Sam

Catt, I am sure that is not a true statement and that USC will get out of that one. Anyway, if it is true it is nothing but a minor violation. Now, the rumors of Reggie having an agent and receiving $219,000 is a more serious charge that the NCAA is looking into. But USC football is like Kansas basketball...do what you want and nothing will happen to you. McKnight has "trouble" written all over him. And his mother is supposed to be a wacko. So let him go to USC while LSU and Ole Miss have players that really want to play for their schools and do well, even if they are not rated as the best at their position. Remember Kevin Faulk? Not recruited hard by many schools and look what Kevin did at LSU and then for the Patriots. So I am sure it will all work out in the end and I send my best wishes to Joe McKnight to do well and then play in the pros after his 3 years as a Trojan.

If you were the top ranked running back in the USA, or even in your state, would you go to a school that had 10 other players in your position? Here is an article about the Southern Cal football program and the fact that Joe McKnight in Louisiana chose USC over LSU. After reading this part of the article I am glad Joe went to USC. It doesn't seem he is too savy of a guy. "What's more surprising is that McKnight chose USC even though running backs Marc Tyler of Oaks Christian and Broderick Green of Little Rock, Ark., also signed with the Trojans. Not to mention the fact Chauncey Washington, C.J.Gable, Emmanuel Moody, Allen Bradford, Stafon Johnson and Hershel Dennis are also currently on the roster. The 10th tailback on the team, Michael Coleman, will move to fullback. And USC's first commitment for 2008, D.J. Shoemate from Servite High, is also a tailback." I know that if any school had all these great players ahead of me I would give a lot of thought to attending that school. I would want to go to a school where I could play the most and have the best probablity of success. I wish Joe McKnight well in his endeavors at USC and I hope he can get into a few games and take a few snaps during the season. But having 10 tailbacks on a team seems like overkill in that position. And stockpiling good players is not in the best interests of the players. So all you football players, or basketball, hockey, baseball, etc., what is your take on going to a school that had 9 other guys playing equal to or ahead of you?

Skillet, According to Ike, he uses a regular worm when fishing shakey head. He says a regular worm looks more natural than a floating worm when on the bottom. And no, I have not tried the rig you mentioned. And yes, I am going to change my wacky style presentation by using a normal Zoom or Gulp! worm that sits on an angle while being fished and not straight up and down. I am also curious if Ike will use this presentation at the Classic.

There is a difference between "fast twitch" and "slow twitch" mussels, as you state in your post. Sports Illustrated had an excellent article on the difference many, many years ago, which explained the rise of the black athlete to the top of their sport. You can see the difference in the sports that need a blast of power and speed, such as a wide receiver in football, sprint runners and all basketball players. Most Caucasian's have "slow twitch"muscles while most blacks have "fast twitch" muscles. I know there are exercises to help one develope their verticle jump but I don't remember if it has anything to do with either the "fast" or "slow" twitch muscles. I thought it had to do with the leg and thigh muscles. I was so glad to read that you knew of the differences. I have told others about this subject, only to be told it wasn't true. Thanks for your input on this subject. P.S. Those black long distance runners come from one section of Africa. I think I read it is the west coast of Africa. They have the endurance to run the marathrons.

Booyah, My wife has had one neck and three back surgeries and she is doing fine. The doctor would not operate on her back until he repaired her neck which he did using a cadaver bone. Then, he went in and cleaned out the spinal column. That was not the solution, so he went back in and fused and pinned levels 6 and 7 together. The screws did not set correctly, as shown on the X-Rays right after the surgery, so they went back in the following day to correct the problem. Recovery was very difficult and slow. Today, her left leg still gets numb and she cannot walk for a long period of time but she is very much better since having the surgery. The back pain is gone, totally, which is a blessing. So go for the fix but remember, the recovery will not be fun.

It's beautiful, but it is too clean. You need to take it out and get it all dirty. Seriously, you may want to get some aluminum cleaner for the hull to clean it from time to time during the summer. It brings the shine back like she was new. I also use a Bissell carpet cleaning machine to keep the carpet somewhat clean. I like your boat because it is light and you can go places the bigger, glass boats cannot. So get ready to get into some trees and brush and stumps and other stuff this summer and have a great time. I use a push pole after raising up the motor out of the water to get into the brush. A push pole is a valuable tool to have on board. And one more thing, be sure to go to your Game and Fisheries web site and find out what safety items you need on your boat. I have been stopped by the Game Wardens and they told me that I was the first boat they stopped in over three months that had all the safety equipment that is mandated by the state. Have fun once the weather gets warmer.

Contact a trainer at a local university and ask him. He can give you some exercises to help your vertical leap. Good luck.

If I recall correctly, Luke said he was no longer going to fish B.A.S.S. events and only fish the FLW. Latest edition of Bass Times lists Luke as "Fishes FLW Tour" on page 30 so Luke is gone to the FLW.

Sorry, computer somehow posted the post before I was finished. So here we go. Number of Elite Series Fishermen 111 Number of Classis Fishermen 50 So, let's say you want to move up to the Elite Series of about 111 people out of 1,000,000 trying to make it into the Elite Series. That totals .000111 and the probability is very low, around one tenth of a percent. Then, if you make the Elite Series and are one of the 111 fishermen going for the Classic, and only 38 of the 50 make the Classic, with the remaining 12 coming from the tours and Federation, your chances of making the Classic from the Elite Series ranks is only 38 out of 111 = 34%. So now we know how difficult it is to make it into the Classic. We all know how hard it is to make it into the NFL, Major League Baseball or the NBA but it seems just as difficult, if not more difficult, to make it to the Classic. Are these bass pros good, or what? What we need is a math teacher or math major to work this out correctly. Anyone out there can help with this math problem?

I read many posts from guys who want to be professional fishermen and are seeking sponsors. I was wondering what is the statistical probability of actually making the Classic? Of course, statistics was the most difficult class I took in college and I was elated to get a C and put that course behind me. So let's see what we have. My numbers may not be that correct but I think it will give us an idea if we start with 1 million bass fishermen. Number of bass fishermen in the USA 1,000,000 Number of Elite Series Fishermen

Hey Fatman, One of my buddies' brother took 7 years to graduate from LSU. At this time he is a vice president of a major corporation and is making a lot of money. They family just cannot understand why it took him 7 years to graduate. I can. It is a lot more fun at LSU as a student then it is in the real world.

I just hose it out and then take paper towels and wipe the sides and bottom and pick up the gravel. I never use any chemicals in the livewell for cleaning. I just don't want to take a chance on killing the fish.

Beautiful. Simply beautiful. You did good!

Nope, but that doesn't mean they are not good lures. I stick with Gulp!, Berkley and Zoom plastics and quality crankbaits, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits. I love Lucky Craft lures and Rico's are outstanding. You can drive yourself nuts with various lures from various manufacturers and sooner or later you will have your favorites. So give 'em a try and let us know how they perform.

Your club rules should include how to reimburse the boater for his costs, such as gas. You could have a sliding scale depending on the price of gasoline or a flat rate. Be sure to offer the money to him as soon as you can to get that business finished early in the AM. Be early. Do not be late to the ramp. Treat his boat as you would treat your boat. And be a gentleman. That's about it. Good luck.

Being from South Louisiana and having a maternal grandmother who was a Cajun, I have some charms and rituals that I follow. Many of the football, basketball and baseball players at LSU had rituals that they had to follow when they dressed out for the games or when they ran onto the field or court. Pistol Pete's socks are an example. He never washed them once the season began and he wore them for all games. When I went to Viet Nam in 1968 my aunt, another Cajun lady, gave me a St. Christopher's medal that I had blessed. I still wear it today and I feel naked without it. So, yes, I guess my St. Christopher medal is my lucky charm now. But I still will not change positions in my chair when I am watching an LSU football game and the Fighting Tigers are doing well as I beleive it will bring bad luck to the team. My grandmother taught me that one! She also could put the "gris gris" on someone as I do when I watch the games and the other team has the ball. Crazy? Probably. But I think it all works.

Isn't it outstanding???? I watch it about four or five times a year. I also watch Bigmouth and the Feeding Habits of Bass. All three presentations are amazing when you think of how they got that close to the animal. Of course, it is sad when she dies in the end in one of the DVDs. The life cycle is very interesting.

I guess it is to fish. And fish some more. And then go out and do some more fishing. And try different baits and presentations. And continue to fish. And not fall out of the boat or into the water from shore. And have a valid fishing license. And have a good PFD. And read, read and read all about bass fishing on this site and in books and magazines. That's all I can think of now. The guys will have to follow up with their input.

Sorry guys, I misspoke, sort of like Joe McKnight saying he talked with Reggie Bush before deciding to attend USC. I meant to mark your map at home, not on the boat while fishing. I see no problem fishing the locations other fish when they are not fishing them. In fact, it seems everyone knows the spots anyway and you will find them out soon enough. I know a guy who has a "secret" creek he fishes in tournaments and he makes the nonboater swear not to tell anyone. However, most of the guys in his bass club know the creek but don't go to it as it is just too far away. I hate to say it, but there are very few secrets in bass fishing.

Always check with your CPA before you do anything that will cause the IRS to investigate. A bass fishing trip with a client or a business associate a few times a year is OK. But I don't think you can write off anything other than the out-of-pocket expenses without causing a red flag to the IRS. As long as you do everything in an honest and proper manner you can have a good time and sleep really good at night. My wife works for the Department of the Treasury and since I own my own business we are audited each year. We get letters from time to time regarding our quarterly tax payments and we discuss each with our CPA. You don't want to fool around with the IRS. You will not win that battle.

I was totally surprised at the selection of Wade Philllips. With the quality program the Cowboys run I was thinking they would hire a young, agressive assistant head coach from another NFL team. If the Southern California/Reggie Bush scandal hits the fan then maybe Pete Carroll will succeed Phillips. Time will tell.

As a nonboater, here is what I learned: 1. Where to launch your boat and how to get to the ramp. 2. Information about various bodies of water from guys who fish those waters. 3. Baits and techniques to be successful. 4. Boat handling techniques in various situations. 5. Bring a map of the lake or river and circle the spots you fish for future information. I was a nonboater for a year and I learned a lot from the boaters. I even took notes during the fishing tournaments so I could use them in the future. I have found that listening and watching is a lot better than talking and experimenting.

Anything Shimano.

May I suggest limiting your rods to two or three and take extra reels, lined and ready to go. This will reduce the number of rods while at the same time giving you more options to consider with your spinning and baitcaster reels that are in your tackle box or storage box. And if you get a backlash just switch out baitcasters which can be easier than sitting there picking at your line while your buddy continues to fish. Give this method a few tries this year and let us know what you think and if it is helpful to you.

John, A tournament on the hot side of Anna? I know for a fact that some of the locals are trying to stop private tournaments in their area. So I am glad to hear you all are still allowed to launch and fish the hot side. Your club sounds like a wonderful social group and I am very glad you have a successful organization. Have you thought of contacting Bassmaster Magazine or Bass Times or FLW magazine so they can do an article on your club? It could be an inspiration to others around the country to start their own high school fishing club. Also, if you are interested in majoring in a fisheries major please remember to attend the Spotsy Mall college fair and ask the various schools about their marine majors. William and Mary is Virginia's Sea Grant University. But you can Google Sea Grant Universities to obtain the list of schools offering fisheries majors. I know you guys love to fish but remember to keep those grades up so you can start a college fishing club.