piscicidal

Exactly. I think some people make the mistake of equating a bass "preference" with a conscious choice. I doubt a bass "prefers" certain foods over others based on attributes that humans find appealing (taste, visual appeal, etc..). From a biological standpoint, I think "preference" to a bass is simply a matter of maximum caloric intake with minimal energy expended. It would explain why an injured bait often evokes a triggered response on a fish that isn't actively feeding (less energy expended chasing an injured bait) or why a 9" bass attacks a 10" plastic worm (bigger bait= more energy intake). Bass are hard wired to eat that which will offer the most intake with least energy expended. I would think that sucking up a crawfish expends less energy than chasing down a shad so, given equal opportunity, I'm sure they would "prefer" crawfish. Of course if your lake doesn't have crawfish or has an abdundance of shad, that alters the "opportunity" side of the equation and the fish may key on the shad.

I fished it yesterday. We were culling one hour into the tourney but never got anything big. I had a great time though...This was my first tourney on Okeechobee and only my third time fishing the lake so I wasn't expecting too much. I don't mind donating my money if I know it's going to a good cause.. Ed runs a great tourney and we will definately fish it again next year.

I voted crawfish. From a biological standpoint it seems that a bass would "prefer" whatever food source offered maximum energy intake per energy expended. It seems like it would take a lot less energy to suck up a crawfish then it would to chase around a shad. So I think, given equal opportunity, the bass would "prefer" to eat crawfish.

I'm interested in any reports also...my kids have off school tomorrow and my wife has to work. Thinking of taking the kids to Miami Canal tomorrow afternoon.

Surprised no one has mentioned the Zoom 8" Dead Ringer. The dead ringer is my "go to" plastic bait. It is has a big profile and displaces a lot of water. It has ridges along the profile which slow the fall rate, allowing use of a heavier t-rig weight (and thus longer casts). My favorites: small: Zoom UV u-tail medium: Zoom 8" dead ringer large: Rage 10" thumper, Lake Fork 10", Zoom ol monster The three big worms above all have different profiles/actions/fall rates. Between one of those three I can usually get something going if there is a worm bite happening. If Rage made a 8" thumper, I'd probably buy out their entire stock. I have some of the 7" thumpers, but they are a little small for my taste (in both diameter and length).

houdini, okeechobee craw, hillbilly special, green pumpkin.

This year I rigged an extra heavy setup dedicated to punching heavy, canopied mats. I probably tripled my lifetime total of bass caught through thick hydrilla/hyacinth mats this year. It's a technique I've come to enjoy...Getting a huge bass to slam your bait on five feet of line and a rod/line that has almost no compliance is pretty exciting. hand-to-hand combat.

I went to Lox Sunday afternoon and crushed em. Probably my most enjoyable trip there this year (30+ trips). No monsters, but at least six fish over 3lbs and two over 4. Weather was perfect also. Really itchin to get back out there...

Minimalist is not my style. I'm a maximalist! I bring 10rods in the boat with me and that's because my rod holders won't fit 12 (I've tried...) On a typical day I will use at least eight of the rods I brought. I like all the different techniques involved in bass fishing. I love the challenge of "solving the riddle" of trying to figure out where the fish are and what they want to bite on a particular day. If bass fishing involved launching a spinnerbait into the lily pads and catching a bunch of fish every day, I'd do something else.

You absolutely need the sensitivity and responsiveness of a quality rod (like the Avid) for worm/jig/finesse fishing. I have three Avid rods and I love them. The good thing for us is that I don't think it is necessary to have ultra high tier rods for every application. I use cheaper IM6 rods for my crankbait/swimbait/flippin/topwater rods. My crankbait rod is a $50 fiberglass rod. My swimbait rod is a 7'6" MH IM6 rod that I use to throw big ez/skinny dippers...that setup has caught +200 bass this year for sure. Paired with braid, it has more than enough sensitivity. The flippin stick doesn't need to be ultra sensitive, IMO. It's not hard to tell if you have a bite using a heavy action rod with six feet of 50lb power pro out. Top water...you're going more off sight than feel, so I have a hard time justifying spending $100 extra on the good rod here. At least these are the justifications I keep telling myself to keep from loading the garage up with Avids

Any reports lately from the lake? My partner went out there Sunday and did pretty well. I hope the fish don't move before Sunday (Ghosts and Goblins tourney) but knowing the lake a little bit, they probably will... Any of you guys fishing it?

The other problem with small diameter braid (30lb or less) is it can have a tendancy to pull through the hook eyelet. This is especially a problem when flipping as the hook is often oriented back against the line when when the fish grabs it. The first time I went flipping heavy mats I "broke" off two fish, before I realized the line wasn't broke...the knot was still intact. The 30lb braid I was using was so thin/strong it was cutting through the gap in the eyelet. Most people use +50lb braid for flipping for this reason, because it's easier to manage (i.e. wind knots), and for added margin against abrasion (always a concern when flipping).

I don't think that's strange. I'd bet +90% of right-handed pro fishermen use a RH baitcaster. It is a personal preference to be sure. Personally, I prefer the RH crank with the BC and left handed crank with the spinning reel. The ergonomics just work better for me. I have recently started playing with a left handed crank on a flipping rod. When I started flipping I learned to use either hand (to get different angles). And flipping heavy mats you are not casting/cranking alot, so the reel side doesn't matter too much to me. Having a left-handed and a right handed flipping rod seems to help with fatique- which can be an issue flipping with 8' rods with 2oz weights for hours on end.

I don't think there is a spinning reel in existance that won't coil 10lb CXX. I think the line is more the problem than the reel in this case... That said, if looking for a good spinning reel, I would definately look at the Stradic 2500 or Abu Soron STX20.

Nice fish Bruce. Seems like the better fish are starting to feed out there. My last two trips have been pretty good. The weather today is just beautiful. I was -><-close to blowing off work this afternoon and dumping the boat in at Lox. Anyone heading out there this weekend?

Nice post, Eric. The jig rod is the one rod, now, that I ALWAYS have on the deck next to me. IMO, it is the best "follow up" bait there is...that is, you miss a bite on a frog/worm/swimbait etc. pitch a jig to the spot you had the bite trying to get that fish to bite again. I have had some success this year skipping a jig over lily pads at night. Its a good bait to use at night, because you can launch the jig up toward the shore, sometimes it lands in the pads, sometimes on shore or in the cattails. The jig is so weedless it doesn't matter. Just launch it out there in the dark and crank it back over the top of the pads. Sometimes it works over the top of the pads like a frog, sometimes falling thru the holes in the pads. A very effective way to fish when visibility is near zero (i.e. everglades at night ). I have also had some luck recently pitching a jig into deeper holes in the grass out on the flats. It seems like when the water is really hot, the fish don't want to chase. The fish hanging out in those deep holes will hit the jig on a reaction bite but won't touch the worm/swimbait. I also am not an accomplished jig fisherman by any means but it is a method I have dedicated myself to getting better at. I've caught ~50 jig fish this year...probably five times what I caught last year on a jig.

Good job Catching. Release that little snakehead killer to let him continue his fine work! BTW, are you the guy who ran the snakehead roundup last week? My partner went to it and had a great time...I live on a certain golf course in Tamarac, which supposedly has a few of these toothy critters

I would recommend a 7' M/F rod as a primary (workhorse) worm rod. I do have 6'6", 7'6", MH and XF worm rod setups but the 7' M/F gets the most use...you can cast light weight T-rigs a long ways with this setup (a must, at times). The worm rod is not the place to skimp on cost. Get the best/most sensitive one within your budget. There's a lot of good ones, but Shimano Crucial/St Croix Avid should be on the list of rods you check out. The Diawa Cielo for $124 @ Tackle Warehouse is a great deal on an excellent rod, but the 7' model is not available.

I also use the 7'6" BPS crankin stick rod for my light crankbait rod. The 7'6" M action throws a trap a friggin mile. I'd go MH, though, if you plan on doing a lot of deep cranking. You can spend more on a crankbait rod, but if you're on a limited budget (who isn't), buy the crankin stick and put the money you saved toward the worm rod you're looking for...

Sheesh....bruce. between you and Dale, you two guys are killing me. I'm in China sweatin my arse off and you two are slaying the big bass. The closest I've been to a fish in two weeks was a hot oil flounder for dinner that had me sick for two days... I did bring some reels with me to China, though. Took them apart, sanded/masked the housings and had my vendor paint them up in different colors. They look pretty sweet!

lol bruce. I'm sure you will! Check your pm.

lake fork magic shad, spro aruko shad, fluke, zara spook.

Nice work, Dale. I went out to Lox Friday...I did pretty well out west but got chased back to the landing twice by storms. Probably caught 15 fishing from1:00- sunset (between storms). I had the best luck with skinny dippers/spooks. No fours for me, though. One about 3lbs. I did see the biggest bass of my life on Friday. Was telling Robert (South Fla) about him...this fish was massive...the Lox Ness Monster. Well into the double digits. I'm in China now. When I get back, I'm going on a little "Sowbelly" excursion of my own...

On the quantums...once you remove the three screws from the reel side cover and remove the palm cover, make sure to remove the shaft which runs through the reel frame. You will not be able to remove the gear cover until you remove that shaft. The head of that shaft is a phillips head and will be visible inside the reel frame from the palm cover side.

I fished Istopoga Friday with Eric. Fishing was slow. Water temp was 94 at 5:00PM. I think we caught six fish from 1:30 - dusk. Basically every fish was taken on a jig/bug dropped right on their nose. I've been getting some better fish walking the golf course banks at night. A couple 4s this weekend on topwaters...