CJ

I picked up a couple 5" flutter spoons and plan on trying them.Hangin' em' up is all I'm concerned about.I believe the fish is gonna bite them.

Anybody know if there is anywhere to buy parts such as dash panels, for say a 2002 Stratos bass boat? Thanks CJ

I had some Frog Toggs,they're alright.Probally as good as you will get for the money.However, water will run down your sleeve and your neck with enough rain.As will with most rainsuits under $100. I would get the ones that came with the bibs instead of the pants.

Bass hit worms and my cat chases a laser pointer for the same reason,instinct.

Just wondering what some of ya'lls favorite lures would be for each season? This would be my list which is pretty basic.I think it will be interesting to see what some of you guys out west,down south,and up north throw thoughout the year. Pre-spawn:Finesse jig-n-trailer,jerkbaits,small crankbaits,and rat-l-traps Post-spawn:jig-n-trailer,10-12" t-rigged worms,big crankbaits,3/4 oz.spinnerbaits Summer:T-rigged senkos,jig-n-trailer,and big crankbaits Fall:finesse jig-n-trailer,1/2 oz.spinnerbaits,topwaters and rat-l-traps Winter:jig-n-trailer,tubes,finesse worms,and jerkbaits

I agree,the color on the back of a surface plug doesn't matter.I don't think the color of the belly is as important as we'd like to believe. When I reach in my box for a topwater,I'm thinking about presentation speed,water displacment,action,noise,but not color so much.

Just be prepared.Read over all the rules and make sure you follow them.Other than that,just go fishing.To much thinking about it may hinder you.Try and keep your train of thought towards the fish.The one thing I did in my first few tournaments as a boater was get in to much of a hurry. Good Luck! CJ

I fish a couple of them a year in the West Ky. division.It's a very good tournament trail.

Looking at your double fluke rig,Gene,did anybody see the Strike King show a week or so ago? Mark Menendez was fishing double flukes on what he called a donkey rig.He only use one leader on a barrel swivel and let the front hook slide above the swivel.Like he replaced the sinker on a c-rig with a fluke. It made for an awesome presentation.He caught two 5 lb+ bass on one cast!

The boat was won in a tournament.It's owned by two people cause it was a team tournament.If I had won it by myself,I would have kept it.

Nice Fish!!!How much did it weigh?

Too many to list! I like the Craig Baurer and BH69 idea.I'd like to get them out on Ky.Lake with a 30 mph north wind.I would get to hear all their confessions!

Just wondering,how would you guys or gals go about trying to sell your bass boat? The one I have is a new 2008. I know it's a little early still yet,but I want to make sure I get rid of it! I've been watching boats on EBay.They ain't moving to good there,yet anyway. Any subjestions?

LBH,that is excactly where I would look.Not from shore so much,not that it wouldn't work.But I have patterned fish on steep chunk rock bluff/banks(especially where bluffs end or slides have formed blunt points),from boat.There are no vegetation in this resevoir during winter. The same slow finesse techniques work good for me with a jig,tube,and shaky worm.But I am throwing from deep to shallow.Even cold bass have a hard time letting a jig fall,slowly right in front of their face.The big rocks allow for a simple yet very effective presentation.Just lightly pull the jig until it falls off the rock,then pause for a few seconds.I also throw jerkbaits,paralell to the banks in cold water.They seem to work better on Sunny days.

It's location for me and the right day. I normally fish by boat on a large lake.But in the winter I have a special place(when the time is right) that I went to today for about 2 hours.I caught a dozen or so.Biggest at 3 lbs. and that's as big as they get in the small river.I was fishing deep holes(about 6-8 ft.) and channels that had a hard bottom with brush and rocky spots.I was throwing a 6 in. finesse worm on a 1/8 oz. shakeyhead,past the deep spot and slowly dragging it off into the deep.They always hit it on or after the fall. I think the key is that I may be fishing the deepest,hard bottom spots in that area of the river.Just 2 days ago the edges of the river were froze.The lows Friday morning were 10 degrees,but it got up to 50 today.The bite was light but the fish held on pretty good. I say just keep it slow and try to find the right winter haunt you can access from the bank.

I need to reintroduce myself to shallow water.

I use 8# test P-Line CXX.

There's more than a couple good boat brands out there. I think it really depends on the person. There is alot to take into consideration that will effect you in the long run.Ride,speed,fishability,MPG!,etc. Good Luck!CJ

Dragging them slow with a pause is how I have had best results. I try to keep it slow and easy,no twitching or shaking,just letting the jig fall lightly off the rocks with a pause.....BAM!That's usually when she gets it. In the winter,the fish seem to favor the jig,when there's current and/or clouds.

Dang Bud! Pretty good day!

That's pretty much been the story on Ky. for awhile now. Watch out for the guys who find the right grass on Ky.

That's awesome!Good Luck!I hope you whack em'! It's in June! Wonder how that tournament will be one? :D

I can't say I keep up with exact numbers or pounds.The biggest fish I caught this year didn't get weighed.My scales were broke.She was between 7-8,I think.Here are some memorable catches on various lures in 07'. 7-8 lber: 5/16 oz. jig-n-trailer 6lb.9 oz.: Smithwick Rattlin' Rogue 6 lb 3 oz. t-rig tube lizard 6 lb.7 oz. 1/2 oz. jig-n-trailer 5 lb. 4 oz. shakyhead 6 in. finesse worm 5 lb. 2 oz. Sammy 6 lb. 7 oz. t-rigged 5 in. Yum Dinger 4 lb. 3 oz. 1/2 oz. spinnerbait This list is alot different from what 06' would look like.Crankbaits and big t-rigged worms made up for some good fish in 06'.

Crankbait techniques are going to vary with the type of structoral features and cover you are fishing.The ledges that I fish on my home lake have isolated brushpiles and rockpiles.My techniques for fishing these deeper spots are to make sure I am running a crankbait that hits the bottom.By coming into contact with the hard bottom contours I target,the brushpiles or rocks will cause the lure to deflect,sending it shooting off to one side.I really don't have to do anything special other than pause after a good contact with whatever I hit.Sometimes instead of pausing I may rip it and cause it to speed up after contact.But alot of fish have been caught on a steady retrieve simply because the contact with cover or bottom will do the work for you. There are many different opinions on this subject and it's hard to be wrong.Hank Parker aired a show a year or so ago.He was fishing in Texas,using a Mann's 20+ in 15-18 ft. of water.He explained that he was wanting his crankbait to stand up on it's lip while digging up the bottom. Another thing to keep in mind is that very few crankbaits will run as deep as they claim to on the package without getting your rod wet.

Nice job 4Bizz. The more you get use to your Iwata HP the more you will like it. Are you using a drying wheel?They're a big help with leveling your topcoat.But if you thin out your epoxy to much,you'll take away from it's self-leveling ability. Big M is right.If you use a coat of epoxy prior to priming you can sand out your lure to cover up the rough spots,it's kind of like body work.I have gone as far as using fake fingernails to fill in chunked out spots and to fill holes I've drilled to add BB's. Nice work though.Definantly better than my first paint job.Look foward to seeing some more!