FishZen

Good info from all. I plan on using Power Pro because its readily available and has been pretty well reviewed. I mainly want to try this on my spinning reel so I can reduce the line twist that mono gets... it drives me crazy.

Good, thanks LBH! BTW, I believe we are fellow UPSers. I work in management at the local hub. Maybe I should make a 'business' trip up that way sometime. ;D

Thanks for posting that, it was a very good read. Helped me solidify some of the transitional period bass locations. I will definitely get out and try to catch some of the winter bass, although he doesn't explain how to get rid of my aversion to the cold weather above the fish

I have not used braided line yet but I am interested in trying it out. Most of the information I have read mentions the abrasiveness of braided line on rod guides. Am I going to risk damaging my rod with this line, or is this a non issue with most newer rods? I have a Shimano Clarus I wanted to try it on first, but also have a Falcon Lowrider I may spool it on as well. Thanks for any opinions!

I've been able to get about 1-3 trips a week for awhile. I'll usually hit the local creeks 1-2 times a week after work (which is 7am for me). Then one trip on the weekend to local lakes/rivers with a friend. I'd probably go more often if I had a boat myself.

LOL cart! I also thought about just asking them to drain the lake so I can take pictures.

Ah, rondef beat me to it, lol. Another thing to remember is sometimes fish will 'slap' a bait trying to stun it before they try to eat it. I've hooked a couple of bluegill in the back or tail that tried that on my rapalas!

The two main things I've read about topwater baits and missed fish are these: Use a trailer hook like you would on spinnerbaits or More importantly, wait a few seconds before setting the hook after you get the strike. Topwater bites are so exciting we sometimes jerk the bait out before the fish actually takes it in. Good luck out there!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.. well those are worth as many laughs! ;D After fishing in a kayak for awhile, I was wondering how the ease of entry/exit compared to a real bass boat. Thanks for showing how it works.

Thanks for the invite Mike! As for being on the show, I don't really consider myself TV-ready just yet, lol. Give me awhile to learn my home waters well enough to be confident I can put you on some fish. In the meantime, I hope the show does well and keep up the good TV!

Wow, the Navionics maps are excellent! So you get all those maps, and the lakes available in 3D for $20? That sounds like a heck of a deal. Thanks! Any instructional videos that show structure in a 3D or underwater view?

Yes I am familiar with them, I have studied the topo maps quite a bit. I guess I should specify that I am looking for 3D type images or videos that have graphics showing how structure would appear if you looked at it from under the water. I've seen this used in a few fishing shows when describing the structure being fished. They will show a graphic that represents the actual point, hump, bar, weedline, etc. I'm sure some of the fishing magazines use graphics that depict structure as 3D rather than the topo 2D format. For me, its easier to see a pic or graphic that represents the structure rather than just reading a description of it. Thanks for any suggestions.

What I'm looking for is visual representations of underwater structure. 3D models, pictures, drawings, etc. I've seen a few models used on some fishing shows, but I would like something I can print and review for later. Any websites with good information on what structure looks like? I'm trying to visualize what I'm fishing when I cant 'see' it. Thanks for any help!

Great to hear that! I wish the streams I was fishing would give up some 16 inchers. Really glad to hear you were catching them. It's always easier to get kids coming back when they are battling fish on the line. Good luck on your future trips!

Hey Mike, Just wanted you to know that I really enjoy your show. It's a refreshing change from the high octane tourney show or the lure infomercial that seem to dominate espn these days. It's my style of fishing, laid back and jawing with some friends on whatever boat you can scrounge up that day. Thanks for keeping us updated on the shows. I for one am glad I can watch online since my cable doesn't carry your network. I wouldn't be a fan without a suggestion though How about doing a show where you wade for some smallmouth? Rivers, creeks and streams provide some boatless fishermen great fun. Keep up the good work.

I've been fishing creeks a lot lately due to the serious lack of a boat. Let me say that those 13-14in smallies will give you a fun time any day! When I first started fishing the creeks, I was using small 'creek size' baits like 1/16 rooster tails and tubes under 3in. After a few trips with lots of small fish I decided to try out some the the larger 'lake size' baits. My results were great. I caught fewer fish, but the ones I did catch were much larger. So try upsizing some of your lures and see if you can trick some bigger brothers into biting ;D Also, it is possible that noisy young'uns will spook smb in skinny water. Look for any holes that are deeper and fish those. You will be less likely to scare the fish, and during the low flow of summer, this is where some of the larger ones hang out. Good luck and be careful out there. Just thought I should add that bigger bait will also mean lots of 'missed fish'. These are the small guys pecking at the lure constantly.

I'm with ya Sambro! Not to far away so I feel the fall chill creeping in here too. Can't wait to head down to Dale Hollow for my first deep water smallie trip with a friend. Good luck up your way.

LOL, good point. Didn't think about the wildlife down there. Maybe I'll check at a few of the golf courses. Thanks!

Hey guys! I'm heading to Panama city beach in a week for some r&r. I will be staying down on Front Beach Road at Edgewater. Just wondering if there are any good fishin holes nearby maybe 30-45 min. I won't have a boat (or much money after the gas bill >) so shore fishing or wading is a must. Thanks!

Man, you are really improving quickly! I've checked out some of your other stuff and the finishes are night and day. I'm curious about the photofinishing process. I assume you take a printing of the fish and then apply it to the bait. What is it printed on? How is the paper applied and what type of clear coat do you use? Thanks and keep crankin em out.