Pre-Fishing the Bill in VA Not-So-Memorial

[Jim in VA]

Went out this weekend to check out Lake Anna on the hotside. As Bill noted in another post, temps are down. About 83 degrees at Dike 1, 80 degrees at midlake and 78 in the last lagoon. Saturday morning bite was good, but it died as soon as the sun was up all the way. Still managed these two beauties!

Earlier today, the family was with me so we didn't get out until later in the morning. However, still managed to find these two.

All came in about 2.5 to just under 3 pounds.

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Nice fish Jim!! Your son is getting BIG man!!!

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Dang red "x"s....I bet they're nice fish.:wacko:

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

That one in the middle looks pretty big to me Jim



About, <Gulp> 40 years ago I was fishing one of Marylands drinking water reservoirs out of a 12' Sears V-Bottom tin boat and two pflueger electric motors. No gas motors allowed and the water was so clear you could see the date on a quarter at 20', or so it seemed. Four pound test line looked like rope in the water. Like your day on Anna, I was having a pretty good day until the sun came out so I decided to go on in. As I was pulling the boat up on shore a little and old man, and when I say old I mean OLD, even older than Greg Meyer, was getting ready to launch his boat. He asked how I did and I told him ok till the sun came out. He asked me how I was fishing and when I realized what he meant I told him I was basically a bank roamer and loved fishing drop offs and points. He said, "did you notice how darn clear that water is?" I said, "uh, yes". He then told me I should have started fishing around piers and docks and even tied up boats.

Just to really appease him I asked why I should have done that. He then told me a few words that I have never forgotten. "Bass don't have sun glasses". Using his logic has paid off for me more than ounce.



Did you save some for us (by saying us I really mean me by the way) for the Rally in December?



Uncle Billy

 

[Mark Jaworski]

Hi Jim,



Nice fish,



I was on the cold side Sunday. I saw Bill pull in to launch his boat. I was fishing the dike by his ramp. We managed to catch about 7 (dinks) 1 good keeper 2.5lbs, and the other Bill from VA caught just about the same.



Toxic, Thanks for the striper info, but I wound up BASS fishing all day.



I hope to see you all at the Memorial.



Mark

 

[Jim in VA]

Thanks guys! Don't worry Uncle Billy. I can't seem to get past that darned three pound ceiling so all the big fish are still in the lake! Maybe when we go out during the NSM, you can show me how its done? Always willing to learn!

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Thanks guys! Don't worry Uncle Billy. I can't seem to get past that darned three pound ceiling so all the big fish are still in the lake! Maybe when we go out during the NSM, you can show me how its done? Always willing to learn!

HaHaHa:lol::lol: Yep, that's I'd do too Jim I'd take a guy out fishing, one who really hasn't fished for almost three years, and on a Lake he'd only been on once before, and then ask him how to do ANYTHING.:huh::wacko::lol::lol::lol:



I guess I'll have to let Nancy know I'm going to the Hot Side of Anna tomorrow so I can pre-fish the tournament. Of course I'll have to stay at your house and use your boat but not to worry, I'll bring my own gear.



Uncle Billy

 

[Jim in VA]

Hey Unc - to get past that darned 3 pound mark, I'll take tips from ANYONE with experience! You may have been out of the game for three years or so, but last I checked, fish haven't changed that much in that short span of time! :lol::lol:

 

[Mike Zechman]

AHHHH the memories of the hotside! I'll be down there again for a full week next may, can't wait already! NICE FISH JIM!

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Jim,



They're still there but you hafta go lookin'!! The big girls don't hang out with the schoolies. Here is my 8lb citation fish from earlier this simmer. I can't imagine what she would weigh in fattened up in the fall or full of eggs in the spring. She might have been my first wall hanger if I had caught her at either of those times instead of the dog days of summer.

TOXIC

 

[Jim in VA]

Holy Crap Tox!! How did you manage that photoshop to make the fish bigger, but you thinner?!? Seriously, NICE FISH! You'll have to share some of those secrets at the Bill Event.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Good one Jim.......

KB

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Just so you know we still have some good ones on the hot side. I was out on Monday afternoon and it was slow. Went to the mouth of canal 2 (at lagoon 3) and managed to pick up a 5 1/2 pounder on a June Bug Senko. This was right next to Toxic's guide customer Seth's house right at the corner of the canal and the lagoon. Nice fish. Water temps at 80 degrees.



Better get here and pre-fish ' cause I am! LOL

 

[Jim in VA]

Bill in VA - nice!! But no picture?? :lol::lol:



I'll be down on Saturday, but no fishing for me. Got to get those darned reflectors installed around the dock. Silly regulation if you ask me . . .

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Jim - No fishin' for me either. My truck is in the shop until at least Monday as the differential went in the rear. Parts on order and under warranty (thank god).

 

[Jim in VA]

Bill - something I've been meaning to ask you. Is it at all possible to walk along Dike 2 from your common area? If so, you wouldn't need a boat to fish there :lol:



Hope we can get together to pre-fish the Not-So-Memorial...

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Jim, from what I've seen, you can walk almost all the way around the lake!! I always lose a lot of weight during the heat of summer...I sweat most of it off and this summer was a great one for that!! I'm busy putting it back on though!!:lol: Heck there's no secret spots. It's the same thing that happened when I started tournament fishing....I got conditioned to go where the fish are.......but not the BIG fish. I call them client fish cause I can usually count on numbers. Now I am targeting the bigger fish who, like I said, don't always hang out with the smaller fish. If I had to guess that is the difference between the "pro's" and the weekend warrior. The pros have learned to pattern the bigger fish.....in any type of weather,..... any time of year,.... on any body of water,....and on a consistent basis:lol::lol: I take my hat off to those guys because it is so much more than just being a "good stick".



TOXIC

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Jim - You can walk across the dike to / from our common area. It goes over to Twin Lakes and eventually to Moody Town Road. From the gates at both ends of the dike it is 3/4 of a mile. Martie and I walk from our house to Moody Town Road each morning and it is 3.96 miles round trip. As far as walking around the lake we are getting close, but nothing like it was back in '02 (That's 2002 not 1902 haha). We were down nearly 6 feet and we drove the 4-wheeler from the common area to canal 1 all on the lake bed.



With respect to the bass I only took a pic with my phone and it came out lousy since my arm is so short. LOL

 

[mike chip]

when are we prefishing for the not so memorial? what should i bring?

mike c

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Mike - Pre-fishing is an open invitation between now and the not-so-memorial. Bring yourself. Passes are under the front mat. As mentioned previously, there are no issues about launching from either the hot or cold side since we put the stone in. If you want, let me know if you are coming and I can see if I can make it also. Martie and I are going on a cruise to the Southern Caribbean the first two weeks in November but you are welcome to come then also.