abkeenan

Great to see you back, Dave. Hope all is well.

Just seeing if you guys are paying attention. 🐟

Last call to get your Classic lineups set. Classic kicks off tomorrow morning. Good luck.

Reminder that the Classic starts this week and not to forget to set your lineups. Have a "normal" Elite field this week with the MLF guys back for a one week show only. Maybe the last time we ever see a Classic with the best in the world actually fishing it.

I'm a co-poly (hybrid) guy. I prefer 8lb Yozuri Hybrid for my spinning gear. Think that is marries a nice blend of the assets of both mono and fluoro. Stuff is strong, soft and fairly abrasion resistant. Been using it for about 5+ years on the fairy wand set up and see no reason to abandon it. Before that I used PLine Fluoroclear which I also like but prefer the Yozuri over it. Think is has a little less stretch, less memory and holds a knot better. I bought some 4lb Fluoroclear for trout/panfish and for whatever reason I felt the knot would slip a lot at that diameter with that line.

Lotta great info here. I'll add my two cents as jerkbaits are probably my favorite way to catch'em. My setup: 6'8MH Falcon BuCoo SR paired with a Daiwa Tatula SV 7.3:1 spooled with 10lb InvizX. I'm not a jerkbait "soaker". I fish a jerk quicker and harder than most. Probably max out at 3-5 seconds before pretty violent rips. To me, they are either gonna commit or they aren't. I'd rather cover water picking up fish that are active than methodically letting it sit for longgggggg periods of time trying to coax them into it. That's just me and I'm sure letting it sit pays off better at times. I'm impatient I guess. However, I do let it sit longer next to visible cover where I think there is a good chance one is there. I don't get too caught up in nose up versus nose down. In my opinion a hungry fish doesn't care. I like flouro over mono because I do like a slight slow sink and I also think it helps get the bait a few feet deeper. The InvizX is small diameter, is soft in terms of fluoro and has a bit more stretch that other versions of fluoro line which is favorable for both cranks and jerks. Good talk gentlemen.

Your friendly reminder to get your lineups set for Lanier that starts tomorrow.

Piranha mating season actually coincides with the OP's date of early September. The one's in Beardsley are extra vicious. Ankle wade at your own peril is all I'm sayin'. Maybe not be the best area of the Lake to vacation from early January thru the end of December.

Another vote for Bo's NuTechs. It's the only jig I ever have tied on now. The only exception is a few 3/4oz Jewel Football heads I use sometimes when throwing out deeper in like 35 FOW in the summer months. Other than that is NuTech only. Truly the best in every way.

I got them from Tackle Warehouse. Maybe those California guys figured the Death Traps were too sharp and I would only end up hurting myself with them. You know never know what sort of loony policies those Californians will come up with. 😆

Found that KVD footage. Ouch.

I'm actually surprised more pros don't get hooks buried into their hands. Only two that I can recall is Jason Christy a few years back and then KVD around 2 years ago. KVD's was live on BassMaster and I think was on Toledo Bend or Sam Rayburn perhaps. One of the Texas lakes and he won that event I believe. He was deep cranking a 10XD and had just landed like a 7 or 8lb'er and when he lipped her one of those Mustads got sunk into his hand. On a 10XD I'd imagine he was using a 1/0 or 2/0 hook and that's no #5 needle point. When I land a fish using treble baits I try to unhook them while they are laying in the net and not using any hands. Just the pliers. I still recall RPS' story a few years ago he posted about with a fish and bait stuck in his hand and him trying to maneuver around his boat. I don't ever want to be in that situation. Sounded like nearly a life or death struggle.

Last call on the OA Fantasy Fishing League. Elites start on Thursday morning and you would have to be signed up and entered in our league before they blast off that morning. We have less than half the amount of participants this year as we did last year. I know the Elite field isn't what it was in years past but c'mon fellas! Lookin' at you Champ! Holler at me if you want to join.

As far as the "out-barb" hooks that Megabass likes to use I am not an engineer so I don't know the science of logic behind that hook design. Maybe our in-house hook expert Bo can chime in. I know he is all into planes, pulls, levers and angles to give the angler the best chance of hooking up and keeping the fish pinned. Bo, if you do chime in what are your thoughts on the science behind the Trapper brand of hooks and their outside-the-box design (below).

I've tried a handful of the most popular brands of hooks including Daiichi Death Traps, Mustad Triple Grips/KVD Elites, Owner Stingers, Gamakatsu's, Berkley Fusion, VMC and Trokar. In my opinion the "sharpness" of the hooks would rank in this order: 1-Owner 2-Gammy 3-Daiichi 4-Trokar 5-Mustad 6-Berkley Fusion 7-VMC 43 - Dishonorable Mention - Eagle Claw But sharpness doesn't tell the entire story as some wire diameters are thicker than others and that of course effects ease of penetration. Also effects the weighting of the bait where it matters such as in suspending baits or sink rates. Other notable hook characteristics: stoutness (how easily they bend) and hook point durability/rolling. I would say that Trokar rates very high in both resisting bending out and keeping a sharp point with use. Problem with Trokar is you need to take out a 2nd mortgage to replace all the hooks in your crank box with them. But they are nice hooks. Different hooks call for different situations and different baits but all things above considered and price taken into consideration I think Owner Stingers are pound for pound the best hooks. That includes trebles, EWG, J Bend Worm, etc. I also like that Owner offers quite a few options as far as wire thickness/strength in the Stinger line (ST-36, ST-41-ST-56, ST-66). Also that they have that size 5 treble that others don't offer (Gammy does) that work great on warts, rock crawlers and 110's/McSticks/jerkbaits. Daiichi are nice hooks especially for what they charge for them. Probably the best "value" hook out there right now.

Count me in on the crowd that has been priced-out by the Pre-Rap Warts. Haven't bought a Pre-Rap in about 7 years or so when they really started getting out of control. Lots of GREAT alternatives to Pre-Raps out there now with manufacturers trying to not only cash in on that market but also building baits that mimic the older warts at a more affordable price point.

This answer for the win. Only other option for me is a #4 KVD Elite on the front hanger and a #6 on the back.

BASS still has fantasy fishing. Ozark Anglers has our own league. Check out the thread "2019 Official Ozark Anglers Fantasy Fishing" and let me know if you're interested in joining. BASS Elites start later this week. This goes for anyone else as well.

There is definitely a skill to it. It's all about reading it and interpreting what it means in order to be more successful. Has it helped fishermen catch more fish since the first sonar was introduced? Absolutely. But it's a level playing field where every angler has access to that technology thus making it fair for all.

Yes.

That's not what I am arguing. 100% for the MLF system of weigh and release ASAP. I just don't like giving real time updates to the other anglers. Wish it would be kept secret til the end of the day. Also would like it to be a 5 fish biggest weight. Those two changes would not alter, in any way, what they are currently doing with the fish care or live coverage of the events. Cover the fishing just as they are now just don't let the competitors know what they are fishing against. I remember you saying giving a bonus to the angler with the most fish caught and I would be fine with that as well. I would also argue that it takes more skill to hone in on the big fish fish than it does to catch a bunch of smaller fish. Sure, some luck is involved to get your bait in front of a big one and have her bite it but to do that a few times per day.....I think that's something more special than pulling up to a spot like Howell did yesterday and load the boat on a school of 1-2lb fish. Which can also be viewed as "luck" as well being in the right place at the right time. That's how I see it anyways.

Watching birds to key in on bait fish or schools of bass feeding is one thing. Angler A getting an electronic update that Angler B is putting a hurtin' on them and then having that influence how Angler A approaches the tournament the rest of the day is another. At least anglers would have to wait til the end of day 1 of a tournament to see what kind of weights guys came in with and then adjust for day 2 and beyond. Now that information is had in minutes. Guess I am just getting old and cranky perhaps.

Ya, that's the part I don't care for much. These guys see where other competitors are fishing (which is normal in a regular tournament as well) but now they have those real time updates and can put two and two together. So and so I saw fishing up that creek this morning and looking at the live tracker he is crushing them up there........hmmmmm maybe I should mosey my way on up there and get in on that. Or, so and so is killing it today where ever he is......I know he is a -frogging/punching/cranking/drop shotting/swimbaiting/whatever- fool so I should probably switch to that bait or run that pattern too.

Watched a little bit of MLF Live yesterday. Basically on Howell all day. Still just don't like the fact that it's not a 5 fish total. Howell caught twenty five, two pounders. Kinda lame. Also just can't get over that anglers get live updates of what other anglers weights are in real time. Lends itself to monkey see, monkey do in my estimation. Been a while Alex! Good to see you back. Open your own chiro practice? Let me guess the name.....Crackin' & Crankin? Hope all is well.

Hey Mark, Dave is having some family health issues with his wife. Safe to say that pouring heads is the last thing on his mind right now. Hopefully she is doing better and we will get a positive check in from Dave soon. We miss the big guy. In the meantime, would give Fin & Feather or Ozarks Extreme Outdoors a call and see if they have any inventory left. I think both of those shops carried Dave's heads.