Tom Bass

Nice bass!

Nice fish Vyron.

That is a great video. Thanks....I must admit, I'm getting a complex....I did catch two nice bass shore fishing with buzz baits this past Saturday, but my luck in my boat has been bad. Tom (who never gives up) Bass

BASS Fisherman, I'm glad you accept my apology and I truly hope your efforts are fruitful. I fished for bass in PA as when I lived there in '88 and as kid. The length limit, if I remember correctly was 12". I do remember that my PB there was probably 16" and I do remember my Dad catching a 7+ pounder at 21". Bass was not a big priority for the DFG in southwestern PA at the time. Whitetail deer was the priority. Anything that you can do in regards to bass fishing is a good thing and I applaud you.

Congrats Bitman Advice? Hmmmmmmm Here's a couple of things regarding boats...not fishing. Always have a change of clothes and towels available in case of a man overboard situation. Follow all regs regarding the USCG and local boating laws. Drinking and boating don't mix. I love to drink but not on the boat. One mistake can be fatal. If you need a waterproof container for electronics and such do not look in the Marine section of any sporting goods store. They are expensive. Look in the camping section for reasonably priced yet functional containers. Always have two anchors for your boat. One main anchor and one for back up to keep you steady in the wind. A trolling motor is not an anchor unless you have it attached to a line for tossing overboard as an anchor. DO NOT lose your temper when docking or trailering your boat. Take your time. If things aren't going right, backoff and start over. Docking or putting your boat on your trailer is not a competition. Stay calm even when the wind is shoving you around during the evolution. Be nice to those that are helping you even if you are frustrated. A calm Captain is a very key part to every evolution with a boat. YOU are the Captain. BE the Captain. Always keep a couple of knives handy. Always be prepared to get in the water for emergencies. Always have utility tools available to fix problems. Alwayshelp other boaters when they need help. Always carry a tow line. You may need a tow and you may need to tow others. Always have plenty of drinking water on board. Always have a good first aid kit aboard. Have fun with your new boat!

BASS Fisherman, I believe I owe you a big apology. I am sorry I said what I said regarding your writing and communication skills on a prior thread. I was wrong. I'm sorry. I am not trying to hijack this thread but I wanted to make sure my apology to you was public and not in a PM. Good luck in your efforts and I hope you do well....and please, accept my apology. Now, back to the original pupose of BASS Fisherman's post. Tom

My Dad took me and my brothers catfishing when I was about 8 years old. Dad was a Muskie guy but also liked fishing for carp for the battle and catfish for food. I guess he figured we could fish for catfish too. We moved to Rogers Arkansas when I was in 7th grade and Dad got the Bass bug. I caught the bug too. Life was good. A year later my brother was killed and me and my Dad still fished but it wasn't the same. He went back to shore fishing for cats and carp. I still toyed with the bass and the panfish. I joined the Navy in '79 and the next time I really got back into fishing was '88. In the mean time I did some fishing but nothing real serious. In '88 I really caught the bass bug again and life was good again. Dad had died while I was in the Navy but I used a lot of what I learned from him when I got back into bass fishing. In '89 I moved back to California where I lived until December 2004. I moved my wife and me to North Carolina for a new job and quality of life. For years in CA I dreamed of bass fishing again. Sure, I fished for trout and did a little ocean fishing but I truly missed my two favorite fishing experiences; bass and panfish. I have been having a good time fishing ever since I moved here. I'm thinking about winter Striper fishing in Lake Norman. I know nothing about Stipers but I am planning to learn. It's funny, the whole time I wa in CA I really didn't think about bass fishing. I had other things to keep me busy, hunting, shooting, camping, off-roading, etc... I went back to CA to visit and wanted to fish Irvine Lake. They wanted a $25 admittance and $90 to rent a jon boat....Reinforcing why I left CA. High prices for what ya get and the regs there for fishing are covered in a book. Here in NC the regs are 3 or pages of the entire outdoor sports regs. I love where I live now and enjoy fishing to the fullest. I'm no champion bass fisherman but I thouroughly enjoy every bass and other fish I catch.

Rock Bass for sure....fight duration may vary with location.

That is one big goofy lookin' fish! I have never encountered one. Looks like an old dog with fish's body. Are they edible?

Eric, I would go to the docks and ramps in your area and look at what the hard core guys are using. I would talk to them and ask their recommendations as they would know best. Listening to any of us who are not savvy to the area you fish may be a serious mistake. I am a good example. I have a Regal 2120 that I use for pleasure and fishing. It's not a fishing boat. It's a "Fun" boat. I decided to buy a small fishing boat to use on Lake Norman on nice summer days. Lake Norman is like an inland sea here in NC. I bought a used 12' Lowe Sea Nymph with a 9.9 HP motor. It's a nice little boat in calm water. Two weeks ago I nearly flipped it when traversing the lake in moderate winds and some boat chop. My Sea Nymph is not a big water boat in any way. My Regal, on the other hand, is great in heavy waves on Lake Norman. I wouldn't take my Regal to sea nor would I take her out on the Great Lakes if I thought the weather was going bad. I have been in heavy seas in the Navy. Not having enough boat can be deadly. Don't tempt fate. The Great Lakes can be just as deadly as the Virginia Capes and the North Atlantic. My recommendation would be a deep V fishing boat with a big motor...preferably two big motors so if one dies you have the other to get you home. Pretty is cool but functional saves your life.

Amen!.....Let's Eat! ;D

Well, I don't know much about ecosystems but I will say this; an area that I have been shore fishing in Lake Norman for going on two years has had a serious drop off in fish catches in the past few months. At the start of the drop off there was a steep incline in turtle activity. Last year the bream were plentiful, the bass that ate bream were plentiful. The catfish that ate bream were plentiful. Now there are turtles and the occasional fish. Coincidence? I don't think so!

I despise thieves. I have had many things stolen over the years and I pity the idiot that I catch stealing from me as he will receive the vengeance that I have held in reserve for all the others that have taken from me. The police haven't ever done anything...Anything to ever get back property or even catch the Knuckleheads that stole from me. Catching a thief does not benefit the police or the justice system. It costs them money from their budgets to house and hold these scumbags. I do not abide by religious teachings that say "turn the other cheek" or "forgive them"....Screw 'em. I have lost thousands of dollars worth of tools and equipment to thieves over many years. A thief is as bad as a rapist in my book and any vengeance they receive is well deserved. Sorry for the rant but that is how I feel.

I usually carry a camera when I go most places. Since I joined this forum I have wanted a decent avatar that shows me with one of the fish that I have caught. I usually catch and release but I have no pictures of me with any of my catches so I have been wanting to catch a decent bass so I could have a cool avatar picture like so many here. Last weekend I caught a wonderful bass that was a good 18 or 19 inches long. Not a lunker but beautiful all the same. I didn't have a scale and I was so concerned about getting it back in the water and I was so happy I caught it I never considered taking a photo, even though I had my camera on my side.....Go figure. Looks like I'll have to keep fishin' for my prize and hopefully I'll take a photo next time.

May I recommend a bath in raw egg, dipping the meat in flour with lots of salt and pepper and fried until golden brown the next time you encounter it? ;D

Thanks Way2Slow and Floridabassboy.

At first I thought you had a machine gun mounted on the starboard bow. ;D Looks like a cool set up.

Thanks Avid. Good points. I like the idea of a sealed battery. Tom

Evolution is one thing...Filleting is another, this is a situation that demands filleting! ;D Evolution is a situation that I am not equipped to deal with. Let's cut 'em up and eat 'em.! The rest can swim.

Thank you very much Way2Slow. I appreciate your help. Thanks for taking the time. Tom

I fish Lake Norman but I haven't gone for Striper. Here are a couple websites that might help you. http://www.lakenormanstriperfishing.com/ http://www.fishin.com/reports/nc/lakenorman.htm http://www.lakenormanstriperfishing.com/cpMagazine1.htm http://www.ncstriper.us/ http://www.stripers247.com/lakenorman.htm I hope these help.

That is one heckuva panfish, bream, perch, whatever.....what ever it is. At first sight I thought it was a Bluegill but now I'm not sure what it is. What did you do with it? It might be a record of some kind...or then again it might be a darn good meal.

Howdy, I have a 12.5' Lowe "Sea Nymph" V-bottom boat with a 9.9 Merc 2 stroke. I was thinking about putting a transom mounted trolling motor on my little boat. I have never used a trolling motor so I'm not really sure what the best options are and I am not sure what motor to get. 1) I found a Minn Kota 30 at Bass Pro for $104. I am assuming that the number 30 means 30 pounds of thrust. Would a motor of this size be adequate for moving my boat with myself and possibly another angler with a moderate amount of gear around in a lake cove or possibly holding the boat in a light current or breeze? 2) What is a good battery and charging system for a small trolling motor? 3) Why are the hand controls on a tiller type trolling motor the opposite of a tiller type outboard motor? Any suggestions are welcome. The boat is too small for a foredeck and forward mounted trolling motor. It only has a 46" beam so it's not the most stable boat for standing and fishing. Thanks, Tom

Congratulations Chug Bug. 8-) I hope you enjoy your new boat. Tom

This will be my third winter here in NC, the 2nd with my boats. According to my boat mechanic as long as you put fuel stabilizer in a full tank of gas, drain the water from the engine and bilge, shut your batteries off and keep your boat covered you should be alright. I do store my boat in a covered storage area. I have a Regal deck boat and I did as my mechanic, who works for Regal, told me and I had no problem. As a matter of fact, I managed to take my boat out on a couple of nice days in mid-winter without having to do a whole lot to the boat to go out and enjoy it. It does freeze here at night and there is an occasional ice storm but overall the winters are not that bad. I hope this helps. I would recommend calling a couple of local boat dealers and getting theuir advice. Tom