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^^ This ^^ I will add that, being that I have a very clear view from the inside of the fishing world, very, very few ambitious anglers are able to make a career out of fishing, relatively speaking. Most think it's all about fishing and winning tournaments, and the money, sponsorships, and endorsements comes naturally with that success. Total hogwash. Fishing success is merely a minimal requirement. And, to be honest, fishing is a mere fraction of being a professional angler. It's all about your personality, preserverence, attitude, networking, business savy, and ability to market and sell products. A degree in business or marketing can be a huge benefit. Becoming a professional angler is a long, tough road to haul. It's grueling, and takes years to finally break through. And by then, it will take years to dig yourself out of debt. In many ways, it's like getting a college degree. There are no shortcuts. If nothing else, college teaches you to make a goal for yourself, and stay focused on accomplishing it. This is why many companies use degrees as a screening agent. They want people who can preservere and stay focused on accomplishing an objective. That's not to imply ONLY people with degrees can do that. But it's a simple way to screen people that way. This is why degrees open so many doors. That said, a college degree will not make you smarter. I know and work with many people with post-graduate degrees that are dumb as soup. And plenty that are incredibly smart. The degree(s) didn't make them that way. Yet I've met plenty of folks fresh out of college who think they know everything they need to know about the job, and won't hesitate to tell YOU how to do your job. LOL! Oh man, if they only knew how green and niave they really are. College degrees are merely entry tickets to your chosen field. What you do after you gain entry, determines your own success. Always remember that.

I have a belly button.

I'm still kinda beside myself after yesterdays fishing trip on the big pond. It doesn't get much better than getting out with a great fishing buddy and really a great friend. Paul (yes, the Paul) and I got out for a little while yesterday to see what we could do with high water on Ky. Lake. It's nice when you got a fishing buddy that is innovative and open to suggestions with you. When two die hard bass addicts get together and gel by sharing their experiences and knowledge, you will eventually figure something out. It didn't take long for us to start setting the hook on several keeper fish which made for a lot of fun. We caught several nice 2-4 lb. fish. It seemed like everywhere we went, we caught fish. Then when I felt this one bite, I expected it to be another nice 3 lber but I didn't turn this girl as I did the others, she turned me! When she came up all I could think was, "WOW, she big!" After a great fight and Paul reached down and lipped her for me, I already knew I had a new PB! 8 Lbs. 13 Oz. Thanks Paul, couldn't of thought of anybody I would rather been with me for this catch!

New alde hg, hedgehog airs, zpi offset handle, thats it. Love it as is. Might pair it with the Ultima if yumeya makes a finesse spool for it...

All the ice is officially gone in the last 10 days or so. Got out this past weekend on my favorite small lake in PA which will remain unnamed. Caught a lot of largemouth but no giants! Check out the video I made:

Larger Treble hook baits are notorious for being thrown by jumping bass. A-Jay

My hg came in nice and early in the morning. Had plenty of time to look it over and give it a quick clean. Threw some hedgehog airs in, and put a zpi carbon handle on. Actually got this thing down to 128grams/4.5oz, lol. Ridiculously light... Ive been using 6-8lb hybrid lately, but i ended up spooling it with 20lb power pro. Mounted it on my 6'5L expride and threw pop-xs, flickshakes, 1/4oz spinnerbaits, and a few other smaller topwaters. First off, its palms awesome, just as good or better then the core 50/bfs xg. Very smooth due to the x-ship, love the knobs. Probally the most comfortable factory knob ive used so far. I honestly think it feels like a smaller metanium without the micro gears. I was getting major distance with 1/4oz hardbaits. Wasnt getting great distance with finesse baits though, but im so used to using finesse spools in core/alde mg7's. I kept it at 2 brakes on, and the exterior dial off or it seems to look like its at 1 when off. Definitely starts to cut some serious distance off your cast even it setting 2 on the dial. I honestly dont like exterior brake dials. Im a minimalist, i like setting 2 brakes on the spool and using my cast control knob. Thats why ive always liked the shimano 50 series platform, set 2 brakes and forget it. Positives - 1. Love the silver parts, dragstar, factory handle nut can be reused with aftermarket handles. 2. Very smooth 3. Super light 4. Palms awesome 5. Love the knobs Negatives - 1. I honestly think the silent tune thing is a gimmick, theres absolutely no need for a spring behind the bearings, especially the spool mounted bearing. I'm probally going to remove the spool spring when i get a chance. 2. Id prefer a regular sideplate like the core 50 with no exterior brake dial. I dont need the extra braking. 3. I noticed when taking off the cast control knob that theres no aluminum threaded insert like the core 50/alde mg/mg7/bfs xg. Its actually the frame material (ci4+?) Just doesnt seem as smooth when adjusting the cast control, but i suppose thats weight savings... Either way, i think the reel is great. Ill be using it for 1/8oz and heavier plastics and 3/8-1/2oz moving baits. Really hoping yumeya makes a finesse spool for it.

Best time of day during the pre-spawn? Just before I get there, and soon after I'm gone Roger

The Garmin Panoptix™ all-seeing sonar is unlike anything you’ve ever seen on the water. You have to see it to believe it. Click to check it out.

According to KJAS.com, an angler who won a bass boat at Big Bass Splash bass fishing tournament on Sam Rayburn this weekend did a remarkable deed to help another angler. Fred Tillman McMahon, who is retired from ExxonMobil, won a Triton bass boat in a drawing after the tournament. However, after he learned of Albert Jenkins fishing the entire event from a dock—not a boat like everyone else—McMahon decided to give the brand new boat to his fellow angler. “I thought I would never do this,” McMahon said. “I feel blessed.” We could call this sportsmanship—sure. But this also seems like a case of being a darn good person. What an excellent thing to do for another person. Stories like this are exactly why we fish. The catches are just a welcomed bonus!

Bass don't throw baits. We throw baits in an attempt to catch them.

I am currently attending Life University's School of Hard Knocks. The admission process was very easy and it's been an interesting, fun and sometimes brutal course of study. The lessons all seem to be connected to each other in one way or another and the homework has proven to be the most important part. I'm in no hurry to finish and am actually trying to make it last as long as I can. Anticipating a most rewarding graduation ceremony, as I understand it, the diplomas have tremendous longevity as they are made out of stone. A-Jay

How does college help you sell yourself to sponsors or do a seminar? Even most articles are written at about a fifth grade level, so an English degree is probably overkill. I'm sticking to the story that college probably has nothing to do with being a pro angler, but if college, trade school, apprenticeship, or whatever is a path to a fallback career (note I didn't say job), then that should come first.

I didn't get a degree and I have mortgage, lol.

Monday morning, the alarm goes off at 4am, and you say, "awe man I've got to go fishing. Again!" Yeah, right.

I wonder who went to college in this thread? Some of the speelign is horribal

I had mine out last weekend and caught 7 bass and a couple of crappie. The biggest bass were about 3. I was using MS-X 6'8 L BFS reel and threw mostly Pointer 65s. This combo threw the pointers very well and very far. The reel is so compact you can actually use one hand to fish jerk baits. With a fish on the line the retrieve is VERY smooth. The X ship gives you that loose drag feeling where you think your drag is off because its so smooth. The fish couldn't pull any drag so I cant comment there. The weekend before it was throwing a true 1/8 oz rapala UL minnow a really good distance, shocking really considering I own 2 other true BFS reels. I had the brakes set to 2 on and 1 on the dial and only turned the dial to 2 a couple of times when the wind kicked up. Its my new favorite reel its so fun to fish.

Looks like toe thongs to me J.

Try jerkbait and worms.

No, you don't "need" college unless you specifically need to learn something, like an engineer, accountant or doctor, etc. Most of business school is complete BS anyways- and that's why the naturals will always rise above on their own IMO. It is always a good idea to invest in yourself if you have the grades and expendable income as well as the wherewithal/mentality to actually absorb it all... But to get yourself into ~$100k worth of debt because you think you might need it is a foolish thing. I see tons and tons of people who "thought they needed it" get absolutely bent over a barrel when they couldn't get a job in their field or worse hated it once they were living it- now they're struggling to make ends meet with a crap job when things didn't work out like the story book they wrote as a child said it would. I was "lucky" enough to graduate college juuuuuuuuuust as the economy collapsed. Thankfully just in time for me to lose just about everything, actually... So no. You don't need college. You can also take individual courses to increase your competency in finance or marketing fwiw. What you do need is go get all up in whatever it is you're trying to do- learn every d**n thing you can about how it actually works. Seriously, just go do it. If you find yourself at a level where you're seeing big holes in your game, then by all means pony up to a whiteboard again- but don't think it's a prerequisite by any stretch of the imagination. That's foolish talk. My honest advice is to just bite the bullet and dive in. Go be a pro. I mean, it, just start entering tourneys. If you get to a point where you are missing pieces, then go back and learn them specifically, and maybe even a-la-carte if you can. DO NOT OVER-INVEST IN THE OVERPRICED HIGH SCHOOL SCENE THAT IS COLLEGE UNLESS YOU HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC PLAN OR YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME AND MONEY. You'll be doing yourself a huge favor if you do the figuring first and the learning afterwards than if you were to do it the other way around.

Finally got out Saturday on my first trip this year. The catching was slow as I only got one in the boat but it did beat my previous PB buy one ounce, coming in at 6.4 lb. Threw just about everything I had, with this girl caught on a 3/8 jig with 3" pit boss trailer pitched to a laydown in 6 ft of water. Happy to have my first trip and first bass this year be this one. 6 lb 4 oz

Did anyone get the GPS numbers for that pond?

That guys must have 1x strong triple grip hands & a 2x short thumb. A-Jay

Bigger treble hook baits......swimbaits, larger cranks. Also have had fish throw buzzbait/spinnerbaits. Treble hook baits I seem to have better success rate when I change out standard round bend trebles and go with the EWG short shank hooks. The just seem to stay buttoned better. Spinnerbait and buzzbaits are a crap shoot.

Yup, like I've stated before " white carrot stix " Get yourself a Avid & be done with it!

A white chatterbait is probably at the top of my list for stained water. A chartreuse and black squarebill and red lipless cranks are up there too. Black and blue jigs pitched to heavy cover can work well also.

With out a doubt Maine has some great bass fishing. In my own opinion it is not the amount of "pressure" that determines the quality of a fishery. It is how it is managed and the fishery itself that determines its quality. The way that the sport has evolved catch and release is practiced by virtually all bass fisherman. There a few guys that keep bass and certainly quite a few meat fisherman that do so as well. Again, in my own opinion, you don't need to look any further then the bag limits to see how Maine is managing its bass fisheries for more and quality fish. In Maine you are allowed to keep 2 fish with a minimum of 10 inches, only one may exceed 14. That is a pretty stingy bag limit in my opinion. NH bag limit is a bit more complicated and allows for the harvest of more bass and more bigger bass. Jan 1 - March 31st, 2 fish only one over 16 inches. April 1 - May 14th 2 fish no length limit. May 15th - June 15th catch and release, artificial lure only. June 16th - 30th 2 fish no length limit. July 1st - Dec 31st 5 fish no length limit. With NH regulations as they allow harvest of more and bigger bass. From July 1st you could harvest 5 fish of any size and I am sure there are individuals that are targeting and keeping 5 fish over 18 or 20 inches. Vermont's regulations aren't that much better. April 11th - June 12th catch and release. Then from June 13th to Nov 30th you are allowed to keep 5 fish minimum length of 10 inches. Again with Vermont's regulation as it is a large portion of the year you could keep 5 20" bass. I have personally seen this first hand several times on Champlain. Of the three states regulations Maine has by far the most restrictive. This allows more fish to grow to bigger size and live longer lives. Maine is effectively managing for more and bigger bass. Another aspect of tournament pressure to mention is the size of the lake or pond that is being fished. As you mentioned Bob there are 55 tournaments on Winni, most of those are smaller tournaments less then 25 boats. Winni is a big body of water though at over 55,000 acres. The fish populations in that lake is so large and spread over such a vast area. I am sure there are many unpressured fish in that lake. There are unpressured fish in every single lake. There are still many unpressured lakes in your area. I know some guys that fish them. The most popular lakes get all the attention and most of the permits. If you want to fish unpressured lakes find a dirt boat ramp or a carry top only boat ramp. Those types of places see little pressure because bass fisherman cant launch there boats there. Fishing pressure doesn't effect the size of fish that a lake produces. It does in my opinion make them more difficult to catch. Some of my biggest bass have come from a tournament pressured water in Maine. Fishing pressure isn't only about tournaments. A non tournament anglers put the same amount of " fishing pressure" on a lake. It is all relative. Fishing pressure does not effect fish size. Bass fishing in the south is year round and the amount of tournaments is mindboggling. Yet even with the near constant pressure big fish are routinely caught out of the most popular lakes. As I said earlier fishing pressure does not effect the size of bass a lake or pond can produce. It just isn't that simple. They are a product of their environment. There are so many factors that must be taken into consideration that lead to a lake being able to produce big fish or not. Some lakes simply can not produce numbers of quality bass. There are other lakes that are big bass factories. I do think that Maine is managing it Bass fisheries more effectively then NH or VT. The notion though that if you want to catch big bass just go to Maine and 6's and 7s will be jumping all over your lures is far fetched. Its not that easy. Maine does have some amazing bass fishing opportunities, no doubt about it. NH, VT, MA all have great opportunities as well as long as you know where to go and what to do. You want more and bigger bass in NH ? Ask your biologists to make the daily bag limits more restrictive.

Go easy on the lifting. It takes its tole later in life. I'm speaking from experience, Lots of joint pain now a days.

It has more to do with how close or far your targets are than any time of year. I generally pitch more than I flip.

I don't believe it! I heard "The Mighty SPEEDBEAD" was born of no mortal mother, but arose from the water like the God Neptune upon the fins of fish, a gift to fisherman and the world!

My first career was as a chef. After 12 years in kitchens, I went back to school to change careers. Received my undergrad degree in Medical Science then specialized in Immunology in grad school. I've been doing research in Pediatric Immunology since.

Quite often work ethic as well as the career path stems from home life, as the saying goes an acorn doesn't fall from the tree. I know many people that became doctors, lawyers or cpas because it's in the family, same goes for sales or people that go into business. Of course there are many exceptions, that said I'll forgo my career as it has nothing to do with question of needing college to become a pro fisherman. I would not suggest this degree or that degree, nor a career. I would suggest that it be discussed with parents and school counselor. All one has to do is fish to be a pro, if successful the accolades, endorsements, sponsors. etc. will come. It does help to have a camera friendly face and communicate well, but it isn't mandatory. A pro wins a tournament, the sponsors advertise the fact a certain lure was used, the next day a bunch of gullible amateurs start feeding the bait monkey. Has the pro really marketed that lure? There have numerous mentions for the need of startup capital, that can be said for just about any business. I may add just like a fisherman a business needs time to grow before it's profitable.

Ordered my first reel ever straight from Japan

First, ...no I don't work for Yo-Zuri and any line manufacturer. I'm just an avid amateur that has been confused by all the different lines - and claims the manufacturers (and pro's) make regarding lines. I read reviews, Tackle Tour, etc.. and just decided I needed to conduct some independent tests on my own with the lines I use. I think you are potentially right on the water absorption question - would mono stretch more over time when wet... Probably, yes? But would Trilene XT at 21 inches stretch then stretch more than its cousin Berkley 100% fluorocarbon at 38 inches? I think there would be some subtle variations but I'm not convinced it would be that much. Next winter when I get bored I may conduct some tests with lines that have been soaked first. I did point out Yo-Zuri Hybrid as a potential choice since they at least market their line that it does not absorb water. However, there may be others worth trying too. I wonder if some of the "tough coat" monos like Trilene XT, or Sufix Siege would resist water absorption. More stuff to test I guess next year. My wife thinks I'm nuts hanging string and weights from our vaulted ceiling. I guess thats what cabin fever will do to a guy who lives through loooong winters in Minnesota!

I have been lifting for a couple of years. My goal has always been fitness rather than pushing the envelope to see how much weight I can move. Even though I am an old guy, I still let ego write checks my body can't cash at times. I will never make the 1000 lbs mark, but I am stronger and healthier than I've been in years. It is definitely worth the time and effort.

I think Hootie and Maico1 have that rod. I wanted it but with so many other wants, I haven't bought it........yet. Yes, they are older and they are more technique specific and I have read that they are an in between the GL3 and the IMX. The 100B should be a great fit!

Yep I go to school. Right now, I'm learning the digestive, reproductive, respirative, circulatory, and nervous systems of a crayfish, not to mention the fact that I'm dissecting one today. Don't you *** me?

Nature finds a way. Run off from other bodies of water, there is the notion that birds may transplant fish eggs stuck to their feathers or feet. And then there is a 5 gal bucket from someone that decides to catch fish from somewhere else and transplant them to a new spot.

Look at it as if your covering water to find fish. When you find fish you may never have to slow down, You might get all your work done on a moving bait. If you begin to put a pattern together with a moving bait you can potentially pick the pattern apart with a slower bait. Also, you may have to slow down. But I try to fish fast first and cover water until I rule out moving baits. My theory is you only have so long to fish whether it's a tournament or fun fishing. You can always slow down if you need to, but you can run out of time fishing slow if you can't find fish that way. Then again if you show up and they'll bit a jig then I'd never put down the big stick. But I prefer to fish fast to slow for efficiency.

Get them catching fish, and let them own the moment. Don't try to "teach" too much. Teach on a need to know basis, or when questions are asked. The magic lies in the experience, not the knowledge. Experienced anglers can forget that.

While statistically true, that statement can be misleading if one infers that going to college is the reason for the additional income. The reason why college goers statistically make more money than non-college goers is based the ambition level and drive of the person, not the education. Typically, those with high ambition levels go to college and it is those ambition levels that lead to increased income over their lifetime. If education in & of itself was the reason for additional wealth, then how would one explain the monetary success of that college dropout, Bill Gates.

I have come to the conclusion that I don't give a rip about stretch when it comes to fluorocarbon. I like the way it works. That is all.

I have one from bazooka bubble gum.. I sent in 200 wrappers & .10 for shipping... But my fave was the x-ray glasses, those are legendary

I fished there Tursday 16th and Sat.18th. The water temp ranged from 60 to 66 degrees. Caught a total of 58 bass the two days with a 6-7 and and 6-12 on Sat. Saw some beds Sat.

I recently read...maybe here....that if you think education is expensive, try ignorance....or maybe they said "life is hard if you go to collage....but its a lot harder if you papier-mâché"

Zodias 6'10" MH Curado 201HG

Just putting it out there, I don't have a bass boat either.

live worms catch fish without a doubt, why wouldnt you try to imitate a worm when fishing a plastic worm?

Yes. As a leader on my wacky rig rod and I use a full spool on my crankbait and spinnerbait rods. It sinks so it helps get the bait down. It does have it's drawbacks but so does mono and braid. I would never use it on something that needs to float like a top water bait, and slow sinking bait or a suspended bait.

I only tell your friends where the ponds are that you know suck