NOVA no bites

[JCrzy4Bass]

Michelle, when you catch those bluegill.  Do yourself a favor... leave one hooked and cast it back out easily near some type of cover.  Best to try in a pond first.  Let it sit and swim for a while... that's how to catch your first bass without having to worry about baits or how to work artificials.  The bigguns bite the live bait most of the time.  It may take a while, but the bite will be worth it.

[NewAngler]

The rap is hot right now. That being said, I haven't pulled anything up of size.

That has been my experience with the Rappahanock. Lots of fish but few big ones. I went wading for smallies last week at my good spot for bigger smallies and I saw three that were pushing 3lbs and one that was definitely over 3lbs  but I couldn't get any of them to bite.

i'm not gonna ask for your spot, but if you know of a spot better than the one i'm at let me know. I usually fish down river from the 95 bridge. i can see the bridge from the distance, someone told me there used to be a dam there... any better spot than that?

[Dan:]

Yes, I have a better spot, at least for size. I'll show it to you sometime.

BTW, I stayed up all night last night and went fishing at 5:30 this morning. I crushed them at a local pond. Got a bunch on buzzbaits and then went back and fished the same areas with a jig and picked up a couple more. Then I fished another area with a frog and caught a few more. Probably caught 8-10 in about 1.5 hours. Morning is the way to go in the summer.

[05aucrarsx]

which pond did u go Dan?

[Wayne P.]

Do any of you ever fish Hunting Run near Fredericksburg? It is still full of little bass willing to bite all day long. Boat/electric motors are available for rent if needed. I saw several guys catching bass from the fishing pier. I fished it yesterday and caught the most during the middle of the day. If you modify your "beat the banks" pattern, they are easy to catch.

[A.Do?]

I've been there once before and had very little luck =/ maybe it was just a bad day.

[slomoe]

I've been there once before and had very little luck =/ maybe it was just a bad day.

x2 I went back down earlier this summer and got skunked. >

But in all fairness, the place looks awesome. The water level is much higher than last year, so there is a lot of good structure underwater now. Plus I was talking to the guy who works the launch (very nice guy) and he was telling me about some big fish being caught there. I'm sure I will be back but I definitely won't be forgetting the depth finder this time.

[NewAngler]

I've been there once before and had very little luck =/ maybe it was just a bad day.

x2 I went back down earlier this summer and got skunked. >

But in all fairness, the place looks awesome. The water level is much higher than last year, so there is a lot of good structure underwater now. Plus I was talking to the guy who works the launch (very nice guy) and he was telling me about some big fish being caught there. I'm sure I will be back but I definitely won't be forgetting the depth finder this time.

all the guys that work at the lakes think theirs is the greatest. i have heard a lot of good things from there, mostly from Wayne P. on this forum. he slays them wacky style! i went once, but it was closed, being a rez they must clean it or check the water twice weekly im guessing.

Dan- PM me whenever you want to hit up the Rap. and i have noticed topwater is the only way to get numbers, sunrise, or sunset.

[Dan:]

Hunting Run is only open from Thurs-Sunday.

[Dan:]

which pond did u go Dan?

It was a private pond that I just got access to, sorry.

[Wayne P.]

Hunting Run is closed for the three days because the county doesn't want to spend money for persons operating the boat rental/permit fee tasks when the taffic may be light. Well yesterday there were 4 owned boats and two rental boats on the lake. I hope they don't cut the operating days any more. I guess it will be completely closed about the middle of October again until mid-March 2010.

[Dan:]

Hunting Run is closed for the three days because the county doesn't want to spend money for persons operating the boat rental/permit fee tasks when the taffic may be light. Well yesterday there were 4 owned boats and two rental boats on the lake. I hope they don't cut the operating days any more. I guess it will be completely closed about the middle of October again until mid-March 2010.

wow, only six boats? I always figured that place would get a lot of pressure because of all the press it got for its bass population before it opened. I am probably going to rent a boat at either Hunting Run or Motts Run next week.

[SammyLee]

Michelle,

Crank baits in shallow water with wood are going to get hung up, especially from the bank.  

Get a 6 inch plastic worm, about the same color as the water.  Texas rig it, weedless.  

[bullet sinker on line first, screw-ins work best for me, tie on a wide gap worm hook, about 2/0 to start, nose hook the worm then bring the hook point back into the worm so it hangs straight, then just lightly "skin" the hook point on the back of the worm.]

Cast from the bank, near any visible structure. Let the worm sit still for about a minute, take up any loose slack.  Retrieve about a foot or two of line until you feel pressure from the worm.  Give it three or four little jiggles.  Wait a few seconds and retrieve another couple of feet and repeat jiggles until the worm is at your feet.  

When the bass picks it up, you will feel some additional pressure and most likely, some (two or three) 'taps' and maybe a bit of vibration.  Give him another one to two seconds or so, make sure you don't have slack, and set the hook to the moon.

If there are bass there, you will get one doing this.  Fan cast the area, taking your time, stay focused and really fish it.  If you've fan casted carefully, twice without getting bit, move and repeat.

Be patient and if you get hung up, jiggle it gently, move to the right or left, giggle again and if that doesn't free the worm, grab the line above the rod and pull with pressure until it comes free or breaks off.  Running weedless worms will reduce hang ups but you will get them.  It's part of fishing.  I always say, "If you can't afford to loose it, don't throw it."

Use stout enough line and rod to handle average fish.  Say 10 to 12 # line on at least a medium power rod with a medium sized spinner reel or an average bait caster that is rated for 12 pound line.  Set your drag pretty tight so that you can set the hook without slippage but light enough to not break the line.  The rod will take a lot of the shock out of the system.  (be PERFECT with your knots, the improved cinch knot "fisherman's knot" works just fine and is easy to tie.)

Once the fish is on, guide him away from structure, keep pressure on him, if it looks like he going to jump, hold the rod tip down.  If he is taking drag, don't reel.  Pretty much, fish should be either taking drag or coming to you.

Bass, especially the big ones, may seem like college prior to high school but it's really not so true.  Just present them the right stuff and they will hit it like brim on a cricket.  They are such beautiful fish and such fighters!  A 3/4 pound healthy bass will make you think you've got a trophy on the line.  The rush you feel when you stick em, fight em and finally get your thumb into their mouth, is beyond description.  Go for it.

ps, Brim "tail tuggers" will often pick up the tail of the worm and run with it.  What they plan to do with it, I can't imagine.  If you're getting the pressure and taps (light ones) and set the hook with no fish on, it's likely tail tuggers.  Just ignore them and keep on fishing.  Tail tuggers are bass food and a good sign.

[Wayne P.]

For those that haven't had much success at Hunting Run in the summer: don't fish it like you would in the Spring like I see the majority of fisherpersons do. Rid youself of the bankbeater syndrome and present lures to where they are. At the best fishing holding structure elements, if you can reach the shoreline with a cast, your boat is most likely positioned right above the fish.

[Dan:]

a few from last night

almost caught a snakehead too. it followed my frog for a while and then turned away when it saw the boat.

[rondef]

Dan, you should resize pictures before posting them to make them easier to see. You have some nice fish in those pictures, glad you guys had a good time out on the water.

[Dan:]

Nah, I'm not going to resize that many pictures. It should be fine if you are using high resolution on your monitor.

[05aucrarsx]

very nice catch

where was this at?

[Dan:]

Mattawoman Creek but we were back in an area that requires a jet boat.

[NewAngler]

.

wow, only six boats? I always figured that place would get a lot of pressure because of all the press it got for its bass population before it opened. I am probably going to rent a boat at either Hunting Run or Motts Run next week.

let me know if you want someone to go with, they are both just 10 minutes or so from my house.

[Michelle43]

Michelle,

Crank baits in shallow water with wood are going to get hung up, especially from the bank.

Get a 6 inch plastic worm, about the same color as the water. Texas rig it, weedless.

[bullet sinker on line first, screw-ins work best for me, tie on a wide gap worm hook, about 2/0 to start, nose hook the worm then bring the hook point back into the worm so it hangs straight, then just lightly "skin" the hook point on the back of the worm.]

Cast from the bank, near any visible structure. Let the worm sit still for about a minute, take up any loose slack. Retrieve about a foot or two of line until you feel pressure from the worm. Give it three or four little jiggles. Wait a few seconds and retrieve another couple of feet and repeat jiggles until the worm is at your feet.

When the bass picks it up, you will feel some additional pressure and most likely, some (two or three) 'taps' and maybe a bit of vibration. Give him another one to two seconds or so, make sure you don't have slack, and set the hook to the moon.

If there are bass there, you will get one doing this. Fan cast the area, taking your time, stay focused and really fish it. If you've fan casted carefully, twice without getting bit, move and repeat.

Be patient and if you get hung up, jiggle it gently, move to the right or left, giggle again and if that doesn't free the worm, grab the line above the rod and pull with pressure until it comes free or breaks off. Running weedless worms will reduce hang ups but you will get them. It's part of fishing. I always say, "If you can't afford to loose it, don't throw it."

Use stout enough line and rod to handle average fish. Say 10 to 12 # line on at least a medium power rod with a medium sized spinner reel or an average bait caster that is rated for 12 pound line. Set your drag pretty tight so that you can set the hook without slippage but light enough to not break the line. The rod will take a lot of the shock out of the system. (be PERFECT with your knots, the improved cinch knot "fisherman's knot" works just fine and is easy to tie.)

Once the fish is on, guide him away from structure, keep pressure on him, if it looks like he going to jump, hold the rod tip down. If he is taking drag, don't reel. Pretty much, fish should be either taking drag or coming to you.

Bass, especially the big ones, may seem like college prior to high school but it's really not so true. Just present them the right stuff and they will hit it like brim on a cricket. They are such beautiful fish and such fighters! A 3/4 pound healthy bass will make you think you've got a trophy on the line. The rush you feel when you stick em, fight em and finally get your thumb into their mouth, is beyond description. Go for it.

ps, Brim "tail tuggers" will often pick up the tail of the worm and run with it. What they plan to do with it, I can't imagine. If you're getting the pressure and taps (light ones) and set the hook with no fish on, it's likely tail tuggers. Just ignore them and keep on fishing. Tail tuggers are bass food and a good sign.

Thank you very much!, this was extremely informative for a newbie like me.

[Michelle43]

My friend and I are getting a boat at Burke lake this weekend.  It will be nice to be off the shore for once.

Hopefully I will catch my first fish.  Cross fingers, think good thoughts, or pray for me if you do that kind of thing.

RonDef has been so nice to me and offered a lot of advice.  I will try to meet up with him next week.  I am positive my first LMB is coming very soon!  

I have been trying so hard for over a month now I think I might get a replica made,  even if it is under 1 lb.

[05aucrarsx]

burke is the last place u wona try ur luck at IMO

good luck though

[NewAngler]

Hahahaha! Nice. But his statement holds some validity to it, I've been skunked there many a times. But my buddy pulled out a 6 lber there early July. It holds biggens. Good luck, michelle.

[NewAngler]

How was burke lake?