How many mooseknuckles could you fit in one of those bags? You know the old saying “You can never have too many mooseknuckles”.

Jeff,
I probably won’t be over to the Miss. for another week or so. I am heading out with some friends this weekend to Lake Wisconsin. I don’t know much about the place but but the walleyes are supposed to be biting. Anyways, if things change I will report but it doesn’t look like I’ll make it this weekend.
Tbass

Jeff,
Well we had a tough time Saturday. Kept 13 crappies between 3 of us but they weren’t very big. Between 9-10 inchers. Caught a ton of bass and 4 or 5 little bluegills. Not real strong bites either. Fished mostly wood and one bridge. The bridge held the only school as we caught several keepers off of it and several small ones. We never made it to Edick. I figured with the duck hunters, low water and the weight of the 3 guys in the boat we were asking for trouble. I think we will try it next Sunday. I hope the bite is better.
Tbass

Thanks Jeff, I’ll let you know what happens.
Tbass

Jeff, I haven’t been to the river since summer. What are the water levels looking like? Do you think a bass boat can get into Edick? I am going to be over fishing on Saturday with a couple buddies chasing the elusive crappie. Don’t want to get stuck you know? Have the water temps stablized?
Tbass

IT’S ALL ABOUT GETTING YOU SPONSOR ON T.V. ALSO, DOES YOUR STYLE FIT THE “IN” CROWD OR AT LEAST WHAT JERRY BELEIVE THE IN CROWD IS. THE SAD PART IS THAT THE NEW COMMERS TO THE SPORT THINK THAT IS WHAT TOURNAMENT FISHING IS ABOUT. IN YOUR FACE, BREAKDANCING CRAP. BOTTOM LINE, THE PEOPLE THAT WATCH THE TOURNEY STUFF ON TV ARE GUYS LIKE US THAT DON’T BUY INTO THE “ACT”. WHAT DO I KNOW I STILL HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO CATCH BASS YET.

I guess you should have paid more attention to the Break Dancing movement when it came around. You’d be part of JM’s little group. Or if you had orange hair and a back full of tattoos. I bet those guys can’t even carolina rig a Sammy!!!!

Shane,
I agree completely. My point is that during the course of the day while fishing slop your going to learn pretty quickly if the will come back or they won’t. I certainly don’t think that your doing things wrong. I just have a different theory. All I’m saying is if the bass wants your frog and they eat it there is no reason to wait.
Just an opinion.
Tbass

I have a completely different theory to the waiting thing. My opinion is do not wait. When you see the blow up the fish either has it or it doesn’t. The only advantage to waiting is a follow up strike may occur on a missed frog. But that scenario can be figured out during the course of a fishing day. My point being that I’ve had enough cases of fish blowing up and never returning whether I leave the bait or reel in and recast. If the fish will hit on a missed frog it will hit on a recasted frog. Well, I wouldn’t bet the farm but that is my opinion. Plus, it is my belief that if a bass wants to get your frog in its mouth it will. If the fish isn’t getting the frog then the presentation is off slightly.
My .02
Tbass

Slop,
Your post has some excellent info that can help angler to try to minimize fish kills. Using bleach after each tournament to clean you livewells is a great notion. I never clean my live wells. What about temprature controlled livewells? I’m sure that can be done. My point being is this issue can be solved by tournament fishermen. With phone calls like yours I think we are headed in the right direction. Keep us informed.
TBASS

I think that is is very important for tournament fisherman to take this problem head on. I fished the Stren like many here and was not impressed with the weigh in and release procedure. I think it is totally up to us to be proactive with this issue and find ways to correct it. Wheather or not the dead fish were a by product of culling or the way the DNR handled is a point that needs to be addressed. But the bigger issue is what will the tournament community on the river do to prevent this from happening again? The tournament community as a whole? I really think it is up to us to solve this issue whether we have all the facts or not. I hate to sound like a supervisor but we can make this negative into a positive. But let’s not wait.
TBASS

I am also hoping for a boater spot. I had a question though. Does anyone know if no-boater spots will be offered to boaters on the list?

Tbass

Did you try throwing a swim jig on them? Are they bedding right now? I’m sure you figured them out.
Tbass

Slop,
Are you wearing a Chicago Cubs shirt?
Tbass

Jimmy
Good Luck by the way, may the mooseknuckle Gods look down on you in favor!

Better bring your own game face medicine, that is a “dry ” county. May have to drive to Paducah to get some “lunker sauce”.
Tbass

Pretty sad when you can’t take your son along to help you prefish. It’s a new soap opera every weekend.
Tbass

It’s a shame when a nice fish like that is caught. You can either keep the fish and have it weighed at a scale and it will likely be the end of the fishes life or you can weigh it the best you can and let it go. Put yourself in his situation.
Talk about a rock in a hard place.
Tbass

Let’s see, I shared a boat with JC. It was a cold October day. There was enough grass floating on the river one could have walked across it. He damn near threw me out of the boat trying to cut the wake of a barge. Made fun of my home made spinnerbaits (some scars time can’t even heal) and helped me catch a gigantic dogfish. Maybe the biggest of my career.

All kidding aside.

He has also discussed openly with me many bass tendencies and seasonal locations. Many subtlties of bait preperation and presentation. I appreciate that.
Also, how well is a lesson learned if you don’t have to use your own head to learn it?? If he wasn’t such a ….. we would not think before we typed. Someone that challenges you to think for yourself will only make you better. JC thank you for helping me think for myself. Thanks for not giving me the whole answer.
Tony

If a guy applies online how long will it take before he knows if he is in the field or not?
TBASS

It seems apparent to me that BASS wants to sever all ties with the Federation. With the Federation having dibs on the Classic spots, the BASS machine does not have total control over the situation. If the ties are severed they will have total control over all facets of the process from the grass roots(weekend series) through the classic. I don’t think they really care what we (federation anglers) think, they are just forcing us to play our cards.

I don’t want to direct this thread in a different direction, but I think the swim jig bite isn’t a “reaction” bite but a “feeding” bite.
Anyways, I always figured the eyes were not important but a top notch fisherman told me they were. I have been adding them to my homemade lures ever since to see if there was a difference. I believe there is. Like James said, the little things can make all the difference.

Tbass

Slop,
Don’t forget to call someone on your cell when you boat a hawg. Plus, your hat’s on straight, can’t catch fish that way. What’s wrong with just being normal these days?
Tbass

Scott,

I would have to agree with you. It makes me sad to see that the sport is moving that direction. The problem with me is, I get the same adreniline rush when I boat a big fish, but I don’t go crazy. I put him in the livewell and keep fishing. If that’s what it takes to make it to the next level, I’ll never get there.

Tbass

I may be way off base here, but it seems to me the best fishermen aren’t the ones that are going to make it, just the ones that can find a way to come up with the big dollars to enter. It makes me sad because I’m lousy at self promotion, but think I have some skill. Not BASS Elite skill, but some skills.

It’s too bad that talent alone isn’t enough.

Tbass

I would try to get the biggest bag i could the first day. once the weigh in is over, I would check the cut weight and base day 2 on that. If I’m at the cut or below, I would try to get the biggest bag I could on day 2. If I was above the cut I would not try for the biggest but get enough to make the cut. If everything worked to my favor, I would even spend some time scouting stuff for day 3. Then, as Slop stated, go for broke on days 3 and 4. But what do i know, I’m just a Rangerette.

Tbass

I think the next big thing should be a climate controlled livewell. One with a thermostat so that you could set the temperature of the livewell to the optimum temp for fish. Being that I’m a “Rangerette” I’m sure that we (Rangerettes) will lead the way with this technology.

Tbass

I guess I look at this idea a little differently. It seems that the “tournament” scene is changing to a “no help” type of situation. According to Rick Clunn, this is the best way to determine who is actually the best fisherman. And in competition, that’s what were after, isn’t it? I have been as guilty as the next guy of asking for help. But how good are you going to get at discovering patterns if you get help all the time? Eventually you rely on that. Again, I’m as guilty as the next guy but I think that my point of view is changing. If I were to start fishing the Team Supreme Super North, I would expect to take my lumps for a few years. But that’s why I love the sport. I have to go figure things out for myself. I have to come up with the game plan and ultimately, I have to catch the fish. The other thing I love about the sport are the friendships you build through competition. I think that is where you can begin to gain knowledge and start building a solid trust with people you know are truthful. I don’t mind sharing as long as I am somewhat familiar with a person and their reputation. I think that is what causes most of this secrecy.
Sorry for all of the Babble,

Tbass

Or just throw a funny colored tube.lol. Ain’t that right Eric?

JC

I don’t mind having another tourney going the same day. There are plenty of fish to go around. I hope they save a few for me and my partner. Good luck in Minnesote. Mille Lacs is smallmouth heaven. At least thats what I see on TV. You should be right at home.

ps. What time is the weigh in?

Tbass