OhioFisherman

I went to Lake Chautauqua in New York with my buddy to fish a tournament, my boat his pickup. He had a boat also, so I let him hookup mine while I was getting other things for the trip. We made it all the way there, about 180 miles, driving down a hill at the lake my trailer came loose and bumped the back bumper of his truck. Just a scratch on his bumper, but I always cranked down the dolly leg until the tow vehicle started to rise, he didn't, it was a learning experience. Once you launch your boat and move the trailer to a parking space? Take a minute or two to inspect the trailer, with the boat off the trailer it makes it a lot easier to see broken-cracked welds and such. My buddy and his son took me fishing to a lake here in Ohio, the next weekend they were heading up to the French River. I looked at his trailer when the boat was in the water and he had some serious broken welds, he had to rush to get them fixed before a long trip. My brother also had issues with broken welds on his trailer, both had maximum motors on package deals. Another friend, also on a trip to the French River had a blowout on the trailer on the way home, he had a spare, after fixing it and driving for about an hour? He got a flat on the trailer, one spare on a long trip might not be enough? It made it a lot longer trip home for him!

A lot of you guys maybe too young to remember the old days of bass fishing? http://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-historical-timeline " 1970 Under the 1899 Refuse Act, B.A.S.S. filed lawsuits naming over 200 polluters ranging from laundromats to large industries. Bass Anglers for Clean Water is created, allowing concerned fishermen and B.A.S.S. members to make tax-deductible contributions toward fishing related conservation causes. " " 1972 B.A.S.S. holds the first catch-and-release tournament, the Florida National, on Lake Kissimmee. The event is won by Tom Mann. " " 1973 Aerators are used in livewells to conform with the new B.A.S.S. catch-and-release tournament rule. " " 1982 One of the first national organizations to recognize the danger of acid rain to the nation's fisheries, B.A.S.S. embraced a public awareness campaign: "Acid Rain Burns My Bass." " 1984 After years of campaigning by B.A.S.S. and other sportfishing groups, the Wallop-Breaux amendment to the Dingell-Johnson Act is passed, clearing the way for billions of dollars to be appropriated for state fishery efforts. " Tournaments have made millions of anglers aware?

Cool! another month or so and they might get more serious with it?

Big slab, the weight seems about right for a healthy one that length.

Good luck to both of you!

http://www.ohiobass.org/Board&Officers/Conservation/conservation.htm Some of our lakes here have big draw downs in the fall, it is pretty common for bass clubs to get involved with the state and plant habitat for fish, it doesn't just benefit the tournament angler.

http://www.ibassin.com/2015/09/caged-bass-reveals-cheaters-at-2015-top.html " Wednesday, September 16, 2015 Caged Bass Reveals Cheaters at 2015 TOP BASS Classic on Balsam Lake Fraud Fumbled! By Luigi De Rose Here are the facts that I have been able to tease out from the scandal that broke out on Friday, September 11, the eve of the 2015 Top Bass Classic on Balsam Lake, Ontario. During the last day of pre-fishing, an angler witnessed a white bass boat and three people at a distance. The people in question were working with something in the water in a creek towards the vicinity of Mitchell Lake, a portion of the Trent-Severn System that was open to competitors. After they left, he went to investigate. When he arrived, two large laundry baskets zip tied together held bass in it was discovered. Once he retrieved it, the witness immediately brought the basket to the town of Coboconk, of his own accord, where the pre-tournament meeting was being held. This person alerted the gathered anglers and officials in the parking lot and told them who he saw and displayed the cage. Outrage quickly spread throughout the meeting. The two anglers who allegedly planted the basket of bass were not at the tournament meeting. On Saturday morning, day 1 of the two-day tournament, the accused two-angler team arrives but had yet to officially been checked into the tournament. While on the water, competitors quickly confronted the two anglers. The alleged cheaters broke away from the pack of boats, loaded their boat and left. Further investigation in the area where the first cage was discovered, a second cage was located with bass that weighed close to 19 pounds. In the eyes of the law, several key elements have not been met. The alleged cheating anglers were never seen removing bass from the cage nor did they try to enter bass as part of an official tournament creel. All alleged activities didn’t take part during official tournament time, so they cannot be considered illegal or fraudulent. Caging bass reflects that the alleged anglers were showing intent to cheat but due to others actions failed to follow through on any possible intentions. The unfortunate situation cast a dark cloud on tournament fishing and one of the significant pitfalls of “team or buddy” tournaments. While many anglers were frustrated with the scandal, it has also unified anglers and has forced tournament officials to be more vigilant while enforcing tournament rules. "

Cool! I'll bet the blonde with the boat is pricey! LOL

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/09/18/96-of-nfl-players-studied-show-brain-disease.html

1600 bucks seems a bit pricey?

A spinning reel gives you an edge with light weight lures, I don't think a little cleo would be on my list of go to lures in weedy areas! The Johnson Silver Minnow is a better choice! Some of the bays here on Lake Erie also have extensive weedy area, slop! Fishing some of those areas from shore can be a challenge, and it can be tough at times keeping even a weedless set up weed free when doing it. Early in the day it is usually easier to find bass near shore, they had a night of reduced traffic to move up close to feed, some never seem to move to far off shore as long as food and cover is available. No experience with Lake O at all, one of the bays on Erie that we had tournaments on we had a club limit of 3 bass, and it usually took 10+ pounds to make it into the top 3 places. I would expect Lake O to have some similar places. 2-3 feet of water is enough for bass, even shallower at times, it shouldn't be hard to pitch an unweighted 6 inch lizard, senko, worm 25-30 feet or more from shore with a spinning reel.

When you rig your soft bait do it so it also covers the knot, some soft plastics don't have much of a head to do it, look for ones with a bigger head. http://zoombait.com/worms/paddle-tails/original-speed-worm/ You can also use a lizard, more bulk, more weight for their size? What are you casting with? Casting or spinning reel? http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Gamakatsu_Superline_EWG_Weighted_Hook_5pk/descpage-GSEGW.html 3/0-5/0 are common bass sizes, but 1/8 ounce may limit you or what you are trying to do?

I had my 1987 Smokercraft for 22 years and it didn't leak a drop, it never went fast enough though to take much of a beating.

We have Muskies here in Ohio, and I have fished in PA, NY, and Ontario waters that had Muskies, do you need to use big lures? Probably not, if you are targeting other species, I have hooked them on 1/8th ounce spinners baits, jig and pig, and various other bass lures, it never went well. Every couple of years here you hear of someone catching one on a worm, it is the exception rather than the rule?

Yes, if you google Sea Star boats images they have a few of them on there with that type of setup.

Lew didn't even keep that 8# bait he uses! LOL

We had a guy we had known for a long time decide he deserved all the payout when he won a club tournament and started whining about it at the weigh in. We only paid the top three places, and everyone knew what the payout was going to be. You won so change the rules? Sure, don't come back! You whined your way out.

Well if you look at the entry fees I am guessing some have a partner and enter bass tournaments to reduce costs. If you have a non paying observer you may have to reduce entry fees and payouts, which may reduce interest? Draw tournaments where you draw for a partner might help, it would make planting fish a lot harder if you have a partner that you don't know? One of the bass clubs I fished with had boat owners and non boat owners, boaters drew from a non boater pool for a partner. I never had a non boater partner put a legal sized fish in the boat though, some would not even accept tips, offers to use lures I was catching fish on. When you get to choose your own partner you also get to pick one that has a clue? I don't see any easy answers, it would be nice if people were honest?

About 26 hours on Craig's list! LOL

I had to look it up to see what it was! No idea what the cost would be, how wide is the thing? Looks like it might be a flat bed only load? maybe too heavy for a hot shot load? If it is wider than... 102 inches? extra costs maybe involved? It might be better to take some time and try to sell it in your area? No idea on value vs shipping costs.

I didn't see anything else Steve, but I did find this. https://www.facebook.com/bassfishingcheaters?fref=ts This kind of thing has really been going on a long time, it's really no different than poaching or keeping over your limits? Money makes it worse?

It's a mess, they fished 2012-13-14-15, they didn't do bad before 15 in a large field, but all at once consistent winners? How long had they been cheating? Like Steve says, you need proof to start taking things way? and even if you got the cops involved there has been plenty of time to hide or destroy evidence that a search warrant might reveal, if you could find a judge to issue one?

Q7 Balsam Lake August 9, 2014 | Top Bass Q2 Tri-Lakes June 29, 2014. | Top Bass Q5 Rice Lake July 20, 2014. | Top Bass 2014 TOP BASS CLASSIC | Top Bass STURGEON LAKE July 22, 2012. | Top Bass RICE LAKE August 12, 2012. | Top Bass Just from browsing? It appears it took them a few years to develop a winning pattern? Or find good hiding spots?

It is unfortunate they weren't caught red handed, the whole deal sounds to me like they were cheating. Just from my experience in tournaments it is rare for some one to win two back to back, I personally wouldn't have entered one that had someone in it that had been accused of cheating. It also puts the people running the tournament in a tough spot? Can they legally refuse to allow an entry from someone accused but not caught? Hopefully peer pressure will prevent that from ever happening, plus the risk of a beat down if they do?

http://www.ibassin.com/ "IBASSIN.com has been in discussion with Top Bass and they will be releasing an official statement regarding allegations of cheating, specifically caged bass, at this weekend's Classic. One of the most important factors in this situation is the matter of proof. " They seemed pretty careful in their wording? I am not saying it didn't happen, suspicious? for sure. I'll sit back and wait for an official decision.