islandbass

I think you said what I was trying to say but better! A subset of what I tried to describe. I figured out using a book instead of my fingers to keep the tension helps too. Edit: I don’t know how I messed o up my post. Luckily, InfantryMP quoted me so I was able to fix it, lol.

I noticed this can happen when you (rod) are not perpendicular to the line coming out. If rod is at an extreme enough angle relative to the line, I have observed that uneven line lay can happen.

30’ is definitely cutting it close!

Something is very wrong with me this season. I think I need to get checked out. I’m actually catching fish now this season. I had a 20 minute fishing window and caught her in the 12th minute, lol. I caught this off the dock amidst a lot of swimmers. I honestly thought this was going to be a skunkaroo with all the swimmers. This beautiful bass took my creme creature on the drop barely 15’ from a swimmer on the opposite side of the dock. If you look close enough, I crimped the barb. I think I’m going to go barbless for most non critical situations.

This

You actually saw him munching on fish? That is something I wouldn’t mind seeing and something you won’t see in my neck of the woods. Upon reading the title, I thought Gary was a fishing guide, lol.

Indeed. I’m having the urge to pop some ? popcorn. ?

You need to have your thumb stop the spool for any line at the end of the cast. whether your thumb feathers the spool to a stop or stops it cold turkey, the thumb has to stop the spool. In the words of this generation, “PERIOD,” lol.

I can’t recommend a pair or brand since I use the cheap ones you find at a Walmart. The ones I have work well, actually in both cutting the glare from the sky or water but there is only one downside, and it is exactly what you’re hoping to address. Low light conditions are its only weakness. I too will be looking forward to seeing the responses, especially low light recommendations. I kind am in MickD’s camp with regard to price but if a low light version can be found for a good price, who know... I just might bite like a bass, lol. But within reason. I don’t think I’d want to spend more than $40-50, and this is coming from a person who bought a pair of Briko cycling glasses for $129 in the early 90’s as a birthday present to myself, lol. ?

This is a very personal thing. Some folks don’t like stretch at all. Personally, I like it for what you mentioned. Both fc and mono stretch, and the amount can vary by brand and model, but they can differ in resiliency. Mono can return to its original stage after stretching while fc generally can remain stretched and not bounce back. Is that good or bad? I can’t tell you. I don’t think the bass I catch in rip rap and open water stretch my line enough to find out. I love my fc line to be stretchy and so invisx is my preference. I will mono or copolymer for everything else. I like braid but haven’t used it in the past 12-14 years. I have not seen a need for using it... until this season. I might consider using it for frogging in lily pads.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. That setup would work in many but the heaviest of cover and in this instance that happened to be the case. As a shorebound angler and one who until this season have been more finesse oriented, I can relate. At the least it’s an excuse to get new gear if you don’t already have this in your arsenal. I myself am looking into getting a heavy rod to let me handle heavier jigs and frogs for this scenario.

You gotta be kidding me! That means I can no longer call this an “only in Guam ?? thing, lol”

1) Are you stopping the spool completely before the lure hits the water? If not you should as those loops you see are a minor overrun. 2) Pulling out the loops is the right thing to do. However do not do this before you get out of free spool mode (ie, crank the handle). If you don’t, even with your thumb on the spool, the loops won’t go away. Pull line out against the drag and the loops will be gone soon.

No need for secrets. I'm a minority in my neck of the woods as a bass angler, and I don't mean my skin color. Everyone pretty much targets trout so I have the bass all to myself, and hence, my minority status, lol. I just might be expanding my bass sphere. My wife bought a regular kayak (she got hooked on it on her own) and that surprised me since she isn't that type of outdoors person. and so I got a regular one too, non fish-specific. We just need to get a rack now. After getting familiar with it, I will take just one rod and a handful of baits to see what this Kayak fishing is like. The gear is such that even if I lost in in the lake, I ain't going to cry over it, lol. And who knows? I just might find some secret spots.

Sorry you had to go through that. I have been straddling the fence on going full barbless for such cases. The line method does worked. I performed it on someone, but I don’t know how you can do this solo. You may want to consider having them change your name to captain treble, lol. I think I’d sounds better. ??

Great report. Thanks!

Usually when you hear a quick whipping sound, you’re already going forward in your cast before the the rod even had a chance to get loaded by the weight of the lure. Not always but check for it. with the lure tied on, hold the rod out in front of you parallel to the ground, allowing the lure to freely hang. Flick your wrist to enough to pop the lure up and immediately bring it back to parallel, and allow the lure to let gravity act on the lure. As the lure falls toward the earth, watch how the lure, with gravity acting on it pulls the rod tip toward the earth. The lure is loading the rod. This is what the lure should do to the rod no matter what position you cast from. You don’t even need to throw it “hard” or whippy. I think 4# line is thin enough, but generally speaking, the thinner the line, the farther it should cast.

I have the 7’ okuma celilo and it is one of my favorite rods. I’d first investigate my casting mechanics, ensuring that I am making the weight of the lure load the rod properly. I’d also check my expectations. Am I expecting too much? 1/16 and 1/32 are just so light. I mean, how far could you throw it with your arm? Probably as far as you could cast it, lol. Lure aerodynamics is another factor/consideration. An inline spinner probably won’t cast as far as a jig of the same weight. A longer rod can help. That’s for sure. Hope you figure it out for yourself, but I would blame the rod last.

Nice. That’s what it’s all about. ?

Absolutely, just like Xerox and Kleenex. There was a time back home where soda pop was called Coke. A conversation could go like this: Sam: “Would you like a coke? Steve: “Sure!” Sam: “What kind?” Steve: “7up.” Sam: “Okay. Here you go.” I kid you not ?? I usually say weed eater but I’ll WHACK this accursed tool every time the line jams (won’t pan out line) or runs out when I only have about 2’ worth of lawn to do.

Congratulations. It definitely has to feel good to not only catch a lot of bass but also get a PB too. If you get hungry , you might want to consider adding a little strawberry jelly to your PB. ?

This is a follow up from @Darth-Baiter’s Nemesis Lake thread and was one serious monkey I finally got off of my back. I’ve sporadically visited this lake about 17 seasons and never caught a bass in it. The odds aren’t so great for shorebound anglers anyway since the only two spots to fish are this spot as shown in the image below and the boat launch. So this evening on the way to that lake, I told myself it ends today. No more mister nice guy. Lake Dolloff is going down. I started fishing at about 8:15 and landed it by 8:26 with a well placed pitch just on the edge of some lily pads. This bass was caught with a brush hog Texas-rigged with a 3/16oz. bullet weight. Definitely not a big bass but I’m on the scoreboard. For the record, I’ve pretty much been a finesse guy and hardly ever a power fishin’ angler. I’m starting to see the fun of this. It means I need to get new gear, lol. Gear: 7’ Cabelas MagTouch rod, 201 Curado BSF spooled with 14# stren. Looks awfully bassy, doesn’t it? So don’t ask me why it took this long, because I don’t know, lol. ?? Lake Fenwick, I’m coming for you next!

Generally true but as a shorebound angler, there are times I know I can’t get to where the bass are so I reverse that phrase. I pray and then I cast, lol. ?

I’ve done enough testing and trying out with my rods as I too thought of that same question years ago and I’m the type of person nerdy enough to investigate such things. It’s really no mystery. The right tool for the job. I also live in a part of the country that you can fish for bass or salmonids. Bass rods don’t need to be that long. Imagine working a 3/4 to 1oz jig with a 10’ rod. That’s some potential for fatigue. Can it be done? Yes. The question is, why? Also, many scenarios involve close quarters fishing. The shorter rods offer lightsaber wielding capabilities that make it easier to cast I n such conditions where it would but just ridiculous to use a 10’ float rod. I mean heck, sometimes a 7’ bass rod is too long in tight quarters, lol. I can and always pitch with my 8’6” all the time from the bank when need be. One of the reasons salmon and steelhead rods are longer is because more often than not, you are either fishing in rivers or from a much farther distance from your quarry than you would in a bass fishing scenario. The extra rod length helps to mend line in the current, hence allowing the angler a better ability to control the line. It also helps to set the hook from a much greater distance. Have you ever tried to set the hook with a single hook lure with a 6’6” rod from a country mile away? Good luck, especially in there is too much slack in the line, lol.

Funny you mention this. I can truthfully say that just this morning, I actually watched your 2018 video again! To the topic, 2 times: 1) I’d like to see when Jesus told the apostles to cast their net the other way when they literally caught a boat load of fish. 2) I don’t know how far I’d have to go back in time, but far enough to catch a megalodon. Go big, or stay home.