scaleface

I have some rigs from the 1970's that are almost the exact same thing.

I caught a lot more large bass in the 70's and 80's when I didnt know a lot than now. The lakes I fish just dont harbor the big ones like they use to.

Not a super power but I guess my biggest strength is bouncing sinking lures off the bottom . Worms, jigs, Rocket Shads, Swim baits, lipless baits... I have a ton of confidence in that style of fishing.

I have to lean on the seat to run a foot control motor. I stand when using a hand control but have to take occasional breaks and sit down. The biggest change I have made is avoiding hot weather. No more fishing on 90plus degree days.

I'm going to be pitching and casting, so a 5/16th oz tungsten weight gives me enough weight to pitch effectively with 17 lb clear blur fluorescent trilene xl. Lately I've been using a 7 inch Rage tail Cut-R worm . With the hooked tail down it prevents twisting. I barely skin hook it in the side with a 3.0 offset worm hook. Redbug is a good color. I keep biting the worm down as it gets torn up. I get just as many bites with it gnawed down to 4 inches than when it was longer. I can catch a lot of bass on one worm.

I have minor issues. I rub veterinary liniment on affected areas and it seems to help. I had a sore, swollen finger last week and the horse liniment cleared it right up. My mom uses it on her hands and she swears by it.

That one looks like it earned a spot on the top tray.

I did for a few years, liked it at first but came to realize fishing during the week was a lot more enjoyable.

Crankbaits are still highly relied on but I use a lot of cranks that were popular in the 70's. My all time favorite square bill, we just called them shallow divers, is a vintage Rogers Big Jim rattleless. It still catches bass and has caught more big bass for me than any other crankbait. I had two of a certain color , now down to one. I still use it and if I lose it, oh well. It wont catch fish sitting in my closet.

I have 5 of the Phantoms and have been impressed with all of them. I think my oldest is five years old . I know I've caught over a thousand bass and it still runs like new. It out last my name brand and more expensive reels that have acquired that rumbly feeling. They all sit in a drawer while the piscifuns get used and abused.

Who do you guys think is the most rounded Elite fisherman? Who do you pick for angler of the year? I'm picking Patrick Walters as angler of the year.

When I was fishing the local tournament scene, almost all my winnings came on an electric grape Texas rigged lizard.

Same colors I use for worms.

Lime green worms have been as good as any color for me. When I find a pack, it usually just last one day. Dark brown tubes are special. About the color of cola. I'll usually run a chartreuse marker down the length on one side making it a two tone cola/turquoise. Really good for smallmouths and largemouths.

I feel for you.I cant imagine how painful that is. I just had it in a big toe and even the wind hurt. I take medicine and its been dormant for several years until last week. I missed bowling because a finger was swollen and painful to the touch. It felt like gout. I rubbed some veterinary ointment on it a couple of times and its back to normal.

My thoughts are with you. Its devastating news. I've been through it more than once but lucky to have caught it in time.

I use to consider a 6 lb bass a big bass. I caught several a year, even though I wasnt as competent as an angler as now. Now I get excited over 4 lbers. I say 1 percent of bass caught now are 4 lbers. Its not just fishing pressure that has caused a decrease in large bass , its that there are a lot more really good fishermen out there .

How is the hookup ratio with those ? You are using light line?

When I was young , me and a friend would drag a 10 foot jon boat over a levy into an oxbow lake.

I do. I know some culverts and bridges on irrigation ditches that are often good for a bass or two. Also rip rap dams can be fished effectively from bank . I use inexpensive lures fishing rip rap because in order to fish them right , baits will get lost. Inexpensive jig heads with various plastics get the job done.

When I was a kid "Flipper" was a favorite TV show. Bud, who was my age, had his own boat, I was envious. My dad had a boat just like Buds. We would go catfishing in the Mississippi river. Dad sold that boat. When I turned 16 I bought a boat . Had to get a car first.

I troll some. There are people that say catfish dont show up on sonar because they lack an air bladder. I have trolled crankbaits through fish arches many times and caught channel cats.

Same here.

My first was a 14 foot aluminum semi V powered by a 2 hp Johnson motor. I bought a 2 speed Pflueger elec motor and fished from it hard.

I started making bugs for river smallmouths because they preferred soft plastics with appendages over straight worms most days. I had 100 fish days with them . Then I started using them for reservoir largemouths. Caught a few nice channel cats with them.