Did you get out over the weekend or one afternoon and do any fishing?

I got out last Tuesday with my brother Bill to see if we could find anything at the flea market. Lots of cool stuff, but nothing said “got to have” to us. Afterwards, I slipped over to Wilna Pond in search of a monster bass. It started off a little slow, but I kept my head in it and found them gradually. Nothing big— everything was between 2 and 3 pounds on a variety of baits. I managed a total of seven bass before I had to head home and get ready for Bible Study.

While I had hoped to get out sooner, I didn’t get the opportunity to slide back over to Wilna until Saturday. I arrived just after sunrise and made my way into the back of the pond and the biggest patch of lily pads. I had my frog tied on and worked the outer edges of the pads, looking for that exciting explosion. It didn’t take long before I had the first blow up. I waited to set the hook, dropping the rod tip and reeling up the slack before checking for the weight of the bass. Then the fight began as I worked her back through the pads. What a start—a beautiful 3 pound bass that I released to grow up.

I continued fishing around the pads and caught another 3 pounder on a spinnerbait along the edge. Then I caught another 3 pound bass around some wood using a Texas rigged soft plastic creature bait. I had high hopes of catching a big female at any moment.

I worked my way around and back out of the cove. I switched to a lipless crankbait and made a cast along the corner of the wind blown point. What an amazing moment—my line suddenly stopped and almost ripped the rod out of my hand as it bent over.

I felt the head shake, and then the rod bent even further as she made a run away from me. Line started peeling off the reel, and I just knew I had found the bass I’d been searching for all morning. She made a huge break for freedom, but I kept the pressure on and worked her closer to the boat and my net.

She made another run as she got close, going under the boat, but I pulled hard and forced her back out where I was finally able to slide the net under her. What a fight! She wasn’t the giant I thought she was going to be—she had the heart of a 10 pounder but the body of an almost 4 pound bass. She may not have been my monster in size, but in fight, she absolutely was.

Back she went to grow into that 10 pound bass she thought she was.

I continued fishing and eventually returned to the lily pads as the sun climbed higher. I made a cast over the pads with my frog and had a bass explode on it. I felt its weight as I set the hook but missed it. It came right back and hit again, but I got excited, forgot to wait, and missed it completely.

I kept working the pads and had another bass explode on my frog, but it missed the bait entirely as it came out of the water. I made several casts, working the frog around the pads, when I saw the surface bust with small baitfish—a sure sign of a bigger fish nearby. I cast just past them into the edge of the pads and started working the frog back. No reaction except the baitfish scattering.

I made a second cast, and this time something busted the surface as it ate my frog. I set the hook hard and fought it through the pads. Still not a monster, but a solid 3 pounder.

I worked my way back toward the front and found another bass on a spinnerbait. I never did find that true monster bass, but I did catch seven solid 3 pounders. I only missed one fish, which is pretty good.

Most importantly, I got to spend the day out in God’s mighty creation doing something I really love—fishing. What a great Saturday indeed.

River Action

In the Rappahannock River, the fishing is really starting to heat up. Remember to always check the regulations on what you can and cannot keep before putting anything in your cooler.

The stripers are feeding in the shallows of the rivers and lower creeks, and the speckled trout are hanging in the same areas. Some black drum have moved into the area around White Stone, and plenty of cownose (Atlantic) rays have moved in.

Yellow perch are still being caught. Catfish have been plentiful around the Downing Bridge in the deeper holes and upriver on the outside bends of the river channel. The mouths of the creeks are also good areas to find them.

Around the Pond

In the local ponds, most of the bass are hungry. While some bass have not yet moved up to spawn, most have moved off the beds and are feeding heavily. Work the shallows with moving baits like spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, swim jigs, and crankbaits.

Slower presentations that work well include wacky rigged worms, Texas rigged worms or creature baits, and jigs. These are great along the shore and around laydowns and lily pads. You may need a heavier weight to punch into the thicker pads.

As bass move into deeper water off the first drop off, moving baits like crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and jerkbaits all come into play. While I love a good crankbait, my favorite is the lipless crankbait. It can be fished higher in the water with a fast retrieve or deeper with a slower retrieve. It can be used from the bank, but it will get hung up.

The topwater bite is really good. A hollow bellied frog is great over pads and laydowns. Walking style topwaters, poppers, and buzzbaits are great choices for areas without a lot of hang ups. Just be patient.

Events to Remember

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources has scheduled a meeting about Gardy’s Mill Pond for May 28 at the Callao Fire Department from 5–7 p.m. The public can talk with DWR staff and engineers from Hurt and Proffitt. Let’s fill the place and voice our concerns about getting this important public pond back. It is also a dry hydrant location for the fire department—an important safety resource.

Kids Fishing Day is coming up on June 6 and June 13. June 6 will be at Wilna Pond, and June 13 will be at the Port Royal Town Pier.

Spaces are filling up, so make sure to reserve your spot. It is open to kids ages 4–15, and all you need to bring is yourself. You can register online at www.rwrfriends.org, email fishing@rwrfriends.org, or call 804 250 6528. It’s going to be a great day of fun.

Safety in Mind

Make sure to leave a float or bank plan with someone, and let them know if you make changes. Wear your life jacket, especially when the big motor is engaged, and attach your kill switch as the operator of the boat. For kayakers, canoeists, and jet skiers, wear it at all times.

Remember to check your fishing regulations and follow the rules of the water. Think safety first, have fun, and live to fish another day.

If you get to go fishing one afternoon, evening, or this coming weekend, take some pictures of your catch or the kids having fun. I want to see them and share them here for everyone to see just how beautiful the Northern Neck is for fishing. Send your pictures, fishing reports, questions, or comments to FishingNNK@gmail.com. This column is about you and for you and fishing in the Northern Neck. Remember: “Do yourself a favor, take a kid fishing.” Make a memory to last a lifetime.