Fish Chris

I was just at the right place, at the right time. And the photos of my PB are definately not the best of of my biggest bass shots, anyway. But this is all fine, as I plan to get some much better shots of my 19+ lb'er, just as soon as I C/R her :-) Peace, Fish

That was a GREAT answer ! :-) Don't you just hate it when that happens ? :-) LOL Peace, Fish

Ya' gotta' be careful mounting a bass..... You don't want to get scales on your #@$% :-) Seriously though, skin mounts are a dying art form. Many of the best fish art masters, won't even mess with a dead fish carcass anymore. Too much work, and they most often don't come out as nice as the best replicas anyway..... Not to mention, they won't last as long, before they start to turn yellow, scales lift, skin deteriorates, etc. Fiberglass takes paint much better than skin, and will pretty much last more than a lifetime. Plus, you can have a nice 8 x 10 of the actual fish below, and have the additional bragging point of, "And I released her too"..... Not to mention, > The chance of sticking her again, when she has grown to be even bigger ! Can't wait for the replica of my 8.5 lb Smallie :-) ....and my 20+ lb Largemouth ! ..... Oh wait a minute, I haven't caught that one yet ;-) Peace, Fish

I used monofilament line (of all different brands) for more than 25 years..... But after switching to braided line about 14 years ago, I can't even start to imagine ever using monofilament again..... anywhere.... on any gear.... for any species !!! I just flat dispise that kinky, coily, stretchy #@$% ! I personally think that TUF-Line XP and TUF-Plus is a little bit better than other braids..... But there really is no since in trying to compare ANY brand of braid, to ANY brand of mono. It's just apples and oranges. I really don't like Fireline line or Fusion either. It's darn near as stiff and kinky as mono. Factory insiders report that the only reason it was invented, is because its cheaper to fuse Spectra, than it is to braid it. But its cool. To anyone who still likes mono, I appreciate you giving me the advantage ;-) Peace, Fish PS, Mono / fluorocarbon makes great leader material.

their are so many variables. It seems that the older I get, the more and more I enjoy a great weather day, on a beautiful lake, with little to no boat traffic..... Fish or no fish. Then, once in a while I might go somewhere like Clear Lk, not expecting to catch a DD, but if I catch like 15 bass, from 4 to 8 lbs each (or say 15 fish, for 70 lbs), that would be a good trip But say its windy, and / or people in my way, and / or a mud-hole of a lake..... or in other words, where "the catching is everything" then yea' a single fish over 10 lbs makes it all worth it. A "teener" is even better. A 15 plus is like Whooo Hoooo ! :-) Peace, Fish

That's exactly what I keep telling people too...... Just watch, I'm going to keep messing around until I get a "BIG" one :-) One of these days....... Peace, Fish

Matt, I'm not exactly sure about what your saying..... But I will forward your exact words to the Advanced guys {I'm sure they will know what your saying} Either way, no matter what these guys do, I have never seen a less than awesome piece of fish art from them. I'm totally confident in their work. Thank you NorDoor. Well Boett, at any other place in the world, this fish might have been the biggest one could even hope for...... However, this place has already kicked out THREE 9 plus lb'ers, since I caught my 8.5 !!! And most everybody who knows the lake, expects a 10 plus state record this year ! If Cali was ever in the running for a new IGFA World Record Smallmouth (which would have to be 12 lb 1 ounce) this would be the lake to do it. I say that if it is going to happen, it will most likely be in Spring of 09' though. .......which is good for me, as I might end up spending most of my Spring 08' bass fishing, looking for a 19 plus (new PB) Largemouth :-) Oh, I almost forgot.... I caught her on a charteuse Basstrix Bluegill, rigged on a 1/4 ounce football jig. Peace, Fish

I'm flattered.... But like I always say; Take anybody on this forum (or on the lake) let them fish as much as I do, in the places I do, {then assuming the same amounts of persistence, patience, and passion}....... and Bam ! > All kinds of giant fish. Peace, Fish

welcome aboard :-) Oh yea ! You can bet I was proud to show off that one ! :-) http://www.trophybassonly.com/id226.htm Peace, Fish

And on a side note, speaking only for our waters here in Nor Cal, we actually have a LOT more lakes with too many smaller fish, and very few big ones, than we do lakes which have low populations of bass overall, but good numbers of big ones. Of course being a trophy angler, the latter are the lakes I prefer ;-) Just too many guys here in Nor Cal releasing too many smaller fish. I'm guilty too though. Of course I'm not targeting smaller fish.... But even so, I do accidentally stick a few. I just don't even like the taste of bass, and just don't have the time to deal with them. Keeping smaller fish would just be a pain in the bass, but releasing the big ones is always an easy thing for me. Peace, Fish

any trip that I get a "teener" is still a great trip :-) Peace, Fish

I talked again with some of the best fish art guys on the planet, Advanced Taxidermy, at the Sacramento Sportsmans Expo a few weeks ago. {As it were, I talked with them right after sticking my 8.5 PB Smallie, and they simply did not have a mold to match it for size and shape :-( Neither did anywhere else in the country :-( :-( :-( } So, I run into the Advanced guys again at the show, and I show them an 8 x 10 glossy of the fish. The main guy, Shawn, looks at the photo, and was just in awe. So I had to ask him again..... Nothing you guys can do ??? I could see the wheels start turning, and after a long pause, he says, "I think I have an idea" ! Yes ! That's what I wanted to hear :-) He goes on to tell me that they had recieved a 24" Smallmouth, with a 19 1/2" girth, which went just under 8 lbs, a few months ago. Mine had a 22" girth. So then he starts talking with his partner, and discussing whether they could get 2 1/2" more girth out of their 24" length mold, and they both thought they could. Afterall, these molds are stretchy silicone rubber. I don't know all of their tricks, but they sounded confident. He said that if they couldn't do it, and make it "perfect", they wouldn't let it leave their shop. But then he said, he wouldn't have even mentioned it, if he was not confident ! :-) Whooo Hooo ! I'm telling you guys, these guys 5 to 7 lb Smallie replicas are just pure, artistic beauty ! That mettalic bronze, with rootbeer markings, and that bright red eye ! Just bombastic ! :-) So anyway, $250 down, and $250 upon completion. X's two of course, as I then have to back up my word, and get one for the young guy who C/R'd her the week before. {Only a thousand bucks ? Even for a poor guy like me, that will be money well spent} I think Advannced might actually do 3 of them..... as they need one too, seeing as it will be the biggest Smallie they have ever done :-) Pretty stoked ! My luck, I'll give em' $250 to get started, then stick a 9 to 10 lb'er this Spring ! Wouldn't that be a bummer ? ;-) LOL Peace, Fish

Catt is "kind of right" {a World record bass is the exception. First off, it needs to be scrutinized from "the inside out", and secondly, what would one gain by releasing it ? A WR is a WR is a WR ! I don't care if its 22.8, or 50 dang lbs}...... Their are certainly some people here who have the whole C/R thing backwards. It's okay to keep a few smaller ones, here or there (Selective Harvest can be a great thing) but to release every bass for years and years, then one day an angler finally gets that 10 plus Largemouth, or 6 plus Smallie..... and kills it ? Huh ? I call this "reverse selective harvest". This would be the single, most important fish to release. Besides, doesn't the angler want to be able to show off his catch ? Show em' a beautiful replica, and watch them drool...... OR, show them a skin mount, and watch their stomachs turn. It's just not logical. Besides, why would a guy want to hurt his own chances of catching an even bigger bass in the future ? I've C/R'd, then re-C/R'd many big bass to over 13 lbs in the past (some of those in HUGE impoundments). Why couldn't you ? Peace, Fish PS, Heaven forbid I should ever kill (from deep hooking) a big bass (even if it were only like say a 10 to 14 lb'er..... In other words, not one that I'd need a replica for) I'd probably still donate it to a place who makes replica molds, as that fish might make a really nice mold, for replicas, for a bunch of C/R guys in the future.

way back in 1985 I caught a 4 lb line class World Record Striper, of 16 lb 4ounces. It got crushed about 2 years later... but that was fine. Records are made to be broken. They can't take my IGFA certficiate away from me :-) Then I caught the Rancho Seco Lk. record Largemouth, of 18.4 lbs, on 4/10/03, which, because of the current situation in that lake, is liable to stand for a long time..... or even permanently. Nonetheless, I'd love to see that place make a comeback. What a great place that was. Peace, Fish PS, My 8.5 lb PB Smallmouth "was the Lk. record" the week before I caught her.... but had lost .4 lbs since the week before, during her previous C/R. Since then, however, there have been at least three 9+ lb'ers caught, one of which, a 9.7 lb'er, is now our new state record. I strongly believe that record will be broken again this year though, with a 10+ lb Smallie !!! Crazy, huh ?

I don't think he expected, nor wanted to die. It is a bad deal that he's not there to raise his daughter..... But then from my personal standpoint, I don't have any kids, nor will I ever. I knew this when I was still just a kid myself. So anyway, I just want to play as long and as hard as I can, and I hope when my number comes up, its as fast as the blink of an eye...... Just like Danno. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ya' know, I couldn't have ever been a world class climber. Even at my fittest, I was just too bulky..... But I'm not tripping on this guy because he was such a fanatical climber (and jumper)..... But just because he was so "fanatical" period. It doesn't matter what your passion is. Just as long as you follow it full steam ahead ! For most of us its fishing.... which is {fortunately for us} a lot safer than rock climbing or free-jumping. But in many respects, its exactly the same thing. It's doing something (anything) that makes you feel "more than" alive ! And Danno certainly did. The guy just exuded passion. Peace, Fish

Are you serious ? I mean, I wouldn't slam you for your personal oppinion..... But honestly, I'm not even a little bit afraid of dying. But I am afraid of living so long, that I fall completely apart and my quality of life slowly turns to zero. I want to be wide open, full steam ahead, just stuck the world record bass..... and then I get instantly vaporized by a meteor ! Ya' know, a while ago, my doctor told me, "Ya' know, your blood pressure is borderline, you cholesterol is high, and it would be really good if you lost 30 or 40 lbs..... as all of these things greatly increase your chances of a heart attack or stroke..... To which I replied, "As long as its a massive heart attack or stroke, that kills me on the spot, that's fine. But yes, I'm totally concerned about a small heart attack or stroke, that just makes life messy. We all have to go sometime. In my mind, the biggest tradgedy, is when a guy works hard, all of his life, 40 plus hours a week, at a stressful, high responsibility job..... Then, when he finally retires, he's completely worn out (too tired to play), whether or not he lives 2 more years, or 20. IMPO, Danno had the right idea ! Peace, Fish

http://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/index.php?/archives/664-Dan-Osman-Video-Masters-of-Stone-V-Clip.html A lot of people thought this guy was crazy, but I'm sure he thought 9 to 5'ers were a lot crazier than he was ! He didn't worry about work too much..... or a nice home.... or paying his fines (mostly for illegal climbing). His one and only grounding factor, was his 2 year old daughter, which I'm sure he loved. But what he lived, and died for, was the ultimate RUSH ! And he was absolutely the best at what he did ! I don't know why it is..... I just have this thing for fanatics ! Go big, or go home ! In 1998, Danno (as his friends called him) was attempting the longest free fall in history (more than 1000ft) with nothing but the stretch of his rope to stop him (he had done 600 to 800 ft drops countless times) when his rope crossed over itself, and cut itself off. Danno fell another couple hundred feet to the boulder field below, killing him instantly. IMPO, this guy had the perfect life, and he lived more in 38 years, than most guys would, if they lived to be 100 ! RIP Dan Osman. Fish

That thing is massive ! What a catch ! I have a couple of aquaintences who have caught 50's from my same West coast waters..... but they are exceedingly rare. I'm just shooting for a little ol' 40 lb'er :-) Hope to get it this week :-) Peace, Fish

for starters, when I read the post tiltle, "Predict your 08' hawg".... The first thing I thought was, "I can't think of any way to jinx myself faster, than to tell somebody > "I'm going to catch....... < Now, what "would I like to catch" ? .....or, "what kind of catches would make me feel pretty good about the year" ? Okay, I can hardly believe that 10 years after I got into this trophy bass thing, I still haven't got 3 double digits in a day ! I know guys that have got 5 or more ! (Troy Folkestad got 9 DD's in one day !) So just 3, is all I ask. A 50 lb, 5 fish limit would be pretty cool.... and quite possible on a day with three DD's. I'd like to get 3, 15 plus bass this year... of course one 19 lb pb would be way better than 3 15's :-) A new PB Smallmouth would also be great. A high 8 would do it, but a 9 lb plus would be Bombastic :-) But what I really hope for the most, is just a lot of fun days on the water. So I guess in a nutshell, my goal for 08' is Maximum fun :-) Peace, Fish

Nothing like a new PB to make for a great trip ! Continued success to you ! Fish

I really don't eat Stripers. I'm very picky when it comes to the fish I eat. Well, come to think about it, I just had the best Tuna fish sandwich for dinner :-) with Peprincini's and Vermont cheddar, on an onion roll ! Then I like Salmon from Costco. Long John Silvers. Fresh Mahi Mahi. Fresh grilled Yellowfin (Ahi) Oh..... and I love Halibut ! Especially the little California variety :-) Deep fried in a light batter.... Or grilled.... But I do love to C/R the Stripers :-) Peace, Fish Oh, yes, our Stripers are brackish water...... connected to the ocean.

Only 13.5 lbs, but very healthy, and clean. {to be nit-picky, this shot is just a hair over exposed. With a BIG fish, I'd have taken another or set or two, to get it dialed to spot on} I haven't been fishing near as much as is normal for me, because of our crazy storming weather, plus still need to get the carburator replaced in my boat. Big news for me is, I just ordered an Olympus E510 DSLR camera, and two nice lenses :-) This won't be for fish photos (I still believe my point-and-shoots are better for that), but rather, for general photography. It will likely go on my boat on most fishing trips though, since I prefer nature photography anyway :-) Peace, Fish

first off, it needs to be 3 months long, so I have enough time to do "most" of the stuff I'd want to do ;-) Amazon river for Peacock Bass, Pacu's, Giant Amazon Cats, and anything else, big, strong, exotic, or any combination thereof. Don't forget the large, comfortable houseboat, with a chef, and a maid or two. Two or three fishing guides to cover all aspects of the fish on the Amazon, and some of its tributaries. Oh, and for myself of course, $100k worth of digital photo equipment, and a couple of pro photo instructors, to take my fish shots for me, and for the extra sets of eyes, so we don't miss something cool when I was holding a camera myself :-) Anyway, shouldn't cost much more than a $ million or two, huh ? What a bargain ! ;-) Think I'll start setting this up this afternoon. Don't know why the heck I waited so long ! Doh ! ;-) Peace, Fish

Welcome aboard :-) Since your new to this board, let me first just tell you, when it comes to fishing line, you won't ever meet anyone more opinionated than myself.... So please don't mind me too much :-) That said, neither Fireline, or Fusion, are "braided lines". These are formed by fusing micro-filaments together with heat and polymers. I know a lot of guys use, and like the stuff, but I find these to have consistency of dental floss. Line manufacturing insiders tell me that the only reason this stuff was ever invented, is because its much cheaper to produce, than true "braided lines". Okay so, I've never drop shotted in my life..... But if I ever were to, I'd use braid with it, just like I do with every other lure, live bait, or fishing technique, for every species from Bluegill, to Sturgeon... and of course, trophy bass :-) I think I'd use a light action rod though, with micro braid (2 lb diameter, 10 lb test) seeing as drop shot hooks are smaller, and lighter wire. And I'd make sure my drag was a bit looser too. Anyway yes, a non-stretch line is probably much better for dropshotting, just as it is better for "fishing" period :-) Great fishing to you, Fish PS, But like Jigman and Alpster said > Always with a Fluorocarbon leader.

You said > Only look at bass articles in the In-Fisherman magazine and then I throw it away. < What !?!? The best part of I-F is the muti-species stuff, and scientific fish trivia ! I'd be more likely to read all through I-F, only skipping over the long articles on crank baits, or spinnerbaits for Largemouths.... or other impertinant stuff like that :-) In fairness, I-F does have some Western trophy bass articles once in a while, as well, which I would not skip past. For bass fishing info though, I'd sooner read Bass West USA. 50% or more trophy bass info. Peace, Fish