DDbasser

I've always considered anything around the mouth a fair fish. If it's hooked under the belly or anywhere behind the head then I consider it a foul hooked fish. If it's obvious that the fish was trying to eat the lure and the angler wasn't trying to snag it on purpose. Now having said that, if your tournament fishing it's always a good idea to get the tournament director's view.

The c-rig is my nemesis, I throw it a lot I get quite a few bites I just can't seem to get a hook in them. I do need to get a lighter more sensitive rod for c-rigging!!

I wouldn't put anything around the gills of a bass, too much potential for injury!!!! The last thing you want is a dead bass!!!!!!! I use the X-tools cull buoys, they clip to the fishes lip so you don't have to punch a hole.

YES to all your questions. Try all of your own suggestions and remember, you are only limited by your imagination. Don't be afraid to do something different, that's what sets the great anglers apart from the rest, not that I'm a great angler but I'm getting there. LOL!!!!!!!

Normally I land about 90% of the fish that I get on the hook. But, last night we fished a 3 hour jackpot and I lost 3 bass on a crankbait( I saw all of them ), and missed 2 smallmouth on topwater(saw those too), I landed 2 short bass and 2 white bass hybrids. OUCH, less than 50% :'(

I agree, not goofy at all. The more you make your presentaion different than everyone else's and the more lifelike you can make it the more fish you'll put in the boat.

Try one of the new waterless hand sanitizers they work real well. Although I too like the smell of fish, the wife doesn't and I like being able to sleep in my own bed at night!!!! LOL ;D

My crappie rig consists of a 6'6" ultralight spinning rod with 2-4lb test line. I use 1/100oz and 1/64th oz maribou jigs. if I'm feeling a little lazy and just want to kick back and relax, I'll use a 1/0 crappie hook and a minnow. Tons of fun and great eating!!!

You won't catch any flak from me either. If you get too many fish in the lake/pond and they don't have enough forage to sustain a healthy population then they become stunted and unhealthy. I like mine with a 50/50 mix of flour and jiffy corn muffin mix with a couple teaspoons of sugar and a couple tablespoons of seasoned salt. Deep fry to a golden brown, serve hot with potatoe salad and baked beans. Man that made me hungry!!!!!!!!

Rock piles on points near a bend in the channel. Crash a crankbait into the rock pile and hang on.

I don't eat a lot of bass, but this year they have been wanting us to keep a lot of the spotted bass out of Skiatook lake. They have stocked it with Florida strain largemouth and Tennesse strain smallmouth and are trying to reduce the spotted bass population. We've kept some of the 10-12" ones and they are pretty good eating, my wife caught one that went around 2 1/2 lbs and it wasn't as good as the smaller ones it had a strong fishy taste. IMO you can't beat crappie or walleye for eating.

DD, Clipper is my Father-in-Law and I can guarantee that his response would be the same or even more disgust. He is the most humble, honest man I know. I personally can't stand when those commercials come on TV when my boys are watching fishing with me. I usually turn the channel so they don't see it. If they were women I would do the same thing without hesitation. Fluke, I apologize if I offended you or your father-in-law!!! That was not my intent!!! And in no way do I condone it. I reread my last post and should have given more of my opinion. I overheard a couple guys talking about that ad the other day and how they thought it was wrong and then in almost the same breath made a remark about a beautiful woman that was walking by. Ads like that have no place in magazine's or on tv where a young child may be reading or watching. My brother-in-law cancelled cable because of ads like that on ESPN, my nephews loved watching BASS Saturday. But because of commercials like that they don't get to watch it anymore.

Is this a chain of private lakes??? Here in oklahoma there are only a couple of lakes that people can own property all the way to the water. If thats the case then that really stinks!!!!!!

I carry 9 rods with me on the boat, I start with half of them rigged for a horizontal presentation: (2) crankbait, spinnerbait, topwater. The other half rigged for vertical presentation: jig, (2) t-rig, c-rig, weightless senko or fluke. When I get to the lake the first thing I do after launching the boat and deciding on where to start is check the surface temp. If theres little or no wind and the surface temps are above 55 degree's I'll usually start with some sort of topwater. If it's really windy then I 'll usually start with a shallow crankbait, spinnerbait or buzzbait. If the water temp is below 55 degree's then I will usually start with a suspending jerkbait. If the water temps are in the high 80's or higher then I usually start deep with a jig or a c-rig.

What, you can't fish from the bank???? I know its a lot more fun from a boat but don't let not having one stop you from fishing!!!!

The one question I have, is if it were 2 lovely young ladies up there would your response be the same?????

Rods : Falcon Reels: Shimano, BPS Extreme, Abu Garcia Line : P-line fluroclear, Power Pro braid, Silver Thread AN-40 Hooks: Gammy's EWG, Offset worm hooks Jigs: Triple Rattle back Plastics : GYCB Cranks: Rapala DT series Jerkbaits: Lucky Craft Topwater: Heddon Spinnerbaits: Red River

LBH, Thats a cool idea!!!! Pics sent Daren

Another piece of advice, don't let the ski boats and jet skis bother you. Use it to your advantage, fish the banks where the waves are crashing into the bank and creating a mudline especially in clearer lakes.

I tried the senko's last year for the first time after hearing so much about them. I used them several times and never did catch a fish on them. About a month ago I gave them another try at a tournmament because one of the boats that was fishing the same area was catching bass on them, again I caught nothing on the senko. About 2 weeks ago at another tournament we were flippin docks with jigs and couldn't get bit, so I tied on a senko and immedietly began catching fish, I caught 2 keepers and several short fish on them. We went to another spot and I tried the senko, no bites so I switched to a jig and craw and caught a 3 1/2 lber our biggest of the day. Yesterday we went to a new for me lake, Hudson in NE Oklahoma. We picked out some points on the map and c-rigged them, I was throwing a black/blue brushhog on a 3/4oz brass weight. I caught a 2 1/2 lber on about the 5th cast, I caught a couple more short fish on the c-rig. We came across some docks so I pulled out the jig and nothing, I pulled out the senko and went back across those docks and pulled a 13" bass off one of the docks. We decided to run upriver and check out some bluffs, again out came the jig and nothing. Soooo, out comes the senko and I caught 3 real good spots and 2 more short fish, my partner who was throwing everything in his tackle bag came up with zero for the day. My wife throwing a fluke caught 2 small bass. You will not find me on the water without a senko tied on, No I do not solely rely on it but will use it if it's working. I have figured out a little trick for fishing the senko a little faster, when fishing docks let it sink about 4 feet then if you haven't been bit, reel it in and pitch it to another spot and repeat. I did try spinnerbaits, crankbaits, jigs, plastic worms, and creatures. But the senko bite was really on.

I know that the three clubs I fish with have a standing rule. If it's storming and lightning, get off the lake. safety first and foremost is or should be everyone's top priority during inclimate weather.

Well, lets just say all the door greaters at my local BPS know me by name!?!?!?!?

I didn't used to like senko's either, thought you had to fish them way to slow. I proved that wrong this past weekend. We were fishing docks in 10 to 23 feet of water, the bass were holding about 4 foot below the docks. We would pitch a senko as far under the dock as we could get them and let them sink to about 6 feet then reel it in and pitch to the next spot. I caught 2 of our keepers and several short fish. Those were the first fish I have ever caught using senko's. Now you won't find me without them.

I would find out what ramps the tournaments are using for the weigh in then I would fish those areas where fish were released the weekend before. Some of those bass that were released will stick around the area for a week or so. Look for points in the immediate area also look for the first drop off out from the bank and any visible cover. In most tournaments the weigh in area is offlimits to participants so those areas don't get a lot of tournament pressure. Hope this helps.

Thanks Squid, I also have some other changes to make.