Phishn_Phool

After I thought about this a little, I definately DO NOT want you to come here. I would get beat on the lake I live on an the would be embarassingLOL CPR ;D

10Lb's and in the boat...pic and #'s...release and replica.....................I guess those are my rules

I had a float service and guided on a river in Missouri for 25 years and I basically used the same size and equipment you use on the lakes. I used 3/8 oz double willow spinnerbaits, 4 1/2 inch Rogues and regular size super flukes/slugo's, buzzbaits, zarapuppies and those were basically the most sucessful GL CPR ;D

If you want to push the issue...just show him the results from the other tournaments, sounds like they should validate some of your ideas...GL CPR ;D

Wait till everybody is looking for warm weather and come down here. but you can't all stay at my house LOL

I mostly agree that less noise is better, but at times I beg to differ with you. The biggest difference being when you fish topwater, many a times the lures splashes down and as you wait for the ripples to disappear you get a hit. That fish had to be attracted by the splashdown.. Also on many times with a spinnerbait I have caught fish that I thought had to follow the lure through the air. Surely that fish was not spooked by the splash. That's just my opinion and of course I am not a tournament angler and maybe because I fish noisely is the reason for that, although I did make a living fishing for 25 years ;DCPR

Ika I have fished the Current many times..I have also had a float service and guided on the Gasconade out of Jerome, Mo for many years. Now it was always my opinion that most people used too small of lures to fish for Mo smallmouth. My favorite lures were in order 1.Blackover silver 4 1/2 inch Smithwick RattlinRogue 2 3/8 oz Stanley double willowleaf spinnerbait #3 a fluke in the Arkansas shiner color and a buzzbait 3/8 oz in chartruese that is all you need for both LM and SM

Chris...The fish were "postspawn" with 61 degree water??? Maybe you meant prespawn???

Like the old story says "On any given day..............."

Down here in Fl where the water temp is between 81 to 86...I have been fishing early and late and catching a few on a double fluke rig and a scum frog, but the best bait has been a topwater Devilhorse. I caught one Thursday evening about 7lbs and this morning I hooked 6 but only put 3 in the boat the biggest was about 3lbs, but this morning the biggest hit a frog and 1 jump and 1 hook, he threw back at me..fun though.. ;DCPR

this Florida voter voted this the best...although I may have a hanging chad ;D

I always heard that the rain puts ovygen in the water,, Now when it rains acid I'm coming in. jk LMAO ;DCPR

Often they will hit a topwater before it ever moves..they must be attrated by the splash. I have had them seemingly take a spinner/buzzbaits out of the air. I do believe at times that splash will creat a reaction just as reaction baits do ;DCPR

Up north it was always with a friend, but since I have moved down here I have fished alone. I live on a lake so I go for a few hours at a time. When I need someone to talk to or tell a story to I come home and the wife listens real good. Best of all she believes all my stories. LOL

I also went there and voted. I would like to know where the 3% that finds this site "much worse" are going. It definately is not a fishing site...this is the best..... ;D ;D

Remind me NOT to fish with you guys....If I am going to be a bum I hope to get the real thing LOL ;DCPR

Bassin4life....good suggestio9n...but if I opened my tackle shop. how could I fish everyda?? LOL

BTW gentlemen...I have recently bought a book called "Shiner Techniques" by Glen Hunter with Tim Tucker. I am about halfway through with it, and it is really interesting. In it he talks of ways to catch wild shiners. There are several ways, but the most interesting is with a ultralite and bread. I'll have to try it someday. If you are really interested in fishing with shiners in Florida then this is a book you should read, I bought it over the internet and I think the cost was 10 bucks, but for a northerner who new nothing about bait fishing it has been pretty enlightning. Thanks for all the help though, I will try some of the suggestions ;D ;D

That's a great idea Abel, but my shed only has 4 walls. and I have 9 tackle boxes. I wish I knew something about ebay, I was looking at some of the stuff I moved down here and know I will never use it. I have like 10 wooden Hellbenders still in the boxes. Are lures from the 1960 to 1975 worth anything. I still had a pack of Mann's (Grape) Jelly Worms unopened LOL ;D

G-Dog....I had to buy a license and I am definately HANDICAPPED LOL!!!!

Welcome Zoso....your nick is how I fish "so-so" LOL and I am just a little luckier than you. I live in Florida and on a lake and fish almost everyday year around ;D ;D

RW...All very good advise...but how do I get bass out of the grass in Florida LOL...You should have written a few more pages and had it published....all very good reading and advise though ;D ;D

G=Dog...I did not catch the 11LBer. it was caught by a young man from Chicago fishing the back of the boat in the recent BASS tourny they had here/ I have caught 2 about 6LBs since I moved in about 6 weeks ago. Honestly I don't weigh till they get closed to 10(I HOPE) LOL ;D

G-Dog...What method do you use to find off shore submerged hydrilla?? Also don't overlook the pads here in the Harris chain

Where I live and fish there in almost no laydowns so I have to go with vegetation, I just have NOT figured out which holds bass and what don't. But I am working on it, caught 4 small ones last evening on the outside of the weedline on a crankbait(Bandit) and a bigger one out in the pads on a buzzbait. So I have not figured out anything LOL ;D