mcipinkie

I'm an old man (66), but I cast with either hand, depending on the angle I need to hit. Always retrieve with the rod in my left hand, turned the crank with my right. There is probably an advantage to strong hand on the rod, but I don't have a problem. Look at most of the pros. Rod in left hand, reel in right. I'm a flipper/pitcher so I tried to emulate Brauer and Biffle when I was learning. I'm amazed every time I see Biffle on TV, the way he handles the big stick. Heck, look at Hank Parker. I can't believe he ever catches a fish the way he holds the rod. Casting rods only. Spinner never leaves right hand. I tried a left handed real 20 or so years ago. Liked it, but couldn't afford to scrap all and go that way. You aren't going to the Classic based on which hand you hold the rod with.

We had a little warming trend here the last few days. The water temp is up to 39F. I think all the ice is gone. I'm still fishing.

The three hook is almost exactly like a LC Slender Pointer. If you like them, you'll like the SK. I haven't used the two hook models. I have enough Pointer 100's for that niche. Good lures though.

Get on the north side of the lake and throw jerk baits on points. Never fail pattern if you don't know anything else to do. Assuming out of PB2. I'd stay mid lake to dam, or possibly in Gravois arm, but normally north banks are key. Wiggle Warts work also. Millions of docks to flip jigs in front of, but most March tournaments are won on jerk baits. I don't like A-rigs personally, but you better be prepared especially if the water warms up. If it gets really warm and fish move up early, throw tubes or Sweet Beavers behind docks. Don't be afraid to get shallow. Jerk baits. Jerk baits. Jerk baits.

I'm surprised none of you listed outboard oil. They always run a very good price on oil and I stock up. Usually have a 5 - 6 gallon limit, so I go 2 - 3 times. Of course it's only 5 miles from my house

The closest thing to "science" I have seen is the TT tests. I'm not always certain that TT is objective, but this stuff looks like genuine results. The "low stretch and sensitivity" of FC is debunked in the tests. I doubt FC is any more abrasion resistant than XT. I'm not so sure that the 100% refractive index is anything more than a selling tool. The only difference that I can find with FC is that it sinks. Not trying to question anyone's decision. Hell, I use fluorocarbon too. I'm just not sure we're all not just caught up in the "latest and greatest" scam. If KVD uses it, we all better, right???

I know the world is going to come crashing down on me, but I wonder about all the hoopla regarding fluorocarbon. Before you start, I use it too. Go to Tackle Tour and read their tests of a whole group of fluorocarbon lines. There is really very little quantitative difference between regular monofilament and fluorocarbon in their tests. We had a year end classic at Bull Shoals last year, and I spooled up one rod with 12 lb. fluorocarbon and one with 14 to crank bait fish with. After the first practice day, I ripped it off both rods, re-spooled with 30 lb braid and 6 ft fluorocarbon leaders. After fishing with braid ever since it came out, each of the mono materials feels dead. Using 6 ft leaders, I can tell no difference between mono and fluorocarbon. Are we all being taken to cleaners by advertising and paid pro staff members? I don't know, but there is to the best of my knowledge, there is no quantitative analysis to prove all the supposed attributes of fluorocarbon. For the cost of one spool of fluorocarbon, you can buy enough Big Game or XT to last a season.

I had State Farm for over 20 years. Still have them for homeowners and automotive. Unfortunately, I had what they felt like was an inordinate number of claims on my boats, and received a notice of non-renewal. I talked to my local fiberglass repair shop. Obviously, I knew them well. They ranked State Farm as No. 1, American Family as No. 2 and Progressive as No. 3. I went with Progressive for a significant savings. Fortunately, I have had no claims so can't vouch for that experience. If you have a relationship with a shop, I suggest you talk to whomever handles insurance claims there. May be different in your area. I in Kansas City.

Hey Man, You could have a Lowrance and then you wouldn't be able to upgrade at all. Your life would be much simpler.

I'll tell you what I would do if were you. I'd go to a store or dealer that had both and look at them. Then I'd buy the one I liked the best as long as I could afford it. If you can't afford the one you like best then buy what you can afford. I've been fishing almost 60 years now. Started with H'bird flashers and now have 997's. Went through several boats with Lowrance in the mean time. My partner is a confirmed Lowrance user. Has HDS's in his boat. He thinks they are the best made. I can't stand them. Keep in mind that the goal is to catch fish. You need to determine which works best for way YOU fish, not the way I fish. I love my 997's, but not absolutely sure that I didn't catch just as many fish with my old X70's. They are both good units. Each has features different from the other. Ranger/Skeeter Mercury/Yamaha Mac/PC Chevy/Ford You get my drift. No one here can tell what you like best. I'm a Humminbird user, and always will be, but Lowrance is good stuff too.

Man, You got $450 to spend on one rod/reel combo. You can get all you would ever need for half that. BPS has the 7'-6 Veritas for a $100. You can get a Johnny Morris signature for $120. D**n fine rods. I just picked up a new Veritas, but the weather is bad in MO so I haven't tried it out. The BPS Extreme is also a good buy for $100. Amazon had the Denny Brauer Ardent F700 reel for $140 last week. If you are just getting started, try something mid-range. You won't be disappointed. Spool up with some 50 - 65 lb. braid and you'll be cooking.

I thought the show was stupid. I'll never watch again, or waste DVR time. What bothers me is: What demographic group is the sponsor(s) targeting? Who that has money to spend is going to watch that show? I doubt it will make the season. If I can't watch it in the winter, I doubt enough people to pay the bills will. Fishburne is an idiot. He has always been an idiot, and unless I'm a bad judge of character, always will be. I'll cut him a little slack. Maybe he's not an idiot. Maybe just the character he chooses to play is an idiot.

My tournament partner have a saying we use whenever things get tough. One of us will look at the other and say, "SHUT UP AND FISH !!" Best advise I can give any one. Don't start over analyzing. If you know how to fish, keep doing what you know. It'll come around. Shut up and fish!! Try it, you'll like it.

Very good, Cajun !! That's exactly how you learn to fish. All this high-tech razzmatazz about rods, reels, lines, lures, while of some merit, ain't what it takes to catch fish.

I use Ace Hardware epoxy. I tried all the heat setting glues. None of them worked for me, including the Gudebrod stuff. I use a toothpick to put some epoxy in the tip in addition to putting a little on the rod. Just get some 1 hour epoxy. Clean up the tip before using. You'll be OK.

All you KC area people: Aaron Martens is at the show Friday. Roland Martin on Saturday. Stop by and see me at the Jack Miller Marine booth. We're right next to the show stage. I would love to show you the new Skeeters. We have a new 20i. It's really a trick boat. Brent is one of our Skeeter drivers. I saw him Wednesday in his solo event. He was excellent. I enjoyed him more than KVD today. Remember: Ain't none of them Chiefs bass fishermen.

All of those analyses are fine, but the old rule still applies: GO EARLY! STAY LATE! There's no substitute for time on the water. Darn sure keyboard time won't cut it.

You know, this whole thing is kind of strange, at least to me. I watched Classic Patterns this week with Ike. He's a wonderful fisherman, very literate, a good communicator, really a good spokesman. He has an obvious enthusiasm for fishing. I Tivo'ed that show and watched it twice. He is really having fun. It was only when he remembered how he was supposed to act that he went "IKE". I don't know who started him down this road he is apparently traveling, but this young man doesn't need to act like a fool. He certainly isn't one. He has the bass fishing world in his hands. If you watch him closely, he's really a better communicator and teacher than KVD. Unfortunately, at least from an outsider looking in, he has chosen his course. Obviously, the money is following. More and more pro's will start copying his antics, then us, then our kids. Look at Swindle. He used to be funny. Now he's just stupid. Man, I wish I was Michael's age, and had his gifts. Maybe it's not really being role models, but the antics of celebrities eventually filter their way into the main stream. Have you ever high-fived? Do you talk a little gangsta? Think about it.

When you guys find those Christmas trees, grind 'em for mulch. Don't put them in the lake. Christmas trees are much over rated as far as fish cover, at least in my view, and they are hard to fish through. A lot of people think the evergreens put out an oil for that is offensive to fish for a long time. I don't know about that, one way or the other. I do know that on the lake I live on there are dozens of brushpiles, some that were here when I moved here 20 years ago. They used to be consistent fish holders. The local Sportsman's Club has been supplementing these old brush piles every year with hundreds of Christmas trees. The crappie still seem to congregate around these piles, but the bass have gone. I was out this afternoon running brush piles where five years ago, you could load up on winter bass. Not a bite today. You figure it out. All I have is my own emperical evidence and observations, maybe 100% off base, but I don't like Christmas trees as fish habitat. Find some hardwood for brush piles if you feel like you have to make them.

You know, it's just not simple. A lot depends on the time of year, water temperature, what the fish normally feed on, etc. For me personally, based on your hypothetical circumstance, I would choose a watermelon worm, if I was going to throw a worm, and either a crawfish or shad colored crankbait. That's a lot of generalization, not knowing anything else about the conditions. Actually if I was fishing, I probably would not throw either a worm or a crankbait. I'd throw a jig, probably in a relatively neutral green or brown color, or a spinnerbait, either white or white/chartreuse, but not knowing any more about the conditions, that answer is really no better than the worm/crankbait answer. I throw a jig at every opportunity because I like to jig fish and I avoid crank baits because I don't like to throw crankbaits. Those are just my personal preferences and certainly don't mean that crankbaits won't catch fish.

Run this by me one more time. Are you looking for a lesson in semantics, or do you want to know what color lure to throw? The definition of stained and clear is your own perception. I know what I call clear, but I'm a dirty water fisherman. Clear water fishermen would have different definition. I don't know, or care, what someone else calls clear, stained, or muddy. I do know, or at least think I know, what lures to fish at various levels of clarity. If you want to get technical, the proper tool is called a Secchi disk.

I agree with everything said here about professionalism in putting together a resume. I have one I use in my real world business, and it's a labor of love. Having a sponsor, and working for a sponsor, is a lot more that fishing a bunch of tournaments. It's not nearly as easy as it sounds. The Sport/Boat show will be in KC starting 1/3/06. I'll be working for the local Skeeter dealer. I have on the table at my desk a stack of paper at least an inch thick telling me all about Skeeter boats and Yamaha outboards. I also have another inch that I have downloaded off the Triton, Ranger, Mercury, and Bombardier web pages. All to get reviewed, and at least enough of it in my head to talk to a prospective boat buyer intelligently about the merits of Skeeter/Yamaha's. Being an adequate fisherman is mandatory, but developing sponsors and keeping them happy is business. It's work. I'm not sure I would want to do it full time. I'm going to tell you what I do see, though. Our kids are not going to pot. There are thousands of bright, literate, hard working kids out there for every one of the others you read about and see on television. I'm 59 years old, and have been a professional/executive for the last 20 or so years. I see a lot of these young guys out there working the boat shows, and I'm impressed. Lot's of these kids (I call them kids. They are the same age as mine.) are sharp, darn sharp. They write as well as I do. Most of them talk better than I do. I'm just an educated redneck. The one's that don't you won't see on television. The one's that can't spell "sponsor" won't make it either.

I sincerely doubt you could find anyone that didn't know you, or know your family, to rent you a boat at kind of reasonable price. There are just too many bad things that can happen to a boat, certainly with an inexperienced operator. My tournament partner uses my little boat as if it were his own. He has a key to the lock, and just comes and gets it when he wants it, but he is extremely knowledgeable about boats. I surely wouldn't rent it to anyone I wouldn't give it to, rent free. I agree with DDB. You probably should try to find a little boat to buy. Unfortunately, fishing is not a cheap hobby, and the more serious you get about it, the more it costs.

Did you see all those new depthfinders? It ain't just the bait monkey!

If you can't get everything, buy lots of jigs. Learn to fish a jig, and you're ready anytime, anywhere. There are days the pull baits (cranks, blades, etc) will beat us, but by the end of the year, a good jig fisherman will have more, and almost always, bigger fish. Number two bait would have to be a tube. Same thing. A tube will almost always catch a fish or two. Get black/blue and watermelon seed in both baits and you're set for life. At least 3/4 of the time, that's the one-two punch my partner and I throw. He chunks the tube, and I chunk a jig. We'll fish something else if we have to, but we aren't happy about it.