Dinky

Thanks for this info! I don't get WFN but really like the show.

Both TSA as well as baggage handlers may be prone to stealing. There are locks available and approved by TSA that you can put on your checked luggage. The locks can be opened by a key used by the TSA only. At least this keeps the baggage handlers out.

I have always carried on my reels with line on them and never had a problem. Anything with hooks should be checked. Never had a problem with soft plastics either. I am usually leaving from Kentucky so the TSA agents are all fishermen anyway!! A lot depends on the particular airport/TSA agents involved. Some are jerks---some are fishermen and understand about tackle.

Long Mike; Mailed my form yesterday. Will be there all week with my boat. Looking forward to it!

Unfortunately the last 2 weeks in June is when I will be in Canada chasing those elusive smallmouth. Looking forward to seeing you at Gunnersville.

Yessir! I have my reservations already and will be sending in my form tomorrow or Monday-or as soon as I can kick my printer into submission and get the form printed out! I'll be driving in from the Harris Chain in Florida if anyone is coming from that direction and needs a ride.

Scrutch- I have a place on the Harris Chain of Lakes==about 45minutes from Orlando. When will you be there and are you planning to do any fishing?

Great job, JB! I didn't do nearly as well as you, but had a great time for my first Open. I will do it again for sure.

A week or two before the tournament you should get a packet of info in the mail giving the details of times/places etc. ; but the same info is usually available on-line at the BASSMASTER website at about the same time. There will be a mandatory check-in and meeting on Wednesday afternoon--usually 3 or 4 pm. Then the pros and marshalls have separate meetings to go over rules, parking, etc. normally about 1 hour. Then the pros and marshalls meet together and they announce the pairings for Thursday. You meet your pro and arrange when and where to meet Thur. morning. You can help them launch if you want to do so but if you stay in the boat you can only operate the trolling motor--or you can park the trailer--either way the usually appreciate the help--same for loading afterward--but--it can get late since they have to go through the weigh in. You do not need a jug. They do not make pit stops. You do need sun screen, sun glasses, water. You will get a hat and shirt at the Wednesday meeting to wear so you can be identified as a Marshall. Bring your own food water soft drinks. they usually have ice to keep stuff cold but may not have room for a six pack and a lot of food. You can take a still camera but not a video camera. The pro is required to have a PFD for you on board but everyone brings their own anyway At the weigh in Wednesday afternoon they will have posted the pairings for Friday with the pro's phone number and where he is staying. You can find him at the weigh in and make arrangements their or take his number and call him later.When he leaves the stage at the weigh in they give him a print out that has his marshall's name and phone number on it so he can call you. You will be allowed behind stage at the weigh in as long as you have your marshall shirt and cap on. Since you are from that area I assume you know about Dinasaurs in Syracuse. If you are on the list to be a Marshall on Saturday you will have to stick around the weigh in until it is over for a meeting where they will make the pairings for the 24 pros fishing on Saturday.

I can see that when he says that bass fishing 'isn't rocket science' it seems like an insult to you, especialy since you spent time trying to teach him what you know. It was a bit of a slap in the face for him to say that, not to mention the fact that it was classless on his part. Someone already mentioned the idea that is so true: boats don't catch fish. I do see a lot of what I call 'reverse snobbery' by some folks-not necessarily on this board, but just in general. It is an attitude that anyone who does have a $25,000 or higher cost rig has to be 'put down' or sneered at and that it is a badge of honor to show him up in a 14' aluminum boat. As for the Tracker Boat: definitely one of the most versital, safe, fishable, affordable fishing boats around. I hope to be buried in mine. But, Skeeter makes a good boat also. I don't think it would bug me if a guy buys a $25,000 Skeeter as his first boat. But it would bug me a lot if he was so classless as to tell me bass fishing wasn't rocket science after I had spent time helping him out.

My son and I went to Brazil in October to fish for Peacock Bass. Caught a 22lber and a 23 lber. Awesome. Also caught some piranha and a couple freshwater barracuda. Ate some of them, too.

Long Mike, What is the latest on the 'mini road trip' to Falcon? Of course I am seriously interested but would also appreciate as much advance notice as feasible regarding possible dates. Thanks.

I have tried just about every conceivable method for storing soft plastics and have found the best way is to keep them in their original bag-it has the size, type and color info readily available. I store these, by type or size, and sometimes even by color--in quart freezer bags and label them with a Sharpie. Then I put several quart bags of like kind plastics into a larger freezer bag--again labeling the larger bag to indicate its contents. E.g. I may have crawfish, trailers, and the like in individual bags---I have my Rage Craws in small bags, my Paca craws in separate small bags etc.--these are then consolidated into a larger bag labled "CRAWS & TRAILERS". Or various sizes of finesse worms in small bags--then a large one containing all THE "FINNESSE WORMS". I have several plastic tubs in my garage on shelves and I've labled them and keep the large bages in them. I can then take out whichever bag or bags I need for a particular trip. I have found that keeping the soft plastics in their original bags makes it easier to inventory when it comes time to replenish. Plus any salt or other scent on them will not dissipate as they would if taken out of the package and stored in a plastic tackle box. These plastic bags can be easily put in my boat storage or packed in a tackle bag to carry on another boat. I don't keep any terminal tackle in the bags with the soft plastics. All terminal tackle is in a seperate plastic tackle box(s) and marked for easy access. At least it works for me.

I'm in--assuming dates are workable. Sounds like it would be a great trip!!

I, as well as many others I fish with, have caught numerous 8 and 9 pound largemouths on Senkos, lizards(various brands),Carolina rigs (using Senkos even!) crankbaits, top water lures -- to name a few. Some have been caught on steep/deep bluffs, some on shallow banks. This all leads to the conclusion that you have probably not caught as many, or as big, fish as those using Senkos have caught. And, you never will as long as you retain such a narrow minded opinion. I do agree that you certainly can't teach anyone anything about a Senko if you don't know anything about it yourself. Good luck, you will need it.

Wow! Someone needs to check to see if anyone has filed a missing pet report!! Looks like she swallowed a small dog! Great catch!!

Mike; Thanks for posting the schedule. So far I have found no mispellt wurds. I tried to sign up for the Tuesday night dinner but was unable to do so--computerus interruptus occurred and I experienced modulation non-recognition issues. Nonetheless, I will attend Tuesday's dinner as well as all other festiviities. I have an open seat in my boat on the 17th, 20th, 21st. Mike

carrollton-fisher: You will get all the info at the Marshalbriefing/meeting after registration on the day before the tournament starts. The time and place of the Marshal meeting/briefing should be in the packet BASS mails to you after you signed up to be a Marshal. Just fyi: You will arrange with the pro you are assigned to when and where to meet on morning of Day 1. Assignment for the first day is made at the Marshal Briefing where you will meet the pro you are assigned to. Most pros launch between 6:30 and 7:00 am. If he launches at a different ramp than where the start is (which they are allowed to do) you will arrange to meet him at the dock at the starting area. You are not expected to help launch the boat--these guys launch by themselves all the time and often simply let their boat float off the ramp unnmanned and then park their truck and someone will either round -up their boat and herd it to the dock for them or give them a ride to it. But most pros seem to appreciate it if a Marshal will help by either manning the boat and picking them up (using the trolling motor only)or parking their truck for them. Same for post weigh in loading. At weigh-in after Day 1 there will be a board with the assignments for Day 2. You will check and see who you are assigned to and then either call him(cell phone #'s are posted also)or try to catch him before he leaves the weigh in and arrange your meeting time/place for Day 2. You don't need to bring your own life jacket--but you can if you want to. Most Marshals seem to bring their own. You need to bring your own sun block/snacks/water/rain gear/camera(still camera only-no video). The pro will provide storage for you and usually ice for anything you need to keep cold. My advice is to travel light. You will be given a Marshal hat and shirt to wear-it is also your pass behind the stage at weigh-in with the pros where the general public is not allowed to go. Hope this helps answer some of your questions.

Absolutely agree!! We can never fully repay all the military for their service and sacrifice. Thank you.

As I have gotten older my memory has remained very good--it has just gotten shorter.

All those lakes mentioned above are pretty good choices. If you are eliminating El Salto simply because you have heard about the border violence you are making a mistake. The El Salto trip is from Mazatlan into the Sierra Madre mountains--1 1/2 hours from the airport. I've been there many times in the past several years and never had a problem. It is the border cities that have the problems-like El Paso. Falcon is fine on the U.S. side. The jetski shooting occurred when a tourist took photos on the Mexican side.

All those lakes mentioned above are pretty good choices. If you are eliminating El Salto simply because you have heard about the border violence you are making a mistake. The El Salto trip is from Mazatlan into the Sierra Madre mountains--1 1/2 hours from the airport. I've been there many times in the past several years and never had a problem. It is the border cities that have the problems-like El Paso. Falcon is fine on the U.S. side. The jetski shooting occurred when a tourist took photos on the Mexican side.

All those lakes mentioned above are pretty good choices. If you are eliminating El Salto simply because you have heard about the border violence you are making a mistake. The El Salto trip is from Mazatlan into the Sierra Madre mountains--1 1/2 hours from the airport. I've been there many times in the past several years and never had a problem. It is the border cities that have the problems-like El Paso. Falcon is fine on the U.S. side. The jetski shooting occurred when a tourist took photos on the Mexican side.

Finally found the scoring system on the web site. Seems unfair for Reese to have to defend the last two tournaments against anyone who could not have beaten him if (a) the last 2 tournaments were scored the same as the first 8 and if ( he (Reese) had whiffed the last 2 and his closest competitor had won both of them. Evers would probably be the only one who could have caught him--maybe not depending on how many points are awarded for a regular tournament. Still, it seems unfair for the AOY leader to have to defend the last two tournaments against anyone who could not have caught them if they were regular tournaments. Anyone want to bet it is changed next year with Bass being sold to Jerry McKinnis et al?

Nope, Skeet would have won by a mile. The last two tourneys are weighted HEAVILY and pretty much shrinks your lead to a low enough level that 2 so-so tournaments by the leader and a couple good tourneys from someone nowhere near the lead in the regular season results in the guy that was out of it in the regular season being the AOY. It's all about how you finish... congrats to KVD yet again. Evers was real close going into the two "playoff" tournaments and if they had been regular tournaments couldn't he have passed Skeet? VanDam actually closed the gap quite a bit at the end of the season--but the question is: was he close enough (in 5th place if I recall) to overtake Reese if the last two tournaments had been regular tournaments? Also, if Skeet had maintained a wide lead in the AOY points going in to the two "playoff" tournaments could he still have won it all with a so-so performance in them? Wish someone would set out how the points are/were adjusted. I can't find it on Bassmaster site.