Bankbeater

My largest was a 4-1/4 largemouth that hit a 1/4 ounce, double Colorado bladed spinnerbait.

Nice bass. The water in the pic looked calm. If you would've had some gusty wind then your partner would have been busy running the boat.

First fishing goal is to fish different water that is farther from home. This year the high gas prices forced me to fish in some of the local ponds and the conservation site that is near my house. Second fishing goal is to do more UL panfishing. The crappie around my area have been fished out for the most part, but there are some big redear and bluegill in some of these ponds. Personal goal is to exercise more and not let work stress me out.

I take a 6" BPS Stiko and cut it in half, and then rig it weightless with a 1/0, or 2/0 size hook. BPS sells a 3" version, but it is only about as thick as a wooden pencil. The Stiko is harder than a Senko and tends to hold up a little longer when I drag it through the brush.

Northern Largemouth Smallmouth Spotted bass

It was 66 degrees yesterday. This afternoon I drove about 2 miles down the road to check out the small lakes at one of the local parks. It was still partially covered in ice from the deep freeze we had last week.

Bitsy Flip jigs and Bitsy Bug jigs.

That's a hawg!

Around here bass and crappie occupy the same places, and go after the same forage. If you are catching crappie, then sooner or later you are going to catch some bass.

Contact the conservation dept. and see if there is a way you can donate what you do not want to keep.

I keep bullet weights, hooks, split shots, snaps, and beads in old drug store pill bottles. Then the pill bottles go into a 3600 Plano box. The 3600 Plano box gets moved around from bag to bag depending on if I'm fishing out of a boat, or walking the bank.

This was the first year that my largest bass came on a spinnerbait, and that way back in the early spring. Spooks produced some nice bass out of ponds this year, but when the temps heated up the topwater bite died off and really never recovered. Another first this year was that jigs were way down on the list of productive baits. Usually they are in the #1 or #2 spot for catching both numbers and size.

If I'm fishing with a Carolina rig, then the bass are not biting and I've exhausted my other options. Most of the time I will use a 3/4 or 1 ounce weight. I never peg the weight because I don't want the fish to feel the weight when it takes the bait.

I talk about it a little with my wife, until she gets that glazed over look in her eyes. No one at work fishes, so it doesn't get brought up there.

Haven't seen Top Gun, but we saw Avatar earlier in the week. Visually it was great, but the story was so-so.

I like the pull over style. I like to wear the lined ones under my rain suit in cold weather. They are not as bulky as a coat and I'm able to move around easier.

Doing good, just sitting at home watching YouTube videos. I'll be taking my car in for an oil change mid to late January.

Some giant smallies!

I cannot confirm or deny the existence of any alleged fishing location.

I would like to retire somewhere around Springfield, Mo. I would have a 2 to 2-1/2 hour drive to some very nice reservoirs, and there are a number of conservation areas within that same driving distance.

I agree, but they really stick it to you on the lifetime fishing license.

I put my Christmas gift cards to good use and decided to see what the deal was with the Chatterbait Mini Max. Also stocked up on some trailers and craws.

Missouri resident fishing only permit is $12.00. A trout stamp is $10.00 extra.

Original Creme Scoundrel, and the Heddon Crazy Crawler.

Most of the time I'm cutting off either a weightless rig or split shot rig and tying a on a drop shot. I just crimp the reusable split shot on the tag end of the line.