Thornback

I could change the bulbs -- but first they would have to lay the tower flat on the ground

Is today Jan 1?

Funny, but A-Jay is so right. However those without a scale, or refuse to weigh their bass, will also ignore A-Jay's formula. I find the guys who say they caught a 5 pounder are guessing. The guys who say they caught a 5.7 lber are telling the truth. The guessers will usually round up their bass to an even number while the weighers will give you the weight down to the ounce. One guy I fish with is always telling me he caught 18 and the largest was a 7 lber and a 6 lber. He goes with me he catches 5 and when I weigh his largest it's about 2.8.

With coaches displaying such behavior it's no wonder the players are drawing so many penalties, also getting ejected, and acting like fools when they score or make a sack. The assistant should be fired, period. It's time to put sportsmanship back in the sport and make gentlemen out of the players.

Nice going!!!

I would not want an airboat because of the noise they make. But if you want to own one that's fine with me. I also think no one should be allowed to make any loud noises after dark. There is room for airboats on the water but I'm glad they are few of them

I believe you can rent boats/motors at Angler's Resort, downtown Dunnellon (15 to 20 miles from Ocala), right on the Withlacoochee River. There you can fish the river, or head downstream and fish the backwaters and stump fields, or go on down to Lake Rousseau (impoundment). When they have the weigh-in for tournaments there the anglers bring in some impressive creels. There are several motels right next to Angler's Resort. I don't know of any other place to rent boats/motors. Here's the link to check out Angler's Resort . . . http://www.anglersresort.us/

Another time my buddy and I returned to the boat ramp and there was a little shaver about 5 or 6 on the end of the dock keenly watching us as we motored up to the bank. He was there with his grandpa and he seemed very interested in us. I took a 2 lber from the live well and showed it to him. I put it back and a few minutes later he asked to see it again. I asked his grandpa if I could let the boy hold the bass so I could take a photo. I showed the boy how to hold the bass and his grandpa also took a photo. I hope that thrill put the boy on the path to becoming the next KVD. Here's his photo holding the bass . . .

You are just starting out thus you will make mistakes. That's OK and don't be afraid of failure or rejection. Just follow your dream and do what you think is honorable and right. And it's OK to copy the practice of other successful anglers looking for sponsors. I agree with flyfisher, too many typos. Proofread and proofread. Ask your English teacher for help with the letter. If you want to send a letter, it must be perfect. Good luck and don't give up. The goals in your life are worth working hard for. When you become successful you will look back and laugh at your mistakes.

Congrats! Nice fat bass. Had to be full of roe.

Speaking of getting started -- a buddy and me returned from a fishing trip to the boat ramp and there was a lad of 8 or 9 on the dock by himself. I could see he was holding a stick with a line in the water. We loaded the boat and I walked back to the dock to speak with the lad. He had fishing line wrapped around a stick and was letting the line out into the river hoping for a bite. Beside him on the dock was a container of worms and a cell phone. My buddy walked across the street to a bait shop and came back with a fishing rod. I retrieved a spare fishing reel from my boat and we rigged the lad up with rod and reel and then he asked me to show him how to tie on his hook. I showed him the simple Palomar knot, showed him how to make a cast, and he was now fishing like a pro. As we stood there he picked up his cell phone with one hand and made a call. I heard him say, "Mom, I don't need a rod and reel now, I have one." I walked away with a tear in my eye. I hope we made a bass fisherman out of him

Back around 1948 when I was 9 I remember taking a pole, line, hook and a few slices of bread to the local pond in the city park. There was a weir between two bodies of water and I walked out on the weir and started fishing for the first time. I was by myself and have no idea how I knew what to do. I guess I must have seen some older boys doing the same thing. I have no idea how I got the line and hook because my dad didn't fish. I would catch brim on one side of the weir and toss them on the other side. When I got a tug on my line when that tiny brim took my dough ball it was like magic. Later years when us guys would camp on a river we would again fish with dough balls. As a teen my buddy took me to a lake on his scooter and we tossed a plug with no luck. Fishing was boring then but I loved the springs, lakes, rivers, and swamps. When I returned home from the Navy at 21 my buddy wanted us to go bass fishing so I went to Sears and got myself a J C Higgins rod and Zebco 202 reel along with a tackle box. Got out of the habit again when my career took off, I married, and started a family. About 30 years back a good friend asked me to go bass fishing with him. He had been fishing all his life and was good. I got one bass and he got two bass. After that I was fishing about every two weeks, then a used bass boat, then a new bass boat. About 5 years ago I signed up with a bass guide and found out how to fish with shiners, and how to fish period. Now at age 75 I try to go every week and by using shiners I get the big bass and I don't have to worry about casting too much with my worn-out shoulders. Fishing is a great pasttime and a great way to spend time with buddies. Here's a photo of how I started. It not me in the photo but it's the exact same place where I first fished at age nine . . .

I get the "your computer is infected" call about once a month. The guy has an Indian accent. I always tell them I don't own a computer. That will get you a long pause

One post reminded me of a bass fisherman who is always telling me how many he has caught and the weights of the largest. But he won't allow three things in his boat -- a camera, a scale, and a banana

I used to use a Zebco mechanical spring scale. The little cheap black ones. I had to guess at the exact ounces of the bass. About 10 years back I purchased a digital Rapala scale from Kmart for just over $20. I hooked the two scales together and pulled -- I got the same number on each scale. I then lifted a 4 pound weight with each scale and they both showed 4 pounds.

Straight #40 braid and fishing with shiners.

The bass can't tell if you have a clicking reel or not so use what suits yourself. I have one cheap bait caster ($59) without the clicking drag and clicking brake and two more expensive bait casters ($100) with the clicking. I prefer the feel of the clicks which I call "detents" and in that case they might hold the set position better. As far as setting the drag I always set it as tight as I can because I use #40 braid.

Once I switched from fluoro and mono to braid I threw away all my extra line

Thanks for taking the time to share all the info, pix, and vids. You are living a fisherman's dream.

I also enjoy fishing new spots. It's tempting to go where you get the bites but sometimes curiosity and adventure takes me to new water. If you have an iPhone I recommend you download the Apple app "Trail Tracker", $1.99. It will show your position on a satellite view of the lake or river and also mark your trail as you search for the big hawg.

At least you can now fish there with lures. It's better to light one candle than cuss the dark.

Wow !!!. That is an obese hawg. The bass of a lifetime. Don't expect one that large every time you go fishing

I usually weigh every bass I catch. I'm curious and I also like to hit the weight accurately through experience. I find the fishermen who don't weigh are usually off by one to two pounds. My last trip (yesterday) the largest bass caught by a buddy was 2.12. I lipped it into the boat and as I held it I guessed it to go 3.8. Boy was I fooled when I put her on the scale. Here's a photo of my buddy holding her. Take a look at the photo and you'll see what I mean . . .

Braided brand PowerPro recommends nothing but Palomar knot for braided line.

You say it weighed 6.4. I started to guess that (fishermen never lie)