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She likes to fish, but not to the point that I can't go alone or go with "the guys". And that seems to be an ideal balance

I was about to get skunked...again, until this dink saved the day. I'm bringing him in, when suddenly, he angles off towards the turtle floating on the surface between me and him. I had just put new Gamakatsu EWG trebles on after having to cut one of my hooks to get this lipless crank unsnagged last weekend. Sure enough, this craftly little sucker snagged the turtle, too.

Got out Saturday with a buddy who needed to do a shakedown cruise to his boat after some maintenance and of course we had to get our lines wet. Was a great day and we caught fish everywhere we stopped. Air temperature was anywhere from 29 in the morning "warming" to 42 in the afternoon. This body of water is a 3,000 acre series of cooling ponds connected by canals for a nuke power plant and gives us a nice break during the winter months. Usually smaller fish but they are plentiful and there's just something unique about catching bass on topwater in the winter!! I have some maintenance to do on my boat so. I'll be back out there again soon!!

So you caught the bass & the bass caught the turtle. I wonder if he posted that on Turtleresource.com? Too cool

Picked up my Heritage on Saturday … first time on the water was Sunday and have 1.5 hours of the break in taken care of. Now is time to get on board charger and fish finders installed.

First fish on the Heritage caught by my wife. Ranbow trout caught will fishing for bass, lol. The boat ran great. No issues.

Brutal winds on Purtis Creek Lake here in East Texas today, 3/11/18. It was so bad, I was going to leave but then some other kayakers showed up and it gave me the courage to at least take off from the ramp and head to the adjacent cove, fish and hide out from the wind. I worked back and forth along the banks fishing shallow. I ended up using a drop shot and several different small plastics. 7 or . . . was it 8 LMBs, none large, males between 1.5 and 2 lbs. Lots of fun fishing, cussing the wind! Brad

Well, today I had my colonoscopy at St, Mary's hospital in Richmond, Virginia. All went well and the doctor said he would see me in 10-years. Guys and gals, this is an extremely important procedure that we all need to have beginning on your 50th birthday, or sooner if you think there is a problem. It can save your life The prep this time around was not that bad. Not that good but not that bad. I watched LSU baseball clobber Hawaii on the computer and the Lady Tigers sweep Awbunn on TV plus so many Monk reruns that if I never see Monk again it will be fine with me. And I got really acquainted with my bathroom, too. The nurses and techs were great. They made you feel relaxed and told you what was going to happen. I had the doctor, three nurses and one technician in the room. I could not believe all the people involved with the procedure. So please, please, please get it done. No embarrassment what so ever. And think of what you will have to go through if you don't get a colonoscopy and you develop cancer of the colon or have a digestive system tumor. Then everyone will see your butt and goodies at the same time. Even though we go while standing on the side the boat for all to see, that is nothing compared to what you will go through if you don't get the procedure and develop a serious problem. Suck it up and have it done. Peace of mind for you and your family. And you can use the pictures they take of what they find for your Christmas cards!!!!

I've been reading / watching all the info I can on bass fishing this winter and I find it somewhat overwhelming. It seems like we are inundated with " science " on fishing. Fish patterns/ weather patterns/ water conditions/ specific reasons to use this or that line, lure, rod, reel , etc.. To use all of this info we need to be a combination of physicist, mechanical engineer , meteorologist , marine biologist, electronics expert, and so on. Don't get me wrong, I am glad all this info. is out there, and I love learning more about the "science" of fishing, but for me it gets overwhelming and my brain screams overload. I have always fished on instinct, my gut, call it what you will. If a place looks " fishy " I'll stop and fish it. If I catch fish I'll find more similar places and fish them. If my sonar shows arches I figure they are fish and try to catch them. If a lure works I'll keep using it. If my rod will cast a lure 50" I don't know or care if a different rod will cast it 10 more feet. It seems fish need to eat, feel safe and comfortable doing it ,and some times need to breed. So I guess what I am wondering is. Is there a simple way to break down all this " science" and knowledge to make it easier for a "dummy" like me to use it? For example, our first trip out this spring I'll look for sunny shallow water and see if there are any LM warming up on them. I'll look for rock piles, humps, drop offs etc. for SM. If I catch fish great. If not, then I'm stumped. With all the things I've read/ watched, I'm not processing what to do next. Is there a simple way to relate all this info/ knowledge to every day fishing? Thanks Jim

... and sometimes you don't! My son got a big kick out of this dink he caught today. We each caught three fish, but nothing over a pound even though we fished spots where we normally land 2 -5 pounders just about all of the time. But it was still nice to get out and fish for a few hours. The good news is that historically things really start to pick up here in the next two weeks. The only bad part about today was I lost two lipless cranks and one spinnerbait. I didn't lose that many lures all of last year. But I found out that the community disposed of a lot of Christmas trees in some of the lagoons over the winter and since I did not snag in these spots last year I'll assume that's what I snagged on today. The perils of bank fishing! I'll have to bring out the iBobber next time and see if I can map out the bottom of these lagoons.

@jbmaine Jim - I agree with you. "All the science" & "Looks Fishy" may very well be the same thing. The only thing I could suggest regarding your first trip out - perhaps consider the 'north end' of the lake and especially in the spring - don't discount the attraction of submerged wood. (warms up nicely & hold heat) That may not be 'science' but it has routinely led to net use for me - early & often. Good Luck A-Jay

When I used to teach adjunct at Villanova and the University of Richmond, I was told by some wise old deans of the business schools that any student who breezes through a test will not do as well as a student that has a difficult time with the test. Why? Because the student who is having difficulty has learned a lot of data and is having a hard time deciding how to answer the question. The student that breezes through the test fast has less knowledge and understanding and is just answering the questions with a gut feeling and not from a strong positon of knowledge. So it is OK to hit the water and get confused. It is part of bass fishing. Happens to us all. And what adds to your challenge is the fact that the "pattern for getting bites" can change by the hour or the day. So what works now may not work in an hour or two or when you return back to the same places in the future. Your job is to read, read and read and watch, watch and watch and then fish, fish, fish, using what you know and understand. Sooner or later you will have "confidence" in your rods, reels, lines, weights and baits that will produce strikes. At that time, you will continue to expand your understanding of the physics and mental challenges of bass fishing. Have fun!

Didnt you know that it was BOGO at Turtlewarehouse this week? Just amazing! ????

Hey guys, check out my first video of me kayak fishing. Unfortunately my battery was only 50% and didn't get to record half of my catches. I caught a couple on film and lost a couple others. I was slinging around chatterbaits, crankbaits, and lipless all day and had the water to myself (except for geese). Feedback is appreciated!

It's not really a matter of preference to me. I just don't feel any need to spend over $200 on a reel. I've recently had to raise my ceiling on rods to $250, because they just get higher and higher. I feel it's a bit obscene that we have to put together a $500 combo, and it's viewed as just a "mid grade" option.

Fish ain't stupid they can do their own research on the internet! Back in the old days they were not as smart and easier to catch but with today's technology they are just not that far behind us humans...........

Sounds like you are already doing a good job of utilizing information and data. I will say this, and it applies to pretty much everything we do, not just fishing. Do it the way it makes sense to YOU. I know very good and successful anglers who stress every detail, maintain multiple spreadsheets, consult all kinds of tech aides as well as equally good and successful anglers who just grab a rod and go fishing. It has to to with the psychology, human nature (and game theory, causality, and probability). But ultimately, you need to find the balance. Also keep in mind that in practice, every body of water fishes differently, so all that information can be pared down considerably. Of course that requires the most important factor to becoming a good angler, time on the water.

Ok here's the unrated version. ? 2 Shimano Curado I 2 Shimano Chronarch MGL 2 Daiwa Tatula ct 2 Lews Tournament Pro G 1 Shimano Curado K Shimano Stradic CI4+ Shimano Nasci Not pictured: 1 Lews Custom....She is sick right now lol

There's another thread going on how overwhelming the "science" of fishing can be. Line color and its effects are no different in that regard if you dig into the published studies and written material. Unless you want to be changing lines constantly, literally by the hour and the water and weather conditions encountered and the techniques used, it's best to just pick something you're comfortable throwing in your waters and go with it. Like everything in bass fishing, there is no right or "best" answer (specific material or color in this case) that acts as an absolute on the subject.

That's what "Other Species" category is for. You should be able to find out where your DNR has planted fingerlings. Search their website to find out where. Fish there. They will go about as far as they can go. It depends on each individual tributary. The steelhead run upstream all winter, and there are "summer run" races, like Skamania. Water temps around 40°, most winter steelies will move from holes and onto gravel redds. Skamania prefer warmer temps, around 55°. I typically use a 10-13' centrepin rod and reel. You can use spinning too, but drift fishing, the pin is easier. There's lots of good stuff on YouTube that shows how rig and fish a float/drift rig with a centrepin. I generally run an 8-10# main and shot line, and a 4-8# fluoro leader. I like Raven brand hooks, floats, and other terminal tackle. They have some great information on shot patterns on their site. I've had days where I never saw a single fish, and other days catching a dozen or more before lunch. It depends. Tributary environments are very dynamic. Good Luck!

Well this was a big weekend. Friday I walked 18 holes at a local very hilly golf coarse which is something I haven't done in over twenty five years and then Saturday I fished a club tourney. This year is my wife's 65th and our 45 anniversary so she wants to go golf a tourney at Bandon dunes in Oregon. This is a bucket list thing for her. It's a links coarse and no carts allowed!!! So....I'm not in bad shape...but better needs to happen. Oh....first nine was good...boggy golf. Second nine.....ewwwwwwwwww. Tourney.....3rd. Slept like a baby Saturday night. Tight Lines all

I think you've touched on the most likely scenarios. Most subdivision ponds don't get "intelligent" stocking, intentionally done and planned by a biologist. Instead, it's usually an angler or two that live in the neighborhood and bring some fish back from another lake or river in their boat a couple times. Each lake ends up with a different starting composition, then add in factors like depth, bottom composition, cover, available food sources, fishing/harvest pressure, water clarity, volume of water throughput, chemical composition of runoff, treated or untreated (weeds and algae), etc., multiplied out over a period of time, and you usually end up with a wide variety of fisheries, even within the same housing addition. It has been the case with most every retention pond I've seen.

Except for 'moving baits', like spinnerbaits and crankbaits, my overriding consideration regarding visibility is whether or not I can see my line. I've not been too concerned about what a fish sees....for a couple reasons: -I'm convinced that we may never know what a bass sees, as far as color -And even if we do, we won't know how a bass responds to line he/she sees -- was one old pro years ago (I forget who) that said repeatedly that he WANTED bass to see his line - that he believed they follow it down to the lure oftentimes -I just haven't found that it makes a difference to the fishing effectiveness; however, I HAVE found that whether or not I can see the line makes a huge difference to my effectiveness

I use plain old clear line for all my lines except braid. For braid I use Hi-Vis Pink. I use pink because I saw a video on line color and showed that in clear water pink becomes invisible faster than any other colored line. Then I read an article a few months later from Jordan Lee who said he uses straight pink braid for the same reason. I have had no issues with pink braid or clear fluoro in strained or clear water.

Normally, once females spawn they head out to feed and recuperate. The males stay behind to guard the nest. That's why you catch the big girls easier during the spawn, it's one of the few times they are very predictable and if you know the routes they take to spawning grounds you can catch them both pre-spawn and post-spawn. And.....not to start another ethics debate but you can also catch them on the beds/nest.

Spent the first half of my Army career as a 19K Tanker, now I'm an Apache helo pilot still currently serving. Thanks everyone for their service to our country!

My niece and her new little bundle of joy(my great nephew). I'm a proud great uncle! ?

One of the few people who can get me to go for a hike!

My brother caught this monster in Lake Fork fishing with me and our dad!

So proud of my grandson today! He wasn’t perfect, made a few mistakes, but was still able to pull off ANOTHER state championship for the second year in a row! Hard work all year pays off in the end! Gymnastics Level 5 state Champion baby!!! ? (Evan Trace on the left)

Yes.....there are many things to read and lures to apply to these reads. The biggest of all is "Time on the water". Sounds like your going to start off right...enjoy your time. If your not getting bit and don't see anything on the graph......move

2 ea ball-bearings & 1ea roller bearing ? Calcutta: solid as an anvil, versatile as a pair of Channellocks®, & dependable as a 30/30

Looks like you're going to miss out on this one according to the accuweather forecast. Mostly a Coastal/New England thing (NYC, Boston, Portland) Woohoo! another 12+ inches, how #$%&@ lucky can we get? Ugh! Maybe I'll just go crawl under my trucks bed cover and hug my tackle boxes while praying to the fish gods.

I know the feeling. I'm in Upstate NY and I remember a couple weeks ago when it was 65 degrees here for a day. I ran out of work early to go fishing only to find it dropped from 65 to about 20 degrees by nightfall. The local "climate" was met with a few expletives that day for teasing me like that lol. I can't wait for it to warm up and actually stay that way....I can't stand this place I don't know how folks choose to live here on purpose LOL

The crowds are fine...Most guys out there know how to fish in a crowd and not be total d-bags about it. There are handful of community holes that will have the big flotillas on them, but the rest of the river is fairly normal for a good/popular bass fishery. There's a reason those spots draw so many boats .

Quality bearings in key areas are critical. Total count means little. Many high quality reels have been built without handle knob bearings for example.

On those dates (in April?) there will be 20-60 boats sitting in most good spots. If you can get a day with 20+ mph winds it might be less. On the Potomac you just have to deal with it. You can get 12-15 lbs fishing lesser stuff but that won't win anything. if you want to win you're gonna be fishing around people. The blue plains thing was me being facetious. It's 55 all winter. Most of the potomac will be in the low to mid 40s now just like the Marshyhope.

Forget bearing count. The BLING! ?

Saw one of the original "brown tracker's" yesterday. I haven't seen one in years except for Bill Dance's boat that is on display at the Memphis BPS. Not sure what year, but the Mercury on the back looked a lot like Bill's! It was in great shape. I can't wait until I get mine!

That thing has more than my ryoga. It must be the bomb

My 2018 setups. What is yours?

18 bearings is the only way to go .)

This...

WOW!! Coming from you, Paul, that means a lot! Because your videos are unbelievably good! I'm not worthy!

My date for the night. Headed to the daddy daughter dance.

This is a pic from the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park.

Walmart clearance isle finds: Mustad EWG hooks 3/0 and 5/0 size $1 a pack Gamakatsu EWG hooks 3/0 size $1 a pack Berkley Skinny Cutter 110 $3 each Strike King red eye shad $3 each (sexy shad, bleeding shad and red craw) $3 each Vicious Fluorocarbon line 8lb $5 a spool Berkley Fireline 10lb $5 a spool Berkley Squarebull 3.5 (red craw) $3 each Strike King red eye mini king spinner bait $1 each

No amount of line force applied during a hook set should deform a good quality snap if the snap is closed properly. The strongest snap maybe Berkley cross link snap, Norman speed clips are stronge but a pain the ....to use IMO. The shortest snap and what I am currently using is Owner hyper weld size 2 snap for deep diving crankbaits. Snap are easy to retie with a Palomar knot and I am very aware of retiring and checking for line abrasion. I don't use a snap on split ring, always use the snap direct to the Crankbait eye. Tom

Next Night experimenting with the Ned Rig. This time Green Pumpkin Orange and Molting Craw did some work. 8 LMB including one at 3.2# and a surprise Channel Cat.