Conference wahoo::fishing

    If you want my opinion, it is the sponsors of the tournaments that
    dictate no live bait. WHy would a tackle manufacturer sponsor a
    tournament and have the winner declare the reason for success was
    real worms/shiners. The purists will probably say "anybody can
    catch with live bait - it takes skill to catch with artificial
    equipment". 
    
    P.s. Rumor has it that DON MAC is developing a new "bass boat" -
         the grapevine mentioned something about him capping off his
         4x4 toyota, waterproofing the engine compartment and going
         to the next tourney without a boat and just driving the new
         Submersible toyota into the lake.

     Don't get me wrong, There are no better baits to use than live bait.
     All artificial baits imitate the real thing.   BUT
    
    Ask yourself one question:  When you fish with live bait, where
    are most of you fished hook?  Most people I know would say very
    deep.   Take shinners for instants.  They would let the fish run
    a little before hooking them.  The hook ends up deep and the fish
    is ether keep for the food or released and dies.
    
    Artificial baits hook fish in lips and jaws.  These places do less
    damage to fish and they have a better chance to survive the catch.
    
    B.A.S.S.  as well as any bass fishing competition promotes catch
    and release of bass.  In most states it is not a "stocked fish"
    so the anglers who go out and catch numerous fish every day would
    drain a pond of its reporduction power.  

    I leave with one thought.  Remember that big hawg you caught, and
    how happy and proud you were.  Just think of how happy you would
    feel cathing anouther just like it!!!!!!! or watching a youngster
    catch a big fish just like that.
    

    Bob
      I agree with your thoughts on "Catch and release".  I was just
    curious as to why the tournemants were set up for artificials only.
    Your comments on how the fish are hooked makes sense.
    thanks
     Jeff

    I will tell you a story....about live bait..
    This was during last year's MASS TOURNAMENT of Chapions,  I was
    fishing this big old tree that was in the watewr since my gandfather
    was my age.   Well I knew there were fish on it.  I threw every
    thing I had.  Well this little old man walks down to the water with
    shinners and a bobber throws into the tree and reels in 3 nice bass.
    
    NO matter how good an atrificials looks it takes lots of skill to
    catch fish when they are very picky
    
    Bassin Bob
    

  RE.2    Beautifuly said Bob....
    
    	Just last night, I was fishing at my local Bass Hole. I was
    using a plastic worm ever sooo slooowly. This little snot-nosed
    brat walked up draging 3 little Bass on a stringer and carrying a bucket
    full of shiners. "Any luck mister?" he said "not tonight" I said
    The kid said "You should use minnows". Just then I nailed a 15in bass.
    "You should learn how to fish" I said, as I let it go.
    
				  
    
       			BUCKETMOUTH
    PS:
    Maybe I should have been a little nicer, after all that is the same
    way I learned to love fishing. Fortunatly I learned to love the
    fish that gives me so much fun before it was too late.					

       Having just found this noter's paradise, I just have to make
     a comment about live bait. It don't matter what you got, it's 
     how you use it!
    
    
     Rebel_turned_yankee

        There probably isn't a BASS fisher out there that didn't start
    with live bait.  I know I did, but getting the technique to use
    the proper color, size, and style lure is a real challenge.  If
    you are into catch and release, I have to agree with Bob,  it is
    the best way to keep the fish alive.  I save the shinners for ice
    fishing.  Even then I release what I catch.  BUT if I land the 8
    pounder,out there waiting for me, it will go up over my bar.  I
    dont think there is anything wrong with a trophy.  What do you think?
    
    Les   
    

    The only time I've used live bait was down in Florida, HAWG'N, looking
    for a mount - and up here through the ice.  Personally, tossing
    a shiner or drowning a worm is just to plain boring for me...  I
    enjoy the challenge of artificials...
    
    Don Mac - on vacation
    
    RE: .1 - Al, come on now, I'm not gonna let you buy all that
    stock you wanted (for my project) if you go telling everbody all
    the details....  PS:  I'll be getting back to ya on the cap, I've
    been on vaca this week, and have been real busy - FISHING!
                 

    I have no problem with the fisherman who wants a wall mount.
    
    Just remember..  Keep the big one or set a high goal, this way
    you will not say well it's bigger than the wall mount so I have
    to keep it..
    
    Bassin bob  who has a wall mount of 14lbs 8oz
    
    P.s. The wall mount was caught on live bait!  Sorry!
    

    Hey Bob,
        Where did you catch the 14 pounder?
    
    Les

    Wall mount of 14lbs 8oz.?
    
    What 8oz O' fish and 14lbs of wood it's screwed to? ;-);-)
    

    In 1979 I took an oath as a WESTERN-BASS member................
               "the next one I keep, goes on the wall" 
    I now have an Oil Painting, Some still photos and alot of other
    odds and ends. NO FISH!!! I landed an 11.6 in 1981 at Lake Parris
    in CA., 7th place in the tourney. The 1st place fish 15+ was let
    go also. If this was not a catch & release tourney, The SOW would
    be on my wall.  

    P.S. This was on a 3/4oz jig & pig. I think the state record 21+
         Was taken on a plastic worm.         
                                      
    
    
    			BUCKETMOUTH

    That fish was caught in UMATILLA Florida in a small pond in 1975
    BBp
    

    
    
    Re: .7
    
    Now that I know you have a bar, I'm really interested
    
    
    TCDW/BDW
    
    

    Re: .13
    
    OK,       
    
    Who caught the fish
    
    

    Guess who I saw fishing with a gob-o-worms at the boat launch
    last night?

    Hint - Rumor has it that that is how he won the ABC tournament 
           2 weeks ago.

    Keith

    Ok, Ok, Ok.... I admit it...
    
    Keith and I did his honeyhole last night, in his boat.  Anyway,
    never having been there before, I decided to head up there an hour
    earlier than we had planned to meet so I could do a little wading.
    It only took about 15 minutes to discover that the bottom was WAY
    to mucky for wading.  So, after hanging my waders to dry, and preparing
    my weapons for the night's hunt, I cracked open a beer and sat on
    my tailgate to wait for Keith.  About 5 mins before Keith was due
    to arrive, I spotted what appeared to be a container of worms. 
    So, I checked them out and sure enough there was a dozen or so worms
    in there.  Well, I had already tried casting mu lures from the launch
    and it was obvious there was nothing but kibbies around there, so...
    what the hell... I tied on a small hook, hooked on a glob of worms,
    took one cast, the kibbies attacked, and Keith pulled up...........
    
    WELL EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!
    
    PS: only one of us got skunked last night.... and it wasn't me!!!!!
    
    Don Mac