have to say. Here's my reading/viewing list--all dealing with how to fish cold, muddy water:

http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/cold_muddy_water.html

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CFPage?mode=article&objectID=28722&storeId=10151&catalogId=10051

http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/overcoming-cold-muddy-water

http://www.strikeking.com/journal/00348/1.php

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWrZUau29xs

http://www.ohiobassblog.com/2011/11/30/cold-muddy-water-a-new-outlook/

They say that cold, muddy water is an angler's worst nightmare. The thing I want to know is this: What do you call it when a polar vortex like the one that's coming this way is added to the equation?

In days gone by, I have sat in my boat on Lake Anna several times when it was so cold I had to keep chipping ice out of my rod guides. I also often used to share channel icebreaking duties with my late friend, Ray Hardy, when we'd fish West Neck in the winter. And I even once fished the Nottoway with my friend, Ralph, in the midst of a snowstorm. Be assured, however, that you won't catch me going anywhere tomorrow, except to open the front door and grab the morning newspaper.

I'm convinced that your blood gets thinner as you get older, or maybe it's just that I've finally gotten a little smarter. Either way, I know when it's time to stay home.

A Fishing Trip Down Memory Lane

The New Year's Day fishing trip with my buddy, Wayne, earlier this week stirred some recollections of trips I'd taken many moons ago. It all started when Wayne pulled out a Silver Buddy Blade Bait, similar to the bottom lure in this photo, and asked if I ever had fished one.

We were exploring that deeper water down there near the Pungo Ferry Bridge at the time. And although I have no way of knowing for sure, I'm guessing that Wayne simply wanted to find out if this proven old, cold-weather winner still had some magic left in it.

After all, it wouldn't be the first time I'd ever watched him demonstrate that old lures still will catch fish--and lots of 'em. In particular, I remember a trip with him a couple summers back, when he took me to a familiar grassy area down in Blackwater Creek and flat wore the bass out for a few hours with an old Johnson's Silver Minnow. And I'm talking about fish in the 2- and 3-pound range. That demonstration is exactly why I, to this day yet, carry a hefty supply of Johnson's Silver Minnows in my tacklebox.

Anyway, when Wayne asked me about the Silver Buddy, I quickly responded that I was familiar with the bait but really didn't have any experience with it. Instead, I fished the Mann's... At that very point, however, I had a "senior moment" and could not, for the life of me, remember the name of that lead-chunk tailspinner (the top lure in the above photo) that I used to throw on Lake Anna during the cold winter months. And it must have taken most of the next 20 minutes or so before Wayne and I collectively could remember the name of that Mann's bait. Finally, I remembered that "Little" was part of the name, and Wayne added the "George."

Once we had nailed down the bait's name, I went on to explain that I used to buy Little George's by the handful because of the number I would lose on a trip to Lake Anna. I'd sling those things as far as I could get them to go, let them fall to the bottom, then start jigging them back to the boat. They found their fair share of fish, but they also frequently snagged objects on the bottom, especially along one old roadbed I liked to fish, and given the depths involved, it was easier just to break off and tie on a new one.

At prices approaching $3 and more, fishing Little George's could be an expensive proposition today. Back then, though, I'm not sure I even paid a dollar apiece for them.

It's always nice to spend a day on the water, especially with an old friend, but when you get all that, plus a trip down memory lane, it's like the cherry you always get on top of a banana split--at least, that's the way it is for me.

Old-Timers Bass Rodeo May Be in the Works

If you're age 60 or over, or will be by Aug. 21, 2014, I may have something that will interest you. That date, in case you don't already know, marks the annual Senior Citizens Day celebration.

Last year, a couple of fellas confronted me with a suggestion to start a seniors' bass-tourney series. I told them I'd think about their idea, which I've done, and here's what I've decided I'm willing to do.

With the Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney Series already on my plate, I don't want to take on the responsibility of also running a seniors tourney series. For that matter, I don't feel there would be enough support to sustain another regular series. However, I am willing to try a one-time, or perhaps an annual event for old-timers like myself. And when I say "old-timers," I'm referring to folks age 60 and over.

Here's my proposal as I currently envision it:

     * Hold a Senior Citizens Day Bass Rodeo on Aug. 21.
     * Eligible participants would be those who already are age 60 or over, or who will turn 60 no later than Aug. 21.
     * The rodeo site would be West Neck Marina.
     * Fishing hours would be 6 a.m. to 12 noon.
     * Costs would be $10-per-person entry fee (with 100 percent payout), optional $5-per-person big-bass pot, and $5-per-boat ramp fee.
     * Participants would be permitted to fish solo or no more than two per boat.
     * Weigh-in would be limited to three fish per boat (the reduced number is based on consideration of the usual temps this time of year).
     * And, of course, we all could sit around and swap fish stories over a BBQ sandwich afterward, if everyone so wanted.

I've already talked to the marina manager, Steve Winfree, and have his OK to hold this event. What I'd like to know now is how many of you who are eligible might be interested in participating. A simple email to me (kenneth34@cox.net) will do. I'll keep a list of names and let everyone know my final decision, based on the response I get.

Starting the New Year Right

When I received a call from my buddy, Wayne, asking if I'd like to join him for a little bass fishing today, I couldn't resist the chance to shake off some of the cabin fever I've experienced in the time I've been laid up with that crud I talked about a few posts back. I knew there would be a cool start, but with a high of 51 and light southerly winds predicted, I was more than willing to take my chances.

So at 7 o'clock this morning, I pulled into the parking lot at West Neck, loaded my gear into Wayne's boat, and 15 or so minutes later, we were off on our adventure. We headed south to the grain canal and deeper water, which seemed like a good option. However, after passes along the length of both shorelines with no takers, Wayne moved down to the Pungo Ferry Bridge, where we started working the pilings.

For a while, we experienced the same results we had had in the grain canal, but once the sun had peeked through the clouds and warmed things a bit, Wayne suddenly found a taker for his plastic craw. Not more than 10 or 15 minutes later, I felt a tick on my Bandit 200. I was certain enough it had been a fish that I quickly reeled in and threw back to the same spot, and this time he hit the crankbait hard enough for me to bury both hooks. We didn't take time to weigh either fish, but each would have gone about 2 lbs.

We stayed with the pilings for a fair spell but didn't have any more action, so we returned to the grain canal. Again, though, there was no joy, so we decided to pack it in and head for the dock. With each of us having a fish to show for the first outing of the new year, we neither one felt we had anything further to prove today.

From the looks of the weather report I heard this evening, it appears I won't be getting back out for a few days, but that's OK--I'm on the scoreboard, and that's always a positive thing.