I had to go to Orlando for a business trip during the week after Thanksgiving. Every time I go on a trip that extends to Thursday or Friday, I immediately evaluate the opportunity to extend that trip into a local fishing expedition. In this case, I decided to take vacation and go down a few
It’s winter. I’m cold. I want sun. This summer, my son’s wedding was a destination wedding. The bride’s family normally does a reunion on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, so they decide to wrap the wedding into that annual event. The basswife, who is a beach lover from way, way back, instantly ratified that
Here is an overview of the Able Lake fishing opportunities
I get seasick. I attached my seasick patch, brought some bonine tablets and said many prayers for calm water.
Where do people learn to fly fish? In a class? On the lawn practicing? Or through the school of hard knocks? I’m sure most folks would agree that it ain’t book learning that moves you up the competence curve – it’s applied experience. But, fly fishing is much harder to learn and master than spin
For trout, I’m a catch and release kind of guy. I’ll eat any walleye that’s legal and keep a bass or two if they are larger than 15 inches, but trout have generally been off limits. For one, they are a hassle to cook – have plenty of bones – and the ones I catch
Against my better judgment, I saw a quick opportunity to go fishing in late December. The weather had warmed up and was pushing 50 degrees, so I figured it would not be tooooo miserable out there. Besides, even if I could just do a recon in anticipation of fairer weather, I would be a winner
Here is an idea for crappie anglers to consider
A real treasure, a pleasure to visit… this place is sweet!
Here is a tip to avoid puncturing your waders on bushes
Here are a few excuses you can use to go fishing
I thought Smith Lake and Pohick Bay were big until I rolled the Basscanoe into Lake Anna
Hunting Run just opened… and has been overwhelmed…
Smith Mountain Lake is big water, but the Hardy launch was a good place for the BassCanoe
You really need a personal beacon if you fish in remote locations.
Germantown Lake was a disappointment for largemouth bass that cost 6 bucks to discover
Pohick Bay Regional Park is a very nice local park just south of Fort Belvoir with largemouth bass
I take a look at the Flyfisher’s Guide to Virginia
A solution to hold your pre-rigged tandem nymphs for fly fishing
When I go fishing with other folks, I like to share the experience
My wading staff has saved my butt on more occasions than I care to think about.
I hate bugs. The worst thing about being on the stream is dealing with them.
After losing two boxes of flies, I had to come up with a solution.
I recently found a removable, adjustable canoe middle seat that works just fine!
I was fishing on Seneca Creek in Gaithersburg the other day and a pit bull runs up…
Here are two items that you can live without.
It’s been three months since I started fly fishing, what have I learned about strategies, flies, and the proper fish attack weapons?
When you are a new fly guy, the tendency is to overspend and get one of everything.
Now that I have all this fly stuff, what’s the best way to haul it around?
I was very interested when I saw this hybrid fly/spin rod on Amazon for 20 bucks.
the Boles float Rite is that it is made out of polypropylene that does not suck up water
The Occoquan Reservoir is at the outer limits for the Bass Canoe, but it’s a nice body of water for largemouth bass
Steve Chaconas discussed using a red treble hook on the middle of your plugs
My brand new Simms waders were a casualty after the last trip and needed repair
I’ll have to update this once I settle on a standard for fly fishing – here is what I am using for spin.
Nothing like a little visual reality to bring you back to earth…
After watching the Lessons tape twice, I worked on putting the pointers into practice.
We left the house at around 1 PM and headed south for Quantico for a quick couple of hours on Breckinridge Reservoir looking for largemouth bass
The Lessons with Lefty DVD helped me learn fly fishing
I have officially launched down the path to learn how to fly fish.
Breckinridge Reservoir is the hidden jewel of the Quantico Marine Corps Base
Coverage of various trips to Smith Lake on the edge of Quantico
My spinner formula has boiled down to a success pattern for trout fishing
I slipped and jarred the Bass Canoe loose from the hitch mount – it needed repair
Unless you need the weedless feature, stick with the stock trolling motor propeller
I was fishing on the Gunpowder River for trout and did not put on the Ivy Block for some reason.
What you wear when fishing for trout might matter more than you think.
It is very easy to transfer human smells to your lure just by tying it onto your line.
there is camping available in the Potomac State Forest when fishing for trout
Most trout folks wear a fishing vest that has a number of different pockets when fishing for trout
The umbrella clamps right onto the small piece of wood.
Burke Lake experiences heavy pressure, probably bass in there someplace. If they are, they are wary.
Once you have a camera tripod, you can pop your camera on it, activate the self-timer and get that memory of a lifetime of that trophy fish
We dropped into the water on Turville Inlet south of Ocean Pines.
If there is one thing that the Basswife likes better than bass fishing, it’s baking on a beach – so I go surf fishing.
Do lights work to attract largemouth bass – I give it a try.
The Basswife and I took a quick trip down to Smith Lake again hoping for some largemouth bass
Abel Lake looks good – big, long and narrow – We headed down to Able Lake in Stafford to check it out for largemouth bass action.
The South Mill Creek Lake is a 48 acre lake with nice looking structure for largemouth bass
Ordered one of these DownEast rod holder from Amazon
Lunga Reservoir is a large lake – takes a while to get to know it
As a warm up to the 4th of July weekend, I grabbed the basswife and we headed out to the Breckinridge Reservoir at Quantico for a morning of bass fishing.
It’s June… must be time for the annual pilgrimage to Lake Erie in pursuit of the elusive Walleye.
PAY for a day pass to fish!!!! Ok… but was Motts Run worth it for largemouth bass?
Lake Curtis – a nice lake with low pressure and plenty of structure for largemouth bass
I have not seen much published on casting techniques for trout fishing
Don’t bother to go….This lake is a loser for largemouth bass fishing.
Great issue of BassMaster this month. It had a super article on the hot colors to use for largemouth bass.
What’s in the pack I haul around when I go hiking for trout?
Quick update – no trout fishing this weekend – took the basscanoe out to Smith Lake again looking for largemouth bass
Dalton Pond is not worth the trip when fishing for largemouth bass – shallow (2 – 3 feet) in most of the lake
Tired of drifting around? A sea anchor (drift sock) is probably exactly what you need.
Great day on the West Fork of Smith Lake near Aquia for largemouth bass
Smith Lake is the water reservoir for Stafford County and has largemouth bass.
While a paddle is great on a river, the only way to navigate a small to medium sized bass lake is with a motor.
I found these stiff, firm seats that strap onto the existing canoe seat to provide an upgrade. It’s like putting a real chair in the boat!
My wife and I hit Breckenridge down at the Quantico Marine Corps Base again this weekend
Before you pop your bass canoe on top of your car or truck, you need to make sure that it will stay there as you wing down the road at 60mph
How to load a canoe on a truck
I read a great an obvious quote in a magazine recently. It went something like, to be successful fishing you need to find that 10% of the water that holds the fish – fishfinder!