Marty Stone on 100 200 300 Series Cranks – Tips
Marty Robinson gives us an in-depth look at what series of Bandit Crank Baits that he throws for the conditions that he is fishing. A great tip for those that are new to the bait or for those that would like to learn more about this Series of Cranks.
www.Bandit Lures.com
www.Bandit Lures.com
www.Bandit Lures.com
Tuning Crankbaits with Bandit Pro Matt Herren – Tips
Take a listen as Matt Herren gives is a great tip on how to tune Bandit Crankbaits.
www.Bandit Lures.com
www.Bandit Lures.com
www.Bandit Lures.com
www.Bandit Lures.com
John Crews Bass Angler Academy – Nutrition & Hydration – Tips
The hot long days of summer are right around the corner take a listen to what Elite Angler John Crews does to keep from feeling those summer blues.
To learn more about John Crews and Missile Baits Follow the link bellow
My new personal best 11.46lbs – PowerTeam Lures – 5-7-13 Story
My new personal best 11.46lbs
This entry is a little late but I finally had a chance to sit down and write a blog about the day I caught my 11.46 lbs personal best bass and how I caught it. Each year a couple of my buddies make the drive from PA to VA for a shot at one of the giants that lurk in Briery Creek reservoir, and this year we all decided to fish from kayaks versus boats. Briery is an addictive body of water with good reason and it’s only short 15 minute drive from my house. The lake record is 16.2 lbs and that alone draws people from all over. Plus there’s no question that a new state record is swimming somewhere amongst all the standing timber that fills the reservoir as well (it’s literally a flooded forest). So my buddies come down the night of March 23rd and we head out to Briery the following morning around 11 a.m. A bad cold front moved in right before the guys showed up with air temps dropping into the high 20’s at night so the water temps were in the mid 40’s when we got to the lake. Not the conditions we were hoping for but you have to play the cards Mother Nature deals you. We had just released the new 4.8” Swinging Hammer and I had been dying to get that bait on the water and introduce it the Briery bass. I was using the color Money and had it rigged on a Falcon Tackle 1/4 oz weighted swimbait hook fishing it on 30 lb braid with a 20lb Fluoro leader. Although the water was cold, I figured some big girls were going to be scouting out bedding areas in the shallows so I concentrated my efforts in 2 to 8 feet of water in dense timber.
Now here’s where all hell breaks loose! I’m firing off the Swinging Hammer and bumping as much timber as I can on each cast (at Briery you can easily bump a dozen trees in a single cast). During a long cast my swimbait suddenly comes to a dead stop on a tree in 3 to 4 feet of water. Convinced that I got hung up on the tree I was bumping against, I yank back on the rod 3 times trying to free the bait from the tree, and the next thing I know, the tree I’m stuck on slowly starts swimming! Then in a matter of seconds, line starts peeling off my reel and my kayak is taken for a drag. I thought for sure I must have foul hooked a big carp because this thing was so powerful. Then about 40 feet from me, this giant mouth shakes at the surface and I now realize I’m fighting the biggest bass of my life through standing timber and I’m doing it out of a kayak! Talk about almost having a heart attack! I thought for sure this pig was going to wrap me up in the trees and break off. But through pure luck, every time the fish went around a tree, it turned around and came out the same way it went in. What a miracle! After a battle that felt like a heart pounding eternity (even though it was probably only a matter of minutes), I grabbed the beast and hoisted her on to the kayak. WOW!! My buddies quickly came over and were freaking out just as much as I was about the size of this monster. We put her up on the scale, took some pics and measurements and put her back in the water. She was exactly 25” long, 21.5” around and weighed in at a massive 11.46 lbs! Needless to say I was still shaking for at least 20 minutes after the whole ordeal was over. What a rush and what a cool way to start a trip! Not only did I catch my new PB bass, but I did it on our brand new Swinging Hammer swimbait and had 2 great friends with me to share in the whole experience. Good times! It’s been a month since I caught that fish and the experience still plays over and over in my head on a daily basis…just like it happened yesterday.
The David Dudley "Big Fish Challenge" By Big Brothers big Sisters of Central VA
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia
Invites you to attend the 1st Annual
The David Dudley “Big Fish” Challenge
June 15, 2013
Parkway Marina, Smith Mountain Lake
Welcome to the 2013 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia 1st Annual David Dudley “Big Fish” Challenge. In a perfect world, there would be no rules other than 1) have fun and 2) the “big fish” wins. Unfortunately those are not enough to protect the integrity of the tournament and ensure a level playing field for each participant. Some folks are not content to prepare well and count on a little luck, they put winning above honesty. It is also entirely possible to break the rules simply because you do not place enough value on being informed. It is my job to try to state the tournament rules plainly and interpret them fairly so that all participants can rest assured that those who are found to break the rules, whether intentionally or due to a failure to understand them, will not profit from it. Please have a great time, I wish each of you the best of luck!
Ash Gorman, Executive Director
Tournament Director
______________________________________________________________________________________
Tournament Schedule
6:00 AM Registration
7:00 AM Fishing Begins
3:00 PM Weigh IN
4:30 PM Prizes Awarded
** Prize Guide for specific species/category awards**
Largemouth, Smallmouth, Carp & Catfish
“Boat Division”
Small Mouth 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Large Mouth 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Carp 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Catfish 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Any Species: Catfish, Carp, Largemouth, Smallmouth
Largest Fish Wins!
CLICK HEAR TO READ MORE & PRINT RULES
____________________________________________________________________________
“Bank Division”
During the event David Dudley will take kids participating in the event for pleasure rides in his Ranger 520 powered by a mercury 250! In addition, he will also be giving “hands on” instruction on fishing to all Bank Division participants!
There will be 100 rods of great quality for our “Bank” Anglers provided by David Dudley.
“Bank Division”
*Bank Fishing only
*Cash & prize give a-ways for all Bank Division participants
Any Species: Catfish, Carp, Largemouth, Smallmouth, Perch
What: David Dudley “Big Fish” Challenge
When: Saturday, June 15, 2013
Where: Smith Mountain Lake@ Parkway Marina
Cost: ALL Bigs & Littles no entry fee. Others $25 per participant
Largest Fish Wins!
Contact: Dawn Blankinship, Email: dawnb@bigcva.org or 434.538.0400
The David Dudley “Big Fish Challenge” By Big Brothers big Sisters of Central VA
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia
Invites you to attend the 1st Annual
The David Dudley “Big Fish” Challenge
June 15, 2013
Parkway Marina, Smith Mountain Lake
Welcome to the 2013 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Virginia 1st Annual David Dudley “Big Fish” Challenge. In a perfect world, there would be no rules other than 1) have fun and 2) the “big fish” wins. Unfortunately those are not enough to protect the integrity of the tournament and ensure a level playing field for each participant. Some folks are not content to prepare well and count on a little luck, they put winning above honesty. It is also entirely possible to break the rules simply because you do not place enough value on being informed. It is my job to try to state the tournament rules plainly and interpret them fairly so that all participants can rest assured that those who are found to break the rules, whether intentionally or due to a failure to understand them, will not profit from it. Please have a great time, I wish each of you the best of luck!
Ash Gorman, Executive Director
Tournament Director
______________________________________________________________________________________
Tournament Schedule
6:00 AM Registration
7:00 AM Fishing Begins
3:00 PM Weigh IN
4:30 PM Prizes Awarded
** Prize Guide for specific species/category awards**
Largemouth, Smallmouth, Carp & Catfish
“Boat Division”
Small Mouth 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Large Mouth 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Carp 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Catfish 1st $1,000 2nd $500
Any Species: Catfish, Carp, Largemouth, Smallmouth
Largest Fish Wins!
CLICK HEAR TO READ MORE & PRINT RULES
____________________________________________________________________________
“Bank Division”
During the event David Dudley will take kids participating in the event for pleasure rides in his Ranger 520 powered by a mercury 250! In addition, he will also be giving “hands on” instruction on fishing to all Bank Division participants!
There will be 100 rods of great quality for our “Bank” Anglers provided by David Dudley.
“Bank Division”
*Bank Fishing only
*Cash & prize give a-ways for all Bank Division participants
Any Species: Catfish, Carp, Largemouth, Smallmouth, Perch
What: David Dudley “Big Fish” Challenge
When: Saturday, June 15, 2013
Where: Smith Mountain Lake@ Parkway Marina
Cost: ALL Bigs & Littles no entry fee. Others $25 per participant
Largest Fish Wins!
Contact: Dawn Blankinship, Email: dawnb@bigcva.org or 434.538.0400
2013 Potomac River Bass Series (Saturday Division) Tournament: Sat, Apr 27, 2013
2013 Potomac River Bass Series (Saturday Division)
Tournament: Sat, Apr 27, 2013
| Pl | # | Angler Team | Fish | Live | Wgt | Lunker | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Mike Nelms / Shawn Phipps | 5 | 5 | 17.40 | $1,235.00 | |
| 2 | 10 | Brian Dreisbach / Jamie Nichols | 5 | 5 | 15.36 | $680.00 | |
| 3 | 20 | Mike Hazard / James Hostelka | 5 | 5 | 15.10 | 5.42 | $730.00 |
| 4 | 6 | Eric Hovey / Robbie Henderson | 5 | 4 | 14.39 | $325.00 | |
| 5 | 3 | John Till / Ken Winston | 5 | 5 | 13.70 | $250.00 | |
| 6 | 14 | Brandon Garraway / Jesepth Hughes | 5 | 5 | 13.52 | ||
| 7 | 5 | Rob Grike / Eric Nelson | 5 | 5 | 13.51 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Ray Emery | 5 | 5 | 12.71 | ||
| 9 | 27 | John Cary / Dennis McNeal | 5 | 5 | 12.58 | ||
| 10 | 4 | Jim Donegan / Mickey Pettry | 5 | 5 | 12.47 | ||
| 11 | 26 | Lenny Baird / Kevin Rodney | 5 | 5 | 11.92 | ||
| 12 | 8 | Robert Fincham / Doug Grubbs | 5 | 5 | 11.62 | ||
| 13 | 19 | John Robinson / Phil Ridgway | 5 | 5 | 10.94 | ||
| 14 | 7 | Dave Petrisko / Lester Curtain | 5 | 5 | 10.38 | ||
| 15 | 9 | Preston Cox / P.J. Cox | 4 | 4 | 10.17 | ||
| 16 | 17 | Otis Darnell / Warren Kuser | 3 | 3 | 8.73 | ||
| 17 | 28 | Derek Brown / Lee Johnson | 4 | 4 | 7.75 | ||
| 18 | 21 | Charles Corbin / Chuck Corbin | 3 | 3 | 7.61 | ||
| 19 | 15 | Thomas Harden / Doug Wentz | 3 | 3 | 6.58 | ||
| 20 | 13 | Pete Rossi / Jeff Nagel | 3 | 3 | 6.56 | ||
| 21 | 24 | Johnny Clark / B. Newton | 3 | 3 | 5.54 | ||
| 22 | 25 | Bo Hooks / Harry Lambert | 2 | 2 | 4.46 | ||
| 23 | 2 | Gary Schembs / Jared Jenkins | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| 23 | 12 | Phil Wilcox / Caleb Newton | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| 23 | 16 | Doug Fisher / Rick Perkins | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| 23 | 18 | Robert Clark / Rick Clark | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| 23 | 22 | Jason Philippi / Dave Howland | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| 23 | 23 | Shane Majewski / Sean Stepp | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | ||
| 28 Boat Totals | 95 | 94 | 243.00 | 5.42 | $3,220.00 | ||
Lake Anna- Monthly outlook for May 2013
With both the New Moon and the Full Moon passing, the majority of the fish in the lake have spawned. We have males guarding nests and females recovering from the stress of the spawn. This is one of my favorite times of the year. The POST SPAWN TOP WATER BITE is getting started and will last into early June. So break out those top water rods, dust them off and get in on the fun.
Saturday May 4 is a day to mark on your calendar, Anna Point Marina and Fish Tales will be hosting their annual Youth Fishing Derby. There are 3 age groups that will compete for the largest fish of four categories. Bass, Crappie, Sunfish and Catfish. There will be prizes and trophies for the winners as well as a nice lunch for all that come out. The times are from 8am-12pm. Call Fish Tales for more information 540-895-5900 ext5 and ask for Chris Craft or Dave Fauntleroy.
BASS- The largemouth are almost fully spawned out at this time. There is still a small percentage of fish that will spawn on the next New Moon. It is TOP WATER TIME!!!!! Walking baits like Zara Spooks, Boing Lures and my favorite……Pay Check Baits Repo Man will start to produce lots of great fish this month. Don’t forget about Pop R’s, Buzz Baits and Propeller Baits.
Look for male bass to be guarding fry early this month, they are fun to catch. Just remember that they are protecting the future TOADS that we are all after. If you catch one that is protecting fry, please return as quickly as possible. It does not take a school of Blue Gill very long to wipe them out. Speaking of Blue Gill, they will be spawning soon and the Bass will be more than ready for a little revenge. Target Blue Gill beds with anything resembling a GILL!!!! The bass will stay just out of your sight most of the time looking for the one Blue Gill that is acting a little different.
Top water is not the only way to catch fish this month. Wacky Rigged Senko’s, Carolina Rigged plastics, Shakey Heads, Jig & Pig combinations (Arson Jigs), Shakey Head plastics, Tiger Shad Spinner Baits and 1.5 & 2.5 Square Bill Crankbaits will all put fish in the boat for you!
Another spawn that will happen this month is the Bait Fish spawn. The Blue Back Herring and Thread Fin Shad will start to get their groove on. Look for them on long shallow points with a hard bottom, rock walls and rip rap. Multi Arm rigs dressed with Bass Assassin Sea Shads will catch fish during this time. Soft jerk baits, Tiger Shad Spinner Baits (Blue Back Herring, Sexy Blue Back Herring & Threadfin Shad color patterns) will be great choices as well. This is also a great time to throw a Double Soft Jerk Bait Rig.
CRAPPIE- The Specks are winding down on what has been the BEST SPRING FISHING that I have ever experienced. Between my self and Associate Guide Brian Oxendine and our clients, there were over 1600 Crappie caught in 3 1/2 weeks. The majority of them were returned to the lake. Not only were the numbers way up, the average size was also on the up side. There were four citations caught in eight days (2-4, 2-0, 2-0 & 1-13 15 1/4″) and we had several near misses of the 15 inch or 2 pound mark.
With it winding down, the females have started to pull back out to deeper water. Look for them on brush piles, rock piles and deeper boat docks. (10-14 feet) The males are still up shallow guarding the nests. 2″ Curly tail grubs rigged on a 1/16oz jig head and small minnows will continue to produce fish. Another tactic that will start working well is Spider Rigging (trolling) for Specks. Brian is well equipped for this task, if you would like to give it a try, get in touch with me and we will set it up.
STRIPER- The striper’s have finished up with their annual spawn run up in the river arms of the lake and are on their way back down lake. Look for them in the Rose Valley and Stubb’s Bridgs area. Live bait is working well at this time, large Gizzard Shad is the bait of choice. If you are like me, and you fish artificial baits for them. Try Broken Back Red Fins and large paddle tail swim baits like the Power Team Lures 4.8″ Swinging Hammer fished around the same shallow points where the bait fish are spawning. Top water baits are fun, but most of the time it is the smaller fish that you are catching, the larger one’s that you are after are lazily feeding on the injured bait that is settling down to them!!!!
Lake Level- Full Pool
Water Temps
Dike 3- 69 Degrees
Down Lake 66-68 Degrees
Mid Lake 65-68 Degrees
Up Lake 64-70 Degrees
Water Clarity
Down Lake- Clear
Mid Lake- Clear/Slight Stain
Up Lake- Moderate Stain
Chris Craft
CCBASSN Lake Anna Guide Service
www.ccbassnlakeanna.blogspot.com
ccbassn@aol.com
540-894-6195
540-895-5770
540-895-5900 ext5
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