Sam

Love 'em. Good rods that perform very well. You will not have any problems with them, other than if someone steps on it and breaks it.

Reel Mech, You are thanking us? We need to thank you. Your insight and comments are so valuable to everyone on this site. Thank you for all you do for us. You have made our fishing so much better and enjoyable. God Bless you and your family. Sam

Here are some suggestions: 1. Make sure you can stand up and not fall out of the boat. This is the most important aspect of your search. The boat has to be able to support you and anyone else in the boat when you both stand on the same side of the craft without having the craft tip over. 2. Depending on where you fish, the hull may or may not be important. So figure out where you are going to fish and which type hull will better meet your needs. 3. Depending on the boat's materials, figerglass or aluminium, you can pick your motor and trolling motor. Be sure to have room for the gas tank and batteries. Aluminum is light and you can do so much more with an aluminum boat as compared to the larger and heavier figerglass models. Now go get a boat and get on the water and do some fishing.

Suggest you call Billy Wells in Richmond, Virginia at his shop, Wells Alternator and Starter Service. Billy is the local master of trolling motors and if you can need it he will have it or know how to get it. 804/233-6726. Billy and his staff work miracles with trolling motors. Happy New Year!

Hey, Welcome to the world of baitcasters and backlashes. Here are a few tips to help you. 1. Locate all you can on this site about baitcasters and how to use them. Then read, read and read. 2. Set up the rod and reel with your bait at home and point the rod upward towards the ceiling at a 45 degree angle. Then, reel up the bait to the end of the rod. Let the bait fall from the tip of the rod in a slow fall. Adjust your reel to have a slow fall. Not fast; not too slow; but a nice slow fall so when the bait hits the floor (avoid carpet as the hooks get stuck in the fibers) the reel spool stops. The reel is now balanced with that specific bait you are using. 3. Go outside and then cast a few times to adjust your settings. 4. Use a line spray before, during and after you do some casts during the day to help prevent backlashes. 5. See some DVDs or videos by Denny Brauer on how to flip and pitch using a baitcaster. Ike has some excellent tips on his DVDs, too. 6. Ike suggests taking your reel and filling it about 25% full of line and then add the line you will be fishing that day. This stops you from re-reeling 100% of the line you fish with each time you re-reel the line. 7. Have two or three extra baitcasters on your boat or in your tackle box so when you get the "Backlash of the Century" while fishing you can just replace the reel with another baitcaster and continue to fish. This will save you time and aggravation while on the water. There are so many other things the guys on this site can tell you. My tips are just the tip of the iceberg. Be sure to listen to "Reel Mech" on this site as he is outstanding when it comes to reels and their care. Have fun with your baitcasters and practice, practice and practice!

B, Thanks. You are correct. I meant the letter to be one page with the resume and any other supporting documents added. Happy New Year!

Rattilin, You are over the edge. Satan has a fun home in Miami and only those Alabama fans who want to dig up the Bear and put him on the sidelines believe Satan will leave the Dolphins for Bama. Why would anyone want to coach at Bama? The fans still think that their program is the best in the world when it is not. Satan did very well at LSU but the people who knew him in Baton Rouge said he was a jerk and everyone was happy when he finally left. Miles is so much better and nicer than Satan. But of course, money is money and if Bama throws $70,000,000 for 10 years at Satan and Satan says he loves to teach the college players then he is off once again to Bamaland. Paul Bear Bryant, Jr. is heading the search committee and he wants Satan really bad. Of course, Mal Moore takes his orders from Baby Bear so he has very little input into who gets to be the coach. With all this going on the best thing happening to Bama is that another great recriting season is going down the toilet. Isn't this great or what????

With a name lke Steeze you know it has to be good!

CSB is correct in his assessmetenof the letter. I can add that it should be on one page, only. Use short paragraphs and not be too wordy. And if you have a local university near by try to see one of the Business Administration marketing professors and ask him/her to review your letter to help improve your message. Remember, you need to sell the sponsor on what you can do for them to increase their sales so it is to their advantage to have you represent them. You will also need to get your information to companies in the third or fourth quarter of the year so they can include you and your costs within their budgets. With the first quarter of 2007 just around the corner many budgets have already been established so the companies that would consider sponsoring you may not have the money allocated in their budgets. Good luck and let us know how you do.

Opps! No, the guys are correct. I know a professional guide who wears is Berkley shirt when he guides and then takes photos of the fish caught even if other than Berkley products are used. He sends in the phtos to Berkley, and his other sponsors, to prove that 1) he is still guiding; 2) that he is wearing the Berkley red and white shirt and; 3) that he was using Berkley products when he and his clients caught the fish. He does this so he can continue his Berkley sponsorship although he loves and uses Abu Garcia and Allstar rods and reels plus a vaiety of Berkley and non Berkley baits. Hey, you got to do what you got to do!

Remember the Bad News Bears? Walter Matheau got the bail bonds company to sponsor the team. Now that would be something special to have on the back of yourfishing shirt...Manny's Bail Bonds, with their phone number. In my humble opinion, sponsors should only sponsor either professional guides or those who are amatures or professionals on the B.A.S.S. or FLW circuits. For local fishermen who will never make either of the two circuits, local companies can sponsor them but the question remains...why do it? To get sponsors you need to have a game plan and be ready to do promotions plus move up in the rankings of your state federation. My good friend is a retired pro and has now cut back his guiding schedule and he still gets great deals from Abu Garcia and Pure Fishing. But if he ever decides to go back on the professional fishing trail he will need to get sponsorships from both the fishing and non-fishing industries. This is a super thread and it looks like an individual will actually have to work hard to get their sponsors which means that they have to do their homework and not just run out and go fishing. Getting sponsors is a job in itself and the majority of bass fishermen do not want to expend the time and money to get the sponsors. After all, professioinal bass fishing is a lot of work, both on and off the water.

JT, I understand your theory but I believe that corporate sponsors can be secured if you can show that their products are used by those who bass fish. In other words, the demographics of the bass fishing population is the key. Age, sex and interests are at the top of the strategy list. For example, computers, paper products, high end men's and women's fashions, cooking items, weekend vacations to other than fishing places, etc. have very little interest for male and female bass fishermen. But lawn equipment, adult beverages, trucks, hunting items, sporting goods, televisions, snack food, male and female clothing, auto accessories, hardware items, etc. hold a greater interest for bass fishermen which can then entice these manufacturers to sponsor a bass fisherman. If you notice Ike's fishing shirt you will see a large "Toyota" across the front. Ike knows the importance of getting "non fishing" sponsors and he said in his book that professiional bass fishermen need to get the support of other types of industries other than the fishing industry. So, if we want to have our current pros and amatures receive monies to continue the sport then it is time for B.A. S.S. or FLW to help obtain sponsorships from other industries. What is your take on this theory? I would like to have your thoughts and considerations. Happy New Year!

Roast beef po-boy from New Orleans. Nothing like it in the world!

Nope, but the two Lowrance units I have have performed very well. The big unit, the LMS-332C, had an electrical problem so Lowrance sent me new replacement unit. I don't think you can go wrong with any Lowrance product, although the guys on this site have their own opinions about Lowrance. Let us know how you like the unit you purchase.

First, get educated. Get your college degree. Second, make the progression through your state's Bass Federation, working yourself up to the top two or three positions. Third, qualify for the B.A.S.S. or FLW circuit. Fourth, using your degree, have a career so you can have the finances to support your fishing. Fifth, when you get married, be sure your wife is supportive of your efforts. And before doing all of this, read Ike's book and also hear what Hank Parker has to say, along with Jimmy Houston and Keving Van Dam. They will tell you about their journeys to the top levels of B.A.S.S. Good luck and be sure to get that degree. It will make all the difference in the world.

Have any shown up on ebay? I hope they are less costly than ordering them.

Gman, This is a super question for the Bass Professor. I would think that the bass would act the same no matter where they are under the same conditions (rivers, lakes, ponds, etc.). However, current and sunny days can also affect their activities as will water depth and structure so although I would think that a bass would act the same in the same temperature water, there are other circumstances that have to be thrown into the formula to obtain an answer. Simple question but it could have a difficult answer. Maybe the Bass Professor or the regulars on the fourm can give you their take on your query. I am interested in their input, too.

Give us some more info, such as the water, its depth, temperature and what fish live there including any baitfish. This time of year the guys usually will use jigs and pigs and jerkbaits but you can still get them on plastic worms. When asking for info give the guys as much data as you can and just sit back and wait for the answers.

Glad you are here. The guys on this site are awsome. They will answer all of your questions. The only problem is that everyone will have their own answers but that is what makes this forum so much fun. So check out each section and learn, learn, learn. And don't forget the "pull downs" at the top of the page as you can find a lot of other interesting information about all sorts of fishing questions. Have a great Christmas and let us know which Ranger boat you got as your gift!!!!!! ;D

Not only is it free but my wife and I are now charging everything on the card, including my business! I just cashed in $86.00 this week of freebies. Great awards program.

Freshwater - Lake Gaston, May, 2006 - Took the Carolina Rig lizzard and never looked back. I have no idea what it was but it is still swimming with my lizzard. Saltwater - Growing up in South Louisiana - saltwater fish in Gulf took live croaker and just kept going, headed to South America. Happend many times and I have no idea what type of fish they were. Saltwater - Before the hurricane took Buckroe Beach Pier, I hooked something that decided it wanted to visit friends and family in deeper water and all I could do was hold on until the line broke. Sorry, but I have no idea of the types or size of these fish, other than the Lake Gaston fish must have been the biggest bass in the lake!!!!!! ;D

Here is my opriginal post about drop shotting which mentions Ike's newest DVD: Take some of your hard earned money and invest in the DVD Classic Paterns Master Series' Mike Iaconelli Tactics for Tough Conditions. Not only will Ike give you some wonderful pointers on how to fish the drop shot, but he also includes other fishing methods such as the shaky worm, split shot, stick baits, and other great "secrets" that you can use to your advantage. Ike's info on the drop shot rig was more informative than Rich Tauber's Bassmaster University presentation. Rich made the presentation right after he learned the drop shot method from the Japenese bass pros at a California tournament and Rich was telling us how it worked and how great the set-up can be. So do yourself a favor for Christmas and get the DVD. But please don't tell anyone else on the forum about it as it will help everyone make the Classic!!!!

Bassdoc, He has a new DVD out in the Bassmasters Masters series that is super. Check it out at your local fishing store.

Job? Did you say joib? Avid, if you can't lift anything how can you work? Your best bet is to watch fishing shows on TV and read fishing books and clean your gear and organize your tackle and equipment and make lots of notes and stay inside to heal properly. Remember, if the doctor tells you not to lift anything over 5 pounds and you now have to sit down to go to the bathroom, you are in better shape than you know! ;D Get well and keep those posts coming! Merry Christmas

What I love most about the announcers is when they play up a player and he then goes down the tubes. One of the funniest ones was when LSU was playing Stanford in the College World Series and all the announcers could do was pan about the Stanford pitcher. The cameras showed the pitcher's parents and his little brother in the stands smiling and jumping all around as Stanford built a 5 run lead. Then, LSU can storming back and started cutting the lead in the 6th inning and we never saw the parents or that little brat again. LSU wond the game 6-5,knocking out the best college pitcher in the history of the game in the 7th inning, which I found to be poetic justice. So now I watch and listen to which players the announcers pick to single out until he fails at his assigned duties and the announcers will then forget him in a flash.