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The late Bill Murphy and I have several bass fishing experiences in common. We both started bass fishing in the 50's and belonged to the same bass club (Pisces) during the learly 70's. This coincided with Florida LMB being introduced into our local San Diego lakes, then Southern California lakes. Before FLMB were introduced we couldn't catch a potential record size LMB. By the late 60's we started to catch bigger bass then then we thought possible and members of the Pisces club became focused on big bass, not just catching limits of bass, but 40 lb limits! The competition between members was intense and Murph was always on or near the top big bass for the year. Live bait was not restricted from club competitions, so if you wanted to be in the top 10, you better know how to fish crawdads. Bill Murphy was tight lipped back in those days and shared nothing, so when his book came out, I was surprised how detailed it was and it is a classic big bass behavior and bass location for deep structured lakes. Definitely a must read! Bill Murphy passed awat too young from skin cancer. Please heed this warning; skin cancer can kill, so wear a wide brim hat, SPF clothing and put on a good water resistant sun screen. Bill was careful, but the extended hours exposed to sun reflected off water took it's toll. I am fighting the same malady because our generation didn't know better. Tom

This is a R.B. Meiser 11'6" switch rod that I am just finishing up. Should be done by tomorrow. Stabilized box elder burl reel seat Feather inlay. There are 5 different kinds of feathers and a total of 12 feathers.

I've towed with both, and you want the 4WD, hands down. There were several times where I got stuck on a ramp with my 2WD due to too much sand and dirt on the ramp - not ice. Once I went a bit too far into the water and got the tires on some algae. I just about lost the the rig in the drink, and had to be pulled out. That was the final straw for me. I've used a 4WD ever since and have never had a problem. And yes, I've had several instances where I needed, and used, the 4WD without any problems. Glad I have it!

A guy I work with was able to go see the skins Seahawks game in the corporate box and was blessed to have the cheerleaders stop by and hang out. Of course we had to look online to see which ones and I was shocked at the careers a lot of them have. Now to toot my own horn, I did date a chick in high school who became an eagles cheerleader later on for whatever that is worth

Looks good Jeff. I'm glad to see your are gaining experience for when a really big bite comes along.

Pro bowl, what's that? The only all star game worth watching to me is baseball.

Sweet! I especially like the late '70's porn groove! Seriously, I need to get one of those, looks like a lot of fun to make your own vids like that!

I'd make a loving grandfather. Think she would buy a few for me as well? EDIT: I'll dry!

now that's not nice. do you go around counting her shoes...candle stick holders..number of soup ladles crammed in the kitchen drawer?

A guy walks into a bar with a monkey . The monkey grabbed some olives off the bar and ate them . Then he grabbed some sliced limes and ate them . He then jumped onto the pool table and grabbed one of the balls . To everyone's amazement, he stuck it in his mouth and somehow swallowed it whole . The bartender looked at the guy and said, "Did you see what your Monkey just did?" "No, what?" "He just ate the cue ball off my pool table . . . Whole!" "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me," replied the guy, "he eats everything in sight, don't worry, I'll pay for the cue ball . " The guy finished his drink, paid his bill, paid for the stuff the Monkey ate and left . Two weeks later the guy came back, and had his monkey with him . He ordered a drink and the monkey started running around the bar . The Monkey found a maraschino cherry on the bar . He grabbed it, stuck it up his butt, pulled it out, and then ate it . Then the monkey found a peanut, and again stuck it up his butt, pulled it out, and ate it . The bartender asked, "Did you see what your monkey just did?" "No, what?" replied the man . "Well, he stuck both a maraschino cherry and a peanut up his butt, pulled them out, and ate them!" "Yeah, that doesn't surprise me," replied the guy . "He will eat anything, but ever since he had to crap out that cue ball, he measures everything first . "

There is no substitute for actually being on the water however one thing I can say about reading books is that it helps you recognize things much faster if you are truly paying attention. I can't count how many times last year I recognized a potential pattern, way to fish it etc. just from having the experience in my head from a book or video. Last year was my first full year tournament fishing. I spent my winter months (my fishingless months) reading and watching videos. I would not have been as effective had I not done my "studies". One other thing I will say about books/videos ... You have to be able to apply them to your fishing. That means #1 - As NitroFreak said ... get on the water and learn your body of water. If you fish in the northeast your situations will differ from those you see on fishing shows which are filmed in Florida, Tennessee or Georgia. You need to adjust what you see according to the conditions you fish. #2 - Keep an open mind. Every fisherman will tell you that there are exceptions to every rule. Be open minded to the fact that what you read is the complete opposite from what you observed on a given day.

Wouldn't have a clue. I am retired, so I am tackle tinkering, searching out fishing shows on tv, keeping the coffee brewing, reading fishing books, and magazines, and making frequent runs to Bass Pro Shop.....ahhh, retirement is great.... Hootie

It's little different for me in the fact that most all of the waters I fish are man made lakes, all are here in my home state, but as you speak of fish behavior in different areas of the country, I feel like I have somewhat of a head start if I should ever leave my home state just by being a member of this site. Everyday I get to read different things that require different techniques, different mind sets of how to approach different areas, with different baits, baits I have never used, one thing remains the same, you have to put yourself in the right position to catch the bass first, it does not matter if you do not have structure like the deep water lakes that have all of those things, no matter what, you still have to find them to be successful. The more educated you become about your own bodies of water can help you in your quest when you fish other bodies of water, If I were to fish a lake, I know the LMB is the dominate preditor in several of the lakes I fish here, I can find bass on structure, in cover, and in the open, there is really no threat other than the angler, in a river system their enviroment is different, they are no longer as you say the top of the food chain, Pike, Snakeheads, and other big toothy preditors dominate and control this enviroment, so places with good cover are much more important when I am looking for bait fish and bass. One can read all the books and watch all the videos there are and be quite engauged in the knowledge of how to go bass fishing, but if you don't get out there and see things for yourself and learn from what the fish are doing then you have only accomplished fishing as a theory. The reality of fishing is a wake up call IMO, what we see and read from anglers all over this country is astounding, one thing remains a constant in all of the books and all of the waters we fish, in order to catch fish, you must first find the fish.

No issues with braid for me - I wanted to find out for myself what I liked. So I set up three different cranking out fits. A graphite rod, a Fiberglass Rod and a composite rod; all with the same reel. I ran them each for a while with Mono , Copolymer and finally Braid. It took a whole season, but when it was all said and done I had my answer. I prefer the Glass rod and the Braid - I've since purchased a second glass rod and have re-homed the others. And for the record I fish a 10 - 12ft mono leader. Good luck A-Jay

Bill,Roland,Orlando,Jimmy and Hank will always have a place in my heart.What they preached on TNN or TBS before the age of the internet I would take to my local lake more confident than the week before because I just knew that what I learned from them today would make me a more dangerous angler. Texas rigs,slowrolling a spinnerbait,fishing structure,lessons never forgot.I never have been lucky to meet any of these guys but if I did I would say thanks for sharing your boat with me because in my mind I was casting right along with them ever ready to grab the net.

Winter= 40-55 degrees Pre Spawn = 55-60 degrees Spawn = 62-67 degrees Post Spawn = 65-69 degrees Summer = 70-85 degrees Fall = 70-60 degrees Transition periods fill in the gaps. Water temperatures at the depth of the bass, not surface. These are the basic water temperatures wherever bass are located. Location will determine if the bass have transitioned from cold winter water to stage for pre spawn; deeper water outside of the areas where bass spawn and cruising bass roaming the spawning areas indicate a transition to spawn. Bass often spawn in cycles, not all at one time, so there is over lapping cycles. Tom

While Rage tails are great products, and are great sponsers here, making a blanket statement like that is rediculous.

I'm just saying i finished the book and i think its amazing very detailed.. i saw some guys on here recommending it. I do as well.. so much great info ill be reading it over and over and over again!!. Just wanted to let everyone know i think its a must read if your interested in fishing for the monsters.

Went to Pickwick on Sunday and filmed my trip for the first time using my GoPro. First ever attempt at making a video as well. Check it out! Jeff

A buddy and I have gone to Florida in early March for the past few years to catch the college spring baseball tournaments. Of course we bring our fishing gear. The first time we were on the water he asked me this question: Why do you fish differently down here than you do back home, you always say a bass is a bass no matter where it lives? I attempted to explain to him that Florida bass are a different strain than their northern brothers and although they are both bass, the Florida bass' reactions to weather changes is more drastic and unlike the bass by us, they are at the top of the food chain down there and behave as such . So, in an effort to get to know other's bass, What differences do you notice in what you've heard, read, or experienced vs. what you experience on your home waters. Are they really differences or just the way the fish in your lake are really doing the same thing? I'll start off by saying that most of the information I read and gather over the internet is geared toward fishing impoundments (man made lakes) and I fish mostly natural lakes. We don't have creek channels or main lake and secondary points (to an extent), or some of the other structure that they have? Applying that information to the water I fish would seem like a wasted effort except I do live by what I always told my buddy; a bass is a bass etc. No shad here, but they still follow the bait. No creek arms to follow in their seasonal movements, but they still make those movements, No bluff walls or ridges, but they still use vertical structure in the same way.

Emails are an accepted form of communication. As has already been stated, if their contact info has an email use it. Also a letter is really nice but I have seen way more of those tossed in the trash and that is assuming they even got to the tight department. Given this is a retail job I would just walk in, dressed almost to the point if an interview but not totally, and speak to the manager on duty. Retail takes a while sometimes to get through the door and actually get a job but keep at it and your work will pay off.

Thanks guys. This is still a huge learning process for me. I got the Hero2 on clearance for $199. I will head the advice of everyone, and continue to tinker with it. Need to get some music on my computer so I don;t have to use one of the 3 stock songs. LOL. I jumped in head first. I have 2 32gb cards and 3 batteries so I can film a lot when on the water. Slow day that day, with only 2 fish, but if I were on em, it would have run dead the first day. Only had 1 battery for first trip! Jeff

I don't think it's a bad signing. It's only for one year, and for well under one million dollars. They need outfield help, and he hit lefties really well last year. Worse comes to worse, they have a decent platoon guy in RF.

To be honest, I don't think anyone knows what is going to happen. The models are literally all over the charts right now, including the latest from WxRisk himself...... "0Z WED RUN OF THE GFS... the model shows .....nothing. I cannot even find a Low on the model . The Model has NO snow of any kid of an portion of VA NC MD DEL PA NJ NY or New England through Saturday. There is a brief 3 hrs window of snow flurries -- or maybe its dandruff ..over northern WVA and western MD. And thats it. Of course the last 5 runs of the GFS have shown well NOTHING so this isnt anything. will wait Until Tomorrow before I am any decisions to bail on on this event . It will BE interesting to see what the two "snowy" Model -- the 0z Canadian Model does... which on Tuesday midday DID show significant VA MD SNOWSTORM for jan 25 ... and the 0Z EURO which also has been at times snowy....." One thing for sure though is that it is going to be cold, so dress appropriately. The Expo is climate controlled but the temps inside of the building will still be cooler than you expect.

Fish are like people some people are morning people and others can't be bothered before noon. Fish are very much the same way. I saw a couple of fish yesterday in some ponds that were scouring the shallows looking for places to set up shop. The water temp (surface) is about 48 the air temp was 35. I have also seen them on beds when the water was into the 80's. Again fish are like people in that they live where they live too. Some stay shallow all year long and some stay deep. Weather may move them temporarily but they will tend to go back. Look at all of the people that live on the Louisiana coast for example, weather moves them out ever couple of years, but they still go back.

I just bought my first set of Boca Orange Seals about a month ago. I, like many others here, only purchased them because one of the factory bearings rusted. I removed the orange seals and cleaned them the same way I do my stock bearings. I left the seals off, added one drop of Shimano oil to each and dropped them in. To tell the truth I can't really tell that much difference over the cleaned stock Shimano bearings. As was mentioned earlier Shimano reels don't have ABEC 7's from the factory, Bantam1 said most are ABEC 3 class with the Calais DC having greaseless ABEC 5's. I've found that the shielded SS bearings that come in most of their reels are very good bearings if properly cleaned. Some take more time and effort to get completely clean than others but I've not come across one yet that won't spin like crazy if worked on long enough. I know most guys don't want to do these things but I just love everything about the "hobby" so I like to spend my time playing and tinkering with my gear. I heard so many stories about just how much improvement the Orange Seal's made in their reels so I guess it's possible I was expecting to much from the start. I'm not trying to bad mouth Boca in ANY way, the bearings I have from them are perfect and spin freely. I just don't think I would upgrade just to be doing it, Shimano stock bearings perform very very well when cleaned so I'm assuming so will Garcia's.

tom, i was glad that you included the fact that the water temps for spawning need to be at the depth the bass are spawning, not the surface temperature. every year in my area, people will swear the bass are spawning because the surface temperature is 65 degrees. they need to a bit of wading and swimming, and they might learn something!! great post!! i hope those that are wanting to learn will copy this post and keep it for future use. bo

Jiginfule what knot you using have you tried different ones? Im fishing like water & presentation you are no structure rocks just weeds and senko the like. All Ive ever noticed was right at the hook like 3-4" of line will fray after a few fish I dont use leader. Ive mention a few times in posts that with the nano knot I lost 2 fish that I feel the knot slipped but dont think the line actually broke. I have not had slipped knot issue since changing type of knot tied. Its not the easiest to tie but gets easier the more you tie it, give this a try just trying to help you Double the line a foot or so--run it through the eye twice-- and tie a Uni Knot 7 turn- cinch down leave 1/4" tag. I dont treat this line like braid with hard hookset powering in fish its a very thin line true to its pound rating this means playing the fish a bit more plus the rod I use it with is ML power Moderate action so it absorbs quite a bit of force. My personal feeling is most think of this line as a superline braid and fish it the same way which just wont work.

Bill Dance was the first of his bass tournament buddies to recognize that more money could be made with TV then fishing tournaments. Bill was and is a good bass fisherman, however it's his personality that made him a household name. Hank Parker followed Bill's lead and rode his bass tournament success to a career in TV fishing promotions and both are still going strong. One of the forgotten names during the early years of Bassmaster tournaments is Tom Mann of Mann's Tackle. Tom was the most creative of those early tournament anglers. Did you know Tom started up Hummin Bird Electronics! Bill Dance, Jimmy Houston and Roland Marten were a lot of fun to be around, however Tom Mann was the all time prankster and maybe the best bass angler amoung them. Tom

I got my shot today. I was fine until a couple of hours ago, and then I started to feel woozy. The wife said it's the wine. Could be.

Well with the new job, now in Virginia, I'm trying to work a week off to attend my third consecutive BR roadtrip... Right now it looks promising but with the Navy, nothing is a lock this far out. Hope to see everyone there and I'm sure a trip back to my old waters will be a grand time! Lookin' forward to it!

Nice! Last year "they" offered the swine flu vaccine as a buy 1 get 1 free vaccine with the flu shot even though the swine flu was not forecasted to be serious and no long term studies had been performed regarding its safety. Gotta love it... all about the $$$.

The best way for me to know for a fact when these transition periods start/end is by continuing to fish my home lakes as much and as often as i can. Keep an eye on water temps too, but the best way i tell from year to year is by going out there and fishing and figuring them out as often as i can. Try to stay on top of them. Everybody had super good technical advice, thats all i can add without saying what they said. Get on the articles section and spend your down time reading and researching.

alot of them are cheaply made go to realdeal custom baits he has good ones plus he will make any colors you want

One factor I have noticed is length of days. Being in a colder climate I have seen years where the water temps don't reach the 60's until early June. The pre-spawn feeding frenzy seems to start when the days get noticeably longer in the late March to early April time frame and will last until the water warms up. Even if the water temps are only in the 40's the longer days seem to get them going.

I don't use Zoom Flukes anymore, except the tiny fluke, which most of the time I nose hook on a dropshot rig. I use the Yamamoto D-shad, they are heavier than a fluke and don't need any added weight for fishing them in 10 feet of water or less, I use a 4/0 Gamakatsu EWG super line hook. When I need a smaller presentation option, I use a Yamamoto Shad Shape worm with a 2/0 EWG Gamakatsu EWG superline.

I got a call this morning about 10 telling me Bobby Lane had a 30 practice bag in two hours. The problem is the cold that hits tonight. I bet they don't average 20 lbs per day in the tournament.

True what ww2farmer says, and it's also often in error to say that there is one spawn period. It's hardly unknown for there to be one spawn and then 30 days later to see another round of spawning, and then even after that another month goes by with yet another spawn -- usually loosely tied with a full moon. So you could theoretically see multiple pre-spawns, spawns and post-spawns, though in differing amounts. I claim to be no expert -- this far up north we generally have one spawn -- but it's a complicated question to answer. There are multiple factors to consider.

To answer one of your original questions, St Croixs usually only go on sale when they are being discontinued in favor of a new and improved model. Not to say that certain retailers don't ever put them on sale, but sales on them (except for the previously mentioned circumstances) don't happen often enough IMHO to "save" or "hold out" untill they are on sale. Especially with the Legend Extreme, as they just re-did that rod, so your looking , unless this current generation is a sales flop, at at least a few years for any of them to be on sale.

Someone who thinks a bass does one thing at a set water temp, and another at a different temp, is really being short-sighted in their thinking. They do what they do when they do it. I have had years when I have caught them in the back of a creek in 47 degree water , but some years I don't catch any in that spot till the water is 55....., some years I see them on beds in 58 degree water, some years in 70. Some years the prespawn period last for weeks, some years it don't,lots of other circumstances come into play other than just water temp.

No SI on trolling motor yet. But PM Wayne P. He told me how to do it. I am about to do it though! Jeff

Dude I own three pfluegers and love them, from 50-150 price range they can't be beat, but given the chance I would own the new Smoke, espeicially the inshore model.

There's a lot to soak in when you're just getting going in this sport, so do plenty of reading. Lots of good articles on seasonal patterns of bass right here on this site, so start there. As for your question, pre-spawn is that time of year, when the bass will be transitioning from their winter hangouts, to shallower water, where food sources are more abundant, and the water is warmer, and they will eventually bed down for the actual spawn. You will know it's in full swing, because you will find the bass feeding much more aggressively, and spending a lot more time just outside those prime spawning grounds, usually right at the first drop off from shore.

Stren aka Stretch.

Deep water or structure fishing takes time if you don't have the right equipment, I too think you found a school of fish as well, at least it sounds like bait fish the way I read your post, if you were looking for bass, they would have been under the school, a lot of times they are, but not always, some can be seen in the school of bait fish. I would have spent some time covering the area in a zig-zag motion over the school, in front of and behind the school, dropping a jigging spoon or a flutter spoon through the bait may have produced results for you, since you stated that you were throwing everything you had, gives a hint you may have become a little impatient, slow down and don't overthink a situation like that, look the area over and take the time to look at the structure in the surrounding area, if it was a school of bait fish the bass were somewhere close.

I think a great tournament/show would be to get together all the old guys, Dance, Martin, Clunn, Houston, etc., and have them fish a "Senior" tournament. Like what the old pro golfers do.

And don't forget about the wife. She wants a bigger one also.

I have never used the Strike Kings, and don't plan on it, but the Lucky Crafts are fantastic! I have quite a few of them, and they are just great, durable, fish catching lures. Plus, you don't have to swap out hooks on the LC's. I've heard some bad reports on the KVD's terminal tackle. Check out the Copper Perch colored LC's.

Heres a short video on a pair of smallies protecting their nest from bluegills:

When you carry a thermos of boiling water to melt the ice of your reels from the freezing spray. When you carry a plastic snow shovel to clean out the snow in the boat. When you have to shovel the ramp before launching. When to show up in December with your wife to go musky fishing and the guide cancels the day because it's too brutal out there on the St Lawrence.