RoLo

Actually, a GPS contour map is a form of vision that allows the angler to scrutinize bottom contours long before he ever sees the lake. Sonar is another form of vision, one used in the field to confirm the accuracy of the GPS chart and to pinpoint coordinates. Our eyesight is needed to read the charts, read the sonar and to evaluate the cover, water clarity, shoreline topography and so on. GPS, sonar and eyesight are not versus, but work together in concert; I can't imagine being without any one of them. Roger

The majority of our lakes are murky, so mid-depth lures play second-fiddle to subsurface lures and bottom lures, which are roughly equal in productivity. Roger

No need to be sorry, every question has been asked scores of times

In naturally clear lakes, bass do not develop the same sound-feeding skills as bass that live in perennially murky water. Consequently, when muddy water infiltrates a clear water lake, it's wise to look for areas with clearer water. This isn't the case however in perennially murky lakes, where it's business as usual. Muddy water does not cause bass to change water depth, but it does stack them tighter to cover. Also, bass in muddy water usually setup closer to the surface -OR- they'll move smack on the bottom. As you'd expect, good lure attributes in muddy water are Large, Dark, Noisy. Roger

Is that a 'lure dump' or Blue Screen Of Death? Roger

The Uni-knot has been my knot of choice for decades, but now I have a uni-knot variation to try...thanks RW. Roger

Whisper 'sweet nothings' in its ear

Price don't enter the picture until you get down to bargain-basement prices. For many years I used Bass Pro Shop's 'Lazer Eye' spinnerbaits, a middle-of-the-road spinner that featured. stainless steel wire, 'R' bend eyelet, Worth swivel and Mustad Lazer Sharp hook. Today I'm throwing War Eagle spinners that cost about a buck more, but I cannot say that there's a meaningful difference in catch-rate. Since I'm paying for the lures, the bass can either like it or lump it, there's lots of fish in the sea Roger

I had a Daiwa Advantage that had the same affliction. These are the building blocks of the Shimano posse Roger

Mortimer Drumbreath followed closely by Kevin VanDam

Based on what I've seen and heard from other boaters, my leaning has always been toward new boats. When moving from spot-to-spot, most boaters seem compelled to run at full-throttle with the engine screaming for mercy. Buying a used boat can save you a bundle of money, but insist on a test spin so you can see, hear & critique the powerplant. Roger

When we lived in New Jersey, my all-purpose go-to lure was a Texas-rigged 7.5" Culprit plastic worm (any dark color) with a 3/16 oz bullet sinker. Roger

Before comparing any two boats, I'd suggest that you create a long list of your priorities. For instance, which is more important to you, stability at rest or stability underway, top speed or fuel economy, draft or freeboard, helm space or deck space ~ ~ ~ ~. In this manner you might be able to curtail the serial boat-buying curve that afflicts most boat owners, myself included Roger

Until bass grow barbels like catfish and carp, I don't give their olfactory perception a second-thought. I never go fishing without a liberal application of Neutrogena Beach Defense on my face and hands, and I'm sure it gets all over my lures. Nevertheless, I cannot say that I've ever noticed sunscreen to have a negative effect on fishing. Heck, we've got anglers out there who use WD40 as a fish attractant, so it wouldn't surprise me one bit if 'Sunscreen' became the next fish attractant craze. Roger

Buy a Black-&-White frog, then you can forget about color I admire your enthusiasm, but any differences in results will likely be due to more important factors like cast placement, retrieve speed, lure cadence and so on. Roger

I honestly can't narrow it down to one lure, but it ain't a senko Roger

The most effective way to bolster stringer weight is a change in 'location', not a change in lure. Roger

The only thing that comes to mind is that your spool tension may be set too light. Once the spool tension has been set to the lure weight, even thumb-free casting shouldn't produce an overrun. Roger

Beautiful bass Ed.....Way to go!! Roger

You did the best thing possible when you lose a pet, replace it with another pet. Pet's generate a powerful amount of affection, and when a pet is taken away, the new pet reassigns that affection. Roger

I don't know if bass fear gar, but I do know that gar are fond of eating bass. This is by no means a bad thing, but a part of Big Mama's master plan (alligators love bass too). Unfortunately the range of the alligator gar has been sharply reduced, and here in Florida the only way you can legally keep an alligator gar is with a special permit for scientific research. It's odd that this should come up now, because just a couple weeks ago I hooked a Florida gar on a lipless plug (Jackall TN/70). It was hooked in the tail stalk, which made it impossible for me to turn the fish's head. I didn't know what I was fighting, but told my wife that it must be foul-hooked. Every run was just as powerful as the first run, which is a sure sign of a fish hooked behind the head. It made run-after-run for several minutes before I got the first opportunity to glimpse the fish. It was the largest Florida gar I ever hooked (15-20-lb area) and luckily I didn't have to handle the toothy creature because the treble hooks pulled out right next to the boat. Roger

Baitfish move, contour does not move. A word to the wise is sufficient. Roger

I never spend a whole lot on bourbon, after the first 4 or 5 drinks they all start tasting the same Roger

It's the only line I use Dodge, and use it for everything. Berkley made a wise business decision when they changed the family name of their braided line from "Fireline" to "Trilene". Even though Fireline Braid was on the market for years, some anglers still confused it with the original 'fused' Fireline. In addition, Trilene Pro Braid has been upgraded to an 8-member braid similar to Sufix 832. It's smooth, round, strong, abrasion-resistant and never burrows, in short, I love the stuff. Roger

Better yet, 'Gimp' is a superb knockoff of full-featured Photoshop, and it's freeware. As a side-note: I have both programs: full-featured Photoshop & Gimp, yet I find myself using open source Gimp more often than I use Photoshop. Download the 'high-pass' filter for sharpening and you've got the equivalent of Photoshop with free updates and upgrades. Roger