fishfordollars

Your only done if you say so. You cannot catch e'm on the couch. Get out there if you like. Good luck

Most of the tournaments have been won on Rayburn in less than 8 ft of water on traps. Don't get hung up on the deep water just because it is cold. Fish in Texas will murder a trap either slow cranked or buzzed by them. Try it, especially after a day or two of warm ups. Good luck

Anyone fishing rough water will need to learn how to handle a boat when the weather goes south. If you fish the larger lakes across the country there will come a time when you get caught away from the ramp and have only two choices. Wait it out in a protected area, or go for it and make the run. There is a third and that is to stay off the lake, but I am not one to spoil a trip. If you decide to make the run: Know your boat and it's tendencies. Length Beam Motor response time(Does it hesitate during throttle response). This is very important as you will need the throttle response to time your hits on the waves. If it falters you are in trouble Know the lake: Shallow bars Deep channels Stump flats Layout: Does it lie on a n.w. to s.e. line(Most do in this area) Which wind direction will cause the most problems. Winds from the N.W. really stir up Rayburn and Toledo.(East winds too). Running the wind: Waves come in sets with the 4th or 5th being larger I alway try to run at a set of waves at an angle Head on you can keep the bow up and time the waves with the throttle, but it is a rough, wet ride. When you must change directions make the turn larger and allow the boat to ride down into the bottom and ride the tops at an angle Use the throttle to keep you up on the tops if possible.(The bottom of a 5-6' wave is a very hard hit). Running with the waves is the time that you will have the biggest chance of spearing a wave. Spearing is when the bow fails to clear the top of the wave in front of you. If the bow hits just 12" from the top of the wave there will be enough water coming at you to knock you out of your seat, break the windshields, and completely fill the boat. (Been there and done that). Do not panic. If with a partner try to level the boat by moving around and get the bilge pumps running(They should be anyway). Find the nearest bank to beach the boat until you can pump the water out or use the engine while you idle over the swels while pumping out the water. My Skeeter has two pumps. One is automatic and the other is a manuel. both are 1,000 gallon per hour. Use your throttle to time your rise and fall. If you fish big water: Have a boat that will handle it Know which way the wind is likely to blow and pick your launch ramp that will allow you to fish the most protected areas When all you can see are waves around you higher than your head, DO NOT PANIC. your boat will not cause the problem. It will be indecisions by the operator that will cause the issues. Stay focused and work out a game plan. If you are sure that you cannot get back just put in on the bank and wait it out. I personally spent a night in the woods on Rayburn years ago due to the weather. Feel free to add any other suggestions Good luck

Well we had 5" of snow on the ground here Wednesday and at this moment it is 74* and we have the A/C on. Ya'll enjoy.

Red congratulations on the boat. I have a question though. What the heck are you on this site telling all of us for. You should be out on the water. LOL Enjoy and let me know when you can get down this way for a day on Conroe. I bet someone on this site has a good used TM that will fit it nicely and save you a few bucks.

Fish the vertical areas, try to pick your days after a warmup begins, and concentrate on the first and second drops off the ledges. Watch your depthfinder for bait. Fish spoons, jigs, tubes, t-rigs, etc., and fish slowly unless they tell you otherwise.

Here is my view of the first day fishing with Catt. He is a great person and it was an honor to get to fish with him Saturday on the Bend. Easy to talk to and even easier to fish with. It is hard to find someone that you can share a boat with without differences of opinions and strategies that differ. We fish a lot alike and he knows Toledo, especially the south end very well. Catt, you taught me an awful lot about that area, an area I seldom fish. I thank you for that and I thank you for the great time I had sharing the boat with you. The weather absolutely killed us and it was very dangerous on the lake. One member had his rod straps broken by a wave over the bow of his 21 ft boat and washed 10 rods and reels out of the boat. That was over 3,000.00 worth of rod and reels. Anyone without a lot of boating experience would have been in a lot of trouble out there Saturday. I'm just glad everyone made it off the lake safely. Catt, anytime or anywhere you are welcome to the front or back of my boat. I cannot think of anyone I would prefer to have along. The conditions Saturday would discourage anyone. You and I hung in there, fished hard all day, it just was not to be. I am ready anytime you are. Jack P.S. TAKE A BIG BOAT!

We sent it to you special delivery from Houston with special instructions to deliver the ice w/o the snow.

Catt, I'm at Sam Rayburn, hooked up, will see you at the ramp on Toledo in the morning.

That cool, pimpin, bass shirt would probably fetch 500.00 from some want-a-be on ebay when you get tired of it.

Mike, heck you netted the only doubledigit I have caught this year. I thank you for that. BTW, if I have allready not told everyone, I had a ball fishing with you. Even though you fish braid that has not been retied in several months. Learned your lesson didn't you. Just so everyone knows Mike, failing to take care of your tackle cost you a very large fish at Fork. That was a good lesson learned.

I've tried to stay out of this conversation and not let everyone know that Catt and I were fishing together in this tournament. Looks like the catt(No pun intended) is out of the bag. Hope it does not jinx us. If we do well we will let everyone know, if not, I will just go hide a while.

LMOF.

Yes, and bassackwards. Arn't ya'll suppose to get it before we start . Our 5+ inches yesterday is probably more than a lot of areas up north have for the year. Go figure. Yesterday tied a record for the earliest snowfall in Houston. 12-10-1944 is the earliest day for snowfall in our area. Looked up the 24 hour record for Houston snowfall and it surprised me. It was over 20 inches back early in the century. It is low 50s with 20mph winds now and the snow is gone.

Not surprised. Remember the quote, "We're from the government, and we are here to help you." "Big government means big money going to the ones that need it the least." That's my quote. Now excuse me while I go throw up.

Maybe there is hope for mankind after all.

Got lots of pictures. I'm just to stupid to know how to post a few.

Naturally most of our freeways are closed this morning. Ice covers all from the downtown area and to the east. If anyone is coming into Houston from the east or northeast you may as well wait a while. Bridges are being sanded, but most are still snowcovered and closed. I would wait until around noon.

Catt, that is how ours started. Our news is reporting moderate to heavy snow showers just north of the Beaumont area so ya'll are probably due for our mess today.

We had an official snowfall of just over 5" yesterday and last night and it is snowing like crazy in New Orleans at this time. What's up with this crazy weather?

Welcome.

It's 10:30pm and we have 4 1/2 inches on the ground and it is still snowing here on the east side of Houston. It's pretty, but what a mess

Well they said the ground was too warm for it to stick. I live on the east side and it has and still is snowing so hard it has covered the ground anyway. flakes at least the size of silver dollars. It's been 4-5 years since it has done this here.My truck has about 2 inches on it now. Well it is still at it only not as hard. Been at it for the last two hours nonstop.

That's huge for a black bear. Our bears are less than half that. Make a nice rug out of it. Hope everyone is ok.

Man that sucks. Get your rear down and apply for funds to help you while you search. We all pay into the fund so do not feel bad about applying. Good luck.