Scott Ferguson

Norm, when those "creeky knees" finally give out and you have to do your fishing from a lawn chair, you might wish you had a few photos from the old days.

The swivel will not make the bait spin any more than it would with out it. Your line goes through one eye of the swivel and the point of the hook goes through the other.

Interesting. One problem I've had with the Parasite clips is the gap in the wire where the line passes through. The thin superlines I use slip through the gap and I've lost a few. No gap using the swivel. I'm going to give them a try.

If you brought all the guys who've ever caught a 10 pound smallie together you would only need a very small room to hold the meeting.

It seems like the lakes in California that hold huge bass also have trout for the bass to feed on. Hey, Mike Clifford! maybe we should get the DNR to stock MORE trout in the rivers so our smallmouth will get huge too!

My first 20 was a river fish. From the St Lawrence, caught on Father's Day, June 15, 1969. I was 14 and got it on a fly rod, cork popper. Came from the corner of a small dock. We ate him.

I didn't know enough then to hold the fish out at arms length toward the camera! (Or to put him back!!!)

This one's being held out but it is a certified 24 and a half inch, 9.83 pound smallie.

http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/fishing...tory?id=2931118

Yeah, that's my grill. It's a Coleman "Road Trip" grill. The stand folds up and the whole thing goes in a zip up, soft sided carrying case with wheels. It's even got 3 different types of cooking surfaces, grill, griddle, or open type you can put a pan on. Uses the small propane bottles. I think I paid about $150 for it on sale. They have a cheaper version now too.

www.coleman.com/coleman/ColemanCom/detail.asp?product_id=9941-768

As far as barbless hooks go, I know that the fish I've caught that swallowed the hook leave my hand in in much better shape when I use barbless hooks than when I don't pinch the barb.

I've been looking up studies that compared mortality rates between barbed and barbless hooks and the results show almost no difference which really surprised me.

I've also seen studies that show overall mortality of between 10% and 30% every year even if there is no angling pressure at all.

I'll be happy to take care of the cookout. I have a portable grill, and I'll get the food. I just need to know about how many people we need to feed.

I'll be there. Are we doing a cookout?

If you'd like to submit an article, story or some pictures for the next newsletter, the deadline is July 15. You can send your stuff to me at; isalliance@sbcglobal.net. Text should just be in the body of an email, photos should be high resolution versions only.

You can send via regular mail to;

ISA Newsletter

1506 Roth Dr

Joliet, Il 60431

You can send trip reports, product reviews, fly fishing articles, scenic photos or just pictures of that big bass you got. Maybe that pretty picture you took will wind up on the color cover!

Scott

The forced perspective does make it look big. Notice how his fist looks as big as his head.

Sadly, the only way it could become a state record is that it had to die.

There was a picture of a little girl next to a largemouth bass she had caught in our local paper the other day. The fish was being held by dad (only his hand was visible) with the girl standing behind. The fish looked as long as she was. I don't think it was 3 feet long!

Those are nice fish, but can't ANYONE ever take a picture without shoving the fish at the camera to make it look bigger?

If you haven't gotten your newsletter by now, your local post office probably isn't going to send it. Send me an email with your address, and I'll make sure you get one. (As long as your dues are paid up!)

isalliance@sbcglobal.net

I don't feel the sport is in trouble, but those who make their living from it are going to have a tougher time of it.

To take the biggest shortcut on learning where to catch smallies, show up at one of the many outings like the one on the Fox River on the 24th of June.

I've had the same problem for a few years now. I found a pair of flip up reading glasses that attach to my sunglasses. Not the most stylish option I'll grant you, but quite a bit less expensive than the Costa Del Mar option.

Down mode

Flipped up

Kevin, I wish you the best.

Although we got the newsletter to the printer early enough, he was apparently pretty busy and was late getting it turned around. Add the fact that the US Postal Service does not put a high priority on mail that is not sent first class, and it means that our newsletter which should have been in your hands 2 weeks ago is just arriving now.

If you haven't gotten yours yet, be patient, it will be there any day.

Those Parasite clips are the best. Bass Pro in Bolingbrook was out of the small size the last time I was there. (I bought them out!)

My wife actually has almost nothing to do with the newsletter. Aside from my own regular piece and the occasional other article I do, nearly all of the other stuff is sent to me by others. I drop it all in, make it fit, and send it to the printer.

The real credit goes to all of those who send me article they've written and Jim Jozwiak for digging around for good pieces.

By the way, I'm always in need of good photos. Scenic shots, like the one on the cover, big bass or just something interesting, send them to me. High resolution pics are a must. Send them to;

isalliance@sbcglobal.net or hard copies can be sent to ISA 1506 Roth Dr Joliet, Il 60431

During the last round of sign installation we bought a few post pounders. Anybody know where they are or who has them? The posts themselves are available at Home Depot.

This is not the exact sign (It's very close) that we've been putting up for the last several years but it will be the one we use in the future.

Simms has a "First repair is on us" warranty. They said I damaged them so this was my "first" one. During the first 30 days, you can return them. I didn't even fish for 40 days after I got mine so that warranty expired before they even came out of the box. I didn't even scratch my butt while wearing them the first time out. They must be pretty fragile. I could not find a mark anywhere on them where they were leaking.

I had a pair of Orvis waders for several months that I tore a big hole in the neoprene sock. Orvis sent me a new pair, no questions asked. Those were $139.

ALL waders will leak if you poke a hole in them. Why spend 3 times as much for Simms if they'll tear as easily as any other? What good is the warranty if they just blame you for anything that goes wrong?

I learned my lesson the hard way.

In an effort to find a decent set of waders that would hold up better than what I had been getting, I bit the bullet and spent just shy of $400 on a set of Simms. Big mistake. They leaked right from the git-go. I sent them back and they told me it was my fault. It sure was my fault for wasting big bucks on a product that was no better than anything else around.

My advice to those wanting new waders. Save your money and buy 3 pair of Bass Pro, Cabela's or whatever brand of boots you like.

It just proves my point. There are 2 kinds of waders. Those that leak, and those that are going to leak. $400 waders aren't bullet, hook or thorn proof. It just hurts that much more when they do leak.

The next issue went to the printer today. It should be in homes (depending on your local post office) around the first of June.