Verse of the Day

[kdxdude]

"On this rock I will build my church, and the power of death will not be able to defeat it."

Matthew 16:18

Smallmouth fishing in the Great Lakes and upper Northeast can get really easy if you can locate isolated rocks. A decent-size rock will hold a smallmouth or two under just about any conditions. Good polarized sunglasses are a must. Try to fish the shady or undercut side of the rock if possible.
When Jesus told Peter He would build His church on a rock, He wasn't calling Peter that rock, even though the name "Peter" means "rock". The rock Jesus would build on was His death, burial, and resurrection to conquer sin. The church is not made up of buildings, but of people believing in the Gospel. Without that rock of Jesus' resurrection from death, there would not be a church. Is Jesus building in you, or are you just warming a pew?

Tip: Engage your reel on a buzzbait the instant the lure hits the water.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

"I also don't judge you guilty. You may go now, but don't sin anymore."

John 8:11

Around the tournament weigh-in sites we have off-limits areas where we are not allowed to fish. There are probably more daily disqualifications for this rule violation than all other rules combined. It is pretty cut and dried; you are either guilty or you're not! It is usually an honest mistake. No one fishes the off-limit release areas intentionally to cheat. They are just mixed up as to where the boundaries are.
Sin is sin, whether committed on purpose or unintentionally. All sin must be paid for or punished. That punishment is eternal damnation in hell. Praise God, He sent Jesus to pay the price so we can avoid the punishment for going outside God's boundaries. Jesus says, "I don't judge you guilty." For this, we certainly should "sin no more."

Tip: Bass in clear water rely more on sight and can see lures more than thirty feet away.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

The LORD says, "I will punish the world for its evil and wicked people for their sins."

Isaiah 13:11

Fall fishing is fantastic pretty much all over the country. As the water cools down, shad move into creeks, and bass and crappie get really active on points. It is also a time of great changes in weather--severe weather like tornadoes and hurricanes, fires, floods, and drought. The 2004 hurricane season was the worst ever for America. Is God trying to tell us somethinng? Is what's happening all around us a warning that this country needs to come back to God? If so, it doesn't appear we are paying too much attention to Him. Most people didn't listen to what God was telling them through Isaiah either, but everything God warned about happened. God is true to His word. America must change to continue to exist.

Tip: A bone-colored crankbait with an orange belly works well in muddy water.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

The LORD said,"I have saved you for a good reason."

Jeremiah 15:11

Clear water is prett much defined as being able to see a white lure down four feet deep or more. The combination of clear water and cooling temperatures is great to fish large-bladed spinnerbaits. I like a half-ounce Terminator with a #5 to #7 round Oklahoma blade. Best skirt colors are bubblegum and perch color. Bulge the water with the big blade and get ready for some killer strikes. This combination works because the bass have adapted to the clear water.
We are saved by God because He has a clear purpose for our lives. I believe God has a purpose for each of us every day. How disappointed He must be when we fail to recognize the opportunities He gives us. What purpose does God have for you today?

Tip: Slow down and concentrate on where you want your lure to land and how you want it to work.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

You are struggling against sin, but your struggles have not yet caused you to be killed.

Hebrews 12:4

Muddy water is a struggle for many fishermen, especially those who are not used to it. Anglers who primarily fish clear lakes are often stymied when water looks like Yoohoo. Here in Oklahoma and those states around us, we thrive on muddy water. Bass are more object-oriented. Slow down with jigs and spinnerbaits and put those lures in the heaviest cover you can find, and muddy water will get a whole lot easier.
Most of us struggle to be the Christians we want to be. We fight against the mud of anger, harsh words, envy, jealousy, greed, slander . . . and this list merely scratches the surface of our list of personal sin. This struggle is daily, and it is difficult, but it is a battle God wants us to fight. I think He sees us as better Christians down the road.

Tip: In the fall, the most important thing to a bass is food.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[brushhog]

amen kevin!

 

[kdxdude]

Matthew 6:19-21 (New International Version)

19“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.


1 Chronicles 29:14 (New International Version)

14 "But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.

 

[kdxdude]

Happy are those who respect the LORD and obey Him.

Psalm 128:1

I have many "Rules of Thumb" in fishing. There are rules I follow wherever we are fishing. One simple rule is: bigger baits catch bigger bass. Another rule is to fish a spinnerbait at a depth just before it goes out of sight. You need to have your very own set of "rules" to fish by. They can be quite a bit different than mine, but they must have a foundation of facts and experience. Follow those rules and you'll catch more fish.
Althought the Bible is not a book of rules, He has given us commands and instructions in it that we must follow to be happy. My "rules of thumb" help me catch more fish. God's "rules of thumb" are designed to give us a fuller, richer, more complete life.

Tip: Use a 36-volt trolling motor if you want to cover a lot of water.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

"God is great and powerful; no other teacher is like him."

Job 36:22

I use a strong 24-volt MinnKota trolling motor on my Tracker boats and a super-powerful 36-volt on my Rangers. I use the strongest trolling motors that MinnKota makes, over one hundred pounds of thrust. I always want the most powerful with the very best batteries so I can fish under any conditions and can stay on that trolling motor all day. I demand the very best, even though I need all that power only during a small part of my fishing day.
I also serve a mighty, powerful God. He is a God so great that no matter how difficult the conditions become, He can plow right through them. I might not need all of God's power every day, but it is always available and just waiting to be turned loose.

Tip: Search out areas that have both deep and shallow water potential.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

"It is not what people put into their mouths that makes them unclean. It is what comes out of their mouths that makes them unclean."

Matthew 15:11

Have you ever found shad, bluegill, or crawfish in your livewells? Not a pretty sight! Those are baitfish that bass have spit up. You can see how different they are from what they were just a short while earlier. They have gone from being something beautiful to something really ugly.
We spit up a lot of bad stuff in our lives, too. Things like gossip, backbiting, lying, and malice. God knows that the bad things that come out our mouth can really cause us trouble. When we get mad or jealous or envious, we are apt to say things we don't really mean and for which we will later be ashamed. The most gracious people I know always seem to pause before they speak. Maybe they are thinking about what they say before they say it instead of after it is already said.

Tip: Small bodies of water can produce really big fish.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

Whoever tries to live right and be loyal finds life, success, and honor.

Proverbs 21:21

When we started with ESPN about twenty years ago, my main concern was simply staying on the network. ESPN was not really that big back then, and I just didn't know much about the people. They were from the North, I am from the South, so I just hoped we could get along. Our relationship has been great and longstanding. I believe the key is that ESPN is very loyal to their show producers, and I also have been very loyal to them. We have worked together to do things correctly, and it has been good for us both.
God sees loyalty as extremely important. It starts with loyalty to Him and being loyal to our spouse, our kids, our church, our employer, our friends. It might seem better to "cut and run" sometimes, but it is not God's way.

Tip: Bass tend to scatter when water levels rise.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

"So always be ready, because you don't know the day or the hour the Son of Man will come."

Matthew 25:13

I believe my first merit badge as a Boy Scout was for fishing. In fact, I qualified for that badge several times over. What really digs my memory from scouting was the Scout motto--"Be Prepared." Just think about how many fewer mistakes we would make if we daily followed that motto. We would certainly have less credit card debt, be healthier, and have more money set aside for retirement or those rainy days. Jesus Christ is coming back. Are we ready? Is our relationship with Him strong enough today if He appears tomorrow? The world was not ready for Jesus when He first came some two thousand years ago. I don't think it's ready now, either. As Christians, we must be ready, and we can---one Christian at a time.

Tip: Hot lead weights heated by the sun can damage your fishing line.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[kdxdude]

Are there those among you who are truly wise and understanding? Show it by living right and doing good things with a gentleness that comes from wisdom.

James 3:13

 

[kdxdude]

God is the one who saves me; I will trust him and not be afraid.

Isaiah 12:2

 

[kdxdude]

God has set a day that he will judge all the world with fairness, by the man he chose long ago.

Acts 17:31

 

[kdxdude]

Command those who are rich with things of this world not to be proud.

1 Timothy 6:17

Fishing is a game that doesn't care who or what you are. To the fish, a person of privilege in a $40,000 Ranger boat is pretty much the same as a barefoot ten- year-old fishing off the bank. We will not get to Heaven beacause of our wealth or poverty. God freely gives His grace to all. However, He does expect more out of those of us to whom He has given more. He expects us to use the things of this world for the benefit of others. This includes tithing and much more. It includes using your talents, your property, your vehicles, your money, whatever God has given you. Our biggest trap is trusting in what God has given us rather than trusting in God. This trap will always lead us into great danger.

Tip: Shad will move to the very tail ends of creeks in the fall.

from Jimmy Houston's book, Catch of the Day

 

[brushhog]

AMEN !!

 

[kdxdude]

Jesus told him, "You believe because you see me. Those who believe without seeing me will be truly happy."

John 20:29



"In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God."

Matthew 26:64

 

[brushhog]

amen!!

 

[kdxdude]

Galatians 6:9 (New International Version)
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.