kelkay

;D Congratulations on your recent catches. I love trout fishing. This is the first year I have caught trout myself in a long long time. I went once in upstate NY trout fishing in a stream. Now that was FUN. But living where I do in Texas, I have to settle for stocked trout. Still FUN to me!

I have seen one but it had an eye on top for your line. I don't remember any rubber on it at all. Sorry I cannot be more helpful to ya.

Nice flies. I too am just starting out. I have been tying bass, and trout flies. I can't see the tiny flies too good though. The zebra midge is a challenge for me! I have also been making wooly bugger, wooly worm, marabou jigs etc... I have been tying now just a few days. 8-)

If I had someone video the casting I might know what I am doing wrong, if I don't have someone to show me. I have tried it a few times, and I guess I will try it again for good measure. It would help if I could be around someone who could see what I am doing, and give me pointers.....LOL. (kindly of course)

There are absolutely NO trout magnets in my area. I have even asked at Gander Mountain, and Bass Pro Shop in their stores. They don't have them either. I have heard they were good too. To me they look like a small beetle spin. I have used them with success. Thanks for the idea. I still need to get the rig right, because if I do it will be very similar to fly fishing. I have fly rod, a cheap one...but it has not been very easy to learn to cast on. I need someone who knows how to show me what I am doing wrong with it. I have had it for about 3 years or so.

Ok who here has used a bubble and fly setup? I have tried twice now and haven't caught a thing. I am not presenting it right for some reason. I used a Just A Bubble, with a fly. Tried the retrieve slow, tried it a little faster. Got a couple of bites, but no fish would buy into it all the way. Maybe I had the float too close to the fly. I'd say it was close to 6ft from the float bobber to the fly. Tried it with a small wake, large wake, NO WAKE....same thing, NO LUCK. What am I doing wrong? Maybe it was just the color of the fly they didn't like. But I am afraid it was my presentation somehow. I don't see much about this on the internet. The lake water is stained, and it is pressured trout that have been stocked that I am after. They seem to like fire orange, chartreuse, silver, and red. Today I had two bites. One was on fire orange, and chartreuse. The second bite was weaker.....it was from a chartreuse and black fly. I am thinking of trying to make a wooly bugger with a gold bead, and silver bead. I bought some beads at a craft store. I hope they work ok to use. They may tarnish. I am new at fly tying, so it won't be a huge loss if they do....just a little disappointing. Any suggestions on presentation? :-/

:-X shhhh don't tell, LOL. K

8-) Well I looked at the Revo, but decided on the Abu Garcia 5600C4. I was thinking about getting the 4600 but they upped the price on it. They tried to charge me the upped price on the 5600 but I made them go look at the place in the window where it was....it was ten or eleven dollars cheaper than BPS, Cabelas, and Gander Mountain. Now they figured out the computer is ringing up another price, they will fix that pronto.

:-? I have been hearing about the Revo a lot since I've asked this question on the net. I use a lot of live bait and the round might be better for me. But I will look at the Revo again. I was on a Texas forum today and they were just bragging on those Revos!

And no worries about the 4600 size, it will hold all the line you need for largemouth fishing. But the more versatile size is probably the 5600.

I saw a C4 4600 today. I liked it a lot. I guess it would be easier to learn to use a bait caster with. It doesn't look like it would hold a lot of line though. Will it hold up to a big fat bass? I also saw a Abu Garcia Record today. Man I wish they would put that thing on sale. It was super nice. But I cringe at spending that much for a reel. I will look at those others all mentioned here. Thanks to everyone for all their input.

Well I use the same rod and reel now for everything. I have a real small rod and reel for trout, but haven't been around trout in years. I have a Cherrywood Rod and a Shakespeare spinning reel that I use all the time. The rod I love. The reel, I hate. I will have to get another spinning reel in the future. The Shakespeare is acting up some. I will chunk it as soon as I can replace that one. As far as your question about the bait casting rod and reel....I will probably use this set up for all, until I can get another set up later. I use bait, plastics, a lures. It just depends on where I'm at. A couple of months ago I went fishing and nearly broke my rod and reel on a huge fish. Must of been a big catfish is all I can think of. I have never felt anything like that before. It was exciting. I kept trying to adjust that reel so the fish didn't break the line. My rod was bent nearly in half and my sixteen year old got behind me to try to help me pull it in. I was beyond excited until I lost it. I have thought of trying a light saltwater set up for that place when I fish again. 8-) One of these days I will probably have 3-4 different set ups. But for now, this is as good as I can do.

I checked out the Record, they are a bit out of my price range. If I could find one on a good sale though, it might be a different story. (that is how I got my new rod, holiday opening sale at a local outdoor store)

;D Thanks Mic that really does help me. Sure appreciate it! K

I would really like one of the two, and wonder which would be better for a beginner. I do not know anyone with this type of reel, and I will have to practice on my own to get it right. The two I was considering are Abu Garcia 5600C4 Elite, or Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6500 Trophy. I've only used Spinning rods and reels previous to this one. I will be mainly catching bass, and crappie. I bought a Falcon LowRider XG. 7' rod. So that is what it would be matched up with. I got the rod on a great sale. The reel will have to be right at a hundred bucks or less preferably.