quanjig

Riva, do yourself a favor, launch out of lakeridge. Sooooo much more "stuff" to fish within an easy paddle!! The two points where the main lake and lakeridge meet has plenty of fish! These are two prime points that have deep water to get you used to that deep water pattern!! Lots of other areas within eyesight of there to do some damage!! Last Sunday my best 6 fish would have been close to 22lbs!! Two of my better fish were caught in 20+ FOW while the rest were probably in the 16-18 ft range. It's all about looking for the bait, cross reference it with bottom cover around that same depth, getting to an area that has those two things in common. Look for scattered bait in your graph, this signifies feeding fish!! Bait balls are nice and all but it's much tougher to trigger strikes! Chopp has watched me whup them pretty good there!!

It's much deeper down lake towards the actual dam but I understand it tough to cover ground in a kayak like I can in a jon boat. Ryan's dam is only off limits during our classic! It's getting tougher and tougher to keep spots under wraps because the res is getting so popular! That is a testament to how well we as fishermen and women work to keep this a quality fishery. When we hold the tournaments on the reservoir, we places high priority on fish care while in the livewells as we try to minimize mortality during the events. I like to think this fishery will continue to improve. We just have to hope the snakehead population doesn't adversely effect the bass population, only time will tell!

Ryan's dam doesn't really count!! Get a map and cross reference areas where deeper water is close to shallow points and guts!! I keep trying to tell you guys, get a map, anything that's been named is worth a solid look!! When you observe your finder, take notice of where you predominantly find the bait, look for areas where the depth crest of drop off sharply at those depths. It's really not that tough. Finding groups of bigger fish is the big challenge!!

Moms love doing stuff like that!! Have a great bday!!

That's right!! Hope everything is going well!!

Didn't you just get that not too long ago??

Hind sight, I get off the water thinking I shoulda, coulda, woulda waaaayyyy too much!! Decision making on the water at times, I think would improve my results. Don't get me wrong, I've gotten much better, just wish it was more second nature at times!!!

Stiff Little Fingers, 30th anniversary of the release of Inflamable Material, played it start to finish at the Black Cat in DC. Old punk dudes still bring it!!!

You can fish the res with a big boat. Supposed to be trolling motor if anything over 10hp. I see no issue with anyone with a bigger boat wanting to idle from spot to spot. Just don't get caught by the man!!

Chop, almost like a birthmark, nothing to be worried about!!

Nova, I was pulling my boat out as the fire and rescue fold were launching. Not sure why they were out there. They didn't seem to be in that big of a hurry to launch tho. I did see a couple more race down with lights blazing thru the upper lot!! Don't take this the wrong way but it looked like the old joke "how many people does it take to screw in a lightbulb" type of thing! Must have been 15 responders trying to get 3 people into that one boat. Lots of Chiefs, only a couple Indians!!!

Yea, I saw a rather large one in Sandy run this spring and reports are there are some bigger ones in the res now and, they have been seen surrounding fry balls in a few places. Sooooooo I guess in the not too distant future, we will be having snakehead round ups!!!!

If you just back off the bank half a cast and look for the depth changes, you might start to get a little better feel for getting away from shallow water doldrums. Pay attention to bank changes like where the bluffs start and end. If you are uncomfortable away from the banks, try inverting your casts. Get on the points and cast out deep and bring your cast up the incline. When it's super hot like this, it really gets the fish grouped up. When you find an area that you have caught a good fish, chances are there will be others that same size in the area. So if you are constantly on smaller fish in one area, try to move around a bit to find the bigger fish!

There are plenty of 20+ inch fish out there boys!! You just need to get off the grass and banks to get them!! Get out on the points and drops and deeper flats. Do be skert of the suspended fish either, I'm sure you guys have baits that are slow and seductive in open water, get those baits down there and make it happen! If you guys have graphs, look for the bait, take note of how deep they are. Look for depths that come up to or just deeper that that. With the open water fish, run your baits at or slightly above and below. They will let you know what is optimum!! If you see them chasing bait, you will notice the shad are not those little bait ball shad, they are the bigger gizzard shad, get your baits out there around that stuff!! I'm giving you guys way too much!! Get out and get some!!!

Hokie, nice fish! Deff a solid 5! Don't mind Mike and I, you would have had to be here to get the Shimmy/picture jab, for the most part, if you say you caught a 5, we will believe you!! Especially after you were kind enough to post a pic like you did with a board showing length. Eddie, those are nice bull run fish for sure, several guys would have given an arm to catch a couple like that yesterday!! Riva, I usually throw 8lb floro on my shakey set up but I'm more of an open water guy with that. They guys that play the tree game, bump it up to 10lb or braid! I don't have the patience to do it quite honestly! Don't get me wrong, I've done it successfully but it really takes a little different mindset to slowly work a bait thru the shaggy trees and when you get one hooked up, constant pressure to get them to swim out of the tree without breaking them off!! Be prepared to loose some tackle and once you've "rattled" a tree, you might as well move on to the next one!!

Thanks Mike, we did win one this year as well! I miss Shimmy!!

We came in second today in the tournament. 24.08lbs on 6 fish. Was a fun day, caught our fish deep. Missed a few that felt like the could have made a difference. All our fish were caught between fountainhead and Sandy run

In the spring, flipping baits into the weeds is good. I've not had much luck staying that shallow when it's hot like this. You would think they would be buried up nice in it tho!! The deep cranking thing is very spot specific but when you find them on it, you can usually find a pile of them!!

The tree pattern really shines this time of year!! If you get adventurous, try a shakey head on lighter line in the trees. Takes patience but very rewarding. Don't horse them out, just keep pressure on them and they will swim out. Much bigger fish to be had this way!!

If that's the case, by all means, use the ramp, you ARE paying for that!! My gripe is not with the folks that are paying the rate that is equal as a RAMP fee and can launch and recover in a timely manor. It's those that have on a consistant basis, tied up the ramp for the people that have prepared to launch, only to get down to the ramp to find joe and Sally yak family parked dead center, horizontal and lolly gag about thinking it's their personal ramp, designed only for them. It happens far to frequently as the park grows in popularity.

Having fished out there and knowing countless managers of the park, I can tell you that you are only half right. You pay a reduced fee to launch your craft because you have no trailer. It clearly states on your pass it it a shore launch pass, not a ramp fee pass. Again, you may be the exception to the rule but a majority of those that launch a kayak at the ramp, do so in a minor that is aggravating to say the least! Zero concept of others around them with an elitist attitude! They have no plan to launch and retrieve their boats in a timely manner. That and the fact that they don't see any problem with what they are doing irks the dog snot out of me!!

The mat, in my eyes, with concrete under it, is the ramp. I have yet to have anyone give me a hard time when I pull up and put my boat on it. I just give people a " go ahead, say something" look!!

Dear Raider, what is the meaning of life??!! Surprised nobody has asked this yet? Plus, how come I pee a little when I giggle.......

I don't think most yakers are knowledgable of the "ramp rules" to be honest with you. You may be an exception. Far too many days has it taken well over 30 minutes for me to just get my boat out of the water because of inconsiderate kayakers. Many of which own their own but quite a few renters at fountainhead as well. All it takes is one red shirt down there kindly explaining the process to those that don't know. That is asking a lot from minimum wage part time park people but, I think it's time for me to politely go to the head cheese and ask if maybe something can be displayed for the people that are blocking the ramp on a continuous basis!! Not sure what you expect about "waves" on a body of water where motorized boats are allowed. Just part of the package. Now if somebody goes out of their way to wake you on purpose, that's not right. Plenty of times I've rounded a bend and it's been wall to wall yakers and SUP's, somebody is gonna get a little rocked! I put out less wake on plane than I do off plane for sure. There is a right way to enjoy your yak adventure, it does not involve the center of the res!!

There in lies my beef with the folks at fountainhead. Kayaker a pay for a "shore" launch meaning you don't get to use the ramp, you should load and launch your yak from the gravel area away from the ramp! You want to get my panties in a bunch??!! Pull your vehicle on to the ramp........... Horizontal to the water, dead center of the ramp and take you good sweet time unloading your little plastic thingy! I will jump into your vehicle, chuck it in neutral and push that into the bushes and give you a piece of my mind!!