Pond Hopper

Burley is the man, nothing left to say ;D

Dealt with similar conditions today, and dark spinnerbaits were the ticket.

I would have to disagree there with corn being $5 a bushel and beans hitting $14 a bushel. I live in a very rural area and the farmers IMO are doing better than I have ever seen before. I have heard several land owners that cash rent their ground who received more from the tenant than was agreed to in the contract, because the farmer is doing that well. :-X

I fish from a small 2 man boat. I have the camera, scale, and ruler in one compartment that is accessible to both people in the boat. Normally I go weigh, picture, length in the process. And often times, due to excitement, it takes a little longer than a minute. Normally after the catch we will motor out to deeper water, get a quick weight, maybe dip it back in the water, picture and length, then let it go. I have never had a fish(that was not gill hooked) not take off in a healthy manner. When in doubt put it back in the water, but I will hold one as the boat is going forward to get some water back through the gills and the fish back in the water. Just how we do it. And if you are shore fishing, do not put it in the grass... it is terrible on the fishes protective slime coating.

Have to disagree there, whatever hand has more coordination is the one to crank with, I have a hell of a time trying to fight a fish cranking with my left hand(right handed guy). Go with whatever feels right.

And this is coming from a braid lover, braid tangles with slack or during the cast. It is so limp that it often creates the mysterious 'braid knot or loop'. It is something I am willing to deal with though. That said, no stretch, incredible sensitivity, and no memory. When I fish mono, even on cranks, I feel like I am fishing with a slinky as line. That and I feel it handles better on casting equipment as it is easier to pick out an overrun and does not kink like mono/copolymers.

9 Miles and I can be to my honey holes, 15 and I can be on some small lakes, and having a small 2 man boat with a trolling motor helps but that does not mean I like it. >

Nice fish But the scale was probably right, if you dont think so throw it away.

Give me a warm summer rain and I will be out in it 9 out of 10 times as long as there is no lightning.

Good idea to keep that spot protected, you don't want anyone getting in on those pigs. :

X2, trying to watch your line while looking into the sun is a PITA. That and this time of the year I am fishing the sun hit shallows so inherently the sun is at my back.

Stay off your cell phone or Burley is gonna have to come pay you a visit ;D Good luck driving

This bait looks even sicker in person, thanks again Jay!

Ah, sleet and snow yesterday, and 70 on Tuesday...gotta love Iowa. :-X

;D Dude, I live vicariously from the fish you catch, and vice versa! Rock on and I love the white background ;D

10 inches is not Huge IMO, but after ordering some 14 inch worms and some 7/0 Owner hooks I will feel alot better about not missing a fish when I get a bite. And I use braid(and tarpon style hooksets) and hope one day to go hand over hand like 4bizz on and 11 lber...broken rod or not

I was scored somewhere between Mr. T and Hulk Hogan, pretty cool IMO

Nice fish Blaine! Also that is a d**n fishy looking place. I think I would spend way too much time pitching each of those trees and laydowns. Well done

Get on Ebay and find them, I picked up a mini-SD card(that has an SD adapter) for an old PDA I had for $.99 plus 8.99 shipping from Japan. It works great and was about 25% of the big box store cost.

Northern strain bass?? :-X In Iowa??? :

Stick around awhile LFB, Bizz is a patient guy and forgiving guy, he'll be ready when you are folks. Wow you could of fooled me Jay ;D Either way that is a hell of a sack and you just continue sticking those same old girls(there was a little inside joke in there) Corey

Very nice fish, especially for this God foresaken state ;D I would say the fish calculator is right, kind of like Lightningrod's experience, I have caught 3 fish that were 23.5" in Iowa and witnessed one and their weights ranged from 6-10 to 7-14, with a 6-13 and a 7-12 in between. I know the state record of 10-12 was a 23.5 inch fish but that had to be an insanely fat and thick fish. I would say the calculator is close

Good thing that hiring policy of yours is illegal :

And she still hasn't shot you

No wife here, but take her out for a nice dinner, get her a spa day on the weekend, watch the kids, clean the house, give her a day where she has to do nothing but be pampered. Spa day has pulled me out of the hole quite a few times.