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Joined: Jul 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2005
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I think that I'd love to try a local tournament though.
My club is fishing seven local tournaments this year, let me if you would like to come as a guest some time at one of them. Here are the "local" lakes we plan to fish. Burchard April 19th Summit May 10th Bilby Ranch (MO) May 31st Czechland June 14th Wildwood June 28th Roy Lake(SD) July 19th Walnut Creek Sept. 13th.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Hall of Fame  Lunker
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Now the rest of the story�..don�t be too harsh with me...  I personally have a strong dislike for tournament fishing, and in many cases tournament fishermen. I have been cussed at, blasted off the water by 75 mph bass boats, and run off my favorite fishing spot by a camera crew, which incidentally produced the winning stringer for a Classic Bassmasters Tournament. I realize that tournament fishing has resulted in light speed developments of high tech fishing equipment, but I cringe every time I see �fishermen� making money from public waters, racing up and down lakes, dressed in Nascar outfits. Please forgive me � I throw myself on the mercy of the court...  George, You're not alone. Competitive fishing turns me off too, but I do realize there are different strokes for different folks so I tolerate it on our local lakes. I take that back. I don't fish public waters anymore due to the crowds. Much more peaceful at the ponds. Even with a major highway right next door!  I also profit from those public lakes as a fish taxidermist.
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 03/14/08 01:43 PM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,598 Likes: 37 |
There is a big difference in competitive fishing for bragging rights only v. competive fishing for big $$$$$$$$$. One is very cut throat, the other is much more laid back. I'll stick with the "bragging rights" tournaments that I like to fish. One thing I can tell you is that smaller bodies of water definately do fish differently than large reservoirs, most money tornaments are held on "big water" and take time to get used to.
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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There is a big difference in competitive fishing for bragging rights only v. competive fishing for big $$$$$$$$$. One is very cut throat, the other is much more laid back. I'll stick with the "bragging rights" tournaments that I like to fish. One thing I can tell you is that smaller bodies of water definately do fish differently than large reservoirs, most money tornaments are held on "big water" and take time to get used to. Being more fish wouldn't there be less "conditioned" fish on larger bodies of water? When I say conditioned fish I mean fish that learn to avoid certain baits after having been caught on them several times.
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 03/14/08 02:03 PM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,598 Likes: 37 |
Being more fish wouldn't there be less "conditioned" fish on larger bodies of water? Not necessarily, take Lake of the Ozarks for instance, I have heard that 60% of the bass in the lake reside within 5 miles of where most of the tournaments release their fish near one particular bridge, the lake is 90 miles long, there are tournaments there almost every day during the summer. Also keep in mind that the primary forage base in large lakes is more shad oriented rather than sunfish oriented. The bigger bass tend to follow the shad in open water and suspend more, suspended fish can be tough to catch. IMO the big bass you need catch to win tournaments on large reservoirs are tougher to locate than they are on much smaller bodies of water. Throwing a 3/4" oz. jig-n-pig in 20-30 ft. of water is not a typical pattern for a smaller lakes with sunfish as the primary forage, this pattern does work well on large reservoirs with shad as the primary forage though.
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Joined: Apr 2003
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Lunker
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Lunker
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Good info, Shorty.
I've grown up fishing either ponds or the BIG lake (saltwater), so I wouldn't have the first clue how to target fish on big lakes. What you're saying makes a lot of sense to me, though.
"Only after sorrow's hand has bowed your head will life become truly real to you; then you will acquire the noble spirituality which intensifies the reality of life. I go to an all-powerful God. Beyond that I have no knowledge--no fear--only faith."
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Being more fish wouldn't there be less "conditioned" fish on larger bodies of water? Not necessarily, take Lake of the Ozarks for instance, I have heard that 60% of the bass in the lake reside within 5 miles of where most of the tournaments release their fish near one particular bridge, the lake is 90 miles long, there are tournaments there almost every day during the summer. Also keep in mind that the primary forage base in large lakes is more shad oriented rather than sunfish oriented. The bigger bass tend to follow the shad in open water and suspend more, suspended fish can be tough to catch. IMO the big bass you need catch to win tournaments on large reservoirs are tougher to locate than they are on much smaller bodies of water. Throwing a 3/4" oz. jig-n-pig in 20-30 ft. of water is not a typical pattern for a smaller lakes with sunfish as the primary forage, this pattern does work well on large reservoirs with shad as the primary forage though. Interestingly on our local natural lakes I notice the tournament fisherman target the smaller fish in the shallow water which are more of a sure thing vs. the harder to catch bigger bass in deeper water.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,598 Likes: 37
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,598 Likes: 37 |
A stringer of large bass wins tournaments every time. The guys that typically do well on these large reservoirs have also put a lot of time in on those big reservoirs too. They know which main lake points are likely to hold big fish, frequently intimate knolweldge of the lake is more important than raw skill. The one time of year the shallow water guys are on more equal footing with the big bass is when the spawn is on.
One other thing to consider is that most big reservoirs are damned up river systems and CURRENT does play a big role bass behavior that it doesn't on smaller bodies of water.
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 2,587 |
Bruce -- I did fish once in a local BASS tournament as a coangler when I was still working in Kansas. The reservoir was very high and muddy, and the bass just weren't biting. Within a couple of hours, I had a spinning rod and jig out, and was catching crappies off the back of the boat. My serious partner kept at it. Would you believe that in the last half hour of the tournament, the bass turned on and he won the tournament in about a half hour. However, he spent the first 8.5 hours without a bite! There probably are some special skills in that story, if you really want to be a competitive angler. Oh, you probably wanted to know pattern? He caught them on a buzzbait at 2:30 in the afternoon in the flooded grass lawn in one of the state parks on the lake! Cripes!
Subscribe to Pond Boss MagazineFrom Bob Lusk: Dr. Dave Willis passed away January 13, 2014. He continues to be a key part of our Pond Boss family...and always will be.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Jul 2005
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Oh, you probably wanted to know pattern? He caught them on a buzzbait at 2:30 in the afternoon in the flooded grass lawn in one of the state parks on the lake! Cripes! Dave, that reminds me of story I heard about a guy winning a tournament throwing a buzz bait down flooded rows of corn stuble and around a combine that was still in the flooded field. 
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114 |
I dont want to brag, but I am sure some of you have seen my tournament skills and the ability to land the WHOPPERS. 
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 8,854 Likes: 3 |
Those would've won the classic in Pittsburgh two years ago...
Holding a redear sunfish is like running with scissors.
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,114 |
I know, I just do not like to brag......
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,960 Likes: 20
Moderator Lunker
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You need to learn how to fish submerged roads and campgrounds.  
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Speaking of flooding does anyone know if Devils Lake in North Dakota is still getting bigger?
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Ambassador
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Don't know squat about tournament fishing but I agree with Dwight. In my experience if you take a hobby and turn it into a job it completely changes the enjoyment factor.
If ya ever did decide to pursue it though Bruce and you made it out to the left coast I can tell you that DIED is the guy to partnership with out here. The guy is a fishing machine and he really knows the lakes out here.
If they ever have a tournament for catching small bass Fatty you and I should team up. I seem to have a knack for catching fish that make people burst out laughing.
JHAP
~~~~~~~~~~
"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives."
...Hedley Lamarr (that's Hedley not Hedy)
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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Jeff, Been there done that with the taxidermy. Started out with it for my own enjoyment and it was a blast. Did it part-time and it still was fun and extra money. Now at full-time it's a grind and every month the wife has her hand out and asks, "How are you coming on the house payment?" I swear to God that monthly house payment comes every two weeks!  The ponds and fish sales are the only thing that keeps me sane!
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Cecil 1 says: every month the wife has her hand out and asks, "How are you coming on the house payment?" CB1 - If someone wasn't putting on the pressure to pull your own weight you would be fishing all the time. Be glad you're always playing with fish instead of assembly line work.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 03/15/08 01:10 PM.
aka Pond Doctor & Dr. Perca Read Pond Boss Magazine -
America's Journal of Pond Management
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Moderator Hall of Fame 2014 Lunker
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Bill don't make CB1 mad while he is still working on our project. I am afraid he might make a Bill Cody look alike YP. It would be a shame if your likeness in a YP was there for all time at SDSU. --  -- 
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Hall of Fame Lunker
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The project is no problem. In fact doing projects like that is a little different from the humdrum of daily work. It's more creative hence more fun.
If I could do photoshop I'd put Bill's head on a perch but I'm not that good yet.
Bill you do have a good point! All I know is I will feel like a rich man once my house gets paid off. I just hope the same thing doesn't happen to me that happened to my parents once they got their house paid off (and early). Their taxes ended up being as much as the house payment!
Last edited by Cecil Baird1; 03/16/08 08:59 AM.
If pigs could fly bacon would be harder to come by and there would be a lot of damaged trees.
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Ambassador Lunker
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........
If ya ever did decide to pursue it though Bruce and you made it out to the left coast I can tell you that DIED is the guy to partnership with out here. The guy is a fishing machine and he really knows the lakes out here.
If they ever have a tournament for catching small bass Fatty you and I should team up. I seem to have a knack for catching fish that make people burst out laughing.
my ego thanks you jeff, but i can get skunked w/ the best of them. and dont sell yerself short, recall that 9.5-inch green sunnie?, and with all the forage in the pond......yer dancin eel and a good tube bait you'll be slayin the pigs this summer...
GSF are people too!  
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