Sam

Thanks for all the replies. The Porsche looks like a good deal until you realize that I can't put my fishing equipment in it which I carry with me all the time. Still looking.

I guess it will last as long as they have the baits on the table. Some Senkos are also $6 a pack. Just go and see what you can find. Have fun and the Bait Monkey is watching you.

Practice, practice and practice. You will get the hang of it again.

You need to throw something the bass have not seen. The Cavitron fits this bill to a "T" so throw them. And you can fish them fast or slow. If you see bubbles behind the bait then the Ph of the water is just right for the Cavitron. I also caught some 6 pounders with the Cavitron. Lots of fun to see then inhale the lure and then come to the surface.

Hey Bronzeback, Yes, I can understand the situation. It seems that you are not in the right "click" in the club. It will take some time to get into the "click" and get the bennies that the leadership gives the "click" guys, but thats the way clubs operate. Unless someone clamps down on the "click" guys. Just understand that you need to try to hold an office or call the guys on their cell phones and talk about fishing or other adventures to get into the "click" or be accepted by the "click" members. This can work wonders. In my club one of the "click" guys called me to ask about our tournament rules. First time he has spoken to me in a few months. Another guy thanked me today for helping with a Kids Fishing Day. He has always acted like I never existed. I was pleasant to him but I think he was somewhat taken back when I shunned him today. He actually went out of his way to speak to me. So it is club politics and ignor them if possible. The "click" guys can get away with a lot of stuff which you and I cannot get away with. In fact. our Tournament Director put everyone on notice at our last meeting that all of the infractions that were overlooked during our first three (3) tournaments will now be enforced, no matter who you are. Talk about a reaction from some of the "click" guys. It was funny to hear them defend themselves about things we never knew they had done. Don't worry about the "funny" things that happen. Just roll with the punches; keep your nose clean; and sooner or later you will be one of the "click" members. Try to learn from everyone and to become a better bass fisherman and a good person.

Ah so....Senko with red flake. Can be killer on water. Great report and super trip. Keep on fishing and posting those stories. How about some pics, too????

Hey Dodgeguy, Your story reminds me of my story. A number of years ago I had never been on the Mattopani River in eastern Virginia so I decided to go by myself one work day. I had the river all to myself, other than for three or four other boats. I went into a creek to check it out and received a cell phone call from one of my clients about their Workers' Compensation renewal and that the President of the organization was concerned about my suggested placement with Liberty Mutual. So I trolled out of the creek into the main river and after fifteen minutes of discussing the renewal the President OK'ed the Liberty Mutual placement and I motored down river to continue checking it out. I had a map of the river and was trying to match the shoreline with the map when all of a sudden I saw a bridge ahead of me. And there were no bridges on the river until I hit West Point. Talk about being confused. So as I neared the bridge I spotted a boat ramp by the bridge and a white church across the street and a white car with a trailer that looked a lot like my white car with a trailer. I then relized that I had gotten so involved with the phone call that the boat turned 180* and I was heading up river. Man, did I feel like a dufas or what? I then went to BPS a few weeks later and purchased a Lowrance system with the WASP so I will never get lost again. Now, about my son who got lost on the James River after telling me how impossible it was to get lost on a river. But that's another story for another time. Glad you all made it back to the dock. But I know what you went through. ;D

Adorable. Great pic. Great memories, too. Where did you get that stuffed bass for her????

This is what Russ *** says about fishing braid. Take it or leave it but I do it and it works great. Use the thinnest diameter mono line for your backing. Spool the thin mono diameter line onto your baitcaster or spinning reel about 50% to 75% of its capacity, being sure to leave enough room for the braid. Russ says there are no advantages to overfilling any reel. Then, using a "Uni Splice Knot" tie the braid to the mono. You can also use the same size diameter mono as your braid. Put the knot to the rear of the spool on your spinning reel and bury the the knot as best as possible on both your batitaster or spinning reel in the mono backing line as best you can. Then spool on the braid with the braid coming off the bottom of the spool. (Russ says to have all line come off the bottom of the spool. I don't know why but that is what he suggests.) Then, put the braid on your reel and you are ready to go fishing. Since a backlash will cause you to use another reel (yes, may I suggest taking a few reels with you in case you get another "backlash of the century" and have to change reels) Russ suggests you use your index finer the feather the casts to prevent wind loops. And do not touch the braid unless it is necessary as it can cause a serious cut to your finger. Only use your thumb to feather the cast to keep the wind loops out of the line. Be sure to tie a good knot. I still tie a Palamor knot to tie on the baits even if some of the guys say it is not correct. I also check the knot after every 15 or so casts to make sure it is OK. Now, with that said, stay tuned for what the guys suggest, too. Have fun. Post some pics of those hogs you bring out of the pads, grass and slop.

Dave, When specific baits do not produce strikes you can do a number of things as stated above. Try to keep it simple. Slow down or pick up your retrieve speed. Fish deep or shallow. Let your topwaters just sit there for about 20 to 30 seconds before you pop them. Use a scent on all plastics. Consider "dead sticking" where you let your plastic worm just sit on the bottom for 60 to 180 seconds. Yes, it will drive you crazy, but give it a try. If all else fails, put a bobber on your line and put a Gulp! worm on a small hook and fish it like you would a cane pole with the bait about 12 to 18 inches from the bobber. Go deeper if the fish are deeper. May I suggest that you consider the following: 1. Scale down your bait size. Even big bass will hit little lures. 2. Look for shade from trees and fish the shade. 3. Go to Watermealon for plastic worms. For some reason, they like Watermealon for four-inch (4-inch) Senkos or a six-inch (six-inch)Watermealon Zoom or *** straight tail finesse worms or a four-inch (4-inch) Watermealon or Mocassin Blue Dead Ringers on a straight shank 2/0 lightweight hook. 4. Try a drop shot or a split shot rig with a small hook and a skinny six-inch (6-inch) Zoom finesse (or ***) worm. 5. Go Wacky with your Zoom finesse worms, too. 6. Throw a white or a pink trick worm and fish it like a snake on top of the water and over any grass or pads. If none, then just throw it out and fish it parallel to the shore or back to the shore. Use a 2/0 or 3/0 straight shank hook. 7. Try a small, skinny worm that bounces all over the place, like some of the *** and other worm brands out there. The skinner and bouncier the better. 8. Fish in the early mornings or late evenings and throw a buzzbait and your favorite topwaters. If all this fails, get some dynamite and ........... ;D Just keep on chucking those lures and reeling them back! Remember, half the fun of fishing is finding the fish and then seeing what they want to eat. But usually not in 100* heat so fish in the early AM or late evening.

Dance's Sporting Goods in the Southpark Shopping Center is selling Bomber As and Fat As plus Powerbait setups for $2 each plus some pointers and other baits that they are trying to move to make room for the new stock. I picked up four (4) As, one (1) flat A, one (1) Model A, and three (3) Fat As for $ 2 each plus three (3) Berkley Powerbait Power Packs for $2 each. The have some Senkos on sale for $6 a pack but that is not such a great deal. So if you are around Colonial Heights stop in and see what they have left. Get them while they last.

So far it is either a Rav4 or Roadrunner from Toyota. I still have to look at the Hondas, Chevys and Fords. Son called and told me to look at the small Lexus SUV. Now, can you see anyone pulling a bass boat with a Lexus SUV? I looked silly pulling my bass boat with my dead Volvo.

I agree. But when they have you by your b**ls your hearts and minds, and pocket book, will follow. It gets my goat when I have to purhase those Lexmark cartridges. Do you realize how many biats we could buy with the money we have to pay for cartridges?????

Catt, We moved from Chesterfield County into the City of Richmond after Scott graduated high school (schools in Richmond are, at best, poor) and we bought a four bedroom, three bath house on one acre of land. We have woods in the back; a large yard to the south; one neighbor on the north and one across the street. We had our LSU crawfish boil at our house this year and accommodated 154 people in the yard with no problem. We had 260 people here a few years ago with no problems. I can go outside and see birds, racoons, possums and of course, lots and lots of deer. There are ponds withn two miles and I found a honey hole about four miles away that I can go and catch bass after bass after bass all day long. So living in a city is not that bad if you have the right property.

FivePoundBluegill, Although the guys may not tell all on a forum post you may do well by sending them a Personal Message and asking for assistance. I tell a lot of guys a lot of stuff on a PM that I do not want posted on a forum post. As for asking for their "secret" spots on a specific body of water you may not receive exactly what you need as honey holes and favorite spots are always kept secret. Baits are usually discussed and by PMing the member you may find out more than by asking for the information on a post. Give it a try.

Congrats on going to UGA. You will find that the campus is beautiful; the people very nice; and the coeds the sweetest girls in the south. The Georgia guys will give you some advice as fishing in Georgia is excellent all year. And this coming from an LSU guy who likes UGA other than on October 25 this year. ;D Just get that degree!

The Sebile's Flatt shadd 77 SU was this year's ICAST runner-up for new baits. I found them at Green Top outside Richmond, Virginia. They look interesting, with the big rattle and fluid in their body. I did not buy any as I have not read or heard anything about them. They do look interesting and one day I will try one. And by the way, Green Top did not have the 77 SU so I passed on them this time.

The major problem you encountered is that the bass do not read magazines, books or watch TV so they do what they believe is natural to them and not what a pro or someone else suggests. So you were told to use a black skirt in the PM and a white skirt in the AM but no one told the fish!!!! ;D Catt is right. A different retrieve; different clatter from the blade; different size; with or without a trailer hook; different skirt and blade colors; heavy or light line test; where you throw them; and different techniques can all play into the equation. That is why some guys love a black skirt with a silver blade for 99% of their applications and why I like the Cavitrons with the bubbles and do not worry about the blade colors. You may want to experiment and change buzzbaits to find out what they want. Also, try to find Lee Bailey, Jr.'s Fishing Factors Buzzbait Secrets. It is a very good DVD and you will learn a lot about this presentation. Bass Challenge, LLC P.O. Box 177 Hebron, CT 06248 877.369.8687 www.leebaileyjr.com This is why bass fishing is so much fun. You are trying to outsmart an animal with a brain the size of a marble. And usually, the fish wins.

Same thing occurred in my local pond. Since the spawn is over in the pond down here in Virginia, I have seen the larger bass moving around and I hooked one while fishing for bream using a small one-inch white grub on a 1/64 jighead. The bluegill are on their beds now so the bass will be in their neighborhoods. Paul Roberts' information is right on target. Copy what he says and paste it on a Word document and save it in your "fishing" file for future reference. I will suggest throwing a wacky rigged Senko or a finesse worm to try to locate them on the bottom. If that does not work, you may want to try a moving bait like a crankbait, spinnerbait, Chatterbait, Rat-L-Trap, topwater frogs, Spooks and jitterbugs. Trick worms are fun. I like pink and one of the mods likes white. If you can fish the pond in the early AM or late PM before sundown throw a buzzbait. Catt is also correct, you have to find where they are staging unless they just cruise the pond. Have fun finding them.

Get anyone you like. I love my Curado 7:0:1 on my Kistler rod. Great combo and you will really like your burner. Super reels and you can reel them fast or slow and any speed inbetween.

Are you asking about fishing or body parts?

I would suggest the Medium Heavy. But that is just me. Buy the one you think will suit your needs best and then start saving for the other one. You can't have too many bass fishing rods. ;D

Tysons Corner got hit hard. Bethesda had extremely high winds. Glad no one was injured or lost their boat. It was one heck of a storm.

Hey Dave, Did you Google the lure to see what is out there? Are there any speciality tackle shops in your area that carry the Rapala brand and who may be able to secure one for you? This could be your big summer project so get going!!!! ;D

Good words to live by. Sorry we can't do it everyday and to everyone we meet. Thanks for sharing.