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That even goes for non powered lakes like mine. A trolling motor is still powered when approached by a sailboat,....right of way stillexists, etc. One of the main things I like to keep in the forefront, and my hiatus has proved this, is that we always need to remember why we are out there, ....to have fun, relieve stress, enjoy life.

This post has told me all I need to know about you, LgMouthGambler. Not only were you wrong and insulting to the folks who disagreed with you, but you're not even man enough to admit your mistake? All you can do is toss more insults over your shoulder while you slink off into a corner to hide for a while? Weak. All this time I thought the "LgMouth" portion of your name was a reference to bass, but apparently I was wrong...

Ok guys, question for your input. Which bass boats offer the following? 1. Best fishing platforms. 2. Best handling, especially in rough waters. 3. Best storage facilites. 4. Motors you like to match with the boat. 5. Best range. 6. Best to take a beating and keep on ticking. 7. Anything else? What do you guys like best about your bass boats and if you are going to buy a new or used one what will you look for? Just curious. Thanks for the feedback.

going to get into panfishing a bit more, i fish allot with my 5 and 8 year ols children and they like to get the sunfish and perch and the small lake we fish is poluted with them and rockbass as well. i figured i might as well have fun with it so i am going to get a 5ft ultra light and put some 4# line , it is hars to fish for anything else with the kids because they run out of patience fast so i will save the bass fishing for the early mornings when i get out alone.

Are you talking about fishing pressure (which cast_and_destroy addressed) or barometric pressure?

Next time you push the hook through the nose of the worm ( first step in the texas rig ) , push it a little bit farther.

A lakes fishing pressure is determined by how many people fish that lake. A lake that is fished alot makes the fish spooky and require a more finesse aproach to catch them. When it is sunny bass tend to hold a little tighter to the cover and on cloudy days they'll sometimes roam flats feeding. In stained or murky water bass rely more on sound and smell, in clear water they use sight more. Use more natural colors in clear water. Green pumpkin is a good all aroud color. If you fish clear water on a highly pressured lake use smaller lures and lighter line. If not fish anything you want as long as it looks natural. Start out with search baits like crankbaits and spinnerbaits then move to fishing cover. Since the water is clear try not to make your presence to obvious if fishing shallow water.

Are you pulling the eye of the hook all the way into the nose of the worm?

Not too shabby. I hope you have some line conditioner for that CXX though, its strong as hell but it has a lot of memory

Embarrassment as a parenting tool.... Straight up setting boundaries, and educating your child about the PRIVILEGE it is to have the phone is an easier route. Worked for me.

There's bass there bud sharpen up the skills a bit and try it again

So I take it La Cygne "wakes up" with bass biting when the water cools? Hey I'm all for it if that's the case. Mid-20's doesn't bother me; it does if nothing's biting. When that time gets closer, I'm game for La Cygne on Fri night or Sat day/night if anyone wants to go. This Fri and Sat I'm weekend-warrioring by fishing Hazel Creek and credit goes to Blue for his recommendations where to fish - I know they'll yield bass!!! Stay tuned!

Proofread

Thanks for the kind words gents. The bonus tommy points go to A-Jay. Obviously a well read man. I've started a series of follow-up articles giving more details on each separate section. Hey Steve, Mrs Ghoti will get a good chuckle out of your question. She types worse than me. LOL

I'm pretty excited about today.... I'm picking up my new toy and am going to give it a sea trial for a few hours. Tracker Targa V18 WT. It's not a Triton, but its a fishing boat! The only issue is I have 1 small tackle box and 1 rod and reel with me....the rest are at the Ozarks. This should be a comedy watching me at the boat ramp...since I have no experience with a trailor.

Excellent article. Only thing missing is what to do with the parts left over when you put your reel back together!!! Really, outstanding information. Salute to Ghoti for penning an excellent treaty on reels. He is the man of the week!

Not even close, if you were in northern Oklahoma you'd actually be close to some good bass fishing

Girls poop? You just ruined everything......

Interesting question and some great answers. I think LBH comes the closest to how I feel. Fishing is just a part of who I am. I have had a couple of trips with my wife this past week where we left home before 4 AM and returned after 8 and 10 PM respectively. We caught 2 decent fish, many dinks, and had a great time both days. Trying to explain that investment of time, money, and energy to someone who doesn't get it is a waste of words. For those of us who do, no words are necessary. For what it's worth, my wife is great fishing partner (among other things ). While there are times when she does those annoying things that wives do, when we go fishing we generally leave all that at home.

It's one of the handful of things I don't have a choice on,....If you're blessed to have passions, they aren't something you quantify with words, they are something you exude, live and project as "YOU"

colors are designed to catch fisherman not fish

WOW .. this thread is AMAZING ! so many great ideas out there. I am very excited cause in a week i am getting my Bass Raider 10E which i found on Craigslist for $500, it has been garage kept and only on the water 10 times ... comes with 55# thrust BassProShops trolling motor, Eagle fish finder, 2 oars, deep cycle battery with box, seats. I'm thinking it's a fair deal and i'm excited to get it as we have a bunch of small watersheds in my area that this will be perfect for .. Couple questions .. ( i'm sure they'll be more ) someone in an earlier post mentioned a really small charger that will just run the fish finder .. it recharges by plugging it in with an AC adapter .. made by Humminbird, this sounded like the way to go for the fish finder, any input. Also what size deep cycle battery would you recommend for the trolling motor as i may buy a new one so i have a spare, i just bought the Schumacher SC-100A charger from Northern Tool on sale for $53.99 Thanks for any suggestions ..

Hi Jim, It's a bluecat actually, boated from Lake Viking, MO (private lake). I caught him off a square billed white shad crankbait just 2' off a retaining wall near the shore. No sooner than it hit the water did I hear a splash as if I did a belly flop in the pool; saw nothing but a big fin splash the water! Took me 25 minutes to land him b/c I was using a light action rod and 8# line. I released him too - I'll wait for him to gain another 10 lbs and we'll rendevous again

I go for the challenge of finding and catching fish, but underlying that - and more important - is the opportunity to get away from hassles and obligations and just plain "be there." Makes me smile.

He asked about BC set-ups not spinning gear.

I would have to say that it's my addiction to the pursuit of knowledge. It wasn't always that way for me. It used to be my need for a big fish but I figured out that I catch more big fish when know more about them.

Zillions went from $229 to $319 with no improvements/changes. Where's the outrage? lol.

Tracfone for my son since he was 12. He earns minutes. Since he alternates weeks with his mother and I, it's easier for him to get in touch with either of us on the off week. It's also a great help with pickup times after sports practice.

.. and Bill Murphy too.

Firearms, knives, and lastly... fishing lures!

Nuts, bolts, screws, electrical wire. Ya never know when you might need it.

Don't know whether this is any help, but I've got an Avid 7'6" ml x-fast 2 piece rod which I absolutely adore. To my mind it would be ideal for your situation, you can even fold it in half for the journeys through the undergrowth. I believe they make the same rod in the higher ranges too, which would be really outstanding, but a bit rich for my blood.