earthworm77

Ozark salt all the way!!!!

CrazedLIF- absolutely get yourself Mudbugs 1/4oz in Bone orange belly and Firetiger. They work well especially at Forge and Zone II.

I know you said you have no interest in the Kistler or Loomis stuff but, take a look at the Kistler Graphite series. They make technique specific rods for each of these presentations and at about 125.00 they are very good for the money. At one time I* owned both models and they fished as good as any of the high end rods.

Before I had a rod sponsor, I used the JM's. IMHO they are likely the best rods for the money anywhere. The only thing I would have liked to have seen different was the POwer Hump which I don't really care for. Also be careful with the weight balancing system. I fished for a long time with several ounces of brass weights and it took a toll on my elbow to the point that I had to stop using the system or risk serious pain and possibly damage to my arm.

In Fisherman is a very good read. I don't care for Bassin. BassMaster has degraded somewhat. Inside Line is a great mag but it is also one giant infomercial for GY bait. Anybody know if Fishin Facts or Honey Hole is still around. Not the XXX Honey Hole....the one from Texas.

Generally you can make a skirt out of 2 pads which would be 44 total strands. I'm not sure how many pads come in a kit though. I used to make all of my skirts by hand but I was making 66 strand skirts.

Nice job guys! LBH- Personally, I got nothin' to prove to anyone but myself These are words to live by! And I add, I'm not interested in what anyone else thinks of it!

As far as I'm concerned I do not believe anything that I do not see for my self when it comes to bass fishing.

Good luck Avid, I'll be sure to catch a few in your honor!

Nice stripers Chris. when I lived on LI in NY I would go out to Mountauk for the spring and fall run. My biggest was a shade over 42lbs. What awesome fish, great shots too!

Generally when something sounds to good to be true, it is too good to be true. When they have such a great product like this but have to throw in the free gifts, chances are you've read the advertisement too long....delete! Guys there is no magic product that will make you a better angler.

Generally a large corporation has regional managers. Several of my sponsors operate like this. I would guess that because Rapala is so large, they too have regions of operation in the US. Take a look at their website and even inquire as to a contact in your area. Then solicit that individual. I am not sure if Rapala sponsors anyone who isn't a Pro angler though.-C

What do you do when the plastic has to be rre heated from the soda can? With the Pyrex, you can just pop that into the microwave and and dip from it when you are done. Save some steps and simplify.

Fin, maybe we could have a go in a pm. I have published several bass fishing related books and eBooks and one in particular has a lot of ink dedicated to the path you are going down. I kind of kept quiet because I didn't want to hijack your thread. What some guys won't get is that nobody is wrong here. I mean, you simply can't dispute something simply because it didn't work for you but at the same time you certainly can't write something off as gospel because it did. My belief on how to go about catching fish is based more upon season as a starting point and then it gets broken down from there based on literally huindreds of variables. I wouldn't be able to break this down any other way for me anyway. It has worked for me. It may be we are describing a very similar system only making it sound a bit different.

Definately a night fishing blade.

Pyrex container filled all the way to the rim. This should get you about 25 to 30 tubes. Granted you won't be able to dip once the plastic level gets under the size you want your tubes to be.

Hey Keith..... Perhaps if you knew what the definition of aficionado meant, you won't be floored. You jumped the gun. Time to lighten up a bit. Wow, next time I'll think better of trying to clarify my statements so people don't think I'm coming out of left field despite that much of this thread is out of left field. I don't think anything should have floored you at all. But just so you understand what aficionado means, I'll post the definiton from Webster's below. Main Entry: afi·cio·na·do Variant(s): also af·fi·cio·na·do /-'nä-(")dO/ Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural -dos Etymology: Spanish, from past participle of aficionar to inspire affection, from afición affection, from Latin affection-, affectio -- more at AFFECTION : a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity : DEVOTEE <aficionados of the bullfight> <movie aficionados> In my post I wanted to talk more about what Fin-S was saying but I thought better of it because I didn't want to hijack the thread with my own ideas which may have already been published somewhere. I'll also be sure to consider editting my avatar which says light tackle guru, sorry you think it is arrogant. Oh, this just in, I just rejected that consideration, sorry. Re: The Color C Lector This instrument acurrately shows light penetration and tells the angler what color can be seen best. Nowhere does that mean that the color that can best be seen is the best option for fishing in that depth....it is simply assumed. For what it is worth, the C Lector is a pretty accurate tool, it may just have been sold under the wrong pretenses.

I agree with these posts 100% Good job Matt, B-F, 4-Biz

Fin, I hear what you are saying. The variables are almost endless as once you break things into catagories such as season, water temp, water level, clarity, pH etc....along come literally hundreds of smaller sub catagories to consider.

Fin-S, as a writer, guide, lure manufacturer and overall afficionado for bass fishing I can tell you one thing that will likely put your theory on this stimulation table down the drain.....The only set rule in bass fishing is that there are no set rules. That being said, I think it is highly unlikely that anyone can narrow down the exact bait a fish wants at any given moment. Granted just because a fish struck a jig, does that mean that was the optimum option? Would that same fish have struck another bait more readily? I just don't think any test and measure this accurately. I kind of think you are putting way too much consideration into this and the payoff will never be exacting. It might be more prudent to match the lure choice based on the seasonal conditions and not to the bass as an individual creature. If you try to narrow it down too far, you'll find that your margin for error is much greater.

If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always got this is agreat point and T-Mike also made a good point about asking Ain't Tex about what he throws regularly. I've taken 4 fish over 8lbs this year. 3 were on swimbaits, theother, my 10-03 on a jig. I regularly throw plastics and jigs and regularly do not catch fish this big. It is location, the right bait for the location and mindset all rolled up into one.

I think that putting a bait where they live is the key. Not ao much the size of the bait as most would claim. No doubt some baits are simply better at getting bit by big fish. Swimbaits might be the quintescential big bass bait. However, a question for the Cali guys and Matt.....if you dragged a Tora tube or other significantly large bait in the same places that you fish swimbaits, do you think you would catch larger fish or get bit by larger fish as often? And let's also clarify something here regarding catching these large California bass. What is the frequency that an average swimbait angler actually catches a 10+ lb fish? I know several guys out there who have told me it is feas tor famine, often going months without a bite. It obviously takes dedication and discipline to throw exclusively for big fish.

Fall equals baitfish! Also find the green weeds. These hold oxygen and baitfish will graviate to them. If I can find a way to transfer it, I did a fall bass fishing article for a mag about 10 years ago. It was a pretty good article, might help.

My partner had the boat you have pictured. He had lots of problems with the pedestal seat mounts. He snapped one totally off while setting the hook. I have a 10.2 Tracker made by Pelican. It is pretty much the same as the Bass Hunter boats. I'm looking to sell it, to bad you aren't down in Florida. Mine has a 4HP Johnson, 55lb Minn Kota, Padded swivel seats with caddies on each, Optima Blue top battery, flatbed trailer. It is the same boat I used in both of my Lunkerville TV appearances.

So for all the folks who would let anyone sponsor them,....does Marlboro count? How about the KKK? Reverend Phelps church? Planned parenthood? (will conflict with the religion of many fans) No offense intended , I just personally wouldn't play the game if the only way I could do it was with these people's money. I'm not talking about sponsors that may be embarressing..i.e. Tampax,.,etc,...I'm talking about choosing sponsors that will probably cost you other sponsors and certainly some fans. I'm thinking that what you are thinking is right and I'm confident that anyone who is seeking a sponsorship wouldn't jump on the offensive bandwagon. Tampax isn't a big deal. Along the lines where you were going with this...I do not believe that many of the paid anglers who accept sponsorships do it for anything but the money. I know and speak to many of those guys and generally, it seems that money talks. For lower level guys its all about free product so it is easier to justify the use of those baits but I know for a fact that there are guys who don't use their sponsors products yet claim to.