OhioFisherman

http://proxy.espn.go.com/outdoors/bassmast...ssicKVD_BMM0510 Marty I actually enjoyed watching that one, it gave a real life perspective of how tough it can be. LOL "it`s a giant" big bass was 2-14.

Actually watched it on TV here Steve, LOL never fished for half a mill, probaby wouldn`t change my act too much. I always took a calm deliberate approach to it. Seen guys get so ticked at local tournies that didn`t do well they just pulled the boat out and left, grumpy! It`s a game, be a good sportsman about it, win lose or draw.

No real surprizes on the lures though, jigs, soft plastics and spinnerbaits, probably what wins most of them, mix in a crank bait or surface lure.

Raf, agreed great bass reel, light pike, walleye. Instant anti-reverse was one of the great innovations, I have some reels with it. Still not enough reason to upgrade on some of the old standbys. One of the reasons I started using Shimano`s was they offered more reels in lefties, still have some 251 black magnums and others from the late 70`s early to mid 80`s. Smaller reels than the Ultra mag, a little better for a day of casting in a tournament, unless your flipping. Good crankbait reels slow by today`s standards, like 4:7 to 1?

Same deal here stateside, I have a tele-zapper which is supposed to block unwanted calls, on the do not call list and still get them. I am Mr. Friendly and will talk to anyone, but telemarketers get a language lesson. You xxxyyzzzz??? I am on the do not call list! Remove me from your freaking call list! Had a great time with the robo calls during the election campaign here, I would call the political campaign headquarters back and give them he11.

Raf 3 or 4 of the Ultra Mags myself, very good reels, mine are lefties like this http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-AMBASSADEUR-UL...223139002r29692 If I was still in need of tackle I would be bidding on this one, it appears in nice shape. First Abu reel I recall with a flipping switch also and one of the few offerings from that era by Abu with a left hand retrieve model. I think they were made in the very early 80`s, maybe late late 70`s?

A very good fisherman, but way too far over the top for me. Never fished with any one like that, and the first time would be the last. Too much crying wolf, it`s a giant! dude 4-5-6 pound bass, nice fish, giant? No, dude your a pro, act like you have been there. Tantrums in the boat? Stay home till you grow up. Just as silly as the nascar act they tried with the bass boats a few years back, 250 hp motor on a bass boat? dudes we expect them to be fast!

Don`t have any current Abu reels, the older ones were quality products. I believe all their current spinning reels are made in China and have been for awhile. Seems like they have made some miss-steps, I like to see a reel around for some time before I buy one, it tends to indicate a quality proven product.

Great question George, lures are sold to catch fishermen, some also work well at catching fish. I try to buy them primarily on need, I am trying to cover this depth of water, with this type of cover, what do I need to do it with the minimum amount of problems. Lure in the water running clean catches more fish than a snagged lure, or one you are constantly cleaning weeds off of. Confidence in a lure, if you know you can stick it in front of a fish and they are likely to eat it, a lot of lures are multi-species. Gauging the fishes feeding or aggression level and choosing the right bait to use. I have made ten casts with a lure and caught 10 bass, 5 casts with 5 different lures and caught 5 bass, obviously aggressively feeding fish, but most days it is not that easy. Caught Walleyes on Erie trolling a crankbait other days an Erie Dearie type lure tipped with a crawler were the way to go. Sonar units have made part of the job easier, locating fish, depth changes where fish should be, bottom types that might hold specific species. Real hard to beat fishing with an experienced angler, you get to see what they are using, and how they are fishing that particular bait under changing conditions. My goal is to be able to strain the water column, top to bottom, fast or slow.

http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2009/02/23/2...-canadian-banks

No help Rizzo, my wife and kids went down there about 8 years ago, just outside of Tampa-ST. Pete got to be some thing around to catch.

Mike here is a jitterbug http://www.lurenet.com/productdetail.aspx?id=3721 they can be fished on a slow steady retrieve and make sort of a unique sound coming through the water, I generally never fished them fast also pause and retrieve. Not the best lure to throw around real thick weeds, two trebles hang down that will catch weeds. With practice you can swim them through some cover. Don`t let us tackle collectors turn you into one, about 45 years or more of buying tackle for me and mistakes were made on tackle purchases. Time on the water will make up for some tackle, the ability to locate key spots where fish hold seasonally, a search pattern based on that. Easier to do from a boat, but you can learn from boaters even if you don`t have one, what shore line areas are they targeting? are they catching fish there? time of day they are catching fish? breeze towards shore or away when they are catching fish. Most lakes here don`t drop off too quickly, a pair of chest waders can get you past some of the shoreline junk if you are fishing a lake that it is safe to use them. I have caught bass a few yards away from me wading, just be slow and steady about it if you try. Baitfish near shore? a good place to try, they are feeding spawning or trapped against shore by game fish herding them, shallow water is a saftey zone for them from other species. Don`t spend so much on tackle that you don`t have money to use it. Any boat that can be used safely on the water you are fishing opens the door to more water to fish.

Hard to argue against soft plastics, but never limit yourself. Let the fish make the call.

Met a couple, few of the pros, class acts! Ike? sends me the wrong message. Good finish to the event though, basically rather see anyone else but Ike win.

Never fished lake O, a couple of inland lakes in western New York though. Bought a Muskie stamp even though I had no intention of keeping one or fishing for them, just to cover accidental kills. Fished in Ontario, New York, PA, and home waters of Ohio, 4 licenses with whatever else I needed (stamps) to be legal. Usually only kept a fish or two a year to eat. Pay to play? I don`t mind if I am in the game. From what little I have seen of New York waters compared to Ohio? I would rather fish there than here. Seems like they try to do a good job with the fishery and access and nothing is cheap any more.

All the best!

Caught smallies and walleye using them as a jigging lure late spring summer early fall on them. Favorites are still a heddon sonar or jigging rapala. Hopkins style spoons have also caught a few fish.

Depends on your view, 5 years of playing in a pool at work 3, 4, 5, times of hitting 80-90 bucks, enough to cover the next weeks entry money for the people involved. 5 years of chasing my wife off and on until she trapped me, still a big winner there. Managed to work long enough to get my retirement before I got too sick to work, so that was like a jackpot. Better to be happy than rich? At least content? Now if I could hit the health lottery, a few years in a boat to make up for lost time?

If you think crime is bad now? What until some thing bad happens, a different world today and I don`t picture people who never learned to do any thing constructive taking it lightly. Too many straw people in straw houses out there. Once the trucks stop bringing food into the cities the crime wave would move outward. Most economic experts here don`t think the economy will hit bottom this year, not a sunny forecast.

Part of the problem with the economy is people bought more than they could afford, with no thought for the future, eg. job loss, illness. Here in the states the savings rate is lower than most developed countries. Spending and debt are a good recipe for disaster. Nothing wrong with buying but you have to be smart about it. Don`t consume just for the sake of consuming, all you do is make other people rich.

No experience with legend boats, looks like a decent enough outfit, but like Dan I question the motor size. Mine was rated for 60 HP and came with a 35 as a package deal, always kicked myself in the butt for not upgrading to at least a 50hp. I didn`t need speed to catch fish, it is nice to be able to move around a little quicker on a big body of water, running time cuts into fishing time. Two good sized guys and gear will slow you down with a 30 hp.

I live in the country, 4+ acres of land, easily enough for a large garden, raise a pig or few, chickens, maybe a cow. LOL of course it would be on the wife and kids to do the work. City folks have fewer options because of lack of land. Have a wood burner, and get wood from Amish sawmills. Not real sure what to make of the economy here, just can`t see a turn around with the job loss rate. A job and one you can live on are two different things.

Black Jitterbug at night? LOL nothing like using one and listening to it talk as it comes across a dead calm surface, my favorite night time surface lure. That said I don`t use surface lures much at night, a few casts to see how aggressive the fish are then a switch to a plastic worm, lizard or jig and pig. They can find them easily in the dark.

A different situation for me I guess, disabled and I don`t get out much and have enough stuff now that I have trouble using, so I don`t need to add on, just fix stuff that breaks. Tank of gas can last 3 months or more. Wife works, kids work, don`t now how much more time I have to view the grass from the top so I am saving. 35% now and trying to reach 50%. House has been paid for now for a few years. That will change again when my daughter starts college this fall.

I have an older 17 foot SmokerCraft a little fancier layout inside and usable on Lake Erie, if the weather conditions are good. If not it`s an inland lake boat, mine has a 35 merc, rough weather you can`t get off the water quick enough. Second boat is a copy of my neighbors old boat, same motor, and slower than mine, good boat for inland lakes. Didn`t notice the price on boat 2 but boat 1 seems high.