To catch bigger and better fish:

A) Learn the species, study its habitat, you will catch more and bigger fish. Tackle wise there is a steady stream of products but I myself thought I needed a 'Big Bertha tackle box' loaded with $500 worth of contents not including rods, reels etc. I am happy to announce I have since retired that cumbersome box, elected to go with the soft tackle box's available at large chains and your local tackle shops. These soft tackle box's can be slung over your shoulder (most come with shoulder straps) while you make your way to your favorite fishing hole or to the ride that will fly or scream across the water to the Bass spot. A must for the fishing enthusiasts.

B) To those who are unaware of the tournaments and the equipment that each participant uses, they run with a minimum of two rods and two reels each. Lots of tackle and lots of fuel. The majority of the teams may travel as far as a 40 miles on a straight run to their lucrative spot, fish for the day, hopefully cull some fish, then work their ways back to the weigh-in constantly looking at the 'clock', checking the health of their catch. Nothing worse than doing a burn 40 miles back to the weigh in to find out that while their craft was on plane, their live wells drain, (plug was missing) starving the fish of oxygen. Have seen this happen to other fisherman. To lose healthy fish in this manner is avoidable and unnecessary, check and recheck your equipment.