islandbass

Polarized sunglasses. If I ever forget them, I have that same feeling you get when you don't have your wallet or cell phone.

Dang. Well, how about just non incriminating memories like landing a lunker, lol?

It sure would be awesome to catch a tarpon. Btw, what part of Oregon? The Pacific NW is my neck of the woods.

Let the conditions you face influence your decision for line choice. For example one place I fish has little cover and relatively clear and because I primarily finesse this area, I know I can get away with 6# fc or mono. My rule of thumb is to use the lightest line I can get away with. I also notice more bites the lighter the line. If you're fishing pads and heavier cover, 20# test might be the lightest line you can get away with. Braid is a decent choice because of its strength to line diameter and its ability to transmit information to you. It would make an ugly stick act like a loomis in your hands. However, compared to mono it is pricier. If you truly are a newbie to bc reels I strongly recommend using mono for practice sake. I wrote in another thread about using my first casting reel and filling it with braid. First cast I trashed all my power pro in perhaps my most glorious birds nest. It is so messed up I had to cut off much the line. ?

I had a strange encounter with a smallmouth not too long ago but yours takes the cake, and you even got your lure back. If only there were a device that could record our memories in ultra HD when a camera isn't available!

His smile says it all. Good going, dad!

I used to bring 5 rods for fishing from the bank too before I realized that most of the time and places I fished, 3 rods were used more than the other two so I started leaving the 2 least used at home. 14? Only 14? Just kidding. I have about the same number. Those bait monkeys are silver tongued and beguiling critters.

Will do. ? Actually, I kind of feel stupid sounding like an an algebra teacher giving the class a lesson on terms cancelling each other out when simplifying, lol.

The line dig with thinner braids is usually the result of unconscious actions of the angler trying to yank something stuck free with rod and reel. This exertion aids in making line dig into itself and more so the thinner the braid. It won't happen by itself. So if you get snagged up, take the rod and reel out of the yanking equation by only tugging the line with hands. Be mindful that if you really pull hard, braid can slice into skin like a hot knife through butter. I usually keep a small (but thick) wooden dowel and wrap the braid around it a few times. Now I can yank the line as hard as I want with zero chance for line dig. I imagine a leather glove could also do the trick. Line is virtually not an issue for anymore, even at 20# test. (Power pro)

Solid choice and option. I second that. With the MH casting and M spinning you've got a lot of ground covered in a minimalist way that is pocket friend. Well, at least until your bait monkey wakes up and starts talking in your ear about getting technique specific rod's to fine tune your arsenal, lol.

BAM! 'nuff said.

The choice of line you choose for your reel and this is my humble opinion, is the lightest line you can get away with when you consider the fish you are going to target and the cover you will be facing. For example, if you are going to be finesse fishing in open water with minimal cover targeting small or largemouth bass, you can get away with 8# mono, no problem. If your are fishing in the pads or heavy cover or bigger fish like a pike or musky, 8# test isn't going to cut the mustard. Cutting to the chase, the line you choose needs to be able to serve you for the species and environment you will face I also second J Francho's advice about the rod's line weight rating. If it says Line Wt: 8-20lb (it is understood to be mono unless otherwise stated in the rod) it is best to follow it since the rod will function best. You lessen the chances of the rod breaking if the line is rated higher or the rod breaking the line if the line weight is less. Probably won't happen either way but the potential is there. If you are also new to using a bait cast reel, I strongly suggest you use mono first, even if money is not an object. Mono is cheaper than braid or fc and because you are likely produce a few glorious bird nests while learning to use a bait caster, you won't feel as bad when you have to cut off all your line because the birds nest was beyond fixing, lol. I spooled my first casting reel with 30# braid and it was my first time using braid also. My first cast I let go too late and my casting weight slammed into the ground in front of me. Naturally, my thumb wasn't yet educated to stop the spool from spinning and indeed I made a glorious birds nest. I had to respool but chose mono. Good luck. You're also going to love that reel after you get accustomed to it. One last general nugget . . . Your thumb has to stop the spool from spinning BEFORE your lure hits ANYTHING, be it the water, a shrub on the bank or your neighbor's car if you're practicing in the yard. Feather the spool to a stop or stop the spool dead cold, just make sure you stop it. This will lessen your learning curve. It's simple and I guarantee it. 3 brakes on and 3 off is a good starting point too. Good luck!

The first number is the weight of the line. The second number indicates the capacity the spool will hold for that line in yards. So 8 (180) means the spool for your reel should hold 180 yards of 8# mono. That same spool will hold 155 Yards of 10# mono, so on and so forth. Hope that helps.

My initial knowledge about Shimano was from cycling. I am a huge fan of the mountain bike shifters. I used that as basic reference and combined with the testimony of so many it seemed reasonable to give them a go. First reel was the old greenie super free curado. A green symetre came next and then a 301a Cardiff for the salt. Somehow, some way, a 201 and a 101 gray curados found their way into my arsenal. I can tell you that they braking system spoils you. There is so much room for error that only the worst casts will produce an overrun. i won't use something just because it's from Shimano. For example, I do not like their road bike shifters. I prefer campagnolo instead. We we could talk your ear off pro or con until the cows come home, but the best way to convince yourself is to try them. Wouldn't go any lower than a curado if I could help it.

I was going to recommend the baking soda too. However, I don't think using both at the same time might work, but maybe. Vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base and when they're mixed together 6th grade chemistry says they'll neutralize each other at the correct proportion. If the neutralization isn't balanced one of them will be dominant but less potent and probably will be less effective. This is my best guess. So try both, but probably not at the same time, lol

I just want to add that I have nothing against spin cast reels and as a matter of fact, my son started with the great Zebco 33 when he was young. The ease of use of them is excellent. I even used it a couple of times when he was "done" fishing and headed to the playground. Also, I would never "look down" on anyone who uses a spin cast reel. The super show stoppers are the price as I stated in an earlier post and the weight.

This has also happened to me on occasion and I have been seriously considering going barbless when possible (most bass hooks I've seen don't come this way but it's a requirement in fishing for other species in different areas in my state) or crimping that barb down. I think cutting the hook off if possible seems like a great option because it could still be difficult to pull a hook back with a crimped barb.

Excellent advice. I wear my polarized glasses 99% of the time and that 1% not is usually because I forgot to bring them. For or self preservation, if I have to yank my rod and I always do it in such a position such that if it were to come back the lure wouldn't hit me. However this tactic does and will not protect anyone behind you or work if you move into its path. You know, like when you played dodgeball as a kid and you see the ball coming toward your right and you know to dodge left but somehow, you still manage to move right anyway. ?

That is definitely a cool concept for those afraid to use a baitcaster. The thing that keeps me scratching my head is who in the right mind would pay $100 for a spin cast reel and a heavy one at that? A $100 gets you a basic no frills bc reel and a whole lot in a spinning reel. Go figure. I wonder if they put up a weather balloon/feeler to see if there was a market for this. Let at some of the species in the recommended uses: # Recommended Uses: Bass - Ok, I think Panfish - Sure Catfish - Huh? Trout - Ok Salmon - Seriously? Muskie/Pike - Really? Walleye - Not Sure

Nothing like those indeed. My first big bass came that way when I first started fishing. I had a medium light trout rod (didn't know much about fishing in general back then and just went with a cheap "walmart special", as I dubbed my first rod, lol) I tied on a rapala skitter pop, my first topwater bait and I was just trying it out. It was the biggest slam down, take down, shake down. That was over 12 years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Another one is when fishing time is running out, and I still haven't caught a bass or any fish. Much like in a tied or down by two basketball game that is tied with just seconds to go, making that last cast (three point Hail Mary shot) and hook into a fish right (swish) at the buzzer. I've had many experiences like that, as recent as about two weeks ago. Now that is a good feeling. Another good/great feeling is when I am out, and I see a kid or other person fishing and looking at their set up, their chances were going to be next to zero for what they were targeting. If I can sense that they might be receptive, I will offer to help them out and sometimes they catch fish. The smiles on their faces and their joy are reward enough for me. Earlier this summer, I just happened to be fishing with live bait and for some reason just felt like targeting pan fish. I saw a father with his little daughter and son sharing one rod. I was nailing blue gill and rock bass with nearly every cast (love those kind of days) and I know the father noticed from afar. So I asked him what he was fishing for and he said anything that will bite. He had some generic plastic worm on a hook too big and braided line on the spinning reel. Next, I mentioned to him that the fish were onto live bait (worms) right now and if he were willing, I'd be more than happy to help him out and set him up with tackle and bait. They had been fishing for a couple hours before I got there so the father was receptive. So I showed him the ropes to make a drop shot rig. I put the worm on the hook and his little 5 year old girl drop the line into the water and as soon as the weight hit the bottom, the worm got nailed. She shouted, "I got something" and she was right. It's cool how well braid transfers data to our hands? She caught a nice size blue gill for our area. She and her brother took turns fishing and catching fish. Before they left, the father came up to me, shook my hand and said, "Thanks, man. Thanks for making a dad look like hero in his kids' eyes." That says it all and to me, this is also a great fishing moment, even when I'm not the one catching fish.

Was just about to recommend something like that. I just saw one in my local walmart this weekend. Another option is to see if you can find a 5'5" rod and spincast combination and just swap off the spincast for the baitcast reel of your choice. Unlike the pistol grip, which has no place for your other if necessary, it would have a little more in the butt end of the rod. I did this for my son when he was about 10. I think it was a zebco. We were in a finesse mode at the time so I didn't need to go the baitcast route just yet at that time. My daughter learned to use a bc reel when she was 6 so your daughter shouldn't have any problem. She's nearly 18 now but no longer has time to fish with the old man. As for the reel, let her use one of yours, preferably a 100/101 sized one. Unless you need an excuse to buy a new reel you're justified of course, lol.

As a shore bound angler, I can relate. There will be days that they won't be in the areas they can reach. As the saying goes, that is why we call it fishing and not catching. Just hang in there and pay your dues. Try to learn something from every trip. In time, the catches will come. I usually take 3 rods with me. A casting reel with either a M or MH rod, a spinning reel with a M or MH rod, and an ultra-light set up. I truly despise going home skunked (but accept it when I know I did everything I could given my shore bound limitation) so I have that UL set up that might land a me a face and game-saving fish, be it a bass or a ding dang blue gill. For true bass fishing, when I target them exclusively, 1 fish is a good day, especially if I add the tens of blue gill, perch, of rock bass that I might also catch lol.

I come from a tropical island and like to fish for bass. While I don't mind targeting other fish, bass have a special place in my heart that no other species can take, lol. Had a similar screen name on another site, islandtrucha, similar logic. Trucha is trout in Spanish, but I am neither Spanish nor hispanic, but for some odd reason, I know more Spanish (English first language) than either my mother's or father's native tongues.

Ahh....... The boat monkey, a first cousin to the bait monkey, lol

You definitely have sweet looking set ups. It's so easy to blame our fellow anglers here. In to his bait monkey after viewing the pics in this thread: "Down boy!!! Put my wallet down! Get back in your cage and rattle it all you want. I am not going to buy anything new." ?