Williep99

A Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 48.62% Place: 32 5 - 8 lb, 3 oz 210 0 210 B John Cox Debary, FL 11.40% Place: 19 5 - 9 lb, 4 oz 236 0 236 C Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 19.97% Place: 9 5 - 10 lb, 9 oz 262 0 262 D Matt Arey Shelby, NC 2.46% Place: 43 5 - 7 lb, 8 oz 189 0 189 E Carl Jocumsen Toowoomba, Aus 17.03% Place: 62 3 - 6 lb, With weights there being what they are I can see this tournament changing up a lot tomorrow. Hackneys lost fish today would have really moved him up. Gutsiest pick ever...

Mine are in, but I still have a few days to digest them. Last time I changed out 1 that made the top ten.

Used them when I navigated on helos in the Coast Guard. Had to dead reckon also. LORAN was notoriously inaccurate. I’d take a spot as we left shore and compare it so I would know how far off we were. I would have loved GPS back then.

If you decide to go down the road of heavy swimbaits that takes some more specific gear. Some throw them on heavy flippin rods and get away with it. If you can’t haul them all, many take a couple alone on a trip and really focus on those techniques and baits. I think there is something to that. After all my years of buying rods based on baits thrown, I’m trying to determine how each rod flexes after the hook set and through the landing. I hate losing fish after hooking them. Just got in a new sglass rod for squarebills.

I agree, handles are more expensive than you would think. Recently bought a grinding handle for a Tranx, was like $40. Now I have the old handle to stare at until I die since I cant just throw it out.

I should have gone with my initial picks. I got talked into keeping Hackney, if he had made the final day I think he would have finished strong. Zaldain and that swimbait is hot or not. This was a tourney of making adjustments with the changing conditions. With the water out of the dam getting dirty it sure blew out that bite on the last day. On to the Sabine, I have no idea how that fishes. It’s kind of like football for a lot of folks, they pick their home anglers as favorites. Doesn’t always pan out.

I’ve only dabbled since I couldn’t come up with a partner and most clubs require 2 in the boat. My thought on starting in a team format is the ability to fish together and gain confidence and consistency. I always feel too much pressure when taking someone out and feeling I have to put them on fish consistently. Just my generous nature...

I’m on fire ?. I have full confidence a bucket of water is in my future.

Well, some decent weights today considering the weather delays and water being so high.

That striper should count for weight for today only. Just looking to pad fantasy stats.

I’m putting my new hubs and brakes on the boat this weekend. Woulda been done earlier but took a month to get delivered. And than my bearing sleeves were shot, just came in as well. And then it is change out the water pump and install new prop. Hopefully out in a week and a 1/2. Gotta spool reels too.

I’ve only fished 2 tourneys here. First one my MIL passed and we had to go home. Second one my starter locked up after our first stop. Anyway, my son is in college now and without a partner I’m pretty much screwed. Gotta have a partner up here and most everyone has been fishing together for like 40 years. Tried 3 clubs last year but no partners available. Do it though, you have more than enough equipment to get started.

I went with Bolt brand locks. Check out YouTube on videos of guys snapping locks off with a pipe. That will give you some idea of who to go with and just how quick it is to bust one. I figure make mine a wee bit harder to take. For your yard parking check out https://www.provenlocks.com. I don’t have one but you would have to really want a trailer.

I have a Timmy Horton money pole as well as a model attached to a short section of an old bait caster and spooled with 120 lb. braid.

Week one winnings showed up today.

Screwups only count if they are captured on film...

Man, he and I both wished he landed that one fish. ?

I will only answer if you ask like Sean Connery in Hunt for Red October. Vasily, one lure, one lure only.

DEPS Cover Scat

I have some JDM plastics that are going for a $100 per pack on eBay on occasion. Pretty tempting to try a sell.

Ok, setting aside some serious OCD going on in this thread. And 2 of them actually linked up which is far scarier than I want to ponder ?. I started using a waterproof notebook and making some lure descriptions up. How they run, when and how to use them, line size and type, etc... But it is not, nor ever will be a spreadsheet, more Hemingwayish.

Well, I slipped in tomorrow with Hackney and Christie. I need them on their A game.

All winter long... I’m bummed I just had 4 lurelock boxes show up broken from shipping. Trying the deep models with 3 levels of storage. Just filled one with lipless cranks and will load another with squarebills tomorrow. Am trying the mesh laundry bags instead of ziplocks for soft plastics this year. I’m always amazed that each year I think I’ve mastered tackle storage and the next year I change it up again.

They know my bank account by name already. Some of the stuff gets sold out in minutes.

I know some are fishing but up here I’m pretty much holding out for late March which will still be cold in regards to water and air temps. This give me a chance to plan new techniques and gather gear accordingly. This is also my 3rd year focused on bass as my primary targets. To be honest, some tackle has been tough to find but I’m down to just a few JDM soft plastics which aren’t for sale globally in my search efforts. How is everyone else doing in tackle acquisition this winter?