Mattlures

To say the results are useless because it happened in an aqurium is absurd. Yes some of thier habbits will change but they dont become smart because they were put in a cage. They learned to aviod certain baits. That is the point. in this one fact the aqarium is irrelevant. The fact that the bass learned to aviod those baits proves that bass learn. But this should have never been in doubt. its obvious. Every single animal learns to aviod danger or it dies and becomes extinct. bass are no different. If you choose to not except this then you are underestimating your openent and that just hurts you. As for worms still working after years in a pond that is very explainable. A worm is so simple and natural it has very little negative ques. Try fishing that same worm using 50lb flourescent mono. The fish will learn to aviod that line. the more natural and realistic a bait is the harder it is for them to learn. If a bass has spent years eating dragon flies and make a fly that looks just like one, it would have a hard time learning to aviod that fly. However fish dont spend their whole lives eating crankbaits and spinner baits and buzzers ets. This becomes very obvious in small invironments like ponds. In a lake there are so many fish and they are continously reproducing that the fact that they are learning to aviod certain baits might only affect your fishing by a bite or 2 a day. However using an ultra realistic or new or different bait could result in extra and possibly bigger bites

Catt I used to fish golf ponds alot and I could edjucate a pond in about 3-4 trips. For instance, I would hammer them on a buzzbait but each trip I would get less bites. However these fish still wanted topwater they just didnt want the buzzer anymore. I could get them on a poper or wakebait or jitterbug etc. Each time though the bait would fade and a different top water bait would shine. I have no doubt that these fish learned to assosiate something negative or at least that the bait was not real food. The reason this was so obvious was the small population of fish in the ponds. In a lake there are thousands, maybe even millions of bass so even though you may edgucate a small percentage of fish it would take a verry long time and many many anglers using the same bait to "teach" the fish. I do believe this happens when a hot bite is well known. It ususly lasts for a while but then it tappers off. The fish got conditioned. This is also why big fish are harder to catch. Yes there are less of them but I am sure at leastone big fish has seen joe fishermans offering almost every time he goes out. those big fish have learned not to eat lures. This is one reason why ultra realistic swimbaits produce big bass. When a bass eats a Hudd it belives its eating a trout. when a bass eats a crankbait or spinnerbait it sees an oportunuty and reacts. The more realistic the bait OR THE MORE natural (worms) the harder it is for a bass to recognize it as a negative thing. I firmly believe bass are not dumb. the biggest and oldest of everysingle animal species has learned to adapt and survive. They are smarter or more experianced then the younger ones. Bass are no different. small ones are stupid and make alot of mistakes. The big ones have learned from their mistakes and dont make them very often. Its survival of the fittest/smartest I see this all the time in the ocean too. If a paddy gets hammered the other fish wont bite. you get a few passes and the fish see the ones getting caught and they wise up real quick. This is with live bait in the ocean!!!! Throw out a chovie not attched to a line and they eat it. There are millions of example af animals getting conditioned and becoming more conditioned as they get older. I think it is illogical to not recognize this

For smaller swimbaits a swimbait rod is preffered and nice to have but not absolutly a must. However 2oz is just about the limit depending on the bait. A wood or floating resin bait doesnt quite need the same power as a soft bait. The hard baits generaly have trebles and being hard makes it easier to hook the fish. Soft bait tend to have single hooks and you need to swing harder to get good penatration plus you have to crank them all the way in. With bigger baits 3oz and up you realy do need a swimbait rod.

Fourbiz I have an idea why you dont like it. When you look ata bass from a distance you see a simple contrast of colors. Dark green that blends downward, silver/gold sides white belly and the black markings. This is kind of what your bait looks like. But when you look at a bass closer you see that it is not simple and there are other not so obvious colors like blue and flesh and reds. The green area of a bss isnt just grean its a dark green and silver/gold mixed. If you break it down and layer your paint I think you will be satisfied. I dont know if I explained all that great but I am pretty sure you got what I was saying. Oh yeah get some reference photos , close ups

http://bassbuzz.outdoorsfanmedia.com/br_news_article.asp?thecat=2&id=257

Imagine that I agree with Bizz and Paul!! Of course fish rember. It is just about a proven fact!!! It all depends on the individual fish and the bait. A worm has very little negative ques. That why you can catch the same fish over and over with it. Try using a spinner bait. Anybody who has ever had a big aqurium with bass in knows bass remember. They are much smarter the most people think and the older they get the smarter they get. Or maybe I should say instinctive. Pretty much every animal in nature "learns" to survive or they die A bass may not know what a boat is or a person casting a shadow but they do figure out that it is something bad. Same with lures. but like I said some lures are easyier to learn the others, and just like evry other animal species in the world some individuals are smarter then others.

Jake I am not trying to sell you at all. However A heavy flipping stick can easily handle a bait under 2oz. Also when you have a light bait with 2 hanging trebles you do not need to horse the fish in like you do with a heavy soft bait.

Dang maybe I should do some custom painting. Na not right now anyways. I have done some custom painting on other peoples softbaits and I preferr to just paint my own. However If I didnt make my own that might be fun and profitable.

A few years ago Bass pro sent me 2, 20 page contracts. I read them and was totaly not interested. They practicaly own you. Then this last Icast 08 I met with the main buyer and he was cool. He sent me a new , not as bad contract and I read it and considered it for about a week and finaly decided against it. When your as big as Bass Pro you call the shots and they do things thier way. We were close but I was spooked just enough to back out. Maybe someday.

A flipping stick can easily throw a 2oz bait. A big worm with a 1/4 weight weighs over an ounce. As for baits under $20 First thanks to all of you who recomended mine . Well obviously I am partial to my own but besides my baits, I think the 6in Hudd is a good deal at $15 and the 3:16 Mission fish are also good baits. Pretty much the rest are gonna cost more unless your talking about basstrix baits

17 lbers love 5in gills. I dont know about 18lbers though ;D

Mike Long has since caught about 5 more that would be on that list. I would realy like to see a current one.

Fathom I believe I have read that fals info before to. Its wrong. The fish here in So Cal are heaviest durring prespawn and spawn. The fish here in So Cal are the biggest bass in the world. Look at the dates and locations of the biggest bass ever caught. Rank Pounds Location State Angler Date 1 22.25 Montgomery Lake Georgia George Perry 6/2/32 2 22.01 Lake Castaic California Bob Crupi 3/12/91 3 21.75 Lake Castaic California Mike Arujo 3/5/91 4 21.70 Dixon Reservoir California Jed Dickerson 5/31/03 5 21.19 Lake Casitas California Ray Easley 3/4/80 6 21.01 Lake Castaic California Bob Crupi 3/9/90 7 20.94 Lake Miramar California David Zimerlee 6/23/73 8 20.86 Lake Castaic California Leo Torres 2/4/90 9 20.75 Dixon Reservoir California Mike Long 4/27/01 10 20.25 Lake Hodges California Gene Dupras 5/30/85 10 20.25 Lake Miramar California Johnny Garduno 3/25/90 12 20.13 Big Fish Lake Florida Fritz Friebel May 1923 13 19.88 Dixon Reservoir California Mike Long 2004 14 19.63 Lake Baccarac Mexico Bruce Knutsen 1/17/93 15 19.50 Lake Miramar California Keith Gunsauls 3/7/88 15 19.50 Lake Casitas California Randy Crabtree 4/9/02 15 19.50 Dixon Reservoir California Mac Weakley 5/20/03 18 19.40 Ikehara Dam Japan Kazuya Shimada 4/22/03 19 19.25 Lake Miramar California Chris Brandt 3/22/98 20 19.19 Lake Wohlford California Steve Beasley 2/3/86 20 19.19 Lake Morena California Ardon Hanline 2/17/87 22 19.06 Lake Miramar California Sandy DeFresco 3/14/88 23 19.04 Lake Castaic California Danny Kadota 1/8/89 24 19.03 Success Lake California Larry Kerns 1/27/01 25 19.00 Lake Tarpon Florida Riley Witt 6/21/61 26 18.94 Lake Isabella California Keith Harper April 1984 27 18.86 Lake Castaic California Danny Kadota 2/12/88 28 18.81 St. Johns River Florida Buddy Wright 4/12/87 28 18.81 Lake Isabella California Joe Weaver Feb. 1984 30 18.75 Lower Otay Lake California Bob Eberly 3/9/80 30 18.75 San Vicente Lake California James Steurgeon 2/26/81 30 18.75 Lake Castaic California Manny Arujo 1/25/91 30 18.75 Lake Kaweah California Nai Seathan 3/15/01 34 18.70 San Pablo California Victor Barfield 3/22/01 35 18.69 Lake Casitas California Bill Beckum 1/15/80 36 18.63 San Vicente California Doug Crandall 1979 37 18.62 Delta California Galen Jensen 2/10/02 38 18.56 San Vicente California Bobby Sandberg 1976 38 18.56 Lake Castaic California Bob Crupi 1/27/92 38 18.56 Don Pedro California Rod Martin 4/9/03 41 18.55 Lake Murray California Mike Long Dec. 2001 42 18.25 Dixon Reservoir California Mike Long 2004 42 18.25 Lower Otay California Unknown March 1980 44 18.18 Lake Fork Texas Barry St. Clair 1/24/92 45 18.15 Natchez State Park Mississippi Unknown 12/31/92 46 18.13 Dixon Reservoir California Mike Long 2003 46 18.13 Lake Poway California Mike Long 2002 48 18.10 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1998 48 18.10 Lake Murray California Mike Long Feb. 1999 50 18.00 Lake Perris California Will Steel 12/29/02 50 18.00 San Pablo California Rob Belloni 5/3/03 50 18.00 Lake Murray California Mike Long 2000 50 18.00 Mission Viejo California Mike Long 2002 54 17.95 Lake Murray California Mike Long March 1999 55 17.75 San Vicente California Unknown March, 1982 56 17.69 Lake Hodges California Unknown March, 1985 57 17.67 Lake Fork Texas Mark Stevenson 11/26/86 58 17.64 Lake Fork Texas Stan Moss 4/1/89 59 17.63 Lake Fork Texas Jerry New 8/28/90 60 17.50 Lake Poway California Mike Long 2000 60 17.50 Lake Poway California Mike Long 2001 60 17.50 San Vicente California Unknown March, 1979 63 17.25 Dixon Reservoir California Mike Long 2003 63 17.25 Lake Hodges California Unknown March, 1985 63 17.25 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1999 66 17.19 Lower Otay California Unknown Jan. 1985 67 17.13 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1998 67 17.13 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1999 69 17.11 Lake Murray California Mike Long March 1999 70 17.08 Lake Fork Texas Troy Coates 2/26/91 71 17.06 Lake Miramar California Mike Long 2000 71 17.06 San Vicente California Unknown Feb. 1979 73 17.05 Lake Murray California Mike Long March 2000 74 16.89 Lake Fork Texas Bryan Turner 2/8/93 75 16.88 Lower Otay California Unknown Feb. 1981 76 16.75 Lake Fork Texas Steve Trepkus 3/8/90 77 16.63 Lake Fork Texas Flo O'Brien 2/28/99 77 16.63 Lake Poway California Mike Long 2000 77 16.63 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1999 80 16.56 San Vicente California Unknown Jan. 1980 81 16.54 Lake Fork Texas Bill Reed 2/27/91 82 16.50 San Vicente California Unknown May, 1981 83 16.45 Lake Murray California Mike Long March, 2001 84 16.44 Lake Fork Texas Chris Adams 3/10/96 84 16.44 Lake Miramar California Unknown April 1973 86 16.41 Lake Murray California Mike Long March 2000 87 16.38 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1999 88 16.25 Lower Otay California Unknown Feb. 1982 88 16.25 San Vicente California Unknown Nov. 1979 88 16.25 San Vicente California Unknown March 1982 88 16.25 Sutherland California Mike Long April 2001 92 16.19 San Vicente California Unknown Jan. 1979 92 16.19 San Vicente California Unknown March 1981 94 16.13 Gibbons Creek Texas Troy Johnson 1/15/88 94 16.13 Sutherland California Unknown April 1989 94 16.13 Lake Poway California Mike Long 2000 97 16.12 Lake Fork Texas Jim Harrell 3/22/02 98 16.06 Lake Fork Texas Tom Hallum 3/9/88 98 16.06 Lake Hodges California Unknown April 1985 100 16.04 Lake Fork Texas Gasper Cardinale 2/29/92 101 16.02 Possum Kingdom Texas Scott Tongate 10/13/89 102 16.01 Caddo Texas John Merck 4/13/92 102 16.00 Cuyamaca California Mike Long 2002 102 16.00 Lake Poway California Mike Long 2002 102 16.00 Lake Poway California Mike Long 1999 102 16.00 Mission Viejo California Mike Long 2001 Now this list is a little outdated. It is missing the last few years but its way more current then any of the old lists.

Eddie you misunderstood about the window. Its not about the fisherman. Its about the fish itself. There is only a very small window that a gaint fish stays big enough to be over 22.4. what I was saying is not only do you have to have a monster fish, but that fish has to be caught durring the spawn, or at least full of eggs and it might even need to have just eaten. The rest of the year that fish might stay at around 18-19lbs. Als that same fish is old and only has maybe 2-5 years where it ever reaches the 22lb mark. Verry small window. I dont think you have to worry about it being a lucky catch. if you look at the top fifty bass they were caught by the guys who were trying to cath them. Several guys have more then one fish. Mike Long has caught about 1/3 of them.

that was neat. I am inspired. I will start my daughter this year

Not trying to talk you out of it by I went through a bad case of swimbait elbow a few years ago. I wore a forearm strap for about 6 months and it worked. It eventualy just went away. Cost about $5

We as bass fisherman all know color matters. Science has proven that a bass's eye hase rods and cones and can see color. However proving that 1 color workes better then another and have it be a conclusive scientific fact would just abaout be impossible with all the millions of variable. We know color matters but we realy cant prove it. Scent would even be harder to prove. I attempted similar experiments many years ago with scents and rattles at night. My results were inconclusive. Of course that doesnt mean you couldnt do it. I think it would just be very hard to prove. Anyways line strenght could easily be proved along with knot strenght. wet line vs dry live vs line left out in the sun for a week etc. I do recomend doing your scent and color experiments for your own knowledge, just not for a science project.

Yes I like Rivers. I didnt at first. I was mad when they let Breeze go. When Rivers played in the championship game last year he won me over. 3 days after a major surgery and he plays and played well against an undefeated pats team. The bolts even scored more times then the pats but they got td's and the bolts got fg. The chargers may never win a title. its possible I dont think any team from SD except for soccer ever has. Yes titles make legasies but there are 52(i think) other players out there. Its probably the one sport that 1 man realy cant cary a team by himself. Heck half the time the QB isnt even playing. Rivers is a monster QB and he is getting better. If he were to win a ring or two he would be right there comparred to Manning and Brady. I dont think the bolts get there this year though. To many injuries. I guarantee you if Dallas trade Romo for Rivers you woundnt be complaining. Maybe at first you would but you would come around. I actualy feel sorry for Romo. Dallas has so many issues that poor Romo has to deal with. That team is not a team. It has cancers

Mattm no need to apologize AT ALL! Catt the SAL is not a bad thing. its just bad for the very top end fish. I have to admit if we had that program out here I would have submitted a few fish. I would do everthing I could to keep the fish in good shape with minimal handling. Thats one of the problems guys are soo excited about thier fish of a lifetime so they want to show everybody. I cant blame them. I would make sure each of my fish were released back to lake it came from. I am sure some fish are treated properly and end up back inthe lakes in great condition but There are others that dont make it back. I dont think the SAL program is bad because of the SAL I think its negatives come from the fisherman who dont properly handle the fish.

I feel for you Randall. People think spots and stripers are such great fish but they dont realize or they dont care what that does to huge LMB. Castaic produced many HUGE bass and then came the stripers. Its done. it hasnet produces a gaint in 20 years and probably never will again. If we had a bunch of 30in bass out here we would have a few record plus fish. Your giant 16 that you caught would have been a 20+lber out here.

Ok well MR RIVERS just beat Dan Fouts's touchdown record. But hey Who is Fouts? he never won a title either. Fouts is/was right there with Marino. Also how long did it take Peyton to win a title? see Rivers is right there with the best playing. If he was arrogant(which he is not) he has earned it. Why would that be bad anyways. Why should a professional athlete at the very top of his sport have to act the way his critcs want him to? Why should a top pro be politicaly correct. Look at ALI he said it like it was and backed it up. He never acted PC. However you are mistaken about Rivers. He is extremly competetive so he get fired up. When sombody like Cutler runs his mouth Rivers answerd back. Not to metion he was a rookie. He never even got into it with anybody this year. Give him a break. He has mutured and yes I think he is a little better then big Ben and Eli and about even with Breeze. He is a lot better then Romo and that next tier of QB's I predict the Chargers win against Pit but if they dont thats still respectable. Pit is strong.

hmmm well lets see he just beat Manning for the hundredth time in a row!!! He has the highest rating of any QB this season and I bet he has the highest win percentage of any QB playing. Yes no titles but I guess Marino sucked to.

No I have been paying attention. Not all the fish are released. The angler has that option after the fish spawns. Some of the anglers choose to keep the fish. Some choose to let the SAL keep the fish and some of the fish die in the process. These are old fish and many times they are fragile. Why do you think the SAL only takes fish in the colder months. Because if they did it when its warm even more would die. I think the SAL was good in the beginning to get good genetics throughout the state but now its realy hurting the top end weights.

Because every fish over 13lbs is kept. Pretty simple realy. A fish kept at 13 cant grow to 15. The bigg bass in CA are amost always released ecspecialy when caught by sombody who consistantly catches them. You never even have to ask me if I kept it or let it go. No reason to ask its a given. Same goes with anybody else out here who catches big fish. The SAL program removes just about every possible chance it has. Think about how rare a 13 bass is. Its littleraly 1 in a million to survive that long and grow that big. Now think about how rare an 18lber is or a 20. There might be more unicorns then 20lb bass The SAL program has been around for a long time now. the genetics are in place. Genetics are not even an issue in those TX lakes stocked with SAL babies. those fish are removed. Some die, some are kept after the SAL keeps them for a year and some stay at the SAL. I dont remember the numbers but a good amount are not returned back to the lakes. Also who knows how that effects a senior citizen bass that lives in a tank and gets fed for at least a year. Can it adabt if it does get to go back to the lake? I would guess most probably do but I bet some dont. the bottom line is they are romoving their best chances at a 20+lber.

He should have not gone to the Jets.