DADAKOTA

I hate to get off topic, but can you explain how jerkbaits do so much damage? Never damaged a fish with a stickbait yet. Senkos, neds, and other soft plastics definitely get swallowed and probably result in ultimately killing a fish. Back in the day I used to throw an Eagle Claw 45 worm hook. That is till I noticed about 8 of 10 fish had the hookpoint right up through the eye. Put them in the trash after that.

Walleye have an even tougher time pulling off a succesful spawn in MoMo. Might ought to close fishing for them as well during the spawn.

Think what you want, I'm personal friends with the client Just offering my 2 cents based on the information provided.

That is quite the accusation. Did he tell you this or is this gossip/hearsay? Not sure how much this would actually be a factor in a tournament. Female bass are only on the nest for a few hours up to 48 hours or so and she is probably most vulnerable to being caught just after dropping her eggs. So a female spotted on the nest on Monday probably won't be there come Saturday. If he spots her on Friday she more than likely will be around. I'd think the male bass would be more vulnerable as they are on the nest far longer. As an adjuster, not every appointment is going to involve property on the water. Not sure how many appointments an adjuster would have on a typical LOZ day that are actually on the water. More if there had been a big storm, but I doubt he typically looks at multiple waterfront properties each workday during the spawn. He'd probably have more visits as an agent trying to sell insurance rather than as an adjuster. If he is a serious stick at the Zarks then he has years of experience and knows the better spawning coves, pockets, and banks. He probably knows the best nesting sites from years on the water and probably scouts these spots for activity during the spawn. I could find a lot more fish on nests by spending time on the water than scoping out a single property at a time during an appointment. If the tourney has no off limits rules or rules about where/how you get information, then legally he is fine. Ethically on the other hand would be up to his morals, values, ethics, and conscience. Most guys that are successful would not want to jeopardize their reputation or their sponsorship's by doing something that would put them in a bad light. It amazes me how often rumors get started about guys who win tournaments, shoot a big buck or bull elk, etc. This sounds like it could be a rumor as the facts don't appear to logically line up with the conclusion. If he did in fact tell you this firsthand did you inquire as to the tourney rules, etc.?

I don't believe I made any large assumption about the tourney anglers. You obviously do not care for tournaments and possibly tournament anglers. You provided unsupported opinion regarding tournament mortality and the effects of relocation. I merely asked for recent studies so I could formulate my own opinion. I'd love to see the data. I never said no one boat flips a fish to the carpet (I do not like that method of landing fish and wish BASS and FLW would not allow it), and I can't say I have ever seen a fish thrown in a livewell. I have seen numerous bank anglers drag their catch up onto the bank though. I take great care when putting fish in a livewell that has water already in it and I take great care of them while they are in it. I have never seen someone put a culling buoy through a fishes gills. I have seen numerous recreational anglers run their rope or clip stringer through their catches gill opening and out through the mouth regardless of species. It doesn't benefit a tourney angler to mistreat their fish as most derbies either have a penalty for dead fish or will not accept them for weigh in. The more fish they keep alive the more fish they have an opportunity to catch at a later date. It was the tourney anglers that promoted the concept of catch and release. Is there tournament mortality? Yes there is. Is there mortality caused by recreational fishemen? Absolutely. It would be interesting to know the numbers for both. The bottom line is we are all anglers and anything we can do to take care of and improve the resource we should do. We should all make a concerted effort to handle the fish properly, and to take care of them the best we can for release or for harvest if that is your choice.

Not sure where you get your facts. I am not against tournaments and fish several each year. From local tourneys to circuits the number of participants has been dropping. Our local derby used to average 24 or 25 boats per tourney over the course of the year. Now were lucky to average 16-17. Many circuits are gone due to rising costs and lower participation. It is much harder for an angler to make any money or break even with $55,000 boats, gas prices, higher equipment costs, insurance, lodging, food, etc. In a lot of tourneys you best be in the top 3 to make sure you break even. Add in the costs for pre-fishing and it is even harder to make money other than local tourneys. To cash at a local event you must beat all the folks that live on and fish the lake regularly. Tough competition. A lot of guys have given it up, other than a charity tourney or two, as they just can't make money. I have not read any recent articles or studies on the mortality rates of tourney bass. With the advances in livewells, chemicals, etc, for fish care and the increased awareness by anglers of keeping their catch in the best condition possible, and advances in weigh in procedures and equipment I'd have to guess that the mortality rate has gone down. If you have a recent study I'd sure love to read it. Probably more bass die each year as the result of being deep hooked from swallowing senkos, ned rigs, and other soft plastic baits than die from tourneys. There are far more recreational fishermen then tourney fishermen so it is safe to assume that the recreational fishermen kill more bass by deep hooking and/or eating the fish than die at the hands of a tourney angler. Heck the super hooks of today do not rust out like the old hooks we used 25 years ago. Cutting the line now may be signing that fish's death warrant. If you look at bass mortality you need to look at the entire picture and not place blame on just one group. That's why it would be interesting if bass were off limits during the spawn for a couple years to see if it makes any difference. We are all anglers and need to get along and protect the resource.

I understand what you are saying. Bed fishing has been around as long as I can remember in this state. The quality of the fishing in lakes you have fished in your lifetime does not seem to be affected by bed fishing or folks harvesting bass. Is this your experience or is this view based upon a study? Would the quality of the fishing actually get even better if bed fishing was not allowed and/or tournaments and harvest not allowed during the spawn? Would we have better spawns?Are there any studies on this?

Not a fan of bed fishing. I can't see how it does not reduce the success of the spawn. Have no idea how much, but it can not help. Of equal concern is the effect of bass caught all over the lake being continually being returned to the water in one particular tourney launching point. How can this not adversely effect the bass numbers where the fish were caught and increase the quality bass numbers at the release point. There needs to be a better way. Major league bass fishing might be the way to go for all tourneys. Weigh and release on the spot. Should decrease the mortality.

The generation of immediate gratification and little to no respect has been brought about by the internet, FB, Twitter, etc., the media, and parents who would rather be a kid's friend than a mentor to them. People don't talk face to face anymore. Instead they text or email or FB. Seems to be a general impersonalization of American society with little to no accountability. So easy to say hurtful things to someone over the net, but much harder to do when you are looking in their eyes. What a shame it has gotten this way. Treat others as you wish others would treat you. Individual respect is earned. Respecting others is your own choice. Time to head to the lake.

What a great way to spend a Monday night. Nice catch. Hard to beat the rythmic pulsing of maribou for a natural look..

Great catch.

Last weekend the Blue Procraft was back. Watched him fly into the cove and start fishing on the left side of a dock. Of course a guy was fishing the right side of the dock and had been working down the row of docks for 25 minutes or so. Felt bad for him when he finished his side and was left with no where to go by the Pro-craft who by then was almost 2 docks ahead. I Had to laugh. My Son and I were on the right side of a big dock catching crappie the next day. The dock had two slips and one was filled with a large boat. We heard a boat but never saw it. A minute or so later there are people walking around from behind the large boat. We assumed it was the dock owners and tried to make small talk. When we pulled around to fish the other side there was a red tracker tied up and 4 people were fishing the dock, walkway and bank. They had boated in and tied her up. I guess it was easier to tie up and get out instead of trying to control the boat in the wind. Watched them leave about 10 minutes later. We were catching some nice crappie very shallow in front of the shallowest slip of a 10 slip dock. After putting several in the livewell our spot was invaded from the bank by a great looking golden retriever who decided to go wading and swimming right through the area we were catching the fish. The dog was romping and playing in the water and on the land. He was having a blast. We got a kick out of watching him. Can there be a better life for a dog than living at the lake?

you can add obama as a new cuss word

Fished around the 43-45mm and must say I thought it would be better this past weekend. Caught some fish, but would consider it much slower than recent years. One here and one there with a couple of multi fish spots. Been fishing the same areas for 25 years. Spawning areas that have consistently produced fish in the past were relatively unproductive. Not sure if they are just getting started and the best is yet to come or things have changed. Water getting real clear may be impacting the shallow bite. C&R several legal fish (9-10.5") that were real thin.

Hoping they will finally be the Blues instead of B lose

Bout time to bust out the C-rig with a lizard on secondary points. Oh yeah.

Nicely done. Littleman seems to be enjoying it all.

That is definitely an option. Hard to do when you are dock fishing as the 100 foot no wake rule is in place. Then again I'm not sure that trying to be a bigger arse is the way to go. Last thing I need is a confrontation with some idiot.

I was brought up to use common courtesy while on the water. If someone is catching fish don't crowd them. Let them catch their fish and go fish somewhere else. Dad always said to treat folks like you want to be treated. As a tourney fisherman I am not going to cut someone off. I'll either fish behind them or come back later. I have been cut off by people just out fishing, crappie fishermen, bass fishermen, and tourney fishermen. I was crappie fishing down a bank at LOZ and had a blue Procraft fish and ski come into the cove and start working the same bank about 6 docks behind me. No problem until he power trolled past me and started fishing the opposite side of the same dock I was fishing. I let him have it a ran up several docks further and started again. Same guy did the same thing more than once that weekend. I have had several tourney guys ask if they could go ahead on by me as I crappie fished. Not a problem. I just love the pontoon boats, jet skis, kayaks, etc. that drive between you and the bank you are throwing to. Some folks have no manners whatsoever or are just plain stupid. Had some donkey in a 25+ foot sailboat named Temptation come through the ramp buoys at Lake Jacomo and drive between my boat and my trailer as I was loading out. Had to reverse hard to avoid hitting the sailboat. You can only control yourself, but sometimes it is hard to do.

Nothing better than getting the younguns fired up on the outdoors.

I roll the flickers, but they have always been outfished by my Bandits. Not sure what I may be doing wrong with the flickers..

I know a good day on the water without counting fish, but to each their own. If I want competition I'll fish another tourney. When not tourney fishing I am not competing, but learning, trying new techniques, locations, baits, etc. When in relax mode I do not want whoever is with me to continually announce how many we've caught and how many they have caught as it tends to put me in more of a competitive mode than a relaxing mode.

I launch all the time by myself. I typically try to pick ramps that have courtesy dock. I give the nose strap some slack, but leave it hooked, back in next to the dock till the boat floats, step into the boat and unhook the nose, back off the trailer, tie up, and pull trailer out. Loading is just as simple. Back trailer next to dock, drive boat on, hook nose strap and tighten, step onto dock, winch the boat up, drive up to tie it down and on the way home. If no courtesy dock adjacent to ramp I back in with tailgate open, step up on rear tire and get in pickup bed then onto trailer where I unhook the boat and crawl up on the front deck, drive it off and wither beach it or dock it. Loading is just the reverse. Still best to take someone along and make loading and unloading easier. While we are talking about ramps and boats. DO NOT leave anyone in your vehicle while loading or unloading your boat unless they are in the drivers seat. At the lake I fish frequently, a father left his young Son in a car seat in the back seat while he went to untie boat and load it. Car came out of gear and rolled into the water. Luckily someone had a tire iron and they were able to smash through the rear window and get the young man out before the vehicle totally submerged. He was fine. Very lucky deal as the water was in the upper 30s. Saw another fella back down the ramp and jump out and put a brick behind each tire. Said he couldn't unload the boat without it creeping down the ramp. More than one vehicle has been drug out of the water by the local tow companies. Have your passengers stand out of the way if they are not driving the vehicle and you won't have a worry.

Love to float and fish. That is a dandy. How difficult is it to work a jerkbait from a yak? No sure I could work one from a canoe let alone a yak.

Hammered them!