RoLo

Well put ;-) Roger

It took me years to narrow down my lure arsenal to the 'Necessary Nine'. Realistically, I could never cut it with just 5 lures: Lipless Plug > Jackall TN/70 (sexy shad) Mat Punch > Strike King Rage Craw (junebug) > 1-1/4 oz Tungsten Bullet Sinker > Gamakatsu 5/0 Superline EWG Hook > Cobra Bobber Stop Hard Jerkbait > Rapala JH-12 Husky Jerk (silver) Jig & Craw > Strike King Rage Lobster (black blue-flake) > All-Terrain 3/8oz Grassmaster Jig (black/blue) Unwieghted Worm > Yamamoto 6" Senko (green pumpkin black-flake) > Gamakatsu 4/0 Skip-Gap Hook Roger

Since you mentioned spinning reels, you'll find that braided polyethylene is a dream on spinning gear. When I first began using braid I started with 20-lb line but moving up to 30-lb braid totally eliminated line-burrowing, provided better abrasion-resistance in heavy cover, yet it has the diameter of 10-lb mono. I use 30-lb braid for everything. Fluorocarbon? Excellent dental floss I hear Roger

Yes, I believe the world-record largemouth bass will be broken. With regard to the next world-record, I've made a couple predictions over the years. Although both predictions fly in the face of conventional wisdom, neither has been struck down but the jury is still out: (1) In 1991, Bob Crupi boated a 22.01 pound monster from Lake Castaic, California, coming within 1/4 lb of Perry's world-record. I was living in Georgia at the time, and my buddy Jerry said that it's only a matter of time when California upends the Georgia record. I made a bet with Jerry in 1991, that California would not break the world-record. Jerry is now 84 and still waiting ;-) (2) Several years ago on the forum there was a thread similar to this, but instead of IF, the question was WHERE. In that thread I predicted that Japan might surprise everyone with the next world-record bass, but that went over like a lead balloon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Genetic Vigor Many factors play into growing world-class bass, but among the most important criteria are 'genetic vigor' and 'geographic latitude'. Whenever a species is transplanted outside its native range it's pitted against covert long-term opposition. Early on, transplanted creatures typically do exceedingly well, but then things gradually go awry. Whatever happened to all the European starlings and English sparrows that were going to displace our native birds? When fish are transplanted out of their natural range, the ultimate decline is generally blamed on disease, over-harvest, competing species, drought, flood, ad infinitum. The real reason though is a gradual and inevitable loss of genetic vigor. With each passing generation the gene pool becomes increasingly contaminated with indigenous genes. As each new lake poops-out, the only way to keep the game alive is to pass the baton to another new lake stocked with new transplants. In Florida however, there is no genetic poop-out, it's the only place on earth where almost any lake or retention pond can yield a 13-lb bass with hands-off management. Geographic Latitude To offer the most adaptable climate, fish transplants are usually made laterally to a similar latitude. If the latitude is too far north, it will shorten the 'growing season' of bass; if the latitude is too far south, it will shorten the 'life span' of bass. With regard to 'world-class' bass (not trophy bass), geographic latitude is a precarious balance, and in order to grow world-class bass you need to provide both a long growing season and long life. Those expecting big things from Honduras or Cuba will likely be blindsided again. Honduras is only 15 degrees north of the equator and Cuba is about 22 deg N. At those hellish latitudes, bass grow very fast but die very young due to metabolic burnout. It's the same as pushing a plant with high-powered grow lights. The latitude tolerance for growing world-class bass is astonishingly narrow, but to home-in on the most promising latitude we have only to refer to world-class bass of the past: >> Current World-Record (Montgomery Lake, GA) 32nd Parallel >> Dottie (Lake Dixon, CA) 33rd Parallel >> Tied World-Record (Lake Biwi, Japan) 35th Parallel Roger

The only ice I see in Florida are the tiny chips floating in my martini Roger

The Big-I may not get the same press as the Big-O, but it offers a better shot at a 12 pounder. If you're target area includes central Florida, then Lake Kissimmee is your man. During the last several years it's pig production has been through the roof. Roger

You do, and I'll meet you there

Amen to that! We need to be our own worst critic, because elite tackle and blame-laying is no substitute for execution Roger

Actually, the scale-count method is not deemed conclusive, where DNA testing is the only reliable method of identification. An accurate scale-count is not only time-consuming but easily skewed by misaligned scales and overlapping scales. Furthermore, the scale-count for intergrade bass (hybrids) runs the gamut from 59 to 72, which sounds the death knell. Beside DNA testing, the second surest way to identify a pure Florida-strain bass is to fish south of Ocala, Florida. Northern-strain bass cannot survive in Florida, and intergrades are found chiefly north of Ocala, Florida. Unlike anywhere else on earth, the number of intergrade bass in Florida progressively dries up as one travels south of Ocala, Florida. Local biologists state that intergrade bass are absent from most waterbodies in central Florida. On the contrary, the intergrade population of bass transplanted outside of Florida grows faster than any other population faction, where pure Florida-strain bass are soon diluted. Roger

Kent, I meant to include the URL but I'm sure you already found it: http://www.bassmaster.com/node/101735 Roger

Yeah, that's why I put single quotes around 'documented'. >> 'FWC Certified' State Record: 17 lb 4 oz >> 'Documented' State Record: 20 lb 2 oz Many 'documented' Florida records were never 'certified' by the FWC (Florida Wildlife Commission) or its predecessor the GFC. Any minor infraction disallows FWC certification such as improperly witnessed, scales not re-certified within 6 months, not identified by a state biologist & so on. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because of the state's stringent protocol (bureaucracy), Florida state record fish can be highly misleading. For example, the Florida record Chain Pickerel was about 4-1/2 lb for years-&-years, then suddenly it catapulted to 6 lb 15 oz (go figure) The lake record on Lake Okeechobee was 13-1/2 lb for year-&-years, lower than several state records to the north. Then suddenly the Okeechobee Lake record jumped to 17-lb 3-oz, just 1 oz below the 'certified' state record (what's up with that?). Listed below are 14 'documented' bass records in Florida that were never 'certified' by the GFC or FWC, It's interesting to note that some of the documented records were certified by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame (NFWFHF) or Bassmaster (BASS). 20-2 31" x 27" Big Fish Lake (pasco co) 5/19/1923 Fritz Friebel - Won 1923 Field & Stream Contest - Never state certified 19-15 Keystone Lake (Hillsborough co) 1927 R.E. Lucas - Won 1927 Field & Stream Contest - Never state certified 19-4 Taylor Creek Reservoir (orange co) 6/30/1974 Phil Jay - Private lease-only lake - Documented by ISFA & FWFHOF 19-0 L: 31" Lake Tarpon (pinellas co) 6/26/1961 W.A. Riley Witt - Won 1961 Field & Stream Contest 18-13 29.5" x 26.5" St Johns River (green cove springs) 4/12/1987 Buddy Wright - Documented but never state certified 18-4 St Johns River (green cove springs) 12/16/1948 J.W. Smith - Won 1948 Field & Stream Contest 18-2 Taylor Creek Reservoir (orange co) 6/25/1974 Phil Jay - Private lease-only lake - Phil documented 2 bass over 18 lb in 5 days 18-2 Lake Brooklyn (clay co) 3/12/1966 Hugh Paul - Won 1966 Field & Stream Contest 18-0 30" x 25" Tucker Lake (franklin co) Aug 1964 Lonnie Petty - Won 1964 Field & Stream Contest 18-0 Ashley Lake (putnam co) 3/25/1951 Carl Swisher - Won 1951 Field & Stream Contest 17-15 Unnamed lake Mar 1988 Donald Brunson - Documented 17-12 West Tohopekaliga (osceola co) 7/11/1986 John Faircloth - Documented 17-8 28" x 25" Lake Rose (orange co) 2/17/1985 Mike Paul - Documented 17-8 28" x 25" Hurricane Lake (okaloosa co) 3/19/1983 Robert Dunsford - Documented Roger

They're probably 'more' effective in lakes without crayfish, where they can never be identified as a hoax Roger

Excellent coverage. Given a choice though (esp. in 40' of water), I prefer an upward stroke to a sideward sweep. I may well be wrong, but I feel that I can generate greater power with an upward stroke to high noon, and since I hold my rod-tip very close to the water, I'm not risking contact with the gunwale or console. Just my 2 cents Roger

That is true, but I'd like to expound a little on "Cypress Gardens". Cypress Gardens was the name of a theme park that hosted water shows on Lake Eloise (I live 20 min away). Now defunct Cypress Gardens was replaced by another theme park called "Legoland" (3 in the world). In 1959, Lake Eloise was the site of the first Florida-strain bass transplanted in California. The Florida 'documented' record bass is a 20 lb 2 oz bass that was 31" long with a 27" girth. Then in 1973, Dave Zimmerlee caught a 14-year old Lake Eloise transplant from Lake Miramar, California that weighed 20 lb 15 oz, besting the Florida record by 13 oz. Roger

I don't believe this has anything to do with scent, but everything to do with a predator's competitive instinct. This is also evidenced when several fish follow a hooked fish to the boat. The competitive instinct plays out more dramatically in the ocean, where predatory schools of fish get into a feeding frenzy called a 'blitz'. The brine is streaked with blood, bits and pieces of baitfish float to the surface and the domino effect has screaming seagulls in a competition of their own. Roger

Normally I'd ask whether you're using mono or braid, but a C-rig in deep water can be challenging even with braid. 1) Crank out all slack line until there's a straight line between your tiptop guide and hook (i.e. remove the dihedral). 2) Cross the fish's eyes. Roger

That's what I'M talking about!! I just ordered a couple Phace Savers for our Annual Boat Race thru the cypress knees Roger

As a standalone lure, I prefer the Rage Lobster by a long shot, but do use the Rage Craw for vertical punching. The little craw has less resistance than a lobster, which gives it better weed-penetration. Roger

My very favorite part of fishing is experimenting, and any lure is welcome to my science project. I can tolerate just about any lure or technique, even an 'unweighted senko' Roger

Based on an ESPN poll, Rick Clunn was voted the greatest professional angler of all-time, just nosing out Roland Martin. Rick relied heavily on crankbaits to post his incredible stats, Poe cedar plugs to be exact. Just as Roland Martin introduced 'pattern fishing', I believe it was Rick Clunn who introduced 'zone fishing'. However, I'm afraid that Rick cannot claim the 'white plug caper' as his, which I read about in "Lucas on Bass", published in the 1940s by Jason Lucas. All the same, secchi depth is a valid approach to ballparking the strike zone, but it's not the Holy Grail. For instance, bass that live in perennially turbid water become acclimatized to feeding through sound & vibration (via inner ear & lateral line) Roger

Ranger and Bass Cat are both top-rung fiberglass boats, but I'd give Bass Cat the nod for softest ride. If I were plying the waters of the Big-T like Catt, I'd be looking at a 21' Jaguar but an 18' Sabre would probably suffice on the Big-K. If you need more boat than a Bass Cat Jaguar, you're probably looking at a deep-V multi-species vessel with a steep deadrise and 100-gal fuel tank. Roger

Now you're cooking with gas In Contour Analysis 202 you'll need to learn the pivot depths where the search for widely spaced depth lines should revert to tightly stacked depth lines (where the shelf depth should end and the drop-off should begin). Among the variables are Lake Type, Water Clarity, Weedline Depth, Oxycline & Current Pool Level. Roger

So many lures, So little time

The only yelling that might come from our boat is during the battle, for instance during a high jump or when a hog breaks off. Once the fish is beaten and in hand, it's time for quiet enjoyment, and thinking about what I might've learned from this catch. I reserve high-fives and accolades for my boat mates, especially novice anglers and youngsters. Furthermore, if you want to keep your sweet-spot to yourself, you'll want to keep it on the down-low. Roger

Best Solution = Return in APRIL Roger