K_Mac

preach4bass is exactly right. There are tens of thousands of bass fishermen who would love to make a living fishing. There are only a very small number who actually do. Yes there are many that cash a check or two once in a while, but not many that actually pay the mortgage fishing. The ones that do are gifted with physical and mental abilities that most of the rest of us don't have. Yes, maybe it takes a little luck, but luck is more often about hard work than anything else in my experience. It takes real guts to sleep in your truck with everything you own on the line, literally. It takes real guts to put it all on the line to enter a tourney with the likes of KVD, Skeet Reese, or Chris Lane and say I can beat these guys. Sometimes it happens. More often it doesn't, and eventually the dream ends for all but a select few. I don't know what the bass fishing equivalent of hitting the 100MPH fastball is, but KVD can do it. Grab a stick and take your cuts, we are all watching. One more thing; it has nothing to do with the stick...

Logan I am a better husband, father, grandfather, and any of the other parts I play for some time on the water. It's part of the way we are wired. And I agree that numbers of fish caught have only a casual relationship to the joy of fishing.

Traveler2586 you are of course right that good fishermen willing to share their skills and time with others are not that easy to find. They are out there though. Over the last few years I have worked to expand my fishing circle. As a result, I am now fishing regularly with a guy I only knew through a friend a year ago. He has taught me me much about flipping, pitching, and shallow water fishing in general. For those of us who almost always find a way to bring any conversation around to fishing, there are networking opportunities out there. Making a new friend and finding a new fishing partner is easier for some of us than others, but once again paying attention to details is key.

Logan I have health issues that sometimes get in the way of fishing, so I understand having a good day and then some hammerhead wants to spoil it. I have found most fishermen are decent folks and usually enjoy the conversation. Life is too short to pay any attention to the idiots. FWIW KVD has made a huge amount of money finding a spot or two and camping on them. Keep doing what you're doing man. There are few things that make a man feel better than enjoying God's creation with a rod and reel in your hand.

There are no real shortcuts to being a good all-round fisherman. All the advice given will help to make you better. I am a much better fisherman for my time spent on this site, reading the articles and posts of folks more experienced in many techniques than me. Information is a powerful thing. There is no question about that, but until I get out on the water and put the suggestions and information into practice, it is all just theory. On the water is where the real learning happens. The above quote is maybe the best single bit of advice given IMO. In any endeavor competing against, or working with others better than you will make you better. Fishing with better fishermen, and paying careful attention will save countless hours of doing it the hard way. Of course doing it the hard way has value also...

I prefer my 7' M-XF for Senkos/knock-offs in the 5"-6" range. It really depends a lot on the rod manufacturer and how the rod is rated. My M-XF BPS Pro Qualifier rod is rated for 1/4-5/8 oz lures and 8-17lb line. Bassn Blvd's G Loomis MH-XF is rated for 3/16-5/8 oz lures and 12-16 lb line. While his NRX is superior in every way (except price), the ratings are very nearly identical and both rods well suited to this type of use.

My condolences as well Raider. Losing a loved one hurts and I'm not sure the pain ever goes away entirely, but with time the good memories will become more sweet than bitter. I will also keep you and yours in my payers.

That is one major difference in LED and incandescent lights; I don't have to unplug the LEDs. Installed properly there is no reason to do so. While I have never forgotten to tie down a boat or do the other items on my check-list, I have backed into the lake with my lights plugged in. I now plug them in when I leave home, and unplug them when I get back. They work every time, and are far more visible than standard lights. I will never have another trailer without LED lighting-at least any longer than it takes me to install LEDs.

With a working knowledge of seasonal patterns, a good topo map, your small boat and Eagle depth finder, and some basic tackle you are good to go. Just do it. Some of my best fishing memories are of my brother and I fishing Bull Shoals lake in a 14' deep V with a cheap depth finder. Good luck.

Nice_Bass the lake I consider my home lake is Cedar, just down the road from Kincaid. I LOVE both lakes and have fished Kincaid a lot lately, including today. When it comes to bluffs Cedar is the clear winner for me, although much of what I know about fishing bluffs I learned on Kincaid. If I had to spend the rest of my life fishing only those two lakes, I would be fine with it. I enjoy fishing new water, but I am home on either one. It looks like you live in the area. Pm me if you want to get together and see if any of this stuff actually works...

Way to go soopd! Some of those spots will likely produce fish all year long.

If you had a dollar for every time RW has posted this advice over the years you could probably buy one of his suggested combos. Solid advice from a guy who has some of everything, but understands what is "needed".

Excellent first post guest. Welcome to the forum.

The things that will make you a better fisherman are information, knowledge, and experience IMO. There are no tricks or magic fixes. Hang around here for a while and you will catch more fish or your money back! Good luck.

If your partner is upgrading, fishing the same baits you are and you're not, then you have to figure out what the difference is. Of course you already know that...what I'm saying is sometimes very subtle things can make the difference. jkarol24 may be on to something. Do you lose focus and get a little careless with accuracy or technique? Do you get impatient as the day wears on and work your baits too fast? I know some folks don't think line visibility, diameter or material makes any difference; in my experience it does, esp in clear water on bright days. Last week I broke off a beaver t-rigged with a 3/16 oz weight. I decided since I had a lot more 1/4 oz weights that would be OK. I did not catch another fish until I went back to 3/16. My advice (worth what you pay for it) is to pay close attention to all the details, and be confident doing what you're doing.

I hope you never again have to leave that fine combo, your obviously exceptional wife, or any of the other wonderful things of home that many of us take for granted, to serve to our country in harms way. Thank you.

Probably. All bluffs are not created equal though. Find a bluff that has some irregular shelves, cuts, or some other type of structural changes or cover of some sort like wood or grass, and you increase your chances. Places where the old channel comes close to the bluff, and any more shallow areas nearby can be great summer spots. Any sort of transition areas along the bluff is a spot of interest. My home lake has some great summer spots along the channel. The main lake depth is about 40' deep along the bluffs. When I find 12'-25' depths close to the wall, I know I am on to something. Sometimes a small patch of green along the wall will indicate a little shelf, and you don't want to miss carefully working that spot. A good map can be very helpful in finding places that are likely to hold fish. It can take some time both on the water and off to locate prime spots, but the effort may pay off in the biggest fish on the lake. Good luck.

Green pumpkin/red or junebug. I have many others, but those two are always close at hand. BPS Crawberry gets a lot of love too. I guess I have several "must have" colors...

I have been fishing a lot the last couple of months, and I still wake up hours before it is time to go most of the time. I laughed at, "I'm going to re-tie all my rods". Sometimes I will change my mind about the starting rotation and re-tie some more than once. If that sense of anticipation and promise is not the best part of bass fishing, it certainly is an important part. I also hope I never lose that sense of excitement at what the day has in store.

Sounds like you were lucky. The little varmints can be very destructive. My daughter had to buy heavy duty trash cans to keep them from making a mess of the yard. I would not want them in my vehicles. Sounds like the one that visited you was fairly polite; I would not count on all of them to be so well behaved. My father-in-law has a family that he feeds regularly. They will eat dog food on his front porch, even during the day. I don't trust the things though...

My fishing partner regularly catches big fish pitching small baits to impossible spots that most of us pass right by. He has caught a couple over 6lb and one 7lb 6oz pig, as well as a bunch of smaller, yet still nice fish this year on a 3" Zoom Critter Craw. That is a very small bite for a big fish, but drop it on her plate and she will eat it every time. I am still a believer in throwing bigger baits and generally do, but some times a small beaver will out produce a regular one for both size and numbers for me. As SFBA says, location is always the key. We can throw whatever we want in the wrong spots and not catch a thing worth talking about, or the "wrong" bait in the right spot and catch a monster. Throw the right bait to the right spot and maybe catch the fish of a lifetime. That is the promise and challenge of fishing. If I give the impression that I love bass fishing, it is only because I do.

A big, dark colored jig or worm are my favorites. I will usually use a bit more weight at night to maintain good contact with my bait. Sometimes strikes can be violent, other times very subtle. Night fishing requires attention to detail and focus. It can be frustrating at times, but catch one good fish at night and you are probably hooked. Have one of those nights when the action is fast, and you may become nocturnal. If a big fish thrashing around on the surface while you fight it doesn't get you excited, you need to see a medical professional.

Glenn thanks for the explanation. I didn't know we had such a system, but I do like the fact that you and the mods are working to make this site as user friendly as possible, while also maintaining some control of the content and tone of discussion. I have seen on other forums how without some moderation, it doesn't take long until any sort of meaningful discussion is impossible. I also know that when communicating in this format, meaning and intent can be difficult to convey and misunderstandings do happen. I appreciate the efforts to keep this site a comfortable place to visit. Keep up the good work. Now about those stars...

I am completely sold on LED lights. Since putting them on my trailer (a couple of years ago) I haven't had to worry about lights. I still regularly check them, and so far they are working fine. When they start to fail I will simply install a new set. I would rather replace the entire set every several years than have to be aggravated by lights on nearly every trip.

I would love to fish either one and I hope to make a trip down to Lake Fork next spring, but I would choose Erie to answer the question. I love fishing structure, and have not caught a smallmouth over about three pounds. There is something about the challenge of open water that appeals to me. I have stood on the shore of Lake Erie, in Erie, Pa when the wind was up, and that was an impressive sight.