Daniel My Brother

Look how big his fingers are in relation to the size of the fish. That's no record, but it's a great fish story. ;D Welcome stepchild.

For bluegill I like small bits of nightcrawler. For Crappie nothing beats live minnows. If you'd rather use artificials, try a small marabou tail jig fished vertically.

Asian carp have no business in American waters. They escaped from fish farms into central U.S. waterways during flooding and threaten to drive out native species. There is a huge battle going on right now to keep them out of the Great Lakes. Snag as many as you can. Don't throw any back. This is a serious problem that has been highlighted on several national news reports. Watch this story from CNN to learn more http://moldychum.typepad.com/moldy_chum/2007/06/cnn-reporter-le.html Dude...If your going to keep a fish at least eat it dont just kill it for the sake of killing it. Also I dont get why people HATE carp so much. They grow to huge sizes and put up a huge fight. Its like haveing a torpedo on the end of your line. They are not a trash fish at all. Infact they are a GREAT game fish. Also they are not that bad for the native species such as bass, catfish, panfish,crappie, trout that we like to catch. They are a vegetarian fish. The lakes I fish have both bass and carp in them and the carp population is not out of control and the bass population is very stable. Also in most parts of the united states large mouth bass are not a native species if I am not mistaken and they do not damage the population of other fish in the lakes. They have now become the most targed and favorite fish of most united states fishermen. Asian carp are NOT like common carp (which are not vegetarian) or grass carp which do not reproduce. PLEASE watch the story, and you will see what I mean. These fish are a menace. They are filter feeders, so the only way to catch them is snagging, netting, or with a baseball mitt. Again, watch the story...it's quite entertaining.

Asian carp have no business in American waters. They escaped from fish farms into central U.S. waterways during flooding and threaten to drive out native species. There is a huge battle going on right now to keep them out of the Great Lakes. Snag as many as you can. Don't throw any back. This is a serious problem that has been highlighted on several national news reports. Watch this story from CNN to learn more http://moldychum.typepad.com/moldy_chum/2007/06/cnn-reporter-le.html

I've been wading in streams for smallmouth lately. Usually under a canopy of trees. The water is cooler, the shade feels great, and the fish are more actively biting. :) Unfortunately, the fish are also a bit smaller. :-[

Ouch. :-X Some days you're better off not getting out of bed. I've had the power steering rack replaced twice on my Ford Windstar. It's an expensive mess to fix. I wish you better luck tomorrow.

Now THAT's how you break in a new lure. Nice fish.

Excuse me???????????? You will notice the metal prongs in the lip. That is a boga grip. One of the few scales that IGFA will certify. I have been around this forum waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too long to have someone question me about the weight of a fish. If I say it weighs 5lb.8oz's than you can bet it does. Any idiot with a camera and the desire to do so can make a 3 lber look like an 8 lber. it's all in the angles, the lenses, distance from the subject and a host of other technical tricks. I will kid around alot, and I can take a joke as well as dish it out. But you sir, are calling me a liar. I can't ignore that, and expect an apology. I'm going to jump in on this, even though it's sooooo none of my business. BUT...when I first read your post I thought the same thing, that bass doesn't look that big, but I didn't say anything because I'm certain you wouldn't lie about that. It was only AFTER I read your most recent post that I realized the fish you are describing first, is actually the second one pictured...and the fish you are describing second is actually the first one pictured. So the fish I thought you said was over five, was actually the 3 pounder. And the first picture? Well, it's just impossible to guess from just the head. I only mention this because I spend a lot of time reading posts in the Central States section where basspro05 hangs out, and he seems like a very helpful member. Of course I could be wrong about both of you...maybe basspro05 is a jerk, and maybe you're 6,000+ posts are just a clever ploy to trick us all into thinking a 3 pound bass is a 5 pounder...but I kinda doubt it. Take care, Dan

Great day Bizzo! :) I also gave Senkos a try because of this forum and now they are my first choice. Please post pics, good, bad, or otherwise.

Sweet! Take your time and enjoy the process. Projects like these are why I love jon boats. Good luck and keep us posted.

This is definitely a question for your state's dept. of conservation. In Illinois, for example, they'll study your land and tell you how large a lake your watershed could support. They'll show you the best location for a dam, and even help you get it stocked. And the consult is free.

That bullhead is HUGE (the bass aren't too shabby, either). Congratulations!

For a bunch of newbies, you guys sure do complain a lot.

You're on 10, all the way up, all the way up...Where can you go from there? Nowhere. What we do, is if we need that extra push over the cliff...Eleven.

Yeah, the DD22 will flat wear you out. But it's a big bait with a wide wobble and it gets down deep. This might sound crazy, but If you don't like casting it, try trolling it in deep water. You will get hung up some, but we've caught some nice fish trolling in strip pits and reservoirs.

...or while picking out a backlash! I think it happens to everyone, and I take it as a sign that I need to sloooooow down my presentation. I tell my daughter to cast her Senko and count to 30 before she thinks about moving it. I wish I could follow my own advice sometimes. :-[

I put away weightless soft plastics at night. I know they catch fish, but if I can't see the line move I feel lost. Favorite night fishing baits: Jitterbug (black) Spinnerbait (black w/big single copper blade) Chatterbait (black) Frog (black) 10" Powerbait worm, t-rigged & weighted (black) One other thing, an led cap light is about all the light you'll need while night fishing. That and a regular flashlight are all the extra light I take. A billion candle power is nice, but you'll never develop any night vision. Finally, only fish a lake you're familiar with, wear a PFD and go slow.

1. I can fish and drink beer at the same time. 2. I don't mind heat, cold, wind, or rain. I've got 4 active daughters and my schedule is often determined by soccer games, softball tournaments, or music recitals. If I can go fishing, I will go fishing, regardless of the weather.

It's all in how you hold this fish. This guy only weighed 2 pounds, but looks much bigger due to the camera angle...

Just for the purposes of this discussion it doesn't really matter if the bass is an exotic, native, green or purple. The strain of the fish, and even the weight of the fish doesn't matter. All that matters is how close (by percentage) you've come to your own state's record bass.

Do you live in Peoria and dream of catching a 10 pound bass? According to Jeff Lampe of the Journal Star, you'll need a good bit of luck... So what then should you consider a trophy? If I catch a fish that's 50% as big as the state record, I feel like I've landed a real trophy. In Illinois that's a 6.5 pound bass. In California that translates to just under 11 pounds (or 12.5 pounds for you Mac Weakley fans). Coincidentally, my PB is only 50% of the state record in Illinois where it was caught. While Fish Chris' 18.4 pounder is an impressive 85% of the California record (He's good no matter how you do the math). So, what's your percentage? Take your biggest bass and divide by the state record where you caught it and you'll have your number. Now the question remains, can anybody top Fish Chris?

Val, What I like about your message is that despite everything that's going wrong in your life, you're working to make it right. Keep at it and you'll come out stronger on the other side. Dan PS I was very impressed with the way you organized the MO Bass get together. There are plenty of places that would be lucky to have a guy like you on staff. Keep us posted and don't be a stranger.

Maybe it's just the angle, but that fish sure looks like a double digit to me. :o CONGRATS on another hog!

Very nice! Drum are a rough fish, not usually the intended target of anglers, but they fight great and the big ones will hit moving lures. When we were kids fishing for channel cat with nightcrawlers, we used to curse everytime we caught a drum. Couldn't eat 'em (at least that's what we thought) so what good were they? I know they get huge, but I've never caught one that big. Impressive fish.

I'm lucky enough to fish in a beautiful 1800 acre lake in the middle of a national forest. No homes, no boat docks, no development at all. And since there's a 10hp limit there are no jet skis or pleasure boaters to contend with. Just a few lucky fishermen, and plenty of wildlife. I snapped this picture while fishing on Monday. These little guys were fresh from the womb and just learning to walk. I didn't see momma around, but I'm sure she saw me. btw, the fishing's pretty good as well.