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Thanks to all of those who
fished the 11th Annual Mid-Atlantic BASS Tournament to Benefit St. Jude Children’s
Hospital! You
raised nearly $5,000 for the KIDS!!!!! Go to my site for FINAL STANDINGS!
I just returned from the 50th Anniversary of ICAST in Vegas. What a show! If
you ever get the opportunity….go! This year, lots of new lines
from Berkley, including a new Stren braid. Quantum released a lot of
new and lighter high-end rods. They also introduced a very affordable line
of catfish rigs. I saw a lot of hollowed body frogs at the show. This was a
huge trend, along with big-bodied wake crankbaits, like Mann’s new Waker
Elite Series. Mann’s has a lot of new baits in the HardNose line,
including a 10” Snake! This bait creates a wake and brings in the
big ones….perfect for Potomac bass over grass!!!
The Optimum Furbit frogs were still setting the pace along with several other
offerings from Japan! River2Sea has a soft body jitterbug….in
fact the lip is also soft. The company claims this will not interfere with
hooksets like the old metal lip AND, this bait is totally weedless! The Step
Wa also has rubber skirt legs. Their frog, the Bully
Wa has a keel and center ballast to allow it to walk! A new air escape
system minimizes the amount of water taken in while allowing the bait to compress
to give a large hook exposure. I hope to try these soon!
Another Japanese company, JackAll, had all of their hardbaits on display! What
an interesting line of products. They put a lot of thought and technology into
their baits. With CAD, their baits are tournament ready! A wide array
of jointed baits, crankbaits, lipless, minnow, props, and Hard SWIMBAITS.
If you like Chatterbaits, you’ll love the new Rock”N Runner, an
original Road Runner with the hard rocking action of a Chatterbait! The
willow beneath the bait is sure to be a hit with bass!
In addition to a new and improved Rejuvenade, the company has found a simple
product to insure your fish make it to the weigh-in! A vent for your
livewell releases all of the trapped HEATED air! So simple! This
product is very durable as well. I tried to break one!
Want some technology with your jigs? Try the new “E-Chip Flipping
Jig that generates a small electric charge, claimed to be similar to that of
an actual nervous system of live bait! The company, Persuader, says its
E-Chip will attach to any hook!
My friends at Mizmo have a huge new product line! Many of their new
baits feature a pocket to insert their THUNDER rattles! OR scent! The
Swamp Monster creature bait has claws that flip and arms that thump! MIZMO
also has a new swimbait! Check them out!
Even Tru-Tungsten is getting into the swimbait business! A jointed hard
swimbait looks REAL!!!
I had a truly unique fishing experience last week. Two ladies from the WBT
joined me on the Potomac! We fished from 6am to 9pm! We had a blast! They
made me remember how much fun fishing really can be! They have only been fishing
for 2 years, but they were really on top of their game. Thanks ladies!
The bite has been slow some days and awesome others….water temp around
80 and you are golden. Cloud cover and some ripple and you have a good chance
to get them on moving baits…but when the dog days hit…85+ degree
water, bright sun and hot hazy days, go to the mats! Punch through and
you’ll have a great time!
For topwaters Lucky Craft Gunfish! I can walk this bait very slowly,
and the rattles call them up! The key has been to keep it moving once
you get a strike! If you stop it, they don’t seem to come back! Add
a tail feather like the Mustad hand tied Ultra Point trebles in RED! Sometimes
a twitch will get the feathers moving and the fish to return after a hit and
miss! Small 1/8-ounce BLACK buzzbaits have also been working at lower
tides over grass around docks and over wood! When the tide is low, try frogs
like the Mann’s Super Frog!
The best all around topwater now is the buzzfrog! If you have never
seen the Mann’s HARDNOSE Swim Toad, GET SOME! These are perfect
over grass! The hard nose keeps the hook in place better than ANY OTHER
on the market! I like white and green pumpkin! If you see me on
the water, ask me for a free sample! Rig this on a 5/0 Mustad Ultra Point
Tube hook with BRAID! I am trying a bunch of braids…so far; STREN
Super Braid and Spiderwire are the best. On casting gear, I like to spool 50
on spinning gear, I like 25. The no stretch is great for getting the fish out
of grass and for setting the hook. I like the heavier line on casting gear…easier
to cast! TOPWATER KEYS: Use poppers at lower tides…ANYTIME OF
THE DAY! Use SLOW buzzbaits and walkers in clear calm water….
higher tides under cloudy skies. Buzzbaits with clackers at higher tides and
choppy water.
Here are your fishing choices…..creeks and main river grass. In the
creeks, fish pad edges. At low tide, the edge of the pads are good…at
higher tides, you need to pitch back into the pads. Jigs, craws and the new
Mann’s 9-INCH HardNose worm in black with red flake have been my best
choices.
In the grass, you need to punch through. Look for the nastiest mats you can
find on a hot calm very sunny day and you will be able to mat fish. Casting
GEAR!!!! The ONE-PIECE 2iG Ultra Strike Flippin’ Stick is perfect! Spool
with 65 pound braid, a 1-ounce Tru-Tungsten brown weight with a Mann’s
HardNose Flippin’ Craw…black blue, green pumpkin on a 5/0 Mustad
Ultra Point Tube hook! Pitch to a mat, shake until it drops though and
wait until the fish swims off with it. Shake a bit, pull up to the underside
of the mat…shake, and then drop again before removing to make another
cast. REMEMBER; allow the fish to PULL before you set the hook! A spray
of Jack’s Juice Garlic adds flavor and allows the bait to slide through
the grass better. Also, I peg my weight or use Pro’s Soft Bait Glue to
glue to the head of the bait.
If I have a high tide under cloudy skies in the grass, I have been tossing
the 3/8-willow tandem with a firetiger skirt. Chop on the water is better.
This doesn’t work as well at high tide when the water is stained. You
need to switch to the Classic Indian/Colorado with a white skirt. In the creeks,
I like a white Mann’s crankbait, THE NEW C-4 ELEITE SERIES in chartreuse
shad on 20-pound test. Crank through the pads when pitching about 15 feet….walk
through the pads and hold on! This is a great higher tide strategy for
the pads in creeks! This bait is also good on cloudy days in the grass at higher
tides.
At higher tides, I have been having a lot of success with the Mann’s
Baby 1-Minus. My ‘new’ favorite is the new Elite Series. I like
the baby bass color now. Old standbys, fire tiger, splatterback and desert
sunset are also working. Vary your retrieves. I have caught some burning the
bait, crawling it and long pauses. Check your hooks on all cranks now! I
recommend replacing with Mustad Ultra Point trebles. Try adding a feather Mustad
treble to the tail of a Baby 1-Minus. For my line, I am using 17-pound test
Berkley XT. For my rods, the Ultra Strike, 2iG rods are perfect. The
med/hvy 6’6” rod is my spinnerbait rod. For cranks, I like the
7” medium action rod. A medium heavy 7-foot graphite rod like the 2iG
Ultra Strike is perfect to snap from grass and to set the hook! It is
not too limber or too stiff to keep you from landing fish.
Drop shot, shaky head, and tubes are great ways to fish docks where there
is no grass underneath and bridge pilings. For drop shotting and shaky head
fishing I like the green pumpkin Mann’s HardNose finesse worm. The head
on this bait is very tough, while the body is very soft! The bait stays
on the hook and the pencil point tail does a whole lot of shaking! I use the
plain lead Gerkin jig heads for shaky head fishing…I heat the head and
coat with BROWN vinyl powdered coat available through lurecraft.com. The
area in Smoots and Spoils are great for this. The C-Rig in there areas
is also producing. You can even try deeper diving cranks like the Mann’s
15+!
My new 2007 Pro Staff Skeeter ZX225 with 225 hp HPDI Yamaha is for sale! I
pre-sell these boats for December 1 delivery, 2007! If you want a great
deal on a slightly used, well-maintained boat, this is the best deal on a used
Skeeter anywhere. Factory warranty transfers! It will be less than a
year old and in great shape. About 50 hours. This is the time to reserve this
boat. I am asking only $32,000! This is a great boat at a great price.
SERIOUS CALLS only…. 703-360-3472.
I am now the BASS FISHING EXPERT for the Boatus.com website. I will be answering
fishing questions based on my experience as a guide and with a little help
from my friends: other writers, manufacturers, guides and top pros will contribute
to my responses. Check it out at: http://my.boatus.com/askexperts/ If
you have any questions, feel free to email me and I get it answered with a
little help from my friends.
This is a good time to pour some great finesse worms and other soft plastics.
I like the molds from lurecraft.com. They have all of the supplies you would
ever need. They even have various plastic mixes for floating and for softness.
Go on –line to find out more! Lure Craft molds are precise and
easy to use. (www.lurecraft.com 1-800-925-9088 for a free catalog). Make straight
tail finesse worms for shakey head fishing, drop shots, and split shots! They
have a mold for anything and all of the supplies to pour your own custom poured
baits…they can even make a mold for your design! Ask me to take
a look at some of the baits I have made or check them out on: www.nationalbass.com
(articles/lure-craft.htm) check out the NEW Lure Craft website…call
now to put your orders in! 1-800-925-9088
I keep a few Frogg Toggs on board for sudden showers…whenever they
come. The new Elite Series has become my year-round windbreaker and rain suit.
These new Toggs are amazing and they are loaded with pockets and features…and
come with a very reasonable price tag! Stop me and check it out! Frogg
Toggs (www.froggtoggs.com) are always on board. They block the wind and
are breathable! I carry extras for my passengers!
Each time you search the internet, you can support FishAmerica’s efforts
to keep our fish and waters healthy. Just visit www.goodsearch.com, enter
FishAmerica as your charity of choice, and start searching! Just 500
searches, four times a day will raise about $7,300 in a year without anyone
spending a dime! Download the GoodSearch toolbar to your web browser
such as Internet Explorer. Just visit http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/
and click Download Now!
My Sportsman's Magazine article will focus on PROP BAITS! Hear what
pros Joe Thomas and Frank Scalish say about how to fish these noisy baits.
I use specific products and mention them in my reports. These are products
I have used extensively and have confidence in. By mentioning product
names, it is easier for you to match up with what I am using. I also detail
the features of many of the products I use to demonstrate their benefits.
There is a new style TEVA I just LOVE! Karnali Wraptor (http://teva.com/ProductDetails.aspx?g=m&productID=6960&model=Karnali+Wraptor)
have a toe guard! They are perfect for water sports…. they have
drains and are great for standing all day! Check out the new TEVA sandals
are actually sport shoes…especially water sports like bass fishing! If
you do not wear the sport sandals from TEVA, you should! Just cover your
feet with sunscreen and you'll feel better! I have tried other footwear, including
expensive basketball shoes. TEVA's are very comfortable and have boat safe
surfaces along with anti-microbial protection. These sandals are comfortable
and keep me on my feet...no butt seat either! Check out www.teva.com.
Senior BASSMASTER writer, Robert Montgomery has taken his decades of writing
and fishing experience with the best in the fishing business and compiled it
into one huge E-Book. Ratio's KILLER BASS FISHING SECRETS contains nearly 300
VERY specific tips from pros to help you catch more fish! I found a TON
of great tips to help me. You can get your copy of RONTICO's KILLER BASS
FISHING SECRETS here: www.killer-bass-fishing-secrets.com. It's only $19.95…that's
about a nickel a tip! Well worth it! The site has some FREE tips!
FYI!!! I receive press releases from many companies. Here’s one I found
interesting. I have friends who have damaged their skegs and either leave them
damaged, affecting performance, or have an expensive lower unit replaced. The
Blackfin™ Skeg is new product made of high impact composite and is easy-to-install,
with no drilling or changes to your original boat or motor. In the event of
an impact; the force is equally distributed in all directions and absorbed
by the flexible nature of the Blackfin™ Skeg. In the event of damage
to your original stock skeg the Blackfin™ Skeg can be used to easily
and inexpensively repair the damage as long as one third or more of the original
skeg is still intact. The added protection and enhanced performance of
the Blackfin™Skeg make this new product a must have for any boating enthusiast. They
are available at Cabela’s, and larger marine stores or conveniently online
at www.blackfinskeg.com. The suggested retail price is $69.95. For additional
information on Blackfin™ Skeg contact Re: The Outdoors at 334-612-0859.
There are some great tackle specials this month at Jann's Netcraft! If
you want to be on the email list for these specials, contact me and I'll take
care of it for you! Contact Jann's Netcraft for your free catalog! They
have a great assortment of do-it-yourself supplies, and they have a great line
of soft plastics too! By this time of the year, my rod tips are just
about worn out on my cranking rods. Sometimes the guides take a constant beating
too! What do you do? Toss out the rod that is really still in great shape?
No way! I have learned how to replace guides on some of my favorite rods
and they are ready to go! Check out their rod building and repair supplies. Get
a tip kit, with many sizes for a variety of rods. If you want to learn
how to make repairs or even build your own custom rods, they have a great rod-building
instructional book and all of the tools and parts! I also noticed they have
everything you need to make crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits. You
can start from scratch or assemble the parts to build the baits you like to
your exact specs…and save money too! Jann's Netcraft luremaking, flytying,
rod building, and soft baits! They've been around for a long time and have
a great selection of lure making materials too! Check them out at www.jannsnetcraft.com
or call 1-800-NETCRAFT!
A note on one of my tools. I like to use PRO's Soft Bait Glue. While
a lot of anglers are really impressed by how much money they save gluing Senkos
back together, I really like the time I save! When I skip stickworms
under docks, eventually, baits tear. Rather than stopping and retying
and re-rigging, I just put a drop of glue on the tear and away I go. One
bait will stay rigged nearly all day! I also have started using with
my shakey heads. While the Mann's Hardnose bait is the only bait on the market
with a super hard nose to stay on the hook better, I still put a drop to keep
it from going anywhere on the head!
As most who see me at the ramp know, I drive a 1995 Nissan 4WD truck. This
old truck really tows my Skeeter with ease! I bought this truck from
PASSPORT Nissan and I have been buying my vehicles from the owner since 1978! If
you have any questions about the NISSAN trucks, please forward to me! Right
now is a great time to consider one, as Nissan is running low interest rates
or cash back on Titan, Frontier and Xterra. Bob Gasbarri knows NISSANS and
he knows trucks! Give him a call at 703-461-5279 with any towing questions! I
will demo many of their trucks throughout the year. Let me know if you
would like to set up a test drive! IF YOU CONTACT ME, I WILL GET YOU A BELOW
INVOICE NO HASTLE PRICE!
I have also found a new product that is awesome! Actually, I interviewed
the makers of Hawg Pockets after they won the ICAST award for the new product
showcase. I had the gadgets in my basement for a while. I took
a fishing trip to West Virginia. My wife started to freak out when I started
to load my rods with crankbaits into her new Passport Nissan Murano. She
didn't want me to hook her leather interior. I remembered the Hawg Pockets
and read the instructions and snapped them into place. They did their
job. I also found out they didn't tangle when I moved them and I could
see my bait thru them! Check out the website. I am using them on
my boat now and it keeps my rods from tangling and I can see the baits on the
rods. This is the best fishing lure guard I have ever seen! Check them
out! www.hawgpockets.com
Also look for my Tournament Talk column in Woods & Waters. This month
the pros talk about attention to execution! I cover B.A.S.S. and FLW
tournament winners! Also check out www.woodsandwatersmagazine.com. There
is a limited supply of these FREE publications at Belle Haven Marina and at
Bowes and Arrows.
MIZMO tubes, Punisher Jigs, and most of the Lucky Craft and Mann's baits are
now in Bass Pro Shops latest catalog….look for them!
If you want the best polarized sunglasses for fishing, I suggest Maui Jim
HCL (high contrast lens) polarized sunglasses. These are the best for
picking up cover in the water and seeing the fish. Check around, most
of the serious anglers on the Potomac are wearing them. Eye protection
is important!!! Get a quality pair of polarized sunglasses. I recommend
the Maui Jims (www.mauijim.com). Sunglass Huts carry these. If you see
me on the water, I will let you check mine out. I am also trying the
polycarbonate lens Maui Sports…. they are light as a feather and the
optics are great.
For 2007 Tides information for the Potomac look under “REPORTS AND TIDES”. Print
a copy for your use.
If you like to weigh your fish or if you are a tournament angler, you NEED
the XTOOLS Digital fish scale and gripper. It is waterproof, floats,
and it grips the fish so I can weigh all of my clients' fish without having
to punch a hole in their mouth. They are a sponsor of the FLW trail and
just about all of the pros are using them. I love mine. I recently
met the great people associated with the company and they demonstrated some
of XTOOLS other products. Get one of the scales…they also have
one for tournament anglers with a culling system that can't be beat! www.xtools.us
If you are new to the river, get a map from GMCO. It is a pro-quality map
for fishing the Potomac and for other Virginia waters. Check out their site:
www.gmcomaps.com. They list some of the popular locations and some of the hidden
dangers of navigating the Potomac.
Check out the biggest bass ever caught on the Potomac. (www.nationalbass.com,
then REPORTS, then BIG FISH) Gary Kincheloe's record is likely to stand longer
that the previous record of nearly 30 years.
Are your boat batteries sluggish? If you have questions about battery care,
check out www.nationalbass.com, go to ARTICLES and then Boat Batteries. There
is also a discount offer on INTERSTATE Marine batteries.
Have fun, and I would enjoy hearing from you. If you have questions, comments
or would like to book a trip, e-mail: info@nationalbass.com. I have a
lot of articles on various strategies and techniques on my site. If you
have a suggestion for an article, let me know. Check out my website:
www.nationalbass.com. I can't fish the entire river all of the time, so if
you have some information to share, let me know.
Captain Steve Chaconas/National Bass Guide Service/SEOPA
"Take me fishing!"
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