Sam

The beauty of Mother Nature. Those who do not venture onto the waters of our great country have no idea of the beauty and serenity of their surroundings. It is wonderful to be able to have the time to go out and just look all around you when you go fishing and see the wonderment of our world. And of course, don't forget the thrill of dumping that nice bass on the floor of your boat, too. ;D

Bet he is going to taste great! Now to go hunting for some stuffing, cranberry sauce and a big pan to cook that bird. Then a good dentist when you crack your tooth on one of the pellets! ;D Really, congrats on the bird. You did good.

LBH, congrats on your new enterprise. May it be very successful and may Wal-Mart and Bass Pro Shops pick up the line. Especially Wal-Mart!!!!! I have no ideas as to a logo but I know the guys will have some wonderful ideas. And of course, you can always secure the services of an advertising company to create a "catchie" logo that we all will recognize by just seeing it, like the Alligator, FrogTogs, Bass Pro Shops, Strike King, Triton, Ranger, Shimano, etc. Good luck.

Bass Wisdom by Homer Circle The Lyons Press Guillford, CT 06437 www.lyonspress.com This is in an introductory format for bass fishermen.

Hibachi, SEC football rules. It will be a lot of fun to see how Saban does with Bama; if Florida can still continue to win; if Miles at LSU can put it together and challenge for a National Title; if Phat Phil Phulmer at Tennessee can be successful for another year; if Tubby can once again do well, beat Bama, and go to a non-BCS bowl (ha ha); if Georgia, playing in the bushes can get to the SEC Title Game again; and if Visor Boy can turn the ***** around and not blow the big games. Yes, with the coaches we have in the SEC this year, and future years, will be fun to watch. Can any school get 93,000 fans to a spring game? Nope. Only in the SEC can that happen. Just one word of caution: The media will love Southern Cal once again so get ready for another year of how great USC is and that they can beat any NFL team.

If it wasn't so sad it would be really funny. Can you imagine how he is going to explain that to his wife?

It really depends on what you want to know. Fishing tactics and techniques can be found almost anywhere by many authors. Kevin VanDam's books are very informative and easy to read as are Uncle Homer Circle's publications. There are books on the individuals who fish, such as Ike's book, Fishing on the Edge, which I found enjoyable and interesting plus it has some good fishing tips. There are books about the fish, themselves. I picked up a copy of Dr. Jones' book which I plan to read as I fly to Baton Rouge in June. You need to decide what types of topics you want to read about and then search the web, bookstores or tackle shops for them. Whatever you read will make you a better fisherman. And understand why the bass, as an animal, is smarter than us humans!

That was one heck of a tuna. How long did it take you to land him?

As a recruiter for LSU, may I add my two cents? Want to make another $1,000,000 in your lifetime? Want a nice boat and the time to use it? Want to make new friends for life? Well, then go to the college of your choice. It is the best 5 years of your life!!!!! P.S. Go to a big land-grant school if you want a fun social life and many majors to select among, like LSU, Auburn, Florida, Virgina Tech, Texas, Michigan, USC, Nebraska, Oklahoma, etc. Check out the Sea-Grant Colleges and Universities if you want to study fisheries and fish biology like Ken Cook.

As usual, thanks for the info. You are extremely helpful. Keep educating us.

Put him away for a while so he can think about what he did.

Hey Guys, You know what's interesting about this thread? The fish have no idea of the brand names of any of our equipment. Nor do they know if we are using spinning or baitcasting set-ups; fly fishing; or cane poles. It is so much fun to read comments on this site about specific brands and types of equipment. But that is for us humans. The fish really don't care. And how did you get the teddy bear in the Grateful Dead symbol? Kool. I drove 642 miles today so I am going to bed. You all have fun with this thread.

Cajun, you should know all about rain in Louisiana. We grew up with rain. And a few hurricanes, too. You know that when it rains it is one of the best times to fish. I don't know what works well or doesn't work down your way but the guys seem to like topwaters. And so do I. Have any Rico's or Sammy's? What about Spooks? And Chugbugs? And of course, running a spinnerbait under the surface should produce strikes? Is the water temperature ready for buzzbaits? Great lure in the rain. And did you see where Jamarcus got drafter Number 1 by the Raiders. I hope they pay him a lot as the Raiders offensive line plays like Tulane's offensive line. And that's bad. Eat some crawfish for me!

One of my fishing buddies called me tonight asking if I knew anything about having Ethanol in our boat's gasoline? He read an article in the Virginia Wildlife Magazine (back page) that says that Ethanol eats the plastic and rubber gasoline tanks and absorbs water. The article said that Ethanol causes problems with 4-stroke engines and damages 2-stroke engines from lack of in-fuel lubrication. The article says we need to change our fuel filter to a "water resistant" filter. The article goes on to state that Ethanol acts as a detergent that losens the rust and other gunk in the fuel line. It can clog your filtetr or gas lines so your engine will stop. So, do any of you guys know about this and should we try to find gasoline without Ethanol? Has anyone had any problems with the Ethanol mixtures?

My suggestion is for you to locate where the fish are. To do this, try a Rooster Tail. Bream, crappie, catfish and bass will strike a 1/16 Rooster Tail. I like the white/with gray blocks, number 206. I also like the treble hooks but the single hook is OK. Once you locate where which fish are where, you can then change your baits. And one other suggestion. Uncle Homer says to boil about a pound of rice and let it cool. Then, take the rice to that part of the pond where you fish and throw it out using a large kitchen spoon. The rice is supposed to attract minnows which in turn attract bream and bass. I tried it last weekend but I have been so busy I have not had time to return to the pond and give it a try. Good luck.

Friend who paintballs told me the following: 1. Layer your clothing, cuch as a good tee-shirt; a long sleeve shirt; and a hooded sweatshirt. 2. Wear jeans. 3. Wear a protective cup. 4. Always were a face protector. It is mandatory. 5. Gloves that will not inpair your shooting ability. And as the Grand Phooba on this site added, wear colors that blend in like you would wear when hunting. You will feet the hits he said. But you can do what you can to help soften the blow. Have fun.

I have to agree with Catt. I am fishing in Virginia and using the Rat-L-Traps and spinnerbaits and some crankbaits thrown in for luck. Worm fishing is getting better as they come off their beds; but darn, you need patience and I don't have much of that. Don't forget your drop shot and shakey head rigs along with throwing unweighted Senkos. As the water gets warmer, I will skip the Rat-L-Traps and hit the spinnerbaits, crankbaits, Chatterbaits and jigs along with the plastics. Then comes the topwaters when the water temperatures reach near the 70's. (Although I have been told that the bass will hit a topwater in colder water after they come off the beds.) The main thing is to get on the water and try your luck with different baits. The fish will tell you what they want.

Continuing as the computer sent the reply too soon: Water Depth Jig Head Size 0-5 Feet 1/16 to 1/8 ounces 10-20 Feet 3/16 to 1/4 ounces 20+ Feet 3/8 to 1/2 ounces Use a 1/16 to a 3/8 bell weight. A 1/0 EWG hook works well. Now Kevin VanDam says the following about tubes: If you use the round ball head jig, use the ones with the 30 or 60 degree eye and not the 90degree eye. You can Texas rig the tube by using a bell weight system or a cylinder weight. Bury the hook barb into the top of the tube to make it weedless. In heavy cover, use a bullet sinker on the nose of the tube to make if fall straight down. Some jig heads have bush guards. Use these to swim the tube through grass beds. Be sure to jerk it and let it fall during the retrieve. You can place a 3/8 weight inside the tube and fish the docks. As for weights, use heavier weights in warm water for a fast fall regardless if the water is clear or stained. He also likes the heavier tubes for warm water. In heavy cover have the tube fall fast. You can peg the bullet sinker but KVD says he likes a freely sliding sinker. He does peg the bullet weight when he fishes grass or brush to get to the bottom. He also likes Tungsten sinkers as they are smaller. He suggests placing a glass bead between the head of the tube and the weight. I hope this helps and is not too detailed or confusing. All in all, fish the tube the way you like. Now, how about colors??????

Please consider the following from Ike: Use an internal jig head or a bell weight. If using an internal jig head, have the weight along the hook's shank. You can also use a bell weight and put the hook through the metal loop of the bell weight inside the tube. Sizes of Weights Water Depth and Jig head size. 0-5 Feet

Burley, Does size really matter????

Not yet, but I am searching for it in local stores. I visited the Williamsburg, Virginia tackle shop listed on the web site but they were not open. I will try again them in a few weeks. The bait looks interesting and if it makes a different sound then it should work.

Topwater colors are critical in clear water. Throw a chugger style or walking bait in clear water If the fish swims up to the bait, takes a look at it, and swims away, then your color may be wrong for the conditions. Try to make the topwater look like the natural baits in the area. Also, consider the sky and water conditions. If it is low light, pick a color that is more visible. A color that silhouetts against the sky is good, such as black. Sunny days color is less impotrant so use natural colors as a black color would look unnatural. If there is no wind conside a clear plastic bait. If there is chop on the water's surface use more color. When working over weed beds and grass beds try baby bass or shad colors. If the water is stained, use something with some yellow on it's bottom. If water is clear, try someithing with a white bottom. In muddy water, add more color. Use orange or chartreuse colors on the bait's bottom if the fish are very active and are feeding. Consider adding some "sparkle" to the bait with glitter. You can get a little extra flash from a little glitter on the bottom of the bait. Remember, you never want the fish to get a good look at the topwater. And you can add some noise in stained or muddy water which will also attract the fish. The topwater that is the most fun to fish is the buzzbait. Give it a try. Black in stained water or cloudy conditions; white in clear water and blue bird skies. Buzzbaits are a lot of fun. Add a trailer hook, too. My problem with topwaters is patience. I have trouble throwing a topwater and just letting it sit there for 60 seconds before I pop or move it. But that is the method so use it. Sorry I did not discuss each type of topwater but there are just too many to consider. Good luck.

Spinnerbiats are complex even though they look simple. Best in shallow, stained water. Fish can see the bait better in clear water so it has to be deceptive to get bites. The fish see the "image" of the bait on top of the water from below and its movement. You want them to notice the flash and that something is swimming around them. You want to reel in the bait fast enough to break up its outline and create a more deseriable meal. Sometimes you fish it slow; other times fast just below the surface. Try using two willowleaf blades to get the flash. Try fishing the lure fast using a heavy bait, such as a 1/2 ounce. In clear water, consider a 3/4 ounce with two willow leaf blades. In stained water use either one willowleaf and one Colorado or two Colorado blades in gold or copper. Try to blend the colors with the background of the surface. Yes, the surface. Remember, they are looking up at the bait as you swim it either just below or somewhat below the surface. Next time you go swimming in a swimming pool, go to the bottom and look up. That is what the fish see. Try skirt colors of shad with silver sparkle. Remember, try to produce as much flash as possible so the fish can't get a good look at the bait. A chartreuse skirt on a cloudy day can be good, too. Always remember that the fish are looking up at the bait with the surface as its background so any shades of silver and white are good and chartreuse is good for cloudy days. Don't forget to add a trailer hook, too. And read what the other guys on this site tell you.

Hey Burley, Glad you noticed my post. I did it especially for you!!!!! ;D

I wish he would just replace that dumb cap with the big orange T on it. Orange is the color of convicts and garbagemen's clothes. He needs a nice purple and gold cap with three big beautiful letters on the front, like LSU. And we all could probably do as well as he does if we fish stocked ponds all the time, too. But he is enjoyable to watch on TV and his bloopers are funny, staged or not. Especially the one where the snake falls out of the tree in his lap. Worst fishing nightmare to come true!