Allow me to introduce myself!

[Orabbit]

I am brand new to this forum and relatively new to bass fishing.  Until I retired I didn't think I had time to fish - boy was I wrong!  Now I have many years to make up for.  Just started bass fishing last year (spring) and I have to say I am totally hooked!  I have much to learn but I fish 4-5 days a week when the weather is good - so I get a faior amount of practice in.  

I also fish for other species (walleye, pike, muskie, trout) but I find bass - both large mouth and small mouth - to be my favorite.

I look forward to learning much from this site and already have as I have lurked for a few days as a guest!

[Snag]

Great to have you signed up. Hopefully you will find the answers you're looking for. These people are great and full of information.

Basst of luck,

Snag

[Orabbit]

Thanks Snag!

I have already learned a lot just from skimming posts and from the wealth of great articles posted here.  I am sure i will never stop learning (well maybe when I stop breathing!)

[Stickling]

glad to have ya here. this forum is growing rapidly almost at exponential growth. haha

You have a trout pond near ya? i went fishing for trout when i was a little kid on a trout farm   and cought quite a few. had to pay by the pound and at the time we didnt know that and ran a bill up to almost 200 dollars  :-[. lol i recently got into bass fishing heavily. but anyways welcome to the site  ;D

[Orabbit]

Stickling,

There are several sites in Illinois where catchable trout are released twice yearly.  I do fish these on occasion.  I also take my canoe to Missouri and float the trout streams there.  Some of those streams are also good for small mouth.  Last year I went to Canada for a week in early June and caught lots of walleye, northern and some really nice (18-22 inch) small mouth bass.  I am hoping to go again this June!  Heading to Lake Fork, Texas in March for some large mouth fishing and to Canada in late June for Muskie.  When not traveling I fish a local lake that has quite a few 4-6 pound bass and some 45+ inch Muskie.

[Glenn]

Welcome to you and all the new members!  I'm glad you joined the message boards, and delighted this site is helping you!!   ;D

[Orabbit]

Thanks Glenn.  This really is a great and informative site!

[ernel]

Welcome aboard! Plenty of stuff here to read when you aren't on the water.

[bmo30]

Orabbit are you from Illinois also, if so where are you at in Illinois im from Cambridge its about a half an hour from the quad cities and a little over an hour from Peoria. Im also going down to Lake Fork this year or the next to chace the lunkers, i went down there last year and didnt catch any wall hangers but i did catch several 4-5 pounders.

[Orabbit]

bmo30,

I am from Springfield.  Last spring was my re-introduction to fishing after a 27 year lay off.  Long story!  Anyway. I have really gotten the bug.  I don't own a boat or have a place to store it so I fish smaller lakes and rivers from a canoe.  Plus I really like paddling.  It is my other great passion.

Lake Fork will be a new experience for me!  Can't wait.  I am going mid-March during the spawn.

[bmo30]

Get a Guide i cant stress it enough and get one soon because they will probably be booked up soon. I had Richie White when i went down there and he was very good and i learned a lot. You will probably be fishing very shallow flipping and pitching to the big fish is my guess so work on that if at all possible, and good luck.

[crankbait]

Welcome.....! This is a GREAT SITE to learn from....You will compress years of experience from the information here.... ;D

[Orabbit]

bmo30,

I have a guide and it happens to be Richie White.  Glad you liked him.  I am looking forward to it!