reelnmn

Bass fisherman are notoriously gullible for anything to catch more fish. I've been looking to buy a used unit for some time to test the hype. The problem is you rarely find these for sale. If I buy a $400 unit and I don't see a difference in the first few trips I'm putting it up for sale to recoup losses. Apparently this doesn't happen for those that have made the purchase.

gulfcaptain pretty much nailed it. I fished as a co in the western series this year. I planned $500 for the event and about $700 in additional costs. This included 8-12 hours driving each way, lodging, food, boater gas, etc. I left on Sundays and fished Monday through the tournament. All my tournaments were out of state and gas costs were the biggest factor. If you have tournaments local that will reduce costs big time. I know cost is a huge deterrent for most people but I look at this as an investment. For the Cal Delta tournament, I fished 3 practice days and 3 tournament days each with different pros. The amount of knowledge I was able to get from that signle tournament far exceeds the entry fees and costs to fish it. Plus on the last day I was competing to win a boat. The way I look at it is I spent $1200 to get a 6 day guided, all inclusive trip on the delta. You can't beat that

Yes. In 2012 my average 5 fish limit weighed 9lbs. 2013 - 10.5. This year it soared to nearly 12.5lbs. Determining location was the primary factor to increasing size. I plan to expand on these areas as well as go from fishing primarly finesse baits (dropshots, senkos, etc) to targeting larger fish with swimbaits, larger crankbaits, jigs, big tubes, etc. The goal is to average 15lbs per day.

I personally feel like this whole notion of 'if fish aren't biting xyz' on a particular day to be complete bs. I vary lure selection to match the cover/structure I am fishing. I change lures between trying to get fish to react or coax them into biting. If you spent the entire year specifically locating fish, I bet your catch rate would go up regardless of lure selection.

I'm quite suprised by some of the high weights. This year in tournaments my average weight was just over 14lb so you might expect me to say 3 lb average as well. However, I caught at least 20 other fish to get to this weight...meaning my average was closer to 1.9-2.1 pounds. 3.5-4 lb average smallies...so you guys are catching as many 6lbers as 2s? That's impressive. I know Dwight has some incredible pictures to proove otherwise but I would think enough 2-2.5lb fish would be mixed in to bring the average down.

Everytime I fish an FLW tournament as a coangler this is exactly what I do. The only time I have had anyone tell me no is when they already had a practice partner scheduled for the day. Be friendly, organized, and offer to split gas costs. I typically give $40, but a lot of the guys I fish with have traveled hundreds of miles to fish. If I were you I would give $20 everytime. It's also important to understand everyone fishes differently. Some guys will camp on one spot and fish 4 hours whereas another guy may parallel the bank fishing a crankbait with the trolling motor on high. It's easy to get frustrated and upset leading you to blame the boater. Don't. Take it as a challenge, learn how/why the are or aren't catching fish and figure out a way to effectively fish behind them. Good luck and good fishing.

A typical drop shot day for me is between 20-40 smallies with an average size of about 14-15" with a couple 3+ lb fish. I'm looking to target those larger fish by fishing larger baits (ie magnum flukes, rage tail lobsters, 5+" swimbaits, etc). However, I'm having trouble figuring out an effective rigging method. Nose hooking seems like it would be ineffective and I'm concerned that an EWG would have to be too big to be effective. Thoughts or ideas? Anyone out there use larger baits on a DS for smallies?

From my experience large smallies will consistently use particular areas that are advantageous to them. Look for small ledges, long tapering points, humps, isolated grass or rock. Side imaging is invaluable in finding these pieces of cover and structure. When you find these areas its all about rotating through key spots to try to be there when they are. Also, lakes can vary significantly. If there is any current fish will position and move more like river smallmouth which behave more like the here today gone tomorrow you seem to be experiencing. Drop shot is the only technique I have the utmost confidence in. If there are fish in the area I WILL get bit. So from there it is all about moving around an area to locate larger fish.

Ummm ok. My post was not in regards to the location of the event, the size of bass, or anglers themselves; but rather the lack of attention to detail that is displayed in the pictures. The check numerically is written for $500 but in cursive reads $550. And Dean Rojas was labeled Alton Jones on the Live Blog. I didn't dig for these details I was simply reading the Live Blog at work and scrolled through the end of day photos. I wasn't searching for BASS's miscues, I was just keeping up with the tournament like I always do. These errors jumped out and I am surprised they exist at this level in our sport.

For some reason this is more irritating than funny. This is the pinnacle of bass fishing and they don't have the oversight to get these details correct?!?! This is just from today on the St John's... This was originally titled Alton with 7lber for most of the day. Clearly this is not Alton but Dean Rojas. The caption was changed later, but the image is still titled jones_7.jpg. Since his marshall took the photo I wonder if he was calling Dean, Alton all day or if this was a blogger's mistake. And sifting through the weigh in photos I found this one that had me shaking my head. Is it $500 or $550? I'm sure there are more, but C'MON BASSMASTER!

The GoPro and DT6 footage was already addressed on his Facebook page. Wasn't there so I cannot personally confirm... "The GoPro Video was first thing in the morning... when he was using a different bait with more red in it. Don't worry - you will see plenty of this actual bait on the TV show. When the TV Cameras got there - he had already switched to this bait. He culled all day with this one bait. There were plenty of people there to witness this, plus the real camera footage will show it."

I'm looking for jigheads for umbrella rigs similar in style to the Buckeye J Will head. Anyone know any other manufacturers or pour their own? Chris

Been meaning to order from Paul Krew for a while now. But he makes just about anything in any color. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.109858445886607.1073741841.109695125902939&type=1

To add to what Megastink said, a drop shot rig could be fished like a C rig but the opposite is impossible. Also with a C rig you have to feel the bait through the weight/swivel on the line. Fishing a drop shot the hook and fish is the first thing I feel. On a light bite this is essential.

Color selection. Just take a look at Yamamoto senkos. A popular online tackle store stocks 74 different colors of this one bait... C'MON MAN!!!

Megastink, I just finished packing for a tournament. I bought a medium sized duffel bag at Wal-Mart for about $12 that I use to store my tackle...no need for a $60 bag IMO. This is how I decided to organize. Left side pocket is cull equipment. I have 6 cull tags, scale, accu cull board, and please release me for bleeding fish. Right pocket is spare line and reels. Line size will depend on the lake. This tournament has clear water and I will be drop shotting...so 1 10lb spool, 4/6/7 lb fluoro leader spools and some braid. One spinning/bc spare reel. The center pocket contains a very small bag of spinnerbaits, pliers, scissors, and dikes. I pack differently for each tournament. So for this one the majority of my stuff is drop shot plastics. I do carry one jig 3700, one 3700 for terminal tackle, a jerkbait/topwater box, crankbait 3700, and a 3731 for my drop shot weights and favorite plastics. Off to the side of the 3700 I pack my plastics according to their use. Worms go in a gallon ziplock bag, drop shots in another, flukes in another. The biggest key is eliminating plastics. Go with your most confident colors. I've never been concerned that my angler was fishing watermelon magic and I only had watermelon black flk so I eliminate my color selection tremendously. For instance, for shakyhead worms I am only taking two colors. Hope this helps.

Thanks guys for the humor and info. I'll try the upside down trick next time out.

Just wanted to see how you guys fizz during a tournament. During a smallmouth tournament earlier this year I had to fizz every fish I caught...even though they were only caught in about 15 FOW. My best 5 nearly 20 lbs. There were several times when I was just about to stick the needle in and the fish would go flopping. Does anyone use a holder of some sort to keep the fish still while fizzing? I was thinking about one of those crappie measurement boards like this may help...just add a bungee cord near the tail end... Has anyone else almost stabbed themselves while trying fizz? Looking for a safer remedy on these big smallies.

Recently my 15 year old FF on the bow went out. I would like to replace this old unit with a used FF that has a quality GPS and a good size screen. I don't need DI or SI and I'm on a budget. Would like to keep this under $400 but also would like the biggest screen possible. I will primarily be using this to drop shot on small rock piles in the lakes I fish. The current unit off my transom is a Humminbird 998si. I would prefer to have another HBird to make waypoint sharing easier but it isn't 100% necessary. Any suggestions? Chris

I've own a 1993 Procraft 180 with a big livewell. At the end of a fishing day I always seem to have issues with crawdad pieces getting lodged in the drain valve or pump. Does anyone know of any commercial products or homemade contraptions they use to prevent this? The drain is located in a strange location. I've attached a picture to give you a better idea of the location. Looking at the picture it is just to the left of the center divide mold line. Chris

Unfortunately this year I have to winterize my boat and call it quits until spring. So I've decided to take some time and thoroughly inspect my boat, engine, etc. In doing so, I found what appears to be a small leak. Here's a picture showing the area. It is located on the transom and there is no obvious damage on the outside or inside. Would you be concerned? And what would be the best way to find the leak?

This week I was fishing a shallow windy flat and was blown into a rock I couldn't see. It chipped some of the clear coat on the hull off and I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a repair method? Here's some pictures of the damage.

I have 3 batteries in my boat. One for cranking that is rated @ 750CCA. The other two are used for the 24V trolling motor. Both are 29 series batteries rated at 875CA. My question is which battery should I hook the accessories up to? IE: Nav lights, fish finders, etc Thanks Chris

Boat is a 1993 Procraft (183 I think) The Lowrance transducer was already installed in that location when I purchased the boat. Is that a bad install location as well? I planned on removing all the extra components once I have the Humminbird unit fully operational. My expectations for the Bird? To give good SI and DI at speeds up to about 6mph. I'll have XP-9-20 thru hull installed for on plane depth readings. Where do you recommend it being installed? I can try to get some better pictures if that would help.

Thanks Rhino, I had read some of your other posts on similar subjects and was hoping you would chime in. Do you recommend using the liquid epoxy or the putty? I would think the putty would be easier/cleaner to work with but didn't know if it would be as effective. Chris