justfishin

When I am running, I always put on a life jacket and hook up the kill switch. I run a jet in as little as 5-6 inches of water. I was thrown out a few years back while running wide open and if not for the the jacket and kill switch I am afraid my damage would have been much worse. I have a friend whom owns a Ranger with a 225 as well whom is scared to death of that boat. He always drags me along to run it for him. I always wear a jacket and hook up the kill as well in this boat. I cannot imagine going 75mph and hitting some wood or a rock pile on the Lower Potomac without these items to help you survive the crash. I preach to the youngsters around here about these important items. Sorry about your friend dude, thats a tough one.

I have a friend whom wanted a new boat with a jet outboard like I run. Most of us in this area run jets because of the low river conditions around here. Anyway, to the point. He purchased a brand new River Rave with a 90/65 jet. Beautiful boat. He wanted me to break it in. We took it down yesterday morning and he dumped me in. I started the boat and it ran fine. It idled just fine but, when I went to jump it on plane it just revved up and pretty much sat there. We pulled it out and nothing was in the impeller, the nut was tight, etc. The only thing I can think of is there is something wrong with the key way on the shaft. Any suggestions? My buddy was furious. A 18000.00 boat that won't run can do that, you know? I am sure the dealer will take care of the problem but, I was just wondering what the guys in here thought.

I found a article in Gary Yamamoto's Insider Line on deep water bass. Although its rare I fish as deep as 50', I have caught them that deep. I do fish 25'-40' pretty frequently in the late summer months during the day in the main river channel behind a local river dam here. I have had some great days doing this. It does concern me about harming these fish though so, I did a little research. - 17k

Other than the obvious, money, why do you think a company would put hooks of poor quality on their baits? I never understood that. I would think that this would be poor PR for their baits. I am not going to beat up any particular company in here but, it was always a question I had. Any thoughts?

Yes, I change hooks on them. I use Excalibers.

Thanks for the info Fish Cris. I feel the fish is on the up and up as well. All this talk of 8 and 9 smallies makes me one to vacation on that lake. Unbelievable. Where I live we fish hard for smallies between 6 and 7. The last few years it seems the 6's are getting harder to come by other than around the winter months when they move to their winter holes. I am curious. What is the most popular method you guys use out there in those clear lakes for these smallies and what are the typical haunts for these fish? I am guessing that it is similar to us right coast guys, tubes,flukes, hair jigs,senkos,spinnerbaits,jerk baits, spoons, etc. I am asking in a generic mode and certainly don't want you to give away your areas in here. P.S.- If I ever catch a 9lb smallie, you will have to change my nickname to " Woody ", if you get my drift,lol.

Thanks Muddy.

We all have our time to be on this earth. Just know in your heart that it was and is going to be theirs. Thats why you must enjoy life as much as you can while you are here. News like you have gotten lately puts life into perspective. I will pray for all the hurt that the situations you mentioned has dealt. Have faith.

Oh well, what the he**. I love my Curados and also, really like my Abu Garcias. I use both. I would buy either of these two before I bought a Quantum. I guess I better tuck and roll now,lol.

I am claiming ignorance, as well as curiosity. Not being familiar with the smallmouth/spotted bass hybrid I did a little research. I came up with this below excerpt from a article I had found. I could not find a year to pinpoint this article, all it gave me was a month. I did notice were it spoke of a potential new world record according to the IGF for this hybrid deemed a Hybrid Black Bass. It seems it was below the weight of the 8-4 we were talking about. Fill me in if anyone can, to fill my curiosity. Thanks. What do you get when you cross a smallmouth bass with a spotted bass? You get a black bass hybrid and Sean McAllister got a new state record, and pending world record, fish. McAllister, who lives in Stilwell, pulled a 6-pound, 14-ounce oddity from Lake Texoma, Feb. 5. At first I just thought it was just a weird looking smallmouth, until someone mentioned it looked like a spotted bass, McAllister said. Fisheries biologists with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation suspected it was a black bass hybrid and DNA analysis confirmed it was a cross between smallmouth and spotted bass. The Wildlife Department established a new category, black bass hybrid, for the unique fish. It is certainly rare, but it is not totally unheard of. I have seen two others in my 35 years of experience, but both were much smaller than this one, said Paul Mauck, south central fisheries supervisor for the Wildlife Department. According to Mauck, the black bass hybrids occur naturally when the spawning areas of the two species overlap. While hybridization occurs occasionally throughout the two fishes range, only Missouri currently recognizes a black bass hybrid record. Since that record stands at 5-pounds, 10-ounces, McAllister's fish will set a new world record, pending approval from the International Game Fish Association. McAllister caught the record fish while fishing a Carolina-rigged Zoom lizard. The fish measured 20.8-inches long and was 16.5 inches in girth and weighed 6lb 14oz.

Oh boy, did you just open up a can of worms,lol. ;D

Thats because they are clear Burley,lol. My buddie bought a case of them about 6 or 7 years ago at a fishing flea market. I would not use them at first but, tried them on gin clear lakes and they work well. Go figure.

Muddy, ya got a million of them. Thats a funny one. ;D

That picture does make it look like line twist. I would just take it back and get another spool. I have gotten bad line in other brands over the years. And for goodness sake get green line,lol.

Boy, did I lie. Not intentionally though. I guessed that fish at between 6-7 lbs but, 8-4? I said I caught them like that myself. After 35+ years I have caught some dandys, no doubt but, not like that baby. I don't doubt that the picture is authentic. Somebody is bound to catch one that nice. I have caught them that green in a local lake before so that is not an issue. I really think it is just a big spawning female and the guy got lucky in catching it. Any way you slice it, its a great fish. They don't get much prettier than that one. What do you think RW, I would say that a fish like that would make you feel like your wedding night, if you get my drift !!!,lol.

Thats a good day anytime of the year. Believe it or not in my opinion the colder water was one of the reasons they had a big fish day. Warm water tends to scatter bigger fish. They find their own space. The early season colder water tends to stack them up a little. Anyhoo, a twenty nine pound wt. in a tourney will put a smile on your face on the way to the weigh in.

Fishing rods are tools of the trade my friend. There is a time and reason to use either a baitcaster or spinning reel. I prefer a baitcaster but, when using #6 or #8 test its a spinning rod. Any line size above #8 and its a baitcaster. JMO.

What makes you think that the picture is doctored Flippin4it? I may watch too much CSI and hate to sound like Mr. Watson but, I deduce that going by the background in the pic and seeing that it looks like the trees are not all the way green in the background, there is a gentle slope in the lay of the land and it looks like a area full of pebbles and rock and the fish has a big belly, I would say that boy caught himself a big spring spawn female smallmouth. I also say that that fish is a pretty one with the markings it has. I have caught them that big myself but, its markings and size lends it to being one hell of a nice smallie. JMO.

I think after reading this thread I will try the hotdogs in the thermos and RW's idea of a beer, not one but, three, I hate having just one beer, its not good for you. Not bud, but a Yuenglings Lager. Gee, at 3:30 am, that should give me a edge. Thanks . ;D

I am a big fan of the Robo Worm products mainly----Zipper Worms in the 5" model. I like Oxblood, and Green Weenie as far as colors. I don't even know if they still come in these colors as I bought like a gazillion of them years ago. I like that you can rig them flat for a slow fall or rig them upright for a swimming action. I have caught some nice brown and green bass on these baits.

You already answered my question RW. Aren't they two different types of baits? I always thought the X was a slash bait. I know one thing, the Rapala Husky Jerk in no. 8 in low water and in no. 10 as well as the deep diver Husky Jerk in Tennessee Shad are smallmouth magnets here.

I use clear Torpedoes on some of the gin clear lakes around here. I have used them for years and they are killers on brown and green bass. I use them in the " Tiny Torpedo " as well as the regular size. I always liked prop baits but, the clear one in clear water works well. What say you my friends?

Osama Bin Avid?

You know, I was thinking. Maybe a scent would be the ticket. My girlfriend is European (Austrian/German) and you know they don't shave their arm pits. Hers get all smelly and stinky in the summer so I am going to rub some gitzits and spinnerbaits under there and see if that works. I love that woman. ;D

Hey radiob, is that a country song---Hung Over In the Ozarks !!!---who sings that?