Matt Fly

BassResource at its best. You got FishChris way out on the left coast, Raul soak'in the heat up down in Mexico, and Catt down on the bayou, adding some of his spice to the recipe. Some of BassResource finest cooking at its best. mattstrykul, Hope this helped you out. Matt

A new lake is rarely a mistake that happens. Very few jump in and hook the boat and just take off, destination unknown. First you make that decision of where to go. In short, we obviously have electronic info infront of us to help find some facts out about a new lake we may want to give a try. How I find fish on lakes I have very little or no experience on. I find all published info on said lake. Can be local paper, state fishing reports, local lake caster news/ADs paper. forum questions, and I like to have a topo map to familarize my self with some of the points of interest as info comes in. What are the lake records? What are the stocking reports over the years. When was lake built, Any vegitation? timbers, rivers feeding in? creeks? If possible, I'll drive around and area surveying the dry land for miles around lakes. What you see above, will be what is below the water. THe same dry creek that runs a few miles away is the same one that is now under water for years. What kind of timber is in the creek bottoms of the dry creeks. Chances are, those same types of trees if above water can be identified by sight, and I shouldn't need a map to see that a creek channel under the water is over there. Learning simple things, although they seem hard is really not if you want to really learn. Know that if the lake has some flats, it should be full of mesquite trees like the surrounding land has also displayed. I'd like to find out if this lake has striper, hybids in it also. That tells me that there is a good gizzard shad population, and possibley some threadfin also. I also have theory on some lakes and that depends on the lake layout, that if striper and hybrids are present, that some lakes fish better shallow for LMB. NO proof other than productive days versus non productive days in shallow shoreline over deeper areas mainlake. Now you can start to apply seasonal movements with current weather patterns. Knowing the wind has been out of the east for 4 days straight helps me look at certain points instead of them all. Fall is coming and yet the temps have been in the high 80's to low 90's and the lake should be close to turning over, so fishing might be tough the next couple of weeks, or the lake has turned and the fish are making the seasonal push to feed up, and most of the shad population is no longer on the main lake areas, they have pushed up the major creek arms. I also found out through some old magazines that Birch Creek produces more big bass than any other area on this lake. I'm still not on the water. Any one ask LBH, Hawg_Hunter, and Triton 21 how they approached lake Fork for the first time for the first Annual lake Fork get together? Would I go to the trouble for a lake that I just want to fish to say I did. Not as much. But if theres some money to be had or a big she pig I'm after, I'll learn what I can before going. The rest of the equation is the time of the year and what phase of seasnal movements the bass are currently in. knowing that fall means changing weather and patterns will change as the weather does. And that could be very Rapidly. Example Harris Chain or Toho in Florida. I have seen the canals that connect the lakes. Do these lakes have creeks like we have in Texas? Do bass relate to these canals in the fall to chase shad like they do in our creeks in the lakes in Texas? Coming from Texas, I would be looking for rivers and creeks that shad normally migrate into just prior to the water temps dropping. Knowing these little pieces of info before hand will help you decide on a starting point. Know thy seasonal patterns, know thy bait fish, and you should be able to find a starting place. I'd go back and look at some of Raul's post in 2006, some great bass biology, and very good points from a Dr. of Vetinary. Hookem Matt

Welcome to the forum. Matt

Forget the missed calls that went both ways. Late hit and horse collar on the boys, interference on 2pt conversion, the take downs on the kidk off return, or the running into the punter, that ESPN never replayed a second time. Lots of missed calls both ways, some home cooking as some call it. Now who deserved what. Seems to me Dallas over came 5 INT's, and a Fumble in the last few minutes. Who deserves to win when you allow a team to march down the field and score an easy 6, miss the 2 pt try, then fail to recover on-side kick, only to have 21 yard pass play overturned and then allow the visiting team to complete two more plays all within 13 seconds, then Ice the kicker once at 53 yards, then to make the one that did count for 53 yards. 9 points in less than a minute. I think Buffalo got robbed also. Just not on the scoreboard. And if you can't beat a team after 5 int's and a fumble with two returned for TD's and a Kick returned for TD also, and you lose, YOU DIDN"T DESERVE TO WIN anyway!!!! Matt

Prayers sent. Matt

I don't think the Pats need any turnovers to win that game. I'm not your typical fan, just coaches son who knows that if a rookie QB can light us up, Brady is gonna torch us. I haven't forgotten that our best corners have been hurt, we have no pass rush, least not consistently, and the Boys running game does nothing to support Romo early in the game. In short, Romo is having to put the game on his shouldrs early because of the lack of yards from the running game. Also, he's pretty good in the pass game most weeks. Winning has a way of making you forget how bad your pass defense has been. I haven't forgotten Eli and Plexico torched us opening day with 35 points. I don't think Bela cheat will leave out a few wrinkles that get Roy Williams singled up on one of there many fine receivers. By the way, even though he has 3 rings, the Boys will still show up and play the Patriots. The Pats have won 5 games also, and their opponents records are 7-16, so the Pats have beaten who this year? Record says 5-0, but they haven't beaten anybody either!!!!!! Matt

Robbed????? by who????? Matt

Good post Tommy, I was thinking some of those same things. Matt

Don't know how close you guys are to your parents, but last time I needed advice along these lines, I had my mom to go to. Thats what mothers are for. Man, I work at a hospital and have inside info, so if you ever have specific questions, just pm me and I'll get you the consensus of vote from the Labor and Delivery staff. I do it for my daughter and grandson all the time. Just like millions of other expecting couples, they didn't know much either and they survived like you guys will. good luck on having a healthy fishing partner. Matt

Sitcoms have come along ways from the ones I grew up with. Archie and Edith take the honors, Archie broke ground that others wouldn't even try to. All in the Family Mash Lets not forget one that gave us Norm, Coach, Woody Cheers. The Jefferson's I also have to give honorable mention to Mel's Diner with Flo. Another good one was Mama's Family. Sitcoms was the title, but I sure can think of some funny variety shows. Carol Burnet, Dean Martin, Flip Wilson, Roland and Martins Laugh-In. Hee Haw. Matt

Very good joke to start Monday off with. thanks Catt, I needed that one. Matt

On my last lowrance graph x85, you couldn't tell where you have been. By the way, I have been out in the middle where the bank couldn't give you a reference, and looked for an hour to find the sweet hump that I have been on before. And didn't find it, only to come back another day and find it right out of the gate the first time. My new Lowrance shows current tracks of were you have been, Making it easier to cover more water until you do find it, and once I do this time, I'm marking a waypoint on it. If your sure they were on a brushpile, then your graph shoud be able to find it sooner or later, and if your not sure, a c rig is good bottom search bait. matt

I have had that opinion about the SEC for ever!!!! This years AP polls appears to have been used for target practice by scatter gun owners. Matt

Are they shad for sure? Not alewyes or herring? This would make for great topic to break down into segements and put the Bass proffessor into the equation. For sure, he would know alot more biology on the nothern waters, more than us southern folk. Matt

You want bigger bites, look for lakes that give you better odds of doing so. There are some lakes that you could make 500 casts on and have good odds of catching 5 lber. Some lakes, you may need to make 5000 casts to catch a 5 lber. To me that is 1 five pounder every 5 triips. Good, but not great, considering I can catch one 7 or better every 3 trips. Simple facts are, there are some lakes you could fish 100 days a year on the prime times, and not ever catch a personal best or a 5 lber. Time on the water normally helps us find some productive spots, sometimes its smaller baits that helps us find numbers. Only to fish a jig the next time to find better fish in the same spot. Some of us are blessed to have lakes that kick out big fish every hour, and there are some who are blessed if they see a big fish in a years time. All of this science and theory is only good if you can apply it to where it applies. You just may be on a lake that it will take 20000 casts to produce a good keeper. Matt

B2000, Welcome to the forum. Wish I had that problem, bass to aggressive!!!! Matt

Finding What??????? BASS or Bait fish?????? My favorite topic. Shad and crawdads. Matt

With Catt's explanation and WRB's seasonal input, you have some great info. What is your geographical location and I'm sure thses guys are gonna nail it down for ya. Matt.

So does this mean the lakes that are in Kansas and further up should have already turned. I know on the other thread, it was stated that his lake hasn't turned over yet, and like some, i figured it would be reverse of the spawn also, but thought i'd toss it out there. Matt

Talent doesn't want to play for a college that doesn't get national exposure. If that athlete wants to go pro, his best shot is in a program that gets TV exposure. What creates TV exposure opporttunites, past success, fan following, and coaches who are colorful, but win. Colleges are as only good as the talent they recruit. Occassionally, you get a team that plays better than their actual talent, and some times, thats pure coaching, sometimes is bigger than that. Loss of life and other team issues can make a team play better than they are. Normally, its a coach or coaches pushing those buttons. I firmly believe if you put john Doe at South Carolina, some of that talent would not be there. Steve Spurrier is enough reasons for a young guy in the south to stay and play in the SEC. Matt

What I would love to see happen on local trails. Local trails as not Professional, mostly the weekend warriors, like myself. Everybody wants to win big money for as small of an entry as you can. As my area is saturated with trails, and very competive sticks, which makes for some tight lips when the same lakes are seeing tournament after tournament held on them all year. I always say too much, because I want the new guys, maybe new to the state, area, or that lake, I want them to come back and fish again. I always offer up some pointers, after all, if the "new blood" gets discouraged, they are less likely to want to come back. More teams means more payout. The only way to promote big turn outs is to help some of the new guys, and that just isn't gonna happen with all the same guys competing on the same waters every year. I sure don't like the black eye that tourney anglers get, but for the most part, they feel that young fellows or new guys needs to earn his own keep, he puts his pants on the same way as you and me. So, if you ever see me at a tourney, ask, I'll try to help anyone out. Competion when coupled with money to be won causes the human brain to do some stuupid stuff. Filming the opponents signals, Taking illegal performance enhancing drugs, offering pay to NCCA players, Cheating in Nascar, doping in Cycling, and a Guy staking fish out in a BASS tournament. Yep, money is the root of most evil..... better to learn that lesson now. Matt

So, would that be Northwest to Southeast????? Matt

That's why I am steering clear of her until about Monday. You know what they say, "If Momma ain't happy, noone's happy." So true....

I haven't seen Josh Keller in along time either. Josh was giving us some reports from Choke Canyon in Texas. A great little lake that is kicking out some 30+lb stringers in one day tournaments. Pretty sad when 24 lbs can't get a check and they paid at least top 25 spots. I then went way back on the Central Zones and found his name and tried to hit his personal info, but it wouldn't let me. EX-member also, Matt

I have never thought about this before. Like the spawn, when it starts out on a USA map. It shows lower Texas and lover Florida has starting to spawn and progresses north. MY question is. How do lakes turning over in the USA progress? I would think the colder weather progresses from the north to south, so I would assume that the lakes that turn over first would be from the NORTH to SOUTH. I got to thinking when the oither thread mentioned it would be long time before they turned over in the north. Matt