New 2013 big bass thread

[IowaBasser]

Lake Okoboji in northwest iowa is an absolute smallmouth factory and with a state record of 7.5 pounds I'm going to try to get up there this year. Okoboji Eagle has already mailed me a map with some of his favorite spots! Okoboji is home to Berkley and is a favorite small mouth lake of some pros who can fish anywhere in the country. A 5 pounder isn't uncommon - that's a 65% fish. Look out!

[kennethdaysale]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

That's a good idea Sammy. I will definitely keep it as a fish post only thread. One for every month might be a good way to break it up.

This is a prime example of where someone with admin/mod capabilities would be helpful. A thread with only contender fish but since that's not going to happen Joe we'll leave it up to you to figure something out. Push come to shove I don't mind flipping through a few pages to find out who's who. John asked me to start a new "clean" thread, so I started this one.....we can see how well that worked out. I'm sure we'll manage.

**edit** Just for fun for the past couple of years I've been stealing peoples identity. Then I've been slowly paying of their past due debt and judgements, opening new accounts and keeping them current and raising their credit scores substantially........it's fun

[MississippiBoy]

Originally Posted by kennethdaysale

This is a prime example of where someone with admin/mod capabilities would be helpful. A thread with only contender fish but since that's not going to happen Joe we'll leave it up to you to figure something out. Push come to shove I don't mind flipping through a few pages to find out who's who. John asked me to start a new "clean" thread, so I started this one.....we can see how well that worked out. I'm sure we'll manage.

Yeah, a moderator could stick either an official contest thread, or monthly contest threads, at the top of the page, lock it so nobody else could post on it, and post the entries himself. So there would be no clutter to sift through to find the submissions. Too bad nobody's a moderator....

[WatterBoy]

Originally Posted by kennethdaysale

This is a prime example of where someone with admin/mod capabilities would be helpful. A thread with only contender fish but since that's not going to happen Joe we'll leave it up to you to figure something out. Push come to shove I don't mind flipping through a few pages to find out who's who. John asked me to start a new "clean" thread, so I started this one.....we can see how well that worked out. I'm sure we'll manage.

**edit** Just for fun for the past couple of years I've been stealing peoples identity. Then I've been slowly paying of their past due debt and judgements, opening new accounts and keeping them current and raising their credit scores substantially........it's fun

Originally Posted by MississippiBoy

Yeah, a moderator could stick either an official contest thread, or monthly contest threads, at the top of the page, lock it so nobody else could post on it, and post the entries himself. So there would be no clutter to sift through to find the submissions. Too bad nobody's a moderator....

Having someone with admin/mod capabilities would make way too much sense. Let's never do that...

[aikenyounggun]

Got confused on one of the posts from the last page. Private waters do count right?

[kennethdaysale]

Originally Posted by aikenyounggun

Got confused on one of the posts from the last page. Private waters do count right?

yes........................

[aikenyounggun]

Ok, I was worried there for a second. Thought I might have gone from have very little chance, to no chance at all.

[MississippiBoy]

Ok, it's official.....you're all playing for second place, now that I have my secret weapon:

http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/descp...ml?PCODE=MLDTT

READ 'EM AND WEEP, BOYS!!!

[joedog]

WOW, almost a pound. 14.4 ozs.

Toss that all day.....you deserve first place.

[1/4 stick]

Originally Posted by Jrob78

That's a good idea Sammy. I've been meaning to start a new thread with all the weights from all states in participation. I just haven't done it yet, I really need to though. I will work on it tomorrow while I'm slacking off at work. I will definitely keep it as a fish post only thread. One for every month might be a good way to break it up.

Just a sugestion cause I'm not sure how many folks here use facebook, but we could create a page for the contest alone.

[bassinbob]

Hope Matt sells a down sized version. That thing looks sick.

[bamabassman]

when i saw mb's post...i thought he had talked LISA into going in his boat to fish, not mine. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

[bluebasser86]

Well fellas I hate to do this this early on but my buddy John and I hit one of the powerplant lakes today and I got a good one. It was a pure luck deal as I was snagged with my crankbait and she actually ate it off the rock when I was doing the bowstring pop to try to get it loose. She fought forever and was barely hooked when John got her in the net. First time I weighed her she went 8.01 but when I weighed her with the camera she went 7.76 so I'm guessing she must have had some water in her mouth or something? Great fish either way. 22" long, 17" around on a chartreuse/black back Spro Fat John crank. 124/184=67%

[kennethdaysale]

W W W Way to go!! and actually I'm glad you posted a good fish early in the game for a couple of reasons. To tie you I've got to catch a 10.8 so that fact helps me focus a little clearer and I won't waste time weighing 8 and 9 pounders. Also, and I don't want this to come out or be interpreted the wrong way but 67% is going to let the wind out of the sails of probably half the field...so be it...anyone with even a little competitive experience could see that coming. Lastly I'm only 90 minutes away from SC's only real smallmouth fishery and was deciding whether or not to ride over there to those fish to increase my odds.....now I know. Thanks blue and congrats again!!!

ps If I was you I'd probably just focus most of my efforts the rest of the year on those big wipers and cats yall got up there

[bamabassman]

ok blue...........IT'S ON NOW BUBBY!!! great way to start it off for real man. that is a BEAUTY!!!

[aikenyounggun]

I saw this in the bragging board and was just like "oh crap", least we have a benchmark.

Great fish though, and those spro cranks just magically catch fish it seems like sometimes. Great job starting the contest out right!!!

[Bassboss]

Toad!! Congrats on the fish, she's a beaut!

[joedog]

Clayton why did I know you'd be out of the box fast?

GREAT BASS!!!

I love to see it.
Cabin fever and all! I always RESPECT an angler who will fish anytime, anywhere, any weather.
It may have been 'luck' in your eyes, but I think we make our 'luck'.

My whole intention for this whole contest was to actually break a record.
I only can do Wi. Math so you know there wasn't going to be any percentage calculations involved with me setting a goal.
Seriously though.
I need to set obtainable goals to help me towards success in anything. So my actual starting point was 8lbs. Felt needed that to compete.
There are a lot of good anglers in this contest with access to a lot of GOOD water.

But I'll confess. I really am going to fish my 'strengths' and try one or two new presentation/setups a week or work on those that need work to become more efficient and have more FUN.
I am fortunate to have a lot of waters to fish and almost all can produce an 8lber.
I don't intend to fish bigger baits or smaller. I'm always changing as a norm anyway.
I'm just going to go out and become a better angler. also helps to set small goals too.

I intend to create some luck for myself.

And yes blue, bettering YOU is now part of the 'GOAL' list!

Mr. blue, again, great fish and congrats on a good start!

[Jrob78]

Congratulations Blue! Way to get it started! Also, great job on the pictures! That one is going to set the tone for this thing.

[IowaBasser]

holy $#@*!

[bluebasser86]

Originally Posted by kennethdaysale

W W W Way to go!! and actually I'm glad you posted a good fish early in the game for a couple of reasons. To tie you I've got to catch a 10.8 so that fact helps me focus a little clearer and I won't waste time weighing 8 and 9 pounders. Also, and I don't want this to come out or be interpreted the wrong way but 67% is going to let the wind out of the sails of probably half the field...so be it...anyone with even a little competitive experience could see that coming. Lastly I'm only 90 minutes away from SC's only real smallmouth fishery and was deciding whether or not to ride over there to those fish to increase my odds.....now I know. Thanks blue and congrats again!!!

ps If I was you I'd probably just focus most of my efforts the rest of the year on those big wipers and cats yall got up there

Glad I could help bring you some focus I hope that I didn't ruin anyones hopes of winning the contest. Like I posted a couple days ago the 7.51 I caught in January was the second biggest I'd ever caught in Kansas in 26 years of living here, until yesterday, now it's the 3rd biggest. I never would have guessed I'd get another one and even bigger than that this year.
Now I'll probably be hunting for that 5lb smallie the rest of the year except for a couple trips I hope to make to the trout pit in SE Kansas. It's a very deep strip pit they stock 8-12 inch trout in biweekly all year. There's state records in that pond, I've seen them

[1/4 stick]

Wowzza!!! Congratulations Blue!!!

[WaffleJaw]

Great fish and great start!! ....Were just starting to see some females on beds....Im very curious to see the % in the next month or so....Regardless, a high bar is set! congrats.

[IowaBasser]

Now I'm gonna either need a really really big fish ...or a really really crappy scale.

(Next week I'm going fishing for the first time this year - though it's gonna be through a little hole and 20 inches of ice.)

[MississippiBoy]

Great....I'm gonna need a 12.14 pound fish just to tie that one. Calling Panther, here I come.....