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Running out of beer.

just the tourney culture that the sport seems fixated on these days- from the "pros" peddling there sponsors to tiny club guys who think its their right to butt in on taken water because they donated their tourney fee that day to some other guy. I enjoy tourney's, I just cant stand a lot of the culture that surrounds it. also, IL waterways are awful in terms of size/availability.

Be careful what you wish for

I really hate nothing about fishing. Only thing I really dislike are the negative things that some PEOPLE do. They've all been listed; trashy people, people who elbow in on fishing spots, people who keep everything they catch, people who hound you for spots with no intention of sharing any of their own, people who don't fish who complain about fishing. Even a bad day of fishing is pretty good, but if I leave the lake with any negative thoughts beyond what I could have done to catch more or bigger fish, chances are some knucklehead is the reason behind it.

I cannot stand it when people mishandle fish. laying it in the dirt, holding it wrong, too long out of the water, etc, etc. Some people don't care, and others just don't know any better, so I do my part to help the ones that don't know any better, but it's the other jerk offs that make my blood boil.

Do I have to limit it to three? LOL Off the top of my head: #1..... I really don't know how to put this, because I enjoy fishing, and running tournaments, but the whole tournament culture bugs the crap out of me. That's why I started running my own, I get good turn out's, and it's a bunch of decent guys for the most part. Laid back atmosphere, low stress, low pressure, low entry fee's, 100% payback, open to all....we don't keep track of points/standings, we just have a little invite only "classic" at the end of the year for the guys who cashed during the season. I understand the structure and competiveness at the higher levels, but when it creeps down to the local weeknight/weekend tournaments........enough is enough. #2.......The slobs and there garbage.....it's bad enough when the weekend pleasure boat crowd does it, but when it's other fisherman? I come unglued. Yeah we have all lost things in the water, or had crap fly/blow out of the boat, but as a fisherman to litter on purpose.....don't let me catch you doing it. #3.......Excuse making and/or over analytical fisherman. I see people who spend lots of time on the water, and have for years, but are TERRIBLE fisherman.........if your out there for relaxation, and all, and it dosen't matter if you catch or not.......fine. Have at it, it's your right. BUT if you put the time in and still suck, man up and face the fact that you suck!! Don't blame it on the lake, the other guys, the weather, etc.....other people are figuring it out, your not. Go play golf. The flip side is the guy who has a scientific answer for everything under the sun, includeing why seagulls fart in one direction on low pressure days..................listen pal.........it's bass fishing............not the manhattan project. I'm sure if you would have selected the proper crankbait, that had just the right water displacment to imitate a perch sucking bloodworms off the bottom, in 73.4 degree water on the third sat. in June, under a new moon, you would have a won by 20lbs.........but you didn't, and you lost to a guy throwing a brown piece of plastic at a dock post......that's a shame.

I read day in and day out about how much everybody here loves fishing. Blah blah blah. Surely there are things you don't like OR would like to change about spending a day or week or lifetime on the water. Pleasure boats, jet skis, and bucketheads don't count because we all hate them. My gripes. 1. All the boatable water in northern IL and southern WI is privately managed.This means I have to pay to launch the boat. Anywhere from $15-$25 a launch. I've fished many impoundments in the south and all the ramps are in pristine condition and FREE 2. Fishermen not respecting other fishermen. If I'm fishing a spot. When you come up on me, please go around the side I'm not casting to. 3. Clean up your frickin garbage. Don't throw your line in the water. It is magnetized to my prop. You shore guys...bring a garbage bag with you and pick up the garbage and worm containers that is left by the bucketheads. God gave us this resource and man will screw it up. 4. New guys on local forums, don't publicly hound guys on the boards for their honeyholes. I promise you, you'd get better feedback if you asked in a PM What don't you guys like, or would want to change?

I'm just curious of the weirdest place you've caught a bass. I have two: I was fishing on a small reservoir in Virginia during a tournament, we go into a cove and I look over and see a microwave sitting in about 2 feet of water, door open. I figured it'd be fun to cast to, and cast behind it with a crankbait. I cast out the crankbait past the microwave, and start retrieving it, and it starts running over the microwave, banging into the top of it, finally it comes past the open door and a bass swims out to smack it. Caught a 2 lber from the microwave On a trip to Buggs Island in Va, water was around 20 feet high in the spring, and m partner and I found a park that was flooded. We saw a couple of picnic tables with about a foot of water over the top, and we pitched into it. We both caught bass, and spent the rest of the day finding flooded parks to fish the picnic table pattern

I could write a treatise on the subject. I got my degrees in fisheries biology, limnology and icthyology. I'll see if I can scrounge up some links tonight.

That would be a Catfish right? Or is that a horse of another color?

I agree that $400 would seem more in line with what you should be paying. I just saw a brand new 23 Gen 4 on sale for $550 the other day. If you have a local guy with an FFL, order from these guys. Here is a new 19, free shipping. http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/21_43/products_id/714007814/GLK+19+GEN+3+9MM+4+FXS+15

What I hate is that I cant go , I hate having everything that allows me to go and just see it sitting there , in hind site , I appreciate it even more when I am able to go .

This thread may have started out interesting enough. but after 8 pages, we are reaching the point where "Information is not knowledge" A-Jay

Frog on a frog.

I like Maker's Mark, but I can afford Evan Williams.

I was able to go out to my local canal for 1.5 hrs. I decided to deadstick for fun and I did pretty good. Caught several 13" fish but this 16" decided to play. It reached my minimum criteria so I said what the heck. Caught it on a BPS stick worm using 2/0 Gami's on 10lb yozuri line.

Good read ! I think I have one of those red and white plugs its made of wood .. Maybe they still make them that way ?

Tubes? They don't catch fish at all. You can't flip, pitch, punch, or skip them under any circumstance. They are a terrible bait for deep structure as well. They equally terrible in warm and cold water, and everything in between. I never always have a tube rigged on the deck of the boat. I don't fish Larews or Strike King flipping tubes, and I never fish the LFT craw tube either. I don't have any in Dark Watermelon, Green Pumpkin, or Black Neon. I don't ever fish them in the SK green pumpkin chartreuse tail, either.

The few things that I dislike have already been mentioned. It comes down to people who have no respect for other people or the lakes they utilize. So nothing about fishing in general, just dumb people.

I love fishing. I love everything about it. What I don't like are the other influences that have a negitive effect on my fishing. Whiney fishing partners who blame their fishing issues on everything but themselves. Fishing is a problem solving activity. If you don't like solving the problems in front of you go sit on the couch. Know-it-alls. They are unteachable. Weather Men. Always plan on them being wrong.

toy dogs. i wouldn't call it a bark as much as a repetitive ear piercing chirp. i head to nature to get away from the city and noises. 2 of my fisheries have houses on them with toy dogs. these owners lock them outside and the #*(@) things scream all day long. it echoes off the water..and my brain. these places loose all serenity when the dogs are out. i've even encountered two men in a boat with a paris hilton dog that was literally barking for 3 hrs straight. it's bark was still echoing as i moved 500 yds away and ran out of water. these people are inconsiderate pet owner who just want a lap dog or arm decoration but they can't be bothered to discipline their 'dogs' and teach them not to bark? hate isn't a strong enough word for how i feel about these overgrown rats. i wouldn't mind rigging one up as musky bait. now let me tell how i really feel in the end it's the bad pet owners that gotta go. the dogs can stay.

i dont like seeing multiples of big bass that someone post a picture of back at there house or camp ground and you know they are dead! I understand mounting your biggest bass or something over 8 pounds or whatever number some ppl have picked out to be big enough to mount but i always practice catch and release to hope that people will do the same and keep the spots that i fish going strong with good numbers of big bass but thats not always the case!!!! And i agree with the trash its pretty pathetic how lazy and disrespectful people can be about that!!

Getting old and not being able to enjoy fishing all day or night. Stop whining and go fishing! Tom

Horsepower restrictions. There are so many lakes here that are huge that have electric only or 9.9 HP restriction. This limits my boat use to about three areas out of about fifty. Most lakes are so big that the thought of even trying to cover them with a trolling motor is crazy. Why not just make them no wake lakes instead? A 9.9 is essentially a gas trolling motor anyway.

There was a lot more that bothered me before I had my bout with acute pancreatitus. Not even wanting to pick up a fishing rod for a couple months was very strange when I look back on it. Now I'm blessed to be able to go again. Yeah costs keep me close to home...dang co-payments to docs keep me close. Praise the Lord I live close to several lakes here in Tennessee. So yeah I hate the garbage...think I'm going to take a plastic bag along and spend five minutes on way back putting some other people's ?!@$ in it. I'm going to look at some of these people at the launch who can't seem to launch their boat and load their stuff untill they are right in the middle of the ramp with several people waiting. I'll just shake my head and maybe...maybe ask if they need help. The people who just pull in on me...well...thats a tough one but guess I'll have to work on that one and just shake my head maybe turn on big motor and leave quickly to get out of his way. Tight Lines....Merry Christmas

If we are talking whiskey, Canadian Club 10 Year Old Classic is my poison but you can't go wrong with Jack or Crown

I dont find much sport in ice fishing, but there is adequate ice for it now. I saw snowmobiles and a 6 wheeler out on the ice today in southern NH.

I hate to play devils advocate here. But, I will say the same thing about Bourbon as I do beer. I would be willing to bet that most of you couldn't tell the difference from one to the other if you didn't know what you were drinking. I am talking about actual Bourbon here, not charcoal filtered. I have tried to bet my buddies hundreds of dollars to take two light beers and pour 20 drinks and if they can guess all 20 correct I would pay them 10 to 1 to my bet. No one will ever take the bet, yet they all claim to have their favorite beer and they claim to know what is junk. I would be willing to bet the same is true with Bourbon.

Glenn we were trying to keep that on the down low.

Scott Jeff already told me you are a ringer. So maybe we will be groveling for some crumbs after your first day results. Topwaterspook (Stitch) is part of our group and has been to El Salto a couple of times as well. It will be interesting to hear how it compares to Baccarac from your experience. This trip should be a blast.

Use the reel seat/handle with a old baitcaster and string up a lure retriever

Just to be clear Dwight - I'm not expecting to gain membership into this exclusive club - only to pick up some crumbs from under the table! :-)

And before someone points out that Bourbons such as Evan Williams and Jim Beam are charcoal filtered..... There is a difference. The bourbons referred to here as well as MANY more are filtered through "activated charcoal" Activated charcoal is nearly pure carbon, created by heating wood to over 5000(?) degrees in an oxygen rich environment. Many bourbons are filtered through this to prevent "chill haze." Activated charcoal is also common in water filters. The sugar-maple charcoal used by JD is more like the charcoal used on your barbeque . The wood was only heated to a few hundred degrees for this charcoal, leaving some minerals in with the carbon. The unaged whiskey is slowly filtered through 10-foot tall containers of the sugar-maple charcoal to give the whiskey its taste. It takes days to work its way though these containers. Jeff

I have finished playing with these two, and have a NIB Sol on the way, another Fuego and still working on a Tatula to get them just like I want.

Depends what your looking to use them for.. I've got about 30 high end JDM reels so I might be able to help with dome more info.. Twin power is a very nice spinning reel.. Go that over he bio master.. Don't waste your time on the steez UNLESS it's the VERY rare ones.. Look for the megabass reels..

I had a very good season so far. Yesterday was a very good day! I'm in north florida so it gets cold here. We've had a few cold days and yesterday was warm and the fish were on fire when I went out. Next week is suppose to be in the 60s early and 70s later in the week so hopefully I will be able to get out some. Christmas week I plan on doing a lot of fishing hopefully Santa can bring me some good weather and some good fishing... but that may be when it starts to get winter cold here hope not

Wish they would just bring back the chronarch d5/7.. They didn't have a long enough run. *wipes tear*

Really enjoyed reading this fascinating study.....thanks! I've known that it's easy to catch tournament fish near their release point (especially a large lake, Thompson Lake in Maine) for years, as many anglers near this lake do. After a while it felt unfair, like fishing the spawn. As for smaller lakes, don't know, though the conclusions in the study seem to indicate that because fish have likely a smaller distance to go to get to their capture location, tournaments might affect them less overall. I thought it was interesting when they made a distinction between the way SMB and LMB navigate! "This is consistent with other studies and it has been suggested that largemouth bass navigate using visual landmarks (Wilde 2003). Gilliland (1999) reported 84% of tagged largemouth bass were recaptured at sites connected to a release site by a continuous shoreline while only 16% were recaptured in areas where they had to cross deep, open water." ! I remember the red-head plug! Don't know if Maine has a law about how far out to release tourney bass, but sure seems like a great idea to get them away from the same point every time.

The music I like to hear comes without an amplifier or speakers. It's the sound of nature.

The only thing I don't like about this was the music and the video, other than that it was great.

Thanks a ton Hi Salenity! Lots of great stuff for me to use for my first year as a non boater in my new club!

I think this is what you are referring to. Looks the same as a previous post. http://bassfishingdem.blogspot.com/2009/05/keep-plastics-securely-in-position.html I don't bother with this personally. If I am concerned about the slide I use a hook which minimizes that. Personally I am big fan of the Gamakatsu Skip Gap hook.

Watch what you ask for ever looked at our KC reports? You may have 7 boats and 14 tents in your yard Don't worry we will bring Beer and Brats! Congrats on the house!!!

www.bearsbaits.com/ home injection molded soft plastics, good product. Tom

Here's a 10" trout I made. HemoBass paintjob. needs a lip. I haven't quite mastered the art of lipless swimmers yet. I don't think the type of joint I used is designed for wood baits. I didn't account for the thickness of the paint and the clearcoat, so the joints are too tight and it doesn't swim. It will with a lip though. Another rat. This one will be molded and put into production as a resin bait. Swiveling hook hangars

Mine taught me how to shoot and dispense justice to those that liked to check your trot lines for you. That was a two person boat that day one to drive away and the other to put his fingers I the holes. Ah the good ol days when you could give bad folks what they deserve and you didn't go to jail for it. Now you often get worse then they would have if you'd call the law.

Swim Video

I am in Japan for work and had a chance this weekend to go to a tackle shop that is near by. Come to find out it is one of the bigger ones in the area. It was interesting to walk around a look at all the different lures and other items available. These things sure are expensive though. Prices are on the pics and right now I think its about 90yen / $1. BTW over here daiwa rules the roost ...sorry shimano fans. Any way here's some pics.

Hi. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. It really helped me choose which way to go. I'm a newie on here but have been following this thread concerning the small pontoon boats, such as the Pelican 8. I was torn between a 10' Alumacraft 1036 jon boat and the Pelican 8 until Academy ran the Pelican 8 on closeout sale this week for $299.99. That price got me to start really researching these little boats so I went over to one of the older Academy's locally that only had outside storage for their boats and the only one that they had left was left out in the rain and freezing weather for what looked like years. I went to one of the newer locations hoping for better and they had inside storage with two brand new units. I picked the best one and loaded it up. I figured for just under $300, I couldn't go wrong when you condsider that Dick's has the same boat for $599. I stepped up on the seats, due to an occassional bad back, and installed a couple of Cabelas high back camo padded seats @ $59 each that only weighed in at 8 pounds per seat. I used the existing swivels that came with the plastic seats and it worked out great. I had already bought a 40 lb Minn Kota that was on sale last week for $149 @ Academy that I hope will push it along at respectable speeds. So far about the only thing I can see that may need to be modified is the flooring. You guys were right about the floor being kind of spongey and in need of support. I can hardly wait until I get the chance to get it out on its maiden voyage this week.