reelnmn

This doesn't answer your question but I got the old one at a discounted price and really love everything about it. Haven't held or seen a new one yet.

Love the videos but I couldn't disagree more with the quote. Most tournaments launch at safe light while I have already launched and am setup on my spot by the time they start oozing off. Plus most great bass lakes have multiple ramps so this shouldn't even be a consideration.

I enjoy having a brand new guy in my boat. They are the ones that still get excited over average fish, have a great attitude, and remind me why I love fishing.

I often let my coanglers choose the color I throw. It just doesn't matter that much to me. However, my confidence is increased when using plastics colored black/blue in dirty water or shades of green pumpkin/watermelon in clearer water. My first instinct when not getting bit isn't I'm throwing the wrong color but I'm in the wrong place/wrong time. Multiple times last year coanglers outfished me though and it was difficult not to wonder if color or presentation was the key. In the end I chalk it up to differing techniques and pure chance.

Own a procraft 180dc with a 135 early 90s model. Mine is very good in rough water. I have no concerns until winds get above 35. Zero stress cracks. A couple considerations: 1. Make sure the transom isn't rotten by removing old transom screws and checking for water drainage or soft wood being removed with the screw. 2. Front livewell drain. Not sure about the model you are looking at but my front livewell overfill drain exits the boat at the right rod locker...under the water line. This area was poorly sealed and had significant wood rot.

I've never felt the need for a bag for my rods. I have each rod in a glove then have a velcro wrap around the rods. If you're bag can be stowed at your feet there should be no issue. I couldn't tell from the post if you already have the 3710 or thats the one you are looking at. I personally have the 3600 that will stay at my feet, then I keep shedded gear in a storage compartment.

If this is your first tournament my #1 suggestion would be to practice like it is a tournament after ice out. Launch at 7am and weigh in at 3pm (or whatever actual times are). Keep track of your weights and decisions that led to those weights. Practicing like it is tournament day also improves your culling technique. I've seen many times where a coangler wastes 15 minutes or more culling one fish. It should be less than 90 seconds per fish. Is it a team or draw tournament? If there will be another angler with you then take another angler with you while practicing. This should introduce you to potential problems such as the battery being insufficient to support multiple livewell pumps all day, limited space, gas required to run from spot to spot, etc. Finally I would suggest focusing less on the magic bait, color, etc and more on locating bass. There have been multiple great structure threads that you can read along with books such as In Pursuit of Giant Bass and Buck Perry's articles (just ordered his guidelines for my off season reading).

I prefer not to put a hole in the fish if I don't have to. You have to be careful when placing the hook behind the gill plate. You can definitely do damage back there. I will be adding the Fish Grip Fish Holder to my boat soon. Seen these in use and seems like a quick method to weigh fish.

I agree with the Soft breaks on hard breaks concept. There is a hump big smallmouth use here in a very discreet location. Early in the morning, the sun comes up over a point about 100 yards from this hump and casts a shadow over the face of the hump. The shadow line exists for only about 10-15 minutes but it is fish after fish during that window. I've tried extrapolating elsewhere but haven't found anything close to this area.

@Team9nine. Thanks for the articles. @ deep. Bill Murphy's book is a great read. But the majority of my lakes have access to 100+ feet of water in multiple regions of the lake. I have drop shotted with success out to 70' and do not have a desire to go any further. It's just too much risk to the fish even when taking precautions. I also agree that when talking structure fishing you must consider forage. My next question would be how are feeding grounds located and what defines them? Does consistent forage in a given area constitute a feeding area? For instance, a main lake point extends out then drops into the deepest water in the area. (Fig 2 on Team9nine’s other Buck Perry article in the other thread) 9 times out of 10 I would start searching/fishing at that drop on the end. Then begin working towards either corner depending on which offered the better breakline. My instinct says the “feeding grounds” would be on top of the point. Fish would then tend to follow a logical path from the deep sanctuary to the feeding ground following either the bar’s breakline (depth) or breaks (stumps, rock piles, etc) along the way? Of course as Catt mentioned the fish could be suspended over the deep water area. How would this change effect migration towards feeding grounds?

Great observations gentlemen. My experience has been very similar but also different. This past spring I chose to fish an area that was textbook perfect. Shallow water flat extending from 2-8'. A nice breakline at 8-12' extending down to 12'-20' with an old creek weaving through the middle. This is the only flat with any substantial size on the entire lake. Smallmouth were in prespawn/spawn and I just knew the bigger females would stack on that ledge. Never happened though. The fish were related to the more typical structure they relate to all year - offshore humps/points in 25-40'. These are smallmouths so this could be the reason...and water clarity suggests these fish could spawn in 12-15' so that could be another factor. It seems like the consensus to structure fishing is finding the difference or as RoLo mentioned Priority of Poverty. An area that would give fish an advantage over prey and concentrate these predators into a fishable/managable area.

First, let me say thank you to the members who have contributed to the structure threads. They are some great reads and provide a great deal of insight to the greatest obstacle in fishing - locating bass. What has been discussed mainly pertains to lowland reservoirs. I do not have access to any of Buck Perry's material so I would like to spark discussion regarding highland reservoirs. The article posted http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/149344-alright-deep-lets-talk-structure/ shows highland reservoirs contain steep bluff walls where the majority of fish have readily available access to deep water. In my opinion access to deep water nearly becomes irrevelant since nearly each location meets this criteria. What then becomes the emphasis in eliminating water? I would think breaks and breaklines become more and more important. However, most highland reservoirs I have fish have miles and miles of boulders to fish.

Drop shot is my go to. If I need to determine if fish are in the area this is what I'm throwing. Over the last two years my top 15 smallies have ALL came off the drop shot. I would say it is a must to learn.

Never used autochart so I can't offer any advice on this program. Reefmaster is a great program but you do not get the SI mosaics and bottom composition. These are additional features that must be purchased. In the waters I fish I have not found them to be worth it. Humminbird does not allow you to upload your own AT5 maps like Lowrance. Therefore Reefmaster extracts the contour lines as tracks which get uploaded to your unit. This is still incredibly useful. Not sure what you mean by printing the map??

Green pumpkin no flake - Water clarity between 2-4 ft, depth 8-12 feet Green pumpkin blk flake - Water clarity 2-4; depth 12-25 ft Green pumpkin magic flk - Fluke style baits; water clarity 2-4; most depths Watermelon no flake - water clarity 10+; most depths Watermelon blk flake - worm style baits; water clarity 5-10 ft; depth 4-12 ft Watermelon red flake - worm styles; water clarity 5-10 ft; depth 12+ ft Watermelon gold flake - fluke styles; water clarity 5+ ft; most depths Watermelon magic - fluke styles; 3-5 ft; most depths

Mike, based on what you've said you should definitely move up. I had a blast last year and would definitely do it again. Unfortunately I'll be moving in the next 6 months and would be forced to travel 2000 miles round trip per event.

I have an older Procraft as well and wiring has been a constant battle. I would dike the wires relatively close to the pumps...then touch the appropriate wires to the battery terminals. You will know within seconds if the pump is the issue. If the pump is good, then it is either wiring, switch, or circuit breaker. Just because your switch light has power does not mean the switch has power. I have had a livewell wire shaken loose during a tournament; the pump stopped working, light was on, timer wouldn't work but pump operated when directly connected to battery. As mentioned check your circuit breakers. My Procraft circuit breakers are built into the console. When I bought my boat two of these CBs were bad and had been jumped to bipass them. If these come loose then the switch won't work as well. You shouldn't have to throw a dime at this problem until you know the exact issue.

As you use a technique more and more, I think you can develop the sense you are describing. For me it's on the drop shot. One local lake smallies take the bait incredibly lightly. Describing a bite to a newcomber is almost impossible and they usually get frustrated very quickly. But like you said, I sense that something has changed. It's not a tap or slack line or the typical bite, but just a sense that something has happened.

Greatest myth ever is the current "bite" or what the fish "want". Every time I read you have to keep fishing until you find what the fish "want" that day or that there is an awesome crankbait "bite" right now, I laugh a little.

What's your long and short term goals and how important is return on your investment? In my local club guys own small aluminum boats, 70k bass rigs, and ski boats. But we are talking <$40 entry fees and 10-15 boat field. If you want to move up and will have coanglers fishing with you I suggest looking at moving to a bigger boat or fishing as a coangler. If your intention is to measure yourself against the competition then go out the same days as the tournament and weigh your best 5. See how that stacks up to the competition at weigh in. If your goal is to improve and learn new techniques then fish as a coangler. The latter was what I chose to do this year. My personal opinion is that the ROI is not there for me to justify fishing the BFLs. I mean a top 10 in a 100+ boat field as a BOATER and your lucky to win $500. Between $220 entry fees, gas, hotels, food, etc there is just no way to recoup money. I chose to fish the Rayovacs. Higher buyins but a greater payback.

8' 4" Sturgeon in the Snake River. Caught on a Dobyns 795ML swimbait rod, Curado 300, and 25lb Maxima green mono. Battle lasted just under an hour and got the whole thing on video. Will never forget it.

I bet its love at first sight

Catt that was my point. If Dottie had never been caught at 25.1 many people would have assumed Lake Dixon was 'capped' at roughly 22lbs. I personally believe Idaho has the potential to break the smallmouth record. Many people will say that is impossible because none have been caught over 10lbs. However, the smallie pressure on these few lakes that have that potential is nearly zero. I can go a week without seeing another bass fisherman. Just because a 10 has not been publicly caught does not mean that Idaho is 'capped' at our state record of 9lb 11oz. Also look at Pardee in Cali. Nothing over 10 yet but on its upswing it showed it could produce giants. Get the timing right with the increased angler awareness about negative impacts of social media and a record could easily be produced there. Chris

I really enjoy these conversations. With that said I disagree with a lot of the major opinions. #1 If a lake hasn't produced a catch of 15lbs then it can't produce a 20lb fish. Biologically this makes perfect sense as a bass must reach 15lbs before it reaches 20. However, that doesn't mean it will ever be caught at 15 or 16 or 17... The perfect example of this is Dixon. The unofficial top 25 listings shows a 21.69 (2003), 20.75 (2001), and 19.44 (2003). By this assumption there is no way a 25.1 bass could be caught in 2006 because we hadn't seen any 22s, 23s, or 24s. #2 No giant bass recently. Big bass hunters have gotten a lot smarter in the last 15 years. Anglers have witnessed California lakes receive huge amounts of pressure when a giant is publicly shared. The guys who religiously pursue the world record are not going to post a 19, and certainly not anything bigger in hopes of catching that same fish once she has reached "the" mark. If it's not THE fish a quick picture and back in the water without the world knowing. #3 I think we will see a new Spotted and Smallmouth Bass record in the next 10 years. I see the spot coming out of California and the Smallie coming somewhere very far away from the TVA or Great Lakes.

gulfcaptain ill pm you details about havasu