AlabamaSpothunter

The best part was meeting a new fishing friend for the first time in real life. We struck up a friendship in a Swimbait Universe post on FB and have been chatting back and forth on social. The older I get the more of that social anxiety I get when taking chances in regard to going new places or meeting new people. I have no idea why because it always is worth going or meeting. Seeing Dalton Bobo lose the Classic by a dead fish penalty at the BJCC was the saddest I've ever been watching a sport, and so I've been researching how many times this has happened......Just twice in terms of literally losing the derby, and then Shaw had a whole livewell die in a classic. What are the odds that I'm live at both events, and 26 years apart. Rules are rules: The dead fish penalty - Bassmaster I really can't fathom how that must feel, and I kind of regret congratulating him and trying to share a kind word, dude looked gutted and likely didn't want to talk with anyone.

You weren't lying brother, I had so MUCH FUN and the entire crowd got absolutely dumped on during weigh in. Had no idea how accessible the pros were and how transparent the weigh ins are. There isn't a place that's off limits to the fans, you can go right up to the weigh in tanks, out to the pier and look at their rigs, walk up to any of these superstar anglers and have a conversation with them. JUST AWESEOME! Best pro sport in the world because of this, no other pro sport allows such great interaction with the pros and fans. Didn't hurt that it was an epic showdown b/t two guys that I wanted to win.....the hometown hero, and the prodigy, a guy who I bought about $850 worth of rods in part because of. Brandon Palaniuk lost because of a dead fish penalty, second time I've witnessed this happen to angler in person. The stark differences in emotion between Will winning a $100k and then Brandon losing on a dead fish was pretty extreme to witness. Got to hear him tell the story of the dead fish, and then had a short conversation with him. He was absolutely heartbroken, as you can imagine. Talked with Brandon Cobb who was just a super nice humble dude as well. On the other hand it was incredible to watch a hometown kid win it in front of his family, friends, and the hometown crowd. B.A.S.S. man for life, nobody does it better!

In my best Milliken voice "Daygum Stud right there, OOOOOOOOOink OOOOOOOOink, just rooting around in that mud" ?

Great to hear on those stanleys....I stupidly buy what I think looks good and then rush home to look at the reviews on TW ? I'm about done shopping local, I almost always have to compromise with what I go in looking for, whereas TW has everything I want 99% of the time, but I just hate the shipping times. Other places have been great but don't offer everything I want like TW. First world problems lol. You always got that fire, I'm a survivor, you're a max thriver if we were Bass in a monkey pool ?

I hear people talk that way about Pikes all the time, but you are one of the first that didn't enjoy them. I used to get North American Fisherman as a kid, and loved reading about Muskies. Always so alien for a kid from Alabama.

Thanks brother and will do! I'm pumped, been since I was a kid and would go see the Classic weigh ins at the BJCC in Birmingham.

Agree, king of freshwater fish and I've never seen one in person. If only they knew how many of their cousins you have eaten ?

Milliken has some great footage/thoughts on this......some places the White Bass will bully the LGMs off spots, however on other places like Lake Eufaula in AL., he observed them co existing. I imagine it's a case by case basis.

Bass would 100% eat humans if they were bigger. They will eat anything as it is that fits in their mouths. They are the Tiger Sharks of freshwater ?

Yeah he was struggling, he's kind of old school, I like that about his game. 2 AOY winners, a Classic winner, 30% Alabama guys, it's gonna be a great show tomorrow.

I lost my marbles when he dropped a 23lb bag with a 9.4 kicker.....EPIC, wow, wow, wow! I've been glued to this derby, the TB Milliken victory really got the juices flowing, but now I'm fully back to loving this sport. Great top 10. I'm going tomorrow to the weigh in and meeting a new fishing friend I met in a big swimbait group. Should be an awesome day, albeit hot.

Monkey got me for some buzzer stuff and a World Popper. First two flashboost Shimano baits have been nothing less than stellar, wasn't crazy about the colors on any of these baits, but they just work. The only way I'd have a dropshot bait in my haul is if they were free....which they were lol. I'll try them on the flashback mini or something.

A Spotted Bass would try to rip your mask off ?

I don't use his website, go to Bob lusk on youtube and facebook, and just start watching the videos he puts out. Amazing stuff, but it's way easy to just watch him than read stuff he's written. He does lots of live question and answer sessions, try to schedule to be around for his next and he'll answer all the questions you have live.

Okay I'm gonna be the guy and say it, what kind of epic lottery situation did you just find yourself in? ? That place looks epic, and costly. Love this dude, he's answered lots of my biology questions. Steven Bardain, who does the biology stuff for the MLF tour is another great wealth of info

Sorry to hear about that Pat! The silver lining is that you can't lose big fish if you don't hook big fish. The law of averages comes into play with 5+ fish, they just have the size, tougher mouths, heavier weight, better instincts when hooked, etc. I've lost three since Jan., everyone is as painful today as when they happened, two are on film lol. I won't stop caring until I achieve my goal. Anything worth doing in life, is worth doing to the best of your ability. If it doesn't hurt, it didn't really matter, and if it didn't really matter, what the heck are we doing out there....that's my take. I wish I could be a zen like fisherman, I take it personal, I want to catch every fish that hits my bait. Let it vent, it matters!

I love Owls too, but Herons are at the top of my list.

One thing I've learned in my short time back following the Elite series, somebody will always catch them. Lake is fishing tough, but my enjoyment level is still extremely high. It's gonna shape up to be a great competitive derby over the weekend.

Congrats brother, nice to see hardwork paying off! ?

Blue Herons will eat Alligators.....about as a Apex as you can get for a bird ?

Yeah but how many DDs they got? ?

Brandon Palaniuk is absolutely laying the wood to them, and the field. Hope he takes the blue trophy, can't believe he's got Beeswax to himself as well.

We're gonna get the Ben Milliken show on it next week.......absolutely stoked about it too! 2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake - Bassmaster

The incredibly frustrating things as an TN or AL Bass angler is that we know what happens when States in similar climates or areas capable of producing world class fish put money and effort into developing those fisheries. CA eventually lost the battle, but man I'm so freaking jealous of Texas. I'd be way more good with my State taxes if I knew they had a remote chance at actually being used for a Sharelunker program, or like what Florida did and built Headwaters which to my understanding was purpose built for trophy Bass. These guys aren't catching a thing......hard not to be ashamed of the fishery.

Coosa is my favorite body of water, but apparently, they are mis managing the heck out of the lakes. I didn't even realize how much they were spraying on Lay. Funny how we can have 20lb bags up north and down south, but in the middle we don't have any banger lakes currently. I will say they hit this area at the worst time, we are 98% post spawn, and we got the first week of very rapidly rising water temps into the 80s. Fishing has sucked this week big time.