DR_Bass

It's when you wake up one morning and find out that you have more baits than you do money. I imagine the bait monkey to look something like this.

I lost my cell phone to the lake once too. I was at Ross Barnett practicing for a tournament that was to be held the next day. My buddy and I had found some fish and he had left his cell phone in the truck. Since we were on some fish he needed to call one of his friends and tell him where we were. About mid-conversation the phone slipped from his hand and it "bounced" into the lake. My buddy put up a huge effert to retrieve my phone and almost went in himself. At this point my face looks something like this.... >. It all was good though because he payed me back later at our next tournament by buying me a brand new rainsuit. That day on Ross Barnett was about 4 months ago and I just got a new cell phone today. I would have gotten one sooner but the baitmonkey hit me first. :-[ P.S. - Those are some good stories Mudcatwilly... ;D

I try not to brag too much :-[ If someone catches a 7+ in my area everybody knows about it though even if you only tell one person. It just starts a chain. P.S. - Anybody who catches a 15+ almost deserves to have the whole world know about it.

I agree with Will, do what he said and you will surely stick a few lips. Good Luck.

When the water is muddy the bass will be close to whatever cover that you are fishing. And for the most part they will be shallow. With this in mind I always use baits that I can put reel close the cover. My favorite thing to do is flip and pitch black/blue jigs. Another thing I've done good with is throwing a spinnerbait around the cover and reeling it medium/slow.

I keep a track record of my fish to. I'm roughly between 175-200 bass this year, but my season has been longer than yours basser89 since I live in Mississippi I can fish the coldest times of the year if I want to.... and I do. 8-)

Fish Chris, me and one of my fishing buds seem to always catch fish that already have holes in their mouths, especially when we fish our regular holes. ;D

I fish really heavy cover and deep channel drop-offs for the most part.

I agree with BigTex. As long as you have permission or the pond is yours it shouldn't matter if you keep the fish or not...... that's protein.

I just think that they need a new commercial......

I like to fish thick matted vegitation

A drop-shot will work anywhere you go... pretty much. You don't necessarilly have to use light line and a little finnesse worm. Try using bigger worms and larger line if you feel more comfortable doing that.

There is a formula that you can use that is cheaper than going and buying scales. I have found it to be pretty accurate. It's not 100% accurate of course but it is very close. P.S. - This formula is used for largemouth. I don't know if it works for smallies and spots or not. Here is the formula. Length * Girth * Girth / 800 = Wieght If your fish was about 14.5 inches around it would have been a 5 pounder.

I do the same thing that you do (particularly the pitching and flipping part) but don't forget that there is also a good topwater bite early and late in the day.

Try everything you can think of that would look like something to eat for the bass. hop it shake it jiggle it drag it swim it..... Let the fish tell you what to do.

Remember SuthernProg it's one fish over one pound...

That should never count in a tournament.....

;D Very funny, that's a good one. I have a friend who only uses three lures.... jig, 1/8oz T-Rigged senko, and a zoom horny toad. He would only fish with a senko right now if I didn't show him how to use a jig and a horny toad, but his limitations is fine with me...... as long as there is a good spinnerbait bite going on. He might catch on one of these days.

14lbs test flourocarbon line 6'6" rod 6.1:1 reel Watermelon Red Senko rigged wieghtless

Absolutely right! If it wasn't for my dad I wouldn't even fish. I'm sure it's the same for most of you. God bless America!

I caught about 30% of my bass last year on a senko or some type of cigar shaped soft plastic. I am a slow fisherman though. If you have patients you need to try a senko more if you don't use them now. "I would rather go down one bank and catch five keepers than hop around the lake to catch five keepers" -- Greg Hackney

Thanks for posting the picture from the June issue of Bassmasters, I haven't got mine yet.... but it doesn't clear much up for me.

It's kind of hard to tell without seeing the pond (knowing the water clarity, forage, depth range, cover, ect.), but here are some things I try in small ponds. Senko (Always catchs fish, use a watermelon red or green pumpkin) Zoom Horny Toad (When worked under the surface is actually a good imatator of a bream or of coarse a frog) Spinnerbait (In case the water is stained and you are in a hurry) Small Minnowbait (Small minnows and other fish are always a type of forage in a small pond) Topwater (Early in the morning, Late in the afternoon, or on a good cloudy day) Black/Blue Jig (For flipping and pitching... Not a great small pond bait, but something to keep in mind)

;D That's a good one..... but tackle-shop owners are a bit on the crazy side.

I've had little success with night fishing. I haven't been too often though. I've caught fish on a buzzbait and a texas-rigged 7" junebug YUM worm.