farmpond1

I couldn't have said it better myself.

My answer depends on how long I've been on the lake and how many bites I've gotten already. If the bite is good and I have confidence in a technique or pattern, I'll throw a bunch to a good looking spot. But if it's been a looooong day and I'm tired and not very optimistic about my chances, I may only make one or two casts. Not always the best choice but there it is.

Are you sure you don't have a cojoined twin who is fighting for dominance over the left side of your (or his) body? Boy, that's creepy.

You used a left handed bat? Sounds like me with my left handed metric crescent wrench! ;D That's not to mention the disgusting problems caused by left-handed toilet paper. Actually, in the middle east all toilet paper would be considered "left-handed." (Just a little trivia for those who care).

I'm right handed. When I was in little league, they kept giving me a left handed bat to use. This explains why I was so bad.

Don't get your BASS authorized KVD monogramed underwear in a twist. Most of us are laughing at ourselves.

Hey! I have a pair of sneakers that look almost identical to these. Bought 'em about a year ago. They don't say "KVD" on them but I have waded a river in them in Kevin's honor. p.s., I'll sell mine to the highest bidder.

Say, where can I get one of them there clothespins?

Out of respect for their space, I won't cut in front of someone (if they are moving), and I won't crowd them. I expect them to do the same. The question is, however, how close is too close? If I see someone working a long bank and I see that they are moving, I won't get any closer than about a 200 yards in front of them. Probably not even that close. It depends on how fast they are working the bank. If they are moving quickly, I'll move behind them and work all the bass they didn't catch. If they are not moving or it can't be discerned which direction they are traveling, I try not to get any closer than 100 yards. It all depends on the size of the lake and how many other fishermen/boats there are to contend with. Mostly, I try to avoid others altogether-which is why I prefer to fish during weekdays.

Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself! (hindsight: Oops, I think I did that wrong).

Tomorrow night we may get 4-7 inches of snow. Good luck to you, though.

Very nice!!! ;D

Not trying to pick a fight but why were you going that fast in thick fog? This is, of course, a rhetorical question. I hope you aren't attributing all the blame on the anchored fellow.

Matching the hatch is really more of a trout fishing technique however, since you didn't say what you were pursuing, it may be applicable. Bass, however, are generally much less discriminating than trout and will eat just about anything that's put in front of them at one time or another. You'll notice I put that last qualifier in there because bass, too, can be picky at times. But generally speaking, you can get by with some surface bugs (terrestrials) and poppers, and some subsurface streamers (such as wooly buggers) to cover the upper part of the water column. Deeper flyfishing requires sinking line and/or heavier flies and is not a good place to begin. You don't need a particularly thin or long leader or tippet for bass and a delicate presentation is rarely necessary. In fact, a good splash from the fly can often pique a basses attention. Strike indicators aren't usually necessary. As WdyCrankbait said, the area where your line meets the leader is usually sufficient as a strike indicator. Watch that. As for streamers-when you take in line, if a bass hits, you'll usually know it. There are many books writing to various skill levels and species. I'd definitely steer clear of those "purist" books marketed for high dollar trout fishermen who spend more on a fly reel than any sensible person would pay for their first used car. Good luck!

Ditto! Rivers are particularly dangerous. Rising waters (which often occur during thaw periods) can undercut the ice. If you do fall through, the current could easily pull you under the ice and then it's curtains.

Maybe you could just hook a wet/dry vac to his diaper and fire it up every time your boy gets that "look" on his face. (You can tell I don't have children)

Camping is great if/when you can sleep. Personally, I don't usually sleep well when I'm camping and I stink when I don't get enough sleep. So it wouldn't work for me very well. Plus you can't ever rely on the weather. Can you sleep in the back of your truck?

Ha ha ha haaa ha haaaa haa!!! Save the dancing for after the party! Uzzy? More like a squirt gun!

Two factors are necessary. First, you must believe that there are fish that can be caught somewhere and somehow. Second, as J Francho put it so concisely and eloquently, you have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone. Get off your butt and try new things.

You need to get 'em from your friends and then hide them under your mattress.

To the extent that I can now fish locations that haven't seen ten bazillion lures froth up every square inch of water, yes, it's gotten somewhat easier. And yes, my equipment far exceeds the old Zebco "gravel crushers" of my youth. But easier? Fish are still fish. I hope I can say I've gotten better.

I don't think we see things quite like a bass does so the issue may lie on a different plain than we can reasonably debate. It may not always be that one color works better than another so much as the intensity or "luminisity" of that color. But I've seen too many times where color (using the word generically) has had a strong impact on my success to dismiss the issue wholesale.

Very nice! Couple of questions for ya: 1) Did the wind stay out of the Southeast or did it shift? 2) What had the water temperature been like prior to the wind picking up? (I'm curious to see how wind/wave action and water temperature affected things, if at all). Again, nice job! I'm so envious!

Very good presence of mind to cast out the lizard after the initial follow! Both are very good fish! Nice job!

The implication is that a 9 lber could/would be caught. If that were the case, I'd go for the 9 lb fish. But in my waters where a 9 lb bass is less common than an honest Chicago politician (but only slightly) I'd have to realistically settle for the three 3 lbers.