Rattlinrogue

Spinnerbaits and shallow to medium crankbaits will be my main arsenal.I'll also fish floating and suspending jerkbaits,tubes and jigs.Anytime is the right time for a C-rig,so I'll have it handy.

Bassin',Bassmaster,and Bass Times are mags that I subscribe to,and each one has plenty of how to(especially Bassin' and Bassmaster).I also get FLW Outdoors(Bass edition), and it also has some pretty good how to articles.I'd go with Bassin' or Bassmaster if I only got one subscription.

I'm no dropshotting guru.I've only been using this technique since the winter of ''05.When I catch a bass on this rig,I feel a "tap,tap,tap" just like with a T-rig.I reel in any slack and set the hook.

Being where I live,there are no smallies.The water is just too hot,and there aren't any really clear lakes.I've always heard that smallies are the fightingnest bass around.I've never had a chance to fish for these most fighting of of the bass species.I fish for Florida strain'bass down here in South MS.They put up a great fight themselves.So,I guess I'm a Largemouth basser,but I'd certainly love to square off with Mr. smallmouth!

Sometimes when I'm not catching anything,and it doesn't look like I will,I almost always say"If I'm gonna get skunked,I'm gonna get skunked throwing a topwater"(something I love to throw).

Amen to that Rockinfish! I mainly fish alone for that very reason.I used to fish with a guy that thought he was a pro/guide(to hear him talk)and he wasn't a bad fisherman.When I go out in my boat I like to be the Captain,I guess.

Good looking boat.I bet she'll haul butt!!!

Depending on the time of year,fishing early and late is very good.I'm not going to get into an argument about which time is best because there's always somebody around here to take you on.I can say from extensive personal experience that fishing early and late is great in warmer weather.

Another peeve of mine is one already mentioned several times.You get back to the boat ramp and the dock for tying off your boat is covered with all these "live bait,fishing for anything that bites" people.There's nowhere to tie up while you go and back the trailer in.I always "make myself a little room" to tie up,and it really po's these folks.What do they expect?Run my boat aground so they can catch their three or four 2" stunted bluegills.I guess I might be one of their pet peeves about fishing.

My home lake,a 300 acre body of water is my favorite.I've been fishing it since I was 15,and after 33 years on it I know most all of the sweet spots.There are several more within 30 miles of home that I like a lot,also.

I fish with my youngest son,mydaughter,and my wife sometimrs.I also fish with my father-in-law when I go to Natchez.He taught me much of what I know about bass fishing.Mostly,I fish alone.I like going VERY early in the morning ,and it's hard to get anyone up that early.So,I fish alone mostly.Lots of advantages to going it alone.I don't have to fish areas and techniques that I know are all wrong.I like to be the captain of my ship,and most friends I've fished with also want to be the captain of my ship.

Yea,I've had a few.Guess that's why I prefer to fish alone.I've had some good friends that have been fishing about a minute,and when we fished together it was a nonstop lesson (that they'd probably read about in Bassmaster mag).I don't think I'm the greatest or know it all,but I have been bassin' for 33 years and have picked up a thing or two.Can't stand being coached from the backseat!!!

I will not fish when lightning pops up if I can help it.I love bassin',but I love livin' even more.

A 5"plastic bait will catch all sizes of bass.I've caught bass smaller than 12" on hardbaits that were longer than they were.

I'd probably get a better boat.

My Paw-paw used to take all of us grandkids bream fishing when we were little 'uns.We caught the heck out of some big bull bream.

Several years ago I was fishing in the middle of winter.It was about 20 degrees.I had an old Evinrude 18 hp.I was fishing in 15-20 ft of water.I went to crank the outboard to move to a different spot.I had left the outboard in"forward" instead of putting it in neutral when I had turned the motor off.When I pulled the starting cord the throttle was set pretty high.I pull the cord and go from sitting still to flat out full throttle.I almost got thrown in .I had on an insulated hunting suit and hadn't put on my life vest yet.Here I was cutting doughnuts at full throttle trying not to get thrown overboard.Finally got that thing to shut down.I have no doubt I would have drowned if I had went in the drink.My new Yamaha outboard won't crank unless in neutral so I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore.

I haven't just been tearing 'em up lately,but I've caught some on a Rapala floating minnow(early,late),deep diving shad rap,pitching watermelon candy tubes at docks,and drop shotting a green pumpkin finese worm.

I don't know for a fact that people are breaking the rules,but I think a lot of people are keeping slot fish(18-22 inches).The reason I say this is because as soon as they opened our lake to night fishing the amount of big fish caught has gone down.I used to catch at least one double digit bass every year,and you could count on catching a 4-5 pounder just about every time you went fishing(4-5 lb bass is a slot fish and must be released).I have nothing against night fishing.I do it myself a lot,but we have some outlaws down here that will keep anything.

That's what I do,also! Fish several baits(usually have a dozen different bait/rod and reel combos in my rod box and on the deck).Many times you'll find out what they want,Sometimes...well,they call that getting "skunked" ,and it happens to the best of 'em.It's called bass fishing!

Way to go Joe!Don't forget to share your knowledge with all of us.

I haven't had a whole lot of luck lately with topwaters,but I've been catching some the last few trips on two baits:an original Rapala floater in gold-black back and silver black-back and a JR-5 jointed Rapala floater in the same two colors.The orinal floater and especially the jointed floater are small and subtle.They don't make much noise.I think that is making a difference.

I liked Basscenter.Sorry to see it go.Maybe they'll replace it with Jerry McKinnis showing grainy film of him catching his beloved smallies 50 years ago.

2-3 times a week right now.When the fall bite gets here I'll try to go more.

I would most definitely rather catch a 15 lb bass over a boat load of 2 pounders.I can always catch those(although not lately...LOL).