Rpratt

I have a Shimano brush buster rod lying around I inherited from my step father when he passed away. That thing is HEAVY!

Getting into froggin as this year's try and perfect something new (for me). I was planning on jerk baiting alot, but covid kinda pushed me possibly past my window until fall with our lakes shut down. (They reopen Friday). So without further ado, the baitmonkey has me buying... 2 Spro Bronzeback Popping Frogs in Shad and Green Pumpkin flavors. Booyah Pad Crasher white leopard frog Jackall Gavacho in Lime Green and Charstick.

This is going to be a long week. Why? The anticipation of all my favorite lakes finally opening back up! Most likely it's going to be a circus out there ?

I too am one of those that rarely eats when I fish. I am usually on the water 5-10 hours at a time and I just don't eat much. No time for it ? However if you are gonna get on my boat with me, you had best be bringing along some deer sausage ?

All of my favorite lakes are closed. Missing the spawn as we speak. Nearest public lakes I can get to that are still allowing fishing are about 2 hours away, and trust me, they are jam packed all week long. Fish are getting non stop bombing, and no one I have talked to is doing well at all because of the very high pressure they are getting. ?

Gator tails

Mine at times would go and do really well. Caught herself a nice bass the first time she ever flipped a jig. Heck I taught her how to skip wacky worms under trees with a spinning rod, and within just a few hours she was a pro at it. And then.... SNAKE!!!! Yep, she started noticing snakes. She is terrified of them and now she is very reluctant to go. If she does now, she will fish for 5 minutes, give up and then sun tan.

Many many times I have already launched the boat, made a few casts, and then called in.... "Cough cough" I am sick not coming in "cough cough" I drove a truck locally and in a month we go thru the Chinese New Year where freight is scarce. I get alot of this during this... Me: What am I doing tomorrow? Dispatcher: Go fishing Me: Your the best boss ever....?

Looks like Wheeler has decided to run wild

Once in awhile I throw a 7" speed worm. Basically a worm with a short curved tail ending that you can just retrieve/swim back.

I learned everything I know from Larry Legend ?

Southern Illinois....64 degrees on Sunday, 60 on Monday.... Launch the Ready Alert! ?

Dang jerkbait monkey has me this past week. Bought 8 Rapala Shad Raps and 2 Lucky Strike Pointers. It did not stop there though as I bought 5 DT-6's too.....

The lakes I mostly fish are strip mine lakes that are 20 minutes away. Years ago when they shut the mines down, the state dredged out alot of it so they could combine alot of the smaller pits into much larger lakes. The larger lakes I fish which are Kinkaid, Rend and Egypt are an hour or two from me. Any larger lake close to me is not all that feasible because all of them have horsepower limits on them, and I don't feel like trolling around on that big of a lake.

Here is my basic question about "poaching". Again if I sound blunt my apologies in advance. But does anybody really believe that all those anglers were poached? I don't buy that. You can't tell me KVD and all the anglers that have been on Tour all those years did not work in sync to create the BPT. IMHO, you cannot single out Duckett, or Klein for that matter. I believe it was very much a joint concerted effort. So if you are gonna blame one, you would have to blame them all.

No no, I hear you and totally agree with you ? But I do stand by some don't like change, which basically what you are saying yourself. To say for example someone would rather see a five fish limit, or how they really harp on the catch and release or, well you get the gist. That's just change and honestly the whole deal was a massive change from what we have been used to. Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion and I respect everyone's opinion on this board and even with my own circle of friends when we debate this. I am just commenting on what I see day in and day out in this debate on this forum.

Ok, here is my opinion for it's worth from my observations, mainly from the responses here on the reasons why people are so against MLF. And as a side note I am gonna say straight from the hip, I do NOT in any way mean any disrespect to any person on this board! We are all anglers and have our own minds and feelings, and I respect those opinions. 1. Some people just do not embrace change. Dinkfest is a term that is thrown around quite a bit. And some times I do agree with that. Alot of people just want the best 5 limit and that's it. That's fine. I get it. MLF started the tour as the 1lb minimum as a different format, opposed to the other. What's so wrong about that? It's THEIR tour. Just different rules for the same sport. I find it at times just amazing that they can go-to these lakes and just catch so many freaking fish in a day/week that consistently. Anyone here IMHO that says they do it all the time, well I agree you can go out and catch alot, but to be that consistent? On all these different lakes under the pressure of that scoretracker? Come on.... 2. People are kind of miffed that guy's they grew up or have followed for years jumped ship. Oh I get that one. The Classic is coming up and I totally agree. The Redcrest is NOT the classic. Not even close. At least not for a long while. I want to see the biggest and baddest at the Classic. And although BASS does have some great sticks, it's just that a majority of them we are just getting to know. Again, it's not the same. Not yet. 3. We have seen a couple of anglers go back. Will we see more? I don't know. Swindle from an interview I saw said he just wanted more free time. I can speak for that comment to possibly being completely true. Why? I just spoke not too long ago to Brent Chapman, and actually I was berating him for not having me on his show Pro vs Joe. I know he is scared of me, but.... Well he told he could not even film the show last season because he just do not have time. Think about it, you have the 8 or 9 tournaments, plus if you qualify, 4 cup events for the MLF TV show. You are looking at alot of time from home and I have not even talked about the other commitments for sponsors, travel and such. Either way, I don't lose any respect for any angler of they go or stay because they are doing what they feel they need to do not only as a profession, but for their families. Alot of times it is about the money. Can't fault anyone for that. An old example I have used on the past is this. Let's say you caught Mark McGwires record setting home run ball. Do you return it or sell it for a few million? At first I would say oh heck I do the morally correct thing and return it and get an autographed ball and bat. However how do you go home and tell your wife, hey I caught that ball and instead of us being financialy set for the rest of our lives, I got this cool autographed ball! I am pretty sure she would make me feel really stupid in 5...4...3...2....1... The same would apply in most anyone's home. Do the best you can financialy and what's best for family. They are yours, take care of them when you have the opportunity to do so. The BPT tour is making a few changes. Hopefully that helps them avoid being the dreaded Dinkfest. I don't think it's going to mollify the 5 best crowd, but again, if that is what ya like, then support the tour that does. I plan on supporting all the tours. Because I just honestly love to watch. /Me steps off my humble soap box

Mine looks ALOT like that! My wife calls it ... Bass Pro Shops ?

Oooh...ow. Thats a good idea. There is no way in Sam Hill I would do that to my G Loomis (it was my gift to myself when I got out of the Navy) but the Tatula, well it already had a little bit of the tip broke off. I may seriously consider that. Would I have to order another rod butt? Or do ya think I could finagle what I cut off out?

Biggest this year was 5.2 on my trusty Perch flavored KVD 1.5 square bill that I had retired for 2 reasons. 1. I caught my PB with that lure 3 years ago. I retired it because.... 2. They don't make that particular color anymore. 3. Scared to lose it lol

I am using a Daiwa Tatula medium 7' rod and old G Loomis (can't remember the rod blank) 6-6 medium action rod I bought way back in 1994. I switched back and forth between those two yesterday. Same issue with handle too long with them both. I can't tell you the handle length but I compared them to my Carbonlite (the older version) rod and it's the same length. I am gonna guess the handles are at least 10-12 inches long. If that don't help any, and I know that's not much to go on, when I get home tonight I will do some measuring.

Yesterday for the first time in my life I went forth and fished in the middle of winter. A friend of mine and I solely ventured forth just to educate ourselves on the art of jerkbait fishing. And it went ok. Caught a few that actually surprised me that they hit so hard even in 41 degree water. But, I learned something and that in order for me at least to use the technique correctly, I need a baitcasting rod with a shorter handle. Any suggestions on a rod like that? All of mine are longer for casting and unless I jerk to the side, I find I am whacking my belly, armpits etc. I have been trying to find something, but not having much luck. Thx ?

No music while fishing! No singing! No humming! Nadda! As a matter of fact, No talking while fishing! probably reasons I fish alone alot.... ?

Andy Montgomery has definitely shined with the MLF TV show. He really comes off as having a good ole boy personality and he does really well with the format. My favorite line of his went something like this... I am not a very good looking man so I use my sexy voice to attract the women... Shaw Grigsby appears to be someone I would love to spend time with at a BBQ. Every fish he catches always seems to be the first one he ever caught. If you notice, alot of guys will catch release and get back at it. Not so with him and actually also Gary Klein, where they stop, admire the fish, tell ya how they caught it, seem to be still be tickled to death that they landed the fish, and then finally go at it again. These few examples are really a big reasons I got into the MLF format. It seems to have given me more time to see what they are doing, and get to know the anglers.

Anyway you slice it, eventually the Bait Monkey comes for you and it's game over ?