Matt Fly

Raul, so do I. I lip all my bass. My self, don't think nets are healthy, healthier than the past, but the slime coats still comes off. What is healthier than lipping and releasing? Nothing! Matt.

A good fish is one that has a story or memory behind it. The only fish of the day. A freak catch on the backlash while I was picking it out. Your kids first fish, or first bass. 3-5 lb fish are good chunks anywhere. 6-9 lbers are kicker fish, and the others are hawgs, or she-pigs. But then again, I'm from southern waters. Matt.

No net. I think one on one is giving the fish its fair chance. Taking the net out of the game means your gonna pay the price for horsing one in sometime or another. So using heavier line and flipping them in is a staple amoung BASS pros, and you've seen plenty come in the boat on oneside and out the other. Not too mention grabbing the lite lines by the line and breaking, And the guy that forgot he was finessing instead of the heavy line that goes to flip one and breaks it before the fish even gets out of the water. I also see the over weight guys, or out of shape guys as having trouble getting on their knees to lip fish. Makes for interesting tourneys, provides footage for years to come when looking back at what could have, should have, but wasn't. No nets makes for a better tour.

Lots of lunkers come from smaller bodies of water......Lake Dixon comes to mind. Matt.

Welcome to the forum. 66 is the magical number plus or minus. Matt

There is no rise and fall of incoming tides on land locked lakes due to gravitational pull. How does it effect bass where there are no tidal waters?

matt, Since the old adage of " a poor day of fishing is better than a good day at work" come to mind. Go fishing any chance you get. Those table don't take into effect, the current weather, droughts, lake levels, and cloud cover. Moon tables are read more by saltwater or tidal water fishermen. I will use them in the early spring and try to plan a vacation to coincide with the full moon and what most think is the first full wave of spawning activity if weather holds up. LBH and friends came to Lake Fork when the charts were aligned, but mother nature gave them some cooler weather and clouds the whole time. Best advice is to keep moon phase as part of your fishing log to compare in the future. Matt

Don't forget to test the drag on a normal cast. Testing in the boat before line has come off the spool will not be the same as testing with 20 yards of line out. The drag will be set correctly once its has been casted out and then set. Also, after new line has been spooled, its highly advisable to retest and set the drag after the line packs down also. If i have time, I pay out my bitter ends behind the boat and spool them again. The lines getting wet allows it to pack on tight and you are less likely to have any backlashes if properly adjusted on packed reel. Plus, this eliminates any line twists that might have occured. matt

I have seen too many spiney creatures get eaten to think that a hook is the first point ever jabbed in a bass throat. There conditioned to eat certain spiney fish or they don't survive. You think crawdads go easily? Why do bass have thorns protruding up from the gills? To protect something more sensative, ie..... the life support system, the gills. Bass don't ever flop around under the water, but put them in the boat and watch them flop on deck. Why? Something told them "fish out of water", flop around time. I have had the same bass hooked on top water, lost her, to only have her come right back and hit it again after one quick fight. Because she still had my lucky 13 in the side of the mouth. You would think, the pain of one hookset might make her shy off, but to come back after being hooked once and hit it again. Pain didn't make her shy off. How many hook marks do you see on bedding bass? I have caught the same bass as many as three times in one setting. Does this say bass feel no pain? Are numb to pain in certain areas? Doesn't stop them from getting caught time after time. You would think pain would over come them and stop hitting the bait after awhile. A guide takes a number one client to his spot that surely holds the same old 12 pounder that other clients have caught before. If pain is questioned, why does the same bass continue to stay where unpleasant experience keeps occurring? You know, the holding out of water, grabbing the lip, and that flash that keeps going off, then, being thrown back only to be asked to jump one more time for the camera. All that pain keeps them coming back for more. Don't know who said all tests have to be scientific, but what I have seen say they aren't as sensitive in the mouth area. Just my two cents

Every thing is big in Texas, specially mojo, send it on down south for some Tex-Mex mojo. We'll spice it up some more. Lots of stops in Tx, bring it on down. Hookem Matt.

Shades of green pumkins, or in the heavy grass, blk/blue. I have seen reddish purple craws in the rocks lower Travis only to see bright reds 5 miles up lake on the clay banks and rocks. Still house has always been good to me on pumpkin green jigs. Try Fletchero, he lives in that area and fishes Belton alot.

Wheres it at?

Other, Lake Frank opens the gate in the morning, they have park rangers. Report them. http://www.mc-mncppc.org/parks/facilities/regional_parks/rockcreek/index.shtm Park police number, Park managers numbers all listed on their web site. Hookem Matt

No! The night before, I will tighten my cast control down, my first cast may only go 5 yards, this ensures I don't start my days with bad back lashes that occurs in the dark or low light conditions. I'll go for the 40 yard cast first toss, and that is not a good thing, thus I limit my self on making early mistakes that might set the tone for one of those early comments, "not another day like this"! After re-spooling all rods, this has eliminated the early morning, first cast backlashes. I always ask my novice partner to test his drag on his first casts with each rod also. Its routine for myself. Cameras, nets, cull tags, are all set in their rightfull spots as having to search for them can make for bad day when partner is not available to assist if needed because he got his head in a box looking for camera. Needle nose is already on deck, line clippers, any bait sprays is already on deck. Anything in the early morning that spooks fish, like slamming lids in the quiet of the morning has hopefully been eliminated. This is what makes team or having the same partner all the time so neat. We move around the boat as one and know the quirks of each other. Practice being prepared in the boat will eliminate alot of rookie mistakes. Having a ritual will eliminate a lot of mistakes before a fish is on. Any one launch your boat different? Or do you have set routine in load and unloading the boat. Routine eliminates the simple mistakes of not checking plugs, livewells, and straps. A few extra minutes before can make you have a safer and more pleasant day if the fish cooperate. Matt.

I fish 7 inch motoroil and black and blue flecks only, any other 7 inch or smaller is different brand.....ie culprits, zoom, gene Larew. 10 in power worms, Used to buy the 100 count bags when you could find them. From late June-sept, its pretty much the main diet they see. Hookem Matt

If the answer is that Bass do feel pain, whos gonna stop fishing? anyone? If it doesn't matter if they do or don't and your not gonna stop fishing, try this.....................................................................

Since your heart tells you they are illegally fishing, don't speak english, and are probably illegally in this country without asking, maybe your heart will tell you to stop at the main gate that lets them in every morning to check their license. Parks open from sun up till sun down and gates closed at night. Whos flaming who?

On Toledo Bend, your liable to see a bunch of different colored crawdads. In Central Tx, you have Travis which is just a dammed river which has rock basin and clear water most of the year. As you head up Lake Travis and get more into the River its self, you will find darker colors. Crawfish adapt to surroundings, if clear water, go with the lighter colors. Shades of green? Green pumpkin, watermelon, gourd green, all three colors of green, one being more translucent than the next, and manufactures colors will vary. AS do the color specks.....ie green fleck, blue, purple, gold flake. If fishing deep grass or under mats, black and blue is hard to beat. What lake?

Well, what did you guys think of the Saturday lineup? Not bad, could have been worse. Matt

How do you know for sure they don't have a license? 7 out of 10 without license is pretty serious poaching. If you didn't ask, how do you come to that conclusion? Matt.

Still house off the little island is deep and the most effective way is vertical presentation.

Not knowing anything about that small lake, could be anywhere. Knowing that certain lakes in my area have hundreds of tourney coming out of a certain marina, I'll place brush out deep in legal waters to hold fish from other tourneys, and most often always pick up fish off them. Most do have hook marks that look fresh. Just remember, some tourney rules will have rule in place thats says "no fishing" within 50 yards of host marina. Sometimes it pays to fish structure nearby in an area where fish are always released. Hookem Matt

Tx laws prohibit the transfering of game fish from public water to other Public waters, but doesn't include private lands. Seining tanks about this time of the year due to droughts is very commonly done in Texas to save fish. However, it is advised that you do not over stock another small or smaller pond where oxygen levels would be depleated. I prefer the seine and fry method. Easy meal or two. New State Law proposed, said you must wash your boat or remove "ANY" vegitation from trailer and boat. No more grass hanging off the skids or axle going down the road. Clean your livewells also. Law is to prevent the spread of unwanted vegitations and possible virus. It only makes sense not to let people move fish from public waters to other public waters.

They need an online poll to see what people liked and disliked. They have sampled enough types of shows for us to have an idea. Beat Charlie Moore A day on the lake Bass Techs The fishin Hole Wheels and reels Bass Center BASS tour coverage Schooled by Denny B I don't care for Greta Gaines, but then her approach is elementary, and I know there are younger people out there just starting and not every segement is going to appeal to me. Has to be middle ground for all to enjoy. There will be something to watch, but what? I'll wait and see. Matt.

Got Milt? Jim do you have any pictures you can show. All that scientific stuff is over loading my brain. Thanks for the link. matt