Matt Fly

Jim, good points, but in Tx, our TP&W department will tell you when and where to keep all bass. Certain time of the year, crappie on deep lakes in the winter will die from the sudden pressure changes when brought up. Thus no length restrictions, and all crappie caught must be retained. In short, we let the TP&W run the show, and they do tell us when to keep everything and no release. Its not a guessing game of how they want the lake maintained, they let us know. If you haven't seen Tx slots and creel limits in the yearly regs book, you should, its very detailed and long. It pays to have the free book in the boat or tackle bag just in case of creel limits, slots or C&R only. As for catchable bass, if any one is familar with lake Fayetteville in tx. 2400 acre power plant lake. Its not uncommon to catch 30+ bass over 4 pounds every trip out, and see 4-5 hook marks in the mouth. Been that way since the early 90's and still is. I have heard that Fla. bass are more wary after being caught.

Flip, with conditions mentioned and shallow. I'd still throw a downsized spinner with double colorado blades for max vibrations or something like a Cotton Cordel Big O. Shallow running wide wobble crank.. In murky water, a bass senses vibrations. Sight is limited and the finese stuff might work, but the strike zone is very small in murky waters. The last option is rattling baits or jigs with rattles.

It is good to see so many parents concerned on what their child is seeing. I would also agree that we can't shield our kids from other "playground kids" who have witnessed a little bit of everything. With that being said, the morals our kids value are learned and demonstrated at home which should enforce right from wrong. Being a parent in the 80's and up sure changed from what my parents concerns were about. Good luck, and I can see from the type of members we have, there are some good parenting and supervision going on in America still. Hookem Matt

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Hit the "home" button on the tool bar of the forum, scroll to the bottom and see who is online, who are guests, and how many members we currently have.

Personally, the commercial did nothing for me, not really funny, mostly dumb. Maybe the commercial is supposed to be appealing to the "otherside" of 90%, ie....wives and girl friends. And its okay to make Broke Back jokes or mention them so our kids can come ask us what thats suppose to mean. Kids are on this forum also!!!!!!!! Do I email you or your wive for the complaint department. You might say I took it out of context, and I might say the same about Gulp, I mean did you see 100% of their bodies nude, or are you just assuming? Sorry guys, practice what your preaching. Whether on a forum or TV, its in the public spotlight and you don't like going natural, and I don't want to explain Broke Back to a 9yr old . Just my .02

Contradictory- kept 200 hundred bass a year. Yet "biggest advocate of C&R. As long as your friends are legal, why should you keep your bass and they can't keep theirs. And that makes you the biggest supporter of catch and release. 200 bass a year and I don't care where they came from. What that makes you is a dictator. Do what I say, and not what I do!!! I have no problems with anyone keeping a legal creel, even 5-10lbers. The state fishing biologists, the ones with the degree keeps an eye on our public waters, and they know more than most of us pleasure/tourney fishermen. I don't want a 10 lber eaten, but I have no right to verbally attack anyone on doing so.

Find shade or deeper waters. Shade can be under boat docks, lily pads and grass mats, next to old trees.

Theres over 200 channels out their that are more offensive, vulgar, racist, and shouldn't be seen by youth viewers. TV Soap operas, jean commercials, cologne commercials, videos of all sorts deem more press than a fishing Ad. Too funny!!!!!!! If my child was to stumble on to something, I only hope it is a fishing AD or outdoor show and not an MTV house party show, or WWE bras and panties match, or soap operas and the usual day time bed room scene. With my child watching Saturday Morning Bass Center, I know thats the worst she'll see, and compared to regular programming, and prime time, thats as close to "Romper Room as it gets anymore" Just My .02

In Tx, as long as you are legal, I don't care what you keep, its your right. The biologists keep watchfull eyes on harvesting, like the Amistad piece on all the bass being cleaned by families during the Elite event and Mexico allowing gill netting on their side. I am sure if they thought the lake couldn't handle that much harvesting, they would implement restrictions. As a weekend warrior that likes the local tourney trail, I always practice catch and release with bass. If I want a mess of fish, I can catch whites, stripers, crappie, or a good mess of cats anytime. Hookem Matt

What lakes are you fishing? Drop shotting is going strong, but so are every other baits right now. No secret pattern, fish are feeding up from the spawn.

My partner out of the boat for being too loud on a still, beautiful morning. LOL This time of the year, morning start. Buzz bait or Yellow Magic Hookem Matt

Communication, communication, communication. You should ask every question in the book, and some that aren't. Do you guide on this lake exclusively? Do you guide on multiple species or bass only? How many years on said lake? How do you handle bad weather days? Do you furnish tackle? What do I need to bring? How many days have you been out in the last 30 days? Do you have current references? Do you take time off to chase tournaments? If so when, what series? I hope you get a guide that gives you a memory of a lifetime, a good memory that is. I think guides are worth it. hookem matt

I equate big bucks and big bass as being nocturnal, they didn't get to be trophy class by being out in daylight hours. I know we don't deer hunt at night, but sure do see more larger bucks out at night than I see in the day, or at least when I don't have the gun. Big old phat bass like to feed at night when its quite and the light penetration is in their favor when feeding. I like baits that give off their own vibrations, ie... no rattles on calm nights. Day time usually has some boat chop and wind, which rattles can help them to locate the baits on days with surface noise. I have always used dark colors at night. Like Matt, I believe the big dog walks at night and thats why its important to not make noises or use unnecessary bright lights. I like waking single blade colorados, swimbaits, and the big plastics, and if the grass and stumps are in the mix, a big bulky jig.

Golden Fishing Rule #1. Live to fish another day!!!!!! Golden Rule #2. If you can see lightning, you can be hit.

Nice picture Raul. I have seen that before a few times.

First off, Welcome to the forum. I don't troll for Blacks on purpose, but do like using the crank to locate bass in an area. If I pull a few bass with the crank, I usually slow down and work the area with plastics. If the area truly is filled with stumps, I'm looking for breaklines within, or guts ditches, creek channels that might have fish holding by or next to. Hookem Matt

The first picture said it all. Happy Memorial Day to all!!!! Hookem Matt

A mepps or similar inline spinner. 1 fish, 1 pound, done deal, easy as 1,2,3!!!!!

Don't let the cover keep you away with cranks. If they are feeding on bait, either cranks or some various soft plastics would or should do the trick. I just hope you get a shot at the cover as a non-boater. Sneak a peak at the graph or ask how the fish are relating to cover or structure....ie.... suspended, and how far off bottom, on bottom. Once you have an ideal of where the fish are positioned, you can access how to approach them. A c-rig may be the wise choice, a jig is always dangerous, drop shotting, Texas rig.

We aren't the ones whos been beating the horse to death, "these guys do this in search of a record, how dedicated they are, how skilled and "prepared" they are." It wasn't Jed, Mac, or any of those hog hunters beating their own drums, it was the you guys who set those fellows up to be picked apart. It wasn't us who wanted them in the greates angler debate, after all, the nominations came from a professional fishin leagues, ie.... the tournament trail, and I don't think they played in those reindeer games did they. locally yes, nationally no. So, I do like seeing the videos and big bass, but don't force feed us how great these guys are......... you asked "how could they be prepared?" Well, all ya'lls praise and videos said they are the best and thats all they do is search for records. Facts. Dock workers account, ie..... not the kids, said they had to talk about it for ten minutes in the middle of the lake after weighting while fish is in tow with tow rope through the mouth. Dock worker said it was foul hooked also, he also witnessed the landing. Not just kids. Something getting inspected after and not before means nothing. I calibrate equipment for a living, Do you know if there was a black dot on the scale as to accurately identify it as the same? joking of course. The spawn is over, so is the hunt till next year, so quit making excuse of why he quit chasing it. We aren't stupid, we read all the post and articles that say when they actively persue the big bass mostly. That is why we argue so much. You put these guys on a pedistool making excuses for every thing, such as nolonger hitting the lake. I bet you he's back next year for spawn. When 80% of largest fish are catchable or the easiest to locate. Witnesses are kids, they didn't do it for money, which is bologna also as I posted the article where they said money and products would be asked for. As I said, we didn't set these guys up to fall, you guys did that on your own, you make your rounds to all the forums with the same arguements on those forums. Peace out!

I like the 12-3pm time for catching monster bass. Lots of hawgs are caught at that time of the day. Raul, If I come dragging up, you gonna get me on one of those teens? Hookem Matt

It was a large bass, thats for sure, but those scales they used hasn't been ceritfied, so was it 24 lbs, 25 lbs, no one can ever say for sure. Because the rules weren't followed. Which is funny, seeing how thats all those guys do is pursue records, you'd think they would have used the certified scales 100 yards away at the bait shop, or had theirs sent in long time ago in preparation for this years spawn and their relentless attack of the world record. Funny they had camera for weighing but not running in the boat when caught. We've seen so many videos of these guys before, but when they actually have a giant down there, not running any film. Too many details left unclear in my opinion for all the press that others attest to and give them. Again, just my .02

What I defended is how some seem to jump on him. None of you every drive over the speed limit? One mile is breaking the law. Does that make you a criminal also? Telling people to grow up is not a polite response, nor did the first eleven posts address his questions, but merely lectured the guy. Secnond, I was emailed about this topic privately, was the object to want this guy to quit the forum? He sure thought he was wronged. WHEN WE TYPE ALL CAPS AS I USED TO DO BECAUSE ITS EASIER TO READ, SOME ONE TYPED BACK AND SAID "YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL OR ACT MAD, AND THEY EXPLAINED IT TO ME"!! I had a grandpa who fished is whole life in tanks and ponds, private waters, he used to always tell us (his grand sons) , why waste your money on some fishing license to fish public waters when your neighbors and family have the best fishing in the county. So my grandpa never fished "legally", didn't make him a criminal either. So this new guy on the forum gets lectured, and told to grow up. Now, we have all had a few good debates, but name calling or jumping on one of our new forum members is not how we welcome new members to the forum is it. For you guys to assume this 27 year old is a criminal, he was big enough, after he thought he was attacked, to come back and appologize. Sounds like a descent guy to me. If I thought any of you were wronged, I say a few words for ya'll also. Hookem and How about those Mavericks Matt.

his orginal question was cops or warden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where does telling the man to get a license and grow up answer his questions. Well, can anybody answer that or appologize. There are certain waters, public or waters the TP&W may help manage that requires a license in my state. You can fish in my state without a license, just not public waters, so to say you fish, just not legally doesn't mean illegally. It was assumed that you either fish legal or illegal, yet you can fish private waters and still be above the law, just not legal to fish publically. mr langs15, he wrote the question. Did you answer the cop or the warden? Or did you think he needs to clarify the question?