How to Catch Big Smallmouth Bass, Part 2 - Plastic Lures

Hello Folks,

I hope you enjoyed my last blog entry showing some of pics from the fishing trips we made last year. The Photobucket slide show holds about 100 photos and I had over 250 pics to chose from. I certainly did take a lot of pics in 2010!

Today, I want to share some of the plastic lures that I have used in the past to catch some of my biggest smallmouth bass. Granted, these are not all the lures I use, but just a few that have brought 20+ inch smallmouth into the boat.

Let's start with the biggest smallmouth I have ever caught. It was a 23.75" smallie I caught during the Cap'n Jack Memorial Rodeo in 2005. Cap'n Jack was a well-known guide on the New and James Rivers who had passed away that year from a heart attack. My son and I had a scheduled guide trip that was never made because of Jack's passing. He is greatly missed among smallmouth enthusiasts.



This picture was photographed by Bill Sponaugle (SpoonVa) while Dave Warholic (DaveinPa) was rowing Bill's raft. It was the "ONLY" smallie I caught throughout that entire float, but well worth the effort.

She was laying right where she should have been... in a nice shoreline eddy just below a beautiful riffle. I tossed the lure on the upside of the eddy and SMACK!

So, what did I use to catch this pigbeast? Simply... A 3.75" Black/Red Flaked Tube on a 1/8th oz. jig head.



Nothing special, but a very productive lure in most situations. In fact, the tube was also responsible for the biggest smallmouth I ever caught in my local club tournaments... a 5+ lber on the Susquehanna River near Wrightsville/Columbia, Pa. area about 10 years ago.

Another plastic lure that has been a big winner for me has been the Berkley Power Bait 7" Worm in Blue Fleck. I toss this with the necessary worm weight and a 5/0 worm hook.



One of my fond memories with this bait was during a Pa. BASS District 3 Tournament out of Havre de Grace, Md, Tydings Marina. My son and I had pre-fished a few days before this tournament and had located fish just off the Sassafras River.

On the day of the tournament, the tides were right as we launched and I quickly made my way to the Sassafras. I pulled up along a fallen tree and we pulled a 2.5 lb largemouth out. There were several docks nearby and we hit those. I caught a 3 lb largemouth off the one pylon and then tossed to a larger pylon situated in front of the docks. My 7" offering slid down the side of the pylon and started to move away. I set the hook hard and fought a 5.15 lb largemouth to hand.

Another favorite tube color is the Green Pumpkin/Orange Flake. I have have a lot of success with both the 3.75" and the 2.5" in this color.



Green Pumpkin is a deadly color alone and brought me the last two 20 inch bass I caught in 2010. You can see those photos in a past blog entry.

A fantastic color in over cast skies is a laminated color. I use only a couple of laminated tubes and the one I am speaking of here is the Green Pumpkin/Smoke Purple Laminate.



This color works not only here in the Lower Susquehanna River, but also on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River and all points in between. :) It's a deadly combination of two of the most popular tube colors from the 1990's.

I remember the day I met Jeff Rock who was fishing with the Dark Hollow Bass Club in the Pa. BASS District 3. I was the "Rider" and he was the "Boat Owner" on my very first fishing tournament on the Potomac River.

The tube was designed basically as a finesse lure by the Garland Brothers. But the guys here on the East Coast were, Heaven forbid, putting jig heads inside the tubes and jigging them. Jeff used Cabin Creek brand tubes and only the Green Pumpkin and Salt/Pepper Smoke colors all day long... and caught fish, all day long!

I remember asking him if he ever used any other lures and he told me that he would be lost without his tubes... LOL! I believed him and he certainly made me a believer in the Almighty Tube!

In my next blog entry, I'll cover the hard baits that have brought me Big Bass.

Take care and Remember that Spring is on it's way!
Dad

Kennebec River Striper Fishing 2011: Super Fly Charters

(Father and Son, Mike & Matt Monheit Team Up For A Great Day Of Maine Striper Action)

It's the middle of winter and I'm kind of bored so I often think back to some of the great trips that we've had from seasons past...here is a blog post recap of one of the many trips that I did with the Monheit family back in July 2010...(07/19/2010)"This report will be brief...The striper fishing in Maine is really good right now...this morning I guided Mike Monheit and his son Matt also along were two of Matts friends...the tide started slow and the fishing matched the tide...but as the tide started to rip we started scoring lots of stripers...singles, doubles, triples and quadruple hook ups...most fish were in the 28-34 inch range which make for great sport on light tackle...The methods we use are proven to catch stripers during the brightest, hottest days...what most anglers call tough fishing conditions is just business as usual for us...we have the experience to time the tides and have the right rigs aboard to ensure that we get the hook ups that elude and frustrate most anglers into submission"

This brief recap reminds me of just how good we have it here in Maine June through October...Some of the most consistent Striped Bass action found anywhere on the striper coast takes place right here in the cool tidal waters of mid coast Maine...Those who've done it with us know exactly what i'm talking about...Those who are planning to fish with us this coming season...you're in for a treat!!!

Throughout this off season we'll occasionally dust off a blog entry from the archives and republish it in our "Guided Trip Recap Series"....(please visit our archives to read about all of our past outings...see tons of cool fish pics with my guests too)

Maine Striper Fishing Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
www.superfly-charters.com

February is the time for pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel

The Big Eye Baitfish Fly is indestructible and quite productive.

Cold weather means cold water.
And cold water means we don't have a lot of variety in out fishing.
Until the water warms, spotted seatrout, redfish, ladyfish and flounder are pretty much what are available.
That will change when we get a few days of warm weather.
I look for pompano, bluefish and Spanish mackerel to show up in mid-February. And when they do, fishing over the deep grass in Sarasota Bay should be really hot. There were days last year when we took more than 50 fish per outing.
The blues averaged 3 pounds and we caught several around 6 pounds. Pompano went at least 2 pounds and several approached 5. Spanish mackerel ranged from 2 to a whopping 7 1/2 pounds!
This action is available on spin and fly tackle. Spin anglers should use medium-light rods, 10-pound braided line and 25-pound fluorocarbon leader. Top lures include the D.O.A. 1/8-ounce CAL Jig with gold paddle tail or D.O.A. Shrimp (glo or gold flake). I also like to use the Deadly Combination (D.O.A. Shrimp under a popping cork).
This is also prime time for fly anglers. I like a 6-weight rod, sinktip line and 6-foot, 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. My fly of choice is my Big Eye Baitfish, a nearly indestructible fly that is irresistible to many species.
I designed the fly with toothy critters in mind. It's made entirely of synthetics and will last all day, providing your leader isn't cut by a big blue or feisty mackerel.
The Big Eye is easy to tie.
Recipe:
Hook: No. 2 Mustad 34008
Thread: Fine mono
Body: Flexi-chord
Wing: White Fish Hair topped with chartreuse Super Hair.
Eyes: Medium or heavy Orvis Crystal Dumbbell Eyes.
Coating: Devcon Two-Ton Epoxy.

Clouser Deep Minnows will work, but they usually are history after one blue or mackerel.
When the blues, pompano and mackerel are here, we often hit the water about an hour before daylight to get in a little snook action around lighted docks. These fish are suckers for small, white flies.

But it will be trout, redfish, ladyfish and a few flounder until we get a warming trend.

Kayak stealth is the real key to fishing success

Ask around and you’ll probably discover fishing has been good, but catching tough!

Jason Beary battles another fish on fly rod.

Abnormally cold weather again is the culprit.

However, there are areas where fish congregate during the cold and make for easy pickings if you know where they are and you’re stealthy enough to take advantage.

My clients and I have been averaging 100 fish per outing over the last six weeks. That includes a low of 20 fish and a high of 250. Most often we’ve been getting at least 60 fish. The totals include mostly spotted seatrout to 22 inches, but we’re also getting flounder, redfish and ladyfish.

The action has been steady on both spin tackle and fly rod.

I’ve watched amazingly as those in powerboats visit the same spots, fish for 10 minutes and then head off for a honey hole 10 miles away. They usually show up, make a dozen casts and are gone.

What they don’t realize is their large boats give away their presence. The hull displaces a tremendous amount of water, sending out fish-alarming pressure waves. Also, their outboard motors are danger signals to the fish. Ditto for electric trolling motors.

I’ve even seen professional guides “throw” their anchors in the fish-holding holes.

Meanwhile, my clients are usually catching fish and enjoying steady action.

I’m convinced it’s mostly because the fish don’t know we’re there.

I had a fellow out from near Buffalo, N.Y., the other day. He has fly fished for steelhead and salmon around his home, but had never caught a saltwater fish on fly rod. After doing well on spin tackle, he wanted to try the fly rod.

He caught 20 spotted seatrout.

We had anchored along the edge of a channel where we had located a school of trout. We caught fish after fish because they had no clue we were there.

Many years ago, I figured I’d use my kayak to get to my favorite wading spots, anchor the boat, get out and fish. Didn’t take me too long to figure out I was less stealthy wading than I was in the kayak.

I rarely wade any more.

During November’s MCFF/CCA Fall Fly Fishing Challenge, I caught enough fish to win the Snook Division and Trout Division. You could only win one division, but it felt good to know that I’d caught that many fish.

I caught seven snook around one dock. I never had to make a cast of more than 25 feet.

Again it was a case of the snook not having a clue I was there.

And that makes a big difference.

2010 Fishing Adventures

Here is an overview of some of my 2010 Fishing Adventures. I hope you enjoy this "Fishing With Dad" trip through 2010...

How to Catch Big Smallmouth Bass -Part 1

Hello Folks,

I thought I would share with you some of my techniques for catching big smallmouth bass. I have been fortunate to catch quite a few Citation Bass (20+ inch) over the past years and I am going to try to put into words how I go about doing so.

I believe that the most important thing to know about catching big bass is to know whether or not big bass actually live in the waters that you are fishing. How does one know this? Well, research, word of mouth, and time spent on the water.

Begin your research by joining smallmouth bass fishing sites. By doing so, you will have access to a plethora of information regarding gear, tackle, techniques, and locations.

You may not get exact locations, but you will certainly learn whether a certain body of water holds big smallmouth bass by the reports given by members.

There are a lot of outstanding smallmouth anglers associated with these sites who spend an awful lot of time on the water searching and catching behemoth smallies.

Learn to share with these anglers and you will be pleasantly surprised how much information some are willing to offer you in private PMs (Personal Mail).

Some sites even have a following of guides and pros who visit and share their valuable knowledge.

Smallmouths.com

Eastern Pa. Fishing Reports

Research also includes learning about fishing gear, tackle, and techniques that are associated with catching larger fish. I am a firm believer that if you give any lure long enough time, it will eventually catch a fish. But I can guarantee that there are certain lures that catch big smallies more often than others.

Certain gear and tackle is associated with big fish. For example, almost every big fish I have caught in Southern States have been on soft plastics and topwaters. I'm not exactly sure why, but I would venture to guess, like in most cases, it has to do with the forage available on those particular waterways.

Learn what gear is used by those who are big fish catchers. For example, rods are extremely important depending on which lures you have chosen to use. I personally stay pretty much between a 6'6" and a 7' 2" rod. Power and tip action all depends on which lures I am tossing. When I'm in open water, I can certainly get a farther cast with a longer rod. A smaller rod gives me much better control. I do use other rods from time to time, but these are a start.

A decent reel will allow for smoother cast and and retrievals. I am not a rich man who spends hundreds of dollars on rods and reels. But what I do own is decent gear in a moderate price range.

If you get the opportunity to attend seminars put on by pros and/or guides, go for it! I attended a ton of Bassmaster Universities (Sponsored By HACC) until they ended in 2007. I learned so much information regarding seasonal bass behavior, electronics, fishing techniques, etc. and it will all remain with me until the day I die. This hole has now been filled by The Bass University with Mike Iaconelli and Pete Gluszek.

Our local tackle shop, Susquehanna Fishing Tackle, offers seminars throughout the year on various topics. Possibly, your local shops also offer seminars. If not, don't be shy. Ask them if they would consider it. Most tackle shop owners know a large group of very good anglers who may be willing to share knowledge with fellow anglers.

I have centered myself around very good anglers who are willing to share and trust in one another with information through "word of mouth." This is a very touchy area since information shared this way is usually old information and owned by friends. Knowing that circumstances on the water change day to day and sometime,s hour to hour, I use this information only as a starting point in building my own patterns. I am also willing to reciprocate by sharing like information with these angling friends.

You will learn in time, who you can and cannot trust. As a school counselor, I often discussed trust with my students. In order to build trust, it takes time and experiences with an individual. One hundred good experiences can be ruined in a heart beat by one bad experience. To rebuild that trust will once again take time and more positive experiences, if you are willing to go there again. Don't be foolish!

I also keep in mind that some anglers are much better at certain techniques than myself. Whenever I have an opportunity to learn from these folks by fishing with them, I take full advantage of the situation. I am always willing to learn about a different lure or technique that will enhance my repertoire.

If someone is catching fish and I'm struggling, I do not feel out of place by asking them if they have any extras for me to use. I will also ask if I am fishing them correctly. I am not stubborn!

But I am also willing to accept a "no" answer. It doesn't hurt to ask. :)

There is no substitute for "Time Spent On Water". All the research, knowledge of waterways, and techniques mean absolutely nothing unless you can transfer it to the water.

Granted, some have more available time to spend on the water than others. Family and job obligations may limit your time to fish. That is why all the above is even more important to do.

Unfortunate events led to my early retirement, but it open up an opportunity for me to spend more time fishing and sharing my adventures with all of you what I learn almost on a daily basis.

I hope that the above makes sense and helps guide you towards opportunities in catching Big Smallmouth in the future.

I will share some of my Big Bass lures the next time.

Take care,
Dad

Maine Striper Fishing 2011: Super Fly Charters

(Many anglers have already booked their tides for the Maine saltwater fishing season...Have You?)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! Buh Bye Twenty Ten & Hello Twenty Eleven!!!

I know that it's winter time here in the northeast and many of us are gearing up for hard water fishing and other winter sports...some of us may even be planning fishing trips to warm tropical destinations...but here at Super Fly Charters we're also busy preparing for the upcoming season here on the Maine coast. We have lots of great trip options for you so please check out our website and give us a call to set up a trip that'll be customized to your style of fishing...whether it's on the fly or pitching plugs or live lining frisky live baits on light tackle we've got you covered...Looking forward to fishing with you all again in the new year!!!


Maine's Premier Saltwater Fishing Guide Service
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
info@superfly-charters.com
www.superfly-charters.com
Right now someone out there is hooking up to the fish of their dreams!!! I hope it's YOU <*(((((>{

Open11ng

According to tradition, the first day of the new year, we spent on fish. The opening of the new season , came out very well :) Good score for a short winter day.

 

Great opening for me- cold water 2lber 

Bites were really good today

 All the canals and some parts of river were covered with ice for almost two weeks. Water temperature declined. This should have an impact on fish metabolism. But we had really good bites today. Surprise. One of the next perch caught by us, solved this mystery.

One of perch spat out something like this

Perchs were feed on lampreys!
Lampreys (sometimes also called lamprey eels) are jawless fish, whose adults are characterized by a toothed, funnel-like sucking mouth.

The mystery revealed

Lampreys live mostly in coastal and fresh waters, although some species, (e.g. Geotria australis, Petromyzon marinus, Entosphenus tridentatus) travel significant distances in the open ocean, as evidenced by their lack of reproductive isolation between populations. They are found in most temperate regions except those in Africa. Their larvae have a low tolerance for high water temperatures, which may explain why they are not distributed in the tropics.

Another fat spikey- lamprey imitation coneseur

Adults physically resemble eels, in that they have no scales, and can range anywhere from 13 to 100 centimetres (5 to 40 inches) long.* source- Wikipedia

GMO baby perch

Kayaks the key to fishing success





John Kis of Westchester, N.Y., had a field day on spotted seatrout, catching and releasing more than 50 fish.



I’ve always believed that we catch more fish from kayaks than when fishing from powerboats. It stands to reason because the fish don’t know you’re even there.

Jason Beary of Warren, Pa., with one of his 50 spotted seatrout.



This has been proven time and again. It has been especially true over the last two weeks. While many have struggled, my clients and I have been doing very well.

Despite the cold, we’ve been averaging 50 spotted seatrout per outing over the last two weeks. The trout are ranging from 13 to 22 inches, with most in the slot (15 to 20 inches) and over.

D.O.A.’s 1/16-ounce CAL Jig with a gold paddle tail has been the hot ticket. We’ve also been picking up a few fish on MirrOlure’s Tiny MirrOdine and a gold/glo D.O.A. Shrimp.

Fly anglers have had a tougher time. However, Jason Beary of Warren, Pa., caught several trout on a pink-and-chartreuse Clouser Deep Minnow and my Big Eye Baitfish Fly. The trout are on the bottom, so a slow, deep presentation is necessary. I would imagine a 300-grain sinking line would be a good choice.

Beary switched to spinning tackle in late morning and started getting hits on nearly every cast. The trick is to allow the jig to reach the bottom and then hop it slowly. The fish are cold and don’t want to expend a lot of energy chasing down the lure.

If you miss a hit, the key is to keep working the jig. Usually, you’ll pick up another in short order. I’ve lost as many as four fish on a cast before hooking and landing the fifth.

My wife, Kathy, joined me on New Year’s Day for a short outing. We only fish two hours because the wind started to blow and made things tough. Because of the wind, the incoming tide was really cranking. We anchored on the edge of a channel and worked the deep water. I switched Kathy to a 1/8-ounce CAL Jig in order to make it easier to get to the bottom and stay in contact with the lure. In two hours, we caught and released 20 trout to 21 inches.

Dr. Jon Smalley and his wife, Dr. Sharon Smalley, of Connecticut joined me for a half-day outing on Christmas Eve. The Smalley’s totaled 40 trout to 20 inches on CAL Jigs.

Jon Kis of Westchester, N.Y., fished a six-hour trip and did very well. He caught more than 50 trout to 22 inches on CAL Jigs. In fact, we anchored at the first spot and caught fish or had hits on nearly every cast for two hours.

We’ve found the fish to be extremely sensitive to noise and big boats. Several powerboats have fished the area and we’ve seen very few fish taken. A couple of times, we’ve seen powerboats literally “throw” anchors into the channel. Once anchored, you could hear the waves hitting the underside of their bow.

It was no wonder the fishing slowed noticeably!

Capt. Rick Grassett of Sarasota joined me for a friendly day of fun fishing recently and did well. He caught a few fish on fly before giving in to the wind and picking up a spinning rod. Rick and I totaled more than 80 trout to 22 inches, 12 ladyfish, four small redfish and a couple of flounder – all on D.O.A. CAL Jigs with gold paddle tails.

The cold hasn’t slowed the fishing much. The wind, however, has made it tough to get out on some days.

If you want to get in on this action, give me call. I’ve got a few days open over the next three weeks.

Happy New Year!

Steve Gibson

Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing

www.kayakfishingsarasota.com

(941) 284-3406

Just one more...

Despite having three separate invitations to fish freshwater today (Lake Anna Stripers with Dan Smullen, Smallmouth Bass with Alan Tharrington and Catfishing with my boss), I decided to go to the Elizabeth river (hot ditch) to see if I could catch one more citation before the end of the year. I launched around 10:30 and immediately started catching...

10"-16" spikes

And lots of them. The majority of the time I was throwing a 1/4 oz jighead n dark green body/chartreuse paddle tail. The action stayed steady for a little while and eventually pulled up two 20"ers.

Shortly there after Justin Mayer joined me and he got in on the action too.

20"er

As the tide started to shift, we decided to try a different spot. I trolled over to "the cove" and found a minefield of bobbers. I paddled along the shoreline, courteously staying clear of the other boats and their live baits. I found a decent spot, tossed my soft plastic and immediately hooked up with another spike. Not what I wanted but better than nothing I thought. I busted out the trusty black and orange MirrOLure and worked it really slow. I had something hit it, but not hook up; which is hard to understand because they have three treble hooks on them. Anyway, I checked my watch and realized I was suppose to leave 15 minutes ago.

I casted my lure one last time, started cranking, and BAM! There it was! About 15 seconds into the fight my Mirrolure came flying out of the water and the side of the fish flashed and teased me through the brown-orange water. As expletives flew out of my mouth I knew I couldn't leave now. It looked like it could have measured in the lower 20's. I made several more casts and after about 10 minutes I started to get discouraged. I knew I'd be in deep doo-doo if I stayed much longer. So I casted one last time, again, let it sink to the bottom, slowly crank, and about halfway back to the yak it got crushed! The drag ripping from my 2lb test ultralight outfit seemed so loud in the quiet, windless air. I frantically repeated "Please stay on, please stay on, pleeeeeeeease stay on....". After a couple more nerve racking good drag runs, I finally landed what I came for.

24.25" Release Citation Speck

After a two hour ride, I came home to a pleasant wife who immediately put me on diaper duty and bath time. Afterwards, I got a message from Justin telling me about his great catch after I left. Here is his report.

North Branch of the Susquehanna River - October 16, 2005

Hello Folks,

Here is yet another "Blast From The Past" that I hope you enjoy while our rivers and streams are iced over here in Pennsylvania...

This was "The Day Greg Believed!" Let me explain JetboatGreg's revelation. Tim Fehr and I were using Lucky Craft Pointer 78 and 100 jerkbaits for a couple of seasons and Greg was not. So, on October 16, 2005, Greg and I went fishing together and the stars aligned, the fish were biting, and Greg yelled out, "I Believe!" Let the pics explain...


"Hey, watch it!"







"Yep, tubes work, too!"










Now can you see why Greg believes!? :)

We went on this fishing adventure about a year or so before Greg started to guide on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. He now has a guide service called the "North Branch Outfitter".

http://www.northbranchoutfitters.com/

The Fish Tale:
Greg and I set out in the early morning to catch smallies. We arrived at our spot and saw a newly fallen tree with green leaves still attached to the branches. Before we got serious about fishing, I told Greg to let me toss a tube upriver from the tree and let it flow under the tree to see if it would get hung up.

My first cast brought the tube near the end of the fallen tree. It came through without hitting any obstruction. Okay... Let's try this again and I made a second cast a bit closer to the bank. Once again, the tube bounced along the bottom freely and came through without hanging up.

"Okay, Greg, you can toss that $15 Lucky Craft Pointer 100 under that tree."

Hmmmmmm... I could see the concern in Greg's eyes and that "Are you an idiot?" look. However, He did follow my suggestion and tossed that LC Pointer 100 upriver, gave it a few jerks to get it down in the water column, and WHAM!

"I BELIEVE!", yelled Greg! LOL!

Cast after cast under that fallen tree brought fish after fish to the boat.

As we worked our way upriver, each and every oxbow held fish for the taking. What a day!

Oh, by the way, I did catch fish that day. However, I was so busy helping Greg land fish and taking pictures that we didn't take a lot of time to capture many of my catches. I stuck to a tube simply because Greg was using the JB. That way, we were covering little more property.

Here are a few pics we were able to take in between his LC Pointer pigbeasts!







What a great day for making memories on the North Branch of the Susquehanna River. I'll be delving into more of my archive of pics to bring you more of these fantastic trips from the past.

I hope you enjoyed this jaunt down "Memory Lane".

Dad

Maine Saltwater Fishing 2011: Super Fly Charters & Capt. George Harris

Whether it's on the fly...pitching plugs or live lining frisky live baits we've got you covered check out our website for all of our trip offerings...and stay tuned for some new trips options for 2011If you're addicted to catching Striped Bass, Bluefish, Shark, Bluefin Tuna and Cod or would like to give our Merrymeeting Bay "Trash Can Tarpon" (aka Carp) offering a try...please give us a call or shoot us an email to discuss the possibilities. Please Come Join Super Fly Charters in 2011: Midcoast Maine's premier fly & light tackle guide service, fishing for Striped Bass, Bluefish, Bluefin Tuna and More!!! ~ USCG 100 Ton Master ~ Registered Maine Tidewater Guide ~ For reservations call 207-691-0745. Also for those who have been asking there is still time to purchase that holiday gift certificate for your loved ones. We can customize a gift certificate for any of the guided trips that we offer. As an added bonus all of our trips are currently $50.00 off our listed rates

Maine Saltwater Fishing Guide
Capt. George Harris
207-691-0745
info@superfly-charters.com
www.superfly-charters.com
Right now someone out there is hooking up to the fish of their dreams!!! I hope it's YOU <*(((((>{

Video Blog: Winter Trout Fishing on Penns Creek - December 28, 2010

This is my first video blog - a format I am going to be using more in the future. I hope you enjoy! Tight lines!

"Living the Dream"

Well Christmas has come and gone, and with the new year upon us, I find myself reflecting upon the past and what is to come. In previous years, this annual ritual was filled with plans for myself, including goals for fishing. Life for me has changed dramatically and to be honest, there have been moments where I ask myself... what the hell have I got myself into? TWO kids, really? All the things I want to do for myself seem to be fading and the uncertainty of when they may return has weighed heavy on my mind.

On the other hand, new dreams have spread roots in my soul. As my daughter gets older, the realization of all the things I will be able to do with her soon is very exciting. She is learning so much so fast, so I decided to get her her first fishing rod this Christmas.

It was priceless.

I got something in the mail the other day from someone else who makes me question my dreams. It was Kayak Kevin's new DVD of his Chesapeake Bay Tour. After all the holiday shenanigans with the fam, I finally got to watch it. Now, as you can tell from my previous posts, I have become friends with Kevin, so I'm trying to be as unbiased as I can when I write this "review". As the name implies, this is not an all out fishing DVD like his last one, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It is a real-as-it-gets movie on long distance kayak touring. From "pee barriers" to "nightly critter kills" and frustrations with NOAA, it was really quite a treat to see the Chesapeake Bay from that vantage point. There was excellent footage of the wildlife and gorgeous sunsets on some beautiful beaches along with some intense storms. However, my favorite quote is "then.... out of nowhere... without warning.... an all out blitz erupted!". That was followed up with an insane scene with boiling water everywhere and baitfish doing cartwheels. I'm trying not to give it all away... but man, that was awesome.

I noticed something while watching the DVD. On the stern of his touring kayak he wrote "Living the Dream". And for many, that really is living the dream. Being out there... on your own... with mother nature. And perhaps, one day I may try that too (down the James River), but for now, I have my dreams firmly planted in my children.

Thank you Kevin for sharing yours with us.

I hope everyone had a great holiday and may your dreams come true in the new year!

Christmas Day Trout Fishing - Penns Creek, PA - December 25, 2010

I went to bed on the 24th dreaming not of santa and reindeer, but instead limestone ledges and giant brown trout. My family was set to get in late on Christmas Day, so again, I loaded up the car and headed for the stream. I started in an area about 1/2 mile downstream from the day before in a deep pool. My first weapon of choice was a Lucky Craft 75 SP jerkbait in an MS aurora brown color. On my fourth cast this 14 inch brown crushed the bait.



After getting a couple follows and landing about a 12" fish I switched to an in-line spinner as I fished through a faster section of creek. I went biteless and didn't see a fish for about 15 minutes, so I decided to switch to "old faithful" this time of the year. I tied on a 2 3/4" Rapala husky jerk in the silver with black back color. On my first cast I landed a chunky 14" brown trout and 2 casts later I hooked into this solid trout.



Shortly after I landed my best trout of the day - a hair under 17". Unfortunately, he slipped my grasp while trying to get my camera/phone out of my waders. I kept fishing and found 2 really consistent holding patterns for the trout and was landing solid 12"-15" fish regularly. The best part was that I could see most of the strikes, including one fish that I saw come out from under a rock, crush the bait, and head straight for the air.

I landed a bunch of beautiful brown trout and lost count somewhere past 15. I lost what looked to be a 17"+ rainbow, but thankfully a few casts later I landed this gorgeous brownie.



Finally, I decided to call it a day fishing the trophy trout section. I caught somewhere around 20 trout, had probably another 15 follows, and spotted another 15+ smaller trout. After that great day, I decided to head to a different stretch of stream in search of dinner. After about 5 minutes at one of my favorite winter holes I landed a chunky 14" rainbow, threw him on a stringer, and hit the road. Sauteed in butter and garlic, he made for a tasty Christmas dinner! Tight lines!

A Fish Tale From December 20, 2003

This "past fish tale" was made a day before I entered the hospital and two days before I had my first hip replacement surgery. Jitterbug (Ron) and I headed to the river to get my last fishing trip in for several months. I had my second replacement a month later.

I owned a beautiful Wilderness Pamlico 120 (SIK) that was fully rigged for fishing. I loved that yak! We were both dressed in our neoprene waders and cold weather/water gear.

I caught several fish that day in extremely cold and icy water conditions...







Okay... They're not Bill's (DRY1 @ Smallmouths.com) flashy Dollar Tree gloves ;) , but these wool gloves got the job done seven years ago. I still use a similar pair today.

Dad

Ahhhh... The Day After Christmas 2010

Hello Folks,

I hope each and everyone of you had a "Very Merry Christmas". I am sitting at my computer and listening to a Christmas Channel I created on Pandora... Beautiful music of the season.

There are many who visit "Fishing With Dad" who do not celebrate Christmas. To you, I hope that the season has been kind to you and your loved ones. May the New Year bring joy and prosperity.

Many blog visitors who live in our Southern states woke up to snow yesterday! Atlanta, Ga. (Weather Channel) hasn't had snow for Christmas Day in over 120 yrs. That is a long, long time not to have a White Christmas. I bet there were a lot of "White Christmas" (Bing Crosby) albums being played by my Southern brethren.

Since Christmas Day is my birthday, I awoke to a "Christmas Birthday Breakfast". My wife and two of my three sons decorated the kitchen with a large "Happy Birthday" sign and doughnuts with lit candles... LOL! There were noise makers and small festive decorations on the kitchen table declaring "Happy Birthday, Dad". My sons got me a gift certificates for Fandango, since they know I love attending movies, and the Susquehanna Fishing Tackle shop... Perfect for a Fisherman!

We then ate breakfast of eggs and bacon with a Birthday Doughnut and coffee.

Afterward, we all moved into the living room and gathered near the Christmas Tree to open our Christmas gifts... Yeah! :)

It was a beautiful and sunny morning here in Willow Street, Pa.

At 10:30 a.m., we packed up the relative's gifts and headed over to my middle brother's home to celebrate Christmas. My oldest son, his wife, and our two beautiful granddaughters came over to his home. Also gathering were my oldest brother, his wife, and one of four sons, his wife and 6 month old son also joined us. Phew! That wasn't easy to write, but I don't think I missed anyone!

My oldest brother's remaining three sons and their families were scattered throughout the USA... Las Vegas, Nevada and Chicago, Illinois.

After the gift exchange (Youngest to Oldest), we visited with one another until my oldest brother and his family left for their in-laws. Now it was time to turn to our Christmas meal... Ham, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Corn, and hot buns. All cooked by my single brother... Did I mention mashed potatoes? He just loves his mashed potatoes. Maybe it's the Irish in him. :)

We returned home around 3:00 p.m. and spent our Christmas evening sitting in the living room by the Christmas Tree and watching some great basketball games. I was really excited about the Miami Heat and the Lakers match up. Man, did the Heat take control of that game early and they never let up. The Heat played great defense. Kobe was visibly frustrated, especially after losing their last game by 19 pt. There was some jawing and smack talking between Kobe and Lebron James. I love it!

I am looking forward to this week at home with my wife. She's on vacation and it's getting ready to snow here 6-10" according to the forecast. No fishing for awhile!

Take Care and Happy Holiday!
Dad

'Twas the Night Before Christmas Trout - Penns Creek, PA - December 24, 2010

I arrived at my childhood home in central PA to an empty nest. My parents were traveling; visiting my sister and her family in Wyoming - a trip I was unable to make due to other obligations. Knowing that they wouldn't get home until late Christmas day, it meant one thing - time to hit the local trout streams.

I stepped outside to find a cold breeze and 26 degree temperatures. Immediately, I turned around, went back inside, and got another fleece to wear. I hit the road and after getting squared away with a new license, I met up with my good friend Levi and his father Jim. We decided to hit a stretch of Penns Creek that we all grew up fishing - one that is extremely productive this time of year. It is a native stream, with trophy trout regulations and therefore a healthy population of big brown trout.

This time of year we like to throw big jerkbaits (3"-4") to lure the trout from their winter hiding spots. Color, retrieve speed, and size may vary from trip to trip depending on conditions, so it is important to let the trout dictate what they want. I decided to start with a 3 5/8" Yo Zuri Twitch n' Minnow in a gold color.

Armed with my ultra-light combo, I waded into the stream and within about 10 minutes I had my first bite. After a nice fight, I landed a 13"-14" brown trout, which would be about average for the day. The key seemed to be a retrieve with long pauses after each twitch/jerk of the bait. It was at this point I realized I forgot my camera and was relegated to camera pics for the day.



A few minutes later Levi landed another brownie - about the same size. His hit a Rapala Husky Jerk. We continued fishing and quickly realized the fish were being lazier than usual in the cold water. We were getting a lot of follows without strikes and fish were mainly holding in very particular areas. We fished for about 45 minutes more. I got to a new pool and on about the 3rd cast I saw a fish follow my bait from mid-stream and finally strike near the bank. After a short fight I landed a beautiful winter brook trout. Brookies are very rare in Penns Creek, so I was especially happy to have caught this 12"+ fish. Shortly after, Levi lost a nice brown trout near the bank. We then decided to drive to another stretch of stream that we thought would be productive given the conditions.



The new area looked perfect and sure enough, on my first cast, I landed a healthy 12"-13" brown trout. Over the next hour and half I landed 3 more brown trout around 13"-14" and 1 around 10". I also had 5-6 more fish follow to the bank without striking. I found out that Levi and Jim, who had walked down-stream, landed a few fish too. They had to get going, so we drove back to their place to grab my car. Originally I was going to head home, but after a moment of debate I decided to hit the stream for about an hour more. I went back to the same area and despite my best efforts only landed one more fish - another 12"-13" brown trout. I did lose a 15"-16" fish at the bank and had another 4-5 follows.

Overall, it was a great day landing 8 trout myself and seeing many more. Plus, fishing the beautiful, clear December water in Penns Creek is a treat in itself, especially when I can share it with friends. Believe it or not, I will be on the water tomorrow morning in hopes of catching Christmas dinner. Tight lines and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas - December 25, 2010

Hello Folks,

My family and I want to wish each and every "Fishing With Dad" blog visitor a very Joyous and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

This has been a very exciting year with many fishing adventures. The past month has been unusually cold and windy. Because of this abnormal cold weather pattern, the Susquehanna River froze over and has prevented us die-hard winter anglers from accessing water with our jet rigs. *Sigh*

Folks, it has been a very difficult week for me personally. I lost two ex-students who were only 25 and 26 years old. Cpl. Eric Torbert, Jr., 25, died in Afghanistan this past Saturday due to an explosion. This fallen soldier was returned to Dover Air Force Base where the son of my "Best Man", Jason Stone, accepted his body as a member of the USMC Honor Guard.

When Jason's father,Mike, sent me pictures of what his son's task was, I broke down. How unusual is it to know both the son returning and the son accepting? Mike wrote to me on Wednesday, December 23, 2010, and told me that Jason indeed had accepted Eric. He had contacted Jason to keep watch for Eric and Jason did. God bless the fallen and those still in service. My heart goes out to their families during this Christmas Season.

On Wednesday, December 22, 2010, I read in the obituaries that Trevor Bair, 26, died expectantly in New Jersey. I aslo had Trevor's brother, Kyle, as a student.

It wasn't unlikely that I saw several generations of siblings pass through my schools in 24 years of serving as the middle school counselor.

On Tuesday, December 21, 2010, my wife and I lost a friend, Preston "Barry" Kline, 67, owner of the "Tag Shop" in Lancaster, Pa. My wife and I often frequented this little Central Market alleyway shop for gifts and clothing. His wife, Mary Jo, was always by Barry's side and a very active co-owner. He will be sorely missed by the many who loved his wit and humor.

It's definitely hard to lose three people who passed through your life and all in just a few days. But my faith that they are now in a better place that is void of pain and suffering, allows me to accept our loss and move on in life.

Here's a little Dad "scoop"... December 25th, Christmas Day, is my Birthday! I was born in 1954. You do the math... :) (56!) My mother used to tease me and would say that she named me Tom because she was stuffing the Christmas turkey (Tom Turkey) for Christmas Day dinner when I decidd it was time to meet the world. The actual truth was that she named me after her uncle who was a Canadian Royal Mounted Policeman. She had a picture of my Great Uncle Tom sitting atop his stead in full dress. I have absolutely no idea where that picture has gotten to after she passed away five years ago. Most likely, one of my two older brothers have the picture stored away and have absolutely no idea who he is... LOL.

We usually try to get our sons at least one gift that they truly want for Christmas. So, this year, our youngest son got a set of 50 lb. "dial-in" dumbbells for his P90X workouts. He dropped from 240 to 171 lb. by watching his diet and working out using this workout system. We are so proud of him.

Our middle son received a Kinect for his X-Box 360. And my oldest son, received two video games... NBA Jam for X-Box 360 and Epic Mickey for Wii.

This will be our second granddaughter's (Oldest Son's Child) very first Christmas. What a blessing to have two very healthy little granddaughters. We love them dearly!

Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Dad

Solution :)

MERRY XMAS :)