# Why (most) $5 hardbaits SUCK



## Tokugawa

Here's the EXACT reason that most $5 hardbaits suck.

I bought this early bait last year. Zoom in...when you get past the obvious crap finish, you'll notice that the split rings and hooks are rusting. Even worse, the hook anchors are rusting too...so changing out the hardware won't matter. This $5 bait is now a detriment to every bait in the box. 

 

How do I know that? Look at the hardware on the other Strike Kings. Rusted...and they were barely used. It is spreading to the Rapala split rings too. Thankfully, I'll swap those out for nickle coated ones and they'll be fine.

 

So... a "cheap" $5 bait is ruined after a year. It took two other "cheap" baits with it for a total of $15. It almost took out two more baits worth another $15. Given another month in the box, it surely would have. BTW - look at the Series 2 crank front hook...bent out...another "cheap" feature.

Hmmm...I could have purchased a Lucky Craft LV500 and it would still be in great condition like my other LCs with NO RUST or bent hooks.

There is a lesson in being pennywise and pound foolish. I'll never buy cheap hardbaits again. If you do, and if they rust on you, that's your fault. Premium gear lasts. Crap gear gets replaced at a pace that costs you just as much. You were warned.


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## JimmyMac

You get what You pay for I guess, but for $5 a years worth of fishing seems acceptable to me. The minute I tie on a $15 lucky craft, I'd most likely toss it right around a tree branch. Just seems like my luck.


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## 10fish

I am going to show your post to my wife the next time she blows up on me about what I spend on tackle

We have prolonged the dimise of some of our cheap tackle by letting everything air out on card board for a couple of days prior to storing for the winter, or after use.Again your post will help with the " what the hell is all of this crap?" comment I recieve at seasons end.

Same with rods and reels- Top shelf gear only disapoints me 1 time- at the check out counter.


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## 10fish

Ha -- been there-- thank goodness for 20lb braid




JimmyMac said:


> You get what You pay for I guess, but for $5 a years worth of fishing seems acceptable to me. The minute I tie on a $15 lucky craft, I'd most likely toss it right around a tree branch. Just seems like my luck.


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## soua0363

I agree that the cheaper baits typically comes with cheaper rings and hooks which tend to rust faster. I especially notice it with my Strike King baits. They will start to show signs of rust after just one outting let alone a year. The split rings on the Rapala's tend to last about two seasons before really rusting. The hooks on the Rapala's are better quality than the Strike Kings so they last a good while with occassional sharpening. 

I also do notice that the split rings on the more expensive crankabaits ($10+) are stouter than the cheap baits. The hooks are definately a lot better and stouter too. They typically come with Gama's or Mustad hooks.


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## young-gun21

I'm not much of a crankbait guy...always been a Rapala guy though. I don't have much confidence in cranks so I only own a few LC baits. Having said all of that, the KVD 1.5 in chartreuse/black has 50,000 back ordered...so Strike King clearly has their place in the market. 

_Sent from my HTC Evo_


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## Snakecharmer

Or you can get some Zerust from Flambeau and not worry about the rust.....
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Zeru...Ntt=flambeau&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products


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## Tokugawa

Snakecharmer said:


> Or you can get some Zerust from Flambeau and not worry about the rust.....
> http://www.cabelas.com/product/Zeru...Ntt=flambeau&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products


Interesting. Does it work?


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## soua0363

Don't me wrong...I catch a lot of fish with my Strike King crankbaits. I just wish that they came with at least better hooks if not better split rings. The hooks they come with are thin wire hooks that can easily be bent. They also dull real quick. I know that this is the reason why KVD switches the stock hooks to the Mustads. The Mustads or Gama's are so much sharper...stick sharp. They are also stouter too.


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## Tokugawa

soua0363 said:


> Don't me wrong...I catch a lot of fish with my Strike King crankbaits. I just wish that they came with at least better hooks if not better split rings. The hooks they come with are thin wire hooks that can easily be bent. They also dull real quick. I know that this is the reason why KVD switches the stock hooks to the Mustads. The Mustads or Gama's are so much sharper...stick sharp. They are also stouter too.


I agree. I have no issue with the action...just the quality. The finish on the lipless crank looked like that after a month.

The Triple Grips are about $1.20 per bait for two hooks. Add $0.80 for three quality split rings, and now you are at $2 additional per bait. The $5 is now $7 plus a bunch of time to mod them all...just so it won't rust.

You don't have to buy LCs to get good stuff. There are quite a few good baits around $8-9 that will last. Of course, LCs are darn good baits.


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## firstflight111

heres a little tip go to drug store.. and ask them if you can have sorb-it-cans ..that come in the pill bottles ..i get them every year and put 8 or 9 in each box no rust and there free


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## Wow

"There's a sucker born every minute" is a phrase often credited to P. T. Barnum (1810&#8211;1891), an American showman. It is generally taken to mean that there will always be many gullible people in the world..........TICK...TOCK...TICK...TOCK...TICK...TOCK


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## RiverDoc

Tokugawa said:


> Here's the EXACT reason that most $5 hardbaits suck.
> 
> I bought this early bait last year. Zoom in...when you get past the obvious crap finish, you'll notice that the split rings and hooks are rusting. Even worse, the hook anchors are rusting too...so changing out the hardware won't matter. This $5 bait is now a detriment to every bait in the box.
> 
> 
> 
> How do I know that? Look at the hardware on the other Strike Kings. Rusted...and they were barely used. It is spreading to the Rapala split rings too. Thankfully, I'll swap those out for nickle coated ones and they'll be fine.
> 
> 
> 
> So... a "cheap" $5 bait is ruined after a year. It took two other "cheap" baits with it for a total of $15. It almost took out two more baits worth another $15. Given another month in the box, it surely would have. BTW - look at the Series 2 crank front hook...bent out...another "cheap" feature.
> 
> Hmmm...I could have purchased a Lucky Craft LV500 and it would still be in great condition like my other LCs with NO RUST or bent hooks.
> 
> There is a lesson in being pennywise and pound foolish. I'll never buy cheap hardbaits again. If you do, and if they rust on you, that's your fault. Premium gear lasts. Crap gear gets replaced at a pace that costs you just as much. You were warned.



Good post, makes me sober up and realize that, bargain bins are bargain bins.


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## FISNFOOL

If you go to a gun show, look for VCI paper. Vapor Corrosion Inhibiting Paper. I usually find it at $1 a sheet for 8.5 x 11 sheets. 

I put one sheet in the lid of each tackle box in my tackle bag. And lined the Gun Safe door with it too. NO RUST PROBLEMS.

It is sold on eBay too.


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## M.Magis

And that surface rust stops fish from biting?  What in the world did fishermen do 20 years ago before nickel plated hooks? And, before some tackle builders learned that some people will pay large amounts of money for lures that are better, though only in theory? It&#8217;s odd, I remember catching fish back then.  I&#8217;m joking, and I do understand what you&#8217;re saying. But sometimes I think we get a little silly.


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## Downriver Tackle

Tokugawa said:


> Interesting. Does it work?


Works great! I have it in ever tackle box and never have rusting issues no matter how cheap the bait is. The boxes with the rust preventative dividers work well also.


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## jonnythfisherteen2

strike king lures have always had crap finishes that come off, and what matters is that they can catch fish.
rapalas have the best finishes, and the best hooks. the split rings are great too.
dont give up, because there are more lures that are $5 or less. you just tried two diffrent manufactuers lures. rapalas are good and i heard rebel's are nice too.


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## Whaler

I have tackle boxes loaded with five dollar or less expensive lures which I have had for years with no rust on any part of them. It seems to me that either your tacke box has another water source in it or you've been buying Chinese lures.


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## HOUSE

In the winter time I usually put some left over charcoal in my tackle box. Even though it's messy, it seems to absorb a lot of the moisture. I think I read that in Bassmaster magazine.


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## Wow

WD-40 as fish attractant 
Yes, that's supposed to be one of the many uses.... the main ingredient is FISH OIL. Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They
were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. You can coat your lures, prevent rust and attract fish at the same time. 
For your tackle bag and boxes, Toss in a "desiccant" like silica gel, to keep moisture out. You probably throw away dozens of packets every year. Take care of that gear and it will take care of you. --Tim..................................................................................................................................






................


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## Tokugawa

Wow said:


> WD-40 as fish attractant
> Yes, that's supposed to be one of the many uses.... the main ingredient is FISH OIL. Water Displacement #40. The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They
> were successful with the fortieth formulation, thus WD-40. You can coat your lures, prevent rust and attract fish at the same time.
> For your tackle bag and boxes, Toss in a "desiccant" like silica gel, to keep moisture out. You probably throw away dozens of packets every year. Take care of that gear and it will take care of you. --Tim..................................................................................................................................
> View attachment 43043
> ................
> View attachment 43044


There is a sucker born every day - and you at the very least are it today WOW.

From WD40's website:

_What a Fish story!

Myth: WD-40 contains fish oil.
Fact:
Consumers have told us over the years that they have caught some of the biggest fish ever after protecting their fish hooks and lures with WD-40. We believe this legend came from folks assuming that the product must contain fish oil since it appears to attract fish. Sorry Charlie®, it just aint so.

WD-40 Company has taken steps to respect and conserve the environment, and encourages its users to do the same. While WD-40 can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using WD-40 to attract fish._

http://www.wd40.com/about-us/myths-legends-fun-facts/

Anyone who uses solvents as fish attractants is polluting the water. WD-40 is comprised mostly of solvents and hydrocarbons. Please stop putting it in the water. 

BTW, I would highly discourage using WD-40 on reels.


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## BassariskY

Having just one rusty hook, is like an epidemic! It spreads like crazy!

I've been using the silica gel and they really do help absorb a lot of moisture. Also, after a day of fishin, just open up your trays and let them dry out. It's kept me rust free for the past few years.


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## Wow

Tokugawa said:


> There is a sucker born every day - and you at the very least are it today WOW.
> 
> From WD40's website:
> 
> _What a Fish story!
> 
> Myth: WD-40 contains fish oil.
> Fact:
> Consumers have told us over the years that they have caught some of the biggest fish ever after protecting their fish hooks and lures with WD-40. We believe this legend came from folks assuming that the product must contain fish oil since it appears to attract fish. Sorry Charlie®, it just aint so.
> 
> WD-40 Company has taken steps to respect and conserve the environment, and encourages its users to do the same. While WD-40 can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using WD-40 to attract fish._
> 
> http://www.wd40.com/about-us/myths-legends-fun-facts/
> 
> Anyone who uses solvents as fish attractants is polluting the water. WD-40 is comprised mostly of solvents and hydrocarbons. Please stop putting it in the water.
> 
> BTW, I would highly discourage using WD-40 on reels.


The sucker here, Takuwaga, still appears to be those who throw money away in their pursuit of game fish. There will always be many gullible people, with money to burn, looking for the miracle bait, at any cost. The lures always catch the fisherman 1st. Its never the knowledge or experience. Gimme that gizmo or gadget, thatll do it.
I for one, have not used WD-40 as an attractant, however its use in that regard is hotly debated worldwide, just check any forum coast to coast. Many people swear by it, but I agree if it pollutes it should be outlawed. 
The mystery surrounding it is due to the fact that, WD-40's formula is a trade secret. The product is not patented to avoid completely disclosing its ingredients.

Its real benefit lies in its properties that protect your tackle. The long-term active ingredient is a non-volatile, viscous oil which remains on the surface, providing lubrication and protection from moisture. This is diluted with a volatile hydrocarbon to give a low viscosity fluid which can be sprayed and thus penetrate crevices. The volatile hydrocarbon then evaporates, leaving the oil behind. In other words, after it dries, the protective coating stays .

Several popular fish attractants are in fact petroleum based. One such product is called Lunker Sauce. Lunker Sauce is designed with a high-tech, polymer-based formula that's water-soluble and infused with highly concentrated, pure oil scents. Unlike conventional petroleum-based attractants that quickly wash off, the time-released scents in Lunker Sauce will last over 30 minutes per application and leave a fish-luring scent trail in the water. Whether or not these polymers will some day be classified as pollutants, is yet to be seen.

Contrary to your advice, Takuwanda, WD-40 is a widely used reel, cleaner, lubricant, penetrant and coating against moisture. It prevent rust and oxidation from forming. When you breakdown and clean your reel. Its water solubility, allows you to clean it off thoroughly before re-greasing the reel. It also protects any exterior metal parts. Painted, nylon or plastic parts should be washed of over-spray, and line should never make contact. --Tim................................................................................


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## musikman43155

I actually prefer PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench on my crankbaits...  :B

That is if I don't have my concoction of kerosene & automatic transmission fluid....


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## thelatrobe33

Wow said:


> Contrary to your advice, Takuwanda, WD-40 is a widely used reel, cleaner, lubricant, penetrant and coating against moisture. It prevent rust and oxidation from forming. When you breakdown and clean your reel. Its water solubility, allows you to clean it off thoroughly before re-greasing the reel. It also protects any exterior metal parts. Painted, nylon or plastic parts should be washed of over-spray, and line should never make contact. --Tim................................................................................
> View attachment 43106


I've sprayed reels with Reel Magic, but I would never ever consider WD40 for use on a reel. What is widely accepted is that WD40 has no business near reel parts, as it will interact with/break down other lubricants (the ones you actually want on or in there). The only lubes that get near my reel are Cal's grease and Oust Met-oil.


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## Wow

thelatrobe33 said:


> I've sprayed reels with Reel Magic, but I would never ever consider WD40 for use on a reel. What is widely accepted is that WD40 has no business near reel parts, as it will interact with/break down other lubricants (the ones you actually want on or in there). The only lubes that get near my reel are Cal's grease and Oust Met-oil.


The only "Real" magic about Reel Magic is how it makes dollars disappear out of fishermens wallets. Greases and oils come in every weight, viscosity, density temperature rating and solubility imaginable, with polymers, waxes, silicones, tars, and teflon. Put a product specific name and label on it, and voilà, It's magically worth 500% more. Some sucker will take the bait. I like things that work, get the job done. Names and labels don't impress me, just results. And BTW, WD-40 is the most widely used lubricant on the planet for reels "and" everything else. As P.T. Barnum said "Theres a sucker born every minute"  --Tim......................................................................


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## leeabu

A quality hook is made from high carbon steel. There is a physical reaction with iron oxides in the presence of oxygen and water or damp air. This is called rust. If you take a wet lure and put it into a box for storage, rust will result. For this reason some type of surface sealant is usually deposited on the hook by the manufacturer. Black nickel coating is the most durable I've seen but they can all wear over time and use. ANY hook/ hardware will rust if placed in an improper environment. As stated at the top of the page, oxygen and moisture are the culprits when it comes to rust. I let my lures air dry on my way back to the ramp to allow the moisture to leave the lure before I put it into the storage box. This helps protect not only that lure but all the other lures in that box by not introducing moisture. If it is raining out I open all my boxes when I get the boat back to my garage to let any moisture evaporate out of my boxes. I also use a couple of the VCI chips in all my boxes. They displace the oxygen which is the other substance rust needs. Rust is a result of improper storage and any hook/hardware is subject to rust if improperly stored.


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## Flippin 416

I have heard that Strike King's customer service will take good care of you if you are having issues like you are having. I know it doesn't solve the problem in the long run but you may be able to get a few new baits and then some out of them for your trouble.

One thing I always do with any of my crankbiat boxes...whether loaded with high quality cranks or the cheaper $5 baits, is that I drill holes in the top and bottom of each box. This will allow the moisture to escape quicker than it would if the holes were not there. It seems to be working as all of my Strike Kind 1.5's and Red Eyes are not rusting...and some have been in there since last year.


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## GetSnagged

all my strike kings do that also. cheap tackle is cheap tackle but im starting to learn that having 2 rapalas compared to one lucky craft make me a better and more diverse fisherman and in the long run catches more fish. although every time i see a lucky craft all lonely on the shelf i adopt it.


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## Intimidator

GetSnagged said:


> all my strike kings do that also. cheap tackle is cheap tackle but im starting to learn that having 2 rapalas compared to one lucky craft make me a better and more diverse fisherman and in the long run catches more fish. although every time i see a lucky craft all lonely on the shelf i adopt it.


Man, I just added every LC that I could get in the MS Shad Color to my collection (I love that color and so do the fish!)LOL...topwater, prop, shallow, mid, deep, lipless, jerk, etc, etc...!


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## bassin mickey

[ I'd most likely toss it right around a tree branch. Just seems like my luck.[/QUOTE]

JimmyMac--- Hit a nerve with me. Very funny and right on. Been there, done that.


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## legendaryyaj

Intimidator said:


> Man, I just added every LC that I could get in the MS Shad Color to my collection (I love that color and so do the fish!)LOL...topwater, prop, shallow, mid, deep, lipless, jerk, etc, etc...!


You got to much money sir!

I'd like to see your tackle one day.


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## "Big" mark the shark

I am lucky I guess my wife cleans and dry's my tackle after each use with a silk cloth and places it neatly back in the box


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## spfldbassguy

Intimidator said:


> Man, I just added every LC that I could get in the MS Shad Color to my collection (I love that color and so do the fish!)LOL...topwater, prop, shallow, mid, deep, lipless, jerk, etc, etc...!


You actually use something besides your favorite Japenese swimbaits and the Dahlberg crawdad?


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## sbreech

I think if I finally laid down the cash for a $10.00 or more lure, I'd never use it. I have a tacklebox FULL of "cheap" lures that have proven fish catching ability. I'll never change my opinion on this - most lures are designed to catch fishermen's money - and this old chap must be a wary one - or a very cheap fisherman.  . I agree with an earlier statement that 2 Rapalas will offer more versatility in the tacklebox than 1 Luckycraft. But then again, 10 different colored Rebel square A lures would offer even more for about the same money at Bass Pro Shop's sale.


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## NewbreedFishing

we cant teach these old dawgs-new tricks. 
just let them throw there grandfathers hula poppers and be happy.

leaders-not followers
:B:B:B


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## Intimidator

legendaryyaj said:


> You got to much money sir!
> 
> I'd like to see your tackle one day.


I don't have as much as you might think! Over the Winter I pretty much gave away and pitched everything that I owned and did not use....then I selectively bought lures that I used and was comfortable with....Now I mainly only own Japanese stuff....LC, Keitech, MegaBass, Jackall, with some Dahlberg, Custom Stuff, Berkley Cranks, and some Strike Kings. Then I bought the 3 Plano Fishouflage Bags...the Crappie Bag holds all my Crappie, WB, and Bream stuff, the Bass Bag has all my Walleye and Bass stuff, and the Big Walleye Bag has all the Extras. I bought 2 JawBreaker Custom Poles, a M and a UL to go along with my MH Crankin' pole and that's about all I own....I downsized, but went with Quality!


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## Intimidator

spfldbassguy said:


> You actually use something besides your favorite Japenese swimbaits and the Dahlberg crawdad?


Yep! And they are beautiful!....They don't work, they were only designed just to "Catch" my moneyLOL


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## legendaryyaj

Intimidator said:


> Yep! And they are beautiful!....They don't work, they were only designed just to "Catch" my moneyLOL




I only use the higher end gear for bass fishing but you use it for everything!


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## Intimidator

legendaryyaj said:


> I only use the higher end gear for bass fishing but you use it for everything!


Heck Yes! I enjoy eating Crappie and Walleye...I use the Jap stuff to fill the freezers fast and then I can "play" with the Bass!

The Keitech stuff is just amazing, their plastics are second to none in their movement, scent holding, and natural coloring among other things...I use the 2" and 2.8" for Crappie, WB, and SM and the 3.8" for Walleye and LM. I use the smaller LC (etc) lures for Crappie, WB, And Sm, and the bigger lures for Wally Gators and LM. I match the hatch and the Jap stuff just matches the coloration and movement of the baitfish better...among other things!LOL

Most of the guys I fish with are now using some sort of the Jap stuff...they see how it moves in the water, the colors (etc), and how the fish really like them...some would say "Prefer" them!LOL


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## lordofthepunks

NewbreedFishing said:


> we cant teach these old dawgs-new tricks.
> just let them throw there grandfathers hula poppers and be happy.
> 
> leaders-not followers
> :B:B:B


this is EXACTLY right on the money, i would also add, and im not calling anyone stupid, just saying, i am simply referring to dogs, you also cant teach a stupid dog new tricks. all yall that are saying that we who use quality equipment are suckers, i ask you how much money you have won fishing? for the record, rapala does not compare in anyway to the quality offered by lc, spro among others.

i use equipment that works. to me the suckers are the people that waste their money on junk. 

kvd thinks the strike king 1.5 and 2.5 square bills are awesome, he gets payed countless dollars by strike king, he prob never uses the same crankbait more then one day so he doesnt have to worry about rust, finish, etc.etc. and strike king spent 2 years trying to copy the lc 1.5 and 2.5 and they didnt even bother to change the name. ill stick with the real mccoy rather then the cheap knockoff.


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## sbreech

Lots of lures catch fish - and lots of them. Cheap ones and expensive ones will catch fish if you present them correctly and choose the right depth, speed, and color. It's all in what one chooses to spend and whether they choose to learn to use the tool at hand. And that can go for any sport - cycling, fishing, track, etc.

I'd venture to say that most fishermen don't ever fish in tournaments - rather seeking the solitude and serenity of the sport rather than the forced objectivity of an organized shindig. To each their own. It's all fishing.


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## jonnythfisherteen2

junk that catches fish is junk that works.


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## 614-bass

i think there are alot of 5$ baits that are junk but at the same time there are alot of 5$ or less baits that i love for example i catch alot of fish on mann baby 1 minus and bomber 4a and square a think there called now they may not hold up as well but they still catch fish for me. i will say the hooks are noticeably crap and i swap those out most of the time. but at the same time i use alot of high end baits and even some of those end up to be crap i throw alot of spro little john and some of them end up cracking on me an taking in water. the same with some of my LC pointers. at the end of the day in the area of catching fish a 5$ bait can catch fish in the right situation as well as a high end bait as long as you have confidence in it. but as far as quality the high end baits usually hold up better except for a few bad ones here and there but for the most part they are superior.


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## Pigsticker

Whaler said:


> I have tackle boxes loaded with five dollar or less expensive lures which I have had for years with no rust on any part of them. It seems to me that either your tacke box has another water source in it or you've been buying Chinese lures.




I don't have any problems either and do nothing special. I mostly go with plastics and spinnerbaits and not much with cranks but I've been carrying around full trays in my bag for years with no rust. 

I was disappointed with the finish on my clown husky jerk though. Last summer I broke a new one out and went to Alum spillway and caught a muskie and a few saugeye and missed several other hits from both species. After about 4 hours it was almost completely a white blank with maybe 20% of thepaint/foil left. Was it a lemon? 

I agree that 99.9% of the people who fish in the world don't ever fish in a tournament for money. At the same time quality always pays off in the long run unless you lose it. But you can lose a lot of lures so the quality vs quantity debate is really interesting.


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## Intimidator

Heck, most everyone who's throwing Cranks etc (of any price) is using a heavier line whether it is Braid or FC. Your chances of losing lures really goes down using that Kind of line and fishing smart. 
Last year I only lost 1 High Dollar LC, 1 Cheap Strike King Crank, 2 swimbaits/Jig, and 5-10 crappie jigs/plastics, because I use Braid on everything. So to me Quality is more important!


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## robertj298

NewbreedFishing said:


> we cant teach these old dawgs-new tricks.
> just let them throw there grandfathers hula poppers and be happy.
> 
> leaders-not followers
> :B:B:B


One day you youngsters will remember back when you knew everything. I'll give you one piece of advise...Its not the lure its the person casting the lure


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## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> One day you youngsters will remember back when you knew everything. I'll give you one piece of advise...Its not the lure its the person casting the lure


no skill in the world can make up for crankaits having to be tuned constantly, lips breaking off and out of crankbaits, paint coming off your cranks after one trip and 3 fish, snap rings breaking and rusting, etc.etc.etc.


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## Intimidator

NewbreedFishing said:


> we cant teach these old dawgs-new tricks.
> just let them throw there grandfathers hula poppers and be happy.
> 
> leaders-not followers
> :B:B:B


Hula Poppers are still a proven winner and catch fish....Most lures are based off an old model but have been freshened with new materials, or manufacturing techniques, or updated with small design changes. The Basic lure has been transformed into a Annual (Big) money maker by Fishing Companies. The "OLD" lures have been "Bastardized" but still catch fish, some of the originals are even made better than lures today! 

Be a leader but Always keep an "open" mind...that's how you learn!


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## Intimidator

lordofthepunks said:


> no skill in the world can make up for crankaits having to be tuned constantly, lips breaking off and out of crankbaits, paint coming off your cranks after one trip and 3 fish, snap rings breaking and rusting, etc.etc.etc.


I agree, that's why I went the route that I did! I fish to relax and enjoy it...but I take my fishing serious! My Motto is..."Nothing But The Best"!


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## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> no skill in the world can make up for crankaits having to be tuned constantly, lips breaking off and out of crankbaits, paint coming off your cranks after one trip and 3 fish, snap rings breaking and rusting, etc.etc.etc.


I've had very few crankbaits have the lips broken or rings break sure you may have to tune some of them but this is usually just when you first use them and as far as rusting sure they are going to rust if you put them away for a long period of time leaving moisture in your box


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## josh617

hey anyone that is serious about fishing, usually changes there split rings and hooks out on there baits regardless of whether they are $15 or $5 baits, all about controlling the controlables, just saying.


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## spfldbassguy

Is someone that's serious about fishing only a tournament angler? I'm not a tourny guy but I'm serious about my fishing. The fish I've happened to lose was because of "operator error" on my part and not due to any hardware malfunctions.


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## josh617

A set of good hooks can make up for alot of operator error


----------



## spfldbassguy

My "operator errors" have been when I've tried to horse the fish in on light line. Never a good idea if you wanna actually land that fish.


----------



## Intimidator

I had a nice "operator error" saturday.....I put on a ($4.99) 3" Berkley Frenzy Flicker Crank and forgot to close the snap on the swivel. Of course I heaved one of my best casts of the day and watched my crank set a distance record since it was no longer impeded by the line! I'm just glad it wasn't one of my (BIG $$$$) Luckey Craft Cranks or I might have been more upset!LOL


----------



## Tokugawa

Intimidator said:


> I had a nice "operator error" saturday.....I put on a ($4.99) 3" Berkley Frenzy Flicker Crank and forgot to close the snap on the swivel. Of course I heaved one of my best casts of the day and watched my crank set a distance record since it was no longer impeded by the line! I'm just glad it wasn't one of my (BIG $$$$) Luckey Craft Cranks or I might have been more upset!LOL


Eh...if it floats you can always get it back...unless it is in a tree or something.


----------



## Intimidator

Tokugawa said:


> Eh...if it floats you can always get it back...unless it is in a tree or something.


I attached a spinner blade to the eyelet for more "flash" in the murky water...it slowly sinks...."That's why I love my $5 Berkley Hardbait", now I don't feel bad all day!


----------



## Carver

Brandon Palaniuk finished fourth in the classic and won $30.000 using a Bandit 100 he bought in a bargain bin for one dollar. Not a bad return on your investment. Did somebody say bargain bin lures are all junk?


----------



## Intimidator

Carver said:


> Brandon Palaniuk finished fourth in the classic and won $30.000 using a Bandit 100 he bought in a bargain bin for one dollar. Not a bad return on your investment. Did somebody say bargain bin lures are all junk?


And if the truth be known, I bet he changed the O-rings and hooks and maybe "tuned" it...so much for 1 dollar!


----------



## lordofthepunks

Intimidator said:


> And if the truth be known, I bet he changed the O-rings and hooks and maybe "tuned" it...so much for 1 dollar!


i will ask him next month at our tournament meeting. everything in my bank account says you are right.


----------



## Intimidator

lordofthepunks said:


> i will ask him next month at our tournament meeting. everything in my bank account says you are right.


Hey Punk, look into those BasStar Spintechs...I like them...they are heavier and seem to tighten the wobble on the Strike Kings...you aren't going to straighten or break one of them anytime soon! I got a bunch of them cheap off EBay.


----------



## getyourbassingear

come fishin at the strip mines where your waded up in multifloral rose bush with honey suckle on your head with trees in every direction but up...see how those 20 dollar lures work without a boat. =)


----------



## Intimidator

getyourbassingear said:


> come fishin at the strip mines where your waded up in multifloral rose bush with honey suckle on your head with trees in every direction but up...see how those 20 dollar lures work without a boat. =)


This is why most people crank with 50-70lb braid...so they don't loose ANY lures and still have a thinner diameter line!


----------



## lordofthepunks

getyourbassingear said:


> come fishin at the strip mines where your waded up in multifloral rose bush with honey suckle on your head with trees in every direction but up...see how those 20 dollar lures work without a boat. =)


its not any different in other walks of life. you use the tools that suit your needs. a jacked up 4x4 with 44'' swampers isnt much useful riding around in down town columbus either. 

the 350 horsepower my gto has doesnt get me anywhere any faster then your f150. 

a fossil watch reads the same time as a rolex right?

if you want to throw junk because your afraid to lose it then thats your business, not mine.

everybody has things that dont seem useful or essential to others. clean out your own tackle box before you worry about mine.


----------



## lordofthepunks

Intimidator said:


> Hey Punk, look into those BasStar Spintechs...I like them...they are heavier and seem to tighten the wobble on the Strike Kings...you aren't going to straighten or break one of them anytime soon! I got a bunch of them cheap off EBay.


i searched ebay for that, nothing came up?


----------



## spfldbassguy

lordofthepunks said:


> if you want to throw junk because your afraid to lose it then thats your business, not mine.
> 
> everybody has things that dont seem useful or essential to others. clean out your own tackle box before you worry about mine.


Well said,how many times have you posted something to that effect on here recently? Some folks just don't get the hint or can't read plain typed out words. All this crap being thrown around about low dollar vs high dollar stuff is getting stale already. Why not just shut up,go fishing and use whatever in the heck you want to.(No punk that last line wasn't for you but for everyone else that keeps harping on this subject).


----------



## Intimidator

lordofthepunks said:


> i searched ebay for that, nothing came up?


You can view them on LBF. every so often they show up on ebay....cheaper than anywhere else...maybe you can get a "Pro" discount!


----------



## lordofthepunks

lol, thought about using "those who have glass tackle boxes shouldnt throw .05 cent stones at people with plastic tackle boxes throwing perfectly round, perfect weight, perfect size, perfectly flying through the air $20.00 rocks" but it just didnt seem to make any sense!


----------



## getyourbassingear

well ill just leave the pros be then....


----------



## robertj298

getyourbassingear said:


> well ill just leave the pros be then....


I love the way those that fish tournaments consider themselves "pros" LOL


----------



## Wow

robertj298 said:


> I love the way those that fish tournaments consider themselves "pros" LOL


 LOL!  ......SO TRUE !!!!-- Tim....................................................


----------



## lordofthepunks

one of my entry fees prob cost more then the monthly payments on everything you own, half my seasonal income comes from catching little green and brown fish, and i spend more time on the water in the summer then you do sleeping. 

makes me laugh when someone thinks they know everything about someone that they have never met. 

keep the smart remarks coming, its the only thing your good at.


----------



## lordofthepunks

by the way, i hope i see you out there in any tournament, i would love to take your mortgage payment for the month.


----------



## lordofthepunks

oh yeah, and i never called myself "pro" someone else did. but when your fishing for 
$50k pay checks and your fishing against dozens of elite series guys, its an easy mistake to make.


----------



## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> one of my entry fees prob cost more then the monthly payments on everything you own, half my seasonal income comes from catching little green and brown fish, and i spend more time on the water in the summer then you do sleeping.
> 
> makes me laugh when someone thinks they know everything about someone that they have never met.
> 
> keep the smart remarks coming, its the only thing your good at.


Looks like my point has been made for me


----------



## Pigsticker

i spend more time on the water in the summer then you do sleeping.[/QUOTE]


I don't know Big Money, I sleep ALOT.

I went to read your blog and u rascal u stole my name for the title PIG STICKER! Ill be expecting royalties in the mail. No, but really that's a hella slob pig ur holding in that pic man or ur 3' tall and 60lbs one or the other.


----------



## spfldbassguy

Mr.Punk please excuse the folks on here that's only got one thing to do,keep on bashing tourny guys and the people that use "high dollar" baits. Jealousy appearantly runs rampant in a few folks on here.


----------



## sbreech

Does anybody _really_ care what other people fish with? I mean, come on....this is getting silly. Just fish. If what you have catches fish, who cares?


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2

lordofthepunks said:


> one of my entry fees prob cost more then the monthly payments on everything you own, half my seasonal income comes from catching little green and brown fish, and i spend more time on the water in the summer then you do sleeping.
> 
> makes me laugh when someone thinks they know everything about someone that they have never met.
> 
> keep the smart remarks coming, its the only thing your good at.


OK, that got on the side of offensive, because your implying that robertj is poor, now please, will SOMEBODY please, come shut this stupid topic down?


----------



## Intimidator

lordofthepunks said:


> oh yeah, and i never called myself "pro" someone else did. but when your fishing for
> $50k pay checks and your fishing against dozens of elite series guys, its an easy mistake to make.


Hey Punk, you know I didn't mean anything by that....I was just wanting you to check them out and maybe since they were a New company they might want to "sponser" some stuff for ya!


----------



## Intimidator

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> OK, that got on the side of offensive, because your implying that robertj is poor, now please, will SOMEBODY please, come shut this stupid topic down?


I find nothing offensive with the truth...nothing about being poor was implied!LOL


----------



## spfldbassguy

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> OK, that got on the side of offensive, because your implying that robertj is poor, now please, will SOMEBODY please, come shut this stupid topic down?


Kid you're so way off base it isn't even funny.So please stick to playing your video games and coming up with half decent fishing ideas and stop with trying to be the "OGF Police".


----------



## spfldbassguy

sbreech said:


> Does anybody _really_ care what other people fish with? I mean, come on....this is getting silly. Just fish. If what you have catches fish, who cares?


Obviously there's a few folks on here that it does bother what some are fishing with. They keep posting the same idiotic remarks over and over and it shows that they look down upon those that CHOOSES to spend more than $5 or $6 on a bait. Wisecrack after wisecrack in thread after thread it's the same 3 or 4 people that keep spouting off about tourny guys and anyone that fishes with anything other than Wal Mart lures.


----------



## Intimidator

sbreech said:


> Does anybody _really_ care what other people fish with? I mean, come on....this is getting silly. Just fish. If what you have catches fish, who cares?


But see how this just sucks you in....you feel that you have to post....and then, someone else posts, and next thing you know it's raining and its over 3 pages long....and besides, I'm on the fence cause I fish with both...but I "rework" the cheap $5 lures!LOL


----------



## robertj298

spfldbassguy said:


> Obviously there's a few folks on here that it does bother what some are fishing with. They keep posting the same idiotic remarks over and over and it shows that they look down upon those that CHOOSES to spend more than $5 or $6 on a bait. Wisecrack after wisecrack in thread after thread it's the same 3 or 4 people that keep spouting off about tourny guys and anyone that fishes with anything other than Wal Mart lures.


You're right there are some folks on here that it bothers what others are fishing with. Look at the title of this post. Some people think that because you aren't using high priced lures you are a novice and don't know what your doing. Once had a guy post if you aren't fishing these lures your just fishing for small bass lol. Some feel because they tournament fish that they are a professional . I guess if your fishing for $50 k paychecks that makes you a pro? lol. Its funny I can't seem to find that guys name listed as winning any of those $50 k tournaments or any of the major tournaments. Ifish high priced lures along with the more moderately priced stuff and really don't see that much of a difference


----------



## lordofthepunks

Intimidator said:


> Hey Punk, you know I didn't mean anything by that....I was just wanting you to check them out and maybe since they were a New company they might want to "sponser" some stuff for ya!


i know dude. i didnt think anything of it, i know and you know we have mutual respect. i have nothing but love for TRUE bass fisherman whether your using cotton cordell or lucky craft. TRUE bass fisherman dont hate on tournament guys. 

poeple can read as much as they want, they can catch as many bass as humanly possible, they can tell themselves how great they are and how much they know about bass fishing and make themselves beleive that they have what it takes and make the excuse for why they cant do it but they will NEVER know what its like until they actually do it. the only problem with that, and they know this, is when they fail, they will have nothing to hold there hat on. they wont be able to point fingers at those that are doing it and say if and but. 

suddenly when it matters and when people are actually weighing your fish, all the things that made you think you could hack it are gone. all those 11 inchers that you counted as keepers, gone. all those bass you caught on live minnows, gone. all the fish you counted as "caught" that actually popped loose at the boat, gone. all your spots that you thought were secret suddenly have 3 boats on them at a time, gone. your "2lbers" become 1lbers. the 12 hours you were using to catch your fish is now 8 hours. having the lake to yourself, gone and not only gone, gone with 30 to 200 other guys that actually know what it takes to win. the perfect weather that you wait for to make your next trip, again, gone. the realization that at the end of the day, when you go to the scales with nothing and you want to keep telling yourself that if you didnt catch them then nobody did and what do you find? and you always find this, always. somebody caugt em, no matter how terrible your day was, there is ALWAYS somebody that catches them.

and if your the guy that is searching peoples names on the internet, looking for reasons to tear someone down, then all you are is someone that dont have the nads to put yourself out there.


----------



## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> You're right there are some folks on here that it bothers what others are fishing with. Look at the title of this post. Some people think that because you aren't using high priced lures you are a novice and don't know what your doing. Once had a guy post if you aren't fishing these lures your just fishing for small bass lol. Some feel because they tournament fish that they are a professional . I guess if your fishing for $50 k paychecks that makes you a pro? lol. Its funny I can't seem to find that guys name listed as winning any of those $50 k tournaments or any of the major tournaments. Ifish high priced lures along with the more moderately priced stuff and really don't see that much of a difference


you know absolutely nothing. whats funny is you are actually searching my name. i could stay anonymous, i could hide the essentials and act like im some know it all without any way for anyone to verify who i am. i put myself out there because i am not afraid for people to see what i am and who i am.
if i fail, it wont be because i am afraid to try, it wont be because i am afraid for people to see what i am. 

know this for sure. you WILL see my face in bassmaster magazine, you WILL see my face on espn. and you can continue to catch fish in your grandmas pond and continue to think you are only (insert excuse here) away from being just as good as a pro at fishing. but you will never be, because you dont have the nads for it.


----------



## lordofthepunks

robertj, your just that guy, you cant do anything about it. 

your the guy that....

goes to the city basketball court (neighbors pond) shreds some junior high kids (pond bass) and then says, "i could have been in the nba but....(insert lame excuse here)"

your the guy that...
plays church league softball, talks trash about the local single A baseball players, thinks he should have gotten his shot at the pros

your the guy that...
talks crap at a bar because you have watched the ufc alot and you think you could be a ufc fighter but you wont actually enter a real fight because you know deep down that if you had to fight you would take a beat down.

your the guy that...
thinks he should start a band because he sounds good in his car singing along with metallica, but in the end, you know that your terrified of singing in public.


its all good, hope to see you in the next tournament.


----------



## lordofthepunks

got to go guys, got to get my gear ready for tomorrow, making some videos for warrior baits and yes im getting paid to do so... guess that also doesnt mean anything. im sure robertj will be able to find them via internet search in a couple of weeks! 

S.T.P.


----------



## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> you know absolutely nothing. whats funny is you are actually searching my name. i could stay anonymous, i could hide the essentials and act like im some know it all without any way for anyone to verify who i am. i put myself out there because i am not afraid for people to see what i am and who i am.
> if i fail, it wont be because i am afraid to try, it wont be because i am afraid for people to see what i am.
> 
> know this for sure. you WILL see my face in bassmaster magazine, you WILL see my face on espn. and you can continue to catch fish in your grandmas pond and continue to think you are only (insert excuse here) away from being just as good as a pro at fishing. but you will never be, because you dont have the nads for it.


Well when someone starts spouting off about how good they are and fishing for the big money with the Elites and how they spend more money on entry fees than I do on all my monthly bills I like to know just how good they really are. Guess I found out. So until I see your face on bassmaster or espn you keep on being a legend in your own mind lol


----------



## Harbor Hunter

Well before the hammer comes down I better jump in the fray.Why do some of you continue to have a problem with those of us that fish tournaments? It's not a hobby for most of us,it's our job.I fish several major events each year,and if I win just one of them,I would bet that my check for that one event is what you probably make in a year.Like LOTP,I fish with a lot of guys on the Elite Tour,and on the FLW Tour,most of them make hundreds of thousands of dollars,if not millions fishing tournaments,does your choice of profession offer that kind of money,I highly doubt it.If you want to throw Bandit 100's,or Rebels,Strike Kings,or whatever that's your choice,hope you do well with them.Myself,I prefer LC's,Jackalls,Spro's,Ima's and others.I like the high quality they offer,I like the paint schemes,I like the hooks and the rings,is there a problem with that? I also use $16.00 LC spinnerbaits,I prefer Jackall plastics,I also use high-end tungsten drop shot weights that are very expensive,as a matter of fact,I use nothing but tungsten weights for my plastics fishing.I also use TroKar hooks which last I looked run about ten bucks for a small pack,Those are my choices,and I'm very successful with them.Hell,I carry 16 rods on my boat,and every one of them is a G.Loomis at about $350.00 a pop,add 16 reels at another $399.99 or so,and then the very top dollar fluoro I use(Tatsu),and yes it can get expensive,but guess what? I can afford it,if I couldn't,I wouldn't have those things,and if I didn't,I wouldn't be jealous of those that did.You all think guys like LOTP,or me are bragging,to the contrary as LOTP would tell you,our rigs and tackle don't even compare against the gear most of the guys we compete against have,we just do the best we can.I won't mention any names,but at a TX I fished last year,the guy ramping in the lane next to me was driving a truck the carries a $350,000 price tag on it(look up F-650),his boat was worth $65,000,I'm sure his gear was worth another $25,000 at least,did all that top shelf gear make him a better fisherman,I don't know,currently he's 2nd on the all-time winnings list with over 2 mil.The problem some of you seem to have here is comparing recreational fishing with occupational fishing.If I just fished for fun,you're right,I wouldn't need the tools I have,but it's a 365 days a year thing with me,it's what I do,and I need to have certain things that you probably don't.Lastly guys like me or LOTP may not consider ourselves as "pros",but for your information that is what we are listed as in the tournaments we fish,there's a pro side,and an amateur side,both sides get paired up to fish each day.Do we think climbing in our boats sporting shirts with sponsor patches makes us pros-of course not,no more than you thinking by walking out to your garage in a pair of Carharts holding a screwdriver makes you ready for a NASCAR pit crew position.Steve the day will come when I'll see you in Bassmaster,you keep chuckin' away partner.


----------



## JignPig Guide

Wow said:


> The only "Real" magic about Reel Magic is how it makes dollars disappear out of fishermens wallets. Greases and oils come in every weight, viscosity, density temperature rating and solubility imaginable, with polymers, waxes, silicones, tars, and teflon. Put a product specific name and label on it, and voilà, It's magically worth 500% more. Some sucker will take the bait. I like things that work, get the job done. Names and labels don't impress me, just results. And BTW, WD-40 is the most widely used lubricant on the planet for reels "and" everything else. As P.T. Barnum said "Theres a sucker born every minute"  --Tim......................................................................
> View attachment 43142


I agree with Wow! I recently saw a can of Reel Magic (a small can) marked $8.99. The Reel Magical decision I made that day was to stick with the WD-40 that I've been using for years.

Wow took the words right out of my mouth.


----------



## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> Well when someone starts spouting off about how good they are and fishing for the big money with the Elites and how they spend more money on entry fees than I do on all my monthly bills I like to know just how good they really are. Guess I found out. So until I see your face on bassmaster or espn you keep on being a legend in your own mind lol


go back their fella, you clearly are the one who started this whole deal with the "those that fish tournaments think they are pros" bull. 

its easy to sit on your couch and criticize the people that actually do it.

cant wait for the day you grow a pair and plunk down the 50k for a boat and the $1000 bucks for an entry.


----------



## lordofthepunks

ahh, but you wont, because deep down you know you would lose.


----------



## Harbor Hunter

LOTP,I forgot to ask you,if you ever happen to have a few Warrior spinnerbaits laying around I could use a couple,got a TX coming up in TN next week,and the spinnerbait bite is hot.Robert,get a life dude,don't try to crack on tournament guys,we make a very nice living doing what we do,hope you do too at whatever you do.LOTP just said if he won one of the TX's he's fishing in he would receive a very nice payday.I buy a brand new truck and a brand new bass boat every other year,and that solely comes from the income I receive from fishing,not just winningTX's,but also from promoting our sport.We all will see Punks picture in Bassmaster one day,nearly everybody that compete's at the level he does makes it in the pages at one time or another.Just to get to compete at that level,against the biggest names in bass fishing is a dream to most,I'm sure he'll do fine.My TX touring partner has made the lunker pages in the magazine three times so far(living on Lake St.Clair helps),so it can be done.I'm done with this topic,I don't care what you fish with,and you shouldn't care what I use-tight lines.


----------



## Harbor Hunter

JignPig Guide said:


> I agree with Wow! I recently saw a can of Reel Magic (a small can) marked $8.99. The Reel Magical decision I made that day was to stick with the WD-40 that I've been using for years.
> 
> Wow took the words right out of my mouth.


 Sorry I had to jump in just once more.If you look on the owner manual for any high quality reel it clearly warns against using WD-40,it can,and does wear down the essential lubricants that came on the reel when you bought it,and it doesn't do the bearings and washers any good either.I prefer Ardent lubricants myself,but I don't mind spending an extra two bucks.


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2

spfldbassguy said:


> Kid you're so way off base it isn't even funny. Also you have no credibility on here because of your false statements in another thread. You remember don't you? You said 7thcorps was being racially offensive and you thought so because you're black but then you post a picture of your balloon float idea and your hand is white. So either you lied about your race(Which is never a good thing to do or even remotely funny) or you went and got the Micheal Jackson skin lightning treatment. So please stick to playing your video games and coming up with half decent fishing ideas and stop with trying to be the "OGF Police".


first off, im not trying to be ogf police, but you do realize that robertj and lordofthepunks are getting into it, just because they use different lures to catch fish. it's a great debate, but getting into a argument about it and assuming things about each other is just stupid. then you doubt my race, which is wrong, because my fingers appear to be white in cameras. if you need, i can show you my entire arm.
im going to send a message to puterdude.


----------



## robertj298

Harbor Hunter said:


> LOTP,I forgot to ask you,if you ever happen to have a few Warrior spinnerbaits laying around I could use a couple,got a TX coming up in TN next week,and the spinnerbait bite is hot.Robert,get a life dude,don't try to crack on tournament guys,we make a very nice living doing what we do,hope you do too at whatever you do.LOTP just said if he won one of the TX's he's fishing in he would receive a very nice payday.I buy a brand new truck and a brand new bass boat every other year,and that solely comes from the income I receive from fishing,not just winningTX's,but also from promoting our sport.We all will see Punks picture in Bassmaster one day,nearly everybody that compete's at the level he does makes it in the pages at one time or another.Just to get to compete at that level,against the biggest names in bass fishing is a dream to most,I'm sure he'll do fine.My TX touring partner has made the lunker pages in the magazine three times so far(living on Lake St.Clair helps),so it can be done.I'm done with this topic,I don't care what you fish with,and you shouldn't care what I use-tight lines.



I have to admit I was wrong in lumping all tournament fishermen together. I guess just a few tournament fishermen consider themselves pros
and better than non tournament fishermen just because they pluck down money to fish in tournaments.
As far as equipment I say use whatever you have confidence in but don't tell others that they are mere novices because they don't use all the highest priced equiptment


----------



## jonnythfisherteen2

1+ robertj, 1+


----------



## josh617

Ok, you big timers lets see your 1099s, then we ll see who the pros really are! lol Everybody wants to be a "pro" just cuz u fish the "pro" side doesnt make you a pro, sorry guys.


----------



## sbreech

josh617 said:


> Ok, you big timers lets see your 1099s, then we ll see who the pros really are! lol Everybody wants to be a "pro" just cuz u fish the "pro" side doesnt make you a pro, sorry guys.


_....and birth certificates? _


----------



## sbreech

robertj298 said:


> Well when someone starts spouting off about how good they are and fishing for the big money with the Elites and how they spend more money on entry fees than I do on all my monthly bills I like to know just how good they really are. Guess I found out. So until I see your face on bassmaster or espn you keep on being a legend in your own mind lol


If you want to know about bassmaster elite fishermen, all you have to do is go to their site and do a search. LOTP isn't lying...he does fish elite in BM. (See link below) Why would anyone want to lie about their hobby? Fishing is fun. Period. 5 bux or 50,000 bux, it's fun! If I thought I could make the money fishing (reliably) that I make in my career, I'd be on a lake day in and day out...but then it would be work, and I might not find it as fun or relaxing as I do now. My wife thinks I'm crazy for spending $100 on a rod and reel...oh, she doesn't know the truth...so see, we are fishermen, and we probably all stretch the truth a bit in fun, jest, and marital safety.

http://bassmaster.com/anglers/steven-priest


----------



## robertj298

josh617 said:


> Ok, you big timers lets see your 1099s, then we ll see who the pros really are! lol Everybody wants to be a "pro" just cuz u fish the "pro" side doesnt make you a pro, sorry guys.


Thats very true. The only person that comes to my mind from Ohio is Charlie Hartley and if you look at his career winnings from B.A.S.S over $300 K sounds like a lot until you consider that amount is over 10 years. I don't know if he has another job or if he makes a lot from sponsors but that doesn't sound like a lot to me


----------



## young-gun21

Hartley has a full time job that works around his schedule...he speaks regularly of it in his B.A.S.S. blog. 

I don't believe LOTP said he fishes all of the Elite Series, but that he fishes with/against the Elite series guys in the Opens...not to put words in his mouth. 

As for the topic itself...I have a lot of respect for the guys that have worked their way to a level that affords them the opportunities that they have. They have earned the respect of all of the companies on those jerseys they wear. They have made a committment to put time in on and off the water....countless hours. For anyone to say that "they think" they are pros is comical at best....

_Sent from my HTC Evo_


----------



## legendaryyaj

lordofthepunks said:


> suddenly when it matters and when people are actually weighing your fish, all the things that made you think you could hack it are gone. all those 11 inchers that you counted as keepers, gone. all those bass you caught on live minnows, gone. all the fish you counted as "caught" that actually popped loose at the boat, gone. all your spots that you thought were secret suddenly have 3 boats on them at a time, gone. your "2lbers" become 1lbers. the 12 hours you were using to catch your fish is now 8 hours. having the lake to yourself, gone and not only gone, gone with 30 to 200 other guys that actually know what it takes to win. the perfect weather that you wait for to make your next trip, again, gone. the realization that at the end of the day, when you go to the scales with nothing and you want to keep telling yourself that if you didnt catch them then nobody did and what do you find? and you always find this, always. somebody caugt em, no matter how terrible your day was, there is ALWAYS somebody that catches them.


The truth and nothing short of it.

I applaud you LOTP!


----------



## young-gun21

legendaryyaj said:


> The truth and nothing short of it.
> 
> I applaud you LOTP!


I would have to co-sign that as well.

_Sent from my HTC Evo_


----------



## lordofthepunks

to robertj and anyone else doubting my skills... tonight, 2.5 hours, ohio inland public lake, in a tournament with 20 guys that all fish this lake weekly, havent been there in a year, 
*18lbs* and that, my amatuer buddy, is with a $9 buzzbait, (my partner had a wal-mart special buzzbait, .99 cents, not one bite on it).

come talk to me when or if you EVER do that.


if you want to see the pics, just click on my blog


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## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> to robertj and anyone else doubting my skills... last night, 2.5 hours, ohio inland public lake, in a tournament with 20 guys that all fish this lake weekly, havent been there in a year,
> *18lbs* and that, my amatuer buddy, is with a $9 buzzbait, (my partner had a wal-mart special buzzbait, .99 cents, not one bite on it).
> 
> come talk to me when or if you EVER do that.
> 
> 
> if you want to see the pics, just click on my blog


Wow and all those 20 anglers were elite anglers? Did you win that 50k?. I'm not really that impressed I've done the same thing numerous times at griggs res. and never impressed myself. Tell us how you've done against the big boys?


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## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> Wow and all those 20 anglers were elite anglers? Did you win that 50k?. I'm not really that impressed I've done the same thing numerous times at griggs res. and never impressed myself. Tell us how you've done against the big boys?


lol, yeah, youve done it tons of times at griggs, been fishing there for years and NEVER seen a sack bigger the 12lbs. again, there goes that "if iiii waaasss in a tournament iiiii could do it" 

please, oh please come down to a griggs tournament so i can take your money. and 18lbs is 18lbs no matter who your fishing against, as long as your fishing against someone and your grandma doesnt count. 

your not impressed because you dont know. start fishing tournaments, bring your 18lb griggs bag in and then you can talk all the trash you want. until then your opinion means absolutely nothing to anyone.


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## lordofthepunks

come on robertj, post your proof, if youve caught 18lbs in any day, anywhere, you surely would have some proof. pics, leaderboard, ANYTHING. ahh, but it was when nobody was around, and you didnt have a scale, and blah blah blah blah.


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## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> lol, yeah, youve done it tons of times at griggs, been fishing there for years and NEVER seen a sack bigger the 12lbs. again, there goes that "if iiii waaasss in a tournament iiiii could do it"
> 
> please, oh please come down to a griggs tournament so i can take your money. and 18lbs is 18lbs no matter who your fishing against, as long as your fishing against someone and your grandma doesnt count.
> 
> your not impressed because you dont know. start fishing tournaments, bring your 18lb griggs bag in and then you can talk all the trash you want. until then your opinion means absolutely nothing to anyone.


Wait...you forgot to tell us all how you've done against real professional fishermen? Not just the local wannabes but the guys who really do it for a living. Where did you place in those tournaments? I don't doubt that your a pretty good bass fisherman but your not as good as your talk or what you are in your own mind .


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## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> Wait...you forgot to tell us all how you've done against real professional fishermen? Not just the local wannabes but the guys who really do it for a living. Where did you place in those tournaments? I don't doubt that your a pretty good bass fisherman but your not as good as your talk or what you are in your own mind .


i placed in the middle of the field. not last, not first, kind of near the middle.

and just because they are local does not make them wannabes. YOU are the wannabe.

I also never claimed to be gods gift to bass fishing, i simply stick up for those of us that have to hear Bull from people like you. people that THINK that tournament guys are the devil, people that want to act like they can fish but when it comes down to it, they wont risk a dime proving it. 

i have zero respect for you or anyone else who talks down to tournament fisherman. we put ourselves out there, for everyone to see how well we can fish. its a measuring stick, a measuring stick that people like you are afraid will expose your lack if SIZE.

and just for the record, i have never said that cheap baits were for catching small fish. i said i prefer lucky craft hard baits and that i resent the sentiment that people who buy expensive equipment are suckers. 


and if you ever grow the nads to start fishing tournaments, make sure you post your results online, mine are on ESPN.com


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## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> i placed in the middle of the field. not last, not first, kind of near the middle.
> 
> and just because they are local does not make them wannabes. YOU are the wannabe.
> 
> I also never claimed to be gods gift to bass fishing, i simply stick up for those of us that have to hear Bull from people like you. people that THINK that tournament guys are the devil, people that want to act like they can fish but when it comes down to it, they wont risk a dime proving it.
> 
> i have zero respect for you or anyone else who talks down to tournament fisherman. we put ourselves out there, for everyone to see how well we can fish. its a measuring stick, a measuring stick that people like you are afraid will expose your lack if SIZE.
> 
> and just for the record, i have never said that cheap baits were for catching small fish. i said i prefer lucky craft hard baits and that i resent the sentiment that people who buy expensive equipment are suckers.
> 
> 
> and if you ever grow the nads to start fishing tournaments, make sure you post your results online, mine are on ESPN.com


I don't talk down to tournament fishermen most are great guys and don't claim to be the greatest."I obviously have a great shot at winning because I am so awesome " from your blog lol. You seem to have me mixed up I'm not a wannabe. I'm happy fishing purely for the challenge and the sport of it. I don't need to prove that I am so awesome or better than someone else.


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## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> I don't talk down to tournament fishermen most are great guys and don't claim to be the greatest."I obviously have a great shot at winning because I am so awesome " from your blog lol. You seem to have me mixed up I'm not a wannabe. I'm happy fishing purely for the challenge and the sport of it. I don't need to prove that I am so awesome or better than someone else.


lol, you really are something. that was clearly a joke, you ever heard of "tongue in cheek". anybody who reads that blog regularly, knows me personally or has the slightest sense of humor would know that "i am so awesome" was a stab at myself. ive had more then a few people tell me that one of the things they like about the blog is the self deprecating humor and ANYBODY with even half a brain would know that I was joking. 

just know for a FACT that if challenge is trully what you want then you would be out there with us. the challenge of catching bass is amped up about ten fold when your actually fishing for something other then enjoyment.

seriously dude, i dont have time for this. catch one for me!


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## lordofthepunks

robertj298 said:


> You seem to have me mixed up I'm not a wannabe. I'm happy fishing purely for the challenge and the sport of it. I


you are the wannabee, you wanna act and think like your just as good the tournament guys but you have no intention of testing yourself.

im a genious, but i wont take an iq test. im olympic fast but i wont enter a race. i can race nascar, but my minivan isnt set up for asphalt. i can write a book, but i dont have a typewriter. i can be a death metal singer but i wont start a band. i can cure cancer but i would have to get my doctorate first and my current job will not allow me to take the time to go back to school.

thinking that fish is a 4lber is good enough for you, god forbid you weigh it and find out its only 2.5, shattered dreams. so dont weigh it, you wouldnt want to rain on your parade of sherades.

and i will be out there, 1st place, last place, or anthing in between for people like you to try to tear down in order to make yourself feel like you are something. in reality you arent anything, and my goal to make the elite series is at its least an attempt at greatness. i would rather live with knowing i tried and failed, then to never try, for no other reason then to keep the illusion in your head alive that you were good enough.


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## lordofthepunks

peace out homie

S.T.P.


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## spfldbassguy

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> first off, im not trying to be ogf police, but you do realize that robertj and lordofthepunks are getting into it, just because they use different lures to catch fish.


Hey thanks for pointing out that they're going back n forth I hadn't noticed.


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## spfldbassguy

lordofthepunks said:


> i would rather live with knowing i tried and failed, then to never try, for no other reason then to keep the illusion in your head alive that you were good enough.


There's alotta people in this world that need to have that mindset,they'd be alot better off. It applies to everything not just fishing. You know the people that never try anything for the fear of failure are the same people that we all hear complaining over and over about the things they're afraid to try. They're also the very same people that talk down about those that do try. Case in point,about 5 years or so ago I went and hooked up with several bands looking for a guitar player. I thought I was good enough but I wasn't but atleast I came away from those meetings with the knowledge of what I needed to concentrate more on at getting better. Hey atleast I put myself out there and I feel that I'm a better person for doing so. Why? All because I decided to take a chance and it didn't work out but that's life. We're not always as good as we think we are but we're better at some things than we ever realize. The only way to ever find out is to TRY.


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## spfldbassguy

robertj298 said:


> I'm happy fishing purely for the challenge and the sport of it. I don't need to prove that I am so awesome or better than someone else.


Really? You must fish alone all the time then or you have no sense of competition in your body. You can't honestly say that you've never been out fishing with a family member or friend and didn't want to beat them to show them that you was the better guy that day. LOTP and all the other tourny guys just do that on a larger scale than the rest of us.


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## sbreech

Here's my favorite under-$5 lure.


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## Intimidator

I can tell you from experience that you have to be a "Special" person to be able to Tourney Fish. I moved to SC for 7 years in the late 80's/early 90's and tried to follow my dream and break into Big Time Fishing! It was different back then, rampant cheating, Good Ol' Boys Club, etc, but I tried...Needless to say the experience was a bad one for me and ruined fishing, I did not have the mental makeup to be able to shrug things off, my competitive nature drove me unmercifully, even after I knew the odds were stacked against me, I almost killed a man that cheated and knocked me out of the money. After that, I quit and moved back to OH and used my degree to start a life and family. I did not fish again for 10 years until my son turned 3, I have been fishing again for 6 years and finally I am able to relax and enjoy it again! I will not ever fish in a tourney or make a competition out of it again!....Kudos, to the guys that are living their dreams and I wish them nothing but the best...hopefully they don't have to learn like me! It's better now, but it's still a "Dog Eat Dog" "Survival Of The Fittest" way to make a living!


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## Thick Rick

OK, number one, the best bass bait to use in Ohio is a $1.69 Bitsy Bug.

Number 2, Robert made a comment about "local wannabes" in tournaments. Umm, that comment kind of hit a nerve. I would love to fish in the Elite series one day, but that is probably not going to happen. I have a family and too many committments here. Maybe after my kids are out of college, if the conditions are right, I may look to hit up a couple of the BASS divisions and give it a shot. I have been fishing tournaments in Ohio for over 15 years, but I haven't gotten outside Ohio a whole lot.

I think by definition, if you ever win money fishing, you are a pro. Pro means you get paid. Now, there are different levels of pro. Maybe just semi-pro. Maybe part-time pro. I don't know. But when the "top pros" fish OPENS, I guarantee some of their biggest competition are the locals at whatever lake they are fishing. If BASS held an open at Alum and KVD, Skeet Reese, Ike, etc were there, I know damn well there are a few of us locals that would give them all they could handle and more.

And third, last year I made a profit fishing. Counting entry fees, gear, and gas...everything, I made over and above that, but it was my best year yet. Nowhere near enough to live on mind you. But I fished for free and paid for my daughter's first quarter of college and Christmas presents with the profits. We did best in the Salmoides circuit. Out of 5 tournaments, we had a 3rd place finish and 2 1st place finishes. Oh, by the way, Lord of the Punks was my partner.


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## JamesT

Most $5 hardbaits suck because they are cheaply made out of plastic and cheap components. I'm convinced that some of these hooks were designed NOT to catch fish (like the shape/design of the hooks that come stock on rattletraps). As far as rust, if you air out your tackleboxes for a day after a day of fishing, this should not be a problem.


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## Fish G3

Some people just have no idea on what it takes. I respect Lord, HH, and others for what their doing. I can't understand why there would be people hating on these guys about whether they're pro or not, what they use, and everything else that they have been hated on for. I would do anything for the knowledge they have on fishing I doubt my brain could contain 1/32 of what they know.

And lord this is cheesy as hell but I would like a autographed copy of bassmaster when you do make it. I'm sure it won't be long lol.


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## lordofthepunks

Fish G3 said:


> Some people just have no idea on what it takes. I respect Lord, HH, and others for what their doing. I can't understand why there would be people hating on these guys about whether they're pro or not, what they use, and everything else that they have been hated on for. I would do anything for the knowledge they have on fishing I doubt my brain could contain 1/32 of what they know.
> 
> And lord this is cheesy as hell but I would like a autographed copy of bassmaster when you do make it. I'm sure it won't be long lol.


thanks buddy, feels good knowing i have some people that believe in me.


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## Intimidator

Fish G3 said:


> Some people just have no idea on what it takes. I respect Lord, HH, and others for what their doing. I can't understand why there would be people hating on these guys about whether they're pro or not, what they use, and everything else that they have been hated on for. I would do anything for the knowledge they have on fishing I doubt my brain could contain 1/32 of what they know.
> 
> And lord this is cheesy as hell but I would like a autographed copy of bassmaster when you do make it. I'm sure it won't be long lol.


What do you mean cheesy! I won the contest to fish with him....I'm gonna get his autograph on a couple of my LC's and have my picture taken with him!LOL


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## lordofthepunks

Intimidator said:


> What do you mean cheesy! I won the contest to fish with him....I'm gonna get his autograph on a couple of my LC's and have my picture taken with him!LOL


lol, some contest huh. get to fish with a wannabee that thinks he is awesome. honestly, i only think im awesome looking, nothing more


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## st.slippy

I like lures!!!!!


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## JignPig Guide

And while on the subject of wannabees. Today I was a wannabee! I wanted to catch more bass than I did. Ha ha!

Wow, I'm glad this topic stayed on point.


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## sbreech

JignPig Guide said:


> And while on the subject of wannabees. Today I was a wannabee! I wanted to catch more bass than I did. Ha ha!
> 
> Wow, I'm glad this topic stayed on point.


I feel the same way....I wannabe fishin' but I be mowin' because I know it will be raining for the next 85 days. I can fish in the rain...not so easy to mow.


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## Intimidator

lordofthepunks said:


> lol, some contest huh. get to fish with a wannabee that thinks he is awesome. honestly, i only think im awesome looking, nothing more


You forget...we've seen you picture....I would probably just stay with "wannabee awesome fisherman"!


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## spfldbassguy

Intimidator said:


> You forget...we've seen you picture....I would probably just stay with "wannabee awesome fisherman"!


Man you don't cut him any slack huh. Don't be mad LOTP,Intimidator's just jealous cause you're entering your prime and he's on the way to " Depends n Geritol city"LOL


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## Harbor Hunter

OK,to clear up one thing here.LOTP and I do not fish the elite series,we both fish bassmaster opens.Steve fishes the southern opens,and I fish the central opens.In both,there are many pros from the elite series that also fish in them.I regularly fish against the same guys you see on ESPN.Robert you said the "only" guy from Ohio that you have heard of was Hartley.I guess you really aren't too aware of this topic after all,ever hear of Frank Scalish? Bill Lowen maybe,or possibly Steve Clapper,who won the prestigious FLW crown on the Detroit River.A local guy from where I live competed on the elite circuit 2 years ago,Glen DeLong.Don't act like you know a lot of what's going on in major bass circuits if you don't,someone surely will call you out.Unlike Steve,I'm an older guy and I mainly just fish as many majors as I can just because I love competing against the big names,I really don't care about the prize money offered,although it would be nice to do well in the opens just to get to fish the Bassmaster Classic one time,that would be a dream come true.Steve is a younger guy who really does have a great chance to go far with the opens,and Robert pay attention,he will be another of the Ohio guys that you never heard of fishing the elite series one day.Let me tell you one more thing Robert,I want you to post proof on here the next time you see where somebody brought in 18lbs. in a tournament on any inland Ohio lake,can you do that for us? Johnny fisherwhatever,why do you continue to try to stir the pot with comments like Steve and Robert are really getting into it over cheap lures versus expensive lures? That topic was already covered in a different post weeks ago.I'm sure neither of them care what you use,what I use,or what either of them uses,fish your Bandits or whatever other lure you like,catch a bunch of fish on them and be happy with that,don't worry about what other people use,just learn to use a few lures that you like and you will catch all the fish you want to.I think the point of debate here is that a few guys don't like TX fishermen,or the way we dress,run our boats,or whatever.As far as the way we dress,yes I do wear many sponsor patches even when I'm just fishing for fun.It may look to some like I'm showing off,or trying to make people think I'm something I'm not,but in reality I'm just trying to promote my sponsors,and my sport,simple as that.No TX guy is going to crowd you out of your spot on the water,some may be polite and tell you they're going for $50,000 and they would appreciate it if they could fish the spot,it would be up to you if you wanted to move or not,but most would just move along to their next spot without even disturbing you.I'm pretty much done trying to defend myself and other TX guys,apparently it doesn't do any good considering there's a couple of other forums on here where we're getting ripped too.I understand that in Ohio where there's only so much public water conflicts will arise from time to time,but it's still what it is,and we all pay the same taxes and what not,so we just need to chill out and try to share the resources we do still have.


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## Harbor Hunter

josh617 said:


> Ok, you big timers lets see your 1099s, then we ll see who the pros really are! lol Everybody wants to be a "pro" just cuz u fish the "pro" side doesnt make you a pro, sorry guys.


 What does make you a pro Josh? I'm glad you understand that by fishing the pro side in a tournament simply means that you're the boater,and the co-angler dude is the passenger.Thank you for clearing that up for everybody,even though I had already explained that earlier.Again,in your mind what constitutes being a "pro"? Entry fees maybe? Oh,I forgot,to you it seems to be the amount of money one has earned from TX fishing(1099's as proof).So using that as consideration to one's pro status,out of the top 100 guys that fish the elite,I can name several of them that don't win as much money in a year as guys fishing smaller circuits here in Ohio earn.Do you consider the young fellow from Idaho as a pro? How about the already mentioned Charlie Hartley,he's been a pro for years,and hasn't won much at all over that time.There's several guys in that circuit that haven't even cracked $100,000 yet.I'll just give it to you pal,and you can look this up anywhere-you're a pro when you're getting paid to compete in any sporting event period.I've never seen it say there's a certain cash limit you have to achieve to be considered a pro,if you're being paid to compete,then you are a pro.


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## josh617

Thanks for the clarification HH, didnt mean to hit a nerve.


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## sbreech

I want to be the passenger on the boat with a pro in a tournament! Hell, my tackle box full of under $5.00 lures (ok, some sub-$5 lures), combined with his expensive lures should pretty much guarantee a buttload of fish caught.  Any takers? I have 4 redeeming qualities :I don't mind bad weather, I catch fish, I don't get sea sick, and my wife doesn't care how much I fish.

In all honesty, it would be a blast to try, but it may get me hooked (figuratively speaking) on another life endeavor. The only turn off for me would be wearing some nascar-looking shirt...not for me.


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## Intimidator

sbreech said:


> I want to be the passenger on the boat with a pro in a tournament! Hell, my tackle box full of under $5.00 lures (ok, some sub-$5 lures), combined with his expensive lures should pretty much guarantee a buttload of fish caught.  Any takers? I have 4 redeeming qualities :I don't mind bad weather, I catch fish, I don't get sea sick, and my wife doesn't care how much I fish.
> 
> In all honesty, it would be a blast to try, but it may get me hooked (figuratively speaking) on another life endeavor. The only turn off for me would be wearing some nascar-looking shirt...not for me.


I went out to a Tourney at CJ last year and all the guys were from the Athens area. Since I went to OU we started talking and I was invited to ride along with a couple of the guys for 2 days. Man, did I learn alot about the lake that I thought I knew (my home lake)! After watching them I found new areas to fish and understood what they were looking for...a fantastic learning experience, I also got to see the "Top Of The Line" electronics....those things are an unfair advantage to anyone that has it!LOL....Just go out to a local tourney and ask to help out or talk with people...most are great guys and would welcome the company!


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## robertj298

Harbor Hunter said:


> What does make you a pro Josh? I'm glad you understand that by fishing the pro side in a tournament simply means that you're the boater,and the co-angler dude is the passenger.Thank you for clearing that up for everybody,even though I had already explained that earlier.Again,in your mind what constitutes being a "pro"? Entry fees maybe? Oh,I forgot,to you it seems to be the amount of money one has earned from TX fishing(1099's as proof).So using that as consideration to one's pro status,out of the top 100 guys that fish the elite,I can name several of them that don't win as much money in a year as guys fishing smaller circuits here in Ohio earn.Do you consider the young fellow from Idaho as a pro? How about the already mentioned Charlie Hartley,he's been a pro for years,and hasn't won much at all over that time.There's several guys in that circuit that haven't even cracked $100,000 yet.I'll just give it to you pal,and you can look this up anywhere-you're a pro when you're getting paid to compete in any sporting event period.I've never seen it say there's a certain cash limit you have to achieve to be considered a pro,if you're being paid to compete,then you are a pro.


Technically your right about being a pro fisherman but in that case you have a whole lot of pros out there fishing along with a whole lot of pro golfers and about every other sport you can name. My definition of a pro fisherman is someone whose sole income comes from fishing tournaments. You can call me a tournament hater all you want. I have a lot of friends that fish tournaments and they know better. It just kind of sticks in my craw when someone brags about how much money they spend on tournaments and someone that doesn't fish tournaments can't be nearly as good as they are at the sport


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## spfldbassguy

robertj298 said:


> Technically your right about being a pro fisherman but in that case you have a whole lot of pros out there fishing along with a whole lot of pro golfers and about every other sport you can name. My definition of a pro fisherman is someone whose sole income comes from fishing tournaments. You can call me a tournament hater all you want. I have a lot of friends that fish tournaments and they know better. It just kind of sticks in my craw when someone brags about how much money they spend on tournaments and someone that doesn't fish tournaments can't be nearly as good as they are at the sport


So I guess some of the PRO ball players of decades past that had jobs during the off season wasn't pros then by your definition. I mean after all their sole income wasn't from playing in the major leagues.


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## spfldbassguy

Habor Hunter your last two posts was fantastic,thanks for again clearing it up for some folks on here. Although by Robertj298s last post you'll never get through to him,he's too set in his mind for anyone to change his perspective/opinion.


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## jcustunner24

robertj298 said:


> It just kind of sticks in my craw when someone brags about how much money they spend on tournaments and someone that doesn't fish tournaments can't be nearly as good as they are at the sport


For me, and seemingly you, fishing is a hobby. A hobby we love, but a hobby nonetheless. For guys like lotp, hh, and many others on this site, they're either chasing or achieving a dream. Whatever equivalent to that you have in your life, I doubt you constantly have someone raining on your parade. Stick around here a while, and you'll see plenty of examples of the tourney guys getting beaten up. Most tourney level anglers are fiercely proud of what they do, and when you're proud of something, you defend it.

I don't know lordofthepunks or Harbor Hunter personally, but BOTH have mentioned allowing me to fish with them. Now, neither would benefit from me being on their boat, because the majority of people on this site know more about fishing than I do - several of whom have commented on this thread. I can only assume the reason for those offers was because we've shown each other mutual respect - despite beating each other up over various sports topics. Your point seems to be that both of these men consider themselves "better than non-tournament" fishermen. Judging by the conversations I've had with them, *that *is categorically false.

Most people on this site, myself included (an admitted average fisherman) can catch plenty of fish. I know, with 100% certainty that I couldn't make money doing it. For that reason, I don't knock the guys who do any more than I knock Phil Mickelson's swing. Sure, I could golf most of the courses he does, but no one's giving me one of those billboard sized checks when I three putt the 18th to round out my 90.


----------



## lordofthepunks

for the record, nobody bragged about how much money they spend until robertj chimed in with his "all tournament guys think they are pro" crap.


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## spfldbassguy

I'm anxious to see ol' Roberts' reply to my question in post # 140. He made that little statement and now I want to read his answer. That statement was one of the more goofier things I've read on here in awhile. I mean tons of people work more than one job so if you want to be considered to be a pro sports person you're not allowed to,illogical to think that way. Furthermore what about some of these PROs nowadays that have real estate ventures,investment companys,etc,etc, there not PROs anymore because their SOLE income isn't from whatever league? I wonder if Robert is drinking the same koolaid as a few others on here that makes some same goofy statements?


----------



## dillon basser

heres my 2 cents worth..if your not on fish or the fish are in a stubborn mood,the 5.00 or the 12.00 will not catch anything!!! i have fished buckeye the past 2 days (thurs.and friday) i got one 12 1/2 inch bass on thursday,friday i got in to the bass !!! i throwed the bandit,the koppers live target,and the spinner bait with colorado blade...nothing.so i reached in to my rod locker and pulled out my dillon rods with the 8lb test,hand poured worms,6inch green punkin and a yellow and black worm,that i had bobs out doors make for me.i borrowed the color skeem from a k&e bass stopper worm,had to buy 50 of them just so bob would make them for me.then i went to the to the back side of the marsh and the fun started,i boated six bass between 14 and 15 inch i left there and went to clouse channel and picked up four more around the same size and then it happen!!! TAP!!set the hook,got her head to the top of the water,and snap there went the line.i never checked my line for nicks,my owen fault i had plenty of room to fight her with that 8# line and a good drag set.all the fish were caught,but one on my new worm,lucky me!!


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## robertj298

spfldbassguy said:


> So I guess some of the PRO ball players of decades past that had jobs during the off season wasn't pros then by your definition. I mean after all their sole income wasn't from playing in the major leagues.


We can go to the other extreme and say probably anyone thats ever golfed is a professional golfer because they won a $5 bet with a buddy. The point is just because someone has won money in a tournament does not make them a professional in my eyes


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## sbreech

Not that it applies here, but when I raced BMX a LONG time ago, once I went pro, there was NO going back to amateur. I believe if I went back to racing, in the same organization, I would still have to race "pro" class, even though I'm old and decrepit.  So therefore, in my opinion, (which is just that, MY opinion), anybody competing in the pro ranks, sanctioned, just once, is a "pro" level angler...or racer...or runner...or whatever.

Also, consider college-level sports. Once you've competed athletically (professionally), you can no longer compete at the college level.

I'm an amateur fisherman. Some guys are pro fishermen. Lets find some common ground - oh yeah, fishermen (or women).

Now, no price mentioned, what would be the ONE hard bait - be it $3 or $30 - that you would want if you were stranded on an island, not knowing what fish were on there, how big, how deep, or anything, and you were getting hungry? (I know, dumb question, but still...)

Happy Saturday!


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## spfldbassguy

robertj298 said:


> We can go to the other extreme and say probably anyone thats ever golfed is a professional golfer because they won a $5 bet with a buddy. The point is just because someone has won money in a tournament does not make them a professional in my eyes


Now that is the kind of answer I thought you'd give to my question. You made that statement and I was just following your lead. BTW that answer is ridiculous. Your arguements on that topic have kept going downhill ever since the first one. Next time you might want to think out what you wanna type before you actually type it. This debate is stale,tired,and pointless now so please go fish for fun and quit hating on the tourny guys that fish for cash.


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## Pigsticker

Sbreech assuming u mean freshwater. I'd pick a rapala floater silver/black. Reasoning that's baitfish color anywhere and its versatile It'd be. A small one because if its to survive I just want numbers not trophies.

I've never tried the more expensive lures so I wouldn't even know a good one.


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## Photog

sbreech said:


> Also, consider college-level sports. Once you've competed athletically (professionally), you can no longer compete at the college level.
> 
> 
> Happy Saturday!


This part may be a little different. I'm pretty sure the Buckeye's kicker played for the Columbus Crew. So maybe you can play one sport professionally but play another in the NCAA as an amateur?


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## lordofthepunks

i really dont want to get back into this but robertj made a intriguing coment about golfing with your buddy for $5. there are both ends of the "pro" spectrum. i would honestly consider myself like this. theres the guy that won $5 dollars from his buddy and then theres tiger woods. im prob like Roy "tin cup" mcavoy, humble golf range pro that may or may not be good enough to compete with the "real pros" but all i need is for things to go right and for me to get my head on straight and maybe i will have a shot!


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## sbreech

Photog said:


> This part may be a little different. I'm pretty sure the Buckeye's kicker played for the Columbus Crew. So maybe you can play one sport professionally but play another in the NCAA as an amateur?


Good catch, Photog! I totally forgot about that guy. He didn't trade anything for a tattoo, did he?


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## sbreech

Pigsticker said:


> Sbreech assuming u mean freshwater. I'd pick a rapala floater silver/black. Reasoning that's baitfish color anywhere and its versatile It'd be. A small one because if its to survive I just want numbers not trophies.
> 
> I've never tried the more expensive lures so I wouldn't even know a good one.


Pigsticker, I was thinking the same thing. Small floater Rapalas have made the difference for me from being totally skunked to being able to say, "yeah, I caught a few today." 

Small fish make good sammiches.


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## Harbor Hunter

Josh you didn't hit a nerve,it's just hard to explain some things over and over.Most if not all of my annual income does come from fishing,but I don't need it to survive,if I had to depend solely on TX winnings to live,I would be afraid to see what my life would be like.For the poster that said "TX guys think they're better fishermen than recreational fishermen",maybe ones you know think like that.My thought on that would be I could be in my boat running the BM,while a complete novice could be on the back deck using a Zebco 202,casting a $1.99 plug and outfish me all day,as a matter of fact that has happened to me more than once.Two or three particular responders on here seem to think the lure is what makes the difference,whether it is a $15.00 lure,or a $5.00 lure.The real reason a guy is an awesome fisherman on any given lake is that he does his homework by reading maps,on the water experience,ability to understand what his electronics are telling him and etc.That's why a novice may be standing on my back deck and catching fish left and right,but the real reason he is,is because I have positioned him where the fish are in the first place.There are many pros here in Ohio and across the country,but only a very select few are pros pros.It's not because of their selection of tackle(most just use whatever brand their sponsor is),it's because of their attention to detail that seperates them from the pack.Like I've said,I've fished in many major TX's and seen first hand what the best of the best do each day(and night)tp prepare for the next day.They eat in their rooms so they can study maps,sharpen hooks,change line or whatever else they see as important for the next day.KVD doesn't concern himself with the cost of his lures,or any other gear he's using(sponsor paid for or not),he doesn't worry what people think of his NASCAR looking TX jersey,or any other distractions,KVD only thinks about winning the TX.I have dozens of high price lures,and I have many less costly lures in my boat as well.Most of my circuit fishing takes place on either Lake Erie,or Lake St.Clair,and the baits I throw at both places probably wouldn't even come close to $5.00 in cost,it's a different story in the opens though.On some of those ultra-clear,heavily fished lakes down south you need a bait that has a great color scheme,runs true,and has great hooks and rings,so you need to upscale your selection to remain competitive.Finally-just as many members on here got behind Reel Lady a couple of years ago when she started fishing "majors",I think we should all wish LOTP luck at his next major,instead of dissing him because he's trying to do what deep down everybody on here wishes they could be doing,making money fishing.


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## Photog

sbreech said:


> Good catch, Photog! I totally forgot about that guy. He didn't trade anything for a tattoo, did he?


Oh God I hope not.....


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## robertj298

Harbor Hunter said:


> Josh you didn't hit a nerve,it's just hard to explain some things over and over.Most if not all of my annual income does come from fishing,but I don't need it to survive,if I had to depend solely on TX winnings to live,I would be afraid to see what my life would be like.For the poster that said "TX guys think they're better fishermen than recreational fishermen",maybe ones you know think like that.My thought on that would be I could be in my boat running the BM,while a complete novice could be on the back deck using a Zebco 202,casting a $1.99 plug and outfish me all day,as a matter of fact that has happened to me more than once.Two or three particular responders on here seem to think the lure is what makes the difference,whether it is a $15.00 lure,or a $5.00 lure.The real reason a guy is an awesome fisherman on any given lake is that he does his homework by reading maps,on the water experience,ability to understand what his electronics are telling him and etc.That's why a novice may be standing on my back deck and catching fish left and right,but the real reason he is,is because I have positioned him where the fish are in the first place.There are many pros here in Ohio and across the country,but only a very select few are pros pros.It's not because of their selection of tackle(most just use whatever brand their sponsor is),it's because of their attention to detail that seperates them from the pack.Like I've said,I've fished in many major TX's and seen first hand what the best of the best do each day(and night)tp prepare for the next day.They eat in their rooms so they can study maps,sharpen hooks,change line or whatever else they see as important for the next day.KVD doesn't concern himself with the cost of his lures,or any other gear he's using(sponsor paid for or not),he doesn't worry what people think of his NASCAR looking TX jersey,or any other distractions,KVD only thinks about winning the TX.I have dozens of high price lures,and I have many less costly lures in my boat as well.Most of my circuit fishing takes place on either Lake Erie,or Lake St.Clair,and the baits I throw at both places probably wouldn't even come close to $5.00 in cost,it's a different story in the opens though.On some of those ultra-clear,heavily fished lakes down south you need a bait that has a great color scheme,runs true,and has great hooks and rings,so you need to upscale your selection to remain competitive.Finally-just as many members on here got behind Reel Lady a couple of years ago when she started fishing "majors",I think we should all wish LOTP luck at his next major,instead of dissing him because he's trying to do what deep down everybody on here wishes they could be doing,making money fishing.


I have to admit as I've already posted here I made a mistake of lumping all tournament fishermen the same. That was my mistake. That being said Lord of the Punks even stated on his blog that he tends to rub a lot of people the wrong way which he did me LOL. Its no big deal .Its not like I dislike the guy. I don't even really know him. We would probably get along fine in the same boat. As far as the rest of your post thats something I've been saying all along . Its not so much the cost of the lure your using its the knowledge and hard work of the fisherman using that lure.


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## Harbor Hunter

All is good with me.


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## Intimidator

robertj298 said:


> Its not so much the cost of the lure your using its the knowledge and hard work of the fisherman using that lure.


Exactly! I agree 100%....But I also like the more expensive lures!LOL


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## lordofthepunks

just saw kvd throwing a yellow magic pop-r on bassmasters, so much for kvd using cheap baits. im sure strike king has a pop-r in their gear. 

i prefer the rico pop-r but i also have yellow magics. either of them are superior for pop-rs


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## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> just saw kvd throwing a yellow magic pop-r on bassmasters, so much for kvd using cheap baits. im sure strike king has a pop-r in their gear.
> 
> i prefer the rico pop-r but i also have yellow magics. either of them are superior for pop-rs


I'll have to try one of those. I've been using the original rebel pop-r for years and love them. I have a couple of the L.C. Sammys and actually like the original Zara Spook better. I think most of the success you have with a lure is how much confidence you have in it.


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## lordofthepunks

look at you robertj! killin me with kindness. the ricos are unbelievable but honestly as far as effectiveness goes, its a pop-r. the hooks, the split rings and the finish are superior but the "fish catching" ablility is prob not much different other then the diff made by the hooks.


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## robertj298

lordofthepunks said:


> look at you robertj! killin me with kindness. the ricos are unbelievable but honestly as far as effectiveness goes, its a pop-r. the hooks, the split rings and the finish are superior but the "fish catching" ablility is prob not much different other then the diff made by the hooks.


LOL I'll give you a little more kindness with this one punk. The best big bass lure I've fished the past three years is the chug bug. You need to change the hooks and rings on it but I've caught more big largemouth and smallmouth with this lure than any other I've used the past 3 years. Part of the reason may be I love fishing topwater and use it a lot


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## Intimidator

lordofthepunks said:


> look at you robertj! killin me with kindness.
> 
> Glad to see both of you have "kissed and made up"! Now get on with it....all of this huggy feelly crap is gettin' old!LOL


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