The 2011 Bassmaster Classic starts this coming Friday on the Louisiana Delta. All the festitivities associated with the event will held be in New Orleans. The map above should give you an idea about how big an area these guys have to fish.

I had a great time talking to both John Crews and Rick Morris in previewing this year’s event. Crews will be fishing his fifth Classic. Morris just missed qualifying. He’s fished in four previous Classics. Neither fished the Classic in 2003, the last time it was held on the Louisiana Delta. I also asked both of them about the Northern Open event on the James in July. Morris said he’ll be fishing it. Crews won’t. I’m hoping to get out on the water with Morris during one of his James River practice sessions. Look for that in late June.

There’s a lot going on in today’s column. Let’s start with the Hot Ditch and the efforts by VIMS and Dominion to get anglers to keep fewer big specks in that area. Click here for information on the game fish tagging program. Here’s a cool video of a guy fishing the Hot Ditch from his kayak. Here’s the location of the Hot Ditch on Google Maps

For more on the Virginia Saltwater Angler Registry program, click here.

The Virginia Public Access Project makes it easy to find out who’s given what to politicians.

http://www.vpap.org/legislators

Then click on delegates (e.g. Albert Pollard), then “Money In” tab (pick your time frame).

As an example, below are the Omega Protein donations to Delegates on the Chesapeake Subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources
This is the group (on the House side) that is supposedly “managing” Menhaden in Virginia waters.

Delegate 2009-2010 2006-2010

Beverly Sherwood $500 $500

R. Lee Ware $1000 $2500

Edward Scott $1250 $1250

Brenda Pogge $750 $750

Lynnwood Lewis $1000 $2000

David Bulova $500 $500

Luke Torian $250

Source: Virginia Public Access Project http://www.vpap.org/legislators?display=length_of_service

Contributions by Omega Protein’s lobbying firms are also relevant as well as “hospitality” provided.

The section in question has special regulations. Click here to see the game department’s list of streams with special regs for trout fishing. This area of the South River falls under the 16-inch, two fish per day category.

Here are the trophy brown and rainbow trout he caught at Hemlock Springs.

Here’s the spreadsheet Miklandric uses to track his fishing progress during the year.

And finally, here’s a pic of a citation smallmouth he caught.