Out There Catching Bass

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

I hope all the dads and father figures had a great Father’s Day. While my dad passed away years ago, I still thank him for everything he taught me and the things he did to make my youth a fun time. To all the dads, thank you for the things you do for us.

Last Monday afternoon, I slipped over to Wilna Pond for a little fun. It was slow, and the bite was tough for me. My normal baits were not getting anything. I switched over to a skinny worm on a stand-up light jighead.

It didn’t take long for that first bite to happen. Nothing huge, around 2 pounds, but it was a clue. I kept throwing it up shallow, and while it wasn’t quick, I kept finding bass. I got a couple of nice bass, around 2 ½ pounds, and then some smaller ones. It makes for a fun time.

I managed to catch a total of nine bass for the day before heading home.

While I was at Wilna, Danny Ray Marks and his buddy JJ were on a local creek doing some fishing as well. They were having fun too. While they didn’t have any scales, they caught some real beautiful bass. But they would not give up what secret baits they were using. Way to go!

I slipped back over to Wilna Wednesday morning, in hopes of finding that early bite and a big bass. It started off slow as I worked my way around, hitting a few spots I thought might hold a big one. Working my frog through the lily pads proved an effective weapon. A frog can be so rewarding, but bass can blow up on it and miss it totally.

My first cast up into the lily pads exploded when my bait hit the water. He missed it, and I twitched it a little bit. Once again, there was another explosion. I felt the weight and set the hook hard. What a fight.

I managed to pull her out of the pads as she was pulling for all she had. She made a run toward me. I had my net ready. I knew she was a big bass, but just as fast as she hit, she was gone.

I had pressure on her, and she turned just enough to dislodge my frog. I was thrilled for the fight but defeated with the loss. I didn’t give up.

I managed to catch my first bass, about 2 pounds, on the frog. It exploded on my frog and ate it good, putting up a great fight.

After a quick picture, I released her, and my hopes were high.

I kept throwing my frog in and around the pads, but I had more bass miss it totally than eat it. While that is fishing, it is still so exciting when it happens. I threw in one spot, and a bass hit hard but missed it. I worked my frog back and then threw it in the same spot again. This time he didn’t miss, and I was rewarded with a nice 3 pound bass.

I kept working around, switching baits depending on the cover. I switched over to the Texas rigged creature bait, and it was working good. I had caught six bass, and number seven turned out to be a great catch.

I tossed my bait around a log and started working it along the shady side. I felt my bait get mushy and then a weight on the line. I knew it was a bass, and I set the hook hard. What a feeling as my rod bent over and the line pulled hard. She tried to work her way around the log, but I kept up the pressure and managed to pull her out from it, finally working her beside the boat and into my net. What a beauty too. She weighed 4.74 pounds and was 21.25 inches long. A few pictures, and I released her to grow up and get bigger.

I kept working my way around, finding two more smaller bass before I made a cast up shallow around some laydowns. I felt the bait jump and set my hook hard. What a fight too.

I tried to keep her head up as she tried to dive down into all the brush and get loose. For a few seconds she managed to get around a stick, but by keeping steady pressure I was able to work her back out and then into my waiting net. Excited was the key word, and I was very excited. She was 5.84 pounds and 21.50 inches long.

A few pictures, and I placed her back into the pond, working her back and forth, working water through her gills. I could see her fins working and knew she was ready to go back. I watched her as I removed my thumb, and she slowly swam off and back down into the water. What a great catch.

I continued to fish my way back toward the front, finding two more bass before missing another big bass. I had switched over to the setup from Monday, and she had taken me down into a tree. I kept pressure on her, but the thinner line just couldn’t take the rubbing against the wood and broke. I ended the day the way I started it, missing a big bass, but the in-between was amazing. What a great day.

Saturday morning I slipped back over to Wilna again for the early morning bite. I worked my way to the back to try some frog fishing. I had a small one miss my bait, and I heard a huge splash on the other side of the pads. I could see the water moving around. At first I thought it might be a big bass chasing baitfish, but then I saw it was actually two adult beavers playing around. I watched them for a few minutes before they spotted me and swam off. There is something about just watching nature that puts you at ease. It was slow, and I kept switching baits before I managed a small bass.

I kept searching until I finally made a cast up around some brush and my line jumped. I set the hook hard, and my pole bent over. What a fight, again.

She tried to get down into some trees, but I was able to keep her out of them before I was able to slip her into my net. A beautiful 5.24 pound, 22.25 inch bass that made my day.

I just love watching them swim away afterward, knowing that they could be someone’s personal best one day. I managed to catch a total of seven bass before I called it a morning and headed home so I could go over and see my daughter and the grandkids.

Sunday after church, Bentley and I decided to ride over to Wilna to do a little fishing. There was a family there that had two kayaks, and they were having a fun time. It was slow, and we always fight to be the one with the first bass. I missed my first one, and so did Bentley. I finally got to set the hook on a nice 2 pound bass to take the first catch.

We met a guy in a kayak who was coming from the back of the pond. He had caught a bunch, he said, and had a lot of fun. He wished us good luck as we continued to fish around. We both missed a couple before heading back toward the front. I managed to find another small bass before we called it a day and headed home. A great day, not because of the bass caught, but because we got to make another memory together.

Around the Pond

In the local ponds, the bass fishing is good, but it can be slow. Work the shoreline with a variety of baits such as a wacky rigged worm, a jig, and a Texas rigged worm or creature bait. Being patient is the key. Also, a spinnerbait or a shallow running crankbait is a good way to work along the shore.

Pay attention to the laydowns and brush around the bank. They will hold baitfish around them, and where there are baitfish, the bass will also be.

A lot of bass will always be shallow, while some will move out deeper when the water gets warmer.

Work the drop offs into deeper water with a variety of baits: a deeper running crankbait, a jerkbait, a lipless crankbait, or a spinnerbait. A soft or hard swimbait is also a great choice for the drop off and up shallow. Just be patient and make a lot of casts.

River Action

In the Rappahannock River, Spanish mackerel are being caught around the mouth of the river. Also, cobia are being caught from sight casting and chumming. It has been slow at times, but patience pays off.

The river is also producing some 8–10 inch croakers and some spot. Around the Downing Bridge, some nice catfish are being caught in the deeper holes on fresh cut bait. Also, the outside bends of the river channel upriver are producing some nice catfish.

Safety in Mind

The water has been busy, especially on the weekends. Plenty of anglers, boat riders, and jet skis are taking advantage of the beautiful weather. Remember to obey the rules of the water. Know the laws and obey them. Respect each other and have fun.

Wear your life jacket. Leave a float/bank plan with someone and let them know if you make changes to it. Wear protective sun gear clothing and apply your sunscreen. 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.