Lottabass

You live in a great spot!!!!

A bass celebrating his birthday in beer batter won't be around for you to catch again. I like to catch bass and I like to eat crappie.

@Joedodge Buy a boat even if your wife has to get a second job to pay for it. 👩‍🏭 Okay, I'm ducking! 😅

I feel for ya! Surgery will go well and you will be back to fishing before you know it! Just to keep things in perspective, my friend Clayton has NO arms! Watching him tie on a jig with his toes is amazing.

Fishing from the bank is great but you are limited. Fishing from a boat is not limited. You can fish all the areas that you fished from the bank PLUS all the areas that you couldn't! BTW, the bait monkey will be happy because you can carry so much more tackle (most of which you won't use).🤣

She has exceptional talent!!!!

Ice out yesterday. Got some good ones today. Water temp 41. Underspin with a 4 in fluke (thanks for the inspiration Katie @Swamp Girl!). I caught several last fall just before freeze up, today in the same area, channel bank in 6 fow. Happy to see the eagles again!

@scaleface "When fishing in an aluminum jon boat, I can hear the hits when using the rattling lure." Dane, can you expound on this? Very interesting!!!

You can fish a t-rigged Snag Proof Zoo Wake through cover, it gives a similar profile to the dancin' eel but weedless.

@NelsonIII said; "I've noticed the years are starting to pick up their pace..." As you get older time goes faster and gravity gets stronger. I'd like to see Einstein explain that!

@Swamp Girl Good question, Katie! What is "hardcore"? Some are restricted by age, ability, opportunity, budget. Some have endless opportunities. But we are all tied together by the love of the fish and its chasing. I think there are too many to list. BR has the largest bunch of fishing lovers I have ever seen.

Positive attitude? Is there any other kind? The VA physical therapist said I needed this. Now where am I gonna attach a rod holder...?

Poop baits have been good for me. Fat Ika, Cover Scat, etc. Last year I played with inserting legs in those baits with a big eyed needle. Easy to do but never noticed any improvement in catches. The bottom photo is a Cover Scat with rubber bands. With my limited experience I'd say the dice with the thicker "legs" like the Uni or the Coike will work better, but I got a lot to learn.

Sounds like "profile" to me. Color and profile are such a subjective topic and will always be debated amongst anglers, which is good. To me, speed and depth and location (where there are fish) will always be #1.

Love the Beetle Spin (black w/gold blade)!

@Swamp Girl " I'm only half kidding." Katie, it's the other half I'm worried about!

A state record means nothing to me either. I would celebrate the unique animal I caught. Being ignorant of the finer points of social media and the internet I would be afraid of the possible negative attention an Iowa 10 pounder would get. I don't use social media with the exception of BR. If I posted a photo of a state record size bass on BR would the whole world see it?

I would take pics, weigh it, and release it a.s.a.p. My question to everyone is: Would you post the pic on BR?

My Dad retired to the Ozarks in 1970 so I fished those lakes and the Mann's Stingray grub (smoke) was a bass nabber in the winter!

For those of us that deal with hard water season what lures would you have in your box? Just a general question as I know conditions can vary. The ice just went out and you're going fishing. What is your pre-conceived notion of what will catch 'em?

Bob, Thank you for sharing this. Thank you for trusting us to hear about your loss. She was, and is, an angel. This was truly a good one going too soon. I'm sorry for your loss.

Dane, It's not in your head. This has been a tube that has produced a billion bass for me.

When I lived on the Des Moines river we would have carp tournaments. Afterwards, we would cover them in clay and bury them in the coals of a fire. Cook them while we drank beer and told lies. Good stuff!

No, I don't rub my worm! However, I do scruff up my crankbaits like Pat @Pat Brown does. Fish 'em shiny or fish 'em rough, do what you have confidence in!

How low are they? Lakes I fish are 4 feet low.