Sam

That's terrible. To lose a child is a horrible and life long experience. Thoughts and prayers are with you and the family. I know you will do all you can to help them through this hard time.

Same thing has just happened to my wife. All of a sudden her stomach was turning over. We looked at what she was eating and sure enough, dairy products. She went to a doctor and had some tests done and the docs said it was irritated bowl syndrome. We do not agree. We think it is dairy products. So do what we did. Eliminate all diary for two weeks and see what happens. Upset stomachs can be symptoms of other issues so please see your family physician or an internist. DO NOT WAIT. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW HAD THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE COLON CANCER. Good luck.

I noticed a photo of one of the University of Tennessee boats fishing in a tournament in one of my magazines. I sincerely hope the UT boys do better than the UT football team. ;D ;D ;D If your school does not have a bass team, then start one.

Fame or Fortune? Fame = B.A.S.S. Fortune = FLW Your choice.

Personally, I use 2500's. I have 4500's for catfishing. I also have smaller spinning reels, down to 1000, for pond and finesse fishing. But I have found that the 2500 size is the best for me for all applications and techniques. I do not worry about the extra spool. Never had to change spools on spinning reels when fishing. Now baitcasters.....that's another story. Try to go with the lightest reel you feel comfortable using. Happy New Year!

Depends on where you fish. Personally, I like Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Ultrasoft for most applications. For treble hook baits, I use Stren mono. Heavy cover and frogs I use braid. But nothing is in stone. I use various brands, including Vanish, Berkley, Silver Thread and am considering Big Game this year. Most of my line problems are caused by me not taking the time to run the line over my thumb nail to check for nicks, scrapes and cuts plus the fact that I hate taking the time to retie my baits after a few fish. Over the years you will find your "perfect" line, but it will take time. Ask other guys you meet what lines they use and add it to the information you will receive on this post. One word of advice. When you hear a pro state he uses a certain line, be sure he is hawking that specific line. He may or may not use it in tournaments but he is being paid for his endorsement. I ask guys what lines they are using just for the information for future reference. Here are Ike's tips on lines. Take it or leave it: Mono for treble hook baits. Flouro and copoly for all other baits. Super lines and braid for heavy cover and deep water. Fishing line - a science unto itself. Happy New Year!

Those fish look yummy to a bass. Dinner is served. ;D

New Orleans. Uptown, by Audubon Park. Fished the Biloxi and the Mississippi Sound growing up plus Audubon Park Lagoon. Love fishing for red fish; crabbing and bass fishing in the marsh. Used to attend the Chalmette Mardi Gras parade as we have friends marching and riding. Katrina wiped out friend's house and we have not been back for Mardi Gras in years. I try to make one LSU game each year, if possible. Did not go to any games this year as I got to attend the BCS game in the Superdome and that was enough for the year. Graduate of Fortier and LSU. What high school did you attend????

Jig first, but cast it far if the water is clear. Then a moving bait, like a deep diving crankbait if they do not hit the jig.

Wow! What a question!! Weights. Easy question, complex answer. You have three substances for weights: tungston, lead and brass. All have their applications. You have various shapes, too. And when to peg and not peg. The weight is designed to hold the plastic on the bottom, or allowing it to float a specific amount of inches or feet off the bottom. You can place the weights by the hook or up the line. In the case of tubes, you put the weight inside the tube. You probably know all about weights as you use them all the time, unless you attend or are a Toolame grad. If that is the case, you have no chance to learn about weights. Your weight sizes depend on the season, the current and the structure/cover you are fishing. You will receive a lot of answers but we need you be more specific about your weight questions. I would love to give you all the input I know but there is so much data about weights that I don't know where to start. Grab a Barq's; tear a slice of Randazzo's excellent King Cake; sit back and here is some info for your consideration, although it is a simple start. 1. Use lead or tungston bullet weights for Texas-rigged plastics. 2. Consider placing a bead between the weight and the hook's eye for some sound. 3. Peg the weight unless you are fishing heavy cover or strucutre and an unpegged weight will let the plastic go through the cover/structure easier. 4. Tungston has more feel. Add a graphite rod and a sensitive line and you can feel Mardi Gras beads on the bottom. 5. The heavier the weight the easier to punch through slop and grass. 6. Use a Split-Shot weight when fishing the split-shot rig. Just crimp it above your #1 or #1/0 hook about 12 to 18-inches and have some fun. 7. Current will dictate the weight's weight. 8. The bait's fall will also be determine the weight. 9. Use brass weights when fishing Drop-Shot. Will sound like a crawfish snapping if you add a glass bead as you move it along the bottom. 10. There are many varieties of weights. The Mojo; Bells for Drop-Shot and tubes; jig heads; Clam Shots for spinnerbaits; round; football; weedless; with rattles; Shaky Head applications; Carolnia rigs with heavy weights that move along the line above the swivel; screw-in; and on and on. 11. Use the lowest weight possible to cast and fish your technique. Do not be bashful about changing weights as you fish. 12. Practice "skipping" the plastic under docks, trees and bushes by using a pegged 3/16 lead bullet weight. I know the guys will give you a lot more info. In the meantime, do four things for me: 1. Read all you can about weights. 2. Pull for the Fighting Tigers. 3. Go to Mardi Gras for me and have a good time, but keep an eye on those beautiful ladies Adams Apple. 4. Eat some good King Cake. Have a great 2009!

James Whorley, the 60-year old principal of Brookville High School in Campbell County, Virginia and his friend Terrell Reid, had been hunting the Dan River for 30 years and knew the area very well. Their 16-foot Crestliner hit a partially submerged tree as the boat headed up the Dan River in the dark, about 5 AM Sunday morning, resulting in a hull tear nearly the length of the boat. The tree was tangled among other debris in the shallow middle of the river. The two men and their dogs were thrown from the boat. The dogs swam to the shore where a resident spotted one of the dogs and called the sheriff. The bodies were found floating about a quarter mile from the wreckage. They probably drowned. The men were wearing waders and NO LIFE JACKETS. A high school principal. The retired administer of Danville's water and sewer system. Two SMART guys. Two educated guys. Not wearing their life jackets. You would have thought they would have been smarter. PLEASE WEAR YOUR PFD. NO EXCUSES. WE WANT YOU AROUND FOR 2009. A word to the wise is sufficient.

The manager at the Dick's I visited said that all stores should have them on sale. Give it a shot and let us know what you find out. You may want to call and stay on hold for a long time before someone who can figure it out at Dick's tells you if they have them and if they are on sale.

Cravin, What type of unit did you get or have??? Thanks.

I received the SPOT GPS satelllite system for my birthday this past May and never really used it, other than to carry it with me on the boat just to have in case of an emergency. So today I decided to take the unit with me as I traveled to the car wash, gasoline station and grocery store and to press the "OK" key along the way to see what would happen. I had set up the notification process to alert my wife and son as to where I was or if I had encountered a medical or other emergency while on the boat. Son calls and says, So you got an electronic toy for Christmas from mom?" And I reply, "Hey, it works." He says, "Yes, I followed you from home, to the car wash and then back on your way home." All the places I pushed the "OK" key. I checked out my wife's e-mail account and sure enough, the alerts were there with maps as to where I was when I pushed the "OK" key. I sincerely suggest everyone who fishes alone get a SPOT. It is not cheap, $150 for the unit and another $100 a year subscription. But it is well worth it in case you have an emergency or to note waypoints and secret places to fish on your home computer as you fish. Just a suggestion and a fun toy to play with as you fish, are in the car, hiking or at the pond.

Good report. Keep 'em coming!

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. You guys did great. I love golf course ponds. Have a great New Year and keep those pics and reports coming as it gets colder and colder up north during the winter months.

Throw some gold in there and you have a Mardi Gras rig. ;D ;D ;D

Dick's Sporting Goods seems to be selling all of their Evolution Jigs at half price. I picked up six (6) packages of two (2) each today for $5.97 each pack. The manager at the Stony Point Dick's said that all Dick's should have the Evolution Jigs on sale, now. If you are interested in Bobby's excellent jig I suggest you head out to your nearest Dick's and check it out. If they do not have the jigs on sale ask the store manager to double check as they are on sale in Richmond, Virginia. Just food for thought.

Beautiful. You did good, as usual.

Over by the half. Packers to win going away. Then again..........

Happy New Year, Try. To understand your query, you are searching for one site that can give you information on how to rig and then the best techniques to use for each type of bait or presentation. Easy question - no real answer. The Forum's Fishing Articles and Tacklebox has some great information pertaining to specific baits and presentations. If you like to read, try finding some of these books which give you lots of help on the types of baits; when to use them; how to rig them; and when to use them. But beware. Not all baits are discussed nor are all other details given: Baits for Bass from B.A.S.S. - which may be your best selection - published by B.A.S.S. Publications Bass Wisdom by Homer Circle I would suggest Baits for Bass and Bass Wisdom as your best selections. Remember, there are no "set ways" to fish any bait. You fish it as you believe is appropriate for your conditions and seasons. Try to find the Baits for Bass book from B.A.S.S. as it will give you a lot of information in an inexpensive format for just about all baits we throw today. Good luck. Baits for Bass by Wade L. Bourne Senior Writer/BASSMASTER Magazine Copyright 1998 5845 Carmichael Road Montgomery, Alabama 36117

So now I have five (5) tubes of the old formula, with three being new for Christmas. Not happy, Bobby. :'(

Do what Catt says...get an MRI now. Not tomorrow; not next week; not after New Years. Now. Pronto. Fast. Experiences Wife Undergoing acupuncture treatments after four back surgeries. Had to have neck surgery to get ready for her back surgeries. Doing much better but it is a difficult climb back to being as close to being without pain as possible. Wife also went to chiropractor and he found a kidney stone our family physician did not catch. She has had two procedures since we found the first one. Kidney stones cause lower back pain. Me Standing in boat for 8 to 10 hours gives me lower back pain. Doc says it is muscular so I am losing weight. Down from 216 to 195 and still going down. Son Has bulging disk. The pain stops him in his tracks. Going to a chiropractor and is getting relief. There are many causes of lower back pain so please get it checked out. Your quality of life depends on it. Good luck.

Mr. HopJ, Easy question, complex answer. 1. Be sure to "balance" your reel with your rod's specs. Write down the rod's lure size and line test parameters and match them with the reels you are considering. 2. Some guys swear by the old and slow 5:1:1 reel ratios for cranks, with 20-pound test. Others go with the 6:1 and 7:1 models as they want more speed when necessary. Personal choice. I use the 5:1 with Bandits and the 7:1 when I really want to burn that crank during the summer. Go with the brand names and you can't go wrong. Flooger, Diawa, Shimano, etc. make great baitcasters. The number of bearings and the metals used guide the pricing. Also, do you want a "low" profile reel or a standard baitcaster? Personal choice. And don't forget to add an Ultra Light spinning rig to your arsnel for small crankbaits. Lots of fun in the summer. 3. As for rods, graphite or glass? Some guys say graphite has more feel and you need the feel for crankbaits. Others love their glass rods. Either way, be sure to start with a medium heavy model in a cranking rod. As you know, there are specific cranking rods. I love my cheap BPS cranking rod. So go figure. Just be cognizant of the type of rod in the combo you are considering from BPS up to G. Loomis. 4. If you stick with brand names you can't go wrong. Not "Ugly Stick" but you know the names. Just balance the rod and reel via their specs. Ugly Sticks are great for pond fishing and letting kids use them. And take your time. Look at the rods. Feel them. Note their weight. Have the clerk let you add a reel to the rod to see how it feels. Do the same with the reels. Take your time. Feel them. Hold them. Look closely at them. Check out their specifications. Go with a color you like. Count the number of eye guides on rods. What kind are they? How close are they to the reel? Is the combo's monetary value in the reel or the rod? Consider the reel's weight. Wide spool or narrow spool? What are the "hot" sellers? Just go with your gut feeling and you will do great. You do not need the most expensive rod or reel. The fish have no idea of the cost of your gear. Be sure to balance the rod with the reel and get ready to spool it up and do some fishing!

Evolution jigs. Beautiful!