fishermantony

The Humminbird 110 "fishing buddy" is a nice portable fishfinder for around $100. It runs on 6 AA'a and they last a long time. It attaches to your boat with a clamp and the transducer is at the end of a shaft connected to the unit. This is nice because you don't have to drill to get your transducer on the boat and then run wires. Did the trick for me with my 12ft.

Invest dont speculate Focus is key Learn something everytime

I'd love to go to Lake Champlain.

Tim Horton Classic Patterns Strategies for Heavy Cover gives a great demo! This video can also be found on you tube if you search flipping and pitching........helped me alot!

Ha Ha Ha, I once told my wife I only spent $50 at Cabela's........then she found the $200 receipt!

It is so mental, it requires so much thought and preparation to get better and compete at any level. I refer to it as the ultimate thinking mans sport.

For a bass fishing role model and a fisherman with character, I'll give the same name I used for another question. Bryan Kerchal. Read what Rick Clunn said about him in an article shortly after his death and it should give you a pretty good idea of what kind of man he was. As he stood there on the stage after clinching the 1994 Bass Masters Classic, Ray Scott said, "Your a hamburger flipper right?, That's what you do?" Bryan quietly and kindly replied "I don't know, do I still do that?"

Years ago a musician friend of mine played me an instructional video from Flea the bassist from The Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the video River Phoenix asks Flea about the guitar he is using, Flea proudly holds up the guitar and begins explaining why he enjoys it so much, he finishes his explanation by saying the guitar costs just a little over a hundred bucks! Fleas next comment is something I will never forget and try to apply to many situations and areas of my life........."I'm more smash than flash." In fishing I think sponsorships are glamorous and glamour and visibility are part of the American culture. I agree with the author, if you want to be a competitive bass fisherman your first and main focus has to be fishing. As you evolve and become competitive at different levels you should begin to think about the possibility of sponsorship. I'm just applying this question to myself and actually using it as a great reminder of what I need to focus on......bass....because I'm just starting out myself.

Jepu - Wow, great story! I know that kid on Christmas feeling! My wife has observed that on nights before trips I either don't sleep at all or am up well before the alarm.

HuntFishSpokane - you've got more passion for the outdoors than anyone I've ever been close to. It's been an adventure an a pleasure fishing with you this past year. Keep being a sponge for bass fishing knowledge and we'll continue to improve together.

I learned how to fish in the Northern Woods of Wisconsin when I was 8 but caught my first bass at home in the city of Chicago in a Forrest Preserve pond. Took me 2 days, a Zebco Rhino and a Beetle Spin, I was 11. I made probably a couple hundred cast on Sat before hooking my first largemouth only to have him get off and throw my rod to the ground. Next day, same deal, dozens and dozens of casts before I hooked into one....My dad stood next to me realizing my heartbreak from the day before and asked me if I wanted him to bring it in......of course I said no..and got the fish in myself! Still one of the best moments of my life!

The angler I would most like to sit down with 1 on 1 passed away 15 years ago this month. Bryan Kerchal was a model person as well as a bass fisherman.

I was watching the Bassmaster's this morning, the AOY trophy chase and KVD lost a good fish at the boat and didn't even flinch before he cast again! Most other guys would have had some kind of breakdown but not KVD, 100% focus. I think that is a big part of the reason he is the best!

Nice pics, looks nice there!

Korea_Bassin, man I miss that childhood enthusiasm sometimes, and endless patience too! That's a memory you'll never forget and probably always be proud to tell. ww2farmer, man loosing them in a tourney and then leaving the spot, I can feel your pain on that one!

I think that is going to be the next reel I buy. Went to Cabela's on Saturday and even the 2 display models were sold!

roadwarrior, i hope you go back out there and get her and she is a world record! Great story! Caught my PB smallmouth from shore this past June and thought it was a pike before I got it close. Once I did I said "Oh my God, it's a smallmouth" and went almost chest high in the water to get her from behind a log. Ruined my cellphone and soaked my wallet and a good amount of money without thinking twice about it! What bass do to us! No scale, think she was 5lbs. Great stories guys, keep them coming!

When I first started jig fishing I hooked into a bass that was probably 6-7lbs fishing a brush pile. I was so exited that like a genius I tried to lift the fish into the boat with my G Loomis Mossy Back rod. Watched my $240 rod snap in half along with 50lb braid. That beautiful bass along with half my rod fell back into the water. Would like to hear others painful stories of lost fish and how it happened.

I had one with my 12' Aluminum before I got my bass boat and it was a big help and I really enjoyed it. It mounts easily and secures tight and the batteries last a long time. It really helped me in fishing the right depth for the time of year and gave me an idea of the bottom structure.

I got my first bass boat in June, it is a 1992 Ranger 372V and it has been good to me all year long but it has stress fractures on both sides of the outboard and a few others a little outside of those. The guy who sold me the boat was very straightforward and said since they appeared they hadn't got any worse, they haven't gotten any worse since I have owned it either. My question is, should I look into getting these repaired? How much will this cost me if I do?

I've got the 3-5ft crawfish in clear translucent and red craw and have caught a bunch on those. I'll be adding lots more koppers to my arsenal.

Lucky Craft Sammy is my favorite top-water lure any time of year now.

I like the Strike King coffee tube, they have alot of scent and they are very durable. A tube is a crawfish imitation and I believe the key is to work it around areas that the crawfish will be relating at that time. For example, in colder water temps (40's) they will relate to rock. If the fish are lethargic and you aren't getting bit you may need to work the tube really slowly. I've also caught spawning fish on beds with tubes, that would probably be the first bait I throw at a spawning fish. I'm new to tube fishing myself so these suggestions are just things that have worked for me with limited experience, but i'm sure exited about countless more outings with the tube in my arsenal. Good Luck!

Didn't catch anything on the shaky head. Couldn't even get a smallmouth to bite all day! Brought a 2-3lb largemouth to the boat and it got off, about 20 minutes later landed a 3lb+ largemouth. The first largemouth I was basically deadsticking a Strike King Coffee tube, the one I landed I was rolling that same tube over some shallow rocks that were close to about 17ft of water. Last cast of the day caught 6-7lb rainbow trout on a lipless crankbait! Thanks again for the pointers, I will be trying them again!

Thanks! I'm going to try a Berkley Powerbait Shaky Worm and then another finesse worm I usually use for drop shotting. I'll keep in mind those others baits you guys suggested too.