Bassun

When your say 13 -> however old before you get married and realize you can't be checking out the "stylist" while she clips away at your hair... a lot more than 20 bucks lol. Now, I'm old and happy. Not young and huntin' lol. Hence clippers and a broom :D.

Fishman -- Let me start with this... 2017 Lake Okeechobee Rick Clunn Day 1, total keepers. 2 2! Rick Clunn! Member of the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame. Won 4 of the 32 Classics hes fished in, Clunn. 2 fish. 3lb, 14 oz total! Remember that next time you get down on yourself. I have not been fishing as much over the last few years as I used to, and I can tell a difference. I'm not nearly as tuned in, and the instincts of what to throw when doesn't have the confidence it used to have. So I fell ya and that "lost" feeling at times. I almost feel like I've started lake fishing all over again, and the first couple years it was a big learning experience. I think if we stick with some basics to get on track we will be fine though. KISS -- Cat nailed that! Keep your colors simple. Don't fret over bone vs white vs this other color of white with a fleck of what ever. Think light / dark / natural / bright to start. When in doubt, fail to natural colors. Think strike zone, not lure first. What I mean by that is, don't think --- oh it's a cloudy day - I should throw a (insert whatever lure)... think about how the time of year, and weather should position the fish. Then think about all of the types of lures you have that would be productive in that scenario. You can throw the perfect lure, to the most perfect structure on the lake, with exactly the color the fish want --- but if they aint there, you aint catchin' em'. If you think out where they SHOULD be, then you can pick a more appropriate lure to match that instead of trying to fit them to the lure. That's his top three picks for this time of year, based on where the fish "should" be and how they "should" be acting. ie, if its late winter, water team is 43 degrees - chances are you are not going to pick up a lot of top water bites no mater how bad you want to throw TW. Same lake, water temps in the mid 70's, late spring / early summer, late evening after a short brisk rain --- well, now you may be onto something! The point being, think about where they most likely will be, then fit your selection to that to start. And it sounds like you are doing just that, the problem is when they are doing what they should be. Now when things go sideways I do a few things. Requalify, downsize, simplify. Requalify -- I rethink where I am and why. Am I in the right type of spot? Should they really be here, or am I just fishing here because I've caught fish here before. I love the back of this cove, it's where I caught that monster two years ago, I know they where here that fall! But, it's mid-summer. Water temps are in the 80's, and its a blue bird sky. I've done that. EXACTLY that... and felt like an idiot for spending time there wondering why I'm not getting bit. If you are in the "right" kind of spot, downsize and simplify. You are having trouble picking up a bite, you can't fine tune a pattern until you find it first. Match your color to the conditions, and a lure to the depth you want to target. Just go smaller. Find "a" bite -- then start working up from there. Some smaller fish will be more willing to bite than the big guys, sure --- but, if you haven't been bit at all, you need "something" to go on. It may feel like its a spinner bait day to you, but maybe they really want something off the bottom. If you start going from nothing on a white spinnerbait, then pick up a few guys on a black 4" worm... you have an idea to work from. As for "finesse", here's how I look at it. If the bite is on, then what's the point? If you can burn cranks, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, etc. and get good bites - I'd stick with it. If you are getting hawgs off big jigs and 8" worms, keep getting hawgs! But, if you are not ... then, I start to think more finesse. I'll be 100% candid, when things get really wonky I drop to a 3" grub, usually white or pumpkinseed. I can fish shallow, mid, deep or bounce/drag the bottom as slowly as I want. I can target brush, rocks, flats, dropoffs, laydowns, etc. All with one lure. And I know fish will eat a grub. And you can start a pattern from there and work you way back up. If I "finesse" my way into a bite, I can figure out basic color, depth and what they are relating to. From there, I can build my way into a better bait for a bigger bite. So yeah, nothing wrong with going finesse to find the fish. IMO. Some days, that's ALL they want anyway lol. One thing I really like doing is working with your partner, especially to pattern the bite. We almost always do the same thing... start with whatever we "think" will work. Size, color, etc. But, if we aren't on fish asap, we split things up. one deeper, one more shallow. one dark, one light. etc. If we are on a point, and he's getting bit on a spinnerbait coming across and I'm not dragging a worm or vise versa --- that tells us a lot. Next point it may be a black crank vs a white spinnerbait, etc. then it may be a bluegill crank vs a blue and black spinnerbait. The key being we don't fish the same thing unless we're confident that IS the right choice... and heck, even then we still tend to mix things up looking for a better bite lol.

I don't fly fish enough, or well enough to justify even an $800 investment in one setup. But then again, I don't spend big money on bass rods either...so maybe I'm just cheap. I won't argue there are some benefits to the top end rods as compared to low-grade but, I find the difference is not significant enough to me, to warrant me upgrading all of my rods to top of the line stuff. As long as it has the right action and speed, and is the right length - I'm basically happy. Heck, my favorite rod over the last few decades has been an OLD Berkley Lightning rod. I got it super cheap at K-Mart lol. But, it pared great for fishing flukes (probably slugg-os back then) even if probably a little lighter than what many people like. I'll put more money into reels than rods every time. Even at that, my most expensive reel is only a Quantum Energy PTi spinning reel (the old iridescent one). My bait casters are no more expensive than an Abu Silver Max and BPS stuff lol. But all I do is flip with em (well mostly), so they work fine for me. Some of the best reels (especially for the price) I've owned were the super cheap Mitchel Avocet II's . I had a couple of them, which outlasted more expensive Shamino's and Diawas I had. Although, I have to admit, I did have some old diawa from the time I was a kid till probably my early 30's, and an old Shamino for almost as long. The Shimano was the first with instant reverse and I loved it...and it made it last longer IMO. Having said that, my next reels will probably be some KastKing stuff (haven't tried their reels yet), then a Shimano Stradic or Stella. I like my Okuma and Pflueger's, but I've heard great things about the KK reels, and well, the Shimano we know is great. Sorry, kind of went down a rabbit hole there. Anyway, flyfishing -- I'm the opposite, I'd rather have a good rod, and line --- I don't fight musky (they would snap my poor little rods in a flash, lol) so unless I get real lucky my drag is by fingers on the line or palming the reel. I have a drag on one of my reels, but I've only used it a few times. And when I did, it just felt really odd fighting the fish on the reel. I generally end up stripping line by hand again after a big run anyway, as it just feels more natural. It's kind of like backwinding on a spinning reel -- I love to do it, and on a big fish with light line you almost have to - I love the feel of a fight when you are in complete control of the line --- back winding or taking and giving by hand for fly work.

I think you hit the key right there. Temps cold, zero on beds yet. Following a cold front. Since you generally have early, "normal", and late spawners and NONE are on the beds yet - work your way back to winter hangouts. If even the early gals are not laid up, then the normal and late groups will be even further back in trenches. Add in the lock down power of a cold front, and I'd be happy with 7 in 3h. I would have either fished the warmest water I could find for those active shallow fish that seem to stay there predominately (which it sounds like you were catching), or tried cutting back to winter patterns in the deep. My guess, honestly, is that even if you were on target with locations (like staging on the drop offs) the cold front whammied things and getting a good bite out of the main population was going to be tough.

I'd say this is correct. Most people, as in 50% or more of the population... but men... men go to the barber. Real men, go to the bathroom and use either the #1 or #2 guard and trim off whats left around their ears lol. Married men, clean up the mess (if they want to stay married :S ) (Read line one with with as much joking intent as you want.)

I think that's a glitch in Frogger...

The dead trolling motor reminded me of a bad night on Smith Mountain my first year of club tournaments. I think it was my second time ever boating on Smith, and first time at night. We were doing OK, and decided to fire up to move. blur blur buuuur.... not turning over anymore. It's 3 am, and have a few buddies on the water with walkies. No biggie, called out... nada. Tried a few more times, and no one responded. Ok, no big deal -- let's see what we can do. Dead battery, no big deal --- I'll just swap the power over to the trolling motor battery, fire up, swap back and let it charge. I disconnect the leads, hook up the ground, then BAM big spark hooking up the hot. Surprised but ok, something has a load. Went to fire the motor... nothing. wouldn't even turn over. At this point I'm super upset at myself and the situation. Start trying to figure out what was wrong, and realized my batteries were sitting opposite so - + + - and I just hooked it up backwards. Ok, no biggie - that's what fuses are for. I swap the leads and pull the cover and start looking at fuses, and all (that I could find) were fine. Now I'm irate, and a little concerned. We're miles up from the launch, no contacts around, and no cell phones. We decide to give in and troll our way back. Worst case, we would tie up to a doc and bum a ride. We trolled as far as we could, and the battery was giving out. It's almost daylight now... swap over to the main battery and try to let the wind / current push us and used the TM to keep off the rocks. It was dieing fast, and our marker lights were very dim... not cool. We managed to kind of get towards the middle and are trying to flag any boats down for a tow as it turned light. We knew there was another tourney starting in the morning so shouldn't be a problem. WRONG. We had no less than a couple dozen boats just rip past us and NONE stopped. We had weigh in at 7am... we figured when we didn't show, one of the clubbies at least would come look. Had two other boats who we were good friends with and just knew they would not leave without us. It's now pushing 9 and were just slowly paddling our way back the direction of the marina we launched from. Here comes this barge looking thing. We had about given up on getting help, but he came right towards us. Stopped and called us by name? He was from the marina, and had come to get us. I was confused, and had real trouble understanding him -- but apparently both of our buddies had problems that night too. But, they got back in and left early. One had left a message for us at the marina to check in when we got in, knowing we were noobs, and wanted to make sure we made it back. When we didn't call, he called back - told them where he thought we were fishing and they sent a rescue boat. We missed weigh in, obviously, and tossed our catch... which to add insult to injury would have probably won. Get back, and go to load the boat... can't raise the motor. And had no clue how to release the lifts. Luckily the marina dude told me of the screw...So I grab a screw driver and walk out to back of the boat... which was over my head. Loosen the screw, then stand underwater and push the motor up while my partner flips the dogs down to catch it (90HP Yam). I'm wet, exhausted, and entirely too upset from fishing. But we were back and ok. A couple of days later, I start trying to figure out why I still had no power, after charging the batteries, and found another inline fuse behind a bundle of wires. Had no clue it was there. And it had popped. Replaced it, and all was fine. Horrible night, but I learned a TON about the boat. In hind site, things could have gone much worse... and I should have been better versed with basic boat knowledge... but I was young and dumb and well, yeah, that's it lol. Still have the boat, and she still runs And now I can do everything from rebuilding trolling motors to replacing impellers to rewiring stuff etc. Except fixing the speedometer. I have YET to fix that, lol. I think the wood has petrified in there lol.

I had a similar experience. Traveled a couple hours with a buddy to a lake I seldom fished. Launched and made a short run, then quickly TM got weak then no TM at all. My charger had died, and the battery had enough juice so that I didn't notice it at the dock. I refused to call it quits. I always keep a paddle in the rod locker for those just in case moments. I pulled it out and we just fished the most protected coves and I paddled around. Made for a hard day, but I ended on a nice keeper. A well earned keeper at that!

Hey locals! I used to take my younger brother in law out for Hybrids / Stripers at night on Claytor during the summer about a decade ago, and usually did pretty well (on Hybrids anyway). But, I haven't been hunting them at night in about a decade. I've heard there has been a big hit in the Striper population, but haven't heard anything about the Hybrids. How are they doing? Is it still a good fishable population? I have a nephew who want's to get on some in a bad way, and figured what a good excuse to go back out for em. We always did pretty well running Red Fins and Shad Raps. Secondly, how early in the year does night fishing for them begin to pick up? Seems we always went in July or August, but it was more that it happened to be then when we went vs planning ahead to make some trips I think. Thanks folks for any incite!

Yeah, I did. You probably did too! What is "it"? Bonzer mistakes with your boat. I just watched a video detailing some mistakes people make, and found myself nodding along all too often. Key point? None really other than we all do it. Especially if you get exited or rushed. I keeping with the mantra of openly sharing the good and bad, here are a few that I've done at least once... Forgot to put in the plug. This is my most common mistake and have caught it on the water, and missed it the whole day... Forgot to unplug the boat. Pulled this off a few times, and while it has not hurt anything, you feel like a dork for doing it. Forgot to store the jack wheel. Only once, and luckily it was a strong jack, and didn't break somehow. It did, however, manage to pop the tongue right off the ball. Since then, I lock the hitch on the ball --- I think that probably was a great lesson and probably avoided issues in the future. Forgot to stow the trolling motor. Pulled this off a couple of times, and doesn't take long to figure it out, lol. Forgot my rope, which with two anglers isn't a big deal... solo or with the wife who doesn't use the trolling motor a bit more frustrating. Forgot to actually plug in the charger... hooked it up to the extension cord, but never plugged in the cord. Forgot to strap stuff down on long runs --- kind of a meh thing, but in rough water, key! But the one I still catch hell over, isn't even a boat thing... Me and two buddies who don't get out on the water much at all went mid summer. It was hot. They brought chips, and decided to gnaw on a few after a few hours. Then asked me for the water that I put in the cooler bag. I opened my seat, and it wasn't there. Looked around for a bit and realized I had left it at home. It was super hot, and they just chowed down on some chips. According to them, they could feel their mouths dehydrating as I was admitting I left the water at home. Never has lake water looked so good, lol. I'm sure I've done more that I'm not thinking of, but so far nothing major or damaging. I do have a mental checklist I run thru around the boat now. Same thing every time. One staging the boat, one before pulling out at home, one prepping at the ramp, and one for prepping the trip back. It takes a couple mins max, and keep you from making extra mistakes, lol.

Well, as misery loves company, I am glad to hear that it's not just VA that's getting screwballed by ma nature. Weather the last few years has been really bazaar. This year is just pushing the limits further. February, we had a day hit 81! In SW VA! All of Feb, pretty much, was nice. Then March comes in and is bi-polar. Ok, fine... it's March... it's VA... that's semi-normal. Now April is doing March tricks. Yesterday's low...31. Today's high, 77. Tomorrows high...48. OMG. Seriously, mother nature needs some lithium. Things are "supposed" to settle down starting this weekend. At least I managed to get out on the water last Friday. Only caught a few keepers, and they were huddled up in brush, but it was nice (too nice really). Fried my head to boot... then Sunday, while I'm putting solarcain on my head, it's snowing outside.

lol, unfortunately you will. Netting fish is as much an art as it is science. Just like all things fishing, it takes practice and a feel for when to make that jab for the fish...and doing it solo is sometimes harder than landing a fish without a net. What's more, is when you have someone else landing for you, who has little experience netting fish. I've seen some crazy attempts, and some crazy saves. I've had fish knocked off by the netter, had fish spooked and broke off because of the net, and had fish come off and snagged mid air by the net. So there is good and bad --- but, inevitably, if you have a partner netting there will be the opportunity to rib each other over netting failures which is always fun. (Unless money is on the line... then it's a little more angst vs fun.) On to a netting story: I was bank catfishing one year with a couple buddies. I brought my landing net to make things a little easier. Didn't catch squat all night, but the next morning I got onto a nice carp. He put up a fantastic fight and when it was time to land him, my buddy grabbed the net... and then proceeded to the bank. All was fine and dandy... fish came in, then things went a little .... lets say wild. He puts the net in the water, apparently for me to guide the fish into---which, only sparked another run. Another run by both the fish and my buddy. Fish turns an swims down the bank...he...well, he chases him. So I have a 20ish pound carp running on relatively light line, buddy chasing him down the bank. Other buddy squalling to get him, and I'm trying to fight the fish and am dying laughing. I turn the fish, and he runs back up stream ---- buddy misses again, and continues chasing the fish. He's literally running up and down the bank, at this point making feeble swipes at the fish... I am laughing my arse off and not fighting the fish, just trying to keep the line away from a flailing net and netter, and other buddy is now between me and the netter still squalling directions on netting the fish. Finally after a few minutes of chase the carp finally gives in, and somehow ends up in the net. Buddy comes out, soaked, complaining that it was harder to net than to just drag up on the bank. And to beat it all... there was NO beer involved, lol. That was some of the hardest laughing I've ever done fishing, and a site I will never forget. But the story comes as a notice --- advise people how to net fish, don't just hand em a net and say go get em...

lol great stories... I've had a few incidents but never "lost" a rod. Trout fishing - had a reel just literally fall apart. It was a cheap spinning reel, and I'm not entirely sure what happened I just remember reeling and then the bail flies open, flops around then the whole spool, winder, etc just falls into the water. Ended my day. I still alternate blame for the sabotage between my step brother and step dad. Neither accept it lol. Carp Fishing - had a few rods lined up, sitting back enjoying the warm sun peeking over the ridge and BLAM. Rod takes off like a rocket into the water. I went in, and managed to grab it and tried to set the hook. Apparently she stopped the run or turned back as I didn't feel any set--- so I kept leaning back. Ended up with my needs dug into mud and laying almost on my back with the rod well above my head when I finally made contact. Ended up being a 30 ish inch common carp. Buddy on a boat -- Well, he didn't lose his rod to the water, he went into the water. Something big hit near the boat... he jumped and jerked and lost the rod... it fell harmlessly to the deck of the boat - but he, on the other hand, stumbled around and ended up flailing his way into the water. I missed the hook set, but saw the rod flopping around and him falling over in slow-mo. I think it was a big grass carp, he swears it was a striper. Either way, he lost the fish and got a wet wallet out of the deal. No harm no foul, unless you count his pride, lol.

White Grub Natural Colored Medium Diving Crank Black and Blue Jig Kind of plain, but covers what I would need if there were only 3.

My advice would be to focus on YOUR fishing, not what everyone else is saying, using, doing, etc. Go fish, and pay attention to what happens when YOU'RE fishing. You can cram your head full of what everyone one else is doing, and it does no good whatsoever if it isn't right for your situation. Focus on yourself, your technique, your situations, your success and failure - learn from it all. By focusing on your fishing, your fishing experience and knowledge will expand then you can start to implement techniques that fit YOUR situation.

A bit late, but I have to reiterate, the NEW RIVER! Anywhere on the New (basically) can be productive! BUT, and I really hope you read this, BUT BE VERY VERY CAREFUL if you wade it. There are TONS of drops, holes, ledges, strong and deadly currents. Having said that, I guess the smallies love all that cause they are hanging out just waiting to get their eat on! (And a good few Musky too!) I personally don't think the fishing is as good on the New as it used to be (at least on the Giles County side). That's not to say its bad, or there are not still lot's of fish --- but I haven't had nearly the success over the last decade as say the decade before. Hard to go wrong with a tube bait... just be prepared to lose a bunch lol. If you like wading, there are some streams that offer very good fishing too, but generally not the size of fish the New has. Wolf and Walker's Creek's, in Giles County, for example are good streams --- but with limited access. There's a bunch of others as well. Then you have Claytor Lake. I have a love / hate relationship with Claytor. At time's it's been a smashfest for fish... bass, hybrids, gills, even had a bit of success with whisker kitties... but, on the opposite side, man can that lake make me struggle. I've always done better in the "river" vs the lake - but my glass boat isn't about to bounce around the rocks so I float around on the lake. IMO Claytor will show you your weaknesses. I know I need to get better on deep structure and finding fish in general because of Claytor, lol. But, when you find them, and the bite is on --- WHOO DADDY is it on! I've seen both Smallies and Bucketmouths in there which you would think are too big for the area --- then you meet up with a monster striper and realize those footballs were runts in the grander scheme. I'll admit, I've set the hook on a bass before it even took my bait because I saw it and got a little too excited...I've also set the hook hard and broke off using light line. There are some massive bass hanging out. The hate part - is 1/2 me and 1/2 the lake (Or so I think anyway lol). I've almost always been able to eventually coax a pattern, or at least a few bites on most waters, even if I had to really fight for it and downsize etc --- Claytor has shut me down more times than I would like to admit. I've literally had back to back days where I went from local hero in my head, to flat out skunked. I don't mean a "keeper" skunk, I mean nada - zero - zip - zilch. More than once, I've went from bassin' to gillin' lol. But, that said -- I'm not a pro, and certainly don't spend enough time on the water anymore. So don't discount Claytor.

Closing in on 60K users is impressive. But, I'm more impressed with the CONTENT some of those <60K put on here! Most "in the know" contribute forum success to the owner, and while there are ton's of people who do contribute - the success here says a lot about the commitment and dedication we have at the top. I know many of us take good things for granted, and I'm sure this is no exception - so THANK YOU Glen and Keri for putting in the time, money, and other resources to this home for wayward anglers! Hand's down, this IS the best resource I've seen for bass fishing -- but what's better, is people aren't afraid to offer other places to find specifics (thinking pond management, for example). You know you are part of something special when you see links to forum posts popping up in Google News... So thanks you two, and thanks to everyone who's contributing!

The first thing I tell anyone on the boat, before we cast the first line, is that if it's on the boat - use it. I generally have more gear than whomever is with me, and I want them to know 100% they can use anything. Usually, lure wise, they say they are afraid to lose it. I have said the same thing to everyone I've fished with for years, "I bought it expecting to lose it." When I take any of my buddies out, we generally start fishing as a team trying to build a pattern. There is always a rivalry to get the skunk off the boat, so first fish get's to dig a little right off. After that it kind of depends. Generally we will harass each other over numbers, but if after a short while if someone is getting skunked things get serious about getting them on a fish. We talk through what's working, where it's working, what colors etc. Generally we don't harass each other too much if one is getting skunked. I've handed my set up over, stopped fishing to try to get them on a fish, traded positions, etc. If I have a guest on the boat, I feel obligated to do whatever I can to put them on fish. Now, if we are both catching fish -- then the smack talk grows. One of our better days, I was staying up by like one fish most of the day, I started calling for the net on every fish. It started legitimately, with a decent fish... then a slightly smaller fish that "Fought like he was bigger"... then I got into dinks. And called for the net about half a dozen times before he refused to net anymore, lol. A few fish later, I hooked into a good one - and you would think that crying wolf would have bit me... and it did until he heard it rip off my drag, and saw my rod doubled over. Instantly, rod down, net ready. That's just how we are - it's all fun and games - fishing IS supposed to be fun. But, when it's a good fish - we get serious fast. (That's not to say I haven't lowered my drag on small fish to make it sound like I've got a brute on before, lol.) With two of the guys, my nephew and brother in law - we have an uncanny habit of one catching more, the other catching the bigger -- even if we are fishing the same thing. What's odd is that it swaps between us so it's not just technique, it's just "luck" of the draw. But, regardless of who's on fish, we are always talking through where, what and why to put us BOTH on more fish.

I was thinking small farm pond, relatively shallow, and definitely has some big girls - I'd like to hit it dust/dawnish with some big topwater. If its small enough I would probably just fancast all over with long casts. Let em hit and sit for like 15 seconds then quiver a little... then work it in. If you can cast the full length, I love to spash in far weed/edge lines and work all the way across.

That's awesome! Good on them as well!

Interestingly I read a post about the same thing on LMB and a bit of research indicated that it seemed to be relative to catch and release. While the logic seems sound, it also seems to me there is more at play here than just CPR. Seeing certain tributaries more impacted than others, along with a certain rise in reports could be attributed to more CPR and more social media sharing coupled with regions where CPR by choice or legality is more prevalent - but I think there would need to be more studies to really lock that in. I'm kind of suspicious that there is another cause, or at the minimum another impacting factor. Got a little quick on the submit -- I challenge the CPR being the main culprit as if so then we would see this a TON on small private ponds where the fish are almost exclusively CPR. I've not seen that, nor have I heard reports of that being the case. I know some would assert that you handle your own fish more carefully, but kids will be kids regardless -- I cannot imagine that fish handling would be so drastically different, consistently enough, to make a valid counter. It would seem to reason that if CPR is the primary cause, fish that are exclusive to that would be the most impacted...small ponds "should" be in the forefront for this and would have been so for many years. Something just doesn't add up...

White twin tail grubs. I've not had better success with anything in swirls. If it's a steady "rush" but not super nasty I agree with Edfitzvb a minnow bait like that is fantastic. I've always had the best luck with those during blue bird skies running something very flashy like a Chrome and Blue Back rogue or really any highly reflective minnow lure. Here is where I really love throwing those no name creations as long as they are reflective. If you catch a nice eddy don't overlook the topwater bite, or IMO even better, the broken back rapala. you can toss it in and twitch it around like a top water then swim it where you need to swim it. Admittedly though, I have less success in heavier current with them.

Oh, the mighty New. Absolutely KNOWN for eating tubes for breakfast! Course so do those smallies! Personally I have just been running a mono-backer -- high vis braid and either a top notch flouro or more mono / hybrid leader. (Ande mono, KastKing Braid (which I really like which is nice since it's cheaper) and then either Tatsu Flouro, KastKing Hybrid (I think KK) or Ande mono. Tons more feel than strait lining mono and it will not grab the water nearly as bad giving false feedback. If the current isn't too bad, you may consider running my absolute favorite -- the Broken Back Rapala! You will avoid losing tubes, lol. I toss J9's usually in Silver and Black and they just destroy them (speckled trout works well generally too). If the bite is really hot, I will usually upsize to a J11 and avoid more of the redeyes. If you want to get a different look out there, a smaller black and blue spinnerbait with an oversized colorado blade is also nasty effective (in slower water) and will avoid many of the pitfalls of tubes. Behind a good current or big swirl I still swap out for a twin tail grub. Flashy solid minnow baits work well in rapids, sure --- but those grubs man... I'm excited just thinking about it. But, as for tubes -- I've decided 2 things if I'm bouncing tubes: 1 - I accept that they may well be lost. The bottom of the New is unfriendly, and as such eats many. 2 - Like Tom said, go as light as you can. That made a HUGE difference for me in sheer numbers of tubes lost. Now this is to anyone wading, especially wading the New River - yes, the fishing is all that (no hyperbole). It is a smallmouth haven. But it is deadly dangerous. It's debated that the New is actually one of the 5 (some say 2nd) oldest rivers in the world and that it may have been flowing before the Appalachians (some VERY old mountains) even rose - potentially the cause of its unique northward flowing attribute. (Ironically, there are a few other rivers which flow north in WV, so take that with a grain of salt...) Interestingly, there are some who consider the Appalachians the oldest in the world - although I personally do not subscribe to that. Regardless of how OLD things really are, the point is that the river is very old and has had transformed the landscape brutally and there are ton's of hidden hazards in it. Legend has it, the natives actually called it the "River of Death" or more likely the "River of Evil Spirits". With good cause. She has taken many lives with unseen ledges, "devil holes" or caverns, swift currents, weirs and undercurrents just to name a few. I used to boldly wade the New, until I watched a friend drown with nothing I could do to save him. Now I implore anyone on the New to add a level of safety with a life jacket, not just numbers. You may look funny wading with a vest on, but I guarantee if you need it you wont care how you look...

If I'm on the yak, all the time. The little anchor trollies are a god send for the yak. On the Skeeter, rarely. Oddly, I never thought too much about anchoring until I really "needed" to. And I've noticed so many people try to anchor by picking their spot and dropping anchor, lol. Inevitably they end up way off from where they wanted, go figure...

That's awesome Rhino. I noticed a while back the local lake added a Loaner Life Jacket stand. To my surprise, they have not all been stolen. Great idea, hopefully people take advantage and use it accordingly.