Don House

Gary come on down, would love to meet you again.. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Capt. Don

Same to you S&M Happy Holiday and come on down to this show.. Capt. Don

Duckdoty, you must be a duck driver? I bet if you are you were trained by Good Old Slim?? Don

Lilley, plan on two trips.. Just got mine done.. Went to Castoosa Ok it was alittle closer than St. Louis.. First trip was to enroll and pay fees, just take your Guide Lisense and a Photo ID of some sort, takes about 15 mins. Then the second trip was to turn it on, takes about 10 mins. Easy and alot of driving... By the way the Castoosa or Port of Tulsa you do not have to have an appointment, you may have to wait in line, but they will get to you.. Both times I went I was in and out in 10 mins.. We had 5 go this last time and split the gas.. Also that reduced rate was not worth it.. It all depends on when your license is up, for me it was not worth it.. I would have had to return in a year to do it all over again all to save 20 bucks. So I paid the full price and will not have to go back until 2013.. Don

Well it comes down to making money. When you get a good business going most of the time your clients want to fish on those same weekends and they don't want to pre-fish with you. They want to catch as many fish and as big of fish as they can. Next do you want to give up the clients, because if you turn them down to fish a tournament those clients will find someone else to fish with them and you have lost a client now. Next fishing that tournament you will spend the money for entry fee, gas, tackle for a chance to hit a home run and maybe win 1000.00 dollars or just break even with a top 5? For alot of us down here that is how we make money for the whole year, we don't have a full time job plus guide and Unless you get like some of the local guys around here hitting that home run does not happen all the time. So it is a choice a I guess, if you notice alot of the guides around here really start fishing the tournament in the fall when the business slows down.. Plus guiding and tournament fishing are two different horses for sure. With guiding you are trying to find active fish that will keep your client happy and catching fish and if you get into some big fish thats even better plus! But Tournament fishing you are looking for those really big fish all of the time and down here on the rock this year if you can't get a 18 plus pound bag in most local tournaments well break even or go home empty handed. So it goes back to your choice... Good Fishing Don

Ham, that bite really starts to die at the mid 50's and below.. It seems the fish really start to get active for moving baits at that temp for them it is time to get fat for the winter. That is why the wart get so good in the mid 50's, Then after that we get into the spoon and stickbait bite from the high 40's and below. Springtime that Jig bite is there but with alot smaller jigs, you must have a slower presentation and a slower fall.. Let's see what other have to say about this one.. Good Fishing Don

Here is a really good place in Chi-town IL, Grandt Rods.. I have seen alot of his work and it is unreal.. checkout his site www.grandtrods.com He also has a really nice selection of custom made Tonken Cane rods as well.. He reworks a ton of bambo rods each year. He can look at it and also tell you alot of information about your rods as well. Good Fishing Capt. Don House

No I will throw on e in the van.. You want to see spinning or casting?? Don

Motorman, that really depends on the rod. The 2-piece rods that I use I do not feel any difference at all.. The Ferrel on most will take care of the feel, just make sure when you put it together it holds tight.. Also try this one.. Take a small piece of line.. Say 6 pound test, tie it loose onto the last eye of the rod tip. Hold the rod in your hand and have someone flick the line on the tip you should feel the tick on that line with ease.. With my rods it feels like someone just hit your arm and you feel it all the way up into your shoulder. Also watch out for other rods that claim high modules of graphite.. Alot only place the graphite from the butt to about 1/3 up the rod and that is it.. But it still has say 80 million modules. My rods go from Butt to tip with the graphite it makes a big differnece! I can even take a business card or a dollar bill and rub it across and feel the raised lines on the card or dollar bill! The Days of IM rating are gone.. Ask how much grahite is in the rod from tip to butt.. I was talking to the group that builds the carrot stixs, they would not tell me, but after alittle proding I found out they have about 33 million modules and that is it. The best Loomis rods only have 60 million, but they are very light and that is because of the guides they use, they are only single foot guides, those will not hold up and are very small, you will hear alot of line noise when casting and if you bend one it is over has to be replaced.. Next checkout the warranty, make sure you can get it replaced without alot of hassle, most charge from 20 - 50 dollars for replacment that also includes shipping!! The best I have found are Falcon, Grandt, and St. Croix that is with no hassle replacement, sense G-Loomis sold out to oversea company it seems to be alot harder, but that is my opinion and you know the old saying about opinions, everyone has one.. I could write a whole book on this one, I was taught by a 2 time National Champion rod bulider, I was flown down to his plant in OK it was really neat to see how these guys were made, I mean the rod blank, wrapping, everything.. Really opened my eyes on rods.. Just make sure you feel good with the way it feels, the weight and put a reel on it make sure it balances out in your hand ok.. Good Luck and Good Fishing Capt. Don

Eric congrads, nice to see you get into the action.. Maybe I can get away and fish a few, but you know fishing tournament and guiding just don't mix that well.. Good Luck and Have Fun Don

Guys come on down I will love to talk about these new toys and fishing anytime.. Look forward to seeing everyone and putting faces to your names. Good Fishing Don

Donna, good luck your almost there.. Also Thank You for the very nice call yesterday, it was very soothing and helpfull to me, the Mrs. and I really need the advise and prayers on that matter and it helps to speak with someone who is going through that as well. Like everyone was saying we are a pretty nice little family group around here.. Thanks again. Get it done, Get Better and go fishing!! Let us know the out come when you can from your trip to back to tulsa.. Talk to you soon and Thanks again! Don

S&M come on down, I will be the one wearing the Humminbird Shirt... Don

Nope PIGOUT!!! Don

For any of you guys that might be interested, Center City Marine will be hosting a Walleye and Crappie show on Friday Jan 2nd and Saturday Jan 3rd.. Sponsored by Ranger and Evinrude and Center City Marine. Pro's will be on hand for seminars on Walleye and Crappie fishing. JEV and I will be at the Humminbird Trailer for hands on Demos of the New Humminbird Products and to answer any questions you may have on these products. Free Hotdogs and Soda on Saturday, so get a chance stop by.. I have attached the flyer for everyone to see. Walleye_Crappie_Classic_Flyer.pdf Good Fishing Don House

I just need a few prayers said tonight for us if you guys can please. We found out today that my wife has a Lump in her right breast. Doctor told us today that it must come out now. So she will be going into the hospital on Monday or Tuedsay for the operation. We will find out what it is right after that.. If it is cancer we will deal with it on a day to day basis. So please just need some prayers that is all I'm asking for.. God Bless all of you Don House Just an update and I wanted to thank everyone for the kind emails and prayers. They do help alot.. As of now we have seen doctors and surgens to talk about what to do. Next week she is scheduled for a Biopsy to see what we are working with and then we go from there.. So thank again and keep the prayers coming. Don

Ok, here is my 2 cents worth.. Would not call myself the best or a Pro, but man I love my jig.. I had to make myself learn this tool, and man was it worth it. There are some guys on here that I watch everything they do with a jig, like Eric Prey and The Davis Brothers, hopefully they will speak up and if they do pay attention! As far as My jigs, I use everything from a 1/8 to 1/4 ounce to 5/16 to 1/2 to 3/4 ounce jigs, skirted (warm water) and non skirted (in the middle) and of course hair jigs (Cold Water) and Shakey jig heads (Just about any time if they don’t want a craw presentation or more on the worm). The jigs I use are really not a brand name; matter of fact getting them is getting really hard because they are a special head. They are flat on top with a hook eye that is deep in the head so they don't hang up really bad, these fish go crazy over them. There are a few guys on here that I have given one or two to them and reports are good. Since my other ones are so hard to get, I just started using a new jig that I found, they are made in Springfield, and they are called Thunderstruck Jigs. I love the Skirts on these jigs they have a large amount of strands and look really well in clear water and he can make me any color that I want and in all sizes. Worth a look at for sure.. Bassmasters Magazine just did a really nice article on them, so get a chance take at look at his site, same as the name. Shakey Jigs, really all I want is a long shank hook with a screw on the head to get my worms really placed on the jig. I use a round head and a football head style, this all depends on depth that I’m fishing. If I’m fishing bluff walls or steps on a bluff end I like to use the football style, if I’m fishing the flats or pea gravel points I go to the round head. How I use them well, one thing I really pay attention too is are the fish hanging on the bottom or suspended? If on the bottom I try to use a bigger jig 5/8 to 3/4 ounce depends on how deep I'm fishing. Slow dragging like a C-rig has worked very well for me this year, as well as the slow reel has been just as good. Engage the reel and move it slow across the bottom letting the reel do the work. Next hopping and swimming the jig has also done well this year, hopping the jig is allowing the jig to hit bottom then lifting the rod to 9 o'clock position to the 10 o'clock position then stopping at 12 o'clock position, reeling up slack as I go. Swimming is one way that is working for me right now, casting out and allowing the jig to never hit the bottom, feeling the weight of the jig with the rod and using a pumping motion as it comes through the water. Trick is not letting it hit bottom and keep it moving.. If the fish are suspended, that is when I go to flipping docks in stalls and around the dock cables of the same docks. It seems when these fish suspend they like to hand on these items or just under the dock floats. I will break up the dock stall into 9 parts Front or walkway Left, Center, Front Right, then move to the Middle with the same Left, Middle and then Right and then move out to the end repeating the same Left, middle, and right. I also pay attention to the longer docks they have cables on the fronts and ends, and also midway on the docks, these really produce good fish as well. Colors, well on this lake, PB&J, Brown with Purple Flash, Missouri Craw, Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Cotton Candy, All White and one called Grape Ape. Really depends on lake water color and of course color of the crawfish in the lake.. I have a really nice old man that lives next door to me, he loves to trap crawfish and for a few months out of the year he will trap a few for me and bring them over to match them up to jig colors for me.. Can you say matching the hatch!! Works well try it sometime. I could write a whole book just on colors and matching these jigs to the crawfish. You can learn so much such as when to tip the craw pinchers, when to change colors, and so on and so on.. Rods and Line to use, I really like a 7’0 med Hwy when in open water with a heaver Jig and a small 6’0 med rod when in the docks. The longer rod gives me a much better casting distance and the smaller rod allows me to get into places that a longer rod will not do, I’m a big fan of roll casting into docks instead of flipping, this lets me get into and back behind floats and walkways . And of course I’m very picky all of my rods must have high modules graphite. Anywhere from 60 million to 75 million modules of graphite per inch, from tip to butt, I have found these rods let me feel bites when most can’t feel them, or the release of the weight of the jig (also called just loosing the jig or that funny feeling or just a heavy feeling and of course that very light tick.) Works for me.. Line well the best by far is the Fluorocarbon lines. You just can’t beat the feel these lines give you without have to use the braded lines. 12 – 17 pound works the best and that depends on the weight of the jig, smaller jigs smaller lines! For me brands well that is your choice just like rods and jigs everyone has their own favorite. Hook Setting I was taught a really neat way by a Bass Master Classic Winner, by reeling down first then setting the hook. I use high speed (6:3 to1) bait casting reel just too pickup line when needed. So when I set my hooks I was taught to reel down 3 -5 turns before I set the hook and not by sweeping, by a straight up and down motion or a popping motion. This really gets the hook placed right in the upper jaw of the fish and I the hard bone of the mouth. Sweeping works but I have found that I do have an issue with getting a good hook set, the jig seems to roll off to the side of the fishes mouth and hooking in the soft side of the mouth. After trying this now I don’t have as much trouble loosing the fish or having the jump off at the boat. Well now that I have rambled on I will let someone else tell there little tricks that work for them as well.. Good Fishing Everyone.. Don

James, that is sooo good to hear! Telll her to get better and get home soon... God Bless Don

Did alittle checking on on your question about the platinum mapping.. Found that most will work with them but they are VERY large and need at least a single processor to run them right, that is why humminbird tells you to use the bigger models, so the lowrance will support them but may be very slow to load them. Also spoke with a Nav team guy, he told me that the Platinum will only give you the 3-d mapping and a lot less map's information and he said the best for the money is the Premium Mapping that is the way to go.. There you go Don

Good Job to you and Bill, that was a very good group of sticks.. Best Wishes Don

TFW, if you put your boat in at any of the corp ramps like state park, indian point, cape fair, mill creek, Baxterand other you must purchase a corp ramp pass for one year at 30.00 or pay 4.00 per launch.. Don

Techo, I it is Jan 7 - 11th 2009.. Enjoy it for me.. I will be in Novi MI doing the show up there.. Don

TFW. ok first the big change in this unit compaired to the older model is from 640x480 to the new of 640x640 resoultion.. Big change!!! Also I will check with Humminbird but I think these new units will work with the platinum cards, I know these units have room for two SD cards now where the old ones only had one.. That will give you room for a Nav card plus a S/D memory card for video playback, or snap shots or saving waypoints to the S/D card.. So for that price pretty dang good! Also Yes these do come with the transducer and you want to use the one that comes with it.. Your old transducer will not work.. It is only single beam, the new is dual beam.. That makes a big difference for vertical fishing. Now if you want to place this on the front or the trolling motor Humminbird has an exchange program for free. You send in the new unit and they will replace with the one you want like a trolling motor transducers. If you are going to run it on the console you are good to go out of the box.. Ok, go look them over and Yes stop by the KC Sport Show I think that there will be some places displaying these units.. Bass Pro in SpringField would be my first choice they have the newest on the market.. Good Fishing Capt. Don

Bill what did it take to win yesterday? How you you and Bill Do? I was too busy sleeping in to fish... Hope you did well. Don

Donna, had a great day of fishing with James on Friday, just would have liked the pattern to hold out for you guys as well.. Go get this done so you guys can relax and get some sleep, you get better and hang in there, you are in our prayers.. God Bless and watch after you for the next few weeks to come.. Don