I’m not quite sure how to comment on this story but in my opinion it sure does make me wonder just long he has been adding lead to the bass in his weigh bags and how many bass have died over time due to lead poisoning. The reason I dont believe this was a one time event for him is due to the configuration and complexity of his weight, it think it took some thought, planning, trial and error to perfect.

Below is a picture of one of the actual weights, as you can see, its not something that he just happened to throw together quickly. Click the picture for a full sized image.

I dont feel sorry for him but because he he willingly cheated and deserves anything he gets but I do feel for his former team partners Personally, I dont believe they were aware of Mike’s actions but because of his actions there will always be the Stigma of “Did they Know”.

I am glad that WON Bass is taking action on the matter and as I find out updates I will pass them on.

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon.

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

The following was posted by Bill Egan WON Bass Director of Operations on a popular Western Bass Fishing Forum.

“Mike Hart was suspected of placing unnatural items in the bellies of fish presented to our scales at the third day of fishing of the US Open, at Lake Mead, Nevada.”

“Here is what happened and how it played out!”

“As I was leaving the Callville Bay Marina Bar and Restaurant and weigh in location. I wanted to run by and check on our anglers whom were having motor or boat issues. As I drove to where Mark Niccoletti and Jordan from Anglers Marine, were working on some angler boats, I was flagged down by the Nevada Fish and game. They were filleting the fish that were collected after the weigh ins, which came to the scales “DEAD”. I told them that I would return in a minute or two, as I wanted to check on a few of our anglers. When I was able to return to the area where the staff was cleaning the fish that are to be given to local area homeless families, I was pulled aside and told of two different issues. One was regarding a AAA, that dumped a whole bottle of Rejuv in a livewell, and ended up killing all of his fish due to over Rejuv. Then the Nevada fish and game agent seemed to have a lump in her throat and a plastic bag in her other hand. It was mentioned, that they happened to be talking about the fish that were being filleted, and what the fish happened to be eating. One of the staff, decided by random to open up the belly of a fish and instead of finding a crawdad, a lead weight, with a fixed drop shot hook was found in stead. There were a total of four 2 oz ( not confirmed ) weights in the bellies of three separate fish at day two weigh ins.”

“I was sick to my stomach when I saw what was in the bags, it was like someone hit me in the stomach with a hammer. I decided to make sure that nobody, other than the people that were at the fillet station, found out that we had discovered the weights. Headed to the hotel to check in with tour stat girls, so they could look up the number of anglers, who happened to weigh in 3 dead fish on day two. There were only three anglers that day that brought three dead fish to the scales that day. It was decided between Harvey and myself, that the best way to handle it, was to pretend that we never found out, so that whom ever was responsible, would feel as if they had gotten away with it. We placed some paper clips to the said anglers weigh cards, as we were confidant that the AAA’s in no way had anything to do with what had happened, based on our findings.”

“Day three started at the scales and things were under way for the final day of the 2010 US Open. As the anglers approached the stage, I would look at the weigh cards waiting for those that had been clipped. As I look over, I see the first weigh card come up with a paper clip attached and nothing was found in his fish. The second clipped card came up, and same deal. As the third weigh card that was clipped came up, I saw Mike Hart at the bottom of the stage. I got on the mic, and announced his name, and made comments regarding the Castaicanator. Signals were given, and Mike’s fish were placed in the holding tank. As the fish are tested to make sure they are dead, I was called over by my TD, John Cassidy. As I approached the area, to feel the belly of the first fish I grabbed, it was obvious that there was something hard, and unnatural in the belly of that fish. I asked Mike to step to the side, as there was something we needed to talk about. The five fish were immediately set aside in a separate bag. Mike was escorted to the side where we had officials waiting. All five fish that had been presented to our scales by Mr. Hart where then gutted, and as most of you have seen, the lead weights where in all five fish. As I continued to keep the scales going, it was said that Mike had run. I was not made aware of the fact the Mike Hart was still around, until an angler came to me and said, that Mike was still here, but was hiding in a friends truck. I was taken to the truck, as Mike had requested to talk with me. I opened the driver side door, as Mike Hart was in the passenger side with the air on. As I got in the car, all the signs were there…… He was slumped in the chair with his hands on his face. He confessed to adding weights to the fish and was completely demoralized regarding his pour and completely unacceptable decision he had made by cheating. I mentioned that he had made it to easy for us to figure out, and it was only due to the fact that the Nevada Fish and Game happened to fillet and donate the meat to the local homeless families. I asked him, if he wanted to take the stage and face his friends family and fellow anglers, and he said he could not face it. I explained that we as a tournament organization will go after him with everything we have, and that I was troubled that we would have to make an example of him.”

Hi all, I realize this post has nothing at all to do with fishing but I thought I’d share it with you, let me take you back a little.

In my younger days I thought I was pretty much invincible. As a kid I used to play tackle football in the streets of my neighborhood and do some pretty crazy things on my bicycle, used to worry my mom to death. Then when in school I got involved in football and wrestling. I also got into martial arts. During these times I abused my knees but I didn’t think anything of it.

It was not until years later that I realized the damage I did in my younger days. My knees would hurt at times when I stood up or after long rides in cars. Over time the pain became more constant and intense. A few years back I went to the doctor and after some tests it was determined that I needed a total knee replacement in my left knee and would need my right knee done in a few years.

Now I’m about to share my deep dark secret with you, I am scared to death of needles! I know that nobody likes needles but for me it is well beyond not liking them. Everyone has their weakness, Superman’s is Kryptonite, and mine is needles. I realize that sounds kind of funny coming from a fisherman seeing how we get stuck with hooks from time to time.

So I’ve been putting off having it done for awhile now. I’ve been taking anti inflammatory and supplements and while they do lessen the pain it never went away. From time to time my knee would pop out of place making it very painful to even walk. It was at that time that I did some extensive research on orthopedic surgeons and found who I felt was the best in California. Then with some influence from my wife I finally decided that I really needed to get this done so I could get back the quality of life I had let slowly slip away over time.

I was told that I will get back full range of motion and best of all, the knee pain will no longer exist so I’ll be getting The Vanguard Complete Knee Replacement System this coming Monday April 5^th 2010.  You can read more about it here.

 http://www.biomet.com/patients/vanguard_complete.cfm

Oh yeah, I’ll be starting intense physical therapy on the following Friday, April 9th to ensure a full recovery.

Anyhow, my main reason for sharing this with you is to let you know that for at least the next few weeks I’ll kind of be “Out of it” due to the pain pills and physical therapy so please bear with me. While I will do my best to keep things updated here I cant promise anything. I believe that what I’ll miss the most is that I wont be able to go fishing for at least the next 3 months therefore I’ll be missing out on the spring bass bite. Oh well, that’s the price I’ll pay to get better.

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

The 2010 Fred Hall Long Beach show is quickly approaching. Beginning Wednesday March 3^rd through Sunday March 7^th at the Long Beach Convention Center in down town Long Beach of course. In addition to the huge selection of boats, booth exhibits, salt and freshwater tackle and of course all of the freebies, this years show will be loaded with hundreds of free seminars, Lowrance learning center, Special Luncheon seminars. Kids enjoy free casting lessons as well as free fishing at the Berkley Trout Pond.

While the majority of the show centers around salt water fishing ff course they will have my favorite section, the Bass Zone where countless vendor booths are setup with great prices on great tackle.

There are tons of things to see and do. One of my favorite is the bass tank. Boasting the Largest selection of fishing boats in California you can see a lot of different makes and models, You can check out the Quantum Kayak Center, See the Fin Nor Fashion Show, Visit the Triton Boats Freshwater Tank, Learn to Use Your Electronics at the “Hands-On” Lowrance Learning Center, Check out the Archery Lanes, Virtual Fishing Arcade Truck, Enter to Win various fishing trips around the world and the list goes on and on.

While I normally make it down to the show every year, this year I will not be able to attend. I recently found out that I’m going to need a total knee replacement. Between football, wrestling and martial arts in my younger days I abused my knees to much and now I’m paying for it. The doctor was actually surprised that I’m even able to walk as much as I do. Seeing how there is so much to see at the show I know my knee wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Admission is $15.00 for adults, $14.00 for military and seniors and free for kids 15 and younger. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the door. In my opinion if you’re a fisherman, salt or fresh, the total cost, including gas driving down, parking and admission fee is well worth it. Having everything a fisherman could want in one place is just like Christmas!

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon.

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

Recently I received an email from Liza at Team USA asking me if I would be willing to mention the upcoming Winter Olympics on my web page. Truth be told I was originally skeptical if her request was real or not. After doing some extensive research on her request it appears that this is legit and I feel honored that she took the time to personally ask me to mention it on my site.

This Friday February 12, the world will gather to watch top athletes from around the globe compete in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. This of course is the 21st Winter Olympics and the official Olympic moto is “With glowing hearts.” Our athletes from Team USA have been training their entire lives will take the stage to represent our country in hopes of taking the gold.

As I’m sure everyone knows, the United States is one of the very few countries that does not fully fund their Olympic team.  Your support of Team USA will be deeply appreciated.

Anyone who registers on Teamusa.org will have access to the latest info and will receive exclusive updates throughout the games

When you click on the below link it will take you to the Official Team USA home page where you can view Olympic updates, check out the profiles of our Olympic team, purchase Official Olympic gear and make donations to help support Team USA.

Umm, yes and no. I know I for one have always dreamed about catching the next world record, as I’m sure everyone reading this has also. There has always been speculation surrounding Perry’s record. For years there was speculation if a bass could actually grow that large. Then in 1991 Bob Crupi caught his 22.1 pound monster bass out of Castaic and thus it began.

In 1997 Paul Duclos caught what was reported as a 24 pound bass out of Spring Lake. Even though it was weighed on a verified scale as well as witnessed it was never certified as a world record. Of course the accusations came out of the wood work of cheating, etc. Personally I think the reason it was not certified was because Paul being the sportsman he is released the bass instead of killing it.

Then came the verified 25 pound Dottie out of Lake Dixon CA, see my post concerning her in the archives.

Well all, it finally happened, kind of. On January 8, 2010, after 77 years, George Perry’s world record bass has been officially tied according to the IGFA. Personally, I feel that the new world record bass is just around the corner.

Below is the official comments from the IGFA:

“Freshwater fishing’s “Holy Grail” now has dual holders; 22 lb 4 oz bass caught by Japan’s Manabu Kurita matches IGFA record held for 77 years by Georgia’s George Perry

DANIA BEACH, Fla. USA, (January 8, 2010) — After nearly six months of waiting, Japan’s Manabu Kurita is taking his place along side Georgia, USA angler George Perry in the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) World Record Games Fishes book as dual holders of the All-Tackle record for largemouth bass each weighing 22 lb 4 oz and caught 77 years apart.

Today the IGFA approved Kurita’s application for the fish caught from Japan’s largest lake on July 2, 2009. The 70-year old non-profit fisheries conservation, education and record-keeping body, received Kurita’s application and documentation on Sept. 19, 2009. The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), was caught from Lake Biwa which is an ancient reservoir northeast of Kyoto.

Kurita, 32, of Aichi, Japan, was fishing Biwa that July day using a Deps Sidewinder rod and a Shimano Antares DC7LV reel loaded with 25 lb Toray line when he pitched his bait, a live bluegill, next to a bridge piling. It was Kurita’s first cast to the piling where he had seen a big bass swimming. He only twitched the bait a couple of times before he got bit. After a short, three minute fight he had the fish in the boat.

Kurita was quoted as saying “I knew it was big, but I didn’t know it was that big.”

But big it was. Using certified scales, his fish weighed in at 10.12 kg or 22 lb 4 oz. When measured, the fish had a fork length of 27.2 inches and a girth of 26.7 inches. The IGFA only has line classes up to 20 lb for largemouth bass, so Kurita had no chance at a line class record as well.

IGFA rules for fish caught outside the U.S. allows anglers 90 days to submit their applications from the date of their catch. The documentation was received through the IGFA’s sister association the Japan Game Fish Association (JGFA). IGFA conservation director Jason Schratwieser said Kurita’s application was meticulously documented with the necessary photos and video.

Kurita’s fish ties the current record held for over 77 years by Perry who caught his bass on Georgia’s Montgomery Lake, June 2, 1932, near Jacksonville, Georgia. That 22 lb 4 oz behemoth won Field and Stream Magazine’s big fish contest and 46 years later, when the IGFA took over freshwater records from Field and Stream, it became the All-Tackle record now one of over 1,100 fresh and saltwater species the IGFA monitors.

IGFA All-Tackle records are now free for viewing by the public by clicking here. Kurita’s name is now on the IGFA Web site with that of Perry’s and will appear in the 2011 edition of the World Record Games Fishes book…. unless that record is broken this year.

The IGFA announced the decision at its headquarters with a live video feed carried on Bassmaster.com, one of the most popular fishing Web sites in the world and the official site of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS).

In North America the largemouth bass, and especially the All-Tackle record, is considered by millions of anglers as the “holy grail” of freshwater fish because of its popularity and the longevity of Perry’s record. That fish undoubtedly helped to spawn a billion dollar industry that today makes up a significant part of the sport of recreational fishing.

Schratwieser said, “The moment Kurita weighed his fish, word spread like wildfire. We knew this would be significant so we immediately contacted the JGFA for more information. Established in 1979, and JGFA compiles and translates all record applications of fish caught in Japan before forwarding to the IGFA.

“It works out well because they not only translate applications but can also contact the angler if more documentation is needed.”

It turned into a lengthy process

“Since the IGFA requires three months from the time of capture before a record can be approved, the official word would have to wait until October 2,” said Schratwieser.

“However, almost right away rumors began to circulate that Kurita may have caught his fish in a ‘no-fishing zone’. In response, the IGFA immediately corresponded with the JGFA to speak with the angler about this issue and to gather information regarding the legality of fishing where Kurita caught his bass. Official word came back that the location of the catch was not a no-fishing zone, but was an area where anchoring or stopping was prohibited. This spurred more correspondence with the JGFA and the angler, including affidavits asking the angler if he stopped his boat at anytime. Again, the testimony and affidavits that came back indicated that the Kurita did not violate any laws and that his catch was indeed legitimate.”

It didn’t end there.

A considerable amount of time and correspondence was to continue between the IGFA, JGFA and Kurita, a primary reason it took so long to come to a decision.

During this time, the IGFA was also besieged with letters and emails from the bass fishing community, said Schratwieser.

“Many were incredulous that the All-Tackle record could be tied from a fish in Japan. Others beseeched the IGFA to approve the record and give Kurita the credit he deserves. Still others wanted to know why the entire process was taking so long. It soon became clear to the IGFA staff that this would be a contentious issue no matter if the record were approved or rejected.

“The IGFA was also sensitive to this particular record because in past years there have been several attempts to sue us over largemouth bass record claims. Although none of these claims have been successful, they have resulted in considerable legal fees for the IGFA,” he said.

In the end, the IGFA staff concluded it would be both in the best interest of the IGFA and that of Kurita if he submitted to a polygraph analysis. The IGFA reserves the right to employ polygraph analyses to any record application, and this is explicitly stated in the affidavit section of the world record application form.

Again, more correspondence was issued to the JGFA to request that Kurita take a polygraph test.

He immediately agreed.

On December 15, Kurita was examined by a professional polygraph analyst in Japan. The many questions he was given included if he was truthful about the information reported on the application form and if his boat ever came to a complete stop while fighting his fish.

The results from the polygraph concluded that Manabu Kurita answered the questions honestly and that the catch was legitimate.

George Perry’s 77 year old record was officially tied.

Due diligence pays off

“Six months may seem like a lot of time to determine if a fish ties a record,” said Schratwieser. “Hopefully, people now understand the amount of due diligence the IGFA conducted on this record. Although we treat all records with equal rigor, the All-Tackle largemouth bass record is nothing less than iconic and the bass angling community deserved nothing less.”

Schratwieser added, “The IGFA wishes to applaud Kurita on his outstanding catch and would also like to commend him on his patience and candor during the entire review process. We would also like to thank the JGFA for their diligence and tireless assistance in corresponding with Kurita and fisheries officials.”

Biology and bass across the globe; where will the next record come from?

Largemouth bass have also been introduced in many countries but in Japan fisheries officials consider it an invasive species. In addition, because bass are not native and are stocked in Japan, many speculated that the big bass was a sterile triploid. However when biologists in Japan examined the ova of the big female, Schratwieser said they concluded that the fish was not triploid.

For over 77 years the record stood as bass fanatics theorized when and where the record would be broken. Over the years there have been rumors and unsubstantiated reports of bass that could have tied or eclipsed Perry’s record, but nothing ever passed IGFA criteria. Some anglers did come close, however.

Schratwieser said the closest came in 1991, when Robert Crupi caught a 22 lb bass in Lake Castaic, California USA, that still reigns as the 16 lb line class record and the third heaviest approved bass record in IGFA history.

“Most people thought that the next All-Tackle record would come from California. Until Kurita’s tie the seven heaviest bass records behind Perry’s came from California lakes. Although not native to California, it appears transplanted bass have adapted quite well to the deep, clear lakes and reservoirs and the abundant trout forage found in some of them.

“Little did people know that introduced bass grew big in places besides California, and that there are true monsters swimming on the other side of the world in Japan.”

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

I recieved this in an email and thought I’d share it with all of you. I dont have any ideal who the author is so I cant give them the credit.

Wishing you all a safe and happy 4th!

Happy 4th of July!
 
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG, OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA , AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

I watched the flag pass by one day.
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform;
so young, so tall, so proud.
With hair cut square and eyes alert,
he’d stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him
had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil;
how many mothers’ tears?

How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
when everything was still.
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant ‘Amen.’
When a flag had draped a coffin
of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
of the mothers and the wives,
of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea.
Of unmarked graves in Arlington .
No, freedom isn’t free.

Enjoy Your Freedom.

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

I recently received an email from the National Geographic Channel informing me that they were going to air a show that might be of interest to me and it sparked my interest so I did some research on it and it sounds like something that I know I would enjoy so I felt compelled to share the information with you.

The name of the program is Hooked on Bass and it will air on Monday February 2, 2009 at 7:00pm and then again at 10:00pm Pacific Time on The National Geographic Channel. Here in California the National Geographic channel is 186 on The Disk Network so be sure to check your local listings so you dont miss it. I can promise you that I for one will be setting my DVR.

I copied the following information directly from the National Geographic Channel web site that tells about the upcoming broadcast.

“The largemouth bass is more than just Americas most sought after freshwater fish. It fuels an entire culture of followers that pursue the bass at all levels for different reasons: weekend hobbyists, professional tournament anglers, and obsessed record hunters. Some fish to spend time with family and for relaxation, some for the challenge and the connection with nature, and others for the money and obsession. The pursuit of the bass has a $60 billion dollar effect on our economy by the 30 million bass anglers, a sport which has become the most popular outdoor activity in America. Three stories typify the culture of bass fishing, and happen on three different lakes across the country. In Texas, on Lake Sam Rayburn, weekend angler Rusty Clark fishes in one of the worlds largest amateur bassfishing tournaments. In New York, on Lake Oneida, Kevin Van Dam tries to secure his year-long quest to be the top professional in the sport. And in California, on Dixon Lake, three world record hunters obsessively hunt one fish that they believe to be the biggest bass of all time.”

As you can see, it sounds like its going to be a great program. They also have a short video clip showing actual footage of Dottie, the 25.1 pound largemouth bass that was caught by Mac Weakley at Lake Dixon in California on March 21, 2006 but was released because it was accidentally foul hooked and Mac is a true sportsmen. Dottie was the same bass thar Mac’s friend Jed Dickerson had caught in May 2003 when she weighed 21.7 and Mike Long had caught her back in April 2001. For the next 2 years Dottie was able to avoid being caught so the hope of catching the new world record bass still gleamed at Lake Dixon until May 9, 2008 when she was found dead floating on the surface. She died of natural causes and had apparently spawned out and weighed only 19 pounds, still a monster bass by any ones standards.

I for truly still believe that the next world record bass will come from the fertile waters of a California lake.

Be sure to either watch this program live or set your TIVO so you wont miss it. Check back here after the airing as I will be discussing the program and my views on it.

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

Its been a very stressful day at the office, it seems like its been a Monday for 3 days in a row now. Your co-worker is being a jerk and your boss is too busy to care. It seems like everything is breaking and everyone needs their problem taken care of first. The work day finally ends and its off to your safe haven, your home, also known in man terms as your cave.

You arrive home to find that the cooler had stopped working during the heat of the day and its over 100 degrees in your house. You look at the cooler and find that the pump has stopped working so its off to the local hardware store to purchase another. As it turns out the employees also have had a bad day so they are taking it out on you. Then you find that due to a decision by the corporate office, which of course is back in the cooler climates, they no longer stock the pumps because they are out of season. So its off to the the giant Mega Low Mart where you are forced to buy a pump of, lets just say not as good quality to get you through the next month and half of summer.

You arrive back home to install the pump and find that for some reason your automatic garage door wont open. You get inside of the hot box and discover that the electricity is not working so you go to call the electric company but of course without electricity your cordless phone wont work. You use your cellular phone and as it turns out the electric company has shut off the power to your entire neighborhood due to routine maintenance but neglected to inform you.

You try and remain positive, see the glass as half full and just let things go and remain in a good mood but its getting difficult because its still hot in the house even though the power is back on and the house is starting to cool down.

Then you get a call from your significant other and she has been having a rotten day as well because of some jerk that she works with and of course you want to go down to her work and pummel the guy for messing with her but you know if you did that you would end up in jail with a newly umeployeed wife. The little woman in bad mood, which is not a good thing, but with both of you being in a bad mood it is not the time to try and have any discussion because your both being unreasonable.

AAAHHHHHHHHHH! Whats a man to do? Me personally, I toss some food in the slow cooker, hook up the Champion or just put a couple rods and some tackle into the truck, leave a note on the fridge stating, “Gone Fishing” and take off to your nearest body of water. I’m fortunate enough to be the early person at my normal “9-5″ job so my working day ends at 2:00 which even after taking care of things around the house it still gives me at least a few hours on the water

I have people say to me quite frequently just how lucky I am that I get to go fishing all the time and that they never get to. I tell them that they have to make time to go fishing, to get out and relax. If you dont take the time to eat, oh sorry, I meant to say smell, the flowers once in awhile the internal stress is bad for you. Yes the price of gas is kind of high but when you need to get away, the financial cost is more than worth it to spend the money for peace of mind.

For me, fishing takes me back to good times. Back when I was a kid and didn’t have a care in the world. When toothpaste and toilet paper didn’t cost me any money, it was a simpler time. Yes, childhood can be rough but compared to all the responsibilities of adult life its actually pretty care free. It takes me back to good times fishing with my father, who has since passed on. I know when I’m fishing I often think about and miss him. He was a great man and role model. No matter how busy he was, working 2, sometimes 3 jobs to take care of his family, he would make time to take me fishing.

So I say to one and all, get out more often. Relax, become one with nature, explore that inner child we all have within us. Make time to relax. You’ll get back home relaxed and all of life’s “Tests” wont seem all that bad. Besides that you can reminisce of your time on the water, even though it might have been just a few hours, because you managed to catch a few nice ones and even if you dont catch any, you still were able to escape from it all, for at least a few hours.

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!
 

Many times I have been asked the following questions, “How did you know the fish would be there?” or “How did you know what they wanted?” My response is always, “You have to enter The Zone and think like the fish.” I’ve heard, “Your crazy” more than once, but if you stop and really think about my statement chances are, you might find that you have more than once applied that principal yourselves.

Lets say your out for a drive and realize your hungry, what do you do? I don’t know about you but I’ll go though a drive through and pick something to eat, preferably a Double Double with Grilled onions from In and Out. Or lets say your sitting in your living room in your Lazy Boy after a nice dinner watching TV and your significant other is dangling something like a chicken wing or a bird feather in front of your face. How long before you grab it and take it away from her?

Now try applying these scenarios to yourself if you were a fish. First lets approach the hunger one. Think like a fish, you’re swimming along, your stomach starts to rumble and you decide to stop and find a bite to eat. While you cant pull into a drive through you can find something almost as convenient. By instinct you would go to a place where the food was plentiful and easy to get.

You would look for some form of structure or current. Think about it, you as a fish seek refuge in structure, so do the smaller fish as well as crawfish. The more bait in a spot the easier it is for you to catch some. The same principals applies to current. When there is current it washes stuff, food, to a specific spot. This once again attracts smaller fish which in turn attracts bigger fish looking for a bite to eat.

Now I’ll approach the wife dangling something in front of your face. Remember, your still the fish here. Your sitting in your favorite brush pile, just pigged out on a big lunch of shad and crawfish, kicking back watching the world around you. All of the sudden something plops down into your living room. It proceeds to bounce up and down right in front of your face over and over again until it finally makes you mad enough that you have to react grabbing it to make it stop, or just to kill it or maybe because even though your full you will make room for that one more crawdad, remember the wife with the chicken wing? Either way you react to it.

Next time you go fishing try applying some of these tips and think like a fish. It just might produce more bites for you and hopefully produce more hookups as well.

Thanks for visiting my site. Be sure to tell all of your fishing buddies and come back soon!

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!

Yes, I am a big advocate of Catch and Release, especially when it comes to bass. Mainly because in most waters they are what is considered a natural resource. Sure they were originally planted years ago but since then most of our waters are not restocked with bass when the supply gets low. Think for a second, remember back when you heard Grandpa telling the stories of how many bass they caught back in the day and fried them up? How easy they were to catch and how plentiful they were. Yet now days it’s not all that easy. Yes, allot of bass have become conditioned and don’t bite as often as they used to but I believe there are less bass now then there were back then.

Please don’t take me wrong, I see nothing wrong with keeping a few bass from time to time as long as your going to use them. I feel that when you catch a mess of bass, place them into the freezer for 6 months and then end up throwing them out because they got freezer burn is wrong! The people that really get my shorts in a wad are the ones that keep over their limit including the ones under the size minimum. I have and will continue to report these people because they are nothing but poachers that are abusing the resource for the average fisherman.

Anyhow, back to the subject. I have to admit, nothing taste better than fresh caught fish and besides that it brings out the Gatherer, Cave Man Instinct, that is inbred in men. Me hunt and kill dinner, make fire, cook kill and eat! I have very fond memories of dad and I cooking freshly caught trout over a camp fire by wrapping them in foil, or frying up a mess of crappie fillets and hush puppies yummmm, just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

When the wife says she wants fish for dinner or my taste buds are just yearning for some fresh fish I’ll go out and catch a few for this purpose. Most of the time it will be Crappie or bluegill, which by the way are my absolute favorite. I also like the taste of striper’s, if they are prepared correctly.

Now I’ll share some tips for cleaning and preparing your catch. First, if at all possible keep the fish alive until your ready to clean them and place them on ice. Once the fish dies his meat starts to spoil so leaving him soaking in the water on a stringer will take away from the taste. If your not going to clean them right after they die place them in an ice chest with ice of course. This slows the decaying process. I personally prefer to clean my fish right away, and immediately pack them on ice for the journey home.

There are a couple things to be sure you do when cleaning them. In my opinion filleting them is the best way to go but if you don’t know how or just don’t want to go through all the hassle you can gut them and cut their heads off. If you want to leave the heads on make sure to remove the gills, these contain blood and will leave a bad taste. Also MAKE SURE you clean the blood cavity along the spine very well, including rinsing it. This is where allot of people mess up and wonder why their fish taste bad. If you follow these few simple rules your taste buds will be happier.

With the striped bass as well as other fish, when you fillet them there is a thin redish strip that runs along where the lateral line was, Trim this out and and get rid of it. If left on and cooked it leaves a bitter taste which soaks into the rest of the meat. 

Now for some tips to cook your catch. If your camping outdoors bring along some Heavy Duty Aluminum foil, some butter, lemon pepper and bacon strips. The simple lopping their heads off and removing the entrails cleaning method work best. Season the fish with the lemon pepper, place some butter in the cavity, wrap bacon around the fish then wrap it in foil. You can also stuff fresh veggies into the fish if you so desire. Then just place this package directly on the coals of the fire for about 7 minutes per side.

Another way is to bring along a cast iron skillet and some oil or butter and seasoning of your choice. You can either fry or sauté the fish. If you want to fry them bring along some bread crumbs or corn meal for breading. Prepare the fish anyway you desire.

Try this the next time your camping with family or friends and make some memories of your own. Just remember, Like is mentioned on my page, Keep what you can use and release the rest.

Until Next Time, Good Luck and Tight Lines To Ya!