RoLo

. Ronnie, you tread on no one. The advent of most techniques is nebulous and without any defined line. We as anglers merely refer to some common "sticky", just so we're both on the same page. No one really knows when or who invented most of these ancient techniques, and who cares? In my opinion, drop-shotting is older than me, and IMO I was fishing "swimbaits" long before the sticky. Roger

Now I'm beginning to understand why so many boaters violate basic etiquette, they either don't know, or don't care! This is a thread about boating etiquette and boating rules and yet, not one boater mentioned the "First Rule Of The Road". When two power boats are converging at approximately right angles, the power boat on the "right" has the "right of way". About half the boats that I encounter on the water seem oblivious to this rule, which would solve about the half the problems. Apparently, they're also in a quandary as to why the starboard side of their bow light is GREEN and the port side is RED. As for passing boats that are not underway, I always fall off plane and give them a wide berth. That's fine-and-dandy, but now let's take a look at reverse courtesy. How about the boater who elects to anchor his craft smack in the channel, then shakes his fist at every boat that doesn't drop to an idle. Cum'on guys, stop the insanity! Roger

Way back when, I fished the Rapala Countdown. I used it chiefly for suspended fish whose depth was revealed by the depth sounder. Though I would count the lure down to their depth, I experienced very modest success. Granted, suspended fish are notoriously difficult to entice, and maybe that's why the countdown and me went our separate ways. The countdown is made of balsawood, but it is a weighted lure and does not have the action of the original floating rapala. For the best of both worlds, I would slow troll a floating rapala behind a swivel and egg sinker (walleye killer) Roger

With regard to the LC Pointer: SP = Shallow Pointer 3-5' deep DD = Deep Diver 5-7' deep The suspension depth will vary according to line thickness and how aggressively you crank it down. For most of the natural lakes in Florida, the "SP" is perfect, but on really shallow flats you'll have to pansy crank, so not to slam the bottom (then again, you may want that bottom puff). Roger

Garmin claims that it floats, and that's good enough for me. Personally I couldn't care less, because my GPS unit is only held in my hand between my house and my boat in the driveway. On the water, the GPS unit is securely mounted in its bracket on the console, so if mine finds it way into the drink, I'm probably dead! Roger

I wish I could help you Avid, but I live in Florida too. I always thought that "Drop Shot" was the bartender's cue to cut-me-off

I think it's important to remind ourselves that regardless of how oppressive some Negative Feelings may appear, they are only paper-thin. Objectively though, we also need to realize that happy and positive feelings may also be paper-thin. This may be why I'm not much of a "High-Five" kind-of-guy, because I feel that it's safer to maintain a more neutral stance, one that's better postured for whatever life may throw our way. Does that make me a crotchety old man...Gee, I hope not Roger

In preparation for winter, bass automagically lay-up fat from late summer throughout the fall (not a conscious effort). Bass eat very little throughout the winter, and it's not by choice but is dictated by their low body temperature & low metabolism: 1. In very cold water, bass can't muster the energy to move very far or to move very fast 2. When their innards are cold, their food digests very slowly, I've read that "1" minnow may take as long as a week to be ingested. Minnows-of-the-year are at their largest in the winter, but also at their lowest numbers (do you see the beautiful symmetry?) If you're not hungry, it won't matter if the meal is big or small, you'll most likely pass it up (i.e. bass in winter). During warm fronts in winter when the temperature trend is up, bass actually go on short feeding frenzies in mid-winter. When bass are feeding in winter, the size of the lure isn't nearly as important as the speed in which it moves. Even if a bass wanted to chase your lure, in very cold water it may simply be physically impossible. Roger

If you're interested in a mult-species magazine (who isn't) go for In-Fisherman or Fishing Facts. Most of the others don't hold a candle to them. Roger

Garmin GPS Map76Cx - $400 Display Size: 2.2" x 1.5" Resolution: 240 x 160 pixels Memory Card: 128mb SiRF High-Sensitivity Receiver Waterproof <> Floats Roger

Pointer 100 SP Nishiki Roger

Yesterday was a humid and rainy day, but I hardly noticed, because fishing with Avid was a real blast! Don is a personable man, and I immediately felt as though I've known him all my life. Remarkably, in just a few short hours, Avid & I solved most of the world's problems! Don, we'll definitely do that again, the pre-spawn season is right around the corner Roger

I can't offer much help with the slippery-reel situation, but cork handles are a sore subject with me. I'm sad to see that all rod manufacturers went to species cork grips. For both saltwater and freshwater fishing my favorite rod grip has always been "Black EVA foam" (Hypalon). EVA foam is virtually non-slip even with bloody hands, in the rain or worst of all, when there's fish slime on your hands. I also find EVA foam to be more comfortable to hold than cork, it seems to wear forever and it never soils or darkens with age. I also think Hypalon is more attractive than cork, but that's a matter of opinion. Roger

Graphite is substantially lighter and far more sensitive than fiberglass. In freshwater, there's really no need anymore for a fiberglass blank (composite...maybe). In saltwater however, E-glass is still very popular with big game anglers. Graphite is more brittle than e-glass, and thus more failure-prone with bill billfish and giant tuna. Roger

ALL-TIME FAVORITES 1. Al Lindner 2. Roland Martin 3. Bill Dance 4. Larry Nixon CURRENT FAVORITES 1. Kevin Van Dam 2. Mike Iaconelli Roger

Pheww...if I had to do a complete lookback over 50 years or so, the lure that caught the greatest number of bass of all sizes, would have to be the Culprit Original Worm, both the 6" & 7.5" length in red shad & black shad. As for largest bass, "live shiners" nose out the plastic worm, but not in summer. I don't see much of a pattern with lures and don't subscribe to the big bait, big bass theory. I do subscribe to jigs as a big bass lure, but not because bass like a blob of lead molded to a hook, but because the jig is fished slowly and on the bottom. Roger

This seems to confuse a lot of fishermen. A drop in the pool level should not have any influence on suspension, and no influence on fish depth either. If the main biomass of bass were found in water that was 5 feet deep and the pool level was lowered 5 feet, more than likely, the main biomass will still be 5 feet deep. Quite obviously, their location would not be the same because the location of the "5-foot contour line" is now farther offshore. In the 5-foot example, bass living shallow and bass living deep would both be affected exactly the same...by five feet. Roger

The Standard 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG hook uses 0.050" dia. wire and weighs 13 grains. The Super Line 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG uses 0.062" dia. wire and weighs 21 grains. If you're using "Super Line" such as PowerPro braid (certainly not monofilament), a Super Line hook is very easy to set home beyond the barb (hence the name "super line"). Furthermore, the thinner the wire the more rubbery the hook, and there's a lot to be said for a rigid hook during the hook-set. In central Florida, Super Line hooks and PowerPro braid tend to dominate, in fact Bridgemaster Tackle Shop in Lake Wales, Florida (the largest tackle shop in the area) does not even stock Standard Wire Gamakatsu Z-bend hooks, but only Super Line hooks. A 5" Senko with a 3/0 or 4/0 Super Line Gamakatsu provides about the best tail-shimmy possible (hinges on descent rate). The Tiki Stick has less action than the senko but is significantly more durable. All the same, when I thread a 5" Tiki Stick onto a 5/0 Super Line (26 grains), I can't see any difference at all between the action of a Tiki Stick on a 5/0 super line and a Senko on a 3/0 or 4/0 super line. Of course, we're into "Dropbaits 202" here 8-) Roger

ABSOLUTELY TRUE!! It is absolutely true that the original statement is false! They say there's a wise guy in every crowd, but why so many in this crowd? Roger

If you're looking for an economical approach, select your own swim head then thread on a Big Hammer Swimbait ("Hand Pours" made of floating plastic!) 5" = $1.32 <> 6" = $1.80 <> 7" = $1.86 Roger

When I began worm fishing in the 50s, I used long straight-shank Eagle Claw hooks, then I moved up to Tru-Turn hooks (cam-action) and finally to the Gamakatsu Z-bend hooks. However, when I fished straight-shank hooks and tru-turn hooks I was also using monofilament line, an elastic band that needs all the help it can get. Today I use PowerPro braid so the tables are turned. With braided line (if I should be so bold), I believe you can drive home a bent rusty nail My hook choice is largely dependent on DROP RATE, and changing the hook also changes the descent speed of the worm!!! For instance, I use an unweighted plastic worm that produces "no" tail-action on the fall with a 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG standard wire, but produces "fair" tail-action with a 4/0 Super Line (heavy wire) and "excellent" tail shimmy on the drop with a 5/0 Super Line hook. With braided line, I have no problem driving the point of a 5/0 super line hook, beyond the barb. One For The Road The hook-point of the Gamakatsu Z-bend lies directly in the "line-of-pull" (line-eye and hook-point are in alignment). With most straight-shank hooks though, the hook-point is pointing several degrees over the top of the line eye, which tends to drag a "slot" rather than perforate a "hole". Roger

Thank you Doug and welcome to the forum. We're honored to have you aboard. Roger

It isn't the hump in the back that makes the difference (that sits in the atmosphere), it's the convexity of the belly. Both ends of the belly-line have a very slight upward sweep, making it easier for the lure to pivot on its belly, which helps a walker to swap ends (sammy fame). All the same, fishermen are notoriously slow to make important changes, and in my opinion the swayback spook is a grossly overlooked lure. Roger

This is admittedly a stretch, but I'll be a sport: Hardbaits: Bill Lewis Alias rat-l-trap Soft Plastics: Zoom Followed closely by Yum, Wave Worm & Uncle Josh (as in Sizmic) Spinnerbaits: Lazer Eye Jig: Outkast Roger

In years gone by, there were a throng of sponsors for Master Angler Awards, among them were Field & Stream, Molson, In-Fisherman, Fishing Facts and many more. When I was first married, my wife used to sew my Master Angler Patches onto my PFD (whoop-eee), In freshwater I had citation emblems for Largemouth, Smallmouth, White Bass, Black Crappie, Northern Pike & Walleye. In all honesty, I felt like a freak show and was actually ashamed to wear that PFD, which I only wore in a gale. Finally I got the opportunity I was waiting for, after it overwintered in bow storage, that PFD got black mold and I gave it the ole heave ho. In retrospect, many of those early patches were probably collectibles :'( Roger