DADAKOTA

Interesting reads. Most of them however deal with schooling bass on bait. I'm seeing the bait and nothing is busting into them. May just go out and try to fish around as many bait balls as possible with a jerk bait, crank, and small topwater and just see what happens.

It is that time of year where I see roaming balls of shad on the surface in the middle of coves, major creeks, and in the middle of the lake as well. For the most part these balls of bait appear to be unmolested by the bass. Of course they could be suspended under the shad and feed on the crippled ones. Does anyone catch fish around these bait balls? If so, what are you throwing at them?

Were the 1st and 2nd place fish weighed on the same scale?

Unlike a spinnerbait, the chatterbaits are not to good around wood. I can fish a lay down with a spinnerbait just similar to a squarebill. Lots of contact, up and over limbs, etc. Chatterbait typically ends up hungup. Got to give it plenty of clearance around wood.

What pray tell is jigfest?

You smallie catching guys are killing me. Looks like an awesome trip. Congrats on your 13th anniversary. Finding the right lady can be tricky for guys that are really into fishing, hunting, etc. Finding one that enjoys the outdoors as well is even rarer. You have beaten the odds. Congrats again.

Wow. Guess I missed this Bill. Sorry to hear of your health issues. I truly hope your recovery continues ahead of schedule and the knee infection gets eliminated completely. Hope to hear you are back in a boat and on the water soon.

You should not stereotype an entire group of anglers for the actions of a few. An inconsiderate A-hole is just that. DOesn't mean all those fishing, boat riding, skiing, etc. are. You obviously have not bass fished around me when I'm trolling. I don't work an area that has someone fishing it already. I'll come back when they are done as I have several spots to fish. What happens frequently is I'll be trolling a point, drop, hump, etc. and will have other fisherman stop and start fishing on the same structure. When I make my turn to work back over it they best refrain from from saying anything bad as I was there before them and will explain that fact if need be. Courteous fisherpeople may get some advice on color, depth, etc. Jerks get nothing.

Saw this play out from a distance several years ago on Lake Jacomo. We were out throwing stickbaits in mid March and were across the lake from the main boat ramp. All of a sudden there was emergency vehicles everywhere police, fire, ambulance, and park rangers. A guy had backed his trailer in to load his boat with his youngster strapped in his car seat. As he was getting into his boat the vehicle and trailer rolled down the ramp into the lake. Luckily for him someone parked nearby had access to the handle from a car jack. They were able to smash through the window of the vehicle and get the boy out. When we hit the ramp a wrecker was hooking onto the vehicle to pull it out. All you could see was about 2 inches of the windshield/roof junction.

WOW. That is a dandy.

I don't recall a big $$$ check being weighed anywhere but Alhonna or PB2. That shows which end of the lake the big ones come from. We see very few BBB boats up around the 45-48.

Exactly. Have heard many folks tell me they pre-fished for a couple days. I said just go fishing when the bash starts. Sure hate to crack a good one before it counted.

What a day. Glad you and the pooch are OK. Was the "BOOM" the parking brake letting go, the truck jumping out of park, or both? Perfect example of why I tell folks to NEVER have anyone in the vehicle unless they are in the drivers seat when loading or unloading a boat. Seen more than one youngun in a vehicle (some in car seats) while the Dad loads or unloads the boat.

If your buddy never finds the owner I'll give him $50 for the seat.

Don't forget all the costs to pre-fish Wed. - Fri.

I reckon that could happen with glass, but not too likely with my aluminum deck and a 25 HP.

I love the concept and surely wish I'd of had the chance to fish competitively in high school and college.Nothing wrong with these kids having a dream. If their dream is being a bass pro and they don't make it they will at least know how to fish better than the majority of the population.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune and congrats on the win. I have forgotten to pull the TM myself on more than one occasion but suffered no damage. Not sure what your was mounted with, but I have gone to stainless bolts, lock nuts and large washers. The large fender type washers make it extremely unlikely that the mounting bracket can ripped off the deck.

Although there are many reasons for these incidents I believe a lot of them have to do with not wearing a PFD, getting in a hurry, letting eagerness, testosterone, and optimism over ride common sense, faulty or poorly maintained equipment, not checking the weather, lake, or river conditions before you go, not watching the weather conditions while you are out, and a few are unpreventable accidents.

Tourneys during hot months should be limited to 3-4 hours Max. The number of fish that can be in the live well should be dropped to 4. Dead fish should mean immediate DQ. IF the tourney leaves a bunch of dead fish floating around ALL their regatta permits for the remainder of the year should be cancelled. You will see much better fish care when folks realize they could be DQ'd and their derby series could be cancelled. Any dead fish they do have would be taken care of properly and not left as an eyesore.

Couldn't agree more Al. As much as I hate the competition that Spots give the smallies I have seen some monster spots come out of a river. We've caught several 4 and 5 pound fish over the years with the biggest over 6 on a rapala digital scale. Welcome tussles, but I'd swap them all for more smallies and less spots.

Wow. Glad your wife knew the right folks to get you in quick. Hope you heal up quick. Might want to think of a new story about how you disarmed a crazed, knife wielding intruder or something other than flip flops, net, and clutziness.

What keeps the water from coming out through the openings of this device.

Plenty of poop in the Rock and most other lakes. All the chemicals that wash in from businesses, vehicles, fertilizers, boat exhaust. oil. gas, etc. are also polluting the lakes. A good rain really washes down the miles of parking lots and pavement. Seen more than one boat that was submerged over the years. All those fluids, oils, and greases really leave a sheen on the water. The earth has a way of cleaning up a lot pollutants introduced by man to the lakes, rivers, and streams, but someday she will no longer heal herself..

Between Labor day and Memorial day the following year LOZ is a great lake to fish. During the week it is a great lake to fish. Holiday weekends not so much.