South FLA

If you live in Palm Beach Gardens, FL it really doesn't matter, this place is FULL of bass, pre/post/during rain, year round 24-7. The best and often most overlooked areas are those condo ponds you are talking about, especially in gated communities. So go out whenever and you most likely will do well, my personal favorite areas are in and around Abaco! So go tear them up and make our Northern bass chasers jealous. ;D As far as rain, I actually do better right before and immediately after. I try to find runoff areas that have a bit of current coming in or going out of the ponds or local canals, around those areas toss a jerk shad type bait as far up current and let the water current do its magic as you jerk occasionally. Topwater is always a great choice too.

Don't worry in the REAL world you'll have nice programs that DON'T forget and take care of all the details. In the end as long as you know what's going on is all that matters. I would take you up on the Key West thing, but my trip down there for Tarpon is not until June for the worm hatch if I can catch it. I'll be there for the Seafood Festival in Marathon March 13-16, might actually wet a line off the beach or the boat if I trailer it.

Really? In a week's time I watch far more Versus than all three ESPN channels combined! The Outdoor Channel isn't even an option for me. On average I would too, but some if not most cable/satellite has Versus, Outdoor Channel, etc. as options, ESPN comes with most basic programming. So if you want the largest available audience then ESPN it is. I would even choose a major network such as ABC, CBS, or NBC to carry the Bassmaster Classic before some niche outdoor channel. More people fish or can relate to fishing more than many other sports so you need to appeal to the largest possible audience and not go small niche. Remember we are already a captive audience, but to capture more you need to make those on the fringe or the mainstream aware of your product, B.A.S.S.

Jerry mentioned a mystery lake as part of the tour during the middle of the tour. I think it would be more exciting to have it as part at the end of the tour for the top 10 to 15 AOL point contenders or those anglers that actually have a chance of statistically finishing top 5 before the last tour stop. Also, all others in the field that did not qualify for the mystery tour would get the points awarded to the last place mystery tour stop finisher. Ideally, it would be 12 total tournament stops as Jerry stated with the 11 stop being a mystery stop that only the top XX amount of anglers that are in contention for the AOL award would attend. The logistics would be easier for bass, since only 10 to 15 anglers would involved.

It would have been nice of the ticker going by on ESPN 2 during final weigh-in actually said Bassmaster will be delayed, X amount of time. Also, they could have cut away from drag racing coverage since the results were in and it would not have effected coverage of that event. With all that said ESPN is still a flagship for SPORTS, not Versus, not Outdoor Channel!

Van Clunn Classic and the Trophy is sponsored by Yamaha!

When I first saw it I thought VIZSLA! Great dog, if you are a wingshooter you have yourself a permanent partner. If not get ready to be very ACTIVE! When my son gets a bit older I am in the market for one here is good link to get you started: http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/vizsla.htm

For baitcasting gear I switch, but not if I am flipping or pitching, have a lefty baitcaster. Its funny how if you ask people how they fish spinning gear most of the time they cast with their right arm and reel with the left hand. So its pretty easy to use a left baitcasting reel if you have been using righty spinning setups.

Garmin chips only work in Garmin products, from what I know.

Sir Snook Alot NAILED IT, if you can troll line behind your boat and let the water's drag work its magic there is no better LIMP maker.

My Zillion use to pull frog duty on Daiwa Light and Tough rod, which I have since sold, but now rides on my St. Croix Avid as a lipless crankbait burner. Like the way it sits on it, great reel.

Are you sure those outfits you have on are not fake and your fishing in Texas, Florida, or Cali? Nice Fish Fellas!

KVD like most other top notch anglers that WIN tournaments and have a following will sell products just like the latest pop singer releasing the latest perfume! That being said, I know from what KVD said is that he actually helps in the process of designing the lure before it comes to market. So, if a guy that can out fish competitors around him with his custom made lure that is owned by a mass production lure maker don't you think those who follow the sport would like to try the same lure? KVD is a marketer's wet dream!

It was an exact reversal of roles this last time out! I was hammering every species known to reside in our local waterways other than bass. Dwight's alligator at the end of the day was hard to beat even for a Florida native! Bass are scattered on flats around islands and thicker eel grass areas and pads it seems, lipless crankbait pattern that we had last time fell apart unless you are targeting pickerel or mudfish! Once again glad we got out there Dwight, next time we are going to have to do some urban bank casting and catch some really big'uns!

Rhino is correct, you cannot usually transfer component/trailer warranties on used boats, but last time I checked most were *** years on components, depending on manufacture. So is it a big deal, up to you to decide. Structural warranty transfers can be done and in my book that matters much more than component warranties. For example if you buy a 2008 Skeeter, the hull warranty is 10 years from date of purchase so it will extend until 2018 to second non-original owner. Nitro hull warranty is first 5 years of service to second owner. So you could buy a 3 year old boat and transfer ownership from original owner is still have 2 years left. Lastly, motor warranties, the most important, are transferable and you can actually extend them at times. So the argument that warranty is the main reason to buy new is really not that strong especially if the boat is within 3 or so years old. He is also right in that the boat really doesn't matter, I actually have been catching bigger and more bass in some of the small waters around the city, on a jon boat not my Ranger. So although KVD fishes out of a Nitro doesn't it mean Nitro has the best resale value, best customer service, best over quality of workmanship? Shoot I bet KVD could fish with a Ugly Stick an entry level or Spider Man spin caster off a Tracker car topper and still out fish other pros if the conditions are right. Point is most of us are not KVD and get boats given to us by sponsors that pay us to use them every year. Most boat owners want their boats to last a long time without any major problems, so why not get a "better" and better is totally subjective it could mean bigger, larger HP, more high end components, better build quality, better resale, different manufacture, etc. What does matter to most people is money. That being said why not buy a 2 to 5 year old boat that someone has taken a HUGE depreciation hit and use the savings. It can even be a Nitro if you'd like, just went on on ebay and looked at an 2009 Nitro loaded for $27K and warranty is through 2014 on 225 Pro XS Merc motor and hull warranty is through 2014 if hull warranty policy was same in 2009! Therefore, why not try to look for what you want, but a little older and in like new condition for 3/4 of the price or something better for the same price you are willing to pay. I looked for my USED boat for over 6 months and could not be happier and I customized it to the way I fish. Also, the fish can't tell its used . I ended up with a Ranger, but originally wanted an Action Craft.

First and foremost you are in CLEWISTON! So the best it gets is Roland's Marina and Resort. Who did you hire as your guide?

I second buying a USED boat over a new Z-7, you can get a MUCH better deal and end up with much more boat in quality and size. You could pick-up that garage kept Ranger, Bass Cat, or Skeeter if you are patient. Try using searchtempest.com as your search engine. As far as running rough waters (over 3') in a bass boat, I don't care if your boat is 21' or 18 1/2' its still ROUGH and hard too do safely. Remember when B.A.S.S. use to run 18-19' boat all day long in all kinds of lakes and that was the norm? Smart captains know their equipments limitations and if you get caught in rough water take your time and learn how to handle the boat before you do it.

Bassmike, just hire Capt Shane for down here he'll put you on them ;D, especially if he takes you to the Glades! Shane you are too humble man!

Or the Gheenoe! Still have yet to put my eyes on the Big 'O" Yeah, got one of those too! So when do you want to head out, maybe we can have Dale share his honey hole coordinates around J&S and see if we can try those custom frog baits, want to try my Kopper's frog too!

Time to BUST out the Jon Boat! Great outing Dale!

A story for LIFE!

I would have helped if I was there, but you bet yous "a_s" that I would have laughed the whole time! My favorite quote: "deflate her and drag it up to the car" I was ROFL when I read that, forgot that your boat was an inflatable, and as you stated an inflatable boat in the wind is basically a sail. Tight lines and glad you survived, I would have gotten hypothermia in water below 75!

Is there sand on the beach? What type of tournament you are looking for professional, national amateur/open, local club tournaments or local opens? This will get you started on some of the bigger tournament trails: http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/tournaments/index http://www.flwoutdoors.com/ Here is a list of Bass Clubs in Florida: http://www.bassresource.com/bassfish/bass_fishing_clubs.html

KVD = Dagon

This time it was the http://www.hydrowave.com/