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FISHING REPORT Lake Manassas has been closed to anglers for a long time…it has great fishing…from reliable sources! VA DNR wants it open…anglers want it open…here’s the latest! http://pwconserve.wordpress.com/2010/07/29/lake-manassas-public-access-update-2/ Water temps start at 85 in the morning, getting up to 90 by afternoon. Fish deeper and slower…take advantage of cloud cover with high morning tides to fish over clear water…Topwater bite is here…but you need to find clear, calm water, preferably under cloudy skies! I like to use poppers over grass and up against the banks or pad edges. At lower tides early, grass edges or in the creek guts. Try a pop and stop before you move to a pop, pop, pop cadence. You can almost walk the dog with Lucky Craft G-Splash baits. Use the bigger G-Splash 80 for choppy water or for water with a bit of stain or at higher tides…provides a bigger target under these tougher conditions. With lower tides, better in the morning, Hollow frogs like the Mann’s Super Frog have been great…they walk very well! White or black! Hasn’t seemed to make a difference. But the hollow frog works whenever you have low tide. Braids are a must for these baits. Try slow presentations at first, until you set the tone and mood of the fish. If the water is clear, try over grass anytime, just work slower! Twitch and stop! Wait, they move again. Pay attention to what gets the fish to bite…then go a bit a faster. Again, with higher water, early…before 1100…try a steady does of the old Standby Mann's Baby 1-Minus! I like the splatterback blue on 14 to 17 pound test mono. Touch grass and snap! Hold on! This will get a lot of bass and it is probably the best overall lure from March into December! Keep the 1-Minus close to cover I have been changing out my trebles with the NEW KVD Mustad Ultra Point Short Shank Triple Grip hook! This hook is a stout power fishing hook that is angled to keep fish from getting free. But the more important feature is the short shank! You can replace number 4 hooks with number 2!!!! This gives you a bigger bite without a hook that isn't too big for your bait! The KVD Quantum rod at 7' is perfect. Who can argue with KVD's Classic success?!!! HEADS UP! The vastly improved, under new management, Richmond fishing show is growing and moving! Jan. 21 - 23. Denny Brauer will be there ALL for all three days! The Richmond Fishing Expo is moving to the new State Fairgrounds of Virginia by Kings Dominion. The Meadow Event Park is a beautiful 65,000 sq. ft. facility with free marked parking all the way around the building. All one hall and in a great area. I’ll be there, as will many of your favorite vendors and many new ones. This show will be the biggest one in DECADES! Another mover is white chatter baits…I like the Rock N Runner with a Mann’s HardNose Jerkshad trailer. Try this alternated with the Baby 1-Minus, especially when there is a chop on the water. White seems to work best now…but wait for the craw patterns to be a better choice. The Rock N Runner's blade thumps more. The small willow under the horsy-head adds a bit of flash and helps change the course of the bait. I am using two trailers, Mann's HardNose Craws and the HardNose jerkbait. I soak or spray every soft bait with garlic Jack's Juice! My “secret” lure I am building has been revealed in BASS TIMES! I have detailed all of the components I use found in Jann's Netcraft! Find detailed direction on assembly and pics at: http://www.nationalbass.com/articles/chatterwacky.htm My new bait, the Chatter Wacky is easy to build and awesome to fish. IT HUNTS! By design, it'll kick off to either side or jump to the surface, without warning! It may surprise you, but it will trigger a reaction strike from fish! Hold on! Soft plastics like the Mizmo tubes are the best way to pitch grass. Swim and kill too! Also remember, most bites come on the fall! SO watch your line and be ready when you go to lift it. Feel for the fish and set the hook! I also like to Texas rig Mizmo Tubes win green pumpkin/orange and the new Mizmo Swamp Monster in black/blue. Both of these are rigged on 3/0 Mustad Ultra Point tube hooks. Texas rigs with Berkley 100% fluorocarbon 17-pound test. Docks are holding fish too! The bulkier Mizmo Swamp Monster. This is a compact bait with flapping claws and waving arms! The arms have a hollow pouch for rattles, but I have been putting Styrofoam in them! The arms stick up and a shake has them moving all around! It’s mat season! I am pitching to mini mats, using a one-ounce Tru Tungsten weight with a Tru Tungsten Peter T Smart Peg system. The Tru-Tungtsen weights do NOT have or NEED a sleeve. They stay in place with the peg system! The Mann’s green pumpkin red flake HardNose craw is perfect for mats! It stays on a 3/0 Mustad RED Ultra Point Tube hook. On the few cloudy days and with chop on the water, I have been burning a double willow Mann’s Classic spinnerbait over grass when fishing clear water, using either a firetiger or all chartreuse skirt. Another bait that seems to have slipped into the bottom of a lot of tackle boxes is the Waker by Mann’s! This is a great bait as the tide rises just over the grass after the frog bite slows! Wake baits like the Mann's Waker are a good loud bait for water with little to no chop! You can work around docks and wood, but equally well over grass. Use a stiffer rod. Another crankbait is the Lucky Craft BDS 4. This was created for Takihiro Omori after he won the Classic with a balsa Bagley’s bait. Lucky Craft created a hard plastic cranker with the buoyancy of balsa, and the durability of plastic! This bait goes about 4 feet deep and will touch grass and snap away easily, triggering strikes. Try this at lover tides near grass edges with scattered grass out front or over grass at higher tides. While the topwaters and moving baits are fun, when conditions dictate! There are times when only bottom probing soft plastics will work! Learn how to use them! Shaky head around deeper edges and on drops around the Spoils! Drop shot here too! If you want to know more about shaky head fishing…check out my article on shaky head fishing! http://nationalbass.com/articles/shaky.htm. For the latest content on my site, visit www.nationalbass.com. WEAR a PFD! Inflatables are good! Keep your throwable on deck! With the showers we get this time of the year, carry the new Frogg Toggs Toadz Series, my year-round windbreaker and rain suit. These new Toggs are amazing and are loaded with pockets and features…and a very reasonable price tag! Stop me and check it out! Frogg Toggs (froggtoggs.com) Carolina rigs in and around National Harbor and the Spoils are great ways to fish down drops. Shorter leaders, about 18 inches are fine. I suggest using braid main line and fluorocarbon leader for maximum sensitivity. Also, the use of Tru-Tungsten weights will heighten sensitivity. Less is more. Leaving baits sit for a while is a great idea. I am finally giving up my “secret” soft plastic bait that I've been hand pouring for 20 years! It's pretty simple, but I can't make them fast enough to give to my clients…so, I'm turning over the recipe to R&R Custom baits. They are the hand pour experts! They'll be making them available with a twist…they will be made with a better mix of plastic…and they will float! BTW, fishing with spinning reels requires a good drag system like the smooth drag on the Quantum reels! I like the Quantum Energy reels. The bail wire is titanium…won't bend. There is no bail spring either…they use magnets. But, the way the line fits under the bail arm is really key! Light line requires a great fishing reel! For the rod, I like a 6'6” rod or longer. I like a medium heavy with a softer tip. Hooksets are more of a reel and pull since you are using thinner wire hooks like Mustad Mega Lite hooks! I have found the PERFECT drop shot tool! The FISHING Butler (Fishingbutler.com) secures drop shot weights to your rod when putting away! No VELCRO or rubber bands! This device is adjustable and can also be used to secure rods to each other. If you need a great reel repair guy who will get your gear going fast, an old friend of mine is ready to get your gear in ship shape! Cleaning and repair done locally and fast! He was trained by the best and I recommend him highly! Jim can be reached at http://www.DominionTackle.com Servicing Shimano, ABU Garcia, Daiwa, Quantum, Penn and virtually all makes including Baitcasting, Spinning and Saltwater reels. The Silver Buddy lure is available again! Silverbuddy.com! Stock up! More important then where you fish, or what you are fishing with, is what you are doing to promote and grow our sport! If you haven't taken the pledge, please do it now! anglerslegacy.org There's a link to see me as The Sunday Fox News Power Player of the Week. http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-news-sunday/ - /v/4285112/from-boardroom-to-bass-boat/?playlist_id=158303 Please support your local tackle stores! Shop at Warbird Outdoors! They carry most of the baits I use! They can get anything you want! Just call! 703-878-3111 Their prices are the same as BPS! I found a GREAT NEW product! TRANSDUCERSHIELDANDSAVER. They even have a system for protecting the VERY expensive and EXPOSED Side Imaging transducers! Check them out: http://nationalbass.com/articles/transsaver.htm I detail features and benefits of specific products in my reports I have used extensively and have confidence. Mentioning product names is easier for you to match up with what I'm using. I answer fishing questions on Boatus.com based on my experience as a guide and with a little help from my friends: other writers, manufacturers, guides and top pros will contribute to my responses. Check it out at: http://my.boatus.com/askexperts/ Hand poured plastics are back! Check out my article on the industry including mentions of R&R Custom Baits in this month's Sportsman's Magazine (thesportsmansmag.com)! I don't like the timing of the BASSMASTER Classic! Look for my Tournament Talk column in Woods & Waters. Check www.woodsandwatersmagazine.com. A limited FREE supply at Belle Haven Marina and at Bowes and Arrows. I've switched batteries to the DEKA AGM deep cycle…I've already noticed they don't take long to recharge! Full article on this new battery technology (http://www.nationalbass.com/articles/agm.htm)! I used them for 2 seasons in my 2008 Skeeter and they showed no signs of wearing down and I really use my trolling motor! My new 2010 Skeeter ZX 225 has GPS Humminbird with Side Imaging!!!!Coool! Also a Minn Kota Fortrex 36 volt trolling motor and NEW Yamaha SHO 4-Stroke….the DEKA batteries will be even more important this year! Pro's Soft Bait Glue is new and improved…how could they? They improved the bottle! No more clogs! Much easier to apply on the water! I am insured by the experts in boat insurance, BoatUS! BoatUS Angler's membership program is part of the nation's largest association of recreational boaters protecting interests of boat-owning freshwater anglers. BoatUS Angler offers insurance policies specifically designed to meet the needs of today's anglers with fishing boats, including coverage for accidents with non-insured boaters, medical coverage for injuries, as well as salvage costs related to the recovery of a sunk or totaled boat. BoatUS offers GUIDE programs!!!! Click on my site link, nationalbass.com, for a free quote. For a special deal, use this code: FH200SC Want to learn how to teach someone to fish? Or looking for a few tips…? Check out my free videos (http://www.monkeysee.com/channel/show/89) It's no secret Maui Jims are the best polarized sunglasses…now improved for anglers over 40…Maui Readers are equipped with a small magnifier on the bottom of the lens so you can see to tie knots!!! The added magnifier doesn't interfere with regular vision! I love them! See what you've been missing! Mauijims.com. I suggest Maui Jim HCL (high contrast lens) polarized sunglasses for picking up cover in the water and seeing fish. Check around, most serious anglers are wearing them. Eye protection is important!!! Get a quality pair of polarized sunglasses. Sunglass Huts carry these. If you see me on the water, I'll let you check mine out. Polycarbonate Maui Sports are light as a feather and the optics are great. Confused over license requirements to guide on the Tidal Potomac River? I worked closely with the PRFC to come up with a grid of requirements to comply with DC, MD, VA and the PRFC on the Tidal Potomac. For a copy, http://nationalbass.com/reports/prfclicense.htm. And ALL guides have to carry a TWIC card too! I support efforts to see to it these rules are enforced! Pour your own swimbaits? Senkos? Lure Craft has a DVD that explains and demonstrates the entire process! Durable and exact aluminum molds enable you to make “round” baits! Customize swimbaits for a huge savings. Pour finesse worms for shaky head fishing, drop shots, and split shots and other soft plastics with easy-to-use molds from lurecraft.com. They have all of the supplies and plastic mixes for floating and for softness. Go on-line to find out more! (www.lurecraft.com 1-800-925-9088 for a free catalog). They can even make a mold for your design! Take a look at some of the baits I have made on: www.nationalbass.com (articles/lure-craft.htm)…call now to put your orders in! 1-800-925-9088 It's Teva Time!!!!...Check out this video. Let's put the controversy to rest! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9V_nFWSQUE - There's a new style TEVA I just LOVE! OMNIUM, perfect for water sports…they are great for standing all day! New TEVA sandals are sport shoes…especially water sports like bass fishing! If you do not wear sport sandals from TEVA, you should! I have tried other footwear, including expensive basketball shoes. Matched with SealSkinz socks and you are winterized! TEVA's are very comfortable and have boat safe surfaces along with anti-microbial protection. TEVA's are comfortable and keep me on my feet...no butt seat either! Check out www.teva.com. There are some great tackle specials this month at Jann's Netcraft! If you want to be on the email list for these specials, contact me! Contact Jann's Netcraft for your free catalog! They have a great assortment of do-it-yourself supplies, and a great line of soft plastics too! By this time of the year, my rod tips are just about worn out on my cranking rods. The guides take a constant beating too! Toss out the rod that is really still in great shape? No way! I've learned how to replace guides on my favorite rods and they're ready to go! Check out their rod building and repair supplies. Get a tip kit, with many sizes for a variety of rods. If you want to learn how to make repairs or even build your own custom rods, they have a great rod-building instructional book and all tools and parts! They also have everything you need to make crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and buzzbaits. You can start from scratch or assemble the parts to build the baits you like to your exact specs…and save money too! Jann's Netcraft lure making, fly-tying, rod building, and soft baits! They've been around for a long time and have a great selection of lure making materials too! Check them out at www.jannsnetcraft.com or call 1-800-NETCRAFT! I finally replaced my good old 1995 Nissan 4WD truck. The new Nissan Frontier really tows my Skeeter with ease! I bought this truck from PASSPORT Nissan and I've been buying my vehicles from the owner since 1978! If you have any questions about NISSAN trucks, please forward to me! Nissan is running low interest rates or cash back on Titan, Frontier and Xterra. Bob Gasbarri knows NISSANS and he knows trucks! Give him a call at 703-461-5279 with any towing questions! Let me know if you'd like to set up a test drive! CONTACT ME; I'LL GET YOU A BELOW INVOICE NO HASTLE PRICE! MIZMO tubes, Punisher Jigs, and most of the Lucky Craft and Mann's baits are now in Bass Pro Shops latest catalog…look for them! 2010 Potomac Tides under “REPORTS AND TIDES”. Print a copy. New to the river? Get a pro-quality map for fishing the Potomac and for other Virginia waters map from GMCO: www.gmcomaps.com. They list popular locations and hidden dangers of navigating the Potomac. Have fun! Questions, comments or booking a trip: info@nationalbass.com. I have a lot of articles on various strategies and techniques on my site. If you have a suggestion for an article, let me know. Check out my website: www.nationalbass.com. I can't fish the entire river all the time; so if you have some information to share, let me know. Captain Steve Chaconas/National Bass Guide Service/SEOPA "Take me fishing!" .·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸> > About Us | Contacting Us | Rates and Reservations | Directions | FAQ | Fishing Report & Tides | Articles & Tips | Skeeter Boats for Sale | Photo Album | Client Comments | Sponsors | Corporate Trips |
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