CJ

Well I just made it back in.Didn't tear em' up like I wan't to but still had a little fun.The fish just ain't in the mood.After an hour of gettin' short struck with only a couple to show for it,I decided to go find some fish that were a little more "in the mood".I ended up somewhere I don't go often but you gotta do what you gotta do.I found some decent size schoolers working the bait up in the shallows right on top of the grass.Broke out a toad and had some pretty exciting topwater action but it only lasted for a few minutes.I caught one more 3-3 1/2 lber.Still can't get a lock on the bigguns'.The wind kept me off some spots I really been needing to hit.Won't be long and I'll catch some that are picture worthy. Dink,I'll shoot you a PM. Deb,I'm coming down to Blood to look for a teal bass boat!I'm gettin' frustrated with all the grass up here. Thanks for the replies everbody! CJ

Muddy,your man Mayne looked sharp tonight!It's down to what happens tomorrow.The Marlins catcher doesn't like theives either! ;DThat was funny!I would have took third too.Heads up play even when the game is a blowout.Reyes gets another SB on his stats!I would expect better eye-hand cordination out of a MLB catcher.He missed Reyes' nose by a foot.

Yes.Tubes can be fished at different water columns.Very versitile lure.Tubes will draw strikes on the fall but I fish them just like a jig(a craw presentation),drag them slow on the bottom with pauses.Very effective for SM and LM,good lure for finessing and for active fish.

After six weeks,I finally got my boat back and started breaking in my new lower unit.Took a nice slow cruise a few miles south until I couldn't stand it no longer.Whipped her into a deep bay,lined up and went to slingin'. Now I had been on the phone with a couple of buddies,my tourney partner,who took a zero today and Bud who was telling me how tough it was.There wasn't a cloud in the sky.High pressure moved in a day or two ago. I was on some structure that doesn't let me down much this time of year.It didn't take long to see what the guys were talkin' about.I was throwing a small jig with a Tiny Paca Chunk for a trailer.I had several fish suck it up and spit it out almost immediatly.There was hardly any indication of a bite.It would just feel like I was hung up on some of the grass that lined the edge of the hump I was fishing,a light bump ,then a big "swing and a miss"! After this happened a good fifteen times and I set the hook on some grass,I lifted up my rod,swung the little jig that had landed me several quality fish in the past,and bit it off.It was time to make an adjustment.It was getting dark and a goal had done been set,"you better catch one,Jonesy Boy,or you ain't no lousey good",I told myself.Okay the fish are relating to the bottom but they're finicky.Get rid of the bulky profile,lighten up the action,and get rid of the chartuese dip.I went straight for my tube baits,broke out a Pro Slider jighead to rig it up weedless,helping it slide through the grass cleaner. By now the sun was setting on me.But enough time for a few more cast.This time instead of bringing my rod up to a twelve o'clock,I started dragging the tube with a slow,side sweeping motion,yet keeping my rod out in front of me.I had my hammer cocked,inspecting my line especially when it came to a slight slack on the pause.It only took about three cast and I had a volunteer!Like a cat sneaking up on it's prey,I pounced and we had contact!The line quickly elevated and with a blast a three pounder come exploding to the top of the water!After a couple jumps and a tail walking that made my day,I lipped her,popped the hook out,and sent her on her way.My job was done.As I pulled up the trolling motor,I informed the fish I would be back in the morning and then we could play some more. For the last few years that would have been a bad day even though I was only out for a couple hours.Today was the first day out in a long time and it felt great to get out on the water.I guess I will see tomorrow how well I got em' figured out. CJ

With discipline comes great reward. Then I guess there's that thought of gettin' your cake and eating it too! I'm sure you feel the same,I believe one should fish to his own expectations and satisfaction.You obviously have nothing to prove to anybody but yourself. Good Luck and can't wait to see some pics of that 40 lb. striper and/or 100lb. sturgeons. CJ

Yeah...never a comfortable feeling,somewhat,temporarily losing your fishing freedom.....ohhhh alright,I'll cut the crap.I hate it for you Avid.I just went 6 weeks without a boat and it sucked! You'll be alright.I hung around here(BR)to help the withdraws.Take care of yourself. CJ

WOW!Must have been a blast!Way to go!Those are some beautiful smallmouth. BTW,what is the peice of paper you are holding up?

A few others and I,throw craws on a Spot Remover jighead.Works great!The Spot Remover allows you to fish it weedless.It serves me as a finesse type for a jig.

Does look like a good deal. I'm gonna have to try some of them beaver craws myself!

The main problem is what makes the Paca so good.The claws are bulkier out on the ends and taper toward the body of the craw.The design is what gives them their unique action.The problem is that smaller bass will tear the claws off sometimes.Bigger fish usually don't.

It's true the American League has dominated the sport somewhat.You know why....$$$$$$$$$$! Money takes away from the game.Guys like Steinbreiner(however you spell it)have ridiculous payrolls.Allowing him to stack up on superstars.Money will buys wins.Put a lower salary cap on the game and see what happens.

I picked up on football heads while fishing Table Rock.The rocks there seem to be a bit larger than average.The football shaped head does'nt seem to lodge in between the rocks or cracks as will a bullet head,for me,due to the wider profile of the head.It may be more of an opinion?It guess it could go the other way that a bullet head would slide through the crack?One thing that I forgot to mention is that a lighter jig will hang up less in rocky spots.In the spring I fish some chunk rock with a Booyah Baby Boo 5/16 oz..It has a bullet head and works well but my presentation is super slow,very finessing. I wasn't writing my post in stone.It's just some of the ways I fish jigs.Different styles of presentation may cause differences in what works best.In most cases,I fish jigs slow with a light touch.

I ain't much on knowledge of the ecosystem.I do however know a bit about coyotes.I spent alot of time in the woods before becoming a bass addict.Coyotes are neccesary.To many of them are not.Coyotes will bring down calves,kill pets,and chickens.Yet,their number one source of prey are rodents.Their best resource is scavenging.They clean up the dead but most importantly they kill the wounded and weak.The problem is that they have no predators in the south except for man.To balance the ecosystem a man's gotta do,what a man's gotta do.A bullet is much less suffering than starvation.I have never incountered a coyote that didn't run from me.I don't feel they are a threat to man.

Bomber Fat Free Shad

Isn't this the company who claims their lures may get banned from tournament fishing? I won't be ordering one.

The game wasn't televised here tonight Muddy so I missed it.I did check the box scores.I am glad to see a Cards pitcher give us a quality start.I hope they get Penerio signed.Puhols got another run and another RBI.3 more runs and he will keep the streak alive!.....It's to little,to late though :-[

For shallow water (1-8ft.)-Booyah Baby Boo 5/16 oz. w/Paca Chunk trailer For deep (8-15ft.)-custom made jig w/Paca Chunk trailer For deeper (15-30 ft.)Eakins 3/4 w/Paca Chunk trailer Some food for thought: A jig is only as good as it's hook.Look for jigs that feature quality hooks. There are many factors to the very versatile jig.Profile,weight,type of head,and type of hook,will help you tweek the presentation that best fits the structure and cover you are fishing,plus how you're fishing it. I use a bullet type jig head for brush or grass. I use a football jighead for rocks. The weight,trailer style and trailer size will adjust the fall rate. A jig can be fished in every water column from top to bottom.The most common presentation is a craw.By slowly dragging a jig on bottom with pauses,is the most simple way for this immitation.It's also the most natural.Big fish are a sucker for a slow moving prey that comes to a stop on the bottom.Sometimes however,the fish are not relating close enough to the bottom.By hopping a jig off the bottom you can draw the attention to a slightly suspended bass.Bass often hit jigs on the fall or the pause.Anytime I come into contact with cover,I come to a pause then slow down or try to give action to the lure with least latteral movement.When I feel brush I try to sneak the jig through as smoothly as possibly,it can take a bit of finessing. Just some of the tactics I use. CJ

Well big jigs do work in the spring and fall.But I have had better results with a 5/16 Booyah jig with a reg. size Paca Chunk in the spring and fall.Can't really explain it but that has been what has worked for me.

I think it is a league the players go to when they are used up or got to bad of a tude to play real baseball.Like I think Bonds is goin' there next year or something.

Well Muddy the Mets better win this one tonight.Albert is back and seeing the ball pretty good.He got his 100th RBI last night and needs 4 more runs to complete his streak! It's gonna be Pedro going against Penerio.The Mets clearly have the ad.But you never know what will happen in the game of baseball.Good luck to the Mets and may the deadbirds have mercy on them.

feed my 6 kids.Day mammy is in da pen for toe diggun' and.....

Mine was a 14 ft. Duracraft w/ 20 hp Johnson.I now have a 21 ft. Stratos w/250 Mercury.I probally learned more out of the johnboat.

;D Love it!

...I collectsum'.Along with alumyim cans and whatnot.I enjoy fishun' dem der lakes over yonner by tha uranium enrichmunt plant and occasionally.....

.....kick my feet up on it and crack open a cold un'.Hope ya like ..... (ya'll makin' fun of my kind?)