Zoff

Good job, Guys!

Did Leesville Lake today. Water was around 54 and very low. Was not spectacular with any one lure type but caught 5 LMB (2 to 5 pounds) and 4 Stripers (8 to 12 pounds). The LMB's were on jigs with craw trailers, silver/blue rattletrap, and one on a chartreuse spinner. All the Stripers were on an A-Rig until I hung the bottom and broke it off. Everything was caught in 25+ feet of water and almost all were hovering above the bottom about 5 feet. Again with Leesville... debris everywhere.

10-4 Bud...As for the camping... guess I'll just grab a hotel if Potomac wins. I will be alone anyway. Cheers!

OK... we have a plan....

OK... we have a plan....

OK...Nitrofreak... When??? lol What are the regs and requirements if we put in on the MD side?

Like I said on the Phone with NF today... I will be glad to fish anywhere. Biggest problem I have is the cost of lodging. IIRC... there were no State Park facilities or camping at the Potomac so that equates to high cost hotels if you don't want to stay in rough parts of the area. Keep that in mind guys. I'm coming either way but will look for alternatives to hotels.

I do some but we keep them put as best we can. lolThanks to everybody who commented. Lots of good advice.

When we went it was about 8 feet down. It is about 5 feet now but not getting better.

OK... I will use the mothball idea AND throw in the poison for good measure. Yeah... tried vertical jigging, casting, dropshot. We had some (very few) really good hits but all were short bites. Lost some trailers. Never could get a committed hit. The wind was horrible at times and probably contributed to the problem. Couldn't keep the boat in one place even with anchors. But, hey, still fishing. The water is still down where it was when we were there. Here is the site I use for checking the lake level... http://smithmountainlakelevel.com/ Good advice on the oil/gas levels. Yup... tilt high enough for water to drain out... crack the compartments for airing out... Never though of supporting the trailer center but I have an ratchet jack i will use for that. Dirt floor on the barn but I park the tires on some short blocks. Just don't like it sitting in all that red dirt. Won't be able to get it in there until Mid December when I get some of the hay out during feeding. Got to make room. I do have power in the barn but I am going to bring the batteries in the basement if I park it. I have a portable charger/maintainer I will hook them up to. I have been told to set the batteries on a wood or plastic pallet because concrete floors do something to them. I am not sure what. Anybody have any insight? Does our resident master mechanic/shop foreman... Nitrofreak... have expert advice on battery care? (Yeah... Pal... I am putting you on the spot. Some free advice? )

I was kinds thinking that way as well. What would you recommend as to how to keep the boat "OK" over the winter. I do not have a garage. I am going to store it in my barn but it is not heated. Protected from the snow/rain/ice but not from the cold or mice. (opps.... a rhyme)

Went fishing Saturday on SML. Windy... cold... water temp 53. Fish all over the place at 60 feet deep. Fished deep and nothing. Everybody told me to fish skinny with jigs. Nothing there either. Is this the time to start thinking about putting the boat up for the winter? Shift over to full on hunting for a couple of months?

+1

Excellent. Glad I could be part of this.

Good read!

Try rattletraps of some kind. Been working for me in really deep water and had some nice strikes on my pond the other evening.

You gonna get me smacked!!!!

Try watching the Hanna Montana movie with a 10 year old. Arrrrrgggggggg!

SUNK! Yeah... that piece of cloth went down faster than a submarine with a screen door. I have never seen anything disappear faster. Use that cap leash I gave you. It works better than the collar clips BP sells. It is a little more elaborate but will work better. BTW... you left a "Skins" shirt in the truck. PM me your address and I will get that 2 you.

Apparently you never saw "They Live" Longest and saddest fight scene ever... http://www.youtube.c...ed/4-MVMbm6c0k

Cleveland? You gotta be fishing Erie!!!! I have family in Eastlake and Brooklyn Heights so I plan on bring my boat up next summer and take them. I understand the smallies are outstanding on Erie. Welcome!!!!

My family felt the same about you and feel the same about getting together. You are a true gentleman and made my Wife even more proud of her cooking. My Daughter talked nonstop about you and some of the things you mentioned about your family... especially your Daughters. She hopes to meet them someday. Angela said that you said if we can ever get together... you'd be the one in the kitchen and Mrs. Nitrofreak would be in the armory playing with the toys. We can do both, ya know. Like you implied... SML was not totally "unkind" to us. You had many good strikes so that can say alot. Learned a ton? Well... that is too kind. I think you learned I can't fish jigs. You taught me what to look for so I will be trying that this weekend. I had a true blast my Friend. Cheers!!!!

There has got to be more interest than what I am seeing in the voting thread. What gives?

Awesome! SML can be stingy but, if you hit it right, can yield some amazing fishing. If we have a slow day and want to go elsewhere... I have access to several other places that would only knock an hour off the day.

"You a bounty hunter?"