Peter E.

Thanks bud, When you decide to sell those things let me know! I'll put them to good use. I bet they would catch a limit of specks and reds, as easily as they would smallies. Thanks for the info on the molds. Peter

I agree totally on the comment about not letting them go. But they belong to my father and we have no intention of changing them or letting them go. What I would like to do is to make a replica of those old lures, and i agree they are the BEST evermade short of the J-9 Jointed rapala. (personal prefernce) I bought some of the new scouts and they fall far short of the original. I want to make some of my own to fish with so i do not endanger the originals, I will send you some pictures or post them as soon as possible ot the old lures so that you can get a feel for what i am going for. Thanks I will try that web site. Peter

Hey Ya'll, I really need some advice on where to get the hard ware for making old lures like the old Heddon Vamps, Spence scouts, Southbenb bassin thingy, Jitter sticks and so on. I would also love any advice ya'll would have on what types of paints, screens and basic tools i would need. I would really love to be able to recreate some of the old lures like that that my father has in his tackle box. Any help you could offer would be greatly appreciated and I assure would not fall on deaf ears. I have some knowledge of carpentry but I am by no means a carpenter. If there are any sites that can help i would like to know about them. I want to make lures that are different and I want that old look and feel. Peter

Those jigs look killer!!! I was just wondering was it possible to add a wire brush gaurd? I am trying to get into tackle making and I fish alot of cover where that wort of thing is essentail. Just wondering. Peter

I totally agree with Rattlinrouge and with Fishie, the strike zone is down to a minimum, this requires you to look for ways to increase the strike zone, noise producers and large spinner baits are key like they said but there is also loud outragous colored worms also you might try a 10 inch black dead ringer. Just a suggestion works for me. I think the large size and vibration off the tail are good attractants also I think about night fishing and that the silouete is the main thing the bass see. also this is a slower presentation and slowing down is key for catching fish with a small strike zone. Getchu sum o' dem dar basses, Peter

Well Bud, There are few things to take into consideration when looking for certain water temps in the winter, the most important thing is the bottom content in the area. First off a sandy bottom content will warm the fastest with direct sunlight but once the sun sets it loses that warmth the fastest. Sand does not hold heat well although it does reflect the rays from the sun and warm the water quickly. These areas tend to hold bass fairly well in the cold months during sunny days. Another thing to look for is the areas with a dark bottom that is caused by dead vegetation once the vegetation is fully dead, key word being fully, this is because dying vegetation absorbs oxygen from the water. These areas attract fish first in the spring and can do a fair job of holding fish throughout the year if the area is protected and sheltered. the dark bottom content warms fast and holds the heat the best. other bottom contents do different things and it is up to you to determine how the bass react to the bottom contents in your lake, these are just base rules to follow and with varying differences in bottom content come different temps in the water. Another important factor is how sheltered this area is from the wind and how much direct sunlight it gets. If you can combine all of these factors you can catch bass in 6 inches of water in late january, I know i have and I arget these areas in the winter. Good luck and do more catching than fishing, Peter

I say make your lures bigger and work them slower and they will work in the winter as well as the summer, and raul my winter fishing never deals in ice either. Peter

Top water bite is not something that ends in my opinion, at least not in alabama. I have caught bass of surprising numbers and quality with a straight back rapala, in some of the most brutal conditions. Peter

The trick to small water smallies and pots and even large mouth doesn't always rely on the lure you use but on the areas you fish. For example these fish will look for areas in the water that offer a current break such as eddies and also different structures in the water will provide a current break. Remeber if possible to fish the tail end of a hole or other current break first before moving on to the head of the structure. Pay close attention to the types of small critters you see in the creek. Look for deep holes also because these areas hold the highest concentration of fish. A push created by a hole in the bottom will also provide a current break. One of the most effective lures to use is a meduim diving cb. Pick your color and size by what you find in the area serving as forage, match the hatch, really when it comes down it just fish like you normally would remeber the importance of the current and downsize a little. Now this is where you are on your own if I tell you any more I will have to kill you. Family secretes as it where. Peter

Well Merry Christmas to all, and happy Holidys. Bourbon.. good... in... egg nog! God Bless, Peter

Welcome to the forum, a love of fishing can bring many people together and we are glad you joined us here. Congrats on the engagement and my your lives together be blessed with many days on the water together doing more catching than fishing. Peter

That is the only thing I ever saw that beats Dynamite!! He got pummelled!!! Peter

In your opening statement you mentioned vertical approaches, well to this I would remind you that a good deep diving crankbait is a good call. I would say to go with a suspending model and to let it slowly dig up the bottom and pause it from time to time. Another approach would be to use a carolina rig. Those are just some ideas that take a vertical approach. Peter

Amen Captain, Amen, Peter

I would go with the Rapala Pro guide set. It has hemostats and long needle nose pleirs that have a thing on them that makes them great for opening split shot and split rings, also it has crimps on it for leader making. I also bought my dad the set that you wear around your neck with all it's little gadgets. I tell you what I am rambling go to Rapala's home page and look there and you can get this stuff at walmart and trust me it will be a big hit. If nothing else no fisherman should be without the hemostats! Oh and welcome. Peter

I love my 14' jon boat and for small water and back areas where quite frankly you wouldn't go in a bass boat it is the ticket. In comparing it to a canoe, well I can stand and fish in my jon and have never had it tip me out when i was sober. Can you think of anyone who can say the same for a canoe? If so then i want to shake their hand. It will scoot with a small motor like he said and is one of the most fun boats to own. You aren't afraid to go places like you would in a more expensive boat. Me and ol' stump jumper have gone many a mile. Peter

Remeber determineing the strike zone is key to consistent success. The FLP formula helps to understand the strike zone theory. F: Fish- understanding the behavior of the fish and how the weather and other factors affect the fish. L: Location- determining the location of the fish. P: presentation- determining the best presentation for the conditions you are confronted with. Now apply what you have learned about barometric pressure to the FLP formula and get to catching! 8-) Peter

Right and to determine their strike zone. Low pressure large strike zone with the fish being more or less shallow and high pressure small strike zone with the fish holding to the bottom. Remeber the strike zone also tell you which presentation will be most productive. large strike zone more hits on a fast vertical presentation like a spinnerbait or crankbait and small strike zone more hits on a slow horizontal presentation like a worm or jig. Also rember that light penetration plays a big role in the strike zone. The more light penetration the smaller the strike zone. ;D Peter

Nothing tickles me more than to watch someone get hooked on fishing, And the tips road warrior gave are good and as captain george pointed out we were all newbies at one point. i have been an adiment fisherman for the past 10 years and i still think of myself as a beginer because every time i am on the water I learn something new. Life and fishing are much alike in that we should never stop learning nor shoulod we ever stop teaching. Take a kid fishing, take a freind but always remeber to share this sport we love so dearly. There are days that i think fishing is one of the greatest joys in my life therefore i love to share it. One tip however when you take a person fishing whom has never been, especailly a child take them to catch fish! In other words it may not be bass you catch but make sure they enjoy the trip, bass fishing will come with time as they learn to appreciate the sport more. I like to take people where they can get into a school of bass with a crank bAIT nd weAR THE FISH OUT. That is how I got hooked. Peter

I have developed a close relation ship to the bait monkey and so far I am always broke and yet happy. Peter

For fishing shallow heavy vegitation like lilly paps and slop, I use: 1. In-Line buzz bait (hildebrant) 2. Large soft plastic frogs, lizard, or worms fished on top of the water 3. Trick worm With a stout action rod and heavy test, when you use these you can catch fish out of places most wouldn't even put a boat near!!!! Fish on, Peter

1. Al Linder 2. KVD 3. Mike Ike

Captain George's loading depth charges , fool proof! I on the other hand tend to go with: 1. Waked spinnerbaits 2. Soft plastics t-rigged 3. crank baits digging up the bottom Fish on! Peter

Most of my jigs are 1/4 oz and smaller. I love it when I can make one or buy one with a good profile that makes it look bigger than it really is. I think that that slow fall of a light jig is a real killer. Most guys shy away from jiggs that are less than 3/8oz but i find that I am able to go behind them and clean house. Terminator finesse jigs are bar none my favorite, unless I end up making my own with weedless jig heads and replacement skirts. When i do this i trim the skirts down to give them a better flare and to make it easier to set the hook cause it reduces short strikes. The best trailors are still uncle josh pork rinds for my jigs, they just work better for me. Of course I am a huge fan of the Paca Craw, and I stress if you don't have them where you fish protest till you do. Peter

Well, When i look at this year in reveiw i would have to say from a fishing stand point it had a slow start and less fishing than my addiction requires, but it was a year of learning because i made up for my lack of time on the water by taking the time to read about different techniques and strategies. This year was the first year I treated fishing as a science and not as a hobby. I treated it like a mathmatic equation with defined steps and rules for varying conditions. I used the In-Fisherman FLP formula and then attacked each situation accordingly. The FLP formula works like this: F- Fish, under standing their behavior (feeding habits, preffered prey, seasonal changes, the effect of tempreture and so on) L- Location, understanding the location of the fish and how it effects their feeding behavior. P- Presentation, understanding how the other two parts of the formula effect the way you should present the bait. Understanding this formula really increased my catch per trip, other than that I learned never to let a woman stand in the way of your fishing. I had to Brad Paisley one of em'. Peter