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@Marine, one word of advise I will give you. Is don’t overwhelm yourself. You can try and take on too much when fishing. Sometimes the K.I.S.S method is the best approach when starting out.

I must have gotten ahold of some bad Short Mtn Tonic. GlitterRocket just posted about finesse fishing? The 2020 weirdness continues. Marine, all joking aside, sometimes just downsizing the line you are using in deeper water will get you more bites. Do the lakes near where you are moving stay at a certain level year round or do they fluctuate 20'-40' from winter to summer pool like the ones here in East Tennessee?

I really appreciate your kind words, Doug. It was a pleasure meeting up with you. Looking forward to learning all I can from you about making baits.

Well the bait business went to it's new home in West Tennessee yesterday and the guy that bought it is a great guy for sure and I think before long he will be making great baits. I will be helping him all through the process so he will be producing some great baits. I just want to thank all of you for your loyalty over the last 20+ years and hope that you can show Chuck the same once he is ready to go public. Softy

The end of one era generally means the beginning of another. The future might not be all that bad. That said, it’s not surprising to find that Doug engenders the same warm feelings wherever he goes. He’s an awesome dude.

Ditto to what The Honorable Mayor said. I own both Lew’s and Shimano’s- I have nary a negative remark about either. Keep an eye on EBay as sometimes there are some great deals on Top End stuff. Just be mindful of where the seller is located and I tend to stay away from buyers located in salty or brackish conditions. Also, there are Tons of closeout brand new Quantum KVD reels and rods since he is no longer sponsored by them.

Moonlites have a green LED that’s separate from the UV LED’s. It’ll light up a bank like the 4th, without giving a ton of glare like white would. They’re still the best lights on the market IMO.

Just wanna say thanks to everyone that recommended moonlite's, and a big thumbs up on an awesome product. Not to preach to the choir, but these things are awesome. I couldn't believe how small they were, no bigger than a cellphone, but 2 of em will light up a bank like the 4th of July. Insane how bright these things are. Best money I've spent on my boat.

Welcome to TNBF

Welcome to the site.

Welcome aboard... great site but even better people here!

Ross, I own 6 spinning rods now! One of which is a shaky head set up. Anyone who knows me may have trouble believing what I just typed, but it's TRUE. Now, your probably never gonna hear me say I can't wait to throw a shaky head, drop shot, or drag a little keitech around, but they do have their place and time.

There is braid and floro both that are specifically designed to glow.

The beauty of this area is versatility. You can find what you’re looking for on most of our area lakes. If you want to go super shallow and flip or frog you can do that and if you want to go deep and crank or finesse fish you can do that too. Keep asking questions, keeping a log is a great idea as airborne posted above. Some days you just have to chalk up as a learning experience and if you keep good enough notes you’ll learn just as much, if not more on the fishless days as you will the slug fest.

Yes, you can catch fish shallow pretty much all year round, and no you dont have to fish in 800' with nanobaits to have success. Success is a relative term tho. To some that might mean 5 or 6 bites a day, to others that would mean having a competitive tournament bag. If your just looking to get bit and you want to only power fish shallow, I think you can do that on most days. But learning about finesse fishing in deeper water will help you be a better fisherman and more competitive in tournaments. If your just "fun fishing" go do what's fun for you.

Black Lights will not show the bank, however the green lights will help with showing the bank/trees, etc. Black Lights are made to be used with fluorescent line- either monofilament, fluorocarbon or braid.

Copy. I'll be standing by . . .

First of all, thank you for your service, Devil Dog. You are (and always will be) a member of an elite fraternity. As for your questions: the only stupid ones are the ones you don't ask. Many of the doods on here will learn from the responses to your questions above. Your reports will help reinforce that learning. Power fishing is a relative term when fishing highland bodies of water. There will be times when the fish come up shallow (<10'). There will be times when 40' may not be deep enuff. Crankbaits may not be the power fishing bait of choice. You may need to consider weighted swimbaits, spoons/blades, underspins, heavy spinnerbaits, and heavy swimjigs to cover water quickly and efficiently. The Tokyo rig may be another. I've not used it but have seen it used as a power fishing presentation on some videos. The key is using something you can get and keep (the important part) in the strike zone. Ledges are an interesting kind of structure. Not all ledges are created equal. You'll want to target ledges that are close to shallower flats and channel swings. These will be places where fish can move to feed and back quickly, effortlessly. A little map study will help you ID these kinds of places. A little time over your electronix will help you dial in the locations that are holding fish. Couple things to keep in mind as you prepare to make your deep water power fishing trips: 1) Use the right gear. Throwing deep diving crankbaits will flat wear you out if don't have the correct rod. Do some homework on how the pros fish deep cranks. Ask some of the doods on here how they do it. Same-same for heavy swimbaits, swim jigs. 2) Semper Gumbi - remain flexible at all times. You may have 10 or 12 rods out for these trips. You'll want to cycle thru them all to get to the best solution for the conditions you're fishing. BPT tie on lots of different stuff, changing colors, body shape, bill length, etc as you work thru options. 3) Keep a notebook handy. Take notes on what does, does not work as you work thru your outings. As you build up a few pages you'll then have an informed start point. You'll gradually eliminate the guesswork and get to a place where you have some confidence in finding/catching fish. Finally, congrats on retirement. Airborne retired 11 years ago after 32 years on active duty. I find solace in fishing now. Many of my trips are with my Bros from my active duty days. Good luck w/ your move to KY. B

Hello all. Just got a new pontoon boat and am getting into bass fishing more. Hoping that I can learn a lot from all of you!!

welcome aboard! tons of good info on this site. encourage you to spend some time reading thru old reports - you'll pick up a lot of tips on baits, presentations, and navigation. look forward to reading your reports.

Awesome!

So, after weather, fighting fish and falling on them and general wear and tear, time came to do something about seats in the boat. New ones $389-$499 depending on whether on sale and how high buckets. Decided to have mine reupholstered. I used to have upholstery work done from a widow up the road. She has gotten to where she doesn't have the strength to do anything major but recommended her brother. I took mine to him and just got them back. Decided to leave the red panel out and go with two-tone grey. Other than trying to get the lag bolts on backs lined up, went smooth. He used heavier vinyl and cost $300 for the pair. He's in Jefferson City and does cars, boats and headliners. Says he used to do boat carpet but can't kneel down very well anymore.

3 words since I know you’re around Bristol. STEELE CREEK PARK!!

Hard part about Douglas, is it’s hard to access that river junction in winter. It’s usually too low to go past Leadvale, unless there’s been serious rain. As far as grass- go to Beech Creek (John Sevier dam). That place has more grass than Bob Marley

Loudoun is solid milfoil above and below downtown a ways

When do these baits work best? Is one (tube), better than another (grub)? How about shaky heads and football jigs? Please understand, I am not a skilled bass fisherman, just an ordinary Joe who wants to improve my chances on local lakes such as Cherokee, Douglass, and SoHo. Regards, bc

You'll find that there will be times when one style of plastic bait is better than others. The challenge is finding the balance - of options, of time to learn how to use those options, of space in which to store it all. Same-same for techniques (like shakyhead, football jig, etc). There are no hard-n-fast rules on when, where, or how. That's what makes this sport so addictive. There's always another piece of the puzzle to solve. Based on my [limited] experience here's how I pattern soft plastics: - winter - small finesse worms (ned rig, drop shot, and shakyhead), small flukes and worms (drop shot), small beaver style baits for jig trailers - spring - creature baits (c-rig), lizards (c-rig), larger finesse worms (shakyhead, wacky rig), stick baits (weightless, t-rig, and wacky rigged), swim baits (solid and hollow body) - summer - big worms (t-rig), creature baits (c-rig), small and large finesse worms (shakyhead, wacky rig), stick worms (same as above), big beavers (punch baits) - fall - swim baits, creature baits, flukes, trick worms I keep my plastics sorted by type and store them in small tote bags. That enables me to plug-n-play for an outing based on season, info from reports, and info from my journals. All of this is kept in one of the small compartments on the back deck. Not a lot volume-wise but a good variety. I'll adjust (add, subtract, upsize, downsize) based on what I learn in practice. Other things to consider: 1) Buoyancy. Not all plastics are created equal. Infused (salt, scent) baits are denser than water and sink. Others (Softy's baits, Robo-worm) are not so they float up off of the deck. Both catch fish. There are times when the characteristics of the plastic formula make the difference. 2) Hook size and weight. Light wire hooks for small profile finesse baits. Heavy wire hooks for big profile and punch baits. You'll want an assortment of J, EWGs, drop shot, flipping, and other kinds of hooks. Easy to pack a nice assortment into a small box or bag. 3) Weights. Think about weights and shapes. Heavier weight if you're fishing deep. A bullet shaped weigh if you're working it thru cover. Then there are specialty weights for drop shotting, flipping, wacky, the list goes on. The key here is to match the hook to your desired presentation and bait profile. Others will chime in here on metals used for weights. Some swear by tungsten. Others use lead. Others use brass. As with the hook, match your weight type to your presentation. This was a great question. You're thinking about the right kind of stuff. Keep it up!

Bass boats are awesome, and I’m glad to have one again. That said, I’ve caught fish out of kayaks, Jon boats, and off the bank. I’ve fished without sonar for years too. It all helps, but it isn’t absolutely required to enjoy a good day of fishing.

True. The upper reservoirs are harder to find cover, especially when the water is down. But it’s there. Just takes a lot of electronic work. The lower reservoirs are definitely easier though. I’ll certainly give you that. I grew up fishing Loudoun mainly, so it was a totally different ballgame when I moved up to the Jeff city/Morristown area, and started exploring those lakes up north. Buuuuuuuut, the good news is when you do find that cover, it’s usually very productive, because there’s so much less of it, and it’s isolated. Especially if it’s man made, and placed on very productive structure. Use your electronics, and also do some research online. I like using Navionics on the iPad- people regularly update locations of fish attractors and other cover, which can save you a lot of time aimlessly wandering the lake. But also, learn to read the actual lake structure, as that’ll be the most important factor in finding them. Random cover won’t be very productive, if it’s in an area devoid of any decent lake structure. Just my .02

Our lakes are far from being devoid of cover. On Douglas and Cherokee you have a TON of willow bushes and offshore rock piles, and bluff walls. Soho has the same, plus a bunch of laydowns, and more rock than you can shake a stick at. And if you idle around with your electronics you can find tons of brush piles (some planted, some natural). And Watauga has more laydown trees than all of the other three combined. The absolute best way to learn any (new) technique is to make yourself learn it. Do some research to see when the best times are to use a certain bait (tx rig, wacky rig, Carolina rig, shakey head, etc.) and make yourself go throw it by taking only that to the lake, river, or pond of your choice. I’m boatless at the moment, but I’d be more than happy to show you any of the above at certain times of the year. For example, a wacky rig excels around the spawn, a jig, or a shakey head can and will catch em all year long, a Carolina rig works well from April through fall, etc. Keep being hungry, Craig Powers said in a recent seminar that he did that he’s 57, used to be a professional angler (one of the best in the world) and what has made him a good fisherman is that he’s obsessive about learning.

Thanks. When the fish aren't up in crankbait, spinner bait, or topwater range, I am lost. Compound that with the fact that our lakes are deep and pretty devoid of structure like the southern lakes, and it gets complicated. bc

No one size fits all answer, but generally, I’ll use a shaky head in about any kind of conditions, unless the wind is really whipping, making it too hard for me to stay in contact with the lighter bait. Football head jigs can be used for a lot of stuff, but they really do well when the bass are sitting on offshore structure, especially humps. I’m certainly no Texas or Carolina rig expert, but I generally throw a T rig in shallower water, and switch to a C rig probing deeper stuff. As for tubes, I’ve never really used em, but I know people love to use em in shallow, clear water, near cover. Personally, I like using wacky rig in similar situations, when the cover isn’t thick (like boat docks, single tree trunks), and I’ll switch to a shaky head or flipping jig in thicker stuff (grass, brush, trees with a lot of limbs). But honestly, just experiment. You’d be surprised by what can catch what. Just in general, use lighter setups shallower, heavier setups deeper, and lean towards protected hooks in thicker cover.

Because a kayak is 1/3-1/6 the price of the jet ski, and honestly has a much better layout and storage capacity. I mean yeah, the jet ski obviously has more speed, but if I were gonna spend 5 figures, I’d just go ahead and get a boat. I checked the Fish Pro out, and it’s gonna have a niche I’m sure, but for me personally, it’s a horrendous setup for bass fishing. Doesn’t hold a ton of gear, rods standing vertically are in the way of casting, limited rod storage, and I know it’s got troll mode on that motor, but not even close to the same amount of control as a trolling motor, or a kayak, for that matter. Just my .02

So let me see if I'm following you here.....you want a new boat with above average electronics for under $15k?

Gheenoe is basically a squared back canoe, that you can put a small horse motor on. IMO, they’re overpriced for what they are, but may work great for you. Personal preference thing, I suppose.

I’m getting ready to sell a 06 skeeter sx180 with a 115 Yamaha for somewhere around 7,000 in just a few weeks

Hard to beat Tracker in that price range. The Classic has a lot of bang for the buck, for $11k. Add a couple decent graphs, and you’re still within your price point. As MM said, good kayaks loaded to the gills, for far less than a jet ski, and you’d be able to carry a lot more gear (believe it or not). Oh, and trading out motors for one with GPS, would still keep you in that price range on a Tracker Classic. Just giving you some options.

Lots of better options in your price range beyond a jet ski. A kayak for one, is a great choice and we'll under budget even with top notch electronics. Also, check your local sales ads and www.bassboatcentral.com for pre-owned boats.....lots of good solid starter boats out there in the $8-10k range.

The short answer is baitfish. It's about tome for that fall feed so the predator fish are keying on bait. Recommend using your electronix to learn where the baitfish are holding. If they're deeper spoons, drop shots, or a heavy swimbait head may be the best way to get something in front of feeding fish. If the fish are suspending you might consider a damiki rig or a-rig. A weightless fluke would be a great way to target fish working the shallows or holding on wood. I was on Cherokee 2 weeks ago and the topwater bite was killer. My next presentation was a squarebill - they wore that out, too. As the sun came up I switched to the jig and c-rig. This set of patterns held up for the entire week I was there. Everything I did, every place I stopped was based on the presence of baitfish. If I didn't see baitfish I didn't fish it. The transition from dead of summer to fall feeding can often be a fickle time for fish. Recent heavy rains can have an effect, good and bad. A little bit of time spent over your electronix can help break the code as to where the fish are holding.

Well, a lot of y’all know now. I took a part time job working as field staff for FLW. Depending on the year, I have to work between 12-16 tournaments as a boat official for blastoff/check in. One of the perks of the gig is a boat.

I need to buy 2 trolling motor batteries. 99 Ranger 518. Minn Kota 85 lb thrust. what type do ya'll recommend ??

both. When I first switched to AGMs, I noticed more thrust from the TM later in the day than before. As far as lifetime goes, I've had wet cell trolling batteries crap out 18 or 24 months after purchase. In my old boat, I had switched to AGMs & they were still kicking good when I sold it 8 yrs later. My new boat came with AGMs & they're all 3 6 yrs old according to the mfg date with no issues yet. What's hardest on TM batteries is the deep discharge a days fishing puts on them. One big thing to consider is boat weight. If your pulling around a big heavy glass boat for an 8 or 10 hour day, it puts a strain on the batteries. AGMs are designed to better withstand that deep discharge. And, as stated above, your charger needs to be compatible with AGM batteries.

I've looked at the Garmin Panoptics 3D and couldn't tell what i was looking at. Hummingbird 360 was a lot clearer. Just can't see spending that kind of $$$$ when a side scan at console and DI on bow would out you on fish just as easy. My

I bought the carbon fire from dick's in lefty to use with my flippin stick and I LOVE it... i'll be getting a couple of Lazer MGs soon enough

Over the past couple years, there have been a lot of questions about the best way to charge batteries in a bass boat application, both here & on BBC. With all the opposing views on the matter, I decided to do some research & try to nail down how to get the most out of a battery & extend its life to the maximum. Thought I would share what I've found. The most integral part is to know a) what type of battery you have & b ) the design of your charger. We all know there are 3 basic types of battery; standard wet cell(liquid acid with removable caps), AGM(Absorbed Glass Mat, the acid is absorbed into fiberglass mat & generally has a sealed case), and lithium ion(newest technology, extremely durable & super expensive). As far as chargers go, you need to know charging amperage(the amount of amps your charger applies to a battery at the peak of its cycle), charging cycle(how your charger cycles between hot charge, rest & trickle charge*very important: this is the life of your battery*), and trickle charge amperage(the amount of maintenance charge your charger applies after a battery has reached full charge. What I did, and what I strongly suggest you do, is contact your chargers manufacturer with your charger serial #, battery type & size & your boat set up/battery demands(what your batteries power & how often you drain them). I used to come home from a trip, plug in my charger & charge my batteries until they showed full charge. Unplug & let them sit until 12-24 hours before my next trip, when I would plug them back in to "top them off". This method has worked well for me with both wet cell & AGM batteries. Currently, I have a Noco Genius charger & 4 AGM batteries. According to Noco, their chargers are designed to be left charging all batteries when the batteries aren't in use. They have a built in management system that tends each battery to maximize its charge & extend its life. Depending on your style of charger & battery, there are several charging methods that are "best". There's no single correct method. Sorry for the long post, but there's some good info on a common topic. Hopefully, somebody can read this, alter their charging method & see a world of difference in their battery performance. I know I did.

Please post this on every forum you know of. We need to get the word out guys! Have you seen this? Hunting will be next! Please read all of this. WAL-MART GIVES $36 MILLION TO ANTI-FISHING GROUPS RFA Says Walton Family Foundation Supports MPA & Catch Share Efforts August 17, 2011 - Wal-Mart announced this week its efforts to help fund the demise of both the recreational and commercial fishing industry while also working to ensure that the next generation of sportsmen will have less access to coastal fish stocks than at any point in U.S. history. In August 16th news release from Wal-Mart corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, the Walton Family Foundation announced investments totaling more than $71.8 million awarded to various environmental initiatives in 2010, with over $36 million alone handed over to Marine Conservation grantees including Ocean Conservancy, Conservation International Foundation, Marine Stewardship Council, World Wildlife Fund and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). According to the release, the Walton Family Foundation "focuses on globally important marine areas and works with grantees and other partners to create networks of effectively managed protected areas that conserve key biological features, and ensure the sustainable utilization of marine resources - especially fisheries - in a way that benefits both nature and people." Scott Burns, former director of marine conservation at World Wildlife Fund and now director of Walton Family Foundation's environmental efforts, said money will go to "protect and conserve natural resources while also recognizing the roles these waters play in the livelihoods of those who live nearby." The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) countered that these specially managed areas of coastal waters are also referred to as marine protected areas or marine reserves, and the end result is denied angler access, of no benefit to the very people whom Wal-Mart claims to benefit. "A quick visit to the Ocean Conservancy website should be telling enough for anglers interested in learning where Wal-Mart's profits are being spent," said RFA executive director Jim Donofrio. "These folks are pushing hard to complete California's network of exclusionary zones throughout the entire length of coastline, and they've made it very clear that they would like to see the West Coast version of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) extended into other coastal U.S. waters," he said. The release said that targeted marine areas moving forward include Indonesia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico. "Here's an organization which has publicly opposed creation of artificial reefs used by Wal-Mart's tackle buyers, in some cases openly advocating for their removal, yet the Walton family is handing over tons of money for support," Donofrio said of Ocean Conservancy in particular. "Shopping for fishing equipment at Wal-Mart is contributing directly to the demise of our sport, it's supporting lost fishing opportunities and decreased coastal access for all Americans," Donofrio said, adding "I hope all RFA members across the country will remember that when it's time to gear up, but I would also wonder if perhaps our industry can help spread the message and support our local tackle shops by also pulling product off Wal-Mart's shelves." In April, RFA announced its support of a national boycott of the Safeway Supermarket chain (which also includes Genuardi's in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware) because of that corporation's support for California's MLPA initiative. "Apparently Safeway has gotten some bad advice from the people in the ocean protection racket, a community to which the California-based mega-corporation is now donating profits," said Jim Martin, West Coast Regional Director of the RFA. "Safeway says it is supporting groups that make a difference like the Food Marketing Institute's Sustainable Seafood Working Group, the Conservation Alliance for Seafood Solutions and the World Wildlife Fund's Aquaculture Dialogues, but it's little more than corporate greenwashing." RFA believes it's time that Wal-Mart was added to the angler boycott list as well. "The Walton family created this huge corporate entity which has threatened the vibrancy of our local retail outlets, and now they're essentially doing the same thing with our fishing communities," Donofrio said. "Much like Safeway has done with their financial investment in the environmental business community, Wal-Mart apparently prefers customers buy farm-raised fish and seafood caught by foreign countries outside of U.S. waters, while denying individual anglers the ability to head down to the ocean to score a few fish for their own table." According to the official release, the Walton Family Foundation is also working "to create economic incentives for ocean conservation," while candidly pledging their support for "projects that reverse the incentives to fish unsustainably that exist in 'open access fisheries' by creating catch share programs." "Our local outfitters and tackle shops along the coast have had to face an immense challenge by going up against Wal-Mart's purchasing power during the last decade, but now that the Walton family is so up front about their opposition to open access fisheries, it's hard for me to believe that any sportsmen would ever be interested in shopping there again," Donofrio said. "California anglers have been outraged to learn that money they spend at a Safeway grocery store might end up in the hands of extremist, anti-fishing groups like the EDF and the Ocean Conservancy, I hope more anglers will join the national boycott by sending a message to Wal-Mart as well as Safeway," Martin added. According to the Walton Family Foundation website, Sam and Helen Walton launched their "modest retail business in 1962" with guiding principle of helping "increase opportunity and improve the lives of others along the way." It is that principle the foundation says, that makes them "more focused than ever on sustaining the Walton's timeless small-town values and deep commitment to making life better for individuals and communities alike." RFA said grassroots efforts to combat the anti-fishing agenda are more than just an uphill climb. "The EDF catch share coffers are already filled to the top, while Pew Charitable Trusts has billions in reserve," Donofrio said. "When you add another $36 million annual commitment from the Walton family each year, I can't see how our local efforts can get anywhere unless the national manufacturers step up and openly denounce this corporate takeover once and for all." "The individual anglers and local business owners are being denied opportunity, and I hope the federal trade representatives are willing to get onboard with their support of real small-town values," Donofrio said, adding that Ocean Conservancy and EDF combined received more than $10 million in Walton Family Foundation grants in 2010. Here is more on the subject,,,,, WALMART MAY SOON BEGIN TO FEEL ANGLER BACKLASH RFA Said Nationwide Protests Against Walton Family Are Expected August 19, 2011 - The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) says angler and business response to the group's call for a nationwide Wal-Mart boycott have been overwhelming, to the point that coastal communities can expect to see some grassroots protest begin very soon outside of their local Wal-Mart corporate chain location. "We've had calls of support from both coasts, even from a few Midwest bass fishermen, our nation's anglers are extremely agitated by the Walton Family Foundation's actions," said RFA executive director Jim Donofrio. "When you spend your hard-earned money on fishing tackle only to learn that the profits are being used to close down fishing access, it gets folks justifiably upset." Earlier this week, RFA called on an angler boycott of Wal-Mart after learning that the Walton Family Foundation had awarded more than $36 million to groups like Ocean Conservancy, Conservation International Foundation, Marine Stewardship Council, World Wildlife Fund and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), in support of marine protected areas and catch share programs. Coincidentally, the Walton Family Foundation announcement came the same day that Wal-Mart stores' CEO announced to shareholders a 5.5% increase in net sales to $108.6 billion. While RFA said it received hundreds of positive responses literally overnight in support of the national boycott, there was opposition from at least two supporters of blanket marine reserves. "One gentleman emailed to say he'd gladly give up fishing today so that his great-grandkids will know what a fish looks like tomorrow," Donofrio said, adding "the problem of course is that these groups who want to get us off the water today don't want us on the water tomorrow either. The real sacrifice for our future fishermen is from those who are willing to fight right now for open access while it's under direct threat by anti-fishing efforts." "The fishing community supports conservation, but we're not willing to accept preservation, exclusion or privatization," Donofrio added. RFA said the EDF public relations department was also quick to respond in defense of their $7,086,054 Walton Family Foundation donation. According to Tom Lalley, communications director for EDF's Oceans Program (and RFA's newest Twitter follower at www.twitter.com/joinrfa), the money being contributed by Wal-Mart to close down oceans and privatize fisheries is actually coming from Wal-Mart's owners and stockholders, not the store itself. "The contribution was made by the Walton Family Fund and not Wal-Mart," Lalley said, calling the two entities different. "The fund's money comes from private holdings of the same Waltons who started and managed Wal-Mart, but none of the money comes from the existing company," Lalley explained, adding "it was the family, and specifically the family's foundation, that made a contribution for sustainable fishing and ocean conservation, and not the store." According to RFA managing director Jim Hutchinson, Jr., the marketing executives at EDF are some of the best in the 'astroturfing' business, but he calls Lalley's claims almost comical. "So I leave you a $1,000 bill in the cereal aisle at Wal-Mart, tucked under a box of sugar coated corn flakes, does that mean that Wal-Mart actually gave you the $1,000, or maybe EDF would argue it was really a contribution from Tony the Tiger himself," Hutchinson laughed. "The heirs to the corporate fortune have spent two decades successfully building back their stake in this publicly held company to the point they now own over 50% of the Wal-Mart operation. The Walton Family Foundation is Wal-Mart, and the Walton family itself is making billions in our local communities, so to say that the two are separate entities is simply ridiculous. Actually expecting us to believe that statement is borderline insanity," Hutchinson said. RFA is reminding anglers who are interested in organizing grassroots protests outside their local Wal-Mart store to consult with local authorities first. "We encourage peaceful protest, but every municipality has its own rules and regulations regarding active protest," said Donofrio. "If you're interested in picketing outside of Wal-Mart to express your anger over their support of anti-fishing efforts, call the local police department first to explain what you're doing and be sure to keep it respectful and follow the law," Donofrio added. About Recreational Fishing Alliance The Recreational Fishing Alliance is a national, grassroots political action organization representing recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry on marine fisheries issues. The RFA Mission is to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's saltwater fisheries. For more information, call 888-JOIN-RFA or visit www.joinrfa.org.

cherokee has no size limit on them. had a twra officer ask me why no one kept any. my guess was they probably thought they were bass, 15" limit, and not spot. just my

I think the Spotted Bass gets a bad rap also but I think it is because they can over populate a lake really quick and that in turn causes food shortages for the Large mouths and Small mouths which slows their growth. We did have a serious problem with the on Center Hill few years back. They had taken the lake over. The TWRA opened season on them on that lake for about 5 years and removed the limit of Spots that could be taken off the lake. I know many guys that went up there in the Fall and would bring back as many as a 100 or more in one trip and fill their freezers. After a 5 year gone wild no creel limit last year they put a 10 fish limit back on the lake because the Spotted Bass population was within check and it helped the Large mouths and small mouths begin to increase in size. On many lakes the prime bass on the lake is Spots. Lake Neely Henry is one that has 5 lb spots on it caught regularly, Table Rock is another with big spots on it. I do think they get a bad rap but then if not controlled like I said they will get out of control quick.......

I was curious about TWRA calling each blade on a spinner bait a lure, so I wrote them an e-mail about it. I was curious about how many blades a spinner bait can have and still be able to put a trailer hook on it. Well I got the answer back today from Bart Carter (Morristown TWRA) and thought I would share what I found out. Here is what he wrote: I would consider the blades as a lure and the body (skirt) of the spinner bait as a lure. This would give you three lures if you had a double blade spinnerbait. Under the current description, if you had three blades plus the body of the bait you would have 4 lures and would have to follow the restrictions for the umbrella rig. This means that 2 blades is the max with a trailer hook. You can have as many blades as you want without a trailer hook. I have been throwing a 4 bladed spinner bait some this year with a trailer hook and didn't even know it was illegal. I don't know if they would ever fine you over this, but it is the rule.

That's gotta be the biggest crock of s#!7 I've ever heard Thanks TWRA