CJ

I've had hard times myself, here and there. But it's the hard times that make us stronger and more hungry. Hang in there! It doesn't sound like it will get much worse. Meaning it can only get better! Get well soon! Chris

I got a couple LTA's. Love em'! I have had problems with the guide inserts coming out but I noticed a LTA at a bait shop the other day and it had a different type guides on it though they were still Forecast guides. Plus I called the company and complained and they sent me new guides about 3 days after I called, free.

I have been considering making that exception. I like to use a co-polymer or mono with lures that feature trebles. Fish often come un buttoned from trebles. Line stretch decreases the chances of this happening. Plus alot of lures such as crankbaits and spooks require some hesitation after the strike. Cutting down on sensitivity aids to this. On the other hand floro is supposed to get jerkbaits down a little deeper.

If I am fishing anything with treble hooks I use a copolymer. I want the line to have stretch. If it is a plastic,jig, or spinnerbait I use Seaguar florocarbon. I don't use floro for topwaters.

Thanks FOM and thanks to you Muddy. I got so much to look foward to at the roadtrip it's almost like an "excitment overload". Okay.....deep breath.

WOW! 4# test! Looks like the rest of the fish out grew it's tail? Regardles it's a true toad!

I always prefish when I can.

WOW! I've never met the guy and he pays for my dinner?!!! Just goes to show how we roll around here! Thank you very much, Mike!

I love taking a break and getting in the back. Now for shallow water guys, it can be a disadvantage. I fish deep most of the time and the back seat is the ticket to have. Back there all you have to do is fish!

RW, I wish my brownfish would have measured up to my partners. Really though, I'm just wanting to show that it can happen to anybody if they will just apply themselves as best they can. I've only been fishing tournaments for 3 years! I owe alot to Bass Resource for my success. Guys like Kent(RW), Rolo, Bud, Chris(former mod), the list goes on. Funny thing is, they don't even know how much they've taught me, but I do! Chris

Rolo, whenever you decide to write the book, I'll be the first to buy it! Thanks for your input, it's priceless. Chris

One tournament made up for 2/3 of that. Here you go: http://actournaments.com/2007classicstory3.htm Don't want you to think I'm pulling your leg. lol

Glenn was the first member. Gotten all kinds of good advice. Too many members to list as far as ones I've always wanted to meet. Thus far I've met: Dink, Bud, Bassinsolider,Bassinseargent, and niksfishinmom(known her for along time).

It ain't just Carrot Styx. Go start a thread about Kistler.

Anybody using one? Are they worth it? Is it gonna find me more fish?

100-400 for me. Blue chrome, rootbeer, chartuese/blue back, and orange craw. I've also broke them at the bill. Every once in awhile you'll just get a lemon. But Bandit isn't the worst brand that has this problem. I've broke em by slapping them on the water to get grass off of em. But I've had enough success, I'll keep fishing them.

5" flutter spoon fished on deep structure.

That's a tough one to give an excact answer. I always give a lure several cast. Maybe not on the same stop but I don't put it down after just a few cast. And it would depend on what lure I was trying. I always will try more than one lure and different presentations with one lure on a spot. I don't worry about tweeking color as much as profile and presentation.

Welcome!

WOW! Da Man spoke! Thinking more about it, I think your excactly right. Time of year is the first thing to take into consideration. A guy spends 1 day in the boat with Ike and he's a genius! LOL

I am suprised at your response Matt. A month before the WBT last year, there were a flock of women at our weigh in. This was before the off limits so it was legit for them to solicit info. Only major trails and major tournaments have an off limits anymore. There's kinda this "I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine" thing. There's ways to get info in bait shops without ever saying a word. Yet, I have been to different areas and have gotten different outlooks. Around Table Rock, lips are sealed. I went to central Florida and visited John Bitter of Bitter Baits and Tackle (yeah it's Jim's brother), he went into detail that I would have never expected. I'm not saying guys should go in expecting GPS coordinates but tackle shop owners will turn you on to the right baits. Afterall, they want you to come back.

Yeah guys...the good lord shined down upon me that day. If you don't mind I would like to share the story: I entered up in the BFL tournament as a co-angler for the reason to learn. I was getting tired of beating the banks and casting to visible cover, I wanted to learn some new techniques. So in March of 2005, I got entered up and was at the pre-meeting. I was sitting there hoping and praying to draw one of the big guns. Finally my name gets called out but I've never heard of this guy. I go over to meet the half drunk, older man, that has a speech impetiment. After I introduce myself and tried to figure out what he said his name was, he asked,"You know wrrr ony fish rrr?" By this time his traveling partner came over to interpit."I been hrrr fo a week and caught on lil' ole fish on a beartrap", he says."A BEARTRAP?!!",I asked him. Then his partner tells me,"He wants to know if you know where any fish are? We've been here a week and he's only caught one little fish on a Rat-L-Trap",his buddy explained. I told him I was just a rookie and didn't know much but I had always had better luck on Barkley this time of year. Barkley is the sister lake to Ky. and is connected by a canal at the north end. "Okay den, we go over dar", he said. At this time I felt like I had thrown my $100 out the window. I might learn something but it probally won't have much to do with fishing. So the next morning we blast off and head over to Barkley. I started out throwing a jerkbait with no results. Then my boater, at about 10:00am, catches the first fish on a Wee-R. It didn't keep but it was a clue. I tied on a Shad Rap 7 in crawdad and at 12:00 something felt like a log on the end of my line! I remember praying it was a bass. When I got her up and seen the lateral lines, I went nuts! My boater jabbed her a couple times with the net, he was as excited as I was. Thank God she was hooked front and back! I went on to catch only one more fish that day but my 9lbs. 10 oz. was good for 3rd, my big fish was 7 lbs. even. My boater only ended up with 2 smaller fish but it was a great day for both us. He was as proud as I was! We have since become friends. The last tournament of the BFL season, I was able to repay him by putting him on the fish to give him a 6th place finish at the super tournament. It was the first time he had ever got a check as a boater. Funny thing is, the next 2 tournaments I drew some "big guns". I zeroed both of them. Chris

I started tournament fishing because I just wanted to get some "hands on" experience. It was a quick fix to fish with somebody that would know more than myself. My first tournament I ever fished was as a co-angler in the BFL. It was an amazing day! I broke my old PB by about 3 lbs and won 3rd out of 199 other co-anglers. Got a check for over $900! I was hooked.

I feel like too many people make it sound harder than it really is. Most of my preparation was done right here on my PC or out and about the local tackle stores, when I was co-angling. I applied them come tournament day. You don't know how you will be fishing until the night before. Who better to learn from than an experienced boater? There is no better experience than hands on. You can watch all the TV, read all the articles, but until you done for yourself, you will never have the key element, confidence. It's true, you can take all the talent in the world and throw it away, without preparation. But if you don't apply your preparation, your wasting it. A question for the people wanting to become a tournament fisherman: How long do you want to take before you are considered a "threat to the feild?"

Nice fish!