Matt Fly

Welcome to the forum.

ghoti, That is so true, I was using a live bait rig in the early 70's which is now called a carolina rig, the very same rig.

Nice picture, thought I would share it.

I have always associated finese meaning to down size line, baits and tackle. Speed or approach has never been an identifier. Those baits that allow you to cover more water faster have always been considered search baits. Power presentations have been used mainly in close quarters. Heavy structured or cover where a good back boned rod and stout line is needed to take control of the fish fast as to not allow to wrap up around something. Water Clarity has always been the first indicator as to which is needed depending on the seasonal pattern. Droppshotting and split shotting was and is needed on the West coast as the water is gin clear. The standard 7 inch worm, 17 lb test, T rigged isn't gonna catch many in Cali. Downsizing to 6-8 lb test is the norm, 3-4 inch worms and a spit shot C-rigged is the producer. Thats finese. Then again, I use to haul my trash to the Dump, now its a landfill. I used to go to the movies, now its a theater of fine arts, Coming off drug ops in South America, we used to get checked for fatigue, now its post order distress, who know what the definitons means anymore. They change with each generation.

Truly awesome, inspirational story. Have been watching his story develope over the years. Also saw his piece while watching the federation championship.

Blanked, Docks and marinas can produce anytime of the year if conditions are right. Fish use docks to stage on to spawn. Fish have shade all day when temps rise. People clean fish at marinas. Docks and ramps usually have growth on them, plankton attracts baitfish. People often throw excess bait they didn't use into the water when done. Night lights provide insects on the water at night which attracts fish. Bass have to be used to boats coming and going. I like a marina with sail boats also, shows depth, and the draft is deeper on the keel and offers more to throw at, plus most large sail boats have massive growths underneath and deep.

The 24th Sharelunker of the season and Lake Fork's 5th so far this season. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/budsharelunker/archives/lunkerdetails.phtml?fishid=415

99.5% of us will never catch a fatty like her, Where is the Picture? Congrats on an outstanding record.

Ray Scott, it was his drive and dream that has led us to where we are today. The best emcee I have seen on that level, ever!

This 15 lber came from Alan Henry, AH is just 12 years old, and very small in size. She was the first lake ever to unseat Lake Fork in the last 20 yrs of the sharelunker program donating more SAL's than Fork did last year, 9 to 8. This one is a new lake record. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/budsharelunker/archives/lunkerdetails.phtml?fishid=414

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/budsharelunker/archives/lunkerdetails.phtml?fishid=413 I think he has entered a sharelunker or two in the past, and Alba Tx is located a stone's throw from lake Fork.

He's been fishing for over 15 years on BASS, seems like it would sink in, you aren't going to the classic throwing swimbaits. Because, he's on Bass Center for being the "Bachelor" as opposed to his accomplishments in the sport of bass fishing. Very few have ever heard of him till the bachelor, versus his fishing production on the water. He didn't, and hasn't earned his spot yet. Last years Classic, this years classic, Amistad, Rayburn, and its still a West Coast thing. Its old. Just like IKE got old with his screaming on every fish, small and large.

OKAY, are we talking about the white gravy again? Cause they wasn't giving it a try, didn't meet the assessment criteria I guess.

Let me snag one with my crank bait, it can't be cheap to lose one. Then you guys can raz me for not practicing "Catch and Release" cause I'm taking photos and throwing it in the live well. Personally, I think Peta stinks, and if you disagree, chance are, you do to.

The price for a sack of sacrete is bout 2.80 for 80lbs, and a cinder block is about 1.90 a piece. You can make 6-7 good weights with cut milk jugs. I try to use a mixture of brush, some Xmas trees for bait fish and crappie, and the mixture of hardwoods that will last longer. If wood is cured, it takes more weight to sink, the best is when they are green. I pull better fish on hardwoods and cedars mixed. Any brush placed is better than no structure at all.

Third one from Amistad this year. http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/budsharelunker/archives/lunkerdetails.phtml?fishid=412

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/visitorcenters/tffc/budsharelunker/archives/lunkerdetails.phtml?fishid=411

I'll quit beating the dead horse, but obviously, you guys know I monitor big fish and always have. Matt said its not about money. Read the bottom article of one of the anglers who said he's contacting all the tackle companies for products and money. And the last piece of info is: In 2003, this same fish we are talking about with the dot was found dead shortly after it was caught in April 2003, in NOV. Mattlure spoke up about their passions and this articles said different, so until the real guys should speak instead of having someone else speak so they don't get bashed as we have b een accused. http://www.seewald.com/california_state_record_largemouth_black_bass.htm

Are you just assuming they pulled the rope through the gill plates, either is bad, specially the gills. I believe if you go to bassmasters and watch the video, you see the rope through the bottom lip. I'm really glad to see big fish. Those guys work their arses off all the time. Its the other people defending what they did or didn't do that riles the story. I just knew that it was against Cali law, they did to, yet 20 minutes could be under estimated, as the dock worker said they spent 20 minutes out in the middle of the lake talking about it. Some give Kudos for releasing it. I just think of all the times on this forum and others, we get force fed how great and passionate they are about these large fish, and its not the first time to have one not get credited. Simple pictures and video and weigh it, doesn't take however long it took. The meeting in the middle of the lake appears to be how to get around the foul hook. Correct me if I'm wrong, and ya'll will, but does it take a private meeting in the middle of the lake to know right from wrong and when to release it. What else could they be discussing, IGFA doesn't even enter the picture until state laws are met. And when I lived there, I knew of the rules. We had our greatest angler debates, swimbaits, and trout debates before, and the last chapter should be ethics. Cause the passion that has been said about these guys didn't show. I said I would have taken pictures and weighed it myself also, but you guys haven't had a steady diet of someone else tooting my horn all those months prior. They didn't seem to be prepared for a WR in my honest opinion, and I think their actions, not mine attest to that.

Mike, I agree with you. I didn't like the reference to Mexican, and just noticed you wrote hispanic in its place when you replied, nothing to do with you or your post, I just think it was an extreme example and doors would open up for a bass fishermen, granted none of us would do as well as KVD, the man who is BASS CLASS.

As per california law, this does not constitute a catch. On your theory, 310, they won't take her an extra 100 yds, but will put a hole through its mouth, take her to the dock and dilly dally in the middle of the lake with the fish in tow.

Do you have any thing to back that up, laying a bass on their side could kill them. Because biologist do that alot, and I'd think they would know best how to handle a fish. Plus, the sharelunker web site would state what not to do. Never heard that before.

Mike, if he can talk and answer questions, every talk show, every magazine, every fishing company that can be tied to it, is gonna do something to get their names mentioned. Eagle claw hooks would pay dearly to have on their packages of hooks. World record bass caught on eagle claw hooks. You change that to a rod and reel and artificail bait and that door opened up wide. Worse case scenerio, cane pole, and little kid. Any other avid bass fisherman stands to have lots of seminars ahead, bookdeals and anything else. $$$$$$$$$$$

Don't really care what he said, but what he did. Cali law was first to consider, and it doesn't take that long, a hook in the back by the dorsal to know the law said no. So it took over 20 minutes to release. After you stick a hole in its mouth before releasing, they call it a stringer, it looked like the boat rope that comes with those boats IMO. Pretty large diameter of a stringer. The 26 pounder is to show there are other fish out there beside Cali that has a shot. Mattlures has said on other threads largest ever, and its not.

Raul, you and I know Mexico and Cuba are potential waters to produce a WR bass. Ever think of the rucuss it will cause when Cuba lands the record? They call this the largest ever, maybe the largest illegal ever, but no body mention the 26 lber found dead in Mexico with the 3lb Tilapia stuck in her throat. There one out there, they didn't get that big by being easy. And on the illegal note, it should have never went to the dock in that case. I to would taken pictures and weighed in the boat, the same thing could have been done on the water as it was on the dock. Then released it. By taking it to the dock, you just woke up all the other big bass chasers. They could have down played the weight in the boat as not to alert everyone, but once someone else got to see the scales, the hysteria is on.