TOXIC

Sorry, The DShad is only offered in 5" size. I have never needed a smaller version. I am embarrassed to say I have had some really small bass eat the DShad. I almost wish it was offered in a larger size.

Well, I can give a good review based on my experience. First, I'm a member because some of my sponsors required it. Second, I functioned as the Pro-Staff Director for one of my sponsors while they were hunting for someone to fill that job full time. The good and the bad..... Last time I checked, they have a no cost membership which allows you you get content such as articles written by members who are pro staff with the companies that are part of the site and you can follow those members for new content. You can ask questions and get replies directly from them. As I understand it, there are other levels of participation that cost. They have a function where for a fee, you are allowed to submit resumes to companies looking for Pro Staff positions. The basis of the fee is that when you apply, your resume gets directly to the person who is making the decision. Assuming everything is on the up and up, that's a positive. I got a lot of resumes and we did put some on staff. Keep in mind you are paying with no guarantee that you will be chosen, that's the downside and I saw a lot of really bad resumes but I was, at the time, the decision maker. Now you just reminded me, it's been a while since I've been on the site and need to go check it out again to see what, if anything, has changed.

Yamamoto Senko or DShad both weightles and weedless. To be more generic, any plastic stickbait or fluke style bait. Second for me would be a spinnerbait.

My advise to Jr. would have been that before you refine your gear, refine your technique. Stay functional in all aspects of fishing Rods/Reels/Lures until you find out where your strength and preferences lie, then match your gear to that. Most of us have been fishing many years and we can actually benefit from the gear more tailored to our style of fishing. Don't let marketing get you out over your skis!!

Don't be fooled, getting quality sponsors isn't about catching fish, it's about moving product. Some do it by fishing tournament results but there are many, many more that do it by being good salesmen. Also remember most every company has a multi-level sponsorship program.

If you want a quicker hook presentation, do not skin hook when you rig Texas style with the EWG hook. I use a 4.0 and do skin hook so I let them take it a little longer. Usually there is no nipping at a flue. They take it. Here are a few rigging tips: I throw a Yamamoto DShad a LOT. It is one of my go to baits. I have rigged it many different ways but weightless is the most deadly for me. Depending on how I want the bait to act, the key is where you insert the hook in the nose for a weightless Texas Rigged bait. Straight in the center will give you a flat level fall. to the top and the bait will dive when you twitch it, to the bottom and the bait will climb on the twitch. Likewise left or right of center will move the bait sideways. There are a lot of minor adjustments in between those that I mentioned that will dictate the baits movement.

If there is a worry about depleting the quality/quantity of Bass in CA, then the DNR should be aware and impose slot limits and other measures meant to manage the resource.

Most reputable jersey manufacturers require permission from the sponsor to put their logo on a jersey. That can be in the form of an email or in some cases actually sending the preferred logo in the format they can use. Lately many of the jersey companies will put whoever you want on a jersey if they have the logo in their files. Since I work shows more than tournaments anymore, I have jerseys for whomever I am working the show for. The Rep Group I work for have many products we represent and that jersey is provided by them. IMHO you don't put a product on a jersey you do not represent.

No, that was not backboating. The key is "intentionally" keeping you from fishing. You just had a clueless boater/angler. I'm not saying it is an epidemic but my initial research showed it does happen with regularity, if it didn't there wouldn't be rules on the books against it. I'm also not for filing frivolous protests but if the rules are broken then it needs to be examined by the TD and a decision made.

You are correct. It's a common etiquette consideration for the co not to cast in front of the consoles. We can get deep in the weeds on all of the unwritten and written rules but believe you me if I ever drew a boater that prevented me from fishing either intentionally or if his preferred style caused it, I would make a claim at the weigh in. It's not an internet fantasy either it happens a lot. I started doing research for a series that I was going to write for Yamamoto called "From the Back Deck" but put it on hold. Most boaters are considerate but I have seen some that could back boat you all day and you would never get a productive cast. Those guys also are bullies and then turn around and grouse about the co not kicking in for fuel or wiping down the boat or bringing them lunch or giving hot oil massages after the tournament.... I jest but it's kind of true.

I agree. That's why I only fish team tournaments. We are in it together win or lose. Have one next week as a matter of fact. I will be the backseater. I would rather be back there myself.

I'm trying to be non-judgmental here because I have a boat, I consider myself to be a pretty good fisherman and I have been a backseater. So, your pattern of thought that you are not a guide and since you own the boat it's tough luck if you backseat me either by chance or by design, it's OK, just part of the game...is totally wrong. First throw away the notion that a backseater is a nOOb that doesn't know how to fish, doesn't own a boat, can't tie his own lures on or couldn't find fish in a bathtub. Second, drop the premise that since it's your boat you are king of all you survey. Per the rules you have a responsibility to not impede me from fishing. It's not your choice it's a rule. Now keep in mind I understand that if you are fishing docks and it's not easy for 2 to work a dock then you can at least position the boat to where I can fish around the dock. If you put the boat nose straight in and I am left straight out the back of the boat, first I'm gonna say something to you. Your response would determine if you are doing it intentionally. You do it a second/third time it's obvious. Per your example, if you are working a spinnerbait down a bank, I don't think you could position the boat in a way I couldn't fish. If I feel you broke the rules, I'll file on you and let the TD make the call. I just get tired of hearing the worn out excuses of some of the boaters.....I pay insurance on my boat, I made the investment in a boat, I pay more for entry, which by the way gives you the right to fish your spots. And on, and on. Well, I have a boat and pay the same boat ownership expenses as you. Just because I don't choose to use my boat in a tournament doesn't make me any less an angler. So, as the boat owner can I blame you when you or I blank in the tournament? No. Can I tell you I don't want to kick in for fuel if you are going to run 25 miles up a river? No. Can you look down on someone who is a co-angler....No again. I think there are enough bad boater and bad co's to go around and I for once would like to hear of a constructive way to deal with the exceptions to the rule rather broad statements about an entire class of fisherman.

I was just saying that when I am in the boater position I unconsciously keep the boat positioned for my back seater to get in position. I should have added.....EVEN IN TOURNAMENTS.....If it's fun fishing then there is no "Rules" beyond just being a good guy....I don't fun fish competitively. But I specifically don't like the arrogant attitude of boaters who look negatively at a co angler, that is a problem with a lot of tournaments and where the bad blood gets started. There are rules and if your club/organization doesn't have them the re read your rules and if not in them, petition to have them added. There is NO EXCUSE for a boater to play those types of games. If they do that to me INTENTIONALLY, I'm gonna raise a ruckus just as I would expect someone to do if I did it to them. Examples Clipped from the rules: Official Rules B.A.S.S. Nation Effective January 1, 2018 7. ANGLER CODE OF CONDUCT: Intentionally interfering with a fellow angler’s ability to compete. BASS Opens: Any pro who, in the judgment of the officials, operates the boat in such a manner as to unfairly handicap their co-angler partner, shall be disqualified.

I floated mine across a pond................almost.

As has been said, those are for motor height adjustment that helps your motor perform better. As an aside, the older boats transoms are prone to suffer when mounting Power Poles. Also, I am not a fan of the "sandwich" mounts that go between your motor and the transom. I have personally experienced them working loose in rough water or long trailering pulls. Just an FYI....

Most club/tournament rules speak to that situation. If intentional, I would drop a dime on them no hesitation.

I never leave home without my fluke rod and Yamamoto DShads. So many different ways to rig and fish them.

Most of the back boating I have been involved with the boater was totally unaware he was doing it. A little "reminder" from me usually works. Now if they are doing it intentionally, then we have a problem. As a guide, I am always hyper focused on making sure everyone on the boat has "good water". Sometimes I have had someone on the front deck with me, one in the well and one on the back deck.

It is not an easy task switching from the hardtop to any of the other tops in my old girl. To put the soft top on I have to unbolt the hard top, hook it up and lift it, then bolt up the soft top including removing the bolts from the roll bar to the windshield for the front frame bars and then install the lip catch on the top of the windshield. Putting it up and dropping it is no easy task either unless the canvass is good and warm. It has spreader bars to tighten the top and I'm sure my daughter couldn't engage them. Funny story, she wanted the top of before she went back to college (150 miles away) one spring and just wanted the Safari top on (just covers the front and back seats). I told her that she would still get wet if it rains and that she couldn't leave anything in the vehicle. She whined and begged so I took the hard top off and put the safari top on and showed her how to do it. The day she left to go back to college her junior year it was raining hard. She finally admitted to me the other day (2 years later) that was the most miserable drive she ever took!! She got soaked. One thing I do know, either you are a "Jeeper" or you are not. I know a lot of people who bought jeeps then sold them in short order. Especially before they made them all cushy with coil overs and 4 doors.

Depends on what type of Dropshotting you do. When in Michigan, many times we are drifting and if I'm dropshotting, it's with a 7 foot or under. Longer rods don't have the manners I need for dragging.

First vehicle I bought brand new off the showroom floor in 1993 in Medway Massachusetts. Drove it for most of its life, taught my daughter how to drive a stick with it and she took it when she got her license at 16. She has never relinquished it. She drove it to college for 2 years. Currently 375,000 miles 4.0 High output original motor. It was pristine until she got it and now it's starting to show it's age. She just doesn't have her dad's obsession about cleaning and maintaining. I do all of the oil changes and minor wrench work. I have 4 tops for it...hard top, bikini top, full soft top and safari top. I also have a cable system mounted in my garage to remove/store the hardtop. I need to source some new OEM hard doors for it since I got rear ended and although it just crunched the bumperettes, it shocked the door frames and they have rusted. I used to take flyfishing clients on old logging roads to get to some prime spots. I pulled a pop-up camper with it and I pulled my pvc boat/trailer with it. Now it hauls hay and feed for my daughters horses. Hands down the best vehicle I have ever owned. Old School with leafs and rancho shocks and an extra steering stabilizer to give it highway manners. Burns -0- oil and I would drive it anywhere (if my back was up to it). I've been thinking about selling it and getting her a newer one from a custom shop right down the road from me (DTO Customs) but I can't convince her to let it go.

Had a good friend that owned a small tackle store in Michigan. KD Outdoors. He survived by his knowledge of the local lakes and what was working when. He was an avid fisherman. He sold live bait as well as servicing Bows and being an authorized Trolling Motor repair center. His niche was that he carried the baits that worked no matter who manufactured them. Ever go into BPS/Cabela's or any other box store and try to find Megabass Jerkbaits for example? You won't. He also carried a lot of locally owned bait manufacturers product. It was a very tough business to be in. Sadly he passed from an unexpected illness and the shop was closed.

Here's what I do....When I'm going on someone else's boat I just make a call as to where we will be fishing and what usually works and I have a travel bag with a selection of both hard and soft baits for the conditions I will be fishing in. I know that if I am going to the Potomac for example, I won't be throwing a dropshot if the grass is up so I don't pack that gear rod/reel/baits/weights. If the grass is gone like right now, I'll leave the frogs at home. Of course if I take my boat I have it all.

There's a very good reason for that. EVERY company I ever approached for sponsorship was a product that I used and liked. Yamamoto is a prime example. I bought their baits at retail for many years. I used them, I liked them, and I honestly believe they are the best plastic manufacturer on the market. Is there a downside? Sure there is and there are a lot of complaints as well. Too expensive, too fragile.....etc. I have dealt with those complaints for years. I can help with rigging tips to make them last longer, I can't control the price. Yamamoto actually wants me to use other baits and give them honest reviews. This site doesn't like sponsor promotion so I keep it to a minimum but you can bet that if I go out and catch fish on a Senko, I'm going to say it was on a Senko. Just like SPRO cranks. I use them, I like them. I have 2 other cranks in my boat. 1 Staycee and 2 Mann's Baby Minus ones. The rest of my cranks are SPRO and I catch a lot of fish on them. I have expressed my like for CastAway rods because I used them exclusively for years. They were good sticks and still are. Just to end what some may see as an endless plug....I have never been a discount prostaffer and I have never had a requirement in any of my contracts to make social media posts or write reviews. Normally, I'll only talk about my sponsors when the subject is brought up on the baits themselves.

Gary Klein gave the answer to this question to me many years ago and I never forgot it. "Once I find the fish, there are no less than 5 different lures I can catch them on". Bottom line....Throw what you have confidence in.