Sam

Sammy

Rat-L-Traps seem to do a very good job. Use others, too, but mostly Rat-L-Traps.

His accent and arrogance gets on my nerves. I switch over to Versus or ESPN when his show airs.

I met my neighbor walking his dog yesterday afternoon and I asked him what he did with his boat as it was on longer stored in the field by his house. He told me that someone had come by and stolen the spare trailer tire. So today I removed the spare from my boat trailer in my driveway and from my trailer in the field by my house. I never thought anyone would steal a boat trailer tire. Engine props, yes, but a spare trailer tire? Sorry state of affairs.

Versus is having a Bass Marathon today, Super Bowl Sunday. I think it ends around 2 PM if not later. Check it out.

T-Rig, agreed. You hit it on the head. But the colors are pretty for us to consider when making a purchase. Catt: Explain why clear and bone white are so productive top water colors? - Different silhouette against the surface background. Explain why watermelon is so productive when fishing Hydrilla & Milfoil? - Blends in with background and it looks normal. Explain why black is so productive at night? - Silhouette against the cover and surface. Bass see different than us. But they do see as we know and they look up when viewing the world and they can see in color and silhouettes. My post was to try to explain how to look at the surface from below to get an idea of how the bait looks in the water. And as we all know, we get a lot of our strikes on topwaters when they are just sitting there, minding their own business. Explaine back to me: Why would a bass strike a worm in the first place? Great discussion. Let's start a new post and continue it. Have to go to Sunday school so have to leave you guys. Do appreciate the feedback and info.

I received one for Christmas and have not put any line on it due to the cold weather. After reading your post I am curious about the reel and will be watchful when I spool her next month. Thanks for the information.

I have seen his ads for the course and if you want to spend the money you can learn a few things. However, you may do better investing in DVDs, videos, books and seminars to focus on those areas where you think you need help. For instance, Kevin VanDam and Denny Brauer have excellent productions and books on jig fishing plus flipping and pitching. Ike has productions to help you plan for a fishing tournament or a trip plus other wonderful information. Woo Daves productions are very informative and worth every cent. Dr. Kieth Jones book is very informative although some experts do not agree with his conclusions. The In-Fishermen DVDs and videos are also very, very good. And try to attend seminars of local pros, guides and then the B.A.S.S. and FLW professionals. Ike's seminars are fantastic. Hank Parker and Jimmy Houston are great. And check out the topics on this forum plus Google your topics and see what other sites and pros have to say. There are hundreds of articles on techniques, baits, bodies of water, tackle and boating. And they are free! The final decision is yours. You cannot go wrong either way. However, remember that people selling their "information" have an alternative motive to have you purchase their material. It is called money. And their ads have to entice you to make the purchase. Have fun.

When you look at a bait look at it from the perspective of the bass. Get into a swimming pool and sit on the bottom and look up. What do you see? You see a silver cover. And that's what the fish see. The top of the water is usually silver. Of course it changes with the cloud cover and water clarity, but for the most part the surface is silver to the fish. Now, move around the swimming pool underwater as fast as you can and look up at the bait that you have floating on top or above you. You have a split second to decide to eat it or leave it alone or just smack at it. And the bait has to catch your attention either by moving or by moving and then sitting still or sinking or rising. As you move around the pool underwater you will be able to get a glimpse of the bait's eyes. This tells you that it is an edible snack and not a floating piece of wood or debris. And the belly of the lure sets it off from the silver cover so the bass know it is there. The color and movement get their attention and make them curious about your bait. This is why you fish your spinnerbaits fast in clear water and use rattles in muddy water. So the bass will hear or see the bait go by fast or they can find it easier and make an instant decision to eat it or try to kill it. And if you wonder about your lures being interesting to a bass, how about answering this question: If a bass never sees a worm in the water, what in the world would make the bass eat your plastic worm? Or any other crazy plastic lures that they have never seen before? Or a crazy looking jig? Or a spinnerbait? Just wondering.

I put the Megastrike on my lipless cranks, too. Excellent attractant. And even it is not it is a great confidence builder. I use my own formula on plastics but when I use a scent on plastics it is usually Megastrike or Carolina Luker Sauce.

I do not own an I-Pod. I could care less about an I-Pod. I also don't own a Ranger. Now I care about that.

We wondered why RR would leave heaven in WVU and to to Michigan. Well, the truth is starting to come forth. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3226229 Quote: Rich Rodriguez says opening the books of West Virginia's private fundraising arm is the only way to determine whether his abrupt resignation as football coach harmed the school financially. That was a key demand in the formal response that Rodriguez filed Friday to WVU's lawsuit over the $4 million buyout clause in his contract. He also said it was the administration's actions -- not a better offer -- that forced him to resign in December and take the coaching job at Michigan.

Hey Nightstick. Welcome aboard. Muddy, you know that whatever you use will produce fish. They come to you like a magnet. But check the perimeter of your house. The Bait Monkey is hiding out there, just waiting......

Hey Cajun77, I meant that he has to know what he is going to do but to discuss it with his non-boater to find out if the non-boater has any insight into where to go. Plus the fact that a non-boater may come up with a Plan B if Plan A does not work out. Great hearing from you. There are five former LSU players in the Super Bowl. Cory Webster ticked me off when he intercepted the pass to defeat the Packers. But now I can see Eli go down in flames, which will be fun. Have a fun Super Bowl Sunday.

Marry well so she can support you and the family and your fishing exploits. Be very, very, very, very, very, very, very good. And I mean very good. Like the best in your state. Study. Read. Master two or three techniques. Read some more. Watch DVDs and videos. Visit with the pros. Get to know some of the pros and fish with them. Learn map reading and how to locate submerged islands and roads and cemetaries and other underwater structure. Know what your electronics is saying. Be able to read your electronics like you read a first grade book. Study the different types of bodies of water. Know all about cover and structure in these bodies of water. And focus. Concentrate. Don't get seasick or afraid of getting wet and cold or wet and hot. Speak well. Carry yourself well. Dress well. Smell good. Have a nice haircut. Have fingernails manicured. Have good dentistry. Don't be a slob. Be an excellent ambassador of fishing to the outside world. Smile. Be friendly. Get educated. A college degree can go miles and miles and miles with sponsors. Get a masters of fisheries biology. Incorporate and get Workers' Compensation insurance on yourself or make sure you have good health insurance. You will get hurt. Be it minor or major, you will have some faus pax and need medical attention. You will be entering a world you have no understanding. A world where fishing is no longer fun but a business. Serious business. Nasty business. Nastier than the NFL, MLB and NBA. Nothing for the losers. Only the winners count. If you do something that is unacceptable then you lose sponsors and have a bad reputation. And your career is over before it gets started. Kevin VanDam, Jimmy Houston, Hank Parker, Denny Brauer, Ike, Ish, Skeet, Menendez, Woo, etal are great on TV and at appearances. Super people. Best people in the world. But on the water they are your enemies and they will eat you up and spit you out like an old hot dog. So be nice and make some friends of the pros. The B.A.S.S. people can be very helpful too, but break the rules and you are DQ'ed. They don't care who you are. Get a "rabbi" to help you. A "rabbi" is someone in the business who has contacts and will do things for you to help you along in your career. A "rabbi" knows people and places and things withing the fishing industry you do not know and he can make you or break you. Good luck. Looking forward to seeing your picture in Bassmasters Magazine in he future. And get that college degree. You may need it if your fishing career strikes out.

Super. After reading the post subject I was going to congratulate you and ask if it was a boy or a girl. If those guys can do what they say the can do you will have a wonderful trophy. Let us know what happens.

Easy question, difficult answer. Emergent vegetation holds bass, be they cattails, grass, reeds or bulrushes. These are the preferred hiding places for bass and they live in under the "slop" which we will just call grass for this post. During the prespawn the bass migrate from the deep water to the grass and they hold along the edges of the deepest grasses. When this happens, try throwing a spinnerbait along the points or sags or any irregular feature of the grass, especially if there is any wood mixed in. Plastic crawfish is rumored to work, too. The bass will be on the outside edges of the grass early in the morning and late in the day. Try a spinnerbait or a lipless crankbait parallel to the grass line. Then throw your wacky rig along the weed line. If you want to throw a jig and pig, throw one on a 7 and a half foot rod with 25 to 30 pound line or braid of the equilivant test with a 1/2 to one (1) ounce jig. Use a plastic crawfish pig. Or a big plastic worm rigged Texas style with a pegged sinker that can cut through the grass. Bass usually hold near the outer edge of the grass; at least the most aggressive bass do this. So flip and pitch to the outer edge of the grass and then work into the grass the best you can. If you can get into the grass and use a push-pole or paddle to make a hole or open area in the grass the bass will visit this open area and you can go back and fish it in an hour or two with your jig and pig or wacky worm. And you can go to a lighter jig and pig if the grass will allow you to do so. Look for any wood sticking up through the grass. There should be an opening somewhere around the stick or log and throw into that opening. Make sure your jig can reach the bottom. The bass will hit your jig on the way down so be ready for a fast hookset. If you feel a "rubber band" type of resistance on your line after the jig and hit bottom, set the hook. If the grass has not grown to the top of the surface and it leaves you some room below the water's surface then try a Minus One crankbait or a frog over the grass. Or a trick worm. I like pink as you can see it swim along which is fun. You have to find where the bass are in the grass and then fish the rest of the grass in the same manner with the same baits and techniques. There is a lot to fishing grass, weeds and slop so read any articles you can find on this forum or on the web and just go out and experiment. Remember, hydrilla can grow an inch a day and it can take over a lake very fast. So get out on the water in the spring before the temperaure reaches the point that the grass will just take off. Have fun and remember to clean all of your baits of the grass before casting.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. Each one could be used for a calendar. And that mermaid. What a surprise. Christopher is an outstanding photographer. Hope he can go to Florida and get some snaps of largemouths.

Great video. Finally got to see the Stick Marsh. And Avid!!!!

Sometimes when a bass gets clogged down in the grass if you give them some slack they may swim out. I wonder if that would have worked. The good news is that she is still there so you can go out and try to catch her again. And this time I know you will ready and waiting. Great story. Thanks for sharing.

That is one big fish.

Patriots 34 Giants 7 In the biggest game of his life, Eli falls on his ***.

Welcome aboard. Ever go to Replacements Limited in Greensboro? Great place.

Kickbasskid, I would be more interested in the size of the batter than its cost. I know Wal-Mart has those yellow batteries but they are actually a little larger than others on the market. With the boat you select you will need to save space. And be sure to get a battery charger so you can trickle charge the battery between trips.

There are 78 of us members on-line now, at 1:56 PM on a Friday. May I ask if we are on-line as we are stuck at home due to the weather conditions?