CJ

I know how you feel and what you mean.I fish artificial exclusivley.I don't have anything against live bait and may try it.But I feel it is more of a sport on artificial.I like to know that I fooled the fish into biting something that isn't real.So, GOOD LUCK AVID! Can't wait to see your shadow holding that toad!

If I caught a 10+,I would get a replica made.If I kept it I would have a feeling of guilt.The beauty of a replica is that one fish may mounted multiple times.Giving us more happy anglers.

Avid,I admire your optimism or however you spell that word.

Sorry to here that Avid. A couple of years ago I was fishing with a buddy in his boat.I remember we had a strong south wind that day and the lake was capping.All of a sudden we caught the wrong wave just right and went airborne.Then the boat took a nose dive right into another wave.It blew a rod strap loose and there went my brand new Shimano Curado and a BPS rod.I got sick....real sick.At the time the Curado was the only good reel I had.I have also lost 3 cellphones to Ky.Lake. I hope you find your rig,Avid.Good Luck!

Oh yeah...check out the post in the Northeast "fishing Locations"catagory.A couple of us locals are having a little get togather.We haven't set a date yet for sure.I am waiting on some responses to see what day would be best. Sorry to get off topic.

Yep,I live about 10 min. from Ky.Lake in Calloway Co. My partner and I won the July tournament ya'll had there last year.Looking foward to the tournaments this year.I might come over and fish one or two on Barren or Nolin.I would have last year if I would have known the regional was coming to Ky.Lake.But that's my own fault for not checking into it.

Fishing as a non-boater does have it's ups and it's downs.It can be an excellent learning experience especially if you are fishing a good division.Now I got lucky in 05' which was the only year I co-angled.I drawed up with Billy Schraeder(alot people may not know but this guy is the smallmouth king on Ky.Lake).I learned more in 8 hours than I could have in 8 years.I didn't even weigh in a fish,but it was the best $100 I ever spent.Billy answered every question I asked and acted like he enjoyed doing so.He also taught me alot about deep,offshore fishing.That day was a setup for the next event where I drew another one of the best,Britt Cone.Just like I did with Billy,I picked Britt's brain a little and learned alot.Only this time I was going home with more than a lesson.I was going home with a trophy and a fat check!I had 19lbs.1oz. and big fish at 6lbs.14oz.,Britt had 20lbs.15oz.That's an even 40 lbs. between the two of us.I won first and Britt took home 2nd in each of our divisions! So,I wouldn't knock it until you try it!

Gander Mountain started carrying Netbaits.

80% of them pay to play for one tournament.

I use a an All-Star SBR2 Spinnerbait Special.It is a 6'8" med heavy fast tip.It does the job.

I have a Fat Free Shad in a craw color but I don't think it is a Lite.It dives 10-12 and is a suspending model?If you find out that they don't make it in that color then PM me.I can probally help you out. BTW,Welcome to the forum!

That is one big gator.Those are awesome pictures,Dan,thanks for sharing them.

Okay I have the average weight from anglers and co-anglers for the first and second day of the Stren series event on Sam Rayburn.I know you were wanting averages of the top level and a whole season but I think this shows a pretty good average and these averages were taken from a good lake at a good time(prespawn).These averages should be higher than what a whole season's daily weight average would be. Day 1 average for both pros and co-anglers was 5.25lbs. Day 2 " " " " " " " " " 6.71lbs.

RW,to average out a tournament trail would be a long,long,long process.FLW host 200 pros and 200 nonboaters at each qualifing event.I have heard and seen total weights from daily weigh-ins on the Stren and BFL events but they wouldn't be relavent beens they would differ from fisheries.I do however have a connection that may be able to get this info from the FLW headquarters.No promises,but I got a feeling FLW keeps this info somewhere. I see where your going with this.That's a tough call.One thing I notice is that local competition can dominate a lake even at that level but there are those few that can duke it out anywhere anytime. I know all pros don't catch tons of fish.There are guys at the pro level that shouldn't be there. And,who know's?The greatest angler of all time probally never fished a tournament.I'll still check into that statistic.I'm courious myself.

Jim,thanks for this post.I don't know or understand all that happpens at war.What I do know is that you and your son has made a sacrifice for our country and for that I say THANK YOU! CJ

I recently went to Gander Mountain and found a whole bin full of Bagley's on sell for $2.99/ea.Ofcourse I loaded up on the Diving B 3's.Well I get home and notice,all of them are in an Original Bagley's package but they are different.One has a lead ballast under the lip and around the front hook eyelet.One has lead around the front hook eyelet and a rattle.One has no lead and a rattle.One has neither.I guess I must have got some blims or something?

It would depend on which lure I was finessing.I fish a 1/4 oz. shakeyhead on 8-10# flouro on my lake.

Ben,you are already a winner!Good Luck!Go WHACK em'!

I just started a new method.I have too many plastics so I took,for example,every watermelon creature bait and put them all in one ziploc and labelled it.I put every plastic that was the same color and profile togather.All the original packages took up room and I feel they are easier for me to find what I am looking for this way.

I fish the Ky.West division but only the 2 tournaments that come to Ky./Barkley Lakes.

Nice fish.I wish I could see more than their heads! ;D And you need to smile cause catchin' em' post to make you happy! I'm just playin'.Good Job and keep on postin' em' toads!

Scenario:You are going to a new lake that is opposite of what you are used to.You plan on fishing it for 5 days.What is "your" best tactic for figuring out how to catch mature bass?

This is a simple rule I go by and why: Any lure that features treble hooks,I use mono or a co-polymer.The main reason for this is that bass are known for throwing trebles.A mono or co-polymer line has more stretch.A way of looking at this: If you tie a horse to a tree with a chain,okay,tie the same horse to a tree with a bungee cord.Which of these,the bungee or the chain,would be easier for the horse to slip out of it's halter?The horse could get better leverage from the chain to slip out.Does that make sense? I use flouro on all my plastics,jigs,and spinnerbaits.I do not use flouro on any topwaters because flouro sinks,although you can get away with flouro on buzzbaits and toads if you are using a steady retrieve. JMO, CJ

You'll get alot of response on this topic.I take it you are from Canada?Alot of tips hold true no matter the location but I would try to get local advice too. Spring,IMO,is the best time of year for us "bass addicts",to get our fix!

Sirmo makes a good point.You can't label factors with percentages because mother nature is a b*%#h.I do agree with depth being the #1 factor.Still yet,year around fish will hold at many different depths.