Paul Roberts

Ummmm...I understood the Wacky to have been "invented" on New York's Finger Lakes -at least that is where the name originates. But my guess it's been "invented" many times over LOL.

OK...whoa...wait a minute... KVD does NOT dominate. No one does. He is a strong contender -statistically the strongest of the field. If you look at his stats, that's what you'll see. Skeet doesn't suck bc of his turnout this year, nor does KVD for his last year. There is A LOT that goes into the making of a star athlete (not sure athlete applies here exactly) and only part of that is "raw talent" -esp in fishing.

'Deep' is semantic. If you fished a muddy res you may never fish deeper than 10feet, or maybe 5! If you fished a Shield Lake you may spend most of your year fishing 20+. The one thing I see as common across the board is being able to escape from the tyranny of HAVING to cast to something visible.

Destiny? -hogwash. Gifted? Yes, he's smart, and driven. Much of that could have simply been applied elsewhere. He probably could have been a heck of a turkey hunter, or vacuum cleaner salesman. "Gifts" need the proper environment to be realized: He grew up in a strong high powered fishing community. His brother (or uncle? I forget) runs a long-successful tackle shop/guide business and holds the state record SM -some 9+lbs. They are all well educated in what makes fisheries, fishing, and marketing, tick. Then along came the BASS tour, developed to the point that it could support such an individual. He's developed steadily since. He's a smart business man and has really taken this entire business to the highest degree yet seen. Both he and Strike King have a really good thing going. Those baits are top notch, well thought out -not just handed to him to push. Let's just say...KVD has his Shtick together. As to his fishing, he knows fisheries, fish, conditions, and presentation (he's really adept at triggering strikes from what I gather). And he's VERY well organized. Yup, he'd have made a heck of a vacuum cleaner salesman. Glad pro bass fishing has been able to support him; we all benefit at some level.

That's a nice combination.

That sucks. I can't imagine killing the bass will solve the problem. Maybe your club could offer to put up warning signage, and allow it to be C&R?

As I understood it BC was one popular spot from Day 1. He was "alone" in that other anglers gave him a wide berth. Thanks Shooter. Hope that's so. The way the spot appeared to replenish, it sounded like a spawning area and fish were moving in from the main lake. Unless it's an amazing chunk of habitat, I doubt resident fish would produce those kinds of numbers for that several anglers. But if there was a recent tourney, and they were released there, who knows. I'd like to think that it was a large spawning flat and fish were moving into it. He just sat there yo-yoing his lipless for three days.

KVD crushes the field. Game over. He took a 5lber today, and didn't need it!

He needs 15lbs. And from the pre-weigh chatter -he has it.

I've used a 5:1 at 22ipt for a bunch of years now. It's been fine, except for burning. I several times had bass overrun my bait and I couldn't catch up. One in particular was a really nice one in crystal clear water and I watched it appear, accelerate, catch my bait from behind (fast! ) and keep on coming. I could not catch up with it and it spat the bait in front of me, still on a slack line. In the Classic my guess is they've been using falls and pauses a lot, so retrieve speed is not such a factor. Still, I bet they are using faster reels (25-28ipt).

Yeah, that's a good point. Of course, during winter this may be less important. When was the last T out of Beeswax, prior to the Classic?

I think it helps: in drawing viewers, and in helping others learn the sport by having that kind of expertise around. You know, if it was simply random (catches and winning -and a certain amount of it is I believe) then anybody talking head would be offering advice that might be well off the mark. Fishing isn't physics, so someone that is doing more things right more consistently than others is shining some light on the path. Showing that there is more that can be done in making consistent catches. If bass fishing was entirely controlled by, say, fish activity --they are either biting or not-- then results would be much more random (and again they are to a degree). When top sticks show that there are fish to be caught everywhere they go under all conditions, that says something. And I wouldn't say KVD dominates exactly. But he sure is the top contender. Maybe we could say he dominates one of the top 15 spots. Just some thoughts.

There have been some studies on what happens to T released fish. Some return home. Some become wanderers. Others stay put for a time (don't remember how long the studies ran for -months anyway). One things for certain, that area has a high bass density. For me, it takes a little wind outta my sails.

Yeah, I've heard of that from Berkley. Also, another study, pre-FC, that found that bass could see mono lines as far down as they tested: 6lb test. They could see all of them. But, from what I've seen, I think visibility of line is generally low on the list of line effects on presentation. There may be places where fish have learned to make the association. But I haven't been able to prove that to myself to my satisfaction.

Yeah, I can actually understand the underlying sentiment. But, that was a very disrespectful statement, in public and supposedly representing the sport, the league, and sponsors. OUCH! I can see why it's in the interests of marketers to encourage women's participation. I asked my wife's comments about Kriet's wager and her first comment was, "Why does there have to be a separate women's tour?" So I wonder, is it interest? (That would be my wife's handicap) Lack of competitive urge? (Doubtful, looking at the rise of other women's sports). Physical ability? (Doubtful, in a sport considered by most pros to be a mental game). Or is it social comfort? Is this why women don't join, and prosper, in the men's venues? Seeing Martin-Wells fish, she does look like she's up to the task. Comments?

Unfortunately, the way lines are rated (for marketing purposes), lb test means little. I go by diameter first, then other needed properties. The exception is braid which I go by rated break. I fish for LM mostly in both soft and hard cover. FC = Fluorocarbon BR = Braid ARM = Abrasion Resistant Mono/CoP Shallow cranks .013 ARM Mid cranks .012 (spring) or .013 or .015 (heavy rippin) ARM Deep cranks .012 or .013 M or FC Spinnerbait 30# BR w/.014 or .017 ARM Jerkbait .010 M or FC or .012 FC Texas Rig 20# or 30# BR w/.014 M ARM Carolina Rig 30# BR w/.014 or .017 ARM Frog 30# or 50# BR Traps 10 or 12# .012 or .013 ARM Jig .008 to .017 FC, or BD w/ARM. Big category for me, including grubs, jigworms, to small swimbaits, to light Flippin' work. I would even just throw DS in here too. Flippin' >30# BRD

Interesting. What didn't you like about it? I didn't like it either, for spinning tackle. The ratings are downright weird on it, which makes me wonder how it really stacks up against other formulas. Appears to be a marketing based rating. It's designed to be a "bass" line -stiffer than Vanish, (the other Berkley FC designed mostly for walleye fishing -and with spinning tackle). A harder line being more abrasion resistant, (which Vanish is NOT), and a stiffer line should transmit more vibrations. It also makes it more difficult to deal with spinning tackle. But Berkley did something else, they messed with the break strength rating, being thicker for a given weight rating than others. I bought the 8lb and found it was the diam of others 10#. Essentially the 8lb is a 10 lb. So I went drove back to the store and bought the 6lb to cover my .010 needs. > As to trout biting the 15lb FC over the 2# mono -something else was at work there.

Jeff Kriet: "I lost $100," he said when informed that Pam Martin-Wells had made the cut to fish on Sunday. "I don't mean that disrespectfully," he added quickly.

Only affiliated ISPs. Pay to play. (I don't get it either.)

Takes a bit to warm water. But, your fish are already movin'. No worries. With the warming trend try fishing a bit faster and see. If not, gear down with a jig.

I see. I read in an ESPN blog that the BassTraxx numbers are essentially eye-balled by newbs. It's possible I suppose that Ike has blanked, but not likely.

Agree.

I still see Ike in 44th with no fish -from ESPN.

It wasn't a Carrot engine was it??

Yeah! Guess we're watching the those NASCAR laps third hand. Maybe better to look at total catch numbers. Then again, it might be best to check back in a few days. BTW: What does "Back" mean? OH...I get it, behind the leader -amount to make up. Faircloth must have just caught a big'n! Looks like Rojas, Freeman, Swindle, Kreit, VanDam, and Faircloth are catching. Oo-oo-ooo! VanDam's dialin' in now. Look at his total weight. Game over??