Should Have Known Something Was Wrong

That was the take of an angler who was going to fish a club tournament as a non-boater. The boater whose name he had drawn wasn't very popular, but he had no clue as to why. Had he known what was in store for him that day, he might have entertained thoughts about calling in sick at the last minute.

Said this angler, "The boater called me a couple of days before the tournament and asked that I pick him up. He also explained that I would have to use my truck to pull his boat because he didn't have a tow vehicle. I knew this fella was a bit down on his luck, so I decided to cut him some slack."

Unfortunately, as the non-boater would learn later, there was more to this situation. Seems that the G3 boat had a couple of holes in the hull, and, as a result, the automatic bilge pump would come on "from time to time"...which meant every five minutes or so. It also didn't pump out the side. Instead, it shot a fountain of water into the air off the port side of the transom.

Subsequently, explained the non-boater, "I had to keep remembering not to stand on that side when I needed to take a pee.

"I will give him credit for one thing, though," allowed the non-boater. "When he started catching fish on a Chug Bug (I know someone else who likes that old bait), he was kind enough to loan me one. The only problem: He never put me in a position to cast where the fish were.

"I did manage to catch a keeper on a shakey head with a trick worm in the area where he had thrown the Chug Bug," but then we left to fish docks the rest of the day, which is about all the ever does," said the non-boater. "Immediately, he started getting strikes but couldn't get hooked up with a fish. I soon became convinced that he was getting bluegill bites instead of bass bites but just kept that thought to myself."

The non-boater stayed quiet as long as he could. It wasn't until the boater started having a tantrum and screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs after every miss that the backseater pointed out they were within about 50 yards of people's homes, and he might want to tone it down a bit. The tantrums, however, continued throughout the rest of the day. That wasn't all, either.

"He kept positioning the boat where I couldn't get a cast into the good areas under the docks or in the boat slips," said the non-boater, "so I just started fishing wherever I could get a cast. I ended up with five keepers, and he never caught a single fish from the docks. He got so frustrated at one point that he told me to get on the trolling motor."

"I'm not fishing any more," came his retort, as he plopped into the driver's seat and started sulking. "I'm tired of this ****!"

The non-boater promptly caught a keeper fish on the first cast, and the boater quickly jumped back into the front seat. As the non-boater returned to the backseat, he couldn't help thinking, "At least, I won't have to fish with him again until next year."

All marriages aren't made in heaven, and neither are all tournament partnerships. In some cases, it takes a while before you realize it wasn't a good idea. Other times, as in this example, you know it from the start.

Things That Make Little Towns Buzz

Mainstreet of my home town (Oswego, KS) in the 1950s

Having been born and reared in a little Midwest town of 2,000 people, I have a pretty decent idea of what kinds of things create a stir in such places. And one thing that never fails is someone catching a big fish. Whether it was Harry Lynn, the old town barber, or my Uncle Bill Eads, when they caught a big 'un back in my day, it became the talk of the town.

Given that background, it should come as no surprise that I had my interest piqued in a hurry when I read an online story about a fella catching a 10-lb. bass from a 100-acre lake, near a town with a population of less than 600.

Seems an unknown angler with a cabin on this Pacific Northwest lake caught the double-digit largemouth, which was only about two-and-a-half pounds shy of the state record. He then stored it in a local sports center's cooler while looking for a suitable taxidermist. Didn't take more than one mention of this fish by the proprietor of the sports center to another local bass fisherman before everyone and their uncle were stopping by for a look-see.

The single concern mentioned by a few was that the fella had decided to keep the female fish for mounting. The majority, however, rationalized that the trophy fish likely was more than 20 years old, had spawned a dozen or more times, and thus probably soon would have died of old age.

After reading this account, I found myself sitting and remembering my childhood in a town where one of the biggest draws any given day of the week was the local drugstore's soda fountain, and where, every Saturday, the old-timers sat on the ledges of store-front windows, spinning their yarns of all the big fish they had caught and such. Believe me when I say that, if I could, I'd gladly return to those days in a heartbeat. Life is too complicated today for me. 

It Always Shows in Their Face

Let a young 'un catch a fish, even a tiny one, and 99 percent of the time, you can tell it from the expression on their face. D'ya think the 8-year-old lad in this photo is as proud as punch? You can bet he is...and for good reason. The largemouth bass he's cradling in his arms weighs a hefty 8 lbs. 4 ozs.

Here's the story behind it.

One February day two years ago, Anderson's dad had taken him to a local farm pond. Before they ever got there, the lad had told his dad that he was going to catch a "monster fish" today. And don't you know, he delivered on his prediction.

According to the boy's father, Anderson said, "I'm going to catch a monster because I was watching a show on Netflix this morning called 'Chasing Monsters.' The funny part," said the father, "was that we each caught one fish, and mine was 5 lbs.--a nice fish--but his outweighed mine by three pounds."

The youngster felt compelled to console his father, saying, "It's OK, Dad. One day, you'll catch a monster like mine."

I'd say that's a pretty clear-cut indication that Anderson already is showing signs of a true bass angler--prowess, compassion, sense of humor, and quite possibly, a little bit of rubbing it in. Too bad the high school fishing team will have to wait a few more years before Anderson can join 'em.

Regardless, the lad deserves a pat on the back for such a fine catch. Thanks to his dad, too, for taking him fishing in the first place.

Incidentally, if you listen to the pros, they're consistently telling you to use big lures if you want to catch big fish, but don't try to sell that idea to Anderson. Why? Because he used a black and yellow beetlespin to catch his monster. As he pointed out, "I catch my biggest (and most) bass on beetlespins and tiny torpedoes."

To each his own, but if you're having little or no luck with monster-sized lures, you might try downsizing a bit. What have you got to lose?

The Day I Earned My Angel Wings

By Bud Fields

A group of my fishing buddies and I gathered around a table in a restaurant, enjoying a cup of coffee, and of course, we were reminiscing about fishing experiences that stood out in our memories. It was a basic old geezer round table, and trust me, we catch more fish and shoot more deer in this setting than in the woods or on the water. It seems to become more prevalent as we advance in years.

Anyone who knows me very well knows that I am rather quiet and prefer to listen and laugh at and with other people. I attempt to find humor in someone else's situation, but when it is my turn to share, I confess that I would rather not confess in public or forget it altogether. I tried my best to pass and allow someone else to tell their story when my friend, Doug, asked me to relate a particular situation he referred to as "when Bud earned his angel wings."

This event occurred a couple years ago, but I will share it with you. Allow me to state that some words have been changed and altered for publication.

I was attending a bass-club meeting, and we were discussing the upcoming tournament on Lake James in northern Indiana. I have always enjoyed fishing this lake for its water clarity and habitat. You also can see some fantastic homes, meet nice people, and see an assortment of wildlife while you fish.

As we began the partner draw, I was introduced to a brand new member of the club. He was a tall, lanky young man, who never had fished a bass tournament. We shook hands, and he told me he had attended a number of my seminars around the area. He said he was excited to be fishing as my non-boater partner. He apologized in advance for not being overly experienced and hoped to learn some fishing tips from me. He was anxious for the tournament to get here. We made our plans for when, where and what time we would meet for the trip to the lake.

I spoke with him on the telephone a number of times and had hoped that we could make a trip to the lake before the tournament so we could pre-fish and establish a couple of productive patterns for catching fish, increasing our confidence. He recently had started a new job and could not get time off, so I told him I would make at least one trip to the lake. Pre-fishing is really exciting, and it can be important. I made two trips to the lake and established a pattern that was producing fish.

As we drove to the lake the morning of, I shared what I had discovered.

We made our run to my Plan A location, and I told my partner, "This tournament will be won before 9 a.m." I shut down the motor, lowered the trolling motor, and started working the piers. On the second cast toward the seawall, I retrieved my lure along the edge of the pier, and a huge largemouth totally engulfed my lure. I set the hook, and the fight was on. I tried to remain calm. I also was trying to keep my partner calm and quiet, because we had another boat not far from us, and I did not want to get their attention.

I was fighting the bass and trying to talk my partner through the netting process without knocking the bass off the hook. After what seemed like hours, I finally got the bass in the landing net. We had the fish in the boat. It was a dandy. I had an electronic scale in one of my storage boxes, and we unofficially weighed the fish at 6 lbs. 4 ozs. It was the largest Indiana bass I had caught in years. I filled the aerated livewell with water and added a couple tablets to lower the stress on the fish. I had a feeling I was on the way to winning the tournament and the big-bass pot.

We fished at different locations and spoke to some competitors. My partner was telling everybody about the big bass. We caught a few short bass and were having fun, telling jokes and maybe a lie or two, when I felt the tap of another bass as it picked up my 4-inch junebug ringworm. I set the hook and boated another keeper bass that measured exactly 14 inches. That made two keepers, and from that point on, about the only thing that happened was casting practice and joke-telling. The fish had completely shut down...exactly the same as in my pre-fishing trips.

As we continued fishing, we talked with other anglers who either had not caught a fish or only had caught shorts. We talked with a few who had one bass that barely measured, and we started carefully watching the clock so we would be certain to arrive at the weigh-in on time. With less than 30 minutes remaining, I suggested we start heading back to the ramp to fish along the bank to end the tournament.

I was feeling somewhat better about my chances when we got there and saw other anglers already putting their boats on the trailer. I told my partner we would tie up the boat to the pier and weigh-in the fish. Afterward, I planned to back the trailer down the ramp.

I was at the front of the boat, leaning over and tying the rope to the pier, when I heard someone pull alongside my boat and say, "We hear Bud caught a 6-pound-plus bass. I have not seen a bass that big in Indiana for years."

"Well, my back was turned, and I guess my new partner decided to open the hatch to the livewell, reach in, and grab the big bass by the lip and hold it up to show the anglers. I heard a resounding splash, and I turned around and saw my partner looking down toward the water. He looked at me with big eyes and swallowed hard but never said a word.

I hoped between the two fish that he had dropped the smaller of the two, but it was the big bass. Everyone at the ramp waited for me to go ballistic. I tried my best to remain calm. I asked him, "Did you just drop the big bass in the lake?" He just nodded his head. I asked him, "Why did you take the bass out of the livewell?"

"I wanted to show them the big bass," he said.

I had all kinds of dirty, unprintable words running through my head, but I didn't use them. OK, I used a few but finished by saying, "You never take a fish out of the livewell until you are ready to weigh them in."

Well, folks, I have to confess I was furious. My blood pressure hit a new high, but I had to remember that he was an inexperienced angler and didn't know any better. He felt terrible about what had happened, and there was nothing he, nor I, could do to recapture that bass.

As we took the shorter of the two bass to the scales, I congratulated the winner for his one fish that weighed in at 2 lbs. 10 ozs., and my fish came in at just under 2 lbs. I had gone from winning the tournament and the big-bass pot to finishing in fifth...in a splash. That one fish would have won everything.

What made it somewhat more tolerable was that I had a number of people telling me that I was a saint. They would say, "I sure wish I had your ability to laugh things off." One member, who was an ordained minister, came up to me and said, "Bud, my man, today you earned your angel wings."

The author is an outdoor columnist with Indiana's Kokomo Perspective. This article, which appeared in the May 24, 2015, edition, reminded me of a couple events that have occurred in my life over the years. In one of those cases, a pastor was the one who cost me a big fish, so you can bet I bit my tongue extra hard that day.

"It's Not Over 'Til It's Over"

Baseball's New York Yankee legendary catcher and slugger Yogi Berra coined that phrase in 1973, during the National League pennant race. His team was a long way behind when he said it, but they eventually rallied to win the division title.

That phrase could be applicable to several different sports situations, including bass fishing. For example, consider an angler who is fighting a big fish, slowly working it to the boat, where his partner stands ready with the landing net in his/her hands. Not until that fish is safely in the net can the angler breathe a sigh of relief and be proud of the fact he/she just has earned some bragging rights. Anyone who's ever found himself/herself in this kind of situation undoubtedly has suffered one or two of those "aw s**t" moments...as the result of some less-than-stellar net handling. It happens to the best of anglers.

In digging around the Internet, I found a short primer for everyone on the basics of how to use a fishing net the right way. It (and the photos) come from Karl's Bait & Tackle website. Here's how to bag your partner's fish of a lifetime...and ensure you have a ride home at the end of the day:

Make sure the net is ready. There is nothing worse than you or your buddy hooking into a nice one, only to realize that the net is caught in a cluster of fishing line, rod tips, treble hooks, or a host of other things NOT supposed to be in a fishing net. Make sure to have your net ready. For tournament fishermen, it is common practice to have the net laying on or near the seats, so it is up and off the floor and ready for use. The whole idea of this fishing thing is that you're going to use it, right? Be conscious of where the net is at all times...and I would add, let your partner know if you move it to a new location.

Stay out of the way. If you're fishing with a partner, make sure to give him/her enough room to fight the fish. All too often, people get excited and want to get up on the front deck or near the angler that is hooked up to see the fish, only to get in the angler's way in some fashion and cause him/her to lose the fish. Wait until your partner says they are ready for the net before getting too excited and entering his/her personal bubble.

Don't rush the net. Probably one of the worst things a net person can do is try and rush the landing. Don't chase the fish around with the net. Let the rod and reel do the work until the fish isn't quite as energized and is ready to be landed. Rushing this process can cause the fish to take unnecessary runs toward deep water, causing a more drawn-out landing process and putting additional stress on the fish. It also gives the fish more opportunity to spit the hook.

Don't stab the fish. Don't stab at the fish with the net either. When net people get antsy, they tend to lunge forward, directly at the fish, with the net, instead of using a scooping motion undernearth the fish. This is a terrible practice. Not only could you injure the fish by accidentally hitting it with the net frame, but you potentially could knock the hook out of its mouth or cause the fish to run for deeper water.

Scoop it up. Use a scooping motion that goes down and below the fish and then bring the net upward toward the surface. If the fish runs for deep water, it will swim directly into the net. If it decides to jump, your net already is directly below the body, so you have a better shot at catching it in mid-air.

Be a sporting angler. Once the fish is in the net, make sure it doesn't spend all day in there, especially if you don't intend to harvest it. Get the fish out, take your pictures, and either put it in the livewell or turn it loose.

Too much time in the net can cause the fish to become overstressed and thus reduce the chances of a healthy existence after the fight. Furthermore, some nets can cause damage to the fish's slime coating, so be conscious of this when landing fish, as well as when buying your next net.

It's That Time of Year Again To Keep One Eye on the Sky

Was reading in the latest issue of Jay Kumar's BassBlaster where a 36-year-old B.A.S.S. Nation angler from Italy was killed Monday, June 6, 2020, when he was electrocuted by a lightning strike.

The victim and a friend were fishing on Lake Golsena at the time. The friend was unharmed, though "greatly shaken" by the lightning.

I reckon bass pro Greg Hackney is someone else who also can relate to being shaken by lightning. I recently read his account of a tournament he fished back in September 2016. Seems that event was beset by its share of lightning, too.

"On Friday, we had rain early in the morning, but it didn't amount to much. Later in the day, some really nasty stuff started rolling in toward us, though," said Hackney (left). "I fished as long as it was safe, but then I went to the bank. I measured how close it was by watching the flashes and then counting the seconds before I heard the thunder.

"That's not real scientific, and I'm the first to say that it might not have been enough," continued Hackney. "I'm told that if you can see lightning, you should get off the water immediately...so, anyway, we--my marshal and I--went to the bank and sat in the bottom of the boat to get as low as possible. We probably should have curled up in the fetal position, but there was all kinds of water in the bottom of the boat, and it was cold. We stayed that way for about an hour and a half. It was so bad at one point that you couldn't hear the individual claps of thunder. It was just a constant roar above us.

"Once it got real quiet for a few minutes," explained Hackney, "and I thought it was over. I stood up and dropped the trolling motor over when, all of a sudden, without warning, the sky exploded. I just about jumped out of my skin. I thought later that it would be a heck of a thing to sit on the floor of a wet boat for over an hour and then get killed when you thought it was over.

"Afterwards, I found out that several of the guys fished through it. That was crazy. As much as I would have liked to up my placing in the tournament, I want to fish again more. I can't do that dead or horribly disabled.

"If I'm honest with you, I'd say that when I was young, I probably would have fished through it, too. We all think we're invincible when we're young. My thoughts about the other anglers continuing to fish come from a man who once lived in a glass house. I'm careful about throwing rocks. Nevertheless, fishing in a lightning storm just doesn't make sense. It's not worth the risk.

"To give you an idea of how wild it got, I'll tell you this: One angler--I'll not name him--made the decision to continue fishing. His marshal demanded to go to the bank. The angler complied. The marshal wasn't seen again. I told the angler straight up, 'Your marshal had it right.'

"I feel the need to say all of this because I know that the desire to fish can be overwhelming. I've been there...I am there. But some things just don't make sense. If you doubt what I say, check around the Internet and look at the pictures of things that have been struck by lightning. They'll get your attention and give you a fresh perspective on the matter."

According to the National Weather Service, there are steps that can be taken to avoid increasing the risk of being hit by lightning. They encourage you to avoid open areas and the tallest objects in the area, especially tall or isolated trees. The best safety measure, however, is not to get caught in a thunderstorm in the first place. Listen to weather forecasts and get off the water at the first indication of any storm. Then find shelter in a building or hard-topped car. Whatever you do, don't make one more cast; it very well could be your last.

How Light Affects What Bass Eat

By Gene Gilliland

Conventional angling wisdom says to use "natural looking" lures in clear water. On bright days, use light colors; in low light or more turbid water, use darker colored lures. But do bass pick and choose what they eat, based on the same criteria? Does their diet change, based on water clarity?

Researchers have known for some time that changes in turbidity can influence fish behavior. It all boils down to light penetration and "visual acuity." In general, under more turbid conditions, prey species have a harder time seeing their own food. And more importantly, detection of predators and their reaction distances are reduced, which also can lead to early mortality--being eaten.

Predatory fish like bass are just the opposite. As light intensity decreases, either from reduced sunlight or increased turbidity, the advantage shifts from the prey fish to the predators. In clear water, many prey fish can see and recognize bass as a threat much farther than the bass can see and recognize the prey as a meal. Reduce the available light or dirty up the water a bit, and bass gain the edge. Think dawn and dusk? Reduced light equals advantage bass. A plankton bloom that provides a nice green tint to the water and reduces visibility to a few feet equals advantage bass.

But just how does that change in light availability or water clarity affect predator feeding? Studies in the laboratory, later confirmed by field evaluations, show that, although darker water offers an element of concealment for the predator, the trade-off is a reduced ability to discriminate targets and accurately strike the prey. Since bass are basically sight feeders, in clear water, they can see a greater distance and have a higher capture efficiency--better vision equals greater success. But as the water gets darker or increasingly turbid, their ability to accurately locate a target and capture it goes down.

Keep in mind, however, that just how dark it looks to you, or how turbid you think the water is may not be the same to a bass. They have excellent vision and can see objects at surprising distances. They probably do not know if the object is a shad or a crayfish--it might be too dark or turbid to allow them to see the details. The visual outlines, however, coupled with other sensory information, such as vibration, often will lead them to closer inspection and eventually to an attack on the object. They often will engulf an object, then decide if it is really food and make a decision to swallow or spit it out.

From an angling perspective, one interesting observation that biologists have made is that a bass' diet may change significantly as water clarity changes. In clear water, bass will stalk and attack the abundant, easily located schools of shad. But although shad may make up the bulk of their food, crayfish intake often will increase during periods of increased turbidity. The same holds true in low-light conditions. Is it any wonder that a jig or soft plastic creature bait often is the bait of choice in dark water?

It appears that science can support conventional wisdom. Clearer water means more light and better vision, so color, size, shape, and detail really may make a difference in what lure you should choose. In dirty water, or low-light conditions, detail may be less important, and dark or fluorescent colors may be seen more easily, presenting a contrasting silhouette that entices the bass to strike first and ask questions later.

Gene Gilliland is a widely respected bass biologist and conservation advocate. He spent 32 years as a bass-research biologist and, eventually, assistant chief of fisheries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation before joining B.A.S.S. as national conservation director.

I'm No Purist When It Comes to Old Fishing Lures

As baits go out of production, a lot of folks will salt them away and wait for their market value to increase. That's all fine and dandy for those interested in owning a bunch of antiques, but I'm with that other crowd--albeit a likely minority--that prefers getting some use out of things, even old things, as long as they make it worth your while. And as long as a bunch of old lures still catch fish, I see them as definitely worthwhile.

If that philosophy makes some people get all snooty with me, that's OK. At my age, I'm really not too concerned about those who go around with their noses so far in the air it's a miracle they don't drown when it begins to rain. In the meantime, I'll just keep on fishing my Jitterbugs, Dalton Specials, and TD Mouthwashers. I even plan to add my collection of Bass-Orenos to this list. Watched my dad catch a whole bunch of quality bass with the latter over the years, while fishing the clear water of Kansas strip-mining pits. My feeling is, "If they worked for him, they oughtta work for me, too."

What say we take a look at a couple of these lures of yesteryear, starting with the discontinued Team Daiwa Mouthwasher (left), which was made in Japan. One of the most exciting new offerings to be introduced circa 2005, this topwater popper displayed incredible detail.

Measuring 3 inches in length and weighing 15/32 ounce, the lure came in eight colors and generally retailed for about $16.95. Daiwa spiced up the bait by adding a prop inside the mouth (see below, right), water-thru gills, and a feather-dressed rear hook. It didn't end there, either. The TD Mouthwasher also had a larger lower-jaw design and a curved tail, both of which added to its overall appearance, as well as its performance.

In case you're wondering if it catches fish, the answer is an unequivocal "yes." It tricked all four of the keepers I put in the boat last Saturday. Further, anyone who knows my fishing habits knows that I often tag-team the TD Mouthwasher with another big Japanese topwater bait throughout the whole year.

Makes my hands cramp some kind of bad if I use one or both all day long, but if that's what the fish want, that's what they get. As in the old Camel 66 Express trucking logo, I'm "humpin' to please."

As for the Bass-Oreno (left), it's one of many great lures produced by South Bend over the decades. Nip-I-Diddee is another. The red/white Bass-Oreno has been and still is a favorite among anglers. Regardless of color, this lure can be fished on the surface, just below, or, by increasing the speed of your retrieve, driven about 2 or 3 feet deep.

Be advised, though, that bass aren't the only specie that targets this bait. Toothy-critters like pike also will pounce on the Bass-Oreno...same goes for the Nip-I-Diddee. I read about a a fella back in the 1950s who was fishing the latter for smallmouths when a 25-pound pike happened to snatch his lure. After a spirited fight with the giant, clean through the bottom of his net, no less, the fish eventually was landed and ended up as a wall mount in his den.

Don't get me wrong. I don't discount the value of these lures. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. I can't tell you the last time I left one of them hanging in the brush or bottom, where someone else could come along and find it. For starters, I'm always using 40-pound braid. And, too, I always carry an extendable lure retriever in the boat...just in case all else fails. I won't say never, but I will say never without one heckuva battle.

For Week Ending Sunday, June 14, 2020

Monday, June 8 (from Skip)...Received a text from Skip this morning, saying that he was headed north on the main river to fish one of his favorite spots. Found out moments ago that he found at least a couple of fish, as evidenced by the accompanying photos. He said what you see here is the biggest and smallest fish he caught today.

Monday, June 8 (from Ron)...Fished the far reaches of upper North Landing in hopes of finding some bowfin, but didn't find any. Near sunset, returned to the vicinity of the drawbridge and found six dink bass, one warmouth, and one sunfish that hit the Pop-R. Not great but still fun, and it was nice to be out fishing.

Tuesday, June 9 (from "Doc")...Today's trip yielded five bass (a 1.13, 2, 1, 1.7, and a dink). Also caught 1 white perch, and a 5-lb. gar. Caught everything on various baits, including topwater, chatterbait, and crankbaits. The 2-lb. bass and the gar came on a swimbait in Pocaty Creek. Caught all the others in lower West Neck.

Saturday, June 13 (from Ron)...Got out this morning and fought the wind around Beggars Bridge. Water was high but clear, and the wind was a bit much for me. Caught four bass: a dink, 1-3, 1-14, and a decent 3-0. Throwing plastic in the wind, with the current of the north wind outflow, was frustrating. At least, there was no skunk, and the 3-pounder was fun.

Sunday, June 14 (from Don Mc)...That uninvited guest, Mr. Sciatica, finally hit the road after two months, so was able to go fishing and set the hook without screaming. Despite the crappy 15-20 steady NE winds yesterday, I went anyway. Am thankful I didn't look at the weather first, because I woulda stayed the heck home. Dropped the boat in Back Bay, where the water was warm and clean, and not terribly low, either. Managed to lip a total of 14 fish, with the best three being a 6-pounder and two right at 4 pounds. What can I say other than frogs...frogs...and more frogs. Even caught one on a 35-year-old Strike King Grass Frog. I was itchin' to try a Johnson spoon but was having too much fun froggin'.

Looked Like Rain Most of the Morning, But Nary a Drop Fell

As long as the clouds stuck around, the day wasn't too bad. When that sun started popping through the clouds, though, it really warmed up fast. Nevertheless, all 18 anglers in 11 boats today managed to catch some fish. As a matter of fact, yours truly was the only angler who didn't weigh a limit. In the final analysis, we weighed a total of 54 bass (including three dead ones), for a combined total weight of 136.37 lbs. Those numbers translate into an average weight per fish of 2.52 lbs. and an average weight per boat of 12.39 lbs.

Following is a rundown of those anglers who went home with a pay envelope today:

1st Place, the team of (from left) Andy Morath and Eric Hubbard, total weight 18.40 lbs., big fish 4.32 lbs.

2nd Place, the team of (from left) Rob Peppers and Don Carter, total weight 16.60 lbs., big fish 4.98 lbs., which gave them the lunker pot today, as well.

3rd Place, the team of (from left) Jim Crist and Eric Killian, total weight 14.40 lbs., big fish 4.78 lbs.







Here is how everyone else finished the competition:

     * Gary Coderre, total weight 14.01 lbs., big fish 4.28 lbs.
     * The team of Steve Bailey and Bobby Moore, total weight 13.98 lbs., big fish 3.07 lbs.
     * The team of Fred Crawford and Gabe Himmelwright, total weight 12.39 lbs., big fish 3.92 lbs.
     * The team of Mike Miller and Chris Fretard, total weight 10.59 lbs. (after 0.50 deduction for one dead fish), no big fish.
     * Jim Wilder, total weight 9.64 lbs. (after 0.50 deduction for one dead fish), big fish 2.69 lbs.
     * The team of James Calhoun and Rusty Girard, total weight 9.42 lbs. (after 0.50 deduction for one dead fish), big fish 2.84 lbs.
     * Ken Testorff, total weight 9.37 lbs. (for four fish), big fish 4.29 lbs.
     * Wayne Hayes, total weight 7.57 lbs., big fish 1.87 lbs.

And, as promised in an earlier blog post, Wayne Hayes presented Gary Coderre with his "I Survived My North Landing Plunge" Club plaque.






Congrats to all of the winners and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next contest is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from safe light to 2 p.m. I hope you can join us.

One Last Cast

With the overcast skies this morning, I pulled out a couple of my favorite topwater baits and started wearing the water out with them. Had my four keepers by 10 o'clock but, for the life of me, could not find a fifth keeper the rest of the day. Once the sun came out, also started fishing a tandem spinnerbait, which accounted for four dinks today. The highlight of my tournament day was when that 4-pounder-plus hit my big popper. He hit it twice and missed but totally crushed it on the third pass. By that time, I was a basket case, after watching those giant blowups.

I also had my flippin' stick in the boat today and was fishing a baby brush hog on it. Only had one bite with it. The fish picked it up in front of a tree and started swimming off with it. I thought for sure I had let him go far enough, but when I tried to lay fire to his butt, the bait just came flying back over my head. That likely was the first time in about three years that I have tried to catch any fish on my flippin' stick.

A "Dubious" Honor, Perhaps...But an Honor, Nevertheless

Four years ago, on April 23, 2016, to be exact, two Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Tourney anglers became the inaugural inductees into the "I Survived My North Landing Plunge" Club. Those two included (from left in photo at right) Skip Schaible and Rob Chatham.

Skip's unceremonious dousing occurred from the bow of his Nitro. Meanwhile, Rob slipped off the stern of my Skeeter, thanks in no small part to the Bass Boat Saver I have used for a long while to clean up my boat. Suffice it to say that you're in "no man's land" anytime you get both feet on a part of the hull that has been wiped down with that stuff. Incidentally, we never did recover the rod and reel Rob lost during that event.

To memorialize the aforementioned miscues, I designed a small plaque for presentation to those two victims, as well as anyone else who ever should go overboard during one of our tournaments.

As it turns out, a new presentation is scheduled to take place this coming Saturday, June 6, 2020, with the induction of Gary Coderre (see left) into the "I Survived My North Landing Plunge" Club. As noted in my earlier report of our tournament results from last Saturday, May 30, Gary went overboard from his Ranger during the weigh-in. Like Skip and Rob, he fortunately escaped injury.

Tournament Director Wayne Hayes will make this new trophy presentation as he passes out money envelopes to the winners of this coming Saturday's tournament. For the benefit of anyone who would like to join us, we likely will shove off sometime between 5:30 and 6 a.m., with weigh-in at 2 p.m.

For Week Ending Sunday, June 7, 2020

Tuesday, June 2 (from "Doc")...Went out today, fished lower West Neck Creek. Only stayed two hours because, as usual, the weatherman lied. He called for SSE winds at 5 to 10 mph, when, in reality, they were blowing at least 15 to 20. Had all I wanted much sooner than I had expected. Neverthess, I managed to catch four bass: a 1.3 and a 1.6 on topwater, plus a 1.14 and a 1.9 on a swimjig. Didn't get a picture of the 1.3...got excited and forgot. (Not bad for only two hours, "Doc." It took me eight hours last Saturday to match your total, and two of mine were just dinks. Way to go!)

Wednesday, June 3 (from Ron)...Wet a line this evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ashville Bridge Creek. Tried a few plastics and spinners, with no bites for an hour and a half. Started throwing topwater as I transited back to launch to recover before "curfew" and found one small bass at 7:55 p.m. to avoid the skunk. Have a feeling that if I could have stayed out for another half-hour, I would have done better. Was very warm, and the flies were abysmal! Found that keeping my head covered was a deterrent, but was uncomfortably too hot.

Thursday, June 4 (from Ron)...I was able to find time for a fishing trip Thursday. Tried for a flounder dinner but couldn't find any. At least I didn't get skunked! I could have tried to foul hook a few more, but not a fan of sardines! Not looking good today, and the gauge is way, way up.

Saturday, June 6 (from Ron)...Enjoyed a nice weather morning in Blackwater. Caught 11 bass, including a 1-10, 1-11, and a 1-14, but all the rest were too small for the scale. They hit everything: plastics, topwater and XTS minnow. Had a nice bowfin on, but he threw the hook. Also caught one small slime dart on a fluke.

Angler Asks Question, Gets Lots of Answers

Was browsing the Internet this afternoon when I stumbled across an angler who reminded me of myself before I decided to scale back last summer. Here's how he phrased his plea for help:

"Lately, I feel like I've been spending more time at Dick's and Bass Pro Shops than actually fishing. It's gotten to the point where I'm going a few times every week to stock up on some new lures to try. The problem is that, now every time I'm out, I keep switching lures and tactics to the point where it's inconsistent. I also realize I don't even have enough time to use every lure or tactic. Anyone else have the same issue with lure-shopping addiction?  Is there a cure?"

Following is a sampling of the answers he received:

"You have the 'woman in a shoe store' disease."

"I like to think of that pre-fishing trip to Dick's or Bass Pro as 'foreplay.'"

"I think fishing has become a sport in itself...of which I'm guilty."

"Lures aren't made to catch fish; they're made to catch fishermen."

"I usually go in, grab about six things that look cool and end up putting them all back because I realize I probably won't use them. This happens about three or four times until I just get the one thing I'm there for and leave."

Let me add one more to this list, which is the way I felt most of the time when I was wearing out the floors in tackle stores or spending hours in them online: "Nothing compares to that feeling of being a kid again in a candy store."

I gotta say, however, that (knock on wood), I seem to have overcome my problem. Realized the other day I needed to get some more fishing line. Sat down at the computer, went to Tackle Warehouse, placed an order for five spools, paid for it, and then came offline...in all requiring no more than five minutes.

Some months back, I replaced a couple of lures I had lost or broken, and a good friend gave me some, but that has been the extent of my exploits since "rehab." Broke a crankbait bill this past Saturday, but didn't bother ordering a replacement for it 'cause I remembered I had an old battle-scarred one hanging on a pegboard at home.

I can count the number of times I've done any looking for lures/tackle in a store or online on one hand and have fingers left over...going all the way back to last summer when I put my collection up for sale in the West Neck Marina store. And just like giving up cigarettes (going from three packs a day to none), I find it seems to just keep getting easier. "One day at a time" is a slogan that works for the folks in AA...and for me, too.