Olebiker

When I was marshaling for the Elite Series on Lake Seminole back in March most of the pros were throwing Chatterbaits with a swimbait used as a trailer.

Martin, that is too weird! That is exactly what happened.

Only when I was riding with Cliff Prince and we came upon a flock of coots. One of them got off the water a little slowly and zoomed past my face about six inches away.

I don't always cast at schooling fish, but when I do my first cast is always a backlash.

Lou Malnati's in Chicago. It's worth the trip to Chicago just to eat there.

They are opening in Tallahassee in a little over a month. It's on my way home from work.

Years ago my father and I were on Taylorsville Lake in Kentucky. It was shortly after dawn and we had already caught a few fish on a flat just below a hillside. There was a light mist coming off the water and a beagle hound was running a rabbit on the hill above us. Dad turned around and grinned at me and said, "I wonder what Jesus is doing with the boys He doesn't love this morning." The theology may have been a little questionable but I knew exactly how he felt.

One of my daughters here in Tallahassee is trying to get a house built. They have been working with a builder for months and it takes repeated calls to the guy to get him to do anything. Seems like it was just yesterday they were begging for work.

A few guys have tried it but it was just to difficult to try to manage the travel logistics, the wear and tear on the angler's body, and the time away from family.

Texposed, weightless. I also fish them wacky style with a weedless hook when I want something a little less subtle.

Most of my Carolina rigging is done in water less than 20 feet deep that has some sort of wood on it. I use 5/8 oz. Mojo Carolina rig weights since they come through the cover more easily and I don't get hung up as much:

Every time I have occasion to use a Motorguide I wonder how the company stays in business. Everyone I have ever used has been noisy and the steering is imprecise compared to a Minn Kota. I have an MK Maxxum 80 pound coming.

7 pounds 6 ounces on Lake Talquin, September 30, 2007. Skipped a green 5" Senko up under some overhanging trees.

We have a sporting goods shop here in Tallahassee, Kevin's, that carries a good selection of bass tackle and will match Tackle Warehouse prices. The guys that work in the fishing section are knowledgeable and friendly. Academy Sports just opened here and when I first went in a gentleman who said he is responsible for the fishing departments in this part of the country asked a couple of us what they didn't have that they needed to carry. We used to have a Sportsman's Warehouse that never seemed to understand that concept. They stocked the store as if they were in the Pacific Northwest. They didn't last a year. When I first moved to Tallahassee over twenty years ago I did a lot of bicycling. There was a shop that treated everyone as if they were criminals trying to shoplift the whole store. Until the day they went out of business I tried to explain to the owner that he was running people off with that attitude.

After practicing all day for a tournament without catching anything I am prone to say, "Well, I eliminated a lot of water today."