dink

is that a hint cart? I know it might be short notice but I'm looking at Coffeen this Thursday. I went to Baldwin today with a buddy and we got 4 keepers (over 18") and ten or so others. We got started at 11:00 am and quit at 3:40.

Duhhhh.... what's an IM? Hopefully nothing like a BM. ;D ;D ;D

Each circuit (Sat. and Sun.) has had 3 tournies so far. Winning weights have not even hit 17 lbs. yet. Coffeen is being a real tough cookie lately. I have fished four tournies so far, two on Sat. and two on Sun. I had to miss the ones last weekend due to work. The four that I have fished, I have caught and weighed in all of them, but both my partners blanked on all of them. I'm a little guy to be carrying people around like that. ;D ;D ;D I have been fishing spots that I didn't fish much the past couple years. Versatility and a very open mind seem to be key this year. Hope to see ya out there for the next round. Good luck. dink

Don't think I'll ever burn out mostly because I don't plan on setting myself on fire anytime soon.

I have a pair of Timberland half-finger gloves that I have been using for years. I don't thnk they make them anymore though. They are windstopper fleece (similar to Polartec 100) with some sort of soft rubber grip in the palm (Vibram?). I fish all winter on power plant lakes here and often in sub-freezing temps. In extreme cold I wear a thin pair of polypropelene liners (full-finger) underneath them and couple that with the disposable hand warmers in the pockets. I haven't had frostbite yet and have fished many tournies when the line freezes to the guides ALL day. Good luck on your search. dink

A few "trueisms" for me personally: - if you have ever fished a tournament where the wind chill never got ABOVE zero. - if you ever made a two hour round trip to fish for under an hour. (Done that one a few times) - if you ever tied up to a No Wake bouy at night to catch a couple Z's in the midst of your 30-hour marathon outing. (Twice)

Waterfowl season. (East Fork).

Ah, thank goodness for power plant lakes! I have five lakes all within two or so hours from my house. All of them will have 70+ degree water somewhere on them even in the dead of winter. Nothing like a buzzbait in a snow shower. 8-)

Once on a rogue. Now for the truly surreal. I was fishing with a buddy of mine one day. I was throwing a worm at some brush and he was winging a crankbait athe same area. I felt a tap and went on point. A split second before I swung his rod loads up and we swing simultaneously..... on the same fish. This fish had both baits in its mouth... one in each side. I have never even heard of this happening before or after I had done it. It still blows my mind ten years later.

I also heard an "unsubstatiated" rumor of else a BPS or Cabelas going in at Greenmount Plaza just outside O'Fallon, IL. That was a couple months ago and haven't heard anything since so I would mark it up just as a rumor..... but you never know... lotsa farm land out there.

8-) dink

Saturdays and Sundays. I'm a glutton for punishment. ;D

Last I heard the lake is still 7+ feet low. Boats are still launching and people are still catching fish. I'd be willing to bet 30-40 boats for Saturday and likely over 50 on Sunday.

I fish a lake with 1-2' visibility regularly. One of my best baits there is what George mentioned. Something else to try for that brush and other shoreline cover.... detune a crankbait so that it runs to one side. Now fish it parallel to the overhanging stuff and let it search for you. Multiple casts is also a must. dink

My Minn Kota Edge 40 foot control has a steering cable tensioning screw on the base of the foot control underneath the area where the cables enter the pedal. Hope this helps. dink

Sometimes you just gotta vent! This place is as good as any which has already been proven by the above replies. Head up and eyes on the prize whatever it may be. Hang in there, dink

Check out staminainc.com. You may find a blade close to what you had before.

'99 Ford Ranger 3.0L FLEX-FUEL. I run E-85 and fill up for about 2.25 a gallon. It's even gotta cool little green leaf in the oval so she knows it is "Bambi-friendly"! ;D ;D ;D

The Deep-hook Removal Method with diagrams. A number of the regulars here posted it or links to it so I credit them in general. Ya'll know who you are. If you don't know it, LEARN IT! It is an invaluable trick that will save a lot of bass. dink

4 yrs. old and in the boat with my brother (6 at the time) and Dad on Lake Caleveras, TX. Dad had just fished and won a tourney there a week prior and took us to his honey hole, some mid-lake hump or ridge. I remember vividly sitting on the port side of his bathtub style bass boat and my brother on the starboard side. He had us fishing big minnows on the bottom and he threw a strawberry Manns worm TX rigged. Dad didn't get to fish much that day. My bro got seven keepers and I had six with the BB of the day at 3.5 - 4 lbs. I love to hear my Dad tell the story of that day, especially of the big fish I happened across. We were using his bass fishing rods with the old ABU 5000s on them. He would bait us up and cast them out, then hand us each a rod and say 'Don't let loose of that pole for even a second'. I took it to heart I reckon. In the instant it took for him to re-bait my brother's rod, the biggie ate my minnow and made a hard run directly underneath the boat. 'Don't let go of the rod'. What he saw next was me about to go swimming with my four year-old death grip on graphite. I was half-way over the gunnel when he yanked me back in the boat by the seat of my pants. Now securely in the boat, I gave that greenie everything I had and then some. We took all those beauties home and filled the freezer. Every now and then I run across the pics of those fish and get that "feeling" that cannot be put into words. That day sparked the inferno for me. Great thread, LBH. dink

I like to chase little white orbs around pastures with a flat stick every now and then (golf).... drop into a back bowl with some buddies for some untracked freshies (snowboarding).... waking up to crisp, cool morning in the woods and throwing another hunk of oak in the firepit (camping).... yeah, I like outside.

Atta boy! See you soon.

Valascus said there would be a beating.... he just didn't know it would be his own. ;D ;D We ended up with four teams (boats). Not a great turnout in numbers but the comraderie made up for that. The bite was tough once again, yet my partner, Doug and I managed to get a limit (6) by weigh-in. We targeted main lake areas with stumps using a jig/craw (me) and a salt craw (Doug) for a total just a smidge over 15 lbs. with a 4 lb. 2 oz heavy for BB and 1st. Illinoisbasser and jaskoh had one fish, caught on a LC crankbait, over 2 lbs. for 2nd place. And cart7 and Valascus also had one under 2 lbs. that I believe was also caught on a crankbait. Although more boats would have made a better payout, a good time was had by all and I hope to see everyone again in two weeks on Oct. 6 for the next one. dink

No worries... I snagged 'em all in the side. ;D ;D I will be up there at the bait shop as early as 5:30 am tomorrow morning, but no later than 6:00 am. We will be starting at 7 am and fishing until weigh-in time which is yet to be undetermined. Give me some input on how long you want to fish. I am definitely leaning toward 3pm. LET'S GO GET 'EM! dink

Spinnerbait and chatter-style bait.