John J.

Sleeping ;D ;D ;D

We got our pallets stricktly off of job sites (since my dad owns his drywall business and he got them off job sites in the dumpsters). Most stores will give them to you if you ask I am sure. If not, then check local job sites, I am sure there are some thrown away and not used. If you get 3 pallets another idea is a pallet triangle... This tepee ^ was sunk in our local lake here in Orange County, Va (Lake Orange). Me and Jomatty, Randy Beasley and a few others I believe fish this lake. If you can't find any, then try sinking a cedar or small pine tree for good measures. Or make a brush pile, take a bunch of pine boughs, cedar boughs, sticks, limbs, etc. and pile them up and tie them together. PS: Check these websites for some ideas... http://www.jandjhabitat.com/ http://msucares.com/pubs/infosheets/is1529.htm

I taught myself. My dad and mom use to bass fish, but that was way back then. I am 18. I searched information online and luckily joined a bass fishing club in my school. My very first tournament (first time ever fishing!!) I caught 1 bass and 3 warmouths and I came in 4th place. Which wasn't bad for a first time!! Since then I've been getting tons of 4ths a couple of 3rds and 1 second. But I just couldn't make it to 1st for some reason... Oh well, I taught myself and I am still learning every day! ;D

What I do is watch my line closest to the bait. When the bait sinks, the line appears to dissapear inch by inch into the water with the line towards the reel sitting on the water. I watch that line when it dissapears and about a foot or two towards the reel. If the line jumps or twitches and starts to run (what I like to call 'run like a train') there's a fish, or if the line suddenly moves to the left or right, etc. With weighless I never try to feel the strike, I watch the line. I watch the line and wait until the bait hits bottom (line quits going out) and then I give the lure a sharp pop or two and let it sink back down, and repeat. Practice makes perfect. The more you fish weightless and get used to watching the line, the better you will be at detecting strikes. And remember, there are free swings in bass fishing! If something don't look or seem right, set that hook! God bless 8-)

Great interview Russ! Good job! 8-)

and that's one of the reasons why I won't buy very expensive lures... ;D ;D ;D ;) 8-)

I went down to the pond today to do some fishing. I brought down my worm rod and texas-weighless rigged a frog and fished it on top of the water, had 2 lands and 3 misses within 20 minutes. But I seen a bass that me and Randy Beasley stocked that had me concerned. This bass was in the shallows of the creek and he appeared to have some kind of growth off of his face. It was almost like a worm type growth. If you catch a bass and do damage to their mouth area can it get infected and cause growths like this from the contents of the water? I've seen some bluegill swimming around with infections and growths from what it looks like to me wounds on their sides either from the bass or each other or from birds (some birds are diving down and attacking some bluegill). But can these infected wounds effect their lives and possibly kill them? Do they get sick and die or are they ok? Any information or answers will be greatly appreciated! God bless all! 8-)

WHAT!? Who is the wise guy who put my girlfriend's picture on here!? BIG AL! Shame on you!! ;D

What I'd do is take a few wooden pallets (that usually are stacked with bags, etc.) and stack them together (layer) them and nail them. Then take a bunch of nice size branches, limbs, pine boughs or whatever else and add it to them. From first hand experience, be sure that if you use 3 pallets together, tie on 4 or more cinderblocks! Me and a friend took a collection of pallets that I made (3 pallets layered with branches, etc.) and set 3 cinderblocks on it and threw it in my pond. The pallets floated around for 2 days before finally becoming waterlogged and sinked, which by that time because of the stream and the wind, the pallets drifted somewhere in the pond that still to this day I have no knowledge of it's location! Another idea is to get a canoe, and chop down a small cedar tree (roughly 5-7 feet tall) and sink it! One cenderblock is enough to sink a 5' - 7' cedar (again from personal knowledge). Or if you want something unique. Take a bucket (5 gallon etc.) and fill it with cement (still wet) and add a small tree or big tree branch. When the cement tries the tree will remain vertical and it is like sinking your own personal tree. There are many ideas. Use your imagination, no matter what you do the bass will love it!

I work for my father's drywall business here in Virginia. Soon I will be going to college and finding a real job instead of a family oriented job.

1.) I don't know much about fishing after gar. But if gar are chasing the shad, then bass will too! So I am sure yes. 2.) All you will see is a bunch of little fish jumping out of the water and a few splashes. There will be some swirls and commotion on the surface. But mostly you will see the shad jumping. 3.) Anytime, generally when fishing shad schools use baitfish imitation baits. Such as jerk-baits (hard or soft plastic) and cast PAST the school and work it into the school SLOWLY. A good bait to use when the shad are schooling would be a ZOOM fluke in Smokin' Shad or natural colors. Here in Virginia, Lake Anna is plentiful in shad. Watch the wind too, if the wind is blowing 5-10 mph go towards a wind blown bank, especially if the bank is a rip-rap. The wind currents will turn up micro-organisms off the rocks which attract smaller fish, which in turn attract shad and bass move into the shad to feed. For topwaters, if the school is breaking but there's not a lot of comotion, cast out a smaller popper or mini spook, throwing a big spook will spook the school and the fish will scatter. Or if you want to use the big spook cast it PAST the school and work it into it. That's the key when fishing shad schools! Good luck!

I got my plastic from barlowstackle.com but I am sure there are many places to buy the plastic.

Just like the others said. When I fish from the bank I search for wood, grass or cover in the water. If I am on the pier or dock I fish all around it and stand on the bank beside it and cast either a YUM Dinger wacky under the dock or a texas rigged worm. But I'd search for weeds, trees, logs, stumps, grass, etc. good luck! 8-)

I got my dad 2 packs of panfish poppers for his fly-rod. He likes going down to the pond and panfish. So I figured what better gift? He really isn't into bass fishing anymore because he tore a tendon in his thumb so he can't work the reel much and he basically gets tired out too easy if he bass fishes. He perfers to catfish and panfish because they are easier... Cast the line out, let it sink to the bottom, if the bobber goes under or the pole bends he has a fish. That's his 'style', lol he calls it lazy man fishing. ;D

I just got started pouring my own plastics. The heat source I use isn't really dependable (has too much area on it and won't concentrate the heat so the heat is dispersed, in other words the plastic won't melt fully and cools too quickly). But here are some craw-tails, lizards and worms I poured so far. Here's the entire line up... Craw-tails which is good as either a trailer or can be texas rigged and look like a crayfish searching the bottom. It is 3.5" long. Here's the lizards, 6" long.... and the worms 7" long.....

1 week is all it took. Surprising! I got my stuff all in. Now I can start making some worms lol! I can't wait to jump on it! God bless 8-)

Usually I walk in and buy what catches my eye. But when it comes down to spinner-baits, and worms I usually stick with one or two companies. For spinner-baits and buzz-baits I perfer BOOYAH!, for big worms that I will texas rig or whatever I usually stick with Culprit original worm 7"-7.5" in my favorite colors, when it comes to finesse worms I like ZOOM, and when it comes to stick baits to wacky I perfer YUM Dingers (for one dingers are cheaper than senkos). When it also comes to crankbaits I stick with Rapala. Everything else is a mix of different brands. As long as it catches fish, I get it! 8-)

[move]WELCOME![/move] Tight lines!

Hey all, who here uses ZOOM Flukes? If so what are your favorite colors? and how do you retrieve them (weights, no weights, etc.)? I use them weightless and cast them out, let them fall for about 10-15 seconds and then begin a steady retrieve with twitches. Or for shallow water as soon as they hit the water, I begin the retrieve and twitch and the fluke creates surface disruption which I know can be deadly. Just want to see what you all do with them. God bless 8-)

Thanks all! 8-) I have some 7.5" original culprit worms and some 7" Powerbaits, I will try those texas style and then with my lizards either carolina rigged or texas. God bless 8-)

For shame for Shame and a member of the 4 H club no less hehe muddy-man. I am kind and a respectable young man for the club, but sometimes I do slip... ;D (I really cuss in my spare time when I am away from others and fishing, etc, except if I loose a big one!)

I'd rather listen to the songs and bands I put on my-space. For those who want to see go to my-space.com/number01hunter.

Lol, my family was going to put up a swear jar, that way it would hopefully prevent them from swearing. But it don't work lol! They gave up on the idea. Besides I would probably loose every pay check I get lol!

As you can see by my signature, the biggest bass I caught this year was 2 pounds 10 ounces. I've fished a bit this spring and beginning of summer and I can't seem to nail those monsters. I've seen pictures of people getting their PBs and nice fish, but I can't seem to do the same. I've tried everything from fishing into deeper water, trying bigger baits and using different techniques. Here at Lake Orange there are some monster bass. Some 6s, 7s and 8s have been recorded and even a few 9s. But all I get are 1 pound and under... What can I do to increase my chances and odds of catching bigger fish?? Thanks for any help! John

Today the class of 2007 gets their diplomas! For all of those who are graduating (including me), I hope you all walk to the stage safely and do not trip lol!! ;D ;D ;D 8-) I give thumbs up for those who have had a successful 4 years in high school and acchieved great things! I wish the best for all of you in the future!! Good luck CLASS OF 2007!!! 8-) John J.