dink

I'll second that, LBH. Late May to July around here is mulberry season. We go find a tree and position the boat under it and then shake a bunch into the boat. Yeah, it's a little messy but fun. Then it's an ultra-lite spinning outfit with a single aberdeen hook and a mulberry. Oh what fun!

A flute with no holes is not a flute, but a donut wiht no hole is a danish.

2006 was a mixed bag for me. At the onset of the new year, I vowed to learn and understand the art of crankbaiting so that it may be an asset to me rather than a conceived liability. I feel like I accomplished this and have amassed an impressive collection of billed baits (Doggone monkey!). On the downside, afew here will remember that I did total my new bass boat on a snowy highway en route to a tourney in February. No injuries and completely covered, so my blessings have been counted. Back on the upside, I did manage to catch my two best five fish limits this year. One this Spring (26.6 lbs.) and another about two weeks ago (23.6 lbs.). The beauty of these limits was that they were caught using my homemade baits (spinnerbaits) that I have now started to sell locally (no orders please ;D). Interesting year to say the least, yet far from over as my "winter circuit" starts this weekend. No rest for the weary!

Yes... 25 HP... and if you have ever been to one of the first tournaments of the season (first ones are this weekend), 50 - 70 boats on 1000 acres gets a bit crowded. It stays like that for much of the winter. For anyone who is thinking of fishing some of these, the complete schedule is posted at the ramp. Oh yeah... good luck to all... it usually takes WELL over 20 pounds for 6 fish to win and at lest 18 to even cash a check .

I have fished with a club out of Dupo, IL the last two years with a buddy of mine. It is a team format and they fish about ten tournaments per year anywhere from Shelbyville to Egypt to Carlyle. If you are just looking to fish some tournaments soon, the Coffeen circuits start this weekend. There is a tourney on Sat. and one on Sun. Both start at 8 AM and go until 3 PM. These are also team formats. $60 for Sat. and $50 for Sun. These are per BOAT (2 man team). They run all winter. If nothing else, you can go up there for a weigh-in and talk to some of the locals who fish other clubs/circuits in the area. Good luck.

I loved it when it was MBAA and left it when it was Bassin America. No surprise to see not much has changed.

4 Premiers and 1 Legend Tournament. Love them all so much I also have a hoodie, an insulated jacket, a Legend Tourney hat and a full size window decal in the back window of my truck. I "sponsor" them ;D ;D ;D.

Thanks for the input, guys!

Too funny, Avid!

Shad Rap SR5, LC RC 1.5 and (surprised no mention yet) Rebel Wee-R. Yet, like some here, I'm not too concerned with realistic finishes in something that is mostly moving.

Tomorrow......or yesterday.....hmmm, today too.

I have also noticed the surface temps fluctuating a bit, yet acouple of feet down there is not much change. I have been having very productive days when it is 65 or 85 outside with a spinnerbait. Granted, it is a little cooler up here (St. Louis area), but I have stuck with my bladed baits regardless of the weather. Blade and/or skirt modifications, different weights and unique presentations have equalled success for me so far this Fall... and it's not even the "prime time" yet. Have a 'hawg-filled Fall' everyone!

PM sent.

Keep your eyes peeled and head down and get back ASAP. We are all proud of you.

I'm curious about the applications for black nickel blades. I custom make all my spinnerbaits, but I have yet to try these blades. Any info is appreciated. Thanks. dink

What color?

I got a couple you guys might enjoy. First one starts with my buddy and myself in a two-man boat on a small lake. There is a spot on the lake where a road passes over it and a tube or tunnel connects the two sides. We had been through this 100 foot long tunnel countless times. My buddy is a former marine and a pretty tough cookie, yet is DEATHLY afraid of spiders. We no sooner get in the tunnel and a very small spider is crawling on his shoulder. He let out this blood-curdling scream in frequencies only a five year old little girl can hit. I thought he was on fire or something the way he almost flipped us over in that tunnel. Seven years later I still tease him about that. All he can do is laugh! ;D This one was just amazing. Late November and I am on my way in for the day. I have the entire lake to myself and the light breeze that had been blowing had ceased. It was quite serene and I was just taking in the peacefulness of the moment when KERSPLASH!!! I look about 400 yds. behind me to see a doe that had just jumped into the lake. No big deal, I have seen deer swimming before. As I am watching her, I hear something in the same vicinity rustling about in the woods. Along comes a big buck and KERSPLASH!!! the chase is on! So here is a buck swimming after a doe crossing the lake. The buck catches up to her in the middle of the lake (12 or 13 feet deep) and attempts to mount her, dunking her under. I can't believe what I am seeing and I look around to see if anyone else is around. Nobody. The doe gets away from him and surfaces about ten feet from him and he chases her down again! Once again the doe goes under and all that I can see is a big rack and a nose swimming around in circles. After ten more seconds she surfaces again, this time about thirty feet away and makes a beeline for the other bank. The buck, realizing the futility of his efforts, turns around and heads back to where he came in. Both deer made it to their respective banks and shook off. But before either walked away, they turned and looked at each other for a brief moment. They both walked off into the woods and I sat in my boat in the middle of the lake in utter disbelief to what I just witnessed. You gotta love Mom Nature!

LBH you are too funny! You said "Word". That is so fresh!

What Cart7 described is something I read about a couple of years ago in an article by Woo Daves. It is a pretty neat trick that can work with a number of baits. I have actually done this with a buzzbait and fished it out of sight but not out of earshot. A superfluke is another good dock bait in cooler water when shad are lethargic or dying.

Nothing breaks the concentration like a "mean dog barking at the back door" (nature calling). A sonic boom does the trick pretty well also. At night, I would have to vote for the "bat flying into the bill of my hat".

Proof: Green pumpkin is a good color anywhere, anytime.

Been there once. I hung into a decent fish on a C rig in a submerged treetop and got broke off at the leader. I immediately picked up a TX rigged needle worm and pitched it in there and caught the fish with the Baby Brush Hog sticking out the other side of his face. Only time ever for me... but I thought I was Bill Dance for about 30 seconds ;D ;D.

Rain or shine, the shades are on. At night, the yellow lenses get the call. I am one of those guys who can't buy enough sunglasses so in order to justify my purchases, I must wear shades all the time. True, they will protect your peepers from objects flying through the air at high velocities. But, many people do not know just how much the sun's rays can contribute to macular degeneration later in life. I for one would like to keep my "good eyesight" and not struggle to thread a bullet weight years from now.

Drop it back into the water and keep an eye on it. This happened to me the other day with a sub-legal fish. It ended up on its side and lifeless. I kept staring back at it and feeling bad until a huge Bald eagle came and made lunch out of it. That is the fourth time in my life I have seen an eagle nab a fish out of a lake or river (although that particular one was kinda like lobbing a softball to him ;D )

Quick question for everyone: After reading a post made by Redtail concernning missed hits on a frog, I started thinking about all the short strikes I have had lately on a buzzbait, fluke and Chug Bug. Could this be a seasonal occurence where fish everywhere are in the middle of a change of moods? Or is it just coincidental? Has anyone else been experiencing more missed topwater hits than usual?