Fish Chris

I had redone all of my F150 badges, way back when I first got my truck. I used decal inlays, and a Ford oval overlay, from a place called PatriotDecals.com They have tons of color choices, and such. Great quality and good prices too. Anyway, my badges were originally chrome with black letters..... But I couldn't have any chrome with my styling scheme. So, I painted all of my badges satin black, and used metallic gold inlays. With the Ford oval, it originally just said ford.... but in gloss black, and metallic gold. Then I redid it to say, "Fish"... but still with gloss black. Finally, I redid it once more (these decals only cost $9) in flat black, with metallic gold, and I think I'm finally, completely satisfied ;-) I really like that the oval still has a four letter word (name) that starts with the Ford "F" :-) Peace, Fish

No way would I want to make a living, fishing ! Not in a MILLION years ! I "wouldn't" fish tournies, if somebody paid every single expense + $200 a day. That's not even fishing to me. I'd hate it. I wouldn't guide if I profited $200 a day, after all expenses. That's not fishing to me either. For me, fishing is getting away from everything, and everybody. Doing what I want, how I want. Clearing my mind. Becoming one with nature. Don't get me wrong, I love interacting with other anglers at the dock, here on the forum, or during work... when I can get away with it ;-) But when I'm on the water, I'd prefer to be completely by myself, doing what I love to do, on my own clock. Peace, Fish

I totally agree with everyone above. If the fish "use to be there", then they are probably still there"..... Keeping in mind, however, that there are always going to be spots which seem like great spots in every way a human mind can concieve, but of which bass simply do not like to use ??? How clear is your water ? I suggest throwing something big, loud, and obnoxious at that spot.... Like a 9" MS Slammer. Even if they don't eat it, they will almost always have to swim up to investigate it. Bass are often just too curious for there own good ;-) Make sure your wearing some good polarized glasses, and watch closely for followers behind your lure on each cast. Of course the calmer and clearer it is, the easier it will be to see the fish. But if its a bit murky, or choppy, your odds will go up for actually sticking the fish. So either way, it's totally worth the time and effort :-) Oh..... and by throwing a 9" MS Slammer (not really that heavy... only about 4oz) you will be doing something different than most of the crowd, in most parts of the country. Also, don't let yourself believe that you are limiting yourself "too much" to only giant fish. I can't tell you how many 2 lb'ers I've caught on a 9" MS Slammer. Go stick a pig ! :-) Peace, Fish

I've been wanting an underwater housing for one of my cameras for a long time. But these things aren't cheap ! When I first bought my Canon A630 for only $150, the underwater housing for it was $240 ! Later, I bought the 10mp Canon A640, for $200, but the housings were still going for $240 on the Canon site {note; this one housing, fits both of these cameras }. Sure, I probably could have found it online somewhere for $150 or close, but still not exactly cheap ! Anyway, now that Canon isn't making the A630, or A640 anymore, somebody on the photography forum turned us all on to a STEAL of a deal, for this housing.... $77 with free shipping and handling ! :-) Plus the fact that since this was a "clearence sale", it was either > buy now for a great price.... or maybe never have another chance. So, I had my arm twisted. But come on, is this a high tech looking contraption, or what ? It allows all functions of the camera to be operated, and is good to a whopping 130ft ! {even though I plan to use it mostly off of my boat, at arms length under the surface .....although I have a couple ideas to get the camera where I need it, without having to go swimming. Anyway... Hope to get some good underwater shots for you guys soon..... Like when the big ones cruise up to my boat to look at me, like they always do. Hopefully now I can prove it :-) I can even use this housing, and my A630 or A640 for underwater video :-) Whoo Hoo :-) Peace, Fish

Like somebody had replied to the video, "Clay has already made the cut"..... Personally speaking, I'd say he's already taken the top honor. Huge heart for such a small guy. Peace, Fish

So, earlier today I was at the bank, and the teller (who knows me, and what I do on most of my days off) asks, "So, did you catch any fish on your days off" ? To which, without really thinking, I replied, "Yea, I whacked em' :-) LOL She kind of laughs, and says, "So I guess that means you caught a bunch of fish" ? I guess I could have said; I sleighed them, I ripped them {sometimes followed by, "a new one" ;D I destroyed them, I tore them up I hammered them {or to some of my buddies "the $### out of them" :-) I smashed them, I killed them, I murdered them, What else ??? How do you guys usually describe what you did to the fish, after a good trip ? Just curious, Fish

Okay, so let me explain this other thing now.... Yes, the fish were still up shallow in the river arm.... But I'm not talking about a "noticeably flowing". Oh sure, if you were to go WAAAY up in the river, to where it was eventually 50 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, sure. However, I'm talking about areas that might be 1000 feet wide, and up to 100 feet deep. So, it seems like completely still, main lake water. Hmmm.... So yea', I can't say "why" the fish in the river arm were acting differently, than the main lake fish... but they definately were ! Hey Speedbead, Yes, Steve P. And the thing about Steve is that he is a REALLY hard sell. He won't ever take anything as "the truth" just because somebody said so. He's constantly digging for the facts of the matter. Peace, Fish

Okay so, I had posted about that really good trip I had on Monday.... Apparently, that was pre-frontal, and starting on Tuesday, we have been having this really weird, whacky weather thing going on... Tons of Thunderstorms (not directly over me... more in the mountains) but cloudy, a few small showers, etc. In a nutshell, completely out of the norm, and > low barometric pressure. So I go back to the same lake yesterday, and it was a WAAY tougher bite. Of course I wasn't too surprised. But the interesting thing was, the fish on the open lake seemed to be completely turned off, and pushed out away from the shallows....... while the fish in the river arm (its a huge river arm, that covers probably 25% of the acreage, of the whole lake) were still stacked up in all the same places ??? Granted, I had probably stuck and landed most of the fish in one of my hotspots Monday, and stuck and lost most of the fish in my other hotspot...... So that would explain why I only caught 4 fish Weds, from 4 to 6 lbs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ But here's the thing... I was talking to a biologist buddy of mine last night (he might reply to this thread) and I told him, they were shut down, and moved out on the main lake, but there were still up in the river arm... To which he replies, "Well yea'..... that sounds text book.... haven't you ever heard that fish in the rivers are less affected" ??? To which I was like..... "Uhhhhh.... not that I can remember". I must have been cutting class the day they taught that, so I could go fishing instead ;-) You guys ever hear of, or experience this ? Just curious, Fish

Ya' know, if this thread was about the posibility of breaking the world record, then yes, it is pretty much a California only thread. Not to say people from anywhere can't discuss it. And not "any part of" Cali either. I live way up here in Nor Cal. We have yet to document a Largemouth bass of 19 lbs or more..... while several hundred miles to the South, where WRB is from, they have documented somewhere around 20, over 20 lbs. Granted, a genetic fluke can pop up anywhere, making it possible for a world record Largemouth to be caught at any number of places, including any of the Southern states, Mexico, and other countries as well. However, even a fish with the right genes (or maybe the wrong ones, depending on how you look at genetic flukes) will have an easier time getting to be world record size, in a place like So Cal, with that climate, and lots of hatchery trout. Peace, Fish

I love Carp Fish

Well "too pricey" is subjective of course. I mean people pay 10's of thousands of $ for little rocks made out of hard carbon ! Now to me, their couldn't be a bigger waste of $$$. The way I look at is, true art of any kind, is expensine..... But I LOVE true art. Which is why even though I'm a poor guy, the $800 or so, that I spent on my two replicas was money VERY well spent. BTW, I agree that photos are a great way to preserve the memory also.... But then they had better be GOOD photos. Their are just so many guys who don't even carry a camera on every trip ??? ......or, nearly as bad, guys who think they can just use one of those rediculous cell phone cameras :-/ Geeez, I can't wait to be on the water tomorrow :-) Peace, Fish

That's good they caught him, but a better headliner would have been > "Spear fisherman speared" ! Fish

#1 Deep water #2 Fishing for one species, and being distracted by another Peace, Fish

Hey Matt Exactly ! In fact, if you played your cards right (hooked up with the right people) you might even be able to "donate" your accidentaly killed big bass, and after they use it to make 2 or 3 molds, they might pay you back with one of the finished replicas :-) I've already had that offer for a big Smallie.... I just can't bring myself to purposely kill a big Smallie.... Peace, Fish

Thanks guys. Hey Bass-Mike, Lake Fork Taxidermy did my 15.8 replica. They do really good work, but at the time, they did not have too many really big bass blanks (say 15 to 18 lb'ers) to choose from. Robert Munoz of Robert's Fish Mounts (from So Cal) did they 18.4. He does REALLY good work, at REALLY good prices, and has the best selection of giant bass blanks / molds of anybody on the planet. Unfortunately, it's probably harder to "catch him" and get a job set up, than it is to catch an 18 lb'er in the first place :-( But anyway...... Peace, Fish

Here's a replica of my 15.8.... it was supposed to be for my 16.5, but it looks so much closer in shape to the 15.8, so that's just what I call it.... And here's the replica for my 18.4. I LOVE this replica ;-) I think the closed mouth looks so natural. BTW, both of these look WAY better in natural lighting (not with flash). With replicas like these, theirs just no good reason to kill a big fish..... except maybe if your absolutely determined "to make sure you don't catch it again, when it has gotten even bigger" ! I mean, how terrible would that be ?!?! Peace, Fish PS, I'd love to have all kinds of replicas, for all different species... like for all of my PB's..... but then, I'd love to have lots of $$$, and still play as much as I do, too I LOVE fish art

To me, fun is > Your heart beating out of your chest ! Your hair tingling ! Your mouth getting dry ! ......you could have a finger crushed in a vice, and not even feel it... until later ;-) That's FUN ! Peace, Fish

Hey LBH I take that as the biggest compliment ! Call me anything, but normal ;D LOL Peace, Fish

Well now first off > Stud = Male = Dink...... but I know what you mean :-) A whole bunch of "really small fish" does nothing at all for me. 30, 1 - 4 lb'ers (with a good number of them pushing that 4 lb mark would be a fun way to get a "fish catching fix", after beating yourself up fishing for 1 giant, many trips in a row, and not catching a single fish. But nothing is going to give me the adrenalin rush (except maybe skydiving.... and I'm not into great heights) as sticking a giant bass ! I mean like, so big when you pick it up, you don't even have to wonder "if" it's over 10 lbs ! To me, if I go out and fish all day, and just "see" a few giants... maybe have a follow or two.... and don't catch a single fish, it's still a more worthwhile trip, than going out and catching a bunch of dinks, in a place I have almost a zero shot at sticking a giant. If getting skunked is "really hard on you" trophy bass fishing won't be your thing. I enjoy just being on the water, so sticking a monster is just a fat bonus ! I'll tell you what..... I'd rather go to the lake today and get skunked, than to go to work :-( ....but that's not a choice I have. Peace, Fish

Sorry, I couldn't help myself :-) South Carolina. Lk. Record Largemouth; 15lb 2 oz ! Whooo Hooo ! And its crystal clear, and full of trout ! They keep saying how tough it is..... How do I type the 'fart' sound ;-) Tough, crystal clear, low-numbers trophy lakes are ALL me ! Like I said, I'm moving to Jacosee ;-) Darn, if I wasn't a poor scrub...... So which of you lucky guys get to fish this place ? Fish

Is that how you spell it ? Anyway, did you guys see this on Verses ? Holy #%$% ! So, I had it on this morning, but was facing my PC with the fishing programs on, pretty much for back ground noise. I hear him mention a Smallie, so I turn around, and I'm like, "Okay, that's a pretty Smallie". Then he mentions how beautiful the lake is. So I turn around and I'm thinking, this looks like a particular foothills lake in Nor Cal ;-) Then he mentions a Spotted Bass.... yea... okay. Whatever. So then he starts freaking out about "This is just a pig".... yada, yada.... I gotta play it... yada, yada.... Oh it's huge"...... Well, I'm thinking, "Yea'.... it's probably a nice 6 or 7 lb'er or something.... but of course I have to turn around and see it just to confirm..... And Whoa ! Shaw wasn't freaking kidding ! That darn thing looked like a CA trout eater ! What the heck !?!? I mean, sure, the camera man could have been filling my 46" screen with a really fat, healthy 8 lb'er (like good ol' Bill Dance ;-)..... but that darn fish was stacked ! If he would have told me it weighed 13 lb's, I'd have to believe it ! Of course he released it without weighing it :-( {or maybe he did weigh it, and it didn't weigh as much as the video would suggest, so they just edited that part out}. Either way, that was one FAT healthy girl right there ! Where the heck is Jacosse ? Does it have Florida strains ? What about the lake record ? Hatchery trout ? And darn that place was absolutely beautiful ! Oh..... and I also caught (and loved to hear) when he said, "This is just a great lake... not an easy lake... just a great one"...... And I was thinking, "Well heck yea'..... Who wants an "easy lake" filled with dinks" ? Every trophy hunter knows, tough lakes with smaller numbers of fish, are also the places that produce the biggest fish ! I'm moving to Lk. Jacosse ! :-) Please, somebody, anybody, tell me all about this place ! Peace, Fish

Who's Kobe ?

Thanks again guys. Hey Branuss, that third shot was taken from "Swinging Bridge" over the Merced River, about mid-way up the valley, looking West. Peace, Fish

Hmmmmm. Judging by how many guys use / like Power Pro, it's probably just a fluke..... > However < I was given a spool of Power Pro about 10 years ago to try. It broke VERY easily ! Fortunately that was just on snags, and so it didn't cost me any fish. But I had already been experimenting with several different brands by then, which were NOT giving me similar problems, and so I knew it shouldn't be failing on me the way that spool was. A few years after that I tried TUF-Line, and have been using it ever since, with zero problems. Nowadays, I mostly use TUF-Line XP, to be exact. Peace, Fish

Much thanks to all :-) Glad you like them. Hey Bass-Mike, I was shooting with my Olympus E510, and the two kit lenses... mostly the 14-42mm, but a few with the 40-150mm. Peace, Fish