Mike 12345

Hi folks- I'm about to wrap up my first season of really applying myself in the sport, and looking for some advice. Over the course of this year, I purchased several 'cheaper' baitcasting reels in combo packages, and have learned to use them. I bought them because they were affordable, and I needed something cheap to learn on. I've accomplished that, have caught quite a few fish, and am learning all the time. That being said, I'm getting a little better at this, and want to see just how wide a gap there really is between quality products and the cheap stuff I've been pounding on. As as decent starter reel in the 'quality' category, I recently bought a Curado 200DHSV off of eBay, and it is waayyyyyy smoother, nicer, etc than anything else I have. I would like to find a decent quality rod to pair it with. I would like to stay somewhere in the $100 range for this rod, and get the best I can for that amount. I've done some preliminary pricing, and have seen several different brands that have models in that range......Shimano, Kistler, All Star, Falcon, etc. I would primarily be using this rod for crankbait casting, I would imagine. So, I'm open for suggestions......what do you think I should be looking for to make myself a good quality combination that would really show me the big difference between cheap stuff I have and good stuff? Thanks in advance!

Thanks for the replies guys. I have had some issues with getting good hooksets on crankbaits in general, getting a little better lately. The main reason I asked this question is I have one chrome/blue lipless crank in particular that I have gotten a couple of really good fish hooked (one had to have been a good 4 -5 lbs anyway) that end up getting off the hooks before I can land the fish. I replaced the factory hooks a couple days ago with some very angry looking replacements, so hopefully that will help. I am also looking into getting into a better quality cranking rod as well. I remember reading that some think bass are more likely to throw a lipless crank, and there were some techniques they used to combat that. Anyway, I appreciate it!

You really should try some other techniques. I 've been doing very well on cranks. Ditto that. Shallow water crankin is where its at.

Dunno how it is where you are, but here its a red hot shallow water bite in the backs of creeks and coves- just like you read about. From about 1100am to 130 pm. Shallow water crankin' is kicking butt here!

Well maybe they can turn it around. until they do Ill be fishing instead of going to Neyland Stadium Ha, they don't even play the games on TV in Nashville right now. So I will be fishing as well. At least we have the Titans and Vandy to cheer for. Amen. Go Vandy! Go Titans! Fire Phil...................... >

Somewhere, over the past couple months, I have read (I think) that some people either use larger split rings to attach trebles to their lipless cranks, or they add another smaller ring to the existing one-----which supposedly, makes it harder for a fish to throw the lure. Now I can't find that article any more. Does anyone know what I'm talking about, or can someone verify that at all? I keep getting strikes, but am having trouble getting the fish hooked on well. Thanks

Fair enough. So then, it's impossible to oil/grease a baitcasting reel as a novice, and without an array of specialty tools? These are not $400 reels here.......If possible, I'd like to do it myself, and keep them working as well as possible until I work myself up to a 'good' reel that I would actually consider shipping to an expert for regular service. Again, any advice or tips is appreciated- Thanks

Thanks!

Can someone give me a link to a good tutorial/instructions on maintenance of both spinning and baitcasting reels please? thank you

From all that I have been reading in magazines, as well as my own observations on local lakes, the classic fall event of baitfish moving to the backs of creeks and inlets - followed by gorging largemouths- is well underway. I was able to exploit this scenario with pretty nice success yesterday. However, the fish I caught...though nice ones.... were still 'male sized'. I would *assume* that the larger female fish would also be following these baitfish to the backs of creeks and inlets, would they not? It would make sense that they would (to me at least), but I wonder if they hide in different places, hunt differently, or are active at different times of the day. Any ideas?

When looking at the depthfinder while fishing, I often wonder what fish *exactly* the electronics are picking up. What I mean is, when you pick up echoes/fish on your screen, how the heck are you supposed to make appropriate decisions based on a sonar echo? What if you are picking up a few carp or drum? How are you supposed to determine whether you are looking at bass or not? Seems sorta like stabs in the dark to me. I guess at least you know something is there? Any pointers are appreciated-

I'm sure this topic has been covered here ad nauseum, but doing a search for it is not yeilding anything. Is it easier to cast a baitcasting reel with mono, or flouro? I'm sort of a beginner, and I have several differnt brands of reels, but I'm wondering if one type of line is easier to master than another? Thanks-

Outstanding- thanks for the tip! Green Pumpkin or watermelon, something like that?

I'm going to do some fishing with some pals on Dale Hollow in a week or so, and I was wondering what you (collectively) would recommend we use as lures/bait for smallies. Locals seem to be using spinnerbaits and tubes, from what I understand..... Anyone have any other recipies for success?

Are Shimano products generally better quality/performance than other brands?

I just picked up a pack of these on my way home today. Is it easier to use these with a weighted tube hook, or T-rigged with a worm hook?

I have searched the forum and have found mostly generally decent feed back on the Quantum Accurist reel, 7.1 Burner w/flippin switch. Is that fair to say, that its generally a well regarded reel and works quite well? I am looking to replace a Abu Garcia Black Max that I have on one of my cheaper combos, and was looking to upgrade to a better reel. The Accurists can be had for 70-80 right now on ebay or other places. I appreciate the feedback-

All I have to do to catch Crappie is to fish for LMB. I catch them all the time on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, Strike King Red Eye Shad..... I like catching them, but I wish I were catching the fish I was actually trying for.

Don't worry, you won't have too much cold down here to deal with ;D

Hmmm. That's pretty cool. Thanks for the info.

Does using this option simply provide enhanced control over the brakes, or does it work on some other principle? I guess, what does this option do for an angler that supposedly makes it easier than trying to flip without the option? Thanks

With the Zara Spook, are we trying to 'match the hatch', or is the color meant to contrast- like the classic white/red scheme? I'm going out and going to buy one tomorrow, just wondering if there was any sort of logic to color selection with these, or if it sort of ran the same as a crankbait color selection- Thanks

The past , oh say, four outings I have been on in my favorite inlet, I have seen a biggie-sized bruiser of a fish jump and hit something really hard. Each time I have seen this guy, it's been within about 100-150 yards of the other sightings. Now, its possible there may be more than one fish, but I'm banking that it's the same fish (correctly or not). Its pretty big and aggressive. Last time out, I was throwing a crankbait it a cove of the inlet, so to speak, and I hooked what I initially thought was a stump until it bent my rod over, went under the boat and spat out my lure (drag not correctly set, I admit it). I'll bet you $20 it is this same fish. I fished the same area today to see if he was still there, and I'm thinking he is. I saw him (I'm still assuming 1 fish) jump again this morning, probably 25 yards from where I hooked him 10 days ago. Sounded like a cinder block hit the water. If I'd been thinking clearly, I would have immediately lobbed a Senko right to the spot where he jumped. This was the reason I started out the thread "Do bass have a home". For now at least, it would appear as though he's still around. Plenty of food, lots of cover in the area. So now, it is my duty to catch this fish before someone else does and decides to hang it above their fireplace. I need to figure out how to dissect the area. So, Is anyone else here on their own personal monster quest? How do you plan your 'hunt' in advance?

Thanks!