BassNJake

Congrats on the first boat purchase!! Now its time to start making memories!!

This^^^ By doing this you get a lot more than money to buy some tackle. You will learn people skills, develop a work ethic, learn how to negotiate as well as develop connections/networking skills. Sometimes it is these connections that lead to opportunities. If you look at the guy that just finished 2nd at the Forrest Wood cup, his sponsors include a car dealership(Everett) and a Bank. Both are located in his hometown and prior connections could have played into his sponsorship with them.

I am a left hand retrieve guy and have had issues with hook keepers that are mounted on the left hand side. I always allow my bait to fall on slack line. So after the cast I usually pull line out with my left hand as the right hand holds the rod. Pulling the line out with the left hand puts the slack line on the left hand side where it often catches the hook keeper. I now have electrical tape over the hook keepers on the left hand side and I use the holes that are in the handles of my reels.

Karma

Like some of the other replies I have multiple rods on the deck and they cover the different water columns I try to fish. I usually fish from 0-6 feet, 6-12 and then 12-20 feet deep. I don't have the skills or the electronics to confidently fish deeper than that. I am trying to target active bass that are feeding or find places they are located where I can trigger a reaction bite. I always go at daybreak so I'm throwing my frog most of the morning targeting active fish that are feeding closer to the bank and/or cover(6 feet or less) and trying to get some clues as to what the day will bring. If I can get some early frog action, it might be the only lure I throw til lunch. The early success will keep me fishing my favorite way because now I have confidence there are fish shallow and actively feeding. If I don't get a sniff and see some baitfish activity, I'll back through the same area fishing a jig/senko something slower I can fish thru that 6 foot zone. I noticed, the deeper I fish the more rods/lures I use and I think its a confidence thing

What is meant by "lake turnover"? How and why do lakes do this in autumn and spring? The key to this question is how water density varies with water temperature. Water is most dense (heaviest) at 39º F (4º C) and as temperature increases or decreases from 39º F, it becomes increasingly less dense (lighter). In summer and winter, lakes are maintained by climate in what is called a stratified condition. Less dense water is at the surface and more dense water is near the bottom. During late summer and autumn, air temperatures cool the surface water causing its density to increase. The heavier water sinks, forcing the lighter, less dense water to the surface. This continues until the water temperature at all depths reaches approximately 39º F. Because there is very little difference in density at this stage, the waters are easily mixed by the wind. The sinking action and mixing of the water by the wind results in the exchange of surface and bottom waters which is called "turnover." During spring, the process reverses itself. This time ice melts, and surface waters warm and sink until the water temperature at all depths reaches approximately 39º F. The sinking combined with wind mixing causes spring "turnover." This describes the general principle; however, other factors (including climate and lake depth variations) can cause certain lakes to act differently. A more detailed description of the physical characteristics of lakes, including temporal and density interactions, can be found at the Water on the Web site, sponsored by the University of Minnesota - Duluth and funded by the National Science Foundation.

This is by far the best buzz frog/toad out there in my opinion. It is weighted really well, so the running upside down issues are almost non existent I like rage toads and use rage tail shads when I want a serious disturbance but the Keitechs are my favorites

I am from the school thought that says prepare for the worst. I have a 100 lb thrust trolling motor on a 16 foot Crestliner. I always have enough power to get me through anything and I can run it on the lowest setting if needed.

I have a Crestliner and absolutely love it. I have been known to be a little rough on things and this boat has held up to all I've put it through

It is easier to win an FLW tournament than find what you are looking for on their website.

You can obviously fish; qualifying for then winning the club championship shows this. Did you miss 2 tourneys last year? Possibly knowing that you couldn't fish all the club events this year had an effect on they way you fished the events you could make? You got this!! Here is some advice from a guy that didn't make the classic in 2014 https://www.bassmaster.com/news/kvd-ill-be-back

I used a 3 way swivel over the legs > attached a split ring to the rear facing swivel > then used a large colorado blade I had one blow-up but no takers I liked the action as it made both sound and disturbed the water quite a bit On a slower retrieve the blade seemed more erratic in how/when it spun On a faster retrieve the blade seemed to spin consistently but I kinda liked the random action I know that you have been tinkering with this not sure if you tried a large colorado blade or not I'll try and add a picture tomorrow

Poe's 4400 deep diver in the Texas shad color

I fished Erie a few times for smallmouth where only 6lb floro would get a bite, whether it be on a leader or straight flourocarbon. 8lb floro was too heavy/visible as well as 8 or 6 lb mono, It's my opinion they were "spooked" or more wary of the line. We were fishing in 12-18 ft of water targeting individual groups of boulders way out in no mans land. So a lot different than flipping weeds. With that being said why do people use as light of a floro leader as they can get away with? If floro was as invisible as they say, 20lb could be used instead of 6lb and you wouldn't have the break offs. I think floro is harder to see than mono or braid but not invisible. I also believe it is another tool that has a place and time when it can be more beneficial.

Hey there Rollincoal420, I see you are fishing around Melton Hill by the links that you posted. It's hot here in Knoxville and water temp is in the mid to upper 80's on Norris Lake. Any type of fish I have caught close to the bank in the past few weeks have been near first/last light and near some sort of cover/structure. My boss fishes along the walkway that is across from the Steam Plant and had a banner day last week throwing a culprit worm along the shore that had a mudline and some debris piled up. When I was coming into work today I could still see the floating debris across from the Steam Plant, so you might want to try there. From what you have posted it seems like you have a good start to what you are doing. It may be more of a timing issue as it is Summer and a more traditional summer pattern would be to fish deeper breaks. There is a place to park and then a walkway they goes right along the water. There is an old bridge abutment that sticks into the water and that is where the debris is piled up. Across from this is the discharge for the steam plant, which at times will bring all types of fish into this stretch of river. I've added a pic to show where the Parking, trail and floating debris are located.

I just took a screen grab from a video at icast where (I think the owner) is talking about the various uses of the Frog and the ways you can use replacement tails. He also says that it is Lucky Craft that is distributing his Products in the US. Its the 1:25 mark where he starts talking about the replacement tails.

That is awesome!! My co workers now wonder whats so funny

I'll go with the A&W Mr. Dumass commercial

Very nice!!

Thank you for sharing !! Looks like an amazing trip !!

Depends on where the event is located. I was a marshal on Douglas lake in TN. When registration opened for regular members( I think it was 9am) , I signed up a couple hours later and was 55th. Nobody declined to marshal on Saturday so sadly I only got 2 days but 1 was with G-Man !! The next time I do it I'll make sure I'm registering as soon as it is open to regular members.

When fishing as a co-angler I learned not to rule out any spots. Often the "Pro" would be hitting the high percentage spots, leaving me to use a secondary or less obvious spot. Many times I caught fish between dock posts or at the edge of an overhang instead of all the way under it Other times he would hit the front of a lay down and I caught the fish because once I was able to flip to it my angle varied from his. (On a side note sometimes I got smoked because the fish were at the high percentage spots and I just never had a chance to reach them first. #co-angler blues) Once I determine that they are more aggressive/actively feeding, I will hit the high percentage spots moving pretty quickly If I find they are less active I tend to dissect the cover from multiple angles using a couple different baits

Favorite is definitely topwater, therefore I frog I have went out and only had 1 blowup but that blow up has been more memorable than all the drop shot fish I have ever caught I do flip or pitch a senko type bait > bottom weighted to compliment my froggin My 2 biggest fish on frogs both came when the water temp was below 60. So colder water is not a deterrent for me either