Rattlinrogue

Where I fish,the favored color of crawfish imitations is a watermelon with orange pincers.Black and blue is good too,although I've never seen a black and blue crawfish.Pumpkin catches fish also.

I fish alone now most of the time,and I usually get on the lake between 4:30AM-5:15AM.The sound I love the most is the silence when I'm out there,the only one on the lake,the world asleep.Second,would have to be the sound of a smooth drag as a healthy 5 pound Florida bass makes a run.

Most everything mentioned...plus a CD plyer with earphones for those days that fishing is going nowhere.

I've always been told barometer falling...bass tearing it up.And vice-versa.

My wife and son fish with me some,but I fish alone about 95 % of the time.As others have stated,I'm serious about my bassin'.I have a gameplan each time that I go.I love for wife and son to go(I'm hoping my son more and more...I'm being patient),but when others are along it's basically them fishing and me guiding,picking out backlashes,and just shooting the breeze.This morning, for example,I didn't do too well(3 dinks).Well,I took the opportunity to cruise around the lake with my fish finder looking for structure that I don't already know about and marking it down.That's as fun as fishing to me,but with someone along I wouldn't feel as free to do it.

I keep 8-10 rods in my rod box rigged with various baits that I've selected as a gameplan depending on conditions.Of those,I'll keep 4 strapped on the deck for easy access.I don't use a specific time limit,but I'm changing around until I find what they want.When it becomes apparent that a bait is not in the picture,I'll put it back in the rod box and replace it with another.I'll either be successful or not.Manytimes,I have to re-rig rods that have already been pre-rigged.In a word,junk fishing (according to known seasonal patterns).

Not sure exactly what effect it has,but I can say that I've had 2 or 3 of my best outings this spring during wind and wave action that was almost unbarable.Always fished banks that were getting pounded by the wind ,or I fished with the wind across wind swept points.

I use marker buoys to mark areas that I've found on my depth finder such as humps,drop offs,channels,etc.They do help keep you on target as the boat tends to drift.

I have the ultimate respect for those guys and gals.My dad was a Navy man in WWII,and my best friend(and Uncle) was artillery with the US Army in Korea.Some of the stories that they told me!Young men(kids really)see and experience things that are a real sacrifice for our country.God bless ALL of our servicemen from every conflict.

I like to fish shallow flats with stumps and grass early and late with spinnerbaits,buzzbaits,floating minnows,and propbaits.I went this morning and was on the water ay 5:45 AM.I caught 4 nice bass on a white buzzbait(4.6,2.5,2.1,and 1.3).After the sun gets up,I like to hit the shallow wood cover with spinnerbaits,and I also like to drag a c-rigged watermelonseed lizard on and around points leading into spawning coves.

That should be a sweet bassin' machine when ya get finished!Can't wait to check out your progress.

There's an article on page 3 of the sports page in today's (4-12-06) USA Today.Check it out!

Bigger is better.If you want more speed ,upgrade.

I inherited a big(you have to roll it on wheels) charger that my Daddy used on his trucks at his concrete mixer company.I just roll it out and have a 100 ft extention cord to supply the juice.Even if you have an onboard charger,you'll need a long extentio n cord to put the power to it.

Congrats ! Nice bass!

Like Nick,I like to fish the end of the launch ramp.When the big boats power up on the trailer this supposedly creates a drop off over time.I've caught some pretty good bass there,around the docks,and on a small flat just off to the right of the ramp at my home lake.

A 9 hp is plenty to get you where you want to go.I have a 16 ft. glass boat and have a new Yamaha 25 hp outboard on it.It's sweet!It will haul arse!.

In no particular order: 1)Rogue floater 2)3X lizards=c-rig and split shot 3)Strike King and Booyah spinnerbaits 4)FLW finese worms 4)Buzzbaits 5)Rapala floater 6) Flipping tubes 7) Creature baits for pitcin'/flippin' 8)Culprit red shad and grape shad worms 9)Prop baits=Devil's Horse and Tiny Torpedo 10) Tie=Jig and trailer and Horny Toad.

Also ,I received the package yesterday.Caught a bass split shotting the 3x watermelon w/ chartreuse tail lizard.Thanks again!

Great advice! We all have to remember,we're in this for the fun and enjoyment it brings us.

Tiki,I'm from Hattiesburg and fished that cold front this morning.I managed to catchn 7 dinks and had a big fish break my line.I caught them by pitching a watermelon tube into tight cover.I also caught a few throwing a downsized spinnerbait into the tight cover.Caught one splitshotting a watermelon w/chartreuse tail 3x lizard off a windswept point.

Yep,That's why the "Baby bass" color is so popular.

Beautiful bass !!!

Well done! Just ask.The worst thing that can happen is for them to say no.

If I were you and felt I needed an anchor for certain situations,I'd go for it.If any local marina "pros" don't like it,remember that they aren't paying the monthly bank payments on the boat!