Lund Explorer

Sadly, that's is the utter truth! Just yesterday afternoon I met this guy, about 30 years old at the lake and WOW was he ever mad. He couldn't go fishing all morning because his girlfriend had to go all the way down to the welfare office, sit there for three hours just to get their food stamps, and he had to stay home and watch the three kids! How unfair is that?

Hey Raider, you've got some up and coming competition! http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/158833-feeling-pressured/

Just a little history for those who have never heard of such a thing. "1967 Ray Scott has the idea for the first modern bass tournament while watching a basketball game in a Jackson, Miss., motel room. He subsequently drafts the rules for competitive bass fishing to foster the ideals of ethical angling, conservation and safety." "1972 B.A.S.S. holds the first catch-and-release tournament, the Florida National, on Lake Kissimmee. The event is won by Tom Mann." Source: http://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-historical-timeline In the meantime, consider the fact that many lakes see way more than 300 adult bass being removed from the water body year after year with little effect on the quality of the fishing. This can either be from catch and keep, post tournament mortality, or the practice of some tournaments to see fish transported many miles from where they were caught and eventually released. Within established limits, all of these practices are completely legal. In my honest opinion, any lake that goes down the toilet due to the harvest of 300 bass was circling the drain long before this club launched! I probably wouldn't be wasting my time on it to begin with.

In the short term, the only chance for a fish kill would be if the mass die off of the weeds caused oxygen deprivation to occur. In my experience, the mid and long effects of weed control are more worthy of discussion. Usually, after a brief shutdown of the bite, the fishing can be fantastic. This is because those fish that were formerly buried in heavy weed cover are now easier to reach with many types of lures and will concentrate where small weed patches or other cover exists. Sadly, this boom period doesn't last very long and will be followed by a degraded fishery that stands little chance of recovery unless weed control is scaled back. This is because young of the year fish find very little suitable cover in which to hide from the remaining large predators. Without the recruitment of these younger fish into the overall so called adult population, along with that portion of the fishing public still practicing catch and keep, the productivity of your lake/pond will quickly circle the drain. Hard to believe? Consider where squirrel hunters target what they are after. It's the woodlot and not the barren field next to it. Fish like most other animals do best in a natural environment, and there is nothing natural in a lake/pond trying to look like a swimming pool! End of Rant

I believe you misunderstood the point I was trying to make in my prior post. Of course everyone, including the children, should be allowed to express an opinion. The problem is that if you or I have the temerity to question them, or to point out the error in their thinking, we are subjected to them pulling out the "kiddie-kard". When I recently replied to one of the more moronic posts made in a locked thread, I was told in no uncertain terms "Don't you know you're talking to a 14 year old?". The answer I couldn't make in a thread that had been locked would have been "YES!". There was also a question I would have asked; "Doesn't this kid know he is conversing with adults?". All of us, regardless of age, should expect to have our posts responded to and that includes replies that point out that our original posts may have been incorrect. However, if the kiddies are supposed to get a free pass then I feel it is only reasonable that their member status should state so. Moderators have special titles, so perhaps they should as well. All I was trying to point out was the simple fact that when you enter into an adult conversation, you should be expect to be treated as such. Not as some kind of weird protected class. BTW, didn't you guys learn about "Idols" thousands of years ago?

Shortly after his retirement, my long time mailman joined us at the local watering hole. Many congratulations were given out along with a large amount of harassment on the state of today's snail mail. You had to give the guy credit though as he did his best to defend his former employer, until I asked him one simple question. Do they mail you your pension check, or do you use direct deposit?

I know this is being posted in the middle of the night prior to your tourney, but if you haven't chilled out yet or self medicated, you're probably wide awake anyhow so here's my advice. First and foremost, I NEVER target smallmouth bass in muddy water. Not for love, money, or fun, I MEAN NEVER! That being said, I think you've got two options by going after the green fish. You can either fish shallow in the mud or move off shore looking for slightly clearer water. In shallow mud, I would target fish tight to shallow cover with baits that give off plenty of "thump" for the fish to zero in on. Colorado blade spinners, rattling jigs, or a paddle tail worm would be my choices. The key for me has always been to fish tight to cover and fish slow enough to give fish time to find and eat. This would be my first option. If you've blown a couple of hours without success, and especially if you don't have a lot of company from other competitors, it's time to fire up the big motor and head out into deeper water looking for cleaner water where more traditional lures might work. You should still have more than enough time to locate some fish if you don't waste time beating a dead mule. Still, my best guess is that those shallow largemouth aren't going to move miles in search of clean water. They are either going to move into recently flooded cover, or are going to move tighter to the cover rather than cruising in and out of it.

Are you talking about posters such as "coreyshanahan" who has made three posts, including two where he is begging for sponsors? No age listed, but I have the feeling the reason he joined was because Mom cut off his weekly allowance. That one is too easy. But I'll take your word for it that the kiddies all post their ages. When I see a poster with a blank profile, I'll assume that they are an adult and will reply based on that premise.

Listen to the voice of experience. Turn Junior's bedroom into her own personal space for her as a hobby/craft room or simply a female version of the "man cave". Not only does it give her a place to retreat to, but you won't have to worry about the kid wanting to move back home after college until he's 35 years old!

My only suggestion would be to look up a group called the Lady Bass Angler Association. There are several members here that include Keri May (the Big Guy's Better Half) and Deb Warner who fish or have fished their tournaments, and it is possible that there may be another LBAA member who lives close to you who could steer you towards the kind of club you're looking for. http://www.ladybassanglers.com/ Good Luck

As someone who pleads guilty for making these kind of posts in the past, I promise to stop if it helps you out. Now how about a return favor? It has become a real pain to try to figure out if or when we are responding to one of the many children posting on these forums. The subject of giving the adults here their own restricted area (like the kiddies supposedly have) has already been shot down, so can't we at least be given the ability to tell how old a poster is? As a side benefit, maybe Glenn could find Clearasil wanting to become a sponsor!

I rarely quote these kinds of posts, but yours moved me to do so. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers, and I sincerely hope that you will able to give her many more hugs in the future. Probably no reason for me to mention that this would be a good time to give Dad some of the same as I am sure you already have.

So is Josh Duggar who is recently in the news for his perversions. Not to mention the train wreck of a family known as "The Browns" living in the Alaskan Bush!

I think we can all agree that it will be almost impossible to influence someone who has been subjected to an intense brainwashing for his entire life. In the meantime, I hope that both of you have a nice weekend. Most of mine will be spent between visiting the graves of my ancestors, enjoying time with the relatives, and taking part in my annual ritual with my local American Legion Post. While the weather forecast is showing that we will most likely be marching in the rain, I always come away from this event feeling better. I refuse to ruin this weekend any further by arguing with someone who has probably been told that the world is still flat! BTW, in another week or so, I am going to enjoy being the Grandfather of a very special young girl who will be graduating as her class Salutatorian. I will also be giving her all the support I can as she prepares to attend Michigan State University as she works towards a degree in veterinarian medicine. She IS the product of public education!

Pardon me for hijacking my own thread, but thank you for giving us all the drawbacks to a system that you've never been involved in. IF you can finish your schooling, perhaps you could spend a day honoring those who died giving you the opportunity to be wrong about so many things.

This just about says it all.

You and your family have my deepest sympathy.

Do you mean somebody was unhappy that you sold something for more than they were willing to pay? Isn't it amazing how many people don't understand the principle of "Fair Market Value"?

Sorry if it hit too hard, but I wanted to make the point that the key to success is to never be satisfied with the level you're at. Always strive to keep improving your abilities, and to learning as much as possible about the waters you're going to be competing on. As you get better, the first of these old timers that you'll pass are going to be the ones that think there was nothing else to learn. With time and effort, you'll become of the top anglers in your group. How long that takes is wholly up to you. I think you'll make it.

If you read my original post again, the entire thing, you might understand what I was trying to say. Then again, maybe not. I never implied that members were going to jump ship. What I was trying to say was that every member here gets access to one of the best bass fishing websites around for FREE! It doesn't cost you a dime to come here. Care to venture a guess as to what it costs to keep this website up and running? While you're scratching your head over that one, where do you think the money comes to pay for those costs? Next, if you can get this far, please explain why it makes any sense at all to open a section where non-sponsors are given prime time advertising. Explain why any company would spend good money to sponsor this site when all it would take would be to become a member for free, and then spout off their sales, for free! Finally, why haven't you started your own website using this business plan?

I have a 12 year old Granddaughter who would like to know if you'll be putting those for sale in the Flea Market when you grown out of them. Any time frame?

I'm very impressed with that record Catt. Closest I could come for 7/7/1977 would be that I was stationed at Grand Forks AFB at the time. Can't remember if that was a working day or if it was a day off. If I was working, I would have been in the Alpha flight area which was about one hundred and SEVEN miles WNW of the base near the small town of Langdon ND. Interestingly, my work shift of 7pm to 7am matched the time you were on the water. If it was a day off, you may have found me at the NCO Club @ 7pm, and possibly even enjoying a 7&7, just not for 12 straight hours!

Unfortunately you folks will be going through that hell for a lot longer than 24 hours, and for that I hope you know that you'll always be able to use us as either a sounding board or simply a place to scream. I would guess that many of the members here have had a relative or friends who has suffered what will most likely be for your brother, a life changing injury. Beyond the purely physical recovery, he is going to need all of you to help him over the psychological hurdles that he is going to have to face in the weeks, months, and years to come. You can add me to the list that will offer prayers to all of you throughout this challenge. Keep us up to date, and know that this bunch suffers with you just as much as they want to celebrate a speedy recovery with you.

Save this thread for one more year, then make us proud as well when it reads something like this: "What is important is that I've learned what it takes to compete against these guys, I've worked hard to improve my strengths, added new techniques to my arsenal, and I'm catching more and bigger fish than when I started." If I've said it once, I've said it a hundred times. When you start tournament fishing, the money you pay isn't an entry fee, IT'S TUITION! For me, I didn't pay an entry fee for the first entire year. And after more than 25 years in the game, there were days when I ended up paying tuition again.

Just for giggles, enlighten us!