FlipnLimits

I associate with the advise given above. You'll never know what other teams are doing during the tournament and dock talk is BS. You will not win every tournament You must have a limit to have a chance to win. I know, go for the big ones because that's what it takes to win. That is great in theory! But try to catch 5 big-only fish per tourney, lol. Get a limit!!! Then work on upgrading. If you don't catch limits most times you fish, then your goal should be to catch a limit. If you catch limits most of the time, then you know how to look for bigger fish or how to up your odds of catching bigger fish. Without a doubt, get your limit first and it should be a goal every tournament. Around here, in early Spring, 3-4 fish may win a tournament or get you some cash, so imagine what a limit can do. If someone hunted just the big ones, he'd miss out on catching a regular limit and winning a tournament. FL

Well guess what? The bill was cancelled and all the votes against the bill disappeared. Right after this happened, a new bill was created and everybody that voted, will need to vote again. The FWA is in trouble again! Please place your vote again. This was rather sneaky and shameful how it was done!

Give those burrs a scrub and enjoy your good conditioned prop! The dings are on the edge as is normal for chunkin through gravel and you have no bends in the actual blade. It's not perfect obviously, but still plenty good. FL

Chris If your boat is shaking and rattling, it's time. If you aren't getting the same top speed, it's time. If you lose an ear to your prop, it's time. Keep in mind, a single dent will slow your boat down a couple mph. But I've seen guys run 'em when they have almost nothing left for propulsion I'd say, if the prop is dinged on the edge of an ear, it's fine but if the ear has a bend to it, it should be addressed. FL

That's a great reply, in my opinion. Recalling my humble start in this sport and hobby, I'll gladly debate that the most successful fishermen had their start in small and slow boats. I recall fishing against the big 150's (huge in the day) while I was putting along to my fishing spots in my slow little rig. They blew past me coming and going and they always ran around, it seemed. Knowing I cannot cover water like that, I made the most of each fishing hole knowing I wasn't moving any time soon. Fishing 4-5 areas, was a lot. It teaches to surgically pick everything apart with an assortment of baits. Eventually you learn what works and doesn't and you fish more effectively. After a number of years, my boats got bigger and faster but my fishing is exactly the same as the humble beginnings. Now I can run with them, but don't. I'm still amazed that after an 0600 start, there are guys running around by 0700. I always figure they must have lots of money to spend on gas or something but I'll fish my slow, methodical, surgical type of fishing. I realize some guys stop to fish a single depression, rock, stump, log, etc. and thus they move quick but the majority are just pumped up all day and want to use those nice boats. So as Slone has accurately put it, the guys in the metal boats shouldn't fret, they can be competitive in most waters.

Thank you, just saw some posts on it. I also don't FB, never have.

I may have shipped 50 or more rods throughout the years and have found PVC to be the best. It's more expensive, but so is my equipment. Spend the money on PVC. Rod tubes made of plastic and cardboard can bend, crack, and crush. PVC is tougher than either of them. FL

Hi, may I ask where you learned this? Can you post a link? I'm still receiving email asking to sign petitions and wanted to update some folks. Thank you

If it must be one, I'd go with the locator. The GoPro is a fun thing though. And it can help your fishing by reviewing certain aspects of your game. FL

That's horrible! You actually have New toys to play with and can't do it, I'm truly sorry. lol I also have some new toys so I'm in the same boat as you, friend. Move over, I'll pray with ya!

You're not kidding! Another short season on northern ILL lakes. Brutal

Ha. Who you callin' "knots"? My shrink said we're just fine Remember Shimano's ad.....For the rich there's therapy, for the rest of us, there's bassfishing. Great add! just some good debate here is all. May we all be blessed with health and big bass.

Death and taxes are a must, lol. I learned to punch with a Snell and it's done well for me, so I share that info. Been Texas rigging with Palomar knots for longer than I care to admit and haven't had a bullet break the knot, ever, from what I know of. It's the strongest knot I know of. That's not the point though, the point is, what works for you is what you should use. There is no right and wrong, but there's an odds ratio that factors in though. Keep stacking the odds in your favor by small percentages, here and there, and suddenly you see successes. And yes, bass clamp down on baits and sometimes it may be tougher to move the bait through their mouths but I'd rarely attribute a missed hookset to it. I can't prove it to be true and nobody can say it's not. It's more than likely that the hook turned to a horizontal position and slipped out through the bass' mouth or the plastic balled-up on the hook. It just happens sometimes. The Snell changes the angle of the hook when the bullet sits on it, so it's a selling feature for me and it MAY "up" the odds of a hookup. Does it? Maybe, maybe not. Does using green line in stained water up the odds line-shy bass can't see it? Do up-sized trebles on cranks up the odds of hookups? Using glass rods for cranking "up" the odds of landing the fish? The answer may be "no" to all of these but I'll take my chances on the odds that it "MAY". It doesn't cost anything to gamble on these odds. I'll always try to "up" my odds My advise to anyone, always is, do what works for your style of fishing because nothing is wrong or right. None of us would mind having more odds in our favor though, right? Catt, I'm here to learn from you and will always try to learn from your posts, and other peoples. I already know what I know, whether it's good or bad. I don't like to change my fishing much these days but will experiment during practice, why not.

LOL, that's what I tell the 22 year olds I fish against.... then I pull out the Josh 11A and they call me grampa. I have used this trailer from my start, granted plastics get the nod most of the year.

Fun post! Not sure if original spooks have lead but they're one knockers, only 2 left in my boat and they're for tournaments only. One super spot left but it's retired (don't want to lose it). I still throw a sluggo, it's a great bait. Never learned any inline baits for some reason. Even baits from just 5 years ago are outdated and bass don't see them any more. Culprit worms were great, they were all tail. Memory Lane! And some not even that old. It's funny to think my baits are "old school" when I'm only in my 40's, like many of the forum members here.

That's fantastic, that Palomar holds nearly 100% line strength. Maybe it's the "straight up" hookset that sticks the top of the mouth, not so much the Snell Knot?! Can't really say, always used the Snell for punching. Either way, 90% is what should be expected and I use the Snell Knot for punching. Palomar and Blood for all other apps.

That is why I was shocked to hear folks losing so many punch fish. I estimate 90%, or close to, as a hook/land ratio. Some do get hung in weeds but kick-up the Kota and get 'er done.

One last observation of the Snell Knot. You tend to hook the bass in the top of the mouth, if using a sweeping hookset, and the hook is lodged so well he rarely shakes it. Think of hooking a bass with a jig when the jig is wedged and you have to give it a palm smack to free it. Much different than hooking a fish in the lower jaw or the side of the mouth. FL

LOL, rusty hooks. Nice to have those lures though!

Great list. Have used all of them and still use Traps and Rogues.

Great replies so far! I also liked the Wiggle Wart. Ok, one of mine. I like the old Mann's -1. The new ones don't have the same color, rattle chamber, amount of bb's, and are of a different material. I always scoop-up older ones, repaint, and have them clear coated. FL

Forum members Just had a thought and seeking your input. On another thread, we are discussing fishing line that was developed 10 years ago (or more now) and comparing it to new line on the market from the same company. Some members agree that the "old stuff" may be just as good as the new stuff. Please share your baits/lures of yesteryear that you use today, even though newer versions/products may be available. For example, I use the original Terminator spinnerbaits as I see nothing improved in the new ones. I use old plastics that are not for sale now or new "formulas" have been released. Fellow member, DarrenM, and I agreed it may be an "advertisor's web" we are caught in. I hope you don't mind your mention, Darren. You share credit for for the start of this thread, thank you. Please post your old bait versions you feel are better than new versions. You know, old one-knocker cranks! Or old designs of tackle/equipment you still use. Thank you FL

Lol, don't we just love our wives!? My wife has a heart attack when I share the "fishing" bill with her. I am open about it and food money isn't spent on it so she's ok with that. Haven't tried Sufix braid but my partner has, he came back also, for what it's worth.

Thank you for your reply. Spiderwire had/has a coating that came off and it was annoying, so switched to PP years ago. Sounds like no great improvements in the SS so staying with the original formula. Thanks!

Darren, like you, I always go back after trying other brands. Sometimes I wonder why I even try other brands, as regular PP is really quite good. I've also heard SS is quieter but the original hasn't hurt my ears so not really a problem there Makes you wonder if we are victims of advertising as there is no fault with some of the original products we use.