frogflogger

As to reel seats - I cut factory seats off and put on pure cork and tape the spinning reel to smooth comfy handle.

For me it is a no brainer if I'm using 1/16 to 1/8 0z, lures on 6# line. The spinning rod shines for this - I have baitcasting tackle that can handle 1/8 but I wouldn't use it for anything but tiny hard baits.

I fish a lake with many lay downs, fish on all of them. There are boulder fields with some boulders big as a house. The boulders are almost always in relationship to an incoming drain (hollow, run, etc).or a point. There aren't fish on all the boulders but the bigger fish are usually around them. The biggest fish in this lake are structure oriented but the numbers are by the cover,(laydowns). Not to say there are no big fish on the laydowns - is this confusing enough?

Embarrassingly I have way too many frogs from my Florida days - but the ones that I always try are a spro popping frog, any of the regular frogs (usually Bobby's perfect) and if it is breezy to windy I always throw a furbit which has accounted for more over 7# than any other. Black and white are really the only colors you need but you know some of them are so pretty.

We get 25' to 75' draw downs on our lakes it dislocates crawfish and makes them move.

I routinely add weight to the butt of long rods to help balance them - prefer balance over light weight (within reason of course)

I've been fishing hair for many years, over the years I've went to longer rods (71/2'-8') may try longer. What I really want is a relatively soft tip for casting and a strong butt but parabolic action - flex all the way down - needs to be sensitive - I think St. Croix has come out with a hair jig rod around 8' or so , it should be of good quality - but I wonder if the tip will be as soft as I like and it will be a bit more than I care to spend.

furbit popper worked vigorously (jerk hard) if it goes under so much the better - I know it is spinner bait conditions but one big hit on top is worth a dozen of the others ( for myself) I tend to catch larger fish with this technique - started out using it (technique) back in the late 50's and 60's with a big creek chub plunker.

Went broke with one years ago - miss the camaraderie but it's a new age.

It seems professional bass fishing has become a bit more complicated - for better or worse?

When fishing a tournament I once saw another competitor tell a fisherman and his son that he "was fishing for money and they needed to move off a bank" I told the competitor and any one fishing tournaments that you must let guys that are fishing for their own enjoyment always have the right a way if they were there first. If tournament fishermen continue to mistreat recreational anglers tournaments will soon be no more. It's about having fun and respecting others - golf, (I don't play) has done a great job instilling integrity and respect into their sport - I believe bass fishermen should strive for the same levels of respect for the sport, the fish and the recreational anglers that are the bedrock of it all.

searched sun sentinel for 9/19 couldn't find the article -

We're not noted for large bass in WV but we do have good small mouth fisheries (New river) but the Kanawha right there in Charleston up to kanawha falls offers chances at good smallmouth. The I79 lakes - Sutton, Burnsville, and most notably Stonewall Jackson offer decent bass fishing with the chance of a trophy best at stonewall jackson. Summersville lake in winter can be productive for good smallmouth and walleye. If you just want to tangle with a big fish we have some of the best musky fishing in the east in our streams and some of the above mentioned res.

Okeechobee

A life long passion which gave me the skills to catch a variety of other fish (a good bass fisherman is a good marlin fisherman) That was in Marlin magazine. I got to travel to exotic locations and small local ponds. Helped me earn a meager living which was enough - and I am still excited every time I pick up a rod. What more could a person ask for?

Killer swimmer

Since they are in the system you will have to make the best of it - but personally I'd rather they not be in a small system

50's we used the new worms with gold aberdeen hooks sewed in - then when we fished brush piles we learned if we hooked the worm through the nose and stuck it back in the body it was weedless - several years later it was being called the "texas rig" but guys in Kansas had been doing it for a while and simply calling it "weedless hooking". We also used barrel slip sinkers on them to get deep in the pits which was the only deep clear water available.

With the popularity of tournament fishing, many bass fishermen (myself included) have forgotten the art and effectiveness of trolling. One of the reasons I like In Fisherman magazine is they cover trolling, strolling, etc. It is a very effective way to find bass, both in bowl shaped lakes and structure filled res.

Bass do roam but I would surmise that your fish just got tighter to cover and had a more specific location regarding shade.

Treble hooks I prefer a rod with "give" or soft tip - helps keep them buttoned but treble hooks and topwater are going to lose a few fish.

When I lived, fished and guided in so. Fl I rarely told how many bass we would catch in big cypress or the everglades because it would seem unbelievable in other parts of the country. One dry year in Big Cypress throwing a 3/4 oz. gold rattling rapala over 100lbs in 20 consecutive casts. That was the best day I remember - if the water was high things got tough real quick.

drift any version of a ned rig and try a topwater - most of my over 20" river smallies have come on topwater

We always put it behind us in a crouch - kept the pull straighter but not as easy as the spreading your legs thing - and yes a gentle twist - very gentle - can help.

If water temps are in the 60's or above. Tie on a small popper or original rapala and twitch twitch twitch - fun is on its way.