Poor Richard

Hey, Avid: no matter WHERE you are on a lake, YOU are the tallest object thereabouts. And even if it should strike a tree on shore, you're still likely to take a big hit. I used to live in Florida, where lightning kills over 100 people a year, mostly golfers, thank goodness, and I once stood on the beach admiring an incoming white squall. Suddenly I realized how stupid I was. That sucker was really moving. Ever seen an old guy run in hip boots? Very funny. : --------------------------- Take a kid fishing. You might learn something.

Poor Richard says: The bass records--both of them--are like the old notions that the 4-minute mile would never be run; the sound barrier could not be broken. Us elders can remember both myths being smashed. So let's keep shooting for these two bass records. Of course, if the LM recordis broken in one of those trout-stocked California lakes, someone will want to compare that to athletes using steroids. Why don't we get the record folks to allow a second place category for the L&S basses, confined exclusively, of course, to modern confirmation rules and documentation. I'd accept that and no sour grapes! Then we'd have a record to shoot for that no one could contest and things would be real lively while we're waiting for 24 and 5. ------------------------- It got away? Don't cry--lie! 8-)

Stratoscaster: You have noticed, haven't you, that the reason 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish is that those 10% do 90% of the fishing? ------------------- Watch the fish, not the fishermen.

So I see my Better Three-Quarters is in good company. Now 5 on 2 casts, that is impressive. Good thing you've got the picture. ---------------------- Take your wife fishing tomorrow. You're bound to learn something. Seriously, women are very good at picking up the details you've been missing. My wife says things like, "The bass are in the lily pads now." She catches a couple. "Now they're on the dropoff." Again, a couple more. I love it.

I've been Barb-less ever since I let her go, bless her heart. But seriously: that was a great return on my question about removing hooks--thanks fellowfishers. I have been fishing lures with the barbs pressed down almost all the way. This sure improves thing. Sure, I occasionally lose a fish that I think might have stayed with me otherwise, but what the heck--they're going back in the water anyway. I call that a pre-release release. Now if I were fishing a tournament, of course.... Anybody else have experience with barbless hooking? ----------------------- TIp of the day: I know lots of guys who sit in their easy chairs complaining about catching nothing. Gee, some things are easy to explain, huh?

7# in a tiny lake in Western Washington, which isn't a state that's especially hospitiable to bass. Among my colleagues, it was beaten only by a seven and a half. In Michigan, I've yet to beat five. But I have found this one pond . . . . ---------------------- Tip of the week: Fishin' ain't as good as it used to be, and it never was.

In several lifetimes, my family and I have broken off three good bass. They were hooked on multi-trebles. I have picked up and buried bass that swallowed someone's worm, got hooked in the gills, or lost an eye, which led to starvation. But I have never seen a dead bass with a lure in its jaw or body. I've caught bass all scarred up from being wrapped in line, chewed up by gars, fins ripped by whatever ripped them, separated pieces of the jaw, and one with a hole shot through it. These were all healthy, so it's obvious they are tough. Have any of you sports ever seen a bass that died with a lure stuck in it? -------------------- Today's motto: You killed it, you eat it.

My wife, lovely, talented, and brainy, is the only person I have ever seen catch two nice bass on one lure, one cast. First she says, "I got one"; next she says, "Uh, it's in the weeds I think"; then she hauls up a mess of weeds and I can see what's in there but she can't. "What am I looking at?" she asks. I say, "Oh, I do love to fish with a woman who doesn't mess around." I untangled two fine bass--a matched pair, over 16", probably 3 and a half pounds of Michigan L.M. This was in October a couple years ago. The lure was a Rapala, with a bass each on the trebles at either end. Greedy guys that they are, the second obviously tried to steal the bait from the first. We'd like to know who else has managed this one. She's got bragging rights for the rest of her life. ----------------------- Today's tip: You can't see under the water until you know what's there.