Sam

Suggestions. Decide if you want to be B.A.S.S. or FLW. Contact their state federation for assistance, like sample copies of by-laws and tournament rules. Contact Orange County High School, Orange, Virginia, bass club. It is one of the most successful high school clubs in the nation. You can Google it and I am sure it will show up. Decide if you all need boats are if you will do pond fishing. If you do pond fishing or do not want to join either B.A.S.S. or FLW, then don't and just have your own tournaments. This can be a good idea but you need By-Laws and Tournament Rules to start. Maybe a " Big Fish Pot" where the guys put $5 each into the pot and the person catching the largest bass gets the money at the endo of your tournament year. You may not want the guys to pay anything to start a pot for each tournament with 1st, 2nd and 3rd payouts as the high school may think this is gambling. If you do start a pot make it optional. Good luck.

Thanks guys. I will be on the lookout for my copy.

Isn't the count-down method where you count the seconds until the bait hits the bottom? Then, if you get hit between the surface and bottom you know where the fish are staging. If no bites on topwaters, try the next water column with a spinnerbait or a crankbait and then keep going deeper until you are tearing up the bottom with a deep diving crankbait. Or, throw a shaky head or drop-shot to try to find them. Good luck.

Shimano Curado 100 is a great baitcaster for finesse fishing.

Muddy, is he using a Shimano reel? ;D

The swollen, light-colored section seen on earthworms has a name: the clitellum. Just thought you all would want to know. Am I bored, or what?????

As I tell my wife, "when you see it, buy it, or it will be gone when you go back." The Bait Monkey suscribes to this theory, too. ;D ;D ;D

Love the bills. Nice looking baits.

Listen to your motor. You will know when there is something wrong. My friend's motor was making a terrible "clanking" sound and he refused to have it serviced. Sure enough, it blew up on him. So either get the motor repaired or buy a new one. The Bait Monkey awaits you, either way. ;D ;D ;D

Motor Guides have a problem with the wires within the unit wearing out. I think it may be time to have your trolling motor serviced. Also, the gray foot switch on your pedal can give you trouble. Have it checked out, too. This is a fact that a Motor Guide rep told my friend and I have had to replace my pedal foot switch. My Motor Guide died last month and I had Billy Wells in Richmond, the trolling motor expert, look at it. It had burned out the wires in the head and he had to replace one gear. As for the electrical system, it is very simple and it should not be giving you a problem. After checking the fuse and the battery connections there is not much to do. Consider the investment in having the motor serviced and you should get a lot more years out of it.

Do what JSNLong says to do. If you can use the gasoline in any other equipment I suggest you do so. If you have gasoline with Ethonol in it, you will need the Sta-Bil Ethonol treatment along with the standard Sta-Bil gasoline stabailzer. Winterize the motor and consider replacing the water pump. Just some suggestions for you to consider.

Profile. Bait profile. If the bass are active and are moving around a lot, like in the summer, you can throw a jib without a trailer. In the winter, when the bass are not moving and are looking for a big, protein snack, then a trailer is better as it makes the jig look bigger. If you want the jig to fall fast then add a trailer. If you want the jig to fall slower then don't add a trailer. I usually always use trailers. Sometimes pork when in tournaments. Otherwise, I will use plastics. Some guys like claws off the trailer to move slowly. Others like the Rage Tails that have fast moving claws. You can use trailer colors that match the jig or ones that conflict to give you a different look. It is all in your personal preference. I would suggest using a trailer now through the summer and fish the jig like a s-l-o-w moving crawfish on the bottom. Experiment. Trying new methods and colors is the fun part of fishing.

Keep it. Use it for fun pond fishing. You can't kill an Ugly Stick. And one day you may want to give it to your kids or a young relative.

The Bait Monkey got you. He is out there. Watching you. Waiting. Behind your car seat. In the tackle shop aisles. At the movies. In the catalogs. He will get you. He will get us all.

First, I would post my request in the Southeast Fishing area of the forum. Second, I would visit local tackle shops and ask the guys working there. They should have some information. Third, can you contact the Florida Game and Fisheries to see if they can help you? After that, all I can sugget is getting a good color map of area which will show the various lakes and ponds and go from there. But keep trying. Your "honey hole" is right around the corner.

Yes! The great Bait Monkey is around, looking for you and all of us. No matter what happens on Wall Street or the economy, the Bait Monkey is always there, just lurking and waiting to pounce on us at any time. The Bait Monkey is good.

Marines stick together much more than Army folks. Army has lots of career opportunities. Get your high school diploma; do well in either branch; and go for Officers Candidate School and become an officer and a gentleman. Clank, clank, you are a tank! ;D ;D ;D

May I suggest the following for your consideration this winter? A video or DVD of Jig Secrets to Hugh Catches!, "Advanced Flipping, Pitching and Jigging" by Denny Brauer. Production is from Strike King and you can get it in video or DVD. Denny Brauer's Jig Fishing Secrets by Denny Brauer, a nice book that is loaded with pitching and flipping information and some of Denny's secrets. You can always Google pitching and flipping along and view the link Cart7t suggests. If you get the book, video or DVD you will have it in your library to review from time to time to pass the winder dooldrums.

Trippyjai, Check the rod's specifications for line test and lure weight. Make sure your reel is within the specifications for the line test specs on the reel. In other words, if the rod says 10 to 17 pound test you will need a reel that is capable of handling 10 to 17 pound test line. Then consider the reel, itself, and its size, weight and power. Experiment until you find the correct balance you are seeking.

If you are tieing the Palamor Knot correctly and you are still encountering line break plase consider the following: Run your thumb nail along your line after landing each fish or after 10 casts. If you feel any knicks or scrapes then you will need to cut the line and retie. Run the line over your thumbnail s-l-o-w-l-y to feel any cuts or nicks. When in doubt, cut the line and retie. When tightening a Palamor Knot, be sure to pull the main line first and then the tag end to tighten the knot. Wet the knot before tightning it. If you have ANY line burn(line is curley), retie. Leave some tag end line to give the knot leverage if it gets loose. Fishing in your conditions and having the bass' teeth damage the line will mean that you will have to double check your line and knots after each fish and at least 10 casts. So give this a try and see if you can stop the line breaking at or above the knot or along the line.

Location, location, location. That is part of the formula for bass fishing. Some bass have their "milk run" where they move for specific places to other specific places during the day and week. Other bass will hold to a specific cover or structure while others just roam around in a random manner. This is why the guys want big and powerful motors on their bass boats so they can be first at the places they know the fish hang out. As for fishing one specific area for a long period of time, you can do this or fish it for a time and then come back in an hour or two and fish it again. To really fish a "spot" you will need to throw a variety of baits from different angles. Maybe start wtih a topwater; then go to a crankbait and a spinnerbait; followed by a wacky Senko - drop shot- or shaky head rig in addition to your standard Texas rig. You can throw a jig and pig, too. Fish the spot from various angles and throw each lure or plastic at least 15 to 20 times. If they are not hungry you may be able to generate a reaction bite. If you do not get a bite, remember the patterns you threw and then go to your next location and start all over again. Once you get bit you will know the pattern, lure and presentation they are seeking that day. Continue following your pattern as you move from place to place. The secret is to be patient and try different lures, depths, colors and presentations to find out what the bass want to eat. Once you find the "pattern" you are set for the day, unless you are fishing a tidal body of water and then you will have to change your presentations based on the tides. This is what makes bass fishing a challenge. If we all could go out and throw anything and catch bass then everyone would bass fish, and there would not be the challenge or the Bait Monkey to help us along. Great story and pics so you are doinging something right. Just continue doing what you are doing and look for more places were the bass will hang out. But don't tell anyone as these will be your secret places.

Where are you in Louisiana? I am from New Orleans and have relocated to Richmond, Virginia. Big LSU fan, like Catt. Family is part Cajun and I love to eat crawfish. If you are a Toolame fan then disregard this post.

Add me to the list.

Hint: Dip tails in lime Spike-It and give them a try.

Great pics and story. Keep those photos and display them when he gets married. And I hope you keep taking him fishing. He can't get into any trouble fishing. And your kindness and memories will last a lifetime.