Sam

Brad, Ike in his book says that the BASS pros need to obtain sponsors outside of the fishing fraternity, and he is correct. At the Classic this weekend I looked around and what markets did I see walking around? Older men; grandparents with grandkids; middle aged men and women; and children of all ages. So, if you want a sponsor it may be to your advantage and to the advantage of the pros to obtain sponsors outside of the fishing industry. I spoke with one of Ike's guys and told him that the people at the Classic were the ones that play sports, drive nice cars, wear nice clothes and take vacations. So, for the kids I suggested Ike contact such manufacturers as Nike, New Balance, BIKE Athletic, Champion, etc.; for the middle aged men and women - Eddie Bauer, Talbots, Polo, Ralph Laruen, etc. And for the older folks, retirement villages and vacation/tour companies. You will need money to support yourself and family and the current industry companies are under too much pressure to give financial aid to all pros. So, it would be prudent to speak with the marketing departments of non-fishing industry companies and sell yourself and your ideas. Hey, it worked for NASCAR! Good luck.

Yes, it is a wonderful resource if you use it correctly. Bassmaster University is outstanding. Uncle Homer's articles are worth the price of the magazine by itself. The B.A.S.S. web site is very good and has lots of valuable information during the year. And you get to support bass fishing at the same time. If you are serious about bass fishing; protecting our environment; meeting lots of great guys; being educated on the fisheries and techniques; wanting to know about new products; join B.A.S.S.

Not only do we pay or $100 annual dues in our club but we have to be a member of B.A.S.S. The $100 goes to help pay for our end of the year party; buying items to raffel off; helping to pay for our Six Man Team's expenses in that tournament; and postage. Pay the dues with a big smile on your face as the money is used to help you have fun fishing different places and learning a lot about bass fishing. It is well worth the small investment to obtain all the knowledge from the older club members. My fishing techniques have improved greatly over the past year and it is due to talking and watching the other guys. This is something money just can't buy. Good luck.

Good luck in joining the club, but be prepared to be an outsider for about a year until the guys get to know you. Be sure to volunteer to help with the youth events and moving the scales and anything you can do with the guys. Also, don't be a pain in the behind in the boat as a non-boater. Be polite and always give the gas money to the boat owner BEFORE you take off or within an hour of leaving the dock. Cut your line if you get hung up; don't fish the front of the boat for more than an hour; clean up after yourself; don't cuss; tell the boat owner about your self as you fish, such as your occupation, other fishing places you have been, politics, etc., but don't bragg about past fishing successes. Once you get to be known as a nice guy and not a pain in the behind, the other guys' attitudes will change and you will be welcome to fish with anyone. Just remember, you are a "threat" and if you come on too strong about winning the club's first place trophy and going on to the 6 man team or if you become known as a pain in the behind you will not be totally accepted in the club. Just be a nice guy.

If they have the Edge knockoffs of the Senkos then get a box. Some Wal-Marts have them and others do not.

Aggravate them. Bother them. Make them want to suck in and crush your bait. Then, they will take your bait even if they are not hungary as it is a nuisance to them. Good luck and be sure to let us know how you do.

I have a Silver Anniversary Tracker Pro 185 and here are the pros and cons. Pros - Nice size for two guys. 50 HP Mercury can get you up to 30 MPH. Shallow draft which means you can get into shallow places. Storage compartemetns are OK. Cons - Take boat to a local marine repair shop as the dealer I purchaed it from is an idiot and I don't trust his work. Will take boat 70 miles east to Bass Pro Shop for future work and to a Mercury dealer 20 miles south to work on motor. Storage locks too short and can't lock them. Gauges work half the time. Had to put in a circuit breaker for trolling motor (off trolling motor battery) as the fuses and fuse system is poorly designed. Storage for your fishing poles is not the greatest. However, with all that said (and I probably forgot some stuff) it is a nice small boat that can get you to and from the dock but not fast. My wife picked it out as it is wide enough for her to lay down and relax as I fish in the front of the boat. Tracker is a good "starter" boat and now I have my eye on a Ranger!!!! And don't forget to put the plug in the boat before you launch. Even Trackers can sink.

Richmond, Virginia where our rivers and lakes are beautiful and other than for the James River east of Richmond, the fishing is great. You can see bald eagles, too. What a majestic bird.

Woo Daves videos are super. Also, if you can find Bigmouth, Bigmouth Forever and Feeding Habits of Bass on DVD (they are on VHS) I suggest investing in them. Woo's tapes are outstanding and if you get the three bass tapes you will really learn alot about the animals. Good luck.

I voted for Clunn and I am gald he won. Of course, I am a Jimmy Houston and Zell Roland and Woo Daves fan so what do I know?

I have never had any success with the bluegill baits but who knows, these look so much nicer and realistic then the ones I was throwing. But the price is a little rich. I can't wait to find out how you did with them. Be sure to make a post and let us know.

Walked down to the James River in Richmond, Virginia and threw a silver with a blue back Rattle Trap and snaged a 4 pounder off the bank. She was beautiful, too. So I guess those Rattle Traps do work.

Thanks a million. I think I may give it a try.

All of the guides I know have another career, are semi- or fully-retired. Even those who own larger guide services have other incomes. The current bass pros get income from sponsors and tournaments but so many do not make enough to support their families. Ike, in his book, said that bass pros need to expand their efforts and attract non-fishing sponsors. I noticed Ike wearing a Nike cap during an ESPN inteview on Saturday so I think Ike must have gotten some support from Nike. I will be looking for non-fishing sponsorships at this year's Bassmaster Classic in Pittsburgh. It should be interesting to see what companies start to sponsor our bass pros, if any.

The Virginia Game and Fish magazine had a super article on barometric pressure earlier this year. Contact PRIMEDIA in Marietta, Georgia, and request a back copy. PRIEDIA, Inc. Suite 110 2250 Newmarket Parkway Marietta,Georgia 30067 The article is outstanding and worth your time and effort to obtain it. I think I stored the magazine in my attic and it is just too hot to go and find it. You may find out about the article on the internet by going to Virginia Game & Fish Magazine at www.virginiagameandfish.com Good luck.

My fishing guide and bass pro buddy goes out at night starting around 7 PM and he fishes until around sunup, if possible. He uses topwaters such as the Pop-R and buzz baits. He does really good.

I have a Tracker Pro 175 with one trolling battery feeding my 12 volt Motor Guide trolling motor. A friend told me to install a second 12 volt battery in sequence with the existing 12 volt battery to obtain additional hours of trolling. First, has anyone done this with a 12 volt trolling motor?; Second, will it give me more trolling hours? and Third, do you think it will give me more time between recharges? Any insight is sincerely appreciated. Thanks.

Shimano Castaic. Fantastic reel.

They love nightcrawlers, too. Only problem is that every other fish loves nightcrawlers, too. I have caught more bream than bass on live worms. Never have tried live minnows. Will have to do so this summer.

While growing up and fishing in southern Louisiana, we learned that alagators are very unsocialable crittes and they will leave you alone and don't bother them. They will hiss if you get too close. The females can be extremely protective of their nests. You avoid them and they will avoid you. Also, they love marshmallows. If you throw the large, white marshmallows in the water they will float by and gobble them up. I guess thats why I don't allow marshmallows on my bass boat.

I would be very concerned going out on a river or lake in the dark. First, how can you see things in the water, like debris, rocks, tree stumps, pilings, etc.? Second, as I have said before, Night = Snakes. Third, bugs. Do your boat lights attract bugs? You guys have fun fishing at night. I will see all around 5:30 AM any day of the week!

5 pounds, twice. First time on a silver with a black top Rapala on the James River. Second time on a pumpkinseed Berkley Power Worm, Texas style, on Lake Chesdin in Virginia. I don't know who was the most surpised at my success - me, my frineds who were with me, or the two fish!

Do bass fisherman distinguish themselves greatly from fly fisherman in terms of attitude or priorities in the sport? Do any of you do both? Do you have a preference and why? No. We like to fish both ways and bass fishermen do fish both ways. Fly fishermen may think they have an "upscale" profile as many do not fish from a bass boat and they can dress funny but fishing is fishing, even if you are fishing from the bank or standing in the water. Could you talk about a favorite fishing product you own? Are there any products you own that you would like to see improved? My bass boat. Improve - Yes. A totally flat surface for the rear area of the bass boat so the person fishing in the back of the boat has less chance of missing a step and falling overboard. Many bass boats, including the Rangers, have a drop down area by the motor which can prove hazardous if you are not watching your step in the back of the boat while fishing. Second - my Shimano Castiac reel. Lastly, where (geographically) do you fish? Virginia.

I have not noticed anyadvantage when using red hooks. Regarding the color question, according to Uncle Homer in his book, Bass Wisdom, bass prefer reds and yellows over all other colors. Bass avoided the shock-related hues. Bass can distinguish 24 different narrow-band hues. The conclusion: pastal-shade lures are the best. Actually, the colors that can been seen in the water the most are a robin-egg blue and purple. Get Uncle Homer's Bass Wisdom as it is a fantastic book and a great read on a rainy summer day and read the research on colors in the water.

As a Vandy guy you are supposed to be smart. As an LSU guy, I am not as smart as the Vandy guys but I know some stuff. Consider getting the Woo Daves videos along with Big Mouth and the Feeding Habits of Bass. Attend a few Bassmaster University classes (they are outstanding). Purchase Unce Homer's Bass Wisdom book. You will be more productive than the Vandy football team. Geaux Tigers!