Shoop05

I wasn't so much focussed on time as I was basically what your Go To baits would be when looking for a Keeper and Kicker

Im fishing as a co angler this year. Next year I will run as a boater. Buckeye Division

Who's fishing in the BFL this year? Which divisions? Im looking for guys in the Buckeye division, but love reading about all divisions.

Some tournaments you draw your boater right at the ramp, this can make things tough. In these cases I would say scout out what the lake offers, ie vegetation, wood, rocks, etc, and set up some rigs to attack these situations. You have to be prepared to fish fast, and slow, especially if you don't draw until the morning of. I agree with Felix77, 5 rods is plenty, some guys don't mind 6, others only take 4. I would set up a couple horizontal presentations and a couple vertical presentations, all with lures I have confidence in. Then you just adjust and go from there.

I know alot of guys who base these decisions on time. I can't do that. I go with a gut feeling. Sometimes I just don't feel like a certain technique is working, so I will switch. Alot has to do with confidence. I really like to junk fish, so that plays into what I will throw. Different baits work different cover and structure better, so I will use an array of baits sometimes. I just love catching em'. My favorite days are when people ask, " what did you catch your 5 on?" and I get to reply, " I caught em' on 5 different baits!" You have to love that!

Yeah, on tough days that is usually my issue as well. I may have 5, but may only have 6 or 7 pounds. So in reality 2 or 3 really quality fish beat me. I don't know, I always set a goal to fill a limit. That's just a personal goal I set for myself in each day of each tournament.

My day usually starts out with at least one of these lures tied on. In the warmer months however, I do like throwing horizontal baits, targeting active fish. I can usually tell how that's going to work out pretty quickly, and will go back and forth until I can pattern the fish. On those tough days however, unless drastic changes occur, I will throw my "panic box" baits all day. Usually this will result in a full livewell.

Hey guys, I posted the "panic box" thread, to ask this one. With so many of us having "go to" baits, and alot of us having more than one, why do we wait until we have wasted 7 hours of our tournament to turn to these things??? Why don't we start using these to fill our livewells in the beginning? Then experiment once we get our limit? Let's hear your feedback!

Really man? I don't care if you like him or not, how could you wish that on anyone? What about his Marshall? Did he deserve it too? Use your head, just because you don't like someone isn't an excuse for you to want them to be hurt or killed. Bad juju brother

Warm Water- Chartreuse/Orange/or Black Spinnerbait with matching painted dual Colorado blades. Cold Water- Black Jig w/ black plastic craw trailer plus rattle

I don't think they are conditioned to the bait as much as the presentation. Bass don't really eat the minnow or shad that swims normal, (like most guys retrieve their crankbaits or spinnerbaits), it's the guys that do something different to the bait that get bit. Erratic retrieves, etc. Also, a lot of times guys fish it too fast or slow. It's great to think that we can pick up a fast moving bait and bust bass every time. That just doesn't work. Then we have to slow down and we have 1 of 2 ways to effectively work vertical baits, either as natural as possible, or so erratic the fish can't stand it, or don't have time to see it.

It's a free meal for any fish then. Even the true predators that like live bait will get the ones that are barely hanging on. It can get tough, but fish definately know what is going on and will be somewhat in the area.

My panic for a keeper is a Zoom Big Critter Craw (Grn Pmpkn or Black and Blue depending on water clarity) on a 1/4oz shaky head with a rattle in the craw, and hit every piece of visible cover I could find. My panic for a kicker is a 1/2 to 1 ounce Strike King Flippin' Jig tipped with a zoom big critter craw as a trailer, same colors as above, and hit the sloppy stuff or really thick stuff on my flippin' stick. When in doubt, I head for the bushes!!!

Sorry guys, I shouldve been more specific. Now I can't put every situation up here, ex water color, temp, etc. How about 1 choice for a keeper, and your 1 choice for a kicker?

You are fishing in a relatively tough tournament. You need one fish and you only have 1 hour, it's panic mode time. What lure/setup do you choose? What kind of water do you look for? Ex. laydowns, vegetation, humps, riprap etc. Just want to see the different thought patterns!

Just be polite, and things will go well. Offer up some gas money. Most of us are good guys and there won't be any issue. Every once in awhile you will get a jerk, that's just the nature of the beast. Most important, be organized! Don't trash your tacklebox or bookbag looking for something. Have fun and remember why you're there........ to win a tournament. So stay focused and get it done! Good luck!

I really do like Hank Cherry though. Poor guy was almost in tears when he had to watch himself lose that giant on the last day. Way to rub it in B.A.S.S. Anyways, I hope to see alot more of Hank, Brandon Palaniuk, and John Carter in the future. Something about Cherry's dimeanor though, makes him one of my favorites.

In a perfect situation, I think we would all love to be able to pound the bank plucking 5 pounders out of heavy visible cover. I have learned to adapt fishing all across the country, and I have to say even though it takes a while to get the hang of, catching bass in deep water with cover on structure is a killer. Brush piles or logs on a hump in 15 feet of water. You can catch some real heffers this way. Conditions play into different styles so I try to be versitle. I really do like pig sticking in deeper water though, especially for bronze beauties!

Hey, so a week after the classic is over, and I was just wondering what everyone thinks of Cliff Pace? He's a quiet guy, but a heck of a hard worker. Im happy for him, and I think he was in shock when he won, and why we didn't see much emotion.

I see humps and my eyes get big. Haha. In all honesty, it would depend on the weeks leading up to it for me. If it was a chilly winter, I would focus on these deeper humps out off shore. Then the channel breaks where it starts tapering off deep. Bass will begin moving from these deep holes towards spawning flats, so if you can find an avenue between the two, you should be set. Tubes, jigs, jerkbaits, and maybe some spinnerbaits if you're on a warming trend. Just remember, you'll be fishing when bass are in the prespawn, unless it's unseasonably warm and water temp hits 60's. Therefore, find the forage, you find the bass. Good luck and let us know how you do!

First off, Id say this is a reason to always bring a camera, scale, and tape. Id get pictures, measure it, and release it. Now if getting it certified meant killing it, I really don't know. I love seeing GIANT bass, and I really feel bad when one dies. That's just my love for the sport. Secondly, if this is a real picture, (it looks photoshopped) I wish he would actually hold this beast the way it's supposed to be held, by the belly. I hate seeing people hold big bass this way, it could dislocate it's jaw, and basically end up killing it anyway. It's really up to the angler though. A picture of it on a scale would be hanging on my wall, and that's enough for me.

I don't want to count any eggs before they hatch, but my guys are looking pretty good so far through day 1, I know these are estimates, but even if theyre close, all 5 of my guys are in the top 30 and 3 are in the top 10. Hows yours doing?

Yea, I have no issue with it. These guys are marketing their products. It's nice to see the ties to each company.

Ya, Van Dam and Ike do it too. They all do really, but sometimes Van Dam and Ike are obvious about it.

Yeah, I feel the same. I understand there is a huge check on the line, but at the same time some guys whine and complain alot more than others. The funny thing about Ish making that comment, is that Shaw has probably forgotten more about fishing than Ish has learned. I just think that the guys that have been around that long deserve a few extra seconds explaining techniques.