Shad_Master

Not only that, but I have heard that the fish are able to detect when they are shedding their exoskelten and are more apt to eat them at that time, because they are easier to digest.

Part of it depends on how much line I have out when I'm playing the fish. If he is half-way across the lake (not really) I may dunk the tip in the water to keep him from running on me and jumping to throw the bait/hook. If he is half-way in on the cast, I want the rod tip up to keep tension on him and help absorb the shock as he tries to pull away. Then once I have him near the boat, I may dunk the rod tip again while playing him down (if needed) and to try to keep him from jumping and shaking loose.

When I joined the local bass club a few years ago, one of the things I noticed is no matter who you ask, while the tournament was going on, the answer was always the same -- "Boy, it's been tough today". At the end of the season, I took my son (11 years old at the time) as my non-boater guest. After watching this for about 4 hours (we had no fish on the card), I hooked a 15.5" bass. My son was so excited and said, "d**n, Daddy you may be winning this thing!" (it made him feel big to use words like the big guys). I told him, "No, you watch, all of those people who made out like they aren't catching anything will all have a limit" and I was right. I related this story to several guys in the club and after two years I have noticed that people are not a tight lipped as they used to be. They still try to hide their bait while the tournament is going on, but you can get a pretty good idea of who's winning simply by asking.

Actually there are thousands of species of "crawdads" and each has their own particular color and the colors will change depending on the time of year and the condition of the water. Recently on a tournament, my boater caught a fish that had been eating crawdads with blue pinchers. I switched to a green/blue Sweet Beaver and started getting bit in that area, but that bait did not hold up when we moved to another part of the lake. In order to "match the hatch" you have to see the "hatch". Try putting out a crawdad trap and see what you are getting and then match your jig to that color/pattern. In the mean time, other guys will be throwing black/blue and hittin hawgs

I mostly use a hop and drag presentation, but last night I was fishing and not getting much reaction. As I was working a cast back in, I saw a fish jump and started to burn it in to re-cast and a small bass slammed it. I cast back into the same area and fished it like a jerk bait and caught two more in two casts (one was a 3 pounder). When nothing else is working, try something that shouldn't, what can you lose.

This year I have caught two bass from my "test pond" that were missing the lower part of their tail. One was a 1 pounder and the other (just night before last) was a 3-4 ponder. On the most recent one, the lower part of the tail was completely gone and was bleeding badly. I was concerned that someone had put Northern's in the pond, but most people tell me this is a turtle ???. I have seen bass in lakes where there are a lot of yahoo boaters with cuts on their sides from props and sometimes the fish will be all zig-zagged from having been whallopped by a prop. But if you are fishing in a small pond or creek, more than likely it is a bird or a turtle.

For me it would be Gerald Swindle - this guy is a motor mouth and I love to hear him talk. I would also like to fish with Rick Clunn, Larry Nixon or George Cochran. Fishing with KVD would be so cool, but he and I fish differently and I would probably be worn out by the end of the day

the whole purpose of a drop shot rig is finesse. I find it works best as a vertical presentation, but a lot of people do cast, pitch it as well. As for the size bait you are using, this depends on what you alread know about fish in the area. If they are being pressured, drop-shotting can be a way to get them to bite your bait when they aren't biting someone else's. Often this means down sizing but it does not have to be the case. Regarding the size of the sinker, this depends on what kind of bottom you have and how deep the water is where you are fishing. I would suggest never less than 1/4 oz and sometimes up to 1/2 oz in order to help you keep in contact with the bottom. I would also suggest a pegged weight rather than one of those clip-on's. They are more managble and can be moved up and down to adjust for changes in water depth. The clip on one's tend to crimp your line and can cause you to break off easier.

I'm mostly fishing Lake Fork Ring Fries when this is happening. The fish are pulled up tight to the weeds and I am fishing from the bank, so a lot of them are right at my feet. There is an inlet culvert that I can crawl up on so that I am about 6' above the water and pitching to moss and duckweed that has blown in. The fish are hitting the bait as soon as I put it in the water, and I have a tight line, but they are still swallowing the hook. That is why it is so puzzeling.

I have owned two boats (so far :-/) and both of them came with a Minkota. I have not had any problems with them other than they are a little small for the winds that I encounter around here on occasion. Several guys in my local club have Motorguides and have had trouble with the motor housing leaking and the works rusting out. They have all been older models when this has happened, but it is a bite when you are knocked out of a tournament. One guy upgraded his Motorguide and the other went with a Minkota. Not sure if this helps, but it's what I know about it.

So many people get down on Roland and Dance for being "self promoting" -- if I could get my bills and my fishing paid for, and all I had to do was get Triton, or Strike King, etc. tattooed on my *** and then show it everybody, I'd do it in a heartbeat. I've never understood why people put these guys down. They must be watching their shows and that's what they are all about. I defy anyone to tell me that they have reached a competent level of fishing without having picked up at least one tip from these guys.

I guess being the "greatest" at anything is being able to get people to root for you, but there is something to be said for pure old accomplishment. Roland has strung together some awsome stats as an angler and, in spite of his personality (SON!) has taught a lot of people a lot of things about fishing (me included). But in the final analysis, RC had to be the "greatest angler" just from shear consistency and understanding about the sport and the business. Wonder if they will start this process again within the next 5 years and who might climb up the ladder in that time (KVD, Ike, Swindle...?).

BigBassBecker, How do you fish these things? Is it a "chunk and wind" bait or do you work them like a twitch bait? I notice they advertise how "life like" then look when they are in a downward position on the bottom. That sort of makes me think you either dead stick them or jig them. Also, are they only for deep water or can you work them along the banks? Thanks in advance for your response.

Just read on the BassMaster Web Site that Rick Clunn was announced as the Greatest Angler 8) A tough choice, but I think they got it right.

I have been having trouble lately with bass swallowing the hook on me. I am using a 3/0 hook and the fish range anywhere from <1 lb up to 3+ lbs. It seems to mostly be the smaller one's that are swallowing it and I really don't think I am waiting too long on the hookset. Sometimes they pounce on my bait as soon as it hits the water and still have it stuck in their gullet. Any idea what's going on?

Wow, they really look cool. Will be interested in what kind of response you get to see if anyone has used them. Would like to give them a try, but at $20 per, would like to get an endorsement or two first.

The internet is an amazing thing - I had no idea this information was even available -- LBH, this is a good one 8)

The response above about oxygen is good information when fishing in really hot weather, but what I have noticed this year is that "prop" style baits (Devil Horse, etc.) are working better than poppers or walking baits when the surface temp is up there. Don't really know why, but just an observation.

Well, I'm in Omaha and we have been a little hotter than you and got more rain than you did. I can tell you that with the 30 degree drop in temperature the fish "shut down" overnight. I dropped by my "test pond" at lunch and managed only two bites fishing on the water inlet pipe that feeds the lake. Usually after a rain the fish are fighting to get caught, but they were not active today. The sun has come out now and the temp has gone up about 10 degrees, wonder what it will be like tonight? Good question kcjefff, will be interested in some of your other responses.

Some guys use a trailer on the spinner bait and there are some made specifically for this purpose. I don't suppose there would be anything wrong with trying a live bait trailer, although for the most part spinner baits are meant to mimic bait fish and having a worm or crawdad on the hook might seem odd. You never know 'til you try it.

I also think the link is a good idea, but the purpose of a forum should be to share information and ideas. There is no need for everyone who has been on here for awhile to feel the need to steer people to the articles, if someone is asking a question that you don't want to answer, just ignore it and move on.

BD, that was my point, I knew there weren't any gators in Nebraska, but it sounded like there were some pretty big LMB out there and I was trying to get an invite to go catch 'em

After looking back, I see that I misread the post and aplogize. However, I still maintain that there has been a tone in some of the responses lately that cause me some concerns that some people are trying to turn this into a "good ol' boys club" and some people need not apply. Perhaps I am too sensitive about this because it happened on another forum that I used to visit and the forum eventually fell apart. Please be patient...God isn't finished with me yet and keep in mind that I spend way too much time getting information from you guys during my work day. Sorry for the confusion -- "Never Mind!". :-[

Glen, I have a problem with the response posted above on this topic. The information is good and the suggestion is also good, but I don't think it is necessary to try to make someone feel bad for posting a question. I have started to notice a tone recently on this forum that is a concern to me and that is that some people act offended if someone posts a question that someone else feels is "too simple" or whatever. There have been lots of times when I have seen questions like this and I simply ignore them and move on. There are no stupid questions only stupid people who don't ask questions, but sometimes there are stupid answers.

A non-fishing friend of mine was telling me that there were 'gators in the pond at his housing development here in the mid-west. He knew this because they were eating the baby ducks. He even saw one get snatched from the surface of the water. I told him it was because there were too many bass in the pond and that I would be glad to come out and catch them - this would discourage the 'gators and they would leave