bighed

Pm sent Glenn. Would love to meet some BR members!

Enjoyed it in Greenville last time and expect I will again in 2015!

Lots of options to enjoy the classic there coots. Ride around the lake and watch your favorite pro fish and skip the weigh in. Go to the expo and take in the weigh in on the same trip, etc. The closest trip it's been for me was 3 1/2 hours drive to Shreveport. Longest was a flight Dallas to South Carolina. I've enjoyed each Classic a ton and think you would too.

Yes, here's a link to the info that everyone will need: http://www.bassmaster.com/attend-2014-bassmaster-classic

Good thing is it has a huge watershed. The low level is also leaving the zebras high and dry and when it does refill it will take a while for them to come back. That said, all our lakes are hurting in North TX. I live 2 miles from Lavon where Texoma water will again be pumped and it is 12 1/2' low at present. Considering it's a very shallow lake, that is the bulk of it's storage capacity.

Mike, just shoot me a message when you would like to come fish Fork! It's only going to get better from here.

It's with mixed emotions that I have to withdraw from this years Roadtrip. My eldest and his wife who live out of the country will be welcoming my first grandchild into the world in May. Ill be making the trip to visit them but that will not leave enough vacation balance to also come to the road trip. I will be at the Classic if anyone would like to meet up there. Best wishes to all the attendees! Bert

Go to the Expo which is the best bass fishing show you will ever go to. Meet the pro's you've seen on tv since you were a kid. Buy tackle at good prices and see new stuff you didn't know existed. Go to the launch each morning, the weigh in each afternoon. Meet up with friends with real names from other parts of the country you have only ever know as bighead and the like. If you leave the Classic without wanting to start your own tackle business or take a shot at qualifying for next year you might want to have your pulse checked! Just do it!

Not that I think of my ability as "pro" level, but I will say that several years of tourney fishing has taken it to the next level. I used to think I was pretty fair with a stick. That was with me choosing the lake and the time of year to fish it. When somebody else does that for you the first few times it can be humbling.

Justin2, you are in for a treat!

We have them around Texas in some of the power plant lake and lake in the southern part of the state. State law requires we kill a tilapia as soon as its caught.

Sat next to Mark Dove at the BASS Nation Championship awards dinner. Besides beng a heck of a stick, he's a very nice and interesting fellow!

I had to do just this but chase it down by jon boat. That was fishing Chandeleur for trout and hooked a jack like you are holding but close to 30 pounds. Took a couple hours of chasing to finally land. One of the most powerful fish pound for pound I've ever hooked.

Would love to see Gary Klein finally win one. Not a nicer guy in the sport.

Repower my boat with a Hydro Tec Yamaha. Recarpet and repair some of the wear and tear on it.

This will be the 7th year straight I've taken my son Chad to the Classic. It falls on or near his birthday each year and I enjoy taking him more than the old money in a card deal. Will be staying at the convention center hotel. Who else will be there?

It's kind of hit and miss. Dick's usually has a big display with mid to lower priced combos discounted. Duckett had three rods for the price of two a year or two ago. I think if you arrive on Friday and really look everything over well you will be able to find a good deal. If you wait to long everybody else will find your deal and it will sell out.

Y'all better get crackin! This trip is not to be missed. I'm already figuring my vacation allocation needed for BR 2015

The reels sell themselves. If you buy one you will end up with a whole closet full of them. One of the best parts of fishing Shimano is that you can return them for service for like $27 and they come back just like new mechanically. My local Shimano service center has never repaired reels for me as well as the factory does.

I'm just trying this now after seeing the vid a few weeks ago. It seems that casting distance is only slightly improved. I do like the idea that I'm only using 30 yards of fluoro instead of 90 to fill the reel. The savings in fluoro should pay for the braid pretty quick and the braid should last as long as you want to keep it on there.

1976 my dad took me on the trip of a lifetime to Lake Yojoa in Honduras. Dad was a minnow fisherman taking a son interested in all that stuff Bill Dance was doing on TV. We bought the 9 1/4" Flip Tail worms and such that was recommended for the trip but struggled once we got there, not landing much on our old Shakespeare fiberglass spinning rods and reels. Turned out the more experienced anglers were using these new Abu 5000C casting reels on Lew's Speed Sticks that we had never seen or heard of before. My birthday followed that trip by a month or so and my gift was that new 5000C and Lew's I'd seen everybody using. I landed thousands of fish on that rod before retiring it. Still have the rig and the memories with dad fishing together.

Paper maps, not so much. Have you tried the Navionics ap for your smart phone?

1. Falcon 2. Baccarac 3. El Salto

Here in TX we don't have a problem with fisherman harming the spawn by catching and releasing bedding fish. I've done it off and on for many years at Fork which may be the most well know bed fishing lake around. That said, I've caught nothing over 8 pounds from beds. I've seen a few bigger but they usually don't hang around the bed long leaving the smaller males to tend the nest. I'm convinced that if a guy could push himself away from the lure of catching lots of 2-7 pound fish he would increase his odds greatly of catching that monster sow hiding near by.

Gift sent this morning!