AmBASSador

Merc Opti

My best Senko bass (VIDEO) http://www.beastpcs.com/Fishing/BassToho1.wmv YUM dinger - Ozark Smoke 5-10-2006 Lake Toho, FL

I have a bad habit of laying my rod down in all the wrong places when switching to another rod........ I guess its not just rods. I don't run a very tight ship. I've stepped on many good rods while tripping over a misplaced coffee cup or tackle box! Being an EX Navy man.... I should be ashamed.

You might find some who will disagree with you, but I don't! I was introduced to bass fishing in 1977 while in the Navy stationed at NAS Miramar. I was an avid fly-fisherman having grown up in Montana. One of my first thoughts arriving at Miramar was to seek out a place to catch trout. I ended up on lake Dixon the next day. The trout fishing was good there but different than I was used to. I met some other fishermen who rented a boat. They were Bass fishermen they talked me into trying it out. I rented a house off base, just north of Escondido and fished Dixon regularly for the next four years. We would carolina rig a live rainbow 10 to 12"( probably wasn't legal) and catch bass up to 9 lbs. The bass in that lake eat a lot of big planted trout and a lot of them are fatter than they are long. I was surprised when I heard Perry's record had been broken, but not when I heard where it was caught. I feel there are several record bass in there. Lower Otay Lake by San Diego also may hold a Record fish.

This is a fish I caught in Lake Toho, FL on a 5" YUM dinger - Ozark Smoke 5/10/2006 scaned from a poloroid(fish held toward camera). Captured from video(same fish). Notice the color difference and overall appearence of me and the fish. Neither picture was streched or altered in any way. She weighed 9 lbs 6 oz. *Just want to point out that I am more impressed by many of the other fish posted. Any fish trophy is relative to the water from where it was caught. A fish like this is less rare in Lake Toho, than a 5 or 6 pounder where some of yours was caught. It's compairing apples and oranges really.

It is more about "hook set" and I used the Gamakatsu 3/0 with 5" senkos for quite a while. Now I use a 5/0 EWG with 5" senkos Try it!...You will hook more fish. Big EWG hooks with senkos, and even bigger with toads.

For years I used plastic less that 50% of the time. That was before the senko and the new type frogs/toads. Now it's more like 75%of the time. If you are not using these newer type baits.....YOU ARE BEING OUT FISHED!!

I've seen this debate many times. Actual weight of a LM Bass will never be accurately measured with a tape. There are variables from the girth to the size of the head. If a bass is "muscle fat" it's girth can be the same as a fish who is "belly fat". The belly fat fish will weigh much less. Also the "length" of the girth varies. Some time ago, I started using a calibrated digital scale and was quickly humbled. Get a scale, put it in your pocket, and take some pictures. Otherwise your trophy fish will only be a rough estimate.

I was a fluke/super fluke man until I was introduced to the sinking stick-type(senko) bait years ago on Lake fork Texas. They have been a favorite every since. I fish them in all colors and types of water, using just about every color imaginable. There is only two that I wouldn't be without. the first you can get at Bass Pro Shop.; 5" stiko - Texas smoke. The second is; 5" YUM dinger Ozark smoke. They work everywhere theres bass, and produce lot's of Big 'uns. The most recent is this ol gal from Lake Toho, FL. 5-10-2006 "9lb-6oz" YUM dinger 5" Ozark Smoke!

I live in Chipley in the panhandle. I fish all over the state.