bayouXpress

I have a good fishing buddy that is a speed fisherman that never wants to fish plastics. I refuse to go in his boat. But when he is in my boat he is kinda clumsy and tends to break things. He has stepped on multiple poles, broke cup holders, radio face plate, and he has lost 2 of his rods in the water and has kicked one of mine over but was able to save it. The worst thing is he is very generous with the information that you just spent the last 2 weeks and hundreds of dollars in gas to find some fish and will tell anyone and everyone that he sees. And has no shame in asking every single person what they got, what they caught them with, what color, etc. He just has no want to find his own fish. I love the dude, but sometimes I find reasons not to bring him. Kinda crappy on my part, but I like to fish and relax.

all reports are pointing to them being way up and getting ready to lock on beds. The only thing I don't like about that is when you get in a cove and start working your way in and its like a merry go round with the boats hitting the banks. Its hard to get on something thats not been hit before.

its a lot easier these days with the internet. Research past tournaments at certain times of the year. The map available on the internet also is very helpful and the local tackle shops.

hoping on some deal on a crankbait rod. The only problem with the sale though is you usually buy stuff your not looking for just cause its a good deal.

revo premier 6:4.1 kistler LTA 6'9" MH 12lb vanish fluoro 1/4oz humdingers and now rumba doll spinners. Got have rubber skirts!!! perfect combo for me.

Its nice to have a rod/reel combo for each lure type but certainly not necessary. IMO you can fish nearly everything on a 6'6" MH fast tip rod. Now you may have to adjust the way you fish, but they will definitely handle 99% of what you throw. Also remember that each rod manufacturer rods are not built and rated the same. A kistler MH (more of a medium )is nothing like a veritas MH (true MH) just my opinion though.

if your in tight close quarters get a 6'6" MH Veritas. if you got a little more room to spare go with a 7fter MH veritas

i started switching to these rods lately. Every now i then I'll come across a thread about someone having issues, but for the price i'm very happy with mine. I also love the ratings because I fish in slop 90% of the time and like the extra stiffness. totally opposite from kistler rods. I have 4 but have not gotten any of the new ones with the micro guides. The last 2 I also got an amazing deal on 65/rod. I do know that the bass pro shops spring sale begins somewhere in march if you want to hold on for a little while they will have some good deals. If you want to spend a little more kistler is having the 2011 year models for 75 off helium and 50 off mag rods.

well i fished last year around march and it was around the 164-165. so it might not be that bad. Can't image 159 I fished a few years ago and it was 172. Its like a different lake!

thanks good info, i'm currently planning our trip this will definitely help

I did read that the texas oilmans tourny was cancelled for 2012 does anyone know about the LA oilmans tourny. I'm just trying to avoid the huge tournaments as I'm scheduling our trip.

fillet the bass. coat with some fat free butter, then marinate in fat free italian dressin and a touch of mustard for 1 day. Then the only seasoning you need is Paul Prudhomme's Blackened Redfish magic. Coat the fillets on each side and cook on an electric grill in the house. its the only way I cook them.

I love music. I have an ipod connection in just about everything i own. Most of my fishing partners enjoy music too. As others said bright and early I love listening to nature wake up, but after an hour or so its time for the music. No way I can fish 8 hours straight with no music. I would go insane. I don't think it has any affect on the fish at the volume I listen to while fishing.

anybody familiar with Fox lodge. We are planning our yearly trip but looking to go further south on the texas side.

its actually starting right now, i'm about 45 minutes southwest of new orleans. They are coming up out their hiding spots but with cold fronts still passing through it doesn't just happen all at once. Full of eggs.. Usually lasts into the first week of march. but I find the real big girls come early

does seem strange.. its been way too long.

I think grass Identification would be a great thread. Down here we call that snot grass.

nice.. i know what i'm doing for the next couple hours.. is some of it from the current pool level?

yes your right and I definitely keep an eye out for them, but 2 of the one's we found we were passing in the boat lanes heading for a location on the map and could see the top of the ridge barely under the surface. They were not in relation to any visible structure and both were smack in the middle of some stump fields. only 1 did we actually use the map to find.

That is about all you need to know.. ;D I wish i had an extra week to just motor around and GPS ridges and humps. I found several that were just inches underwater that were not on any of the maps i have and 95% of them had fish. At normal water levels we would have never found them.

I'm definitely disappointed that he won with that bait and in the area he did. Because of our shallow water and usually heavy grass a crankbait is not even in many people's tacklebox down here. Which I love cause it benefits me greatly.. Now everyone will be throwing it no matter what.. and now I can't even get my boat in cataouache. I currently have a few of the academy baits in the chart/black back because of our usually stained water.. I would love to try out these new Kvd's 1.5's to check the action but there is no way to find them now. This bait applies to me because I fish this area. I don't understand why someone fishing lake Erie in deep crystal clear water would want to purchase a chartruese shallow running crankbait..

will they lake rise any by the end of march or can we bet on the 165 level.

i think if you can afford it you should have it. in any sport.. if there is a tool that can legitimately make you better why not use it. But as said before you still need to know how to fish. and i think they now do have deer-dar.. its called trail cams

man, i don't even know him, but feel really bad about jack's passing.. puts everything in perspective. I really followed his post hard because of the area he fished.. Well, we are scheduled for march 23-27 for our annual trip to the bend. I was lucky enough to get Joe Joslin scheduled for the friday. This is the 3rd time I go over this thread. I can't say thanks enough. I just need to translate all the data over to the water. Its just a different animal once your out there. Also, excited to see how and where the pros fish for the classic since i'm sure several will be in areas i fish and can't wait to see what they do on the bend.

flukes are very versatile baits. i have fished it trig weightless popping it on surface, dead sticking, and fishing like a worm. my favorite way is from peter-T which is similar to the split shot, but using a 1/16oz tungsten bullet weight with the special pegs for them about 8" above the fluke is fantastic