Sam

Looks like she is heading out into the North Atlantic. Hope so, even though we could use the rain if she comes ashore in South Carolina or Georgia and moves up the coast. Will be keeping an eye on her and checking the Tropical/Hurricane section of Weather Underground daily.

Dodgeguy hit it on the head. Mono for topwaters. Heavier the test the more it floats. But you can use anything you want if you have confidence in it.

Wow! What a craftsman. Dentist like to work with their hands and they have outstanding dexterity to do intricate things. Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing.

Fishing is a mental escape from the world. So you have to drive two hours. So what? Isn't it worth it at least once every few weeks? Can you find any ponds in any housing subdivisions or office parks? Check out a map of the County for ponds, too. Also, any places to fish in Onlee, Boles Acres, Alamegordo, Mountain Park, Dog Canyon Estates or Dunes? Any hidden ponds that the pilots can tell that they saw or that they can be on the lookout as they fly the Raptors and Talons? And thanks for being in the Air Force. You are a special guy and we all appreciate what you are doing to help make us safe here at home.

At Shenandoah University's concrete pond on campus last year I fished the pond before my client's meeting. There was a lady and her two sons, ages 14 and 12, who were fishing for bream. They were using a saltwater setup with very heavy mono and a very, very, very, very large hook. I reset up the rig for them with a small gold hook and a split shot sinker. They had no idea of how to fish for bream or bass and it was kind of funny to see them using a saltwater rig.

One other suggestion. Please view my post in Husker's "Scaling Down Tackle for a Tournament" thread. Rods are important, but so is having extra baitcasters and spinning reels ready to go incase one breaks or you get the Backlash of the Century. It is easier to change out a reel than to fight a backlash or have a reel break during a tournament. Yes, I know. Have had both happen in previous years.

If you rig up a drop shot be sure to secure the weight securely to the rod. You don't know the mess you can get into if that weight flys around and gets tangled up in your other rods. I know. Believe me, I know. ;D ;D ;D

Will hit one of the problems right on the head...they will not speak to anyone due to tournament rules which forbid them asking the locals for help. However, with that said, do you realize that the pros can hire a "guide" to prefish for them and report back? It is done all the time. The pros are not there to socialize with the public. They are working and the work is extremely hard, demanding and stressful. So they do not want to speak with you or interact with you in any way. And fishfordollars is also correct. They are on the water prefishing as per the tournament rules. They can always check into a motel/hotel via their wife or girlfriend or another person and use that other person's name so you can't find them. Then, they stay in their rooms double checking maps, fishing plans, equipment and the weather. They go to sleep early and get up early to head to the ramp. Then, as if by magic, they all appear. I remember a tournament when Ike wore one color hat at the ramp and when blasting off, only to change the hat to another color after blast off so no one would know who he was. It's sort of like NASCAR. You can't find a driver until the introductions. Magic, it is magic. ;D

Check out... www.weatherunderground.com for details on Hurricane Bertha that is in the Atlantic heading our way. Look at the computer models as they predict the storm's path. And if you type in your ZIP code you can obtain your local weather.

First, move your query to the section that includes Louisiana. Second, you will have to be an LSU fan so get ready to purchase some purple and gold tee shirts and sweat shirts and a few caps. Third, the food is outstanding so be ready to gain some weight. Fourth, make plans for Mardi Gras. Fifth, there are animals in Louisiana that will bite and eat you so always be mindful where you are when fishing, especially from the bank. Fifth, just remember, "Come to Louisiana as You are and Leave Different" And always practice saying "Go Tigers!"

I forgot to mention the Mojo rig. Give it a try, too.

Yes, I agree with finding the location on Goggle Earth. But I want to expand on the Carolina rig suggestion. USE A TUNGSTON WEIGHT TO GET A BETTER FEEL OF THE BOTTOM. A tungston weight is very expensive but you will feel the bottom structure via having your finger on the line. Also, the dam area may be the deepest so fish the area by the dam or drain. Just pitch and flip and cast those Senkos and *** baits and topwaters and crankbaits and spinnerbaits and jigs and tubes and finesse worms and drop shots and mojos and split shots and have fun. And one last tip, ask some of the locals for information. Not details as to where exactly to fish the lake, but generalities to get a better understanding of the lake and its fish population. Pictures of your trip are expected on the site when you return home.

Suggestions to consider: 1. Try a wacky rigged watermealon Senko using a weedless 2/0 or 3/0 hook. 2. Go finesse and throw some weedless Zoom or Berkley watermealon or pumpkinseed worms using those weedless hooks. 3. Use 8 pound line on a spinning reel and 10 pound test on a baitcaster as you want to go light. 4. Get up early in the AM, and be on the water before and during sunrise and throw a Cavitron buzzbait. Try black with silver blade. 5. Go out a dusk and fish the buzzbait once again until dark. 6. Use trailer hook on buzzbaits. 7. If heavy cover, try a spinnerbait without a trailer hook. Cut some of the skirt to give lure a slimmer look. Add some red or blue strands to the skirt for more color. 8. If possible, throw a crankbait like a Bandit 100 or a 200 if you can go deeper without getting hung up. A Mann's Minus One is a good topwater choice to try, too. 9. Try drop shotting. Good rig to try as long as you know you are going to lose some rigs and the sinkers. 10. If any flat bottoms, try the split shot rig. Fun to fish and you will get bit unless you get caught up in the wood. 11. Try topwaters, too. Pink or white trick worms; frogs, rats; Pop-Rs; Spooks may work. 12. How about a weedless tube? 13. Shaky Head presentation will work in the rocks as will a finess presentation. If you are fishing in rocks and heavy cover be sure to check your line for nicks and cuts. Just keep trying to see what works. This is the fun part of fishing when you realize that an animal with the brain the size of a marble can outsmart you. ;D

Avid, who is a super guy, got upset with some of the guys about something that occurred which I do not recall. We miss him and his advice and photos. Hope he will return in the future. As for Lightningrod, no information.

Grab those suckers and run! ;D

Please note my reply to Marsh Master's query about line.

Marsh Master, Simple question - difficult answer. I replace my line when: 1. I am fishing a tournament. 2. When the line gets low on the spool. 3. After fishing heavy cover. 4. At the beginning of the fishing season when I spool my reels. I do check my knot after every fish and retie after two or three fish and during the day or after catching a large fish, be it a catfish, bass, bowfin, etc. Long Mike can fish briad and change his leader which is very smart and works for him. I don't do that as I like the monos and copolys and flouros and I also do a lot of cutting off damaged line as I fish so I deplete the line on the reels as the day progresses. If you want to save money then I suggest spooling some line onto your reels and then using the "uni knot" tying sbout 25 yards, or double your casting distance plus a 5 to 10 yards, onto the base line. By doing this you can use less line. Just be sure that "uni knot" is secure and that it does not come off the reel when fishing. Everyone does things different so there is no right or wrong method. Just use the method that works for you.

Opps! Almost forgot to mention your drag setting for both drop shotting and slip shotting. Be sure to have the drag set so that you can set the hook but also allow the larger fish to run. Check the drag during the day as you fish. And yes, you will catch those dinks but also the larger bass so be ready to allow them to run a little to tire them out. Sorry for the oversight but it is 6 AM and I just got up to walk the grand dog and I am not fully awake.

4bassing, May I add my two cents? I love to drop shot both in deep and shallow water. I use 6 pound flourocarbon line. Just regular line, not the extra tough option. As you know, the secret is to make sure the hook sticks out straight from the line and that the bait jiggles. I also use 6 pound flouro for split shotting so please consider giving the split shotting rig a try. Lots of fun and for some reason the fish hit the small, slim, jiggling worm on a split shot rig. Try to find the split shots that are 100% round and that do not have the tips for removing the shot. By doing this you will avoid a lot of slop sticking to the slip shot. Both drop shotting and slip shotting with 6 pound line is a lot of fun.

You will need to experiment to find what brand and test you like best as so many guys have their favorite lines that you will be inundated with responses. What is more important than the brand is the type and test of line you use. I like the YoZuri, Trileen XL and Vanish and Sliver Thread. But any name brand, like Stren or Big Game or P-Line are excellent, too. Here are some guidelines to consider: 1. Mono for treble baits. Heavier the test the more buoyant the lure and the lure will "sit" as it is designed to sit in the water. 17 pound test is a consideration. I like 12 pound to 14 pound test unless there is a lot of structure or cover and then I go to the 17 pound test. 2. Fluorocarbon or copoly for everything else. Once again, the test is your perference for the strength of the reel and the type of fishing you do. 3. Super lines and braid for deep water or heavy cover. The smaller the diameter the better. Always be sure to do three things when fishing a baitcaster: 1. Consider using either KVD's Lure and Line Conditioner when spooling the line onto your baitcaster to make the line soft and more user friendly. 2. Balance your baitcaster to the bait. This is done by rigging up the lure and then pointing your rod tip to an 11 o'clock position and releasing the bait. The bait is balanced when the lure hits the floor and the reel stops without any backlashes. You will then have to fine tune your casts to avoid backlashes while fishing. Use both the spool knob and the drag to set up the balance and please do not do this on carpet as the hooks will get into the carpet. Do not overspool the line on the reel. Leave about an eighth of an inch or a little more from the top of the spool. 3. Check the drag. Easiest way to lose a nice fish is to have the drag too tight. I like to make sure the line can move off the baitcaster and at the same time that it is still tight enough to bring the fish home. Mods suggest 2.5 pounds of pressure to release the drag but it is personal preference. Please balance your baitcaster and check the drag as you change your baits during the day. When storing a baitcaster please consider taking all of the pressure off the spool and drag so that the reel has no pressure on it when you store it. And two more tips. Consider spooling the baitcaster with the line coming off the bottom of the spool. Don't know why, but it just works better for me. Plus look at the baitcaster's limitations as to yards and test. They are placed on the reel so you can make sure you follow those guidelines so you do not place additional stress on the reel's gears causing damage. Have fun and we expect to see some nice pics on the site, soon.

Rod, Welcome to the great delima that we all face when we are nonboaters. First, I always check with the boater to see what he is going to throw or how we are going to fish. It is not good to have a Zoom finesse worm on your line while the boater is moving fast throwing a crankbait or a spinnerbait. It is not good to have a Carolina rig on your setup when he is fishing the creeks and beaver huts or wood or shallow water. Regarding baits, I take a few of each catagory and hope they suffice and will produce strikes. I always take Shad Raps and Ugly Ducklings; some Bandit 200s; two or three spinnerbaits with different skirt colors; Senkos to fish wacky; Zoom finessse worms depending on the water clarity; and a few bullet weights and hooks, mainly weedless 2/0 and 3/0 hooks that are all purpose. For topwaters I take buzzbaits; a Pop-R or my RICO; one or two frogs; and the dreaded trick worm in pink and white. Dead Ringers seem to do well in Virginia and I like Mocassin Blue. watermealon, pumpkinseed and red shad. I like to throw crankbaits from the back of the boat but will always have a Senko and a finesse worm ready to go. Will also take a few tubes and creature baits. Remember your pliers and sissors. I stuff everything into an old gym bag along with drinks, lunch and snacks. I try to take only four (4) rods with me but I pack two extra baitcasters to switch out for backlashes and two extra spinning reels so I have four rods and four (4) baitcasters and four (4) spinning reels. It is very important for you to do your homework and have an idea of what you are going to throw and what the boater is going to throw and work as a team with one throwing, for example, a Pop-R or a Spook and the other throwing a buzzbait or a chugbug to see what the fish want. The most difficult part of packing your baits is to leave some behind. It is heartbreaking to leave some plastics or crankbait colors or Cavitron buzzbaits home. Working with the boater is the key but be ready to get upset that you do not have that "one" bait that would have worked. Good luck and I hope you choose your baits wisely!!!

Hey Micro, Mine is still in its package but I can't wait to try it out. I was going to fish it slow like a slow moving frog or baitfish. I will now try it using Fathom's method and hope it produces.

Would it be possible that a big fish chased them up there to the surface? I have seen bluegills do what LBH said but they stay on top of the water for more than a few seconds while they feed. You do see some strange things when you go fishing. Can't wait to hear what Micro or the other biologists have to say.

Jeff, What is your career track? Maybe some of us know of places that are seeking a guy that has your qualities and experience. As for what state to move to for great bass fishing? Here are my suggestions: Florida Texas Georgia Alabama Any hurricane coast state with lots of lakes, ponds and both tidal and nontidal rivers. Come on down south and have a great life and outstanding fishing.

Anything you receive via the United States Postal Service that is unsolicited is yours to keep. I don't remember being sent any book or coin. What are the details?