J.McKnight

I live just outside Hugo. Right by Hugo Lake, Pine Creek Lake, McGee Creek, Broken Bow Lake right in the middle of them all.

The best advise I got when I was learning to c-rig is to use a HEAVY weight. I fish a 1oz. egg weight. The c-rig has a totaly different feel than a Tx rig in my opinion. It is an AWESOME technique when you figure it out. Try useing the 1oz. weight it will help you learn the feel

Check out CHARMER BAITS 10.5" paddle tail worms. They are awesome. There are some pictures of a few fish we caught on them on Lake Fork last year and we smoked some pigs on them at Falcon a couple weeks ago.

The way we got started was to make a professional type resume talking about yourself, where your from, how many tournaments a year you fish, your achevements from the past, photo's etc. Make sure you tell the prospective sponsor how you will PROMOTE THEM. Start small dont go right for the majors (strike king, Bass Pro etc.) The most important thing to do is show your sponsors that you will promote there product and make them money and dont mess with sponsorship from companies whoes product you dont like and wont use because its not a good investment of your time or there money. Make your resume and start emailing it to companies you will represent with confidence in there product. Remember make them think they NEED your skills to help sell there product. Dont get discouraged by being told sorry were full or we just cant help you right now. I will send you a copy of my Resume if you would like an idea of somewhere to start. email me James.McKnight@cbpr.ipaper.com

That is how most every sponsorship starts. It seems very fair in my opinion. They are going to invest there money in you and want to know you will do the same with them. As far as the NASCAR sponsorships go your right drivers dont have to use the products because thousands of spectators are seeing the sponsor logo's every Sunday. Thats totally different than a beginning angler who will most likely fish smaller local clubs or a few amature tournaments a year and probably only bring in a small amount of revenue for a company. Anglers are expected to DO WORK to promote there sponsors and generate business for them and in return they give price breaks and in some cases free merchandise. Our sponsors do a lot to help offset our expenses and we work hard to promote there products to anglers and to shops who "MIGHT" carry there product line. I have talked to many of the PRO'S and thats how they start too. The more you do for your sponsors the more they will do for you. One key thing is to stay in contact with your sponsors and have a good working relationship with them. Let them know about tournament schedules and finishes and send them pictures to show them that you are out there doing your part to promote them. The harder you work for them the more they will support you.

I wouldnt bank on a small jig or a big jigg, let the fish decide for you. You have to be versital try some small finess jiggs in a couple different colors and if there not working upgrade to a larger size and try a few different trailers. If you try several different presentations and several size/color variations you will find what they want. Ask around at some bait shops or ask some other locals what colors and sizes are working best. If jiggs arent really doing it try a texas rigged craw or some other soft plastic. Spinnerbaits are also a great spring time bait and can cover alot of water.

I have to agree loose the crocks, get a pair of tennis shoes or maby some flip flopps. But some comfertable running shoes would be my first choice. You will not look like a serious angler in a pair of Crocks

This is NO B.S. story. Me and a group of guys from Oklahoma just got back from a week of fishin on Falcon Lake. on our second day down there we met Mike Icconnelli at the boat ramp in Falcon State Park. We talked and did the whole FAN thing and he was really cool. So later that evening we were eating at this little hole in the wall dive mexican joint there in Zapata and Mike walks in with the Toyota Tundra camera crew. Well the place was full and we had a huge table so he comes back and we tell them to sit down. So we all had dinner and told fish stories and all that. Than we all met up at the ramp the next day and followed each other around the lake fishin. It was really Awesome. And for the record he does not put on a show for the cameras in tournaments he is really nuts, yellin, screamin and crazy when he's "JUST FISHIN". He was down there getting ready for Amistad. He was fishing Falcon because Amistad was off limits before the tournament. By the end of the week we saw Skeet Reese, Wolack, Brauer and a bunch of the other pro's. It was an awesome trip. We caught tons of fish and hung out with one of the biggest pro's in the business.

Me and a group of guys from Oklahoma actually hung out with Ike at Falcon last week, he was down there fishin since it is close to Amistad and Amistad was off limits for the Tournament. He was cool as hell, we all ate at a little mexican resturant there in Zapata and all followed each other around the lake fishing. It was really cool and he is not putting on a show during the tournaments thats how he is when he is "JUST FISHING" yelling screaming and nutts. We had an AWESOME trip. We caught a ton of fish and had a blast....

I have a 2001 882DC and It has been a great boat, We have litteraly tourchered this boat tournament fishing the last few years. They are tough boats. I also have a BassCat which we fish on our more open lakes and use the Nitro for the brush busting on the others. My opinion they are great boats and you wont be dissappointed in it. The 175 EFI is a great motor and should scoot that boat around pretty good. I have a 150Hp Merc on mine and she will run about 62 on GPS with 2 guys and full tournament load. Solid boat you will like it......

We were down there about 2 weeks ago and caught good numbers and some hoggs on senco's rigged weightless up in the main lake pockets. Slow twitchen em shallow.

Animal Paintball does some awesome work we have been useing them for a couple years. Great service and awesome work

+1 on the Rage Tail they are awesome.