farmpond1

Oh my God! You took the words right outta my mouth. You must've seen the Steve Martin standup also.

Ha! That's a great name! I always smile when I see that one. I've never seen (or heard) the band itself so this is heresay, I understand there was once a band called "Minstrel Cycles." No kiddin'!

I'm fiscally conservative (and I've been accused of being just that) so it's with some hesitation that I say this: Obligatory tipping? Since when? If a guide requires a tip to make his ends meet, he isn't charging enough. On the other hand if he expects a tip, regardless of the level of his service, it sets a rather bad precedence-for himself and the industry. Theoretically, a guide can provide a good boat and great equipment and put the clients on fish without making the experience particulary pleasant or memorable. On the other hand, a really outstanding guide can have less than stellar equipment and have a poor day and still make the clients feel like a million bucks. IMHO, a tip (if any) is measured against how well the service is provided (both equipment and services) and should not simply be expected or, God forbid, mandatory.

Unless you can discipline yourself (easier said than done) to delay setting the hook upon the first suggestion of a bite, I'd suggest you go with a line with a bit of stretch to it. That will prevent you from promptly yanking the bait out of the fishes mouth. As to whether the line should sink or float depends on what topwater baits you are using. Some lures such as those with a front propellor will work better if the weight of the line pulls the nose down a hair. Others work better if the line floats. For still others, it won't matter. Generally speaking, topwaters will work best around shallower water and heavy cover (such as lilly pads, stumps and logs, etc. Therefore a stronger line is often recommended. But there are always exceptions.

No, I definitely remember him-though my recollections are dimming as time meanders on. He did, I think, a lot of shows on walleye fishing which, for an early-teen farmboy from Central Illinois, seemed impossibly out of reach. But he did spark my imagination.

Does anyone remember Virgil Ward? I cut my teeth watching his fishing shows. I loved watching him dunk some jig or worm in that aquarium tank of his. His may not have been the very first fishing show but I'll wager it was one of them.

What is an Ipod? I'm still using my 8-track player. But seriously, no. I don't listen to music while I'm fishing. But if I did, I'd be courteous and use an Ipod (with earphones) rather than forcefeed my noise onto other lake recreators.

Great joke! I'll have to remember that. I was once arrested and got jail time for soliciting a prostitute. The judge, a former English teacher, said I'd begun my sentence with a proposition. ;D

Perfectly reasonable gripe, I'd say. I was with a (former) friend on his boat once. He was muskie fishing and casting his bait big old bait right up on to where these bank fishermen were set up. One of them chewed him up one side and down the other. I'd have given him (the bank fisherman) the high five if I'd gotten the chance. This guy is a pretty much maroon and I eventually gave up on him. Haven't regretted it for a moment.

Jesus was a carpenter. Peter, Andrew, John and James were the fishermen. Yup! Jesus was a carpenter by trade. But the story goes that he could really influence the outcome of a fishing tournament!

So they're like red-headed step children which take over the house?

We don't have spots around here so my question is out of curiousity more than any real need to know: Can a person specifically target spotted bass or do they pretty much inhabit the same structure and exhibit similar tendencies as Largemouth. Are they kind've like how you might catch a goggle eye (rock bass) while fishing for smallmouth?

Not! I almost miss the cold weather. At least then I could get out on the ice and fish. Incidentally, on my last ice fishing outing I caught 4 bass on a swedish pimple tipped with a wax worm. I haven't any pictures to share but each was about 15 inches long. They were pretty fat for winter bass-must've been feeding on all the small bluegill in the pond. Can't wait to hit them again in a few weeks!

Huh! That's a switch! Most persons of the "fairer sex" will talk for hours without thinking a dang thing! Oops. That was kind of sexist, wasn't it. my mistake.

Dinks? Where? Perhaps in Texas those are dinks but here in the Land of Lincoln, those are decent fish. Not monsters but decent. I'm envious.

When someone asks how my fishing was, I just show them my thumb. If they understand, they are in the "brotherhood" and I'll elaborate. If not, I'll explain and then keep it short.

Painted over jig eyes. (I know they make awls for removing it but who has the time)? Flechero- Ain't no big thang. Just sayin'.

Personally, I like to fish them in shallow"ish" grass and weeds. They can be fished deeper but IMHO, there are usually other baits that work better for that. If you do take them deep, keep the weight to a minimum (carolina rig or drop-shot rig) as it's the light, random "flitting" action which makes them so deadly.

OK, since you brought it up. ;D I've tried a few times but have yet to get anything unlocked... and now that you mentioned it, I don't think I've ever seen one unlocked. The closest was when you (or another mod) said another thread could be started. Is it really more than a click or two to unlock one? : I know I'm going to sound like a brown-noser but I'm going to interject where RW might not choose to: It's their prerogative as to what they allow or tolerate. There have been a few times I've felt that a thread was locked a little soon but while the country may be "free", this site isn't. If one ventures around the web much, most sites are filled with argumentative and downright nasty people (probably children but not always) exchanging jabs at one another. I'd rather give up a few "rights" than have this site choked full of garbage like that.

I hope you don't mind my adding another: Managers who use the phrase "we need to think outside the box" as though that is, in-and-of-itself, original and somehow inspirational.

People. :

Congrats! Way to go! Time to go find a snoopy pole.

I can't imagine. Or don't want to.

"Das Boot"

Hmmm...This might just work-unless, of course, he decides to be a real arse and deficate/urinate on the floor. But then again, he'll have to live in his own filth then. I'll throw this one out to for more thoughts/discussion.