Shad_Master

I thought that was what non-boaters were for????

I some times use a piece of a worm as a trailer - but I never take the trailer hook off - why would you want to take the chance on losing one that struck at your trailer and missed the lure itself.

There is no sure-fire abosulte test for whether or not you have just hooked a "big-ol-pig" or a rock/twig/piece of grass - it just comes with practice and experience - setting the hook is the surest way to "know" - but then think about what that one felt like when it is a fish. It just comes with exposure and even then you will whiff more than you actually do get a bite. The only way to even try to be sure is to watch your line - if it is swimming off, it ain't doing it by iteslf. Swinggg!

I'm reminded of Ed McMahon on the old Johnny Carson show saying he didn't go out drinking on New Year's Eve because he didn't like mingling with amateurs - same goes for fishing on holidays

If you ever doubt the need to wear a helmet - just visit the rehab facility at your local hospital see the agony head injury survivors and their families go through and BTW buckle those seat belts, too!

Actually I have had the opposite experience - left the boat at home a couple of years ago and went out to do some shore fishing only to discover I had the whole lake to my self. Yesterday we went out and found that there were no crowds anywhere except on the swim beach - the difference (?) - fish "no wake" lakes - this is the time for yahoo boaters - but serious fishermen can take advantage of the low pressure in the areas where they can't rip 'n run.

My guess is that these are the dominant fish in this area and your presentation is triggering them to strike - go ahead and sitck 'em and then fish on the edges of that area, you might find that after they have been hooked and become less aggressive that other fish may move in. I have experienced this before as well - before I could catch any other fish, I had to first catch the "guard" (if you will).

There is a small "lake" near my home that I used to refer to at the "test pond" - it was loaded with bass and most of the shore "anglers" were using live bait - I would alway go there to use any new lure just to see what the action was like and reaction of the bass. One thing to keep in mind about shore fishing, while there may be a lot of people doing it, they are most likely not fishing the same way a boater would and this can give you an advantage by throwing something they probably have never seen before.

Don't let the perfect get in the way of the good Perfect is too far away - better is right in front of you

I confess to getting caught in this trap, too. But what I have been doing recently to try to "rehab" is to plan at least 4 techniques that I think might work on each outing - I take one set for each technique and lay them out before I launch - I always give each technique enought time to work and try to think about small changes such as watermelon for green pumpkin or a medium crank bait for a shallow runner. Then I spend the rest of the day throwing a Senko :

I wanta hold your bass Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Guide Service It's been a Carp Day's Night "We all fish with a yellow Lucky Craft"

That's exactly what I kept thinking :

Well he certainly acted like he was in a mind altered state - didn't notice anything different about his head, though. Just thought is was a wierd experience and one that I had never seen before.

No this isn't a Beatles song and has nothing to do with recreational drugs - I was fishing last evening and hooked a bass near the shoreline - as I was unhooking him, I noticed that his eye looked like one of those cracked clearies that we used to have when we shot marbles - a red, irridescent look - I turned him over and the other eye was the same way. Now I have seen bass with those cloudy, cataract looking eyes, but this was definitely different. And I have a pretty good notion that he couldn't see because when I pitched him back in the water, he swam toward the rocks and got himself wedged in on the bank - I used my rod to flip him over and the turned around and did the same thing - at that point I picked him up and pitched him out far enough that he finally did swim away. Anyone have a clue as to what was going on here? Never saw anything like it.

Your right about that - but some times I wonder if newbies get frustrated at being chastised by long-time members of the forum or even the moderators. It takes a while to get the hang of it and even some of us "been posting a long timers" get it wrong (at least according to the Mods). Still one of the best places on the web and I do appreciate that the Mods do a lot of work (which by the way I'm not willing to do) but some times I think a lighter touch is better than a heavy hand. Sort of like finesse fishing, I guess.

One of the best CWS in a long time - always the "best show on dirt" - but there was something special about this one - congrats to the game chikins - sort of reminds me of another favorite of mine -- "Never give up!!!"

Wacky or Texas rigged? I almost always T-rig 'em - just because it cuts down on the hang ups.

J Franch is right - it ain't the boat, it's the boater - the thing is it happens all the time - but some of my greatest thrills have been pulling a "big ol' pig" right out from under their boat - that happens sometimes, too.

My standard goto for C-rigs (as well as a lot of other applications) is a Lake Fork Tackle Ring Worm - it has the bulk to make the bigguns hungry and the ribs make it easy for them to find.

"Who is TCU"? - they are the Cinderella team that lost their glass slipper on the way to the ball - sure made it a fun series though - Fear the Frog

I once found a Rick Clunn Lucky Craft - it was floating up against the rocks and bass tried to grab it - that was what brought it to my attention.

why not just take an old jig with a rusty hook - cut of the point and barb and let 'em throw "real" lures?

Wonder if these guys had a license? http://www.urlesque.com/2010/06/23/31-enormous-fish/

Can anybody be snotty or is it just reserved for a select few?

Having lived in Omaha for almost 20 years and being a fan of the CWS for lots longer than that - my recollection is that pitching has not been the key as much as speed and defense. Pitching seems to be rearing it's head this year, but I am still interested even when a team is up 4 or 5 runs late in the game, 'cause things can change quick. Love the CWS