Marty

Glad she's OK and that it wasn't anything worse. I'm usually able to hook myself past the barb all by my lonesome, don't need any help from others.

Raul, Sorry buddy, but I think you got things reversed. The striped bass, white bass and white perch are members of the temperate bass family and are the "true bass." These micropterus things which we call "black bass" are members of the sunfish family, along with bluegills, crappie, rock bass and others.

I do not like Roland Martin and I don't profess to have any knowledge about his getting help before tournaments. However, he still has to go out and catch those fish. But the overriding factor, in my opinion, is his longevity. Here he is in his mid-60s, and still competitive 35 years after starting to fish BASS. That longevity, in addition to his wins and high finishes, demands that he be on the list of finalists.

I have Brauer ranked high because of his career earnings; I know he was first at one time, don't know if he still is. Klein may have a good resum é, but he lacks a Classic. Whether it's fair or not, competitors in individual sports, such as golf and tennis, are judged disproportionately on their "majors."

I've been married for 43 years and she has never tried to keep me from my various obsessive-compulsive hobbies. Like golf, bowling, tennis, photography, bird-watching, fishing and whatever else I may have forgotten. She knows how much I have loved all these things and wants me to enjoy them. Plus it doesn't harm that she also likes her time alone, so it has worked out very well. And, of course, I never interfere with her when she wants to shop, have lunch with friends, or whatever.

I haven't been following it, but I thought it was a joke from day 1, starting out with 35 anglers, about 30 of whom had no business being on the list. Of the ten, I eliminate Parker and Dance because they haven't fished competitively recently. I eliminate Van Dam, Yelas and Davis because they haven't been at it long enough, Klein because he doesn't have enough on his resum é, leaving Clunn, Nixon, Martin and Brauer as the only viable candidates.

If your turtle was the size of a hubcap, can I assume it was a snapper? How'd you land and unhook it?

I don't own a boat, so I'm obviously with someone when I'm boat fishing. But I do a lot of shore fishing and I prefer to do that solo for a variety of reasons.

Go whenever you can. Even though there are general statements that can be made, there are exceptions to every one. One thing I've learned is that you never know what surprise can await you when you put a lure into the water.

I use a 4/0 EWG hook with a 5" Senko and feel very comfortable with that combination. I'll join the chorus of those who suggest that you might be feeling panfish with those taps.

Hey, you got me figured out; impatience is my middle name. My wife still can't understand how an impatient guy like me spends time in an activity whose participants are known for their great patience.

Hey kiddo, welcome. If you're getting seven-pounders in NY, you oughta be answering, not asking.

Who dat? Georgia maybe?

All my spinning reels for bass fishing are Daiwa Regal-Zs. I have some other reels for other types of fishing, like a 25-year-old Quick 110 and a 25-year-old Zebco Cardinal 3, both of which I use as my ultralights with 4# line. Also have a couple of Shimanos for miscellaneous uses, but I don't like that brand.

Hot dogs would never work for me. With my lack of will power, I'd eat the bait before it ever got to the hook. :

I don't know any pros and I'm far removed from organized fishing, but based on what I've read about financial hardships that exist in professional fishing, I'd be willing to bet that the answer is YES

Years ago, before many of you entered the planet, I read about lead colors in the old Fishing Facts magazine. They claimed that gray (unpainted) is a neutral color, therefore was usable all the time. I don't know if that theory means anything, but I've almost always used unpainted sinkers and jigheads and never felt the need to use painted stuff.

I made a similar post on another thread just 24 hours ago. It may have been the painted weight, but there are too many variables present to make a definitive conclusion.

I'm certainly no pro, but I do know that many, if not most, companies understand that their pros may have to use other companies' lures at times to fit the conditions. Some of these companies have instructed their pros not to lie about what they used. Obviously, they don't want them mentioning competitors' products, but just to use a generic description when applicable, as "I used a shallow crankbait."

Thanks for the suggestion RW, but I don't know. I have a box of hard baits--cranks and topwaters. Another for soft jerkbaits, with one compartment reserved for a triple-wing buzzbait. Also a box for Senkos and other worms and another box for tubes and jigs. I use all of these lures and am at a loss figuring out how to carry less.

As I have aged, my tackle-buying is way down. However, I still take too much stuff out with me, but I just can't bring myself to pare down. It's a real problem when shore fishing, as I'm walking around with two shoulder bags. Maybe one of these days. :-[

Good idea, I'd have never thought of that.

Yes it counts. Those are wild fish and haven't been genetically altered. Doing those searches is easier said than done. I tried for a couple of minutes and had no clue what to search for and I couldn't find a way to just search by poster without specifying a search string.

Is there a way you could contact the tournament organizers and find out if that was the Bonanza guy? He was probably the best actor on the show.

I think your friends are merely saying that as you fish more and more, you will see what works and you'll be more likely to remember something that you discover on your own. In the meantime, try reading some of the articles on this site's Beginner's section and see if they help. http://bassresource.com/beginner/beginner.html