Bass Dude

I agree with Matt Fly on this as well. Although the Co usually assists with the fuel costs, there is a lot more that goes into being a boater, which should give us the control of the boat for the entire day. What if the opposite of what you stated is true? What if I own the boat and you take me to some dead water for the 1/2 day you have control of the boat. Is that fair? It's my boat, I take care of it, pay for it, clean it, etc, then you take me, with my boat, to dead water!! That would upset me more than going with a boater and not catching anything on their spots >. Also, this is the way of the BFL's and Weekend Series, so it's good training ground should you want to move up the ranks. The size of the tourney shouldn't have any bearing on who controls the boat.

QUALITY hooks and line---good terminal tackle can eliminate a lot of headaches and tears!!

The job situation in the Syracuse area is not very good. I am being "released" some time next year as our company has moved the functions our site does to India because of the cheaper operational costs. My wife lost her job earlier this year, for the same reason. Also, the plant in our area that makes parts for Chrysler has laid off 200 people and are expected to close at some point next year. There doesn't seem to be any new businesses moving to the area any time soon either. My wife and I are moving to Tennessee in hopes the job market is better. :'(

I've had three Fleuger Presidents($59.99) and they are awesome. Someone put it perfectly---good value and tough as nails!! If you want an even better one---try the Flueger Supreme $99.99--even tougher and smoother than the President.

I think In-Fisherman is by far the most in-depth and informative magazine around. Although, I do usually only read the bass articles (don't want to cloud my mind with that walleye crap!!). FLW and Bassmaster are good magazines, but it is very repetative information. For example, if you look at an issue from 2000 on dock fishing and look at an article on dock fishing from this year, it would have the same tips and the same diagrams. I do still read them both----10 feet of snow makes you do stupid things!!!! Bassin', to me, has very basic articles and tips and doesn't go too in-depth. The best source of information is being on the water.

Personally, I don't use braid for the same reason the other guys DO use braid---You feel everything. I prefer Flouro, with the sinking properties of Flouro, you can get the bait down with 10 pound test. I think it helps me fight the fish better too, knowing that I only have 10# test. If I had 20-30 pound braid, I would tend to horse them too much. I fish cranks a lot and with good rods and a good flourocarbon, you can still feel what the bait is doing and you can easily tell when you're hitting cover and those "inhale" bites that you tend to get with the deep divers. As with most things in this game---it's all about what feels good to you.

I use them all the time. They cast like a rocket and it's easy to get them and keep them walking. The "knocker" rattle in them seems to make them go crazy. I've lots of big smallies on them and they CRUSH it. I use the saltwater ones too, they come in different colors than the freshwater do but the body is slightly bulkier. They're the same length, but the body is a little bigger around.

Here in NY they post off-limits in marinas, so I understand your pain. So, we have to contend with that and the nasty individual boat dock owners >.

I agree with the K.I.S.S. philosophy as well. This past year I sold all my plastics except for all of my YUM stuff. I know everyone has their own opinions on which plastics are the best, but I like the YUM baits. They have a lure for each category (creature, worms, tubes, sticks (senko types), grubs, hulas, etc. My thinking was if they're hitting a crawworm, they'll hit a Papi just as well as a Chigger (side bar---I hate Berkley products). But, I thought it was dumb to have four different brands of the same type of lure. I did the same with crankbaits, I have a few brands that I like and I buy all the models to cover the different depths. I think people get way too caught up in what KVD or someone else is using and the real trick to fishing is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION !!! That's just my two pennies!

Just one more in agreement. Join a club first. You can get out at taste tournament fishing at a very low cost. Plus, the guys in the clubs usually have a ton of local knowledge so you can really get a lot of info on how to fish your local waters. Then there are the other guys that can simply flat out catch fish anywhere, you can learn even more from these guys. I haven't had any experiences so bad that it turned me off of tournies, but you do get some annoying people in your boat. It's not as bad when you're the boater though. There are jerks everywhere and tournies are no exception >!!! On the flip side, I have met a couple guys that I still keep in touch with from tournaments past.

I like the screw lock Reaction Innovations shakey head. The spring does get straightened out sometimes and it's hard to get it back into position, but it doesn't happen very often.

My company, as are many, is downsizing and I have about 2 hours of work to fill my 8 hour day. Where does the extra time go??? I get on here!!!! So, thank you Bass Fishing Resource Guide for filling my days!!!!! ;D

My two cents---- First, bass aren't around every school of baitfish in the lake. Another reason may be that they could've just gotten done bangin' on a different school so they didn't travel into the cove and bust up on the school you found. Also, You said your lake didn't have much cover, maybe the bass weren't in that cove to begin with, because of the lack of cover. Bass won't necessarily travel just because a school of shad is in there. Animals instincts usually tell them when a meal is not worth the effort.

I have no issues with the Marshall program or that BASS did away with the to co's. A co-angler I still has a multitude of tournament organizations to choose from as well as the different "divisions" within BASS (opens, fed, etc). People talk as though BASS eliminated the only option for co-anglers to fish. I am of the view that they are Pro's and Joe Fishermen from Bunghole, USA shouldn't get in the way of their livelyhood, especially since the Co's have other avenues. That being said, all of you who hate BASS and what they are doing---how many have eliminated their membership to BASS? How many don't read the magazine or watch the tourney shows on Saturday mornings? Did any of you write letters to BASS? I'm guessing not a lot of you took this step to show how much this bothers you. Get what you can out of BASS and let them run their organization. The elimination of Co's is not as horific as some make it out to be.

I've been interested in those but never bought one. Two questions, if anyone can help: How long do those 10-C batteries last for? Does it come with an adapter or is battery your only power options?

That's easy to answer: All of them!!!! I've caught smallies on all kinds of cranks---Bandits, Bomber A's, Lucky Craft, Rapalas, Normans. My preference is the Bandits though!!

For smallies (at least here in the Northeast), it's hard to beat an X-Rap in the usual colors. Plus, they cast really well. I've had good success with the Husky Jerks too, but a lot of guys don't like them. I do find they are a little hard to throw on baitcasting gear, so I usually throw them on spinning. I've had a lot of success on the Lucky Craft Pointers too, but there are a TON of pike and pickeral in the lakes up here that like to steal them from you, so I don't throw them as much. I HATE PIKE!!!!!!!! >

This Sexy Shad business is crazy!!!!! Lucky Craft has had that color out long before Strike King put it out, it used to be called Chartreuse Shad. Don't get me wrong, it's a good color, but no better or worse than any other. It should be added to your arsenal and used just as your other lures---when the conditions dictate. IMHO

ZBASS took the words right off my keyboard!!!! As long as everything functions and it's safe, you'll be fine. Not everyone will have a brand new Triton, these are weekend anglers, they're all in the same situation as you and who cares what the non-boater thinks!! You can catch a twenty pound bag just as easy in a jon boat as you can a bass boat, it doesn't matter. Think of it as an advantage for you. I've fit my 18.5' in some tight spots that those big rids can't get into.

If you submit your entry with a boater, then you are guarateed a spot, even if you are a non-boater. If it comes down to it, your boat should be OK, not sure where you're fishing or the size of your boat, but if you can SAFELY go "fun" fishing in the same body of water as the BFL in your rig, then it should be OK. Remember though, your boat needs to be able to handle the rough water, they don't cancel tournies unless there is a hurricane!! If you have any issues with your livewells, then I would suggest not using it. This puts both you and your non-boater at risk of dead fish penalties. Also, make sure all of your lights work, they will require you to put them in and have them working when you launch in the morning. As far as people laughing---a guy in our club won angler of the year in a beat-up old Spectrum Bass boat. Beat out all the guys in their shiny, sparkling 20' bass rigs!!!! ;D

With you submitting your name with your partners will only guarantee your entry into the tournament and usually will guarantee that you won't be linked with another boater, should there be a issue with the ratio of boaters and non-boaters (co-angler). It doesn't mean that you will fish with the partner you submitted. Although, you could fish together should they draw you as partners in the random pairing before the tourney. Hope that clears it up.

I like the DT-16's, Fat Free. I really like the Bandit 700's. Good bait, good price and not many guys use them (at least they don't say they do!)

They stopped doing that back around 2002 (roughly). I don't know of anything like that anymore. It's too bad too, I was lucky enough to go to one with Ike, KVD, Denny, David Fritts, Woo Daves and Terry Backsey. Each of them had a meet and greet after their presentations---it was really cool. Learned a lot from most of them. Couldn't understand Woo's mumble at all though, didn't get much from his presentation. Nice guy though! Not to rub it in or anything!!!!

This talk is nonsense. If you make it to The Classic you make it to The Classic, period. One venue to THE SHOW is not better than the other. Some guys don't have the means to fish the Elites they're only option is the Federation, The Weekend Series or The Opens, that doesn't mean there isn't a guy in those series' that could smoke someone in the Elites. The WBT is the best option for a woman to make it and that's what she did. Also, let's not forget the WBT is for PRO fisher-women, not amateurs. I just hope that if she doesn't win, people don't say it's because she's a woman. How many Classics has Aaron Martens fished and not won!!

I feel your winter pain!!! The water isn't completely frozen up her yet, but the fishing is dead. I just put my boat in storage---put it off as long as possible!!! The worst part about winter is that I have 4 new rods that I can't use 'til spring. I guess I'll try for some winter Steelhead in the Oswego River. They're big and fun, but still not a bass !!!