Electronic Version of Buzz's Plus Some Oldies

• From the Desk of Buzzbait King - Ken Schultz

• Quetico Provincial Park - Bob Gazzolla

• Lou Giusto breaks the 100-inch mark! - Jack Cook

• Buzz Bait King Hooks the Big One (Bill Pearl gets Purple Heart)! - Ken Schultz

• A Different Kind of Boat - Ron Marafioti

• Rappahannock Averages

• Shad Fishing 101 - Jay Eichie

• Illegal Fishing on Potomac

• $100 Reward for Sturgeon

 

Live... From the Desk of Buzzbait King
by Ken Schultz

Gary Giesler and I had decided to get a shovel and bury our jet boat. The jet boat needed to be repaired AGAIN! It seemed like the boat needed repair work done every time we took it out on the water. Each time the jet went back to the repair shop, it cost more and took longer to fix. The last time the boat was in the shop, it took 3 months to fix. Now to add insult to injury, the dealerships wanted thousands to try and fix it again. We just didn't know what to do. We had already put so much into that boat. We hated to get rid of the jet and yet we hated to try to fix something that just was not fixable. I was fed up with that damn boat, enough is enough.
At the next PRSC meeting, I was busy complaining. That was nothing new, since frustration had completely taken over. Ron Marrs overheard my whining and took pity this on this poor non-mechanical schnook. "If you would like me to take a look at the engine, bring it over to my house. I'd be happy to check it out". Gary and I figured why not? So over to Ron's house we went with jet boat in tow. A week or so later [faster than any dealership we dealt with] Ron called and said "Your boats ready" We were delighted! Ron had done the amazing. This engine was humming like a baby. Ron had located the problem and fixed it, repairing parts we didn't know could be repaired. We are now running up and down the river, full throttle!! And the best part is...NO PROBLEMS! Ron asked very little compensation for his innumerable skills. Having club members like Ron on the roster sure is great. He was invaluable for Gary and I. We really appreciate his talents.  So if you are having problems or are stuck like we were, give Ron a call 703-444-4676. You will be glad you did.

Quetico Provincial Park
by Bob Gazzolla

If you want the ultimate in a fishing trip try the many lakes in Quetico Provincial Park in Canada in the Boundary Waters midway between International Falls and Thunder Bay. It is an eat, sleep and fish environment with no distractions except some occasionally sporty weather. Frank Elam and I went for the first time the summer before last. Someone I know had fished it the year before and recommended it to me. Being cautious and recognizing that our camping and navigational skills were a little rusty, we elected not to venture into the Park on our own. Instead, we decided to stay at a resort. We spent a fair amount of time during the winter trying to select one, Camp Quetico, and lucked out on our choice. At the resort, we took off each morning in our camp supplied pickup truck, motor and other gear to a different lake. We would return at night for a 7 PM dinner and then fish until dark on the resort lake using one of their boats and motors. We fished for Smallies and Northerns and had a great time. We even collected a few memorable war stories. Before leaving we inquired about a guide to take us into Quetico Park the following year. By the way, Quetico is strictly paddle canoe environment with no motors or fly-ins allowed. We learned about a new guide, Bob Burns, recently retired from 30 years as a Parks Department Employee who had canoed the park for many years. We booked him for this past summer and Frank Elam, John Hayes and I spent eight great days with him camping, paddling, and fishing in Quetico catching Smallmouth, up top 3 3/4 pound (We were a little early in the year - temperature wise); Northerns up to 11 pounds; Walleye up to six pounds; and lake trout up to fifteen pounds. The weather was mostly cooperative. It was a great fishing, camping, outdoor adventure with several close-up sightings of moose compliments of Bob Burns as well as bald eagles, deer and ever-present loons. The next party Bob took out after us caught 5 1/2 pound smallies in warmer conditions. Northwest flies into International Falls and the folks at Quetico will pick you up at the airport as long as you let their drivers stop at McDonalds (Quetico is pretty remote). It doesn't get any better than this!!

Lou Giusto breaks the 100-inch mark!
by Jack Cook

Two years ago we were all impressed when Roger Brown broke the 90-inch mark. This year you have to be over 90" just to be a player. We already have four 90+ totals recorded. Even more impressive than that is the 102.5" total reported by Lou Giusto. All right, I know what you’re thinking, Lou’s a guide, he has a raft, he can get to water we can’t and he can cover large stretches of river to get his total. It’s not fair! Well, my sources tell me Lou caught all these fish wading in one evening. By the way, Lou’s big fish was 22.5".

Joining Lou with an impressive total this month is Ken Schultz who had a 90" total and took a 20" fish on a separate trip on the North Fork.

Lest you think the only hot place is the North Fork, Rich Coffman posted a 94" total with a 20.5" big fish in Section III. Had Lou not posted his 102.5" total, this would have tied the record. Rich was fishing with a guide who’s stated ambition is to become the "Chuck Kraft of the Potomac", Jeff Kelble.

Although these totals are impressive, the man who worries Jeff Kelble and myself as the William Schriver contender is Jeff Little. This early in the year Jeff Little has a 236" total which is only 16" below a new club record. Jeff Kelble and I think it’s time to start practicing a little defense against Jeff Little. However, after discussing it we came to the conclusion that the old conventional defense won’t work any more. If we drill holes in his boat he’ll just patch them and to throw rocks at him we have to know where he’s fishing and he’s getting pretty secretive about where he’s going.

Jeff Kelble’s idea is to hide an ultrasonic fish repeller in Jeff Little’s kayak, like the kind you put in your house to ward off roaches. I told Jeff Kelble that his plan was extremely diabolical, I like it!

A word of warning to fly fishermen, this is the last time I’m going to let the absence of a fly fishing total pass without comment.

Anyway, if these totals don’t inspire you to go fishing, it’s time to take up golf.

Buzzbait King Hooks the Big One!
by Ken Schultz

(Bill Pearl to receive PRSC Purple Heart)

Bill Pearl and I were fishing the Shenandoah River on a beautiful sunny day. The fishing had been good and we were just about to call it a day. One last cast and one careless moment later and Bill was wearing my buzzbait in his jaw. I was upset as hell and ironically, Bill was trying to comfort me. Bill was handling a painful situation very well. He wound-up holding his jaw, decorated with my buzzbait, with one hand or another for five hours and never complained. The good news is:

1. Fair Oaks Hospital Emergency Room is a very good operation.
2. The doctor was very good and capable. He used a new technique to rotate the hook out without damaging any more of Bill's jaw.
3. Bill's loving wife, Joan, was there to support Bill all the way!
4. Joan did not kick my butt!

Lessons to be learned, have fun but don't act carelessly! -"former" BuzzBait King - z

A Different Kind of Boat
by Ron Marafioti

For many of us, we are wedded to our canoes. They provide us with a comfortable ride, room for plenty of gear, bounce off rocks that move into our paths, and carry us to the successful conclusion of each of our trips. But as some of you know, there is a growing number of members who have or are switching to kayaks to carry them and their gear through our Club's fishing experiences. So I thought maybe a word from a novice kayaker may be helpful to those who are contemplating a move to this sleeker-looking, faster hull form.

Based upon my first experiences in a kayak, my first opinions (these are the ones that count...right?) are:

1. the hulls are more slippery in the water (boy, when you reposition your butt in the seat, the whole boat moves),

2. I thought kayaks were more stable than canoes (if you lean, the kayak follows suit immediately),

3. whittle down what you carry (no large lure boxes or huge bags of plastics), and

4. kayak seats may look more comfortable than a canoe seat, but you can't let looks deceive you.

Although similar, the kayak sure felt more sensitive to body motion than my canoe. In addition, my canoe has served as "Mother" ship to many an accompanying kayaker...now I know why.

Which is better? I believe this question has to be answered by each person, but I can tell you that one of the reasons I had to try a kayak was that I was tired of fighting the wind when I was soloing in my canoe. So when I took my new kayak out on a windy lake for a trial run, and found that I could keep its bow pointed into the wind without a lot of extra effort, I knew that I had my found the right hull form in which to be a solo fisherperson. Maybe I can't carry as much baggage (and I still have a lot of work to do to whittle my lure bags/boxes down to size) but I can maneuver on a dime. No, I won't give up my canoe, and I prefer to canoe with a mate, but on those days when soloing is in the cards, I'll load up the kayak and go for a ride. Good fishing and safe boating to all!

Shad Fishing 101
by Jay Eiche

It has become something of a tradition for me to start each Spring fishing for shad.   That season is upon us as I write this article the third week of March and will generally continue to mid to late April.

There are two excellent nearby places to fish for shad:  the Potomac River in the Fletchers Boathouse/Little Falls area and on the Rappahannock River between Embry Dam to a mile or so below the Route 1 bridge.  The shad come into the Rappahannock a little earlier than the Potomac, but the peak is traditionally the first two weeks of April +/-. Former PRSC President Jon Weimer was the first person to take me shad fishing.  I was not initially impressed.  As Jon encouraged me to stick with it, I began to catch more and more shad and it has become one of those rites of passage.  You can reach Jon at jweimer@shentel.net.

Another great source of Shad fishing information, is Fredericksburg fishing guide Smith Coleman. Smith guides for shad, striper and smallmouth and teaches fly fishing on the Rappahannock, is the Vice-chairman of the Executive Committee for the Friends of the Rappanhannock and has spoken to the club on a number of occasions.  Smith is a great guy and puts a lot of fishermen on shad every year.  If you want to condense the learning curve, I’d suggest you hire Smith who can be reached at rapangler@msn.com.

Two other good sources of information, licenses and shad darts are Fletchers boathouse for the Potomac (www.fletchersboathouse.com, 202-244-0461) and Als Sporting Goods for the Rappahannock (540-373-3009).  I had some great shad fishing at Fletchers last year.   They sell the necessary DC fishing license ($10 nonresident) and shad darts, have a beautiful spot along the river with a huge parking lot and you can wade in from shore and get to some of the best shad fishing around.  The drive into Fletchers is probably the most difficult part.  Access is off canal road which at different times of the day can be one way into, or out of, the city.  Final thought would be if driving in from the north, pull over into the exit lane to Fletcher and back part way down the driveway as turning in from that direction requires the turning radius of a Yugo, not that SUV you drive.

Additionally you can buy darts at some Kmarts, Sports Authority, Walmarts and interestingly almost always at Bill Lawn and Garden (703-524-2400) on Lee Hwy in Arlington near intersection with Glebe Road.  The boys at Anglers Lie (703-527-2524) do some fly fishing for shad as does the fly shop in Fredericksburg whose name escapes me.   Bass Pro also carries shad darts both at their retail store near Baltimore and via mail order.  Red and white, red and yellow, green and black all work at times.

The rig I use is an 1/8oz dart tied to 1/16oz trailer back about 12-18 inches.  Cast out across the current, let it sink for a second and reel in at about the speed you would an inline spinnerbait such as a roostertail. Smallmouth tackle is fine for shad.  The fishing is in best low light (early morning, late evening or cloudy days).  Clear water is better than muddy water, but sometimes clearing water following a big storm runoff sees a push of shad that may have been waiting for the water to clear.   Fishing is better when the tide is moving, best coming off high tide.  Smith likes a full moon, doesn’t matter to Jon.  You can fish from a boat, but wading is just as effective.  If you wade, wear a PFD and waders with fleece under them.   The water is still pretty cold (upper 40-low 50s).  Hickory shad run 15-20” and maybe 2 lbs; American Shad are much less frequently seen and can easily be 4lbs + and all the fight you want in fast current.  Check your drag, you may actually need it to not break off some fish.

A couple final notes, the Federal Government spent over a million dollars putting in a new fish ladder at Brookmont Dam above Little Falls on the Potomac to open new spawning areas for shad and stripers.  ICPRB fisheries Biologist, Jim Cummings, would be thrilled to have any reports of shad being caught above Brookmont Dam and can be reached at jcummins@icprb.org or 301-984-1908, extension 106. There is a moratorium on keeping shad, so it’s all catch and release.  Please report any poaching on the Potomac to Fletchers and they will make sure those folks get an appropriate greeting when returning to the parking lot.  Good fishing.

$100 Reward for Sturgeon