Conference wahoo::fishing

    	Well, I didn't use Ma Bell, I just let the USPS drain my account.
    Finally got around to ordering the belly boats for my son and me.
     No more getting laughed at by the *SERIOUS* fishermen out there
    for my $8.00 belly boat.  Oh well, I got 2 years usage out of it.
    Ordered a few other CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT NECESSITIES!!!!!  ;-)
    Now, I'm like a cat at a mouse hole waiting for it to arrive.  I'm
    just sorry I won't be able to try it out till spring because of
    the foot surgery.  Oh well, at least I'll be able to walk after
    a day of fishing next year.  Now, off to Service Merchandise for
    my son's rod and reel.

    	The other day I was paying some bills, when I noticed a
    considerable charge for BASS_PRO, not sure what it was all about
    I began wondering and daydreaming when out of the corner of my eye
    I noticed a tube sticking out from behind the sofa, with that BASS_PRO
    logo on it.  I guess my wife got the hints I have been leaving,
    like, the catalog opened with items highlighted and the words
    I WANT, I WANT.  I am dieing to look behind the sofa and see
    what else I got from them, but I wait till the 25th.
    

    	Re: 'GOING BROKE VIA THE WIFE'
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    			AREN'T WE ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    
    

Ah, yes, what magic the gift-giving season holds for the avid angler!

I hinted (hint, hint, hint, hint, HINT...) to my wife that I'd sure like
a tackle box like *that* one over there, etc, etc... Fun!

   I even ordered some of those little specials from Cabela's for gifts for 
   others - with a Cabela's fishing hat thrown in! (and one for me, too!)

   Gotta hand it to the guy whose wife has his gift stashed behind the sofa -
   patience, the mark of a true fisherman!

   "Chistmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, please put a Hula Popper
   in the old man's Cabela's hat!"
        
   BTW, can anyone supply me with the 800 number from the Bass Pro catalog?
   I need something to hold in the other hand while reading Cabela's...

   hee hee...

    
    1-800-PRO-BASS or BASS-PRO
    
    

    1-800-227-7776
    
    I always keep one handy in the office.
    
    CC

    Yes,
         And send catalogs to your pals who do not get them. Why should
    we be the only broke suckers. The UPS guy can get to my house
    blindfolded now with my tackle in tote!
    
    ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!
                                               nightcrawler~~~

    
    Thanks for the numbers, guys...
    
    Just think, last August I fished for the first time since jr high
    with a borrowed Zebco junior fisherman combo catching perch on (yech)
    real worms to a Boron-Graphite rod w. snazzy closed-face reel and
    bagging an 18" smallie on a (ta-da) rubber worm! Now I'm getting
    Cabelas and Bass Pro catalogs and looking at baitcasters... what
    have I done? Where will it end????
    
    I dunno, but so far it's a lot of fun! (My wife threatens to get
    me one of those hats that say "My wife said if I go fishing one more
    time she'll...", you know the one..)
    
    hee, hee...
    
    Ed

    
    
    Now you don't have to use the phone to go broke!
    
    This Sundays paper (the Worcester, Ma. rag) says the the FAIR
    has tip ups for $1.99.
    
    Hardwood construction ect.
    
    TBDW  Who has never ice fished
    

    
    
    Hey TBDW,
    
    Never ice fished?  My friend who just bought a sporting goods store
    in Pascoag has started kits put together for about $35.00.  The
    kit includes:
    
           5  tip ups
           1  Spool 10# line (150 yds)
           1  Ice Skimmer
           1  Pkg of bottom sounders (2 per pack)
           1  Pkg of Oxygen tabs for your bait
           1  5 gal bucket to carry it all in
    
           I'm sure I left something out, but the total cost of each
           item if bought separately is about $45.00
    
    
    Let me know, If you can't find a better deal.  I'll pick up the
    package for you to see.  If you don't like it, they will let me
    bring it back.
    
    The Harbor
    Master_who'll_be_heading_to_wallum_this_weekend_for_iced_salmon
    

    
    
    Woops, a typo in previous note,  line test is 18# or 24# test
    

    
    A FREEEEBEEEEE!!!!!!!!!YEH
    
    The heavy plastic bags that are used to wrap the BIG VTs (vr290
    etc.) are great bags for taking your fish from the live well to
    the scale.
    
    They don't say TRILIENE but they don't say DEC either
    
    
    TBDW
    
    

Gee....it's too bad you never have a need for em!

yuk...yuk    
    

    
    
    Hold on Joe,  I will make a place for you to launch your boat!
    

Well....in that case, Garry...you better bring some BIG bags!



...and leave my wife out of it!

    
    I have become the proud owner of a Bass Pro catalog and am
    contemplating going broke myself.  In order to save some money to
    feed the kids....I am thinking of going with the "generic" Bass
    Pro models of certain lures instead of the "brand names".
    
    Any comments would be helpful concerning quality and performance
    between the name brand and the generic.
    
    Remember...I am new to this style of fishing and I have a new tackle
    box to fill up, so the cost is a concern.
    
    Thanks.............Gitzit'
    
    

    I've been using thier tube-u-lures (gitzits), grubs and spinnerbaits
    for a couple years and like them.  I also use their lead/jig heads.

    After my tackle box was stolen this year, while restocking, in order
    to save some cash I decided to try their Sidewinder worms rather than 
    my usual Gillrakers and/or Culprits.  I've been pleased with them.
    (as a matter of fact I broke the 5lb mark with one a couple weeks
    ago)
                                                                       
    don mac

    I agree with Don Mac. I bought several Rapalas through a sale flyer
    they sent me, and also a couple of their own Rapala-type lures.
    Theirs seemed just a bit less high-quality than the Rapalas, but
    *not* chintzy. I think they were well worth the money, I'd buy them
    again, and if you lose one it's a lot cheaper than losing a Rapala,
    too.
    
    I have to say that I have seen those same 'generic' lures at K-Mart,
    Sears, etc, and sometimes for less than BPS. Also, if you ever get
    the chance, go up to Kittery Trading Post in Kittery Maine. *Lots*
    of great fishing stuff, and good prices.
    
    Ed
    

    
    I'm guessing there's a difference between the BPS line of lures
    and the "generic" stuff on the KMart shelves.  In a fit of desperation
    once, I bought in-line spinners in Bradlees (whose entire 200 store
    fishing inventory is not worth $100 at lower of cost or market)
    and might as well have thrown my loose change into the river.  
    
    The Mr. Twister/ KMart joint venture is not half-bad stuff.  I buy
    it for my seven year old who averages 3 casts per lure and have
    used it myself on occasion.  Watch out for anything made in Taiwan
    or South Korea. 
    
    -SSS-

    I use bp's tournament series stuff (worms, grubs, and baits) and it all top
    notch.    tube worms and jig heads are also good.
    
    bassin Bob

    re .20
    
    Let me clarify what I meant when I was comparing BPS lures with
    some found at K-mart. What I meant was that I've seen lures
    *identical* to the BPS lures in other places, perhaps K-mart. I
    agree, K_mart is loaded with junk, for those who don't know any
    better or can't tell the difference, but they do carry good stuff
    too. I have noticed, as have others, that when K-mart has a sale
    on *good* stuff, their prices beat BPS by a good margin - otherwise,
    they are comparable. The inconvenience of waiting for a sale and
    hoping they have what you want when you want it (on sale) makes
    the quite reasonable prices and ready availability of BPS (or Cabelas,
    for that matter) stuff look pretty good.
    
    You mentioned K-mart's joint marketing with Mr Twister. I've tried
    the Mr Twister rubber grubs and the BPS rubber grubs, and, while
    I like the BPS ones ok, I prefer the Mr Twister as far as action
    in the water goes - they "wiggle" better. The BPS ones probably
    hold up a little longer though - they don't seem to be quite as
    soft... Also, the BPS lures are made in Japan, I believe. Well made,
    of course.
    
    Ed

re: K-Mart

Last spring I was wandering through the local K-Mart with my #2 son.  We 
were looking to buy some inexpensive tackle to load up his tackle box (so 
he'd leave daddy's stuff alone!).  We found some K-Mart brand worms in 
various colors for 99 cents for a package of 20-25.  After rummaging 
through the bin and picking out a couple of packs of basic colors, I found a 
pack of 7" semi-clear (slight greenish tinge)  with metal flakes.  Hummm... 
an interesting color, I thought, so we bought those too.  When we got home, 
he kept all the worms except for a small handful of the tinted worms.

To make a long story short, it was those worms that I used to win the 
Pawtuckaway and Hopkinton tournies.  When I ran out, so did K-Mart.  I 
hunted all over for them and couldn't find them.  So I ended up having to 
trade my son some Culprits (slightly more expensive) for the rest of his.

Hopefully, K-Mart will have some more next spring.  I'll make sure that I 
stock up this time!  It was a super color pattern that worked well for me in 
both clear and stained water.

-Joe-

    
    
    	Thanks for the input.....I will be well armed after the order
    comes in.  My only problem now is that my wife told me not to get
    a tackle box because she purchased one for my birthday.  Yikes! she
    doesn't know a bass from a guppie.  Don't know if I want to go home
    tonight to receive it, probably be some "perch jerker" model that
    I'll have to use to keep peace in the family.  I wanted the type
    that was wormproof, rust proof and had hundreds of compartments....
    you know....a little room to grow!
    
    Gitzit'  
    
    

    Mmmm... You just might have yourself a problem there. You'd better
    spend the rest of the day thinking of how you can react if it's
    a Perchjerker 150 instead of a Plano 787. She may surprise you,
    though. She might have gotten some good advice, or just "bought
    the best".
    
    Otherwise you may have to try something like, "That's GREAT Honey!
    I can use this for my crappie lures (no, better not use the word
    crappie) "I can use this for my TROUT lures, and get another small
    box for my BASS lures! Thanks, Sweetie!" Then, after a reasonable
    amount of time has passed, go buy what you really want, and haul
    the little one around anyway, just to show your appreciation. I
    have learned that no matter HOW dumb it might be, don't EVER laugh
    at a fishing present. Last year my in-laws gave me a bunch of
    stuff, including a cheapo fly-fishing vest, and my sister gave me
    a bunch of lures - a couple of nice jitterbugs (2 sizes, same color:
    chartreuse) and a "Bass'n Kit" loaded with cheapo stuff like rubber
    worms that looked and felt like miniature radiator hoses, and *tiny*
    spinner baits that only a perch might notice (but didn't). Of course
    I was HIGHLY appreciative, but will endeavor to subtly discourage
    this sort of thing in the future - or re-direct their efforts to
    good stuff..!!
    
    Ed
    

    
    
    
    re. 25    Ed, when you're right..you're right...
    
    	HONEY! How did you know that was the one I was looking at!!!!!!!!
    
    	Gitzit'
         who_probably_won't_show_up_with_this_box_at_the_noters_tourney 
    

    Hey Gitzit,
              You can try this one.     
    
    	"Thanks honey this is great"
    
    But by the time next spring rolls around and you take one of your
    kids fishing, they will want to carry a tackle box around Just like
    good ol' Dad's got.   So, give it to them, and buy the foot locker
    you always wanted.   Remember for future gifts regarding fishing
    leave hints like I do around the house.   Bass pro catalog opened
    with items circled or highlighted and the words "I WANT!!!!" near.
    Or show it to your kids and tell them to tell Mom "Lets get this
    for DAD"  That one  didn't work for me, the item was an FS1800.
    
    The best is to have your wife call your fishing buddy and let him
    decide.   Ray and I use this one all the time, we would sit down
    for a coffee and figure out what we were getting for birthdays or
    Christmas from our wifes, and they thought they were being so sneaky.
    
    
    Les   
    
    	

    re: GIFTS
    
    I learnd long ago to leave NOT SO SUBTLE hints around the house
    regarding presents. This came about after recieving 2-count'em-2
    of POPIELS' (best) POCKET FISHERMEN for my birthday one year. Seems
    that leaving the 11 foot surf rod in the living room opened someone's
    eyes re: gifts for fishing people.
    
    Of course now, after several years, my wife and I simply exchange
    detailed (very) wish lists. Some year I might even get item #99-
    the fully loaded 4x4 Chevy Suburban ;-)
    
    Bagel

re: fishing stuff as gifts

One of the advantages of teaching my 13 yr. old son how to bass fish is that 
he's learned to appreciate QUALITY tackle and knows what dear ol' dad wants!
Does dad go out and buy a $20 Zebco rod n' reel?  Naw...dad buys $90 
All-Star rods and $60 Abu reels... the real expensive stuff!

Despite all my bitching about my wife's lack of appreciation of my 
piscatorial endeavors (as many of you know), last year she broke down and 
bought me a Plano rod case for Xmas for when I go on "business" trips.
What a shocker!  It's the first fishing-related thing she's bought me in 18 
years.  I wonder what this Xmas will bring....maybe a one-way ticket south?

-HSJ- 

    	And then there is always the way that my wife and I handle each
    others gifts.  Wait till the kids are in bed and go out to the car
    and bring in the gift and let the other members of the family wrap
    it for you.  Then you ALMOST ALWAYS get what you really wanted.
     (Now to be able to convince the wife that the $50.00 price tag
    on the Bass-Pro order is justifiable!)  :-)

    in addition to .30:
    	The $50.00 price tag is unless she sees the $150.00 one 
    including the neoprene waders.  :-)

    My wife and I discussed our present exchange for xmas just the other
    night...
    We decided not to do the surprise thing...and go out and get something
    for the both of us....
    
    To my surprise she suggested we get a trolling motor for the canoe!!!

    ...she had to twist my arm....
    
    jml

    
    Speaking of Christmas ... last year we had friends from Florida
    visit for Christmas.   In the morning, I was concentrating on taking
    pictures of the kids opening their presents.  So, it wasn't until
    things were winding down that I realized that I hadn't opened anything
    from these friends and when I looked under the tree, there weren't
    any packages left.  Not wanting to embarass anyone, I said nothing.
    But, as we were getting up off the floor to go start breakfast,
    I took a last look under the tree and as my eyes moved up from floor
    level, I realized that the tree had a buch of new decorations since
    the day before .... each of them hung from a pair of treble hooks:
    4 Rapalas,3 Rebels,2 Ratl-Traps (and a Zara-Spook in Pear Tree ;-)).
    
    -SSS-      
    

    Hay I have the new wife trained right.  I had the x-mas issue of
    bp on the table.  She said to find something ncie and she would
    get it for me!!  I eyes lite up and a nice new abu reel will be
    under the tree!
    
    Bassin Bob
    

    Ok, Gitzit, what did you end up with? Don't leave us in suspense!

    Ed
        

    
    Well, I guess the aghast look on my face when she mentioned that
    she was getting me a tackle box gave her cold feet.  My "fishing"
    gift was a new battery for the electric trolling motor.  Whew!!!
    that was close.....
    
    Now let's see...where did I leave that BP catalog?  We've got to
    work on heading this off again with Christmas coming up.
    
    This notesfile is good for both fishing technique and "home repair".
    Thanks for the help.
    
    Gitzit'
   
    

    	Well, I have to go over to BEST and get my new tackle box tonight
    before I head for Lake Bisteneau.  Seems that 3 years of belly-boating,
    flopping around in the back of the car, slamming on slip sinkers,
    over-stuffing, etc. broke one of the hinges on my Fenwick.  So,
    I am going for the 3 tier Flambeau.  (MORE PLACES TO PUT THINGS!!)
    Now, can someone give me a pair of neoprenes???

Hey, Wayne...

don't forget the snake-bite kit!  Them cottonmouths can get real mean.

Oh yeah, one last thing...if Coonass hasn't warned you yet, be careful if 
you try hand feeding his pet, Phideaux.

-HSJ-

    Joe,
    
    	That's why I'm going this time of year.  Them cottonmouths should
    be cold enough that you can beat them off with a baseball bat. 
    As for Phideaux, I already have my muzzle along to use before I
    pet him.  :-)  Now for the mount for the trolling motor on the belly-boat.

    Here is another Phone Number to go broke with.
    
           1-800-455-6139
       
        It is a major tackle shop in California (OH WOW MAN).  They will
    send you a catalog for the asking.  And they carry all those great 
    california worms and stuff all you bassershave been reading about.
    I will be feild testing them this weekend, I bought abunch of new
    stuff, with the Gitzit'  
    
    Les
    

    MassMaster here...
    
    like knarly dudes...you mean to tell me that they bass fish in Malibu?
    
    Calif. craze "WEENIE'S"???? ....LOVE 'EM!!!   allready on my third bag
    of them salty lil' suckers....
    
    Get 'em at Jack's....

    I tried the 800 number in .40....I get a recording that it is an
    incorrect number....
    
    help
    
    
    dennis

    SORRY GUYS  
    
      THE NUMBER IS   1-800-445-6139
    
    

    Does anybody out there have the number for Cabela's handy?
    
    Thanks in advance,
    
    /brett
    

    
    
           yoo brett
    
                cabela's # is...TOLL FREE
                1-800-237-4444
    
    
                                                 KIVER

    Great!
    
    I lost my last catalog and needed a new prop.  They sell Michigan
    Wheels for a reasonably fair price.  Knock off our 8% sales tax by
    ordering through the mail vs the $4.00 shipping and it's about a $35
    savings.
    
    Thanks again.
    
    
    /brett