Daniel My Brother

I'm a big fan of BPS rods. I especially llike the power hump with a low profile reel. I barely have to move my thumb to cast. Wait for a sale.

Very clean and simple! I like it!

Great fish. I miss a lot of bass on frogs, too. It happens. Sometimes the stupid fish just misses the bait...at least that what I keep telling myself.

Great fish and pic!

Nice going!

Here's the story with video. Giant! http://www.abc6.com/news/rhodeisland/25731089.html

Maybe he was hoping you'd toss him a worm... ;D

Here's some Alabama health food: 1. Freeze a snickers bar on a stick. 2. Dip it in pancake batter 3. Deep fry to a golden brown. Awesome!!!

When I go fishing I want to catch the most fish and the biggest fish. Maybe it's to boost my low self-esteem, or maybe I'm just greedy. Either way, that's what I want. The exception is when I'm fishing with the kids. There is nothing better than seeing your child succeed in something that you love. Only heartless jerks and Cub fans want to out fish their own children. This morning wasn't looking good. It was just after sunrise and I caught 3 quick fish while Emily struggled to find a bite. Then boom, she hooked into a good one. But just like that the fish jumped, shook its head, and spit the Brush Hog. I wanted to punch that bass in the face. Emily, however, wasn't fazed and proceeded to catch fish after fish while all I could do was watch. Then at one point she hooked a small fish and asked Do you want to reel this one in? I reminded her that nobody likes a 10 year old with a smart mouth. About 30 minutes later she hooked another one. But this one was different. This one was actually pulling drag. Now she had the most fish, and the biggest. The sun got hot, and the wind picked up, so we moved to a quiet shady cove to eat a snack and do some exploring. Cedar Lake in Southern Illinois is my favorite, 40 miles of undeveloped wilderness in the middle of the Shawnee National Forest. Emily chillin' Cliff Sparrow nests Looking up a crevice in the bluff We fished a little more and I managed to salvage a little respect. A great trip that I hope to repeat many times.

Is there a nuclear power plant in the area? How many eyes did it have?

That's a nice bug-eyed bass. Sorry 'bout your pole, how'd it break?

Good report Muddy. Sounds like you were on 'em good today.

A limber tip = a slow tip, which is no good when you're trying to get a good, firm hookset. A fast, or extra-fast tip will help you get a better hookset. Your baitcast setup sounds better suited for plastics. The line could also be a culprit. Mono stretches some on the hookset, and if you're fishing in heavy grass, that vegitation will make it even harder to set the hook. Braid is better in grass. Finally, as always, drop the tip, reel in the slack, and set the hook with a snap of your wrist. Good luck!

It doesn't?! Dang it. Now I gotta change my vote.

Fishing from a boat: I bring 4 rods, 3 baitcasters and 1 spinning. The spinning reel is rigged for dropshotting, a technique I HATE, but will catch fish when nothing else seems to be working. For everything else, I prefer baitcasters. Wading Streams: When wading small streams, the spinning rig is definitely easier to use. Shore Fishing: Depends on the pond. If there are a lot of overhanging limbs to battle, I'll bring a short spinning rod, this usually gives me a more accurate cast with very little arm movement. If I have room to move along shore, I'll choose the baitcaster. This is all personal opinion. Some guys can do it all with a spinning reel. Some guys can do it all with a baitcaster. I like a little of both.

I try to protect them, but if they get scratched, it's really no big deal. It just seems kind of like a trivial thing to waste your time worrying about. Maybe I'd feel differently if I had high dollar gear, but I doubt it.

This makes my day. Welcome back!

Just another relaxing day on the water... WOW!

For better or worse we all make snap judgements about people. When I see a guy in a Ranger tournament shirt at the ramp my first thought is usually Check out this hotshotI hope he forgets to put his plug in. I'm a jerk that way. If I took the time to get to know him, I would probably change my opinion. Since the man in question is Olebiker's neighbor, and they share an interest in bass fishing, I'm guessing he's already gotten to know him and he is, in fact, a hotshot in a Ranger shirt. Therefore, I'm choosing to side with Olebiker on this one and will silently pray that Hotshot Ranger Guy forgets to put his plug in.

I would agree that width is more important than length. I'd take a wide 12' over a narrow 14'. Mine is a 14' x 36" and fishes 2 people comfortably while sitting. Standing is better for fishing alone.

That's amazing! I've seen ads for those boats in magazines, but it's nice to get a first hand report. Very cool cool solution for a big city apartment dweller.

Great story Muddy and Zel! Muddy, We sure do miss you. Dan :'(

I'll bet all of your fishing gear and taclke is made in the USA! : ;D I support U.S. owned companies when I can. You might not be able to find an American TV or a decent American made reel, but you can certainly find plenty of good, quality, American made (and owned) beers. A-B was a great employer for St. Louis, they paid well and were generous in the community. InBev has a reputation for cutting workers. (cue patriotic music here...) I, too, plan to search for a new American brew. It will be an exhaustive journey that may take months, or even years of painstaking research, but as God is my witness, I will once again find the perfect American Beer! USA! USA! USA!

Hey Megastrike, I agree with you, but after the beating you took...I'll just stop here. Dan

Excellent fish!!