WBFishing

you aren't the only one. I had no idea, but it is brilliant. Instead of tying the mainline to the backing. How would the reel function if you taped around your backing and tied your mainline around the tape as if you were tying it to the spool. Almost as if you had a spool 1/3 the normal size. If this makes any sense at all.

Zoom tricks in pumpkin and junebug red Stacey King Flipping Jig purple/pumpkin with a pumpkin double tail grub trailer Zara Spook Jr and a Lew's Speed Pencil White/Blue 1/4 oz tandem williow/colorado with a pearl Zoom Fat Albert Trailer Black.Chart 1/4 oz single colorado with black grub trailer Rapala DT10 Blue Shad, Shad, or Baby Bass Shad color lipless crankbait I try to keep these tied on cause they are my confidence baits. I told myself I was never going to buy stuff and just let it sit around. But if none of the above produce, I switch to that stuff that I have in my box and wraps that are taking up room, like FLW Flipping Tubes--I still can't lose the last 9 but I can't bring myself to throw them in the trash either.

Somebody mentioned it earlier. I work in insurance. If you have not done it. You guys better schedule this stuff on your homeowners policies or get stand alone personal prperty floaters for your tackle and other gear. If it gets stolen or God forbiden your house burns down, the claims people are never gonna believe you. Your personal property coverage is based on a percentage of the primary dwelling coverage for your home, that percentage (unless you are carrying 1 Mill) is never going to be enough to replace all of that stuff. My wife is gonna so kiss me, when she sees these collections of tackle and gear. I felt bad about hiding stuff until I saw your collections. I feel so inadequate when I look at these pictures. Willie **going to sit alone in a dark corner and sulk**

I saw that bait on TV back during the summer. Really liked it, scribbled it on my list to buy. Then they said what it cost--so I quickly scribbled it off.

I have been redoing a boat that was given to me by my father-in-law. The decks and floor were rotted and the carpet had to be redone. it has been kind of fun for me to just do it myself, plus I don't have extra money to pay someone else to do it.. The boat is 1967 Valco Bassboat 16'6" (aluminum). It has been really easy for me, because he had the decks already cut and the rol of carpet. I just had to tow it from California to Alabama. Like I said it has been a fun project for me to do myself, and I have no experience installing decks or carpet, but am having fun watching it come to life as my own. I hear that marine wood is expensive,but since it was given to me free, I didn't complain. I think a sheet of treated plywood would work just the same. The carpet is marine carpet. The only things I have needed are good utility knife, a pop rivet gun, and rivets, and a can of adhesive (7M or whatever it is). If I ever do it again though, I will not use a spray, I will use gorilla glue or something in a liquid. Willie

I don't know how big this fish was, but I know the little private pond I was fishing had some 10+ and rumor was there were a couple 15+ in there. I saw my dad catch a 6 1/4 on a bream buster when we were bream fishing, cause the bass tried to eat the bream. Anyhows, I was a teenager and threw this floating rattletrap out by the overflow pipe and started cranking. The line got tangled around the rod tip so i paused to untangle it. I get ready to wind again, gave the rod a twitch and see this shadowy blur, set the hook, and SNAP. That fish had to be a monster, cause I used to catfish that reel and know there was at least 14lb test on that reel.

Hey, Well, welcome aboard. Come join in on the fun that goes on in here. I am kinda new myself. I have heard of Fishers of Men. I am gonna fish the BFL, BASS weekend, and maybe the ABA this year. Have never been to Kentucky. Willie in Alabama land

Yea I hope he does win a couple more this year. I watched that playback of the Busch and he seems like he would be one cool person to hang out with or just fish with for a day. I don't think it was just a "show" for the camera. I wish I could pull half the weights he does.

I think Ish is pretty cool. I have been to that site and read the posts, and think it is awesome that he interacts with his fans like that. I wish that all people thought like you guys do on this board as far as the minority aspect. You guys all have class and integrity. I think that is a major reason why you never hear negatives about minorities in the sport of fishing, because of the levels of respect and integrity of anglers. Personally, I have been discriminated against fishing, due to race, but the cowards never said anything to my face. And I don't have a chip on my shoulder, I am married and have interracial children. This July, I fished a club tournament with the husband of my daughter's teacher. It was a blast... I had a great time, he said he needed a partner for some Saturday tournaments and would give me a call. Well, a month or so later he calls me up to go to some private lakes, and decides to tell me that the reason he hasn't asked me to come back and fish anymore tournaments with him was because some of the other members had a problem fishing with a "black guy". It is already hard enough to catch a fish without worring about no-class idiots. I never tell that story, cause I have too much positive in life to be thankful for, wife, kids,living, FISHING. You guys on here are classy and that is what those idiots lacked. Willie

Thanks for the good luck wish. I am sure I will need all the luck I can get, especially if I have to run into guys from this board fishing. Hope you seasons go well, but I am sure I will be seeing you around on here. Willie

I don't think I will ever fish in my state's federation, just because of a bad experience I had dealing with a local club here. I have no idea if they are federation affiliated or not, I don't really care. I plan on making my way up the ladder, through the weekend series, then the Opens, and then Elite. I have been down with BASS since I was a kid watching "Fishing with Red" on Saturday morning. It all comes down to a personal decisions, if it fits your schedule then do it. My personal choice is just not to solicite sponsors until I feel I have a complete package to offer. I don't want to be known ( once I am fishing for a living) as a "mediocre angler but could sell a popcicle to an eskimo". I also don't want to be known as only a fisherman. My goal is to be a skilled mixture of both, like all the greats. We are all cocky and we are all egotistical, even without sponsors... you have to be to stand on a boat throwing a bait to cover, and knowing you are good enough to manipulate it just right to make that fish strike that artificial bait. And if he doesn't, we blame the fish, but never ourselves. In the end we are all going to do what makes us happy. If you choose to fish the local tournaments with local sponsors and you get a deal that makes you happy go for it. If you choose to move up in the ranks and get bigger sponsors with more incentives, go for it. If you see a guy who duct tapes the logos on his clothing, his motor brand, boat, and uses a sharpie to scribble out the labels on his baits, and refuses to say any brands he was using---it's me cause I don't do free advertising.

I am trying to make a move to the Elite. I don't have a lot of extra money between my wife, daughter (11 months), and son (due in April). My biggest asset is the fact that my wife is super supportive, and job that allows some flexibilty. I still have to pay and mortgage and make sure my family eats I have not even tried to get a sponsor, because I don't have the years of competitive fishing that others have. It is difficult here for me to even find a bass club to join to get a little competition, so I only have 1 tournament to even brag about. Plus, my boat is a 16 1/2 1967 Valco, with a 90's model 75 HP Mercury I had to drag back to Alabama from Cali but I got it free from my father in law. I have had to redo the carpet, replace the fishing decs, and am trying to repair the tilt and trim that my father lost the parts for. The parts are discontinued, too. Anyways, not trying to ramble on and on and make excuses . All I do know is that I can catch a fish, and I like doing it. My plan is fish the ABA and Weekend Series this year, if all goes as planned I will have an ABA Angler of the Year for 2007 and a 2008 BASS Classic trophy. But realistically I want to put myself in a financial position, to quit my job next year and pursue this full-time, but not if it will hurt my family.

I don't have any sponsors, but I am a tackler buyer. The company may put catching fish secondary, but where do you as a buyer rank catching fish. Marketability may get you the sponsorship, but I thnk catching fish is going to keep you with that sponsor. If you are the only person marketing XYZ bait, and you aren't catching fish on it, why do I need it taking up space in my box? Just as an example, what appeal does a senko have to a beginning angler who simply sees it on a self. It is a plain looking bait with no appeal in contrast to the everything he has to choose from. But he sees pros filling up live wells, reads mags and sees pictures of fish caught with it.

I agree with you both on the matter. I want to fish professionally, if I end up being good enough. I would love to get some flashy patches, a sparkling boat, and some cool threads. Realistically, I have 1 local tournament under my belt. I have a degree in International Business and Spanish, 9/10 of my MBA ( 1 class to finish), and a full time job. I am 28 with a wife (who has told me to try), an 11 month old daughter, and our son due in April--so I am having to plan ABA events and pick the Weekend Series divison according to the due date. I could stand to go out a find some sponsor cash and product, but I know that all I could possibly get besides some "no's", is a company that would expect me to spend hours with promo stuff for a bowl of cereal at the ramp each morning. I just don't feel that to be beneficial to any angler, no matter what level you choose to fish. When you take the work you do to prep for a tournament [;us the time you spend on promos with your sponsor, is the reward worth it..or are you left with a bowl of soggy cereal that would have cost you $2 to buy at the hotel. But like they says opinions are like....

I agree with you that local companies are going to advertise. Every business that is going to be a success is going to have some form of advertisement, be it reputation, word of mouth, or on a jersey or boat. And I agree with expenses to compete, no matter what the level. If someone wants to give you money for having fun in exchange for helping them market their products/services, then take it. Like I say, I was just asking is it more of a hassle than what it is worth, if you are not going to compete at a higher level.

I read all this stuff about sponsors because it is really interesting, the different takes on the whole matter. I am just wondering why some people even pursue sponsors if their goal is only to fish local club tournaments and never progress past that level of competition? Wouldn't it be more of a hassle to try to fulfil commitments and promises to sponsors than it would have been to just buy the free stuff you got? I am honestly not trying to be a smartie or anything. I am just interested in knowing why do the leg work if you absolutely know you do not want to take a step towards being a professional.

Well at least I am not the only one thinking of doing the co-angler thing. It is kinda hard trying to juggle a schedule. I figure since, I spent money on an ABA membership to fish BASS. I might as well fish ABA. I am thinking of BFL as a co-angler cause my boat is only 16 1/2 ft.