Jared Lawson’s 210 English ePortfolio

Bass fishing is known to be one of the most popular types of fishing due to the action and excitement that it brings. It has turned into a big sport where tournaments are hosted with professionals and get televised, and there are also tournaments that anyone else are able to join in and win money as well. However, Bass fishing can be very hard just like any other type of fishing. There have been thousands of baits and lures produced and created that are meant for different seasons, ponds, and time of the day.

A few of the main things you want to look out for would be the season and time of day. The season is very important because it depends when the fish will really bite and how big they will be. In the spring, it is the easiest time of the year to be able to catch a fish because they are spawning around the body of water. What you want to look out for are known as “beds”. This is where the fish lay their eggs and become very protective over this area, especially the females. The females are also bigger than males which make beds even more important. 

In the Spring season it is also important to throw a bait/lure that imitates a crawfish or worm. Throwing this bait onto a bed will immediately bring the bass over and almost certainly give you a chance to catch it. 

In the winter, it is much harder to catch bass. They are mostly not biting because they are going into a “hibernation” state where they are all full. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible to catch them because when you do, they are usually a good size. One lure that is nice to use during the winter from what I have learned is a rattle trap. A rattle trap is a lipless crank bait that has beads inside to make a rattling sound and get the fish excited. One good color is a shiny white/chrome color to imitate any shad that are in the body of water. While throwing this you want to look for bait fish jumping around and throw it into the school and you will have a great chance at catching a bass. 

Other than the seasons, water clarity, water temperature, and time of day are important as well. The clarity can help decide which type of line you need so the fish won’t be able to see it. It also helps decide which color lure to throw. If it is clear, then it is easy to throw something white or blue. If it is dark, then you can throw a brown, green, red, or any darker color. 

This is my personal best (10 lbs) that I caught off a clear water bank with a watermelon colored senko.

The temperature is important because it can tell you the depth of where the fish are staying. If it is warm, then the fish will be lower because they like the cooler water. The time of day is important because the fish bite in the morning and late afternoon. Throwing a topwater lure, such as a frog, is crucial to these times of day because that’s the most time they will strike at it. If you heard the frogs chirping, then it is a good sign to throw topwater. Overcast is also a great time to fish because it gets fish in a biting mood. This is when you could throw a worm anywhere or any type of swimming or crank bait. However, when it is sunny, you want to throw something flashy that will catch the bass’s eye and imitate a shad swimming around. 

Other lakes and ponds can have a factor in being able to catch one too. Some lakes or ponds are stocked, which means that people placed the fish there. It is always fun to fish in a stocked pond because you are guaranteed to catch a fish, but some professionals look at it as a cheap way. 

Knowing which bait to throw is the most important of all. Each lure is meant to be used in a certain type of way such as a worm or craw being jigged, crank bait and swim bait being reeled, and frog being jerked. It takes time to learn how to properly work each lure. However, the easiest to use is a worm where you just have to reel it in and pop it along the bottom of the pond/lake, which they will bite at no matter what. Over the past six years I am still learning more and more about Bass fishing myself. This is why I think it is such a great hobby because the excitement and learning never gets boring.

https://bassonline.com/fishing-tips/

This is a link to my video on a tutorial for the GoPro Hero 4.

https://youtu.be/zKmKoiuB7CE

There are countless places where I have gone to eat and sat there deciding if I would like to come back because of good service, good food, or just a great atmosphere. I could do multiple reviews on restaurants that I absolutely love, however I’m going to do this review where it hits right at home. Literally. Lovells Place in West Point, Virginia is a small bar and grill that was opened by Michelle Lovell in 2013 who used to own Damon’s Bar and Grill in Gloucester, Virginia. I have been going to Lovell’s since it opened because it is right down the street from my house and have loved it since. It is a very welcoming place and will always give entertainment with the dollar beer and karaoke on Thursdays. Many people that come through Lovell’s will be the usual crowd that you would see each time visiting since West Point is such a small town. 

Michelle is known to be the main cook of the restaurant and is one of the best in my opinion. They have a fantastic Bacon Cheese Burger, Memphis BBQ Pizza, Tsunami Shrimp, West Point Krabby Patty, and many more items on their menu. However, my go-to every time is the Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwich with their homemade chips and ranch and also their Buffalo Wings. There are some restaurants where you could get the same meal and it would taste similar, but Lovells has their own taste since most foods are homemade with Michelle’s own recipes. You usually won’t hear any bad reviews from Lovell’s because of the friendly people that mostly know each other and great food that is served. Lovell’s also has their own Sunday brunch that they host with all homemade food. It may seem expensive when it comes to their breakfast food, but it has been one of the best breakfast experiences I have had with an amazing omelet, home fries, toast, and bacon.

Each time you go to the restaurant it fills you with happy bellies and emotions. Although, the food is not the only best thing at the restaurant. You can find many of the locals hanging out on the weekends drinking beer, playing cornhole and pool, dancing to great music and even having a birthday or party for a special occasion. The restaurant also has many bands, including my fathers, that play every once in a while. It has turned into the go-to place in West Point since it opened and has given everyone in this small town something to do for once. 

Lovells has always been a great place to get food and have a good time, especially when you are of age to have a drink. Something interesting will always happen on a weekend and will never be an upsetting experience. It has a great atmosphere and great food which is why I recommend visiting this small town restaurant that every West Point local will recommend to you.

I’ve been to a good amount of places outside of Virginia. However, one experience that I had has always stood out to me by being the most fascinating and adventurous. In 2011 I took a trip to Adelaide, Australia to see my aunt, uncle, and cousins that I rarely get to see. This also turned out to be the most painful trip with being an 11 year old on a plane from LA, California to Sydney, Australia for 17 hours straight. However, the long painful trip was worth it. We got to visit many beaches and also a petting zoo where we were able to feed emus and kangaroos. Although, my favorite part was the chance to hold a koala since it is no longer allowed. The beaches were located in South Australia and were far more beautiful than any beach I have ever visited. 

At the beaches I was also able to take surfing lessons with my family. My mom, sister, and myself have always loved surfing in the Outer Banks which gave us a great idea to take the lessons and have the ability to say we surfed in Australia. My aunt also decided to tag along which was an entertaining sight. 

Another remarkable opportunity I had was being able to swim with the dolphins. Even though I was completely terrified of the shark infested waters, this is when I learned that if dolphins are around, then there are no sharks. This tour we went on was completely amazing with being able to see the cliffs on the side of the land and the beautiful clear water. The tour also seemed pretty scary looking back at it since the tour guide threw us in the water and around 15 people had to hold onto a rope behind a boat. 

While looking back at the trip as a 21 year old, I appreciate the views and opportunities I gained from visiting. It is a very peaceful place wherever you go which definitely seems like it would be a fun country to get a job in. My aunt’s family that lives there also owns their own vineyard. Luckily I have been told that I am always welcome and could easily work on the vineyard. It would be such a great experience that some people wouldn’t be able to have and is very hard to turn down.

This experience of walking throughout their vineyard and hills on their land is something like I have never experienced before. There is much more open land than many places I have seen before. It is much different being in another country because nearly everything is different than we are used to. Multiple brand names are changed such as Burger King being a Hungry Jack’s and the food is much different as well. 

This experience of travelling this far away is something I will never forget. There were so many activities and trips that my family and I did while visiting this unknown country. It was definitely one of the best times of my life and I would go back in a heartbeat if I could.

Map of Adelaide