BigAngus752

This has just become norm in every single merchandise category, for better or worse. But sometimes it's just smart business. Especially if someone truly innovates. For example, how many striker-fired semi-automatic pistols are there? Why? All because a brilliant, Austrian engineer that manufactured curtain rods and knives decided late in life that he could design a more efficient pistol. And he was right. And every gun manufacturer with half a brain found a way to mimic it.

Are you blind? The dorsal is pointy...er! Totally different lure. Wait, which one is the top one?

That makes sense. Of course not, it was for discussion purposes. However, I know quite a few bass fishermen who keep and eat their bass. And one angler keeping every legal bass every time they fish will make up for a whole lotta us NOT keeping one. But my question was not meant to be taken literally. It was for illustrative purposes to help me understand what kind of regeneration actually occurs.

According to iOutdoors bass fishing as become so popular that there is an estimated 30 million bass anglers in the United States now. So what if every one of them keeps a single "trophy" bass? Would 30 million fish make a difference? This is a serious question on my part don't get ur undies in a bunch. I don't know much about the ecology of it. I DO know that, even though I don't crappie fish, there is an epic crappie lake one hour from me and at the rate they pull huge bags out of it day after day nearly all year long there has to be millions and millions of crappie in that one lake. I admit I get rankled when people tell me they are eating bass or keeping big bass but I don't actually know what effect it has, other than if you keep a 9lb bass from a lake I fish then I can't ever catch that bass. I would never consider for a second keeping a "lifetime" bass for that very reason. Or even a 5lber. I want someone else to have that same chance. But different people have different opinions about how to approach life.

Well you knocked that one out of the park! Thank you for putting her back. I'm looking at that profile and thinking she's gonna put on even more lbs. Tell us what she ways next spring!

Worked for me. All caps.

The bait monkey? He's just one of the cast in the movie of my life. Other stars include, the Harley Monkey, the Jeep Monkey, the Classic Mustang Monkey, the Boat Monkey, the Bourbon Monkey, the Gun Monkey. These are all sketchy friends that lead me down the wrong path but nobody, and I mean nobody, has done the kind of damage that the Twice Divorced Monkey has done. He's an ice cold S.O.B.

What are the extremes here? Are we talking "Brad Pitt gets a hug at the end of every race" and "Danny DeVito can control objects with his mind" stuff? There's no point in being gorgeous if you slobber when you sit still for ten minutes. I'm only a couple IQ points above that right now anyway. I'll take smart.

Understatement! It's like a dessert. Interestingly, I won't be able to do "several" just because it's so much toffee and caramel, but wow, it's perfect for one or two pours. Thank you very much for suggesting it. It will always be in our bar now. I owe it to this guy ^^^^

Well, this will likely be my last post. My electronics will be gone in a couple weeks. House gone in a month. You'll find me living in a cardboard box on @DitchPanda's lawn. But I'll have some Michter's with me if you need a drink...wow.

Is this realistic? If this lands on me you better not be in my way when I take off. Or this

Tungsten weights, Fogys, and Dredge jigs! Sold! Thank you, sir.

Oh man, I hope this is true!

Only widely accepted statistical probabilities. But give me a few and I'll make something up that the press will like.

It already has been broken. This topic brings up a discussion of world record vs. recorded world record. The things that have to align perfectly to allow a record to be properly recorded are strict enough that this record, and every other fishing record, has been broken repeatedly but not recorded. It's almost certain that a "sometimes" fisherman using a hand-me-down-rod on a small pond somewhere broke this record (and a bunch of others) and didn't have a scale or realize what he had. Same with the "greatest (insert sport) player of all-time". They have to be famous to be recognized. So, yes. Someday someone will catch a bigger fish, have a scale, know what they are looking at, and know how to save it and properly certify it.

Well, now I'm going to try that. I would also suggest Woodford Reserve Rye. It's a 51% rye mashbill with an awesome caramel palate.

If you like the Double Rye and feel like buying something a bit more pricey I highly recommend the High West Rendezvous. Taste it one time and you'll know instantly why it costs more than the Double Rye. I can't afford to drink it often though!

TWO small ice cubes. No more, no less.

I can't help people when I'm puking uncontrollably.

I'm the exact opposite. I've never started a conversation with another fisherman in my life, but if they want to ask me how I'm doing I'm always ready to talk. If they tell me that they are catching and I'm not catching then it gets my brain working on what I need to change. If they tell me that they aren't catching and I'm not either then I know it's not just me. If they tell me they can't get anything and I'm loading my boat then I'm wondering why I'm not traveling the country in a sponsored boat and truck! LOL

Here are some things that greatly minimized the time it took for me to gain a significant amount of experience: 1. I picked my primary lake based on what the lake had to offer. I chose a lake that actually fishes like three different bodies of water due to it's shape, terrain, and the way it's divided by causeways, etc. It also has rock, wood, vegetation, docks, extreme shallow, and depths over 25ft. This gave me the opportunity for many different types of bass fishing every time I went to this one lake. 2. I dedicated my time to this sport. That means I took time off work JUST to fish. I regularly fished on Wednesdays and Thursdays when I had the lakes almost to myself and the fish hadn't been heavily pressured since Sunday. That was HUGE in figuring out the fish. 3. I finally gave in and bought an Ultrex. I now realize that I can buy an Ugly Stick and all my lures at Walmart and catch fish. I don't have to spend $200 on a rod. I don't need $7000 in electronics. I can catch fish with or without electronics. But the Ultrex was a life-changer. I struggled to learn this sport and felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. I changed these three things and in only a few years I can now compete with the best bass fishermen on my regular lakes. My next step will be starting to travel to experience a wider variety of bass environments.

If someone asks me how I'm catching there's a 99% chance I'm going to give them every detail I can. It's very rare that the bite is so tough that day that I say, "I'm sorry but I'll tell you when I'm headed back to the ramp". Very rare. Also, I will go out of my way to direct other species guys to their fish. If I find crappie or walleye by mistake, I'll hunt down the nearest fisherman and give him the where/what. Why? Treat others as you wish to be treated. I'm always open to listening to advice. Unfortunately in this sport many times it's intentionally B.S. when someone starts running their mouth at the launch.

My gosh, she's a balloon! LOL

Was so balmy after I got off work I had to put the boat on the water. First bass of '23. 4lb 8oz. Water was 44.5 degrees. The bite was so mushy that it was one of those "something feels different" hooksets. Can't complain about a jig bite in February in Illinois!