king fisher

Not to say the Dock Demon spincast reel isn't a good choice, but you may want to give a Shimano Bantam a try.

If Zoom Ole Monster, and Zoom Trick worms, are considered old school, then yes. If they are not old school, than I guess neither am I.

If you only buy one, it will be the best lure you ever bought on the first cast, you will snag it on the second cast, and wish you had bought more.

My problem is I can't tell the difference between that voice in my head and the Bait Monkey whispering in my ear.

I have lost a number of hats, a pair or two of sun glasses, enough pliers , and multitools to start a hardware store, and enough tackle to cry over. So far I have never lost a camera or cell phone so I guess I am doing OK.

I'm curious as to what reel you like to use for bass fishing.

As usual, my lure collection grew, but the baits that caught bass shrunk. My biggest bass a 10.2 pounder caught in June was on a June Bug Zoom Ole Monster. I might as well have lived on the Tennessee River measured by the success of my favorite spinnerbait this year. The list is small, but the Bait Monkey hasn't abandoned me yet. Zoom Ole Monster 6th. Sense Crush 50 X square bill Zoom Magnum Trick Worm Magnum Rage Bug Rapala DT 10

Yes there is a winter lull where I fish. I am busy with work and can't find the time to fish for bass during the winter months. I'm sure the bass are eating and healthy, but I am not able to fish for them.

Currently I am using 30 pound J Braid, with three foot leader of 15 pound Maxima Ultragreen mono. I use a plug snap instead of a loop knot. I like the snap because I also use the same set up on my mid diving, and square bill crankbaits. I change back and forth quite often, I like the ability to change lures quickly, and haven't had any troubles with the snap impeding the action or breaking, with the poppers or crankbaits. I use a 7 foot medium fast action bait caster for the rod. I also use the same rod with most of my topwater baits as well as other baits. If I had more space for more rods, I would probably use 12 pound mono on a popper specific rod. 15 pound if throwing near thick cover for plus size bass.

I would try a spinnerbait, because I always try a spinnerbait.

Retrieving a square bill through thick timber is an art, hanging the trebles in the timber is science, and getting the lure and giant bass out of the timber is spiritual.

Whopper Stopper is the company that made the original Bayou Boogie. At that time Heddon's number one lipless lure was the Sonic, and larger Super Sonic. The summer of 1976 was when I started bass fishing, with lures which everyone I new referred to as bass plugs. Up until that summer the only bass I caught were while fishing for trout with night crawlers under a bobbers. I bought my first pass plug which was a Heddon Sonic in June, and by July I had a new friend the Bass Monkey. Everyone fisherman I new swore by the Sonic, and I also had great success on the lure. By the summer of 1977 I had acquired a half dozen plugs, and the sonic was still my number one plug. Then the Bait Monkey convinced me to order a Rattletrap out of the new Bass Pro Shops catalogue. A friend of mine who swore by the Super Sonic had turned 16 got his drivers license and his dad let him take their small boat to lake by himself. He invited me to go, and I couldn't wait. His dad always insisted on fishing for crappie, and now we were going to be able to fish solely for bass all day. I tied on my new Rattle trap the 1/4 oz version in baby bass color. My friend started with a Super Sonic. I caught bass on almost every cast, while my friend tried every lure in his box and couldn't get a bite. That was the end to my Heddon Sonic addiction, and the Bait Monkey made best friend for ever status on that memorable day. I always wanted to buy a Bayou Boogie but at that time every tackle purchase was agonized over for day's, and the Sonic always ended up in my box, and after my discovery of the fishing catching power of the Rattle Trap I never even looked at another lipless for 35 years. The Whopper Stopper Bayou Boogie and Hellbender are probably the only two popular bass lures of the 70,s that I never tried. I always wanted to buy one, but my local hardware store didn't carry that brand and I always ordered some other lures from Bass Pro. I may have to buy one and give it a try simply to satisfy my curiosity after all these years.

As with many things in life, I do not have enough information on this matter to form any kind of knowledgeable opinion. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out in the end. I trust our justice system will provide adequate punishment if punishment is due. It does seem odd they didn't simply write him a ticket, but like I said, I have zero first hand knowledge on the matter, and wont be on the jury, so I will simply have to wait and trust that the truth and justice will win out in the end.

I am sure I will some, but here are a few of the ways I have broken rods that I can think of right now. 1 car door 2 cabin door 3 stepped on by me 4 stepped on by some one other than me 5 Stepped on by some animal bigger than me 6 chewed on by a bear 7 broken tip trying to walk through thick brush. 8 pulling up to dock with rod tip hanging out 9 some other boat pulling up along side while rod tip is hanging out 10 pulling to hard on a snag, 11 pulling to hard on a big fish 12 hitting rod with back cast from other rod. 13 ran over with some form of vehicle, car ATV etc. 14 burned. 15 broke while casting (manufacturers defect.) 16 chewed on by puppy. 17 boat propeller trying to get line and fish out of boat propeller. 18 airplane door I'm sure there is at least 20 but I can't think of any more right now. If there is a way to break a rod, I have either witnessed some one do it, or have done it myself. If it walks, bites, weighs more than 50 pounds or has a door, it can break a fishing rod.

If I bought one of these would it get the Bait Monkey off of my back? Probably not, I would still get skunked and the monkey would be trying to get me to buy a new electroshock device in a different color.

Umbrella rigs used in salt water have had longer middle arms for years. They must work better for so many anglers to prefer them that way. The first time I hooked a bass with an A Rig I landed two 5 pound bass and all three of the other baits were ripped off of the hooks. Bass were still chasing it, when I landed the bass. Since that day my A rig success has been on a down hill slide.

This bass is not the Kraken, it is the Kraken's tiny sister. I have seen the Kraken, she wrapped my line around a barbed wire fence, and ran off with my lure. I swear I saw a middle finger as she jumped next to my kayak while I tried to get her untangled. She wanted to see if I would quit my job, and live in a tent at the lake the rest of my life. It has been 3 years, and I have not seen the Kraken again. I now wish I would have quit my job, and camped at the lake. The Big Bass That Got Away is a real and serious mental disease, that is easily cured, by catching the big one, but I haven't been able to convince anyone that this disease qualifies me for full disability. In order to have the time and afford the tackle it takes to cure myself of the disease I need to have some form of income. I have had health insurance that would pay for substance abuse rehab, why can't it pay for a more serious illness like TBBTGA. Right now I am able to function in life, but the sleepless nights, cold sweats, and nightmares are starting to take their toll.

When I want to add a contrasting color to my bait I will add a trailer. Most of the time I fish multi colored skirts that already have enough color contrast. I believe a spinnerbait has more than enough action and profile, without adding anything. I used to always add a plastic trailer, but I noticed I still caught lots of bass without one, so why should I help the Bait Monkey when I don't need to.

I want to catch one like this only longer and fatter.

First tuna trip for the winter went well. Landed some nice ones, but lost some cows. We also landed a sailfish, and one dorado. Hope to get back out before the bite stops, but not sure if that will happen.

Advantage is the Bait Monkey is my best friend. Disadvantage is I'm not sure if I should trust my best friend.

My advantage is I live in Mexico. My disadvantage is I don't live in Maine.

That may be more bass than I have caught in my entire life. I'm sure I have not caught 2,000 bass over three pounds in my life time. You should be very proud of both the numbers and size of bass you caught. Remarkable year, hope you catch even more next year.