Matt Fly

Texas' first big test will come against TCU, and Gary Patterson has had those guys ready to play a big team every year. Don't forget, they handed OU an opening day loss in Olkie land a few years ago, or was that last year? I respect TCU's program. They have been predicted to be the Boise State BCS buster this year. That only happens if UT goes down. I like Michigan for the Big Ten, got alot of talent back on offense, the key spots, QB, WR and RB are all seasoned, and they could have all came out, but decided to stay one more year. USC of the Pac 10, the program speaks for itself. I'll take LSU in the SEC because they have the players on both sides, and the QB has started in the past a few times, and he's looked good. The Big XII, OU has freshman QB, and if they can't control the game by running, then the QB will make mistakes, all freshmen do. A&M flat out has a winner a QB, he just knows how to win and he protects the ball better than any QB I have seen in awhile, 2 interceptions last season. A&M could be spoiler, and could win it this year. Fact, other than UT and OU. A&M is only team to win South title, 97 and 98. With that being said, I'll still take my Horns, Freshmen of the year, Colt McCoy, to win three in a row against OU. I'm ready for some football. Hookem, Matt

Anyone plan on hitting Fork this fall, give me an PM, I'd love to meet some more Forum members and do some fishing. I have the Big Bass Splash in Sept. 14-16, and my schedule is fairly open after that. Lets fish!!!!! Matt

You'll be in good shape unless he takes all of his buddies to your spots. What are you supposed to do? You paid money to enter a tourney that has draw co-boaters, not give it your best shot, and fish waters that are unfamilar. How would you approach not fishing your best water for fear of someone else using it in the future? Matt

I have always wanted to fish the James River. Watched many a Classics held on the James on TV. Hope ya'll did well. Matt

Catt, Any time I go out for a short day after work, its for relaxation, and any fish are bonuses. Hard to call that a trip. Hookem Matt

Great Post George, Seems like yesterday my daughter was running track. Seems like I just posted that I'm a grandpa for the first time, and now he's one. Time flies to fast. I'd take her also. Matt

Catt, LSU is in trouble already. ESPN, the KIA's ( the know it alls) think LSU and USC will play for the BCS title, thats a jinx to start with. Both of those teams undefeated. Thats funny. I had UT and USC in re-match!!!! I know, thats even funnier!!!!!! Let the smack begin.......... Hope everyones team stays healthy, and we see some tight, edge of the seat games. Ya'll Hookem Matt

Wasn't the thread to see who would share a boat on Guntersville? What other lakes have been asked about sharing a boat? Matt

I think Lane would be good one to contact for the info your looking for. Matt

One stadium fills some empty seats while the other games without Beckam are still barelly reaching 10,000. You don't think David found his wife because she has always been a conservatist dresser do ya? Ya. right!!!!! Matt

Easy Mr Moderator, Whether the catch is ehtical is not what I found amazing. These divers go down and have to wrangle sharks out of the nets. Also, if it wasn't for discovery channel, i would have never seen this method of round-up being used. The world amazes me every day. Ethical or not. Just like I'm amazed at what Mike Vick did. Don't mean I'm for it, just amazed someone would jeopardize his career. Hookem matt

Its a good tune. Matt

Theres a pick up line for every little thing out there. But to cut to the chase in a bar. Just pick a nice looking lady that looks like she's been there awhile. Long time ago, I used to carry an Anacin tin ( you know the tin boxes with 12 asprins in them) in my back pocket. I would walk up to the lady, look at her, pull out my tin and placed it in my palm of my hand and open it displaying the asprins, and say. "Heres a couple asprins for your headache" Most responses are I don't have a headache. Your response is, "Well, now that we have the formalities over with, lets get out of here!!!!" Matt

I have pounded bass in an area to think the bite slowed or the school has moved on, only to change colors or types of bait and continued to catch them in the same spot. Any one ever crappie fish? Ever kill them on jig, only to have them quit hitting that color, but as soon as you changed colors, their hitting again. Conditioned may be only short term. Matt

I love to use Mann's deep Saltwater plugs. They are work, they will wear you out, the best advice is to get a properly geared reel and appropriate rod. One thing for sure, when you nail that hog, you forget about how tired you were. One trick that works well on Fork is to make that long cast and hit the trolling motor, strolling them down into the bonnets of deep trees produces Double digit bass. I have targeted deep pre-spawners that don't ever go to the shore line to spawn many a times in late April, alls they do is move up in the water column to spawn in the tops of the bonnets of trees that are setting in 45-50 foot of water. Deep plugs are hard work cranking manual, but the payoff can be worth it. Matt

That is a trick i haven't heard of in along time since all the newer lines have hit the market. It does work. Matt

Davis, Some people miss the boat on spoons, this time of the year, alot of guys are already using the spoon in 30 feet of water for deep suspending bass. We fish them verically, straight up and down. Always notice what you are doing with any bait when you get bit, its the tell tale sign or keys to unlocking what or how they want that particular bait presented. Some times its just hanging over the side with hardly any action, some days, its dropped to the bottom, let set for a few seconds, and then ripped up, to flutter back down. Many of ways to work a spoon. Hits are normally on the fall. One known little secret on Fork that don't get alot of mention. Sometimes a spoon that gets ripped off bottom will start a mass feeding frenzy within a school that wasn't active. Then other baits can be dropped down, such as flukes, dropshot rigs. Bites vary with the mood of the fish. I have seen rods ripped out of hands, and have seen line swimming off with heavy feeling. AS with most treble hook, the fish will hook themselves alot. Also, i like the cheaper treble hooks. With quality hooks, and trebles, your gonna get hung fishing larger trees or deep stumps vertically. Quality hooks are a pain to get unhung unless you send a lure retreiver after them, thus the cheaper hook will give and bend with good line. Simply re-bend your hooks and keep jigging. Open water winter time, fish are mostly suspended in the water column, I will stick to quality hooks for open water. And I'll fish larger spoons on some days and very small spoons on other days, again, the fish dictate what they want. Tail kickers, little georges, and such are very good schooling and vertical lures to use anytime fish are deeper. hookem Matt

For slow rolling in 20 foot of water, i like Hart spinner baits on Fork. 1/2-3/4 oz. I also like to take off the other small willow leaf at times. The larger willow puts out enough vibration, but adds no lift to the bait, thus the bait stays in contact with the bottom contour. Colorado blades provide lift. If I'm fishing some stained to dirty water, I opt to change to a Indiana blade, more vibration than a willow, yet less lift than a Colorado. Matt

Bass eat kinda like we do. We have regular meal times, and then we may snack in between sometimes. We say bass are opportunistic feeders. My best bites are in the summer time. I can pull you up on certain spots and almost guarantee them to be biting.; Like setting my watch every day. A bass will position them selves in ambush spots, whether actively feeding or maybe waiting for a snack that happens to close to her hangout. Thus opportunistic. Also, the summer, which is heat, drives a bass' metabolism to feed more often, as opposed to winter. A good example is. A 2 lb bass may eat a 5 inch shad on a summer morning and feed again at noon, where as that same bass that ate a 5 inch shad in Dec, may not eat for 5 days, as her metabolism is slowed down during colder water temps, and she perfectly healthy. Bass, any bass, whites, stripers, may feed actively all day sometimes. Bass are notorious for puking after they just ate, so they can actively feed again. I know some with livewells will attest to what they have seen puked up in the livewells. Bass are assians, they'll kill for no reason, I target deep water humps that shad frequent throughout the day. I don't really have to move all day, cause fish are there, and if I have caught 20 from there already, it just replenishes as the day goes on, why, because shad cruise by numerous times a day. Matt.

Good luck Avid, Speedy recovery. Matt

Very interesting show, I have seen it twice. Tuna Wranglers, whcih is the same same. I have also watched them round up Salmon, yet the Salmon they rounded up I thought was smaller, because they raise the salmon in larger pens close to home, and harvest has needed. Its amazing what we are doing now days. To me, that looks very expensive, yet they do it, so it must be cost effective. Matt

Jimmy's hunt is mild compared to what Gentry did. Gentry, the other half of Montgomery Gentry country duo. Gentry bought a tame bear in Colorado and shipped it to Minnesoata and then filmed a bow hunt for the bear in a pen. A tame bear named Cubbie. That one has been posted also. As for Jimmy, he testified against the guy in court for the operation that was going on. Jimmy said, you could not see four sides of the fence, and from where he was placed, there was no way you could tell that this pasture was small and unfair chase. Alls I know is, these guys are rich and still in business to make more money and what we say or type has done nothing to hurt these guys lively hood for their un-ethical approaches to the outdoors. Matt

I think Vick want be available to play until at least 2010. If Vick attempts to make a paycheck when he's cleared, I don't see him as a starter at QB ever again. I think QB is a ongoing learning curve and his skills are gonna get rusty from lack of reading coverage and the speed of the game. I do see Vick as special teamer and receiver. I know I wouldn't want that kind of press on my team if Vick is allowed to play again. I'm tired of hearing about Vick already, he's on every sports news station. Lets bury him and the story as soon as possible. Let the season begin!!!!!! Matt

Chris and I ended the day with 15 fish, 2 cats, 3 whites, 10 hybrids and stripers combined, his best being 4.75 and numerous 4's. We selected trolling to deal with heat and Cesar having to wear a life jacket the whole time. He never complained, was a good fishing partner. He thanked me, and wanted to know if we could go again. I still haven't master multiple picture posts, but over all I got it done. Ya'll Hookem and take a kid fishing for the first time. Matt

just another hybrid