Woody B

If you're going to eat bass, or any other fish you catch make sure there isn't any warnings. Some lakes in both NC and SC have warning for various species. I've been meaning to take a picture of this notice that posted at South Point landing on Lake Wylie. If the text doesn't come through in the picture is basically says pregnant women or women of childbearing age, as well as children under 15 should eat largemouth bass from the lake. All other people should limit themselves to a maximum of 2 servings per month. The warnings on the state web site say "black bass" not Largemouth.

I caught 10 today including a 19 inch long Largemouth. @AlabamaSpothunter would be mad if I posted a picture of it instead of the FAT 17 inch Spot. This particular spot jumped several times. Around here spots usually just pull like a tug boat, but don't jump.

I carry 3. I'll take a picture tomorrow. Edit, added. I've had all 3 hung up on something at the same time. Back in the spring I tossed out a spinnerbait. It got lodged perfectly under a rock or something. I couldn't budge it until I got the boat on the other side of it. Before I go it loose I tossed out a crankbait. I didn't want to spoil the area by running my boat up to free the spinnerbait. It got hung on a stump. Before I got the crankbait or the spinnerbait loose I decided to throw a spook out. I usually use a devils horse for top water that's 3/8 ounce. I gently tossed the spook, with enough force to throw a devils horse where I wanted it to go. The spook ended up 10 feet high in a tree. I bet there was a bass there before I had to free all my lures.

I went out messing with my active target some more today. I got 6 bass in the boat between 14 inches and the 19 1/2 inch 4 pound 9 ounce LM pictured. I also had 6 small ones get off. I was playing with them, moving the boat around, giving them line ect, so I could see the fight on my sonar. I saw all 12 on sonar, or at least fish in the area that I hooked. I watched 4 of them follow and take my bait. Watching them take my bait was not the reason I got active target, but it's cool to watch. One thing I noticed, when I pull up to a spot with the big motor, cut it off then deploy the trolling motor pretty much every time some fish swim up toward the boat. I don't know what species. I was up river, the water was pretty muddy. Has anyone else with live sonar noticed fish checking out your boat?

I have 2 safes in my truck. I won't say what exactly is in them. I also have a fire extinguisher, and a "real" first aid kit in my truck. (and boat)

I tried out my active target today for 20 minutes at a near by lake that get's fished to death. First I went to open water so I could watch my lure, and see what direction I was "looking". Then I found a group of 3 fish. All 3 of them came toward my spinnerbait. One hit. 14 inch Spot. I hooked it in the upper lip. It's lower lip is proof the lake is overfished.

I normally carry 1 pistol, 2 spare mags, a flashlight and a blade. A couple years ago my cousins, uncles, Dad and myself had a contest to see who could have the most concealed firearms at our family reunion. I lost. I only had 6. A cousin had the same 6 I had (right hip, left hip, small of the back, both cargo pockets and 1 ankle. He also had a .380 on a necklace holster concealed by his beard. No gun or other decals for me. The customer with the Kahr in his cupholder had a Glock decal. (on his BMW)

I carry a concealed weapon everywhere I go so I'm what you'd consider "gun friendly". I get aggravated when someone just leaves a gun sitting around. Yesterday I got in a customers car, there was a Kahr 9mm (in a holster) stuck between the shifter and the park brake lever. I didn't know this customer, and they don't know me. Some of the people I work with would have freaked out had they seen the gun in that car. (FWIW the same people would freak out if they knew I had (secured) weapons in my truck in the parking lot.) A couple months ago I found a Ruger LCP sitting on the back of the sink in a grocery store bathroom. I called the Sherriff and stayed at the bathroom until a Deputy arrived. What if a young child had found it, and thought it was a toy? Anyway, rant over, and a bit of advice. If you carry a weapon in your vehicle you need to either remove it, or secure it if someone else is going to be in your vehicle. Also, if you carry a weapon, either concealed, or open figure out what you're going to do with it if you have to "do your business" in a public restroom. Sitting it on the back of the sink isn't a good play. I put my holstered weapon down into my pocket, then clip it back on my belt when I'm done.

You mean the right porch that was built for A-rod, then A-rod choked?

Braid only, or other lines too?

The Rapala Ott's Garage lures are flatside crankbaits, but they're balsa. For ones that need minor adjustment I've been able to slightly twist the eye to correct them without damage. There was no fixing the really bad ones. On the really bad ones you can see the lip isn't glued in straight. I consider them throwaway lures anyway. The can only take so much bouncing off lay downs and stumps before something breaks.

The pitching is different today, but Babe Ruth hit 60 in a shorter season. All is all comparing records across generations is not very accurate. Judge is having a special season, no one can argue with that. My Grandson is playing baseball in college. They check their blood every week. I don't know if that's the college or NCAA. I also suspect that there's "stuff" that get's around the tests. I quit watching MLB when they became political.

12 is heavy enough if you're not trying to horse fish out of heavy cover. I use 12 pound mono for most everything. I've dragged bass as big as 5 pounds out of lay downs with it. Take some fresh undamaged 12 pound mono and try to break it. Most, or maybe all of the heartbreak stories either involve damaged line, or a bad knot. This is for bass, not toothy fish.

By 2040 the world record bass will be over 100 pounds. Some person will identify as a bass, and be caught.

Unlike a kill switch why is it anyones business if I wear a PFD or not? If you want new laws speed limits on lakes would make more sense than forcing someone else to wear a PFD. My not wearing a PFD is not a threat to anyone except me. A bass boat flying across the water a 70 mph IS a threat to other, not just the "I've got to get there first" person or persons in the boat.

I believe for the most part you match the weight to your desired retrieve speed. Heavier= faster retrieve, lighter=slower retrieve. I used to fish buzz baits quite a bit. Even with a trailer hook my hook up ratio was always pretty bad. I threw one last week for 30 minutes or so. 4 strikes, but only 1 fish hooked and landed. I never even felt the other 3.

I've only used a Spook for what I consider a "walking bait". I can't cast a spook in a manner that doesn't sound like a concrete block falling into the water when it lands. My top water go to is a Devils Horse. I "can" walk it, but that's not the way I normally use it. I can make a Devils Horse land like a feather. Can y'all make a spook land softly or is the splash not an issue?

Educate me, is a bladed jig a chatterbait or is there a difference?

I "think" so. USCG laws apply to "Navigable" waters. I asked a NC Wildlife Officer about the kill switch (which at this point isn't mentioned in NC law) He said they were checking, but not issuing any citations at this point. He said he expects kill switches to be mention in NC law since the Coast Guard law came into effect. @A-Jay are the inland lakes we fish in considered "Navigable" waters?

Kill switch is the law everywhere in the US now per USCG. I doubt it's enforced many places. I've gotten good at attaching my lanyard every time I start the big motor. Sometimes I still forget to remove it when I stop. I only wear my PFD when it's really cold. I know, but it's my choice. If I had a super fast boat like some of y'all I'd wear one while running. I fish quite a bit at Lake Wylie (NC-SC) The lake get's pretty crazy on weekends. I'm surprised there's not accidents all the time. I go early and usually leave before it get's crazy.

I bought my North Carolina lifetime sportsman license ~40 years ago. (hunting and fishing). A lifetime sportsman license for someone 65 and older is $16. (residents only) I also fish in SC. My license was $105 for 3 years from date of purchase. SC residents 64 and over can get a lifetime license for $9. My youngest Grandson just turned 16 so I had to get him a (SC resident) license. It was $30 for 3 years.

I like and use Rapala's "Ott's Garage" flat side crankbaits. I have to adjust pretty much every one of them. I've had a couple that the bills were glued in so crooked I couldn't get them to run at all.

Small, but not small. I visit The Great Outdoors in Cherryville NC occasionally. They're ~20 miles from me. They sell all kinds of fishing stuff and boats as well as hunting stuff, guns and ammo. I've bought a few guns from them as well as a bunch of fish stuff. I see Guy Eaker (BASS Hall of Fame member) there quite a bit. I know the owner, but I wonder if Guy is also part owner. There's a small, but well stocked tackle shop near me in Shelby NC called the Bass Shack. It's a small building but it's FULL of stuff. They've got a bunch of Carp fishing stuff too. Piedmont Bait and Tackle is Denver NC (near Lake Norman) is still in business but I haven't been there since I started back fishing. I need to stop by there sometime on the way home from Lake Norman. I don't know what all they have. I do know that they supply live bait for many local tackle shops, including The Bass Shack I mentioned earlier. Rusty Hooks bait and tackle is on Highway 49 just above the Buster Body bridge on Lake Wylie. I've never been there but plan on stopping sometime.

If a lure is twisting your line hold your rod up as high as you can with the lure dangling to let it untwist every couple casts.

Not my biggest of the year, but a good looking bass and a rare picture that wasn't a selfie.