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That handle is sweet.

I really think you need to address that soft drink addiction before you develop diabetes.

I got some coffee lures from DeakNH03 and was wondering how they were going to preform. I tried them out with a Trokar hook and a 1/4 ounce tungsten weight. The line I was using was braid with a 6' fluro. leader. I cast the anaconda out using my 7' Browning Rod. I was fishing a point over some isolated cover. It was hard to feel the lure because this rod only is sensitive to vibrations If you ever watch me fish you know that I am not a line watcher, I feel everything in my rod. As I worked the bait I begin to feel as though the lure wasn't one the hook right. I set the hook and realized I had a fish. I reeled in using the BPS Extreme reel in 7.1. As the fish got closer to the bank I realized this was no small fish, but a pretty good size. Pulled it out of the water and saw that this was solid five pound fish. I was excited, so i re casted and ended up with a couple of more decent size fish. All in All a great day.How else can you fish these lures? The one over there in the bottom is 7lbs when we weighed him Thanks DeakNH03, Jay White

Nice fish, but maybe leave a reference in the photo like the "7lber" next to your rod. Just saying.

As Bass Junkie noted...you can buy a handle without knobs ($49 straight/$59 swept) and put your Shimano knobs on the handle. We include everything needed to convert your stock Shimano handle to carbon fiber (bearings, mounting screws, retainers, end caps, etc...). This is a very inexpensive way to experience the benefits that a carbon fiber/4X bearing handle can give you.

Justification doesn't change that it is illegal. I would probably also be looking for a new dentist if they recommended a different type instead of saying quit completely.

I like deals and I just happen to like swimbaits.

I went to Lake Beulah instead of Delavan, yesterday. Started fishing at 6:30 AM and left at noon. Beautiful day on the water, but fishing was really tough. Got a 14" fish first cast on the water. Fished my usual spots nothing . Got my second fish 15-1/2" about 11:00 AM. Then my wife got a 17" at 12:00 when I was putting gear away in the boat. Really slow day . I spoke to a guy out there and he said that, that lake already turned over. I also spoke to several guys fishing a tourney there and they had no fish. Jigs rule and do catch fish.

Michigan, you don't give us enough information. We need to know the water temperature, water clarity, weather conditions, how far can you cast from the bank, any other forage in the pond and what were you throwing? To expand on what Khong wrote, I revisited my Feeding Habits of Bass video outline and will now present what Uncle Homer Circle said in the video back in the 70's before either of you two guys were even thought of!!! There are nine (9) reasons why bass it your baits. Based on studies on opinions back in the 70s which are still true today. Hunger and Attitude – bass want to find a place where they can ambush their prey. This has them living by cover and structure where there are good ambush points and concealment. Attitude – If the bass feel like feeding the will be in an “attack” position. This means they will be alert, moving and looking for food. When not hungry they will use their other instincts to hit your baits. Anger – Bass protect their area and if you can get them angry they will hit your bait. They patrol their areas and keep other fish out of it, especially if it is a good feeding area. Competition – Bass will fight to get your lure before other bass in the area get it first. This is why we get double headers on crankbaits. Predator Instinct – The bass wants to kill any intruder while on the bed or in their area. Lizards are good baits for their predator instincts as bass hate lizards. Curiosity – Bass are curious. If you see a bass and throw your plastic near them they will turn to look at what caused the splash. To get them to hit your baits you need to change colors or your presentation to make them curious. Protection – Once again, if the bass are on their beds they will remove any fish, turtles, crawfish and your baits from their nest. The male bass will also protect the fingerlings for a few days after hatching and attack anything that threatens them. Territorial Protection – A bass will hit a bait if the bait comes into their area like an intruder. As with all predators, if the location provides good ambush points and concealment when you remove one bass from that specific area another one will take its place. This is called a “honey hole” by tournament fishermen. Reflexes – Reflex action by the bass when a prey fish or your bait swims by. The bass is minding its own business when out of the blue here comes your bait. Crank fast and watch them hit it out of reflex. Feeding Frenzy – Probably not in your pond but in lakes the bass will feed on what we call “balls of baitfish” in the fall. Not what you are thinking but a large gathering of small prey fish swimming in a large ball on the top of the water. When the bass feed on these “balls of baitfish” they go crazy and eat the entire fish, not just the one part mentioned in the nomenclature. Just remember the larger ones are under the ball. Try to match the hatch with your baits and be cautious about your approach. Cast across and in front of any balls of baitfish. Armed with this information we now expect you to go back to the pond and try your luck again. Fish for baitfish today. Yes, try to catch any bluegills or bream to find out if they are in the pond. If so, adjust your presentations accordingly. Use Nightcrawlers, dough balls or kernals of corn from a can as bait with a small hook and a bobber. Look for minnows. Throw out some bread and see if the minnows, bluegills and bream hit it. Adjust your baits accordingly based on the results. You can also go to the pond first thing before sunrise on a weekend morning and try a topwater or stay late for sundown and try a topwater. Listen and watch to see if there is any topwater action in the pond, too. Be sure to tell someone at your house where you are going at all times when you visit the pond and be extra careful not to fall down, in or over the water and the various animals that call the pond home. We could give you lots of suggestions on how to modify your baits but let’s first find out how you do with finding the forage and trying to aggravate them into hitting your lures. Good luck and let us know how you do. And don’t forget your needle nose pliers to remove the hooks.

So Im confused. You held a hindi mans hand for a dr pepper?

3-0

Some of these are in Dupage. Beck Lake, Bass Lake, Deep Quarry, Mallard, Independence Grove, Sterling Lake, Blackwell

Happens more often with braid as well. Jeff

We have problems with illegals poaching fish at the outlet of one of the power plant lakes. They throw net, snag, set line, whatever they can do to catch fish and completely disregard length and creel limits. I asked one of the park rangers out of frustration one day after watching a 6-7 pound bass get throw netted and filleted. He said they can take their gear and write citations but they keep coming back and not paying their fines because they technically don't exist in the system. I told him he needs to just start hooking everyone that doesn't have a license and maybe they'll get the message.

I fish a tournament almost every week. Some have 15 boats, some have many more. I don't have any sponsors, my boat is nearly 20 years old, and I do not wear a cute jersey. I do carry a man purse, though, lol.

Robert and I would like to announce that we are now selling our 102mm swept handle. You may have seen a few of these around...we've been selling some on pre-order basis. We now have our inventory and website complete so we are announcing the 102mm swept handle for general release. This handle is longer, lighter (24grams!) and less bulky than the original 94mm long "Hawg Handle". We did not compromise strength, though...this handle retains the "zero flex" characteristic of the original Hawg Handle. Actually, we have a video of Robert running over the carbon fiber profile with his truck/boat and the handle doesn't budge (don't try this with your JDM handle!) The new swept handle from Hawg Tech is now for sale on our website. Just go to https://www.hawgtech.com/category/hawg-handle and click your reel at the bottom of the page to get started. It is available in six anodized colors to match your rod and/or reel. These color options are now available on the website as pull down menu options. As always, if you have any questions/comments send us a note at support@hawgtech.com. Thanks! Mike and Robert Hawg Tech, LLC

It's going to be different for MANY people, but me personally, I want my leader to be just long enough that when you reel up your line to make a cast, that the connection knot does not reach the spool. I usually do my arms span of leader (Or just above 6 feet.)

Your welcome Jay, the rage Tail plastics are by far my best producers, and I can see they're doing good for you too!

I'd still be sneaking the lunkers back in, lol. "Um Mr. Farmer, you still have some fish I need to remove." Heh.

Alright guys, that's enough....nice fish, Jay. You might want to consider releasing the big ones: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/catch_and_release.html

Pb's are sweet.

Congrats! Always a great day when a lunker is landed, let alone a PB!

I'll be letting you all know very, very soon.

Congrats on your PB! Jeff

I fish year round, and find great joy in fishing out of my kayaks when the air temps sink below freezing. A key point to remember is COTTON KILLS in cold water. If you get wet from falling in, immediate dry clothes or ability to get warm is critical and can be a life or death situation if not taken seriously. A general rule of thumb I use is the 120 degree rule. That is the total temperature of the air and water temps at the time of launch and during your outing with neither value below 60 degrees. Some argue that 50 degrees is the mark, but your can die from hypotermia exposure in 50 degree water if the air temp is low enough. If either value is below 60 degrees, then you should be wearing some form of layers to help keep you warm. At the early onset of colder temps, sometimes the waders and splash top approach are sufficient, but once the water temps drop down to 50 and below consistently, you need to use the full gammut of layers. The proper approach is one of layering. Now, depending upon your climate, the layers may vary, but here in the mid-Atlantic, the following is the bare minimum for most outings that I wear..... Hands - wool gloves and a spare pair in case they get drenched. I use a fingerless design with a protective palm and fingers. Head - wool or fleece hat tha covers your ears. Don't take the wind for granted. The head is first place to lose heat in the winter. Feet - wicking socks as a base layer and a pair of smart wool socks over top. Body - base layer of wicking material (Thermax, Duofold, UnderArmour, etc.) covered with a fleece layer covered with a waterproof layer. Face - some folks like face shields, but I personallly do not. Your climate may dictate otherwise Now, for the waterproof layer, opinions vary. Some people prefer full body dry suits (Kokatat, NRS, etc.). They are expensive ($600-1500) but worth every penny, just make sure you test fit it with a base layer on, and make sure you get one with a relief zipper. Also keep in mind that the neck area is sometimes more restrictive in some brands than others. Other options, I use a pair of breathable chest waders with neoprene booties, wading boots and a waterproof splash top with gasket seals at the neck and hands. The water temps I fish in range in the high 30's to low 40's all winter long. Hope this helps. I am sure others will chime in. Hopefully some of the folks from the NE area like Jfrancho who also fish out of yaks.

If they have one handle that fits a Shimano, then they pretty much have them all covered. Th differences lie in the cap nut, and whether you reuse it or substitute something else.

Confucius say: He who reveals his good fishing spots too soon will soon find he has none.

Finally!! Someone with priorities. AK, keep playing your game and watch one of your JAX posse beat you.

Got em and love em

Still the biggest. It's like a lawn chair, lol.

I got GTA V at the midnight release but I haven't played in the last 3 days because the fishing has been so good

The knobs posts accommodate standard Shimano knobs, so you can use your septon Power Grip knobs on the handle

LMAO! Ain't that the truth!

No, that doesn't sound strange to me at all In any case, I hope you friend shows up- sounds like maybe he needs his old fishing buddies to get him back into the swing of things!

I'll vouch for the quality. I own 6 or 7 of the original handles. My son said to me this past weekend "You have a lot of cork" I think cork looks classy.

Do you see any bluegills or bass in there? Try something huge, like my fave a 12" worm.

Morning yall. Just a heads up. I was approached by my neighbor yesterday asking if I would be willing to be their boat driver for a high school fishing tournament that they will be starting in December. I said I would, but I advised them that I am not too good at locating fish. I directed him here and told him that I highly suggeseted he read ALL 170 pages of posts and take notes. If I understand correctly they will be fishing both Toledo and Rayburn so they have a lot of learning to do. This discussion has been a huge help to me and i believe that they can learn a lot from it too. Thanks to all, Gator

Only own 2 Abu rods...both Villains. Liked the ML spinning rod, so picked up a 7'6" MH casting rod at a good price. Don't care for it. Another rod in the $100 range I can highly recommend is the Fenwick Elite Tech Smallmouth series. Have a couple and the 6'10" MF is a very versatile rod. Pair it with a light reel. Abu reels constitute the 2nd highest number of reels I own (behind Daiwa), yet I don't have a Revo S or SX. The majority of my Abu reels are round reels. Personally I would be looking for a Gen 2 STX or Premier. Both of mine happen to be Gen 1. I would put either up against my Lews Tournament Pro for casting distance anytime. The Lews is a nice reel, I just don't see it being the end-all reel some hype the Lews to be. Maybe I have been using magnetic only reels too long.

Ask your doctor. The issue is way too complicated and important to rely on advice from this or any other forum.

My nephew is 17 and he lives in Carol Stream. He and his buddies fish Mallard regularly. On 9-16-2013, the three of them got (6) bass that day. (3) at 3 lbs and one bas at 4-1/4 lbs. Plus some smaller fish. That was the best day they had all season.

I would for sure get a 7 or 9 inch Slammer to toss around. You should be able to fish that bait with a titanium leader and worse case situation you get some explosive topwater strikes from pike and muskie, not a bad problem to have Bass in Minnesota eat a lot of yellow perch where they coexist so I'd look at some perch colored baits for sure. It doesn't take a monster to eat one of these baits. I fished a 7" Slammer for a few hours last Friday morning. I caught 6 and missed that many more along with tons of followers. Of the 6 I caught only 1 was a keeper over 15", one was barely 12", but then one of them I missed was a smallmouth in the 18-20 inch range which is a monster at the lake I was fishing.

A standard riot gun is too long, a Benelli M4 entry gun with a 14.5" barrel would be a much better choice if going that route.

Lots of 5 to 8 pound stripers today, good fun!

Hit the Merrimack for smallies. Wind was blowing pretty hard but managed 8 fish. Average size was below a pound but at least there was some action.

Thanks. By Pennisula I am talking about when you pull into the park you take the first right and go straight then you can go straight or take a right again. Going straight would take you to a boat launch (You can see the "right" side from here which is the north penninsula.) You will know if you are in the right spot because there should be a dock with a table to the right. If you were to take the right before you even turn there is a blue sign in white letters saying North Penninsula. Btw you cant launch a boat from here it is sort of like a place for families and such but there is many LARGE bass there. Just look for grass and brush piles and either bounce a jig off a brush pile or rip it through the grass and it will kill them. Hope this helps.

Not a fan of Trokars, for the reasons listed above. They seem to rust fast, the tip durability, and they shred plastics. Gamakatsu's have been my hook of choice for years, but VMC is winning me over with there line of "Ike" approved stuff.

ultmately if you are having fun then who cares how fast or slow you fish. Now if you are losing that then it is time to make it fun again and only you know how to do that for yourself.

Winner winner chicken dinner