Hanover_Yakker

I prepare my combos by re-tying leaders and going fishing

All I can say is that 4" roboworms catch small fish in my neck of the woods. Throw on a 7" tickler and you better hold on

Tickler hands down. Not only is it durable, it is also neutrally bouyant plus the profile is a little different from everyone else's offerings.

Two too many in my opinion. 3 is all you need in most situations......... 1 - MH/F casting spooled with 50-65lb. braid - will handle jig-n-craws, texas-rigged plastics, topwater frogs, punching, tubes, craws, etc. 1 - MH/XF casting spooled with 12-17lb clear line of your choice - lighten the drag, works for CBs, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, blade baits, spoons, a-rigs, flukes, topwaters, jerkbaits, etc. 1 - M/XF spinning spooled with 12-20lb. braid and tipped with leader of choice - use for dropshot, weightless plastics, skipping, small, small topwaters, inline spinners and other finess applications.

Warm side crankin' works........15-18' depths through the deeper cuts usually produce.

I wonder if I've shared my two spots with you before.......

Thank you for sharing Andrew - you really had no control over that situation. Those wakes are hard to see in that spot. Hopefully your experience will help other anglers on this site recognize that a PFD does absolutely no good if it's not worn. And with all do respect to others on the board, the argument of having it onboard is invalid and futile once you are thrown from the boat. You might as well have left it in the truck or not even have purchased it at all. I had a trip that I had planned for over a week this past January that I had to cancel at the last second as I was pulling into the parking lot to launch. I had left not only my safety light at home, but I also left my PFD. A couple fellow kayakers said they would have loaned me one if I had just called, but that would have been a PFD that wasn't fitted for me. I cancelled my outing and made the long 2 hour drive back home embarrased but thankful I made the right decision. I can't tell you how infuriating it is to me as a kayak angler to see anglers not take the same precautions that myself and other kayak anglers do. I fish for hours on end thoughout the year in all types of weather conditions and water temperatures and a PFD in no way affects my ability to cast, flip, pitch, skip, flycast (when I did it), topwaters, jerkbaits, jig-n-craws, etc.....there is no excuse for not wearing a PFD, especially in colder weather. Early signs and symptoms of hypothermia can set in water temps in the lower 60 degree range for some people. A standard rule of thumb that kayak anglers subscribe to is that if the PFD is not comfortable in the store when you buy it, you will not wear it. Another tip is that you should ensure the PFD is adjustable to account for the additional layers that you will need to wear in colder conditions. This is a rule that power boaters need to adopt in my opinion. It doesn't matter how excellent a swimmer you are, you cannot adequately account for nor control all the external variables that will affect your ability to remain afloat. You can only control what you do and how you outift yourself for cold water conditions. Another rule that really seems to escape the boating world is that of appropriate cold water apparel. Those of you that wear jeans and cotton undergarments are asking for trouble - in cold water/weather - cotton kills when wet. It clings to the skin and does not dry in sufficient enough time for you to avoid the early onset of hypothermia. As a cold water angler, I always wear the following: 1. Duofold base layer (wicking layer) including wicking socks 2. Fleece layer with smart wool socks 3. Waterproof layer - breathable chest waders with a wading belt and neoprene booties 4. Waterproof layer - top shell with wading belt 5. Wool cap 6. Wool/fleece lined gloves 7. Teva sandals 8. Stohlquist Fisherman PFD 9. Dry bag with extra clothes If I go in the water for any reason (either planned or unplanned). I know I can self rescue and will not suffer from hypothermia. I know I can also continue to fish, because I was adequately protected.

The Powerteam Lures JP Hammershad drop shot kit is pretty awesome and you can get a clear water and a stained water set that includes the hooks, weights, baits and tackle tray.

Welcome aboard! Now that you are a member, use the search feature and become a sponge. If someone is heading out in your area, then send them a PM and ask if you can ride along, but do yourself a favor and go buy a PFD for yourself. Never assume there will be an extra one, let alone one that fits you properly. The first couple times out, keep it simple. This time of year, the bass will be a little more aggressive as they are feeding up in preparation for the winter. Read up on fall tactics and the fall transition. You'll find that there is plenty of info on here on that topic alone. YouTube will become a great resource for you when you pair it up with items like Sam mentioned. Read up on the tactics, watch the videos, then start thinking about what gear you may or may not need. You might have the necessary gear to get started already. Now all you need to do is look at your tackle and decide what you want to add.

Thanks guys - it is a lot of fun sight casting to stripers - especially if you are working top waters - explosive strikes that will get your adrenaline pumping!

Hook1 is a great company and they do specialize in fishing; however, ARC is closer and they carry more variety onhand to sit in and get hands on. Now when it comes time to order it, then you make your decision based on the best package deal. I'm willing to bet ARC will be able to put a pretty sweet package together that is competitive with anyone on the market.

Before you order next time, just drop me a line and ask. I can give you an exact cost on your total order and any special codes that you may be able to utilize to save some money.

My personal favorite is here in Richmond, VA from the famous Bottoms Up pizza..... http://www.bottomsuppizza.com/menu_pizza_bottoms_up_richmond_va.php ......but you better make time on your schedule to wait. This place is packed and unless you order carry out or local delivery in the city, it usually takes close to 30 minutes to get your pizza from the time you order it. I am stuffed after eating just two slices of their pizza. It makes Pizza Hut's pan pizza look like thin crust!! .....but if I am in the mood for a simple pizza and don't want the wait, I opt for a large pie from one of the three Italian restaurants here in town. They bring out the types of pies where one slice is the wequivalent of three slices from the delivery chains.

Other paddle options in the 11-12' range that are good standing hulls to consider are: Wiilderness Systems: Commander 120, Ride 115 Native Watercraft: Slayer 12, Ultimate 12 Old Town: Predator MX Feel Free: Moken 12 Jackson Kayaks: Cuda 12, DayTripper or Lure NuCanoe: Frontier 12 Perception: Pescador 12 These are just some of the offerings and does not account for other hulls that you can stand in but are not normally used for standing - what you will find in any smaller kayak is increased stability due to typically wider hulls; hoever, they may not feel as fast or paddle as quickly as the longer hulls in the 13-15' range. From what you are describing, it sounds like a 13' hull might be a better option. Get some real seat time in a variety of hulls and don't rush your decision. Being that you are in VA, I am certain that there are several of us on here that could help you. I would even contact Sarah, Brian or Tom at Appomattox River Company and arrange a time where you can come by and get some dry land seat time to understand what each hull offers for you relative to your fishing style. Once you have it narrowed down, then they (along with others on here) can point you in the right direction for getting seat time in an actual hull with someone that has that hull. I know Brian paddles a Jackson Coosa himself. Remember that their demo day is every June and all the various hulls are represented if you are not looking to make a decision right away.

I'd like to share some points of clarification for those that have concerns over the pricing of the PTL offerings. 1. PTL offers a deal of the day everyday of the week that is 15% off - http://www.powerteamlures.com/dealoftheday.asp 2. PTL offers the ability to create custom kits of the colors and plastics that you want and it includes the tackle tray, the terminal tackle and samples of the Hog Tonic (http://www.powerteamlures.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1906) 3. PTL offers a rewards points program that earns you discounts on future orders - http://www.powerteamlures.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1853 4. PTL offers standard shipping on small orders and free shipping on all orders over $100 - http://www.powerteamlures.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1852 5. PTL offers significant discounts on Pro Packs (20%) versus standard packs - http://www.powerteamlures.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1854 6. PTL offers a code for Facebook Fans (FBFAN) that provides free shipping on orders over $25. Now I realize several of you are loyal to your respective plastics and brands, but I think I have clearly provided the facts of how you the angler can save money. To make an arbitrary statement that their plastics are overpriced is not fair, nor is it accurate. Powerteam Lures is the only company that I have encountered that offers so many opportunities to save money on your purchase directly from the producer. You don't have to go through a reseller to get some form of discount. These are direct from PTL themselves. Next time you are interested in their products, go directly to their site and take advantage of these savings - http://www.powerteamlures.com Now you have the facts.

After winning two tournaments at two different times of the year using their products, I was sold. I tried using some of my other standbys (GYCBs, Zoom, Berkley Powerbait, Big Bites, Gander Mtn., Strike King, etc.) but did not have near the amount of hits nor landed fish. It's all about what you have confidence with and what works in your area. Heck, I even use their products in the salt water as well and have landed several nice fish so far including last week's 21" striped bass. Even if you swear by another plastics brand or have a sponsorship deal in place, do yourself a favor and at least order a bottle of the Hog Tonic. That alone is worth the money. I own almost every offering they have minus the Bully Grass Devil and Conviction Craw. I don't fish any waters that require punching, so the BGD is not a necessity for me; however, my next order will have some of the Conviction Craws in it.

There are actually plenty of options. The DGIF site is a great resource for public lakes, and they list the regulations for each body of water. For instance.....Sandy Bottom and Trashmore are bank only facilities.......all you need to do is a little bit more research and you will find there are hidden gems. Most if not all have some form of fishing pier to boot. If that fails, then try and make friends with some of the local anglers that have boats or even better, join the bassjons forum down there and become a co-angler. They fish tournaments pretty regularly. Hope that helps Here is the listing of Virginia Lakes on the DGIF site for the Tidewater region of the state.... City of HamptonSandy Bottom Park Pond City of Newport News Lake Biggins Harwood's Mill Reservoir Lee Hall Reservoir Little Creek Reservoir Lake Maury City of Norfolk Burnt Mills Reservoir Lake Prince Lake Smith Western Branch Reservoir City of Portsmouth Lake Kilby Lake Meade City of Suffolk Lake Cohoon Lone Star Lakes Speight's Run City of Virginia Beach Back Bay Trashmore Lake Lake Whitehurst

The goal of the night was to get some time on the water after a long overdue hiatus. Between Mother Nature, family obligations, travel baseball and work I have barely had time to sleep. Well, I sacrificed sleep for a change recently and vowed to get out on the water regardless of weather conditions. As luck would have it, it was raining, but I went anyway dang it! So glad I did. I met up with my fellow TKAA buddy Wayne, and we agreed to fish the Hampton side of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. We launched shortly before 6pm into steady 15mph winds out of the NNW. I located a whole mess of baitfish on my Elite-4x DSI but couldn't locate any big fish. We moved about all over and finally setup shop in a couple of drop offs and started working our PTL Curly Tailed Grubs dipped in Hog Tonic. Neither of us had any luck, so I decided to try a different tactic of slow drifting the grub with a raising and lowering motion followed by a subtle twitch. It was on the second set of movements and the final twitch that I had my first fish of the evening - a spunky 13.25" Grey Trout that was measured, photographed and released. It hammered the Blue Hue PTL grub dipped in Hog Tonic. This fish was significant, because it was also the first fish landed on my new custom casting rod. I quickly setup for another drift but found no more takers. When that drop dried up with no signs of activity, I decided to hit the bridge and work the light line instead. The key to this area is current and eddy lines near structure. I ended up fishing from piling to piling looking for any signs of activity. After a few minutes of searching, I stumbled across something I had never seen before - a trout blitz on juvenile ribbonfish. It was very cool to watch, but I was there to catch some fish. I left that activity and honed in on some aggressive action a few pilings down and hooked up almost immediately with another fish. As I was reeling it in, it spit the grub only to have it inhaled by a zealous follower - a smallish 11" grey that lived to fight another day. I saw many more fish, but few of quality size that invoked any action on my part. That is until I saw a larger grey shadow hanging a bit lower than the others, so I made a short precision cast and dropped the grub practically right on its nose. It slammed the grub and bent the rod over immediately. While fighting this fish, I was getting slammed hard into the pilings from the NNW winds that had picked up to about 20mph and started white capping the waves. I was positioned incorrectly on the windward side of the piling in order to target this fish as stealthy as possible, but it also placed me in a very unfavorable position for actually fighting and landing the fish. It ended up costing me as the beastly speckled trout came unbuttoned as I was reaching for it. Easily 20"+ and would have been my largest trout this year. I quickly forgot about it and moved on. For the next 30 minutes, I couldn't find any fish - not even any baitfish. I kept looking and found some activity a little further down. When I saw the surface strikes, I knew it was a striper. I fired off a cast with a pearl PTL grub this time and was rewarded immediately with a strong surge in the rod as the grub was inhaled. I leveraged the Bull Bay Rod and the striper just had no chance. I easily maneuvered him away from the structure and guided him right to the side of my Pro Angler. A quick lip grip and a nice 21" striper was on the board. After a quick picture and measurement, I released the striper to live and fight another day. I saw some more activity in the same spot, so I fired off another cast and was rewarded with another hard strike followed by a short fight and I landed my fourth fish of the evening - a nice 19" striper. After that, I checked the time and knew I had to head in if I was going to get any semblance of sleep before our family's gathering to pick apples the next morning. I made it home, unloaded all my gear, drove to the in laws house and shared some time with family. I had to head home later in the day to take care of our dogs, but I managed to make it through the rest of the day and promptly fell asleep on the couch after I got home. It was a long and grueling 48 hours, but it was well worth it. Get out and satisfy that urge! Tight lines and be safe!

Another way to do it with an all in one rig is the Lindy Bottom Bouncer - used by Walleye anglers for quite a while now..... http://www.lindyfishingtackle.com/catalog.aspx?catid=bottombouncer

This time of year, I tend to be a little more impatient in my presentations - think moving presentations near ambush spots like creek channels near points and shallow flats or structure changes. Don't be afraid to fish shallow (think 3'-12' targeting three windows 3-5', 5-8' and 8-12' if you are bank fishing) I know its hard to judge from the bank but that is what I do. Powhatan Lakes are managed by VA DGIF. You can see the access directions here: http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/waterbodies/display.asp?id=104&section=maps

Correction - never bank fish without the following two lures.... 1. Beetle Spin 2. White Rooster Tail silver blade If you have the room..... 3. a couple small slip bobbers 4. bobber stops 5. baithooks 6. freeze dried baits like worms, grubs and crickets (the ones Roland Martin has been pushing or something like it) 7. Fishbites (normally a saltwater bait but it works in freshwater)

Welcome aboard! Lots of VA folks on here to get on the water with!

Ummm....he's in Florida, so unless you are prepared for a road trip of extensive proportions