roadwarrior

Even if you haven't been converted by the swimbait craze, you'll still enjoy this article by our own Fish Chris: Rigging the Huddleston Deluxe http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/huddleston_deluxe.html Thanks Fish, that was great!

As a general Rule of Thumb, there are only two colors, white and "dark," or some variation. : White works "all the time," sometimes. White, white and silver, white and black, white and chartreuse...these are MANDATORY colors and color combinations. White is a color you need to be comfortable with.

Welcome aboard! I don't know about overpopulation. That is a problem generally associated with ponds, not lakes. Plus, a 3 lb smallmouth is pretty healthy. I tend to think you just haven't hit upon the right fish.

"The SR-Concept combines the new concept of Reliance with all aspects of the S-Concept: Smooth, Silent and Strong." Oops! I think that statement reflects the corporate vision from a different Japanese company. :

: Me, too.

My local pond has a messy algea bloom in process making it very difficult to fish. Yesterday morning I tied on a Slug-Go, weightless and weedless with some success. I worked the bait slow, with intermittant twitches, attempting to immitate a feeding minnow. All but one of my strikes occured on top of the muck. You might want to give this a try on your pond.

Me too! The Lucky Craft LV-Max-500 is a close second and probably my favorite lure to cast. With the wind to your back, 75+ yards is possible.

We may need to add another section to the Forum just for you Cali guys. Great fish, great pics! Keep 'em comin'.

Nice fish, great pics!

Me too!

I have used a lot of brands and still have 6-8 containers of various scents. MegaStrike is the easiest to use and I still carry a tube around. So, I still use some attractants occasionally, but when my MegaStrike runs out, I won't be buying anymore. I see NO difference using or not using scent.

I guess it's all about the money. I can't picture a trophy hunter getting any other pleasure from catching "tournament bass." Wow! It's a monster! 14" and nearly a pound! Just four more and I can start fishing for a 3 lb kicker!

Okay, s-t-r-i-p-e-r not stripper... The best "lure" is live bait. Otherwise, in addition to what you have been fishing, Mann's 20+ & 25+ are great for trolling. For casting, jerkbaits can be awesome. Probably the most common artificial is the Sassy Shad, but I consider it a very "average" bait.

I used it and liked it quite a bit until cold weather hit and it became difficult to manage. The line retains a lot of memory. I have switched to Yo-Zuri Hybrid and Hybrid Ultra Soft.

Well, the rod may be more important than the reel when it comes to actually "catching fish," but the reel is way more important to me. The reel represents the "fun factor." On average the cost breakdown for my gear is 75% reel/ 25% rod. With a little patience, you can pick up some very nice equipment from our members in the Flea Market. I suggest choosing quality over quantity and of course, Shimano reels. : In the $150 range, I would also suggest looking at the St. Croix Avid series and Fenwick Techna AV rods. Loomis are my favorite rods, but IMX not the GL3.

Fish your shiners on a split shot rig, #6 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle Hook. Cast and retrieve SLOWLY. This method is very similar to casting and retrieving lures. It's not boring, but you need to be careful..you might get your arm broken!

Yep, I agree with fivebasslimit. When a bass strikes a Senko, she doesn't want to let go. Perhaps the vibration of the lure is another key factor. Many of the lure's attributes have been successfully copied, but they still aren't a Senko.

For me it's about lure weight first, wind second and nightime. I fish baitcasters and spinning tackle without a general preference, but I prefer certain gear for specific conditions and tasks. For medium weights, my preferred jerkbait combination is baitcasting: St. Croix Avid AC66MF (soft tip) matched up with a Shimano Calais 200. For light lures (Rapala X-Rap (08), LC Pointer 76) it's spinning tackle for me. Some of my best jerkbait experiences have been at night, especially targeting walley or big brown trout. Spinning gear is the ticket here for me, too.

If you have sent me a PM recently, I have not been receieving them. This seems to be in conjunction with a systems error showing me as an "ex-member." Everything seems to be back to normal, so if I didn't reply, send me another message.

Welcome aboard! At the top of the page is an icon "Fishing Articles." Inside you'll see a listing for "Beginning Anglers." This is the place to start. Here a a few short answers to your questions 1. Engineering, craftmanship, the quality of components and the manufacturer's reputation for dependability distinguish brands of most products. Fishing equipment is no different. 2. The simple reply: White with silver willow blades on sunny days and in clear water; chartreuse with gold Colorado blades on cloudy days and in stained water. 3. Generally the upper portions of creeks, relatively shallow water and the northwest portion of the lake which is protected from north winds and receives the most sunshine. 4.I don't have a clue, I have never used lights fishing for catfish. 5. They may help, but they also increase fouling (picking up junk). I don't use trailer hooks, but most baitshops have them and they are not expensive. You should be able to catch some bass with spinnerbaits and worms. You might also want to try the GYCB Fat Ika and 5" Senko. For top water, Zara Puppy and the orginal Floating Rapala are two consistant profducers. There is no such thing as a "Canadian" goose. Geese have no nationality, they are Canada geese. They don't have any impact on fishing. Set your drag with a scale at 25-30% of the line's breaking strength.

Welcome aboard!

Whodda thunk it? Congratulations!

Great fish, great pic. Congratulations!

"You just can't make up s--t like that!" Muddy, you are a fine man. You're funny when you want to be, but... You're a lot funnier the rest of the time! "Our father got around."

Well done, my friend. Although I enjoyed meeting everyone that came to Fork this year, a few stand out and you are certainly one of those that made this trip so memorable. It was fun to hook up with the Three Mooks in a Bus, believe me, that sure made the traveling easy. Thanks for the post. Another chapter in the BassResource.com Special Edition: Lake Fork 2007.