bigbill

Why do I sometimes see crawfish leaving the water to cross the road to go into the woods? I have witnessed this a few times now. Do they lay eggs on land? What are they doing?

I don't really do sweeping hook sets or throw my tackle. By my car window cut the tip off my very expensive fly rod the first time I ever used it with success. It was in the dark when I put the window up and heard the expensive crunch. As a kid I was very careless I broke a rod per year if not more. Things like dropping a spare tire on it. Closing the trunk on it. I have become more aware of my fishing tackle now. But I still buy the cheaper rods like between $4.99 to $12.99 at fishandsave. I'm more careful even with the discounted rods. Breaking the fly rod really hit me hard. It was the most expensive setup I ever purchased to this day. I was ready to call the FFF that's the AAA for tackle breaking because I needed help too. (Fishing/fishing/fishing) But I'm super careful now. I do also stock many new spinning and bait casting rods in my stash too. As backup when my run on rod breaking happens again. With the broken fly rod I fixed the tip and put a ultra lite spinning reel on it for fishing for crappies. It works great but I do get flash backs of that night I was high on working a new fly rod for the first time fly fishing with success. And a had a low point soon after. At least I can kid about it. My cousin broke a well name brand fly rod too it rotted inside. The name brand company we all know and use there rods wouldn't replace it. He fished 24/7 rain or shine for trout. He thinks the rod blank had a fine crack in it. It was defective. I do not purchase these rods anymore since there warranty is null and void when we have problems with there products. I say shame, shame, shame on them. No more "Fen" rods for me.

I have those black thin gloves I use for ice fishing too.

With cat fish we just gutt them and put them on the grill with wood mixed in with the charcoal. They taste awesome. I'm not sure how the bass taste but I heard crappies taste better.

It's not the hours we put in its all about what time we go fishing to catch these big gals when there in the mode to eat. Plus being quiet and stealthy like we're not even there. I think everyone has a shot at catching a DD bass if we approach it correctly. If I have bigger bass up here in the north you guys south of me also have to have bigger bass too. That's my point. Plus your warmer down south with a longer summer season too. The world record that was first caught in GA proves it that you have DD bass down there too. We're just not targeting them correctly. I'm going to stay fishing in the early am till first light.

With my birthday coming up soon I may ask for a curado or chronarch?. But which one is better? Do these reels have shielded, sealed or open sided ball bearings? If they have open sides look to see if they have assembly knotches in the races. Some ball bearings do and some don't. At the test lab we had ball bearings fail when they were installed with the assembly knotches installed towards the outside. When they seen the side thrust with this knotch the balls would hammer past the knotch killing the bearing right away. They lasted two days on the test stand till I figured it out there are two ways of installing these ball bearings with the assembly knotches. The assembly knotches are those two half round cut outs in the inner and outer races so the balls can be assembled into the races. Like I said some ball bearings have them and some don't. But when installed in the wrong direction it can cause premature failure. Example, on a bait caster spool if it has these cut outs in the ball bearings we want the cutouts towards the inside. This way when you mention the knob the balls will ride on the outer smooth side of the races. It's just an example. If the bearings are sealed or shielded there is no way of knowing if they have these cutouts or not. Unless your replacing them and open one up by removing the seal or shield on the old worn out bearing. In the engineering group we covered the r&d stuff but also failure too. Why things wear out and break.

Bugs, there surfacing for bugs. I'd get some bass flys and poppers use a leader and a bobber on your spinning rod if you don't have a bass fly rod. Checkout the flyshack and fishandsave for the fly fishing bass stuff. On eBay there is a guy from vt who makes bumble bees and mouse flies. He does some excellent work. I purchased a lot of his flys just for his quality workmanship. I never seen bumble bees tied like his. Don't forget the rebel small bug cranks too. Just cast it it and twitch it.

I have caught many 1lbers to 6lbers before I caught my PB of 10lbs. I never dreamed nor even thought of catching a dd bass. Now I'm focused on breaking the state record.

Fishing from shore and fishing from a boat is the same only backwards. The bass are closer to shore ambushing prey. I fish at the smaller ponds and at old man made dams for water power. Now what some shore fisherman don't realize is what works in your favorite hot spot will work at other places too. I use a hummingbird portable fish finder to learn the bottom structure. This tells me how to fish that area. I find the flats, deeper holes and channels. They do the same thing from a boat. With a boat we need to learn how to use all the electronics. Plus the trolling motor and GPS. But your looking for fish. We need to learn how to fish each new place. But the boat has all the equipment. I think I have an advantage fishing from shore at the smaller places. I can gun and run faster because each places I fish are close to each other. If it's slow at one place it maybe better at the next place. We do hit all four bodies of water on each trip anyway. It's fun to have this advantage. I fish at one place were we rent boats. But I have the knowledge on how to fish it. I found all these new places while riding my dual sport dirtbike. By cruising the back roads.

I purchased my mister twister comidas(senko) for $1.50 a package on sale at there sight. That's how I buy I save on some stuff so I can pay more for others. I think it all comes out even in the end. I have the high roller in the topwater lures in prop lures and poppers, 3 of each. As the lures get more expensive I may buy one just to try it. I seen bait casting reels for $700 and spinning reels for $600. A lure for even $50 better catch fish.

I agree I have a few $12 lures. When nothing else works I'm back to my $3 bomber cranks for success.

I recently broke open my glued shut frugal wallet and purchased some high roller lures. At around $12+ I found they do catch bass. I got three of the castiac 9" trout $30 lures for $9 each. Spending more than $25 isn't me that's my limit. Non of my fishing rods cost more than $30 dollars, most are between $4.99 to $22, my most expensive reel is under $100. I'm retired and can just about afford anything I want for fishing. But I didn't get to this position by spending my hard earned dollar. In the beginning of my working at 16yo fulltime I was happy to have a p&j sandwich to eat with twenty five cents for a soda. I went to work because I got tired of returning deposit cans and bottles for nickels to buy bread so we could eat. I worked hard and saved were I could. Now I enjoy fishing. Never let your desires out weigh your actual needs to get by. Having a $25 rod setup will get you fishing. Something is better than nothing. I'm not rich when it comes to material things. Having a wonderful wife and children makes me rich. I'm not cheap I'm frugal.

Every body of water I fish here locally holds bigger base than my PB of 10lbs. At these man made dams where the drop offs are I seen bigger bass swim by me. I wear my polarized glasses 100% of the time scanning the way water as I fish. These bigger gals are here up north so every body of water has to hold bigger bass too. There not biting your 9 to 5pm shift. These bigger bass show up like ghosts. I see them in the early am. In the dark I hear body slams like a human did a cannonball at the other side in the cove near me. My son was with me so we both heard it. That's a really big bass. I preach being stealthy more and more I can't say it enough when fishing from shore. I close the door on the car softly, walk up quietly, handle my tackle with no noise. Do not step on any rocks sticking out of the ground. It sends vibrations thru the ground into the water. Fact, my buddy has a little goldfish pond. As he walks up to feed them he stops and taps a rock sticking out of the ground with his foot way before he gets there. When he gets there the fish are lined up to be fed. This tells me any ground level vibrations goes directly into the water. So walk softly. Don't bang your tackle box on the ground. Place your rods softly down. Be very, very stealthy like your not there. That's how I caught my PB of 10lbs. So far. I walked up to the low bridge I fish from and cleared my throat. I watched a big bass swim away from were I was standing. They are that sensitive to noises. Before my illness I was fishing 24/7 everyday up at 3:30am fishing in the dark till 9am I did this everyday till I got burned out. I would last for 3 to 4 months. I was hooked on breaking the state record of 12lbs 14oz. I've seen bigger bass. These bass are big because there smart. They use there keen sences too. I think there weary of boats and motors too. Any out of the ordinary noises sends them away. To me 10lbs is small when I seen the bigger ones. These smaller river fed manmade dam places do hold big bass. It's just a matter of time till I land one. I lost two bigger bass already. We need to stay going and stay focused and motivated. I'm having fun bass fishing catching any size bass. So if the big one strikes and I land it so be it. It's one more thing off my bucket list. God bless bigbill A local tornie guy here on another forum said a 7lb bass is the biggest here. I broke in and popped his bubble. Then the other tornie guys were catching 9+lb bass I think one guy caught a 11lber. This proves what I'm seeing and saying is true. We had bass hatcherys here to stock bass. That has been stopped for eons. Now where are all these millions of baby bass coming from? It's not your 4 to 7lbers. You like me we have double digit bass right in our own backyards in the smallest ponds and lakes. We need to fish them more and fish them hard. They are there waiting for us to throw the right lure. These smarter bigger gals do not eat live bait. It's possible they smell the human scent on live bait or see our fishing line but something steers them away from my live bait. I notice my lures catch the larger bass. My ON of 10lbs. was caught n a REBEL BIG CLAW crawfish crank in chartreuse that goes to 10'. I casted the big claw parallel to the shoreline were the drop off is at she hit it as I ripped it out of the weeds at about 4:30 / 5:00am at twilight just before dawn. Hint, I was fishing by the maori charts and it said "good early" when I caught my PB. I go fishing anyway but I take the charts very seriously. Don't forget to adjust the charts to your time zone. It's going to take skill to land one of these big gals. Let the quest and hunt begin. Just stay motivated it will pay off. You have all my secrets. Bigbill

Gota check the old highway. Been there and going soon again. My prostate cancer has declined now there going to check my colon. Great. The shame and respect is gone by now anyway getting undressed for radiAtion. I lost that months ago. Really pretty nurse's.

All my lures look like the day I took them out of the packages just by letting them dry after there wet. With drain holes puddles when it rains scares me. I have those big split roof 9606 tackle boxes, one for each type of lure. It's quite a loss if things rust. For the expense of changing hooks or even rebuying lures we can't let them rust no matter which way we process it.

How old is the "g" curado? There brand new curado CU200G7 $149 & CU201G7 $119 what's the diff?

I slow move lures in channels at different depths, over submerged weeds. I also go back with a twitch n pause over the weed pockets. One of my best, hottest productive lures is the mister twister top prop for reeling it slow. They have blown up on it moving, on a 3 twitch n pause. Or a cast n pause. When the top prop pauses it goes almost vertical. Either way they like it. All I can add is when it's slow try a lure with a slow reel action. It's my favorite presentation, well one of them.

Maybe the steady retrieve with crankbaits and spinners the rattle in the cranks and the vibration of the blades work on the lateral line like keeping it an even beat. Any erract beat sends the smart ones away.

I move crankbaits, spinnerbaits, inline spinners, spinflys, And other lures that can require a steady even movement. Don't forget the bass will look for flaws in certain presentations when it comes to constant even speeds. I did notice when I roll my wrist when cranking reels I could hear the topwater bubbles go fast and slow, uneven. As I corrected this I got better at it, my bite picked up. Some beginners need to focus on how they crank the reels too. I also twitch everything too. But I notice when the bass bite is really on they like things moving. I had this happen the first time they hit my nightcrawler as I reeled it in as they hit it. I changed to an inline mepps spinner and caught bass after bass. My son said do you have another one of those lures. I threw one to him and we caught doubles till it got dark. I have no clue as to how many bass we caught that night. Another evening I was slow reeling a rebel BIG CLAW crawfish crankbait on the bottom. I had bass after bass hit it too. I have no clue as to how many bass I caught that night too. My point is sometimes a slow movement of certain lures makes them an easy meal. Plus they want something that looks alive not dying. It's good to master all the presentations and even how we crank our reels too. Trust me at times it matters. Bb Where like a baseball pitcher and throwing a change up can be good. Maybe it's an overlooked presentation and reel crank error. But I know it can make a difference on a tough day too. The little things we do wrong that we can correct. Here's a test try holding your rod tip straight up with a Colorado or Indiana spinner bait on. Cast it out and watch the blade pop on the topwater. How even is the pops? It should be a steady beat like a drum. When you do it right the fish will smash it. The spinner bait blade and wire will pop left and right.

I noticed when I turned a spinning reel crank my lure would go fast then slow the fast again etc. I noticed it was my hand on the crank not making a perfect circle that was throwing my constant lure speed off. When I adjusted my hand to turn the crank in a perfect circle my lure speed was constant and my catch did pick up. It can be the little things that we do wrong that we need to tweek. Hone in on your presentation. Bigbill

I just found a new Shakespeare bait casting rod with ceramic guides for under $10 go figure. Sorry it was $7.99 I can feel the love coming soon.... The truth is I wanted one cheap rod to use braid on. I happen to spot one with ceramic guides.

We may get into bow hunting next. I have a 14pt buck that looks to be about 275lbs.And a black bear that's between 350/400lbs just eat all my pears, apples and peaches. I can hunt my land with bow. Even my smooth bore 12ga barrels are accurate with the rifled brenneke whistling slugs. I shot the copper slugs for the rifled barrels and found out there accurate in the smooth bores too.

We have to keep these kids busy and away from the tv and video games unless it's fishing or motorcycle, gncc racing. My grandson hit the lotto and doesn't know it. Activity wise anyway. I'll give him the life most of us never had. Fishing always took me away from the bad things in life. I'm happy I went fishing instead of getting into trouble, drugs etc. I'm a better man today for it. I took my son dirtbike riding to keep him out of trouble. Dad took the hit on this one I broke my ribs three times, twice in one year but it kept my son out of trouble. I'm a hurting unit today. It was fun chasing my son thru the woods. I wouldn't trade my wounds/scares for anything. My wife complained about the cost of riding. My neighbor heard us and said try paying a lawyer $1,000 to go to court. I told the wife it was worth it. Both my son's and there spouses love fishing. I'm truly blessed.

Guys I hope the little guy catches on quickly. Grandpa will have his new fishing buddy I'm sure. He already says my tackle box is his. I just got him all the dirtbike safety gear. My son rides him on a 50cc quad. He loves quads, dirtbikes and my tractors. Now if he gets hooked on fishing too he has it made. We do it all. Camping too. He looks like robo cop with all the safety gear on. The rules are no safety gear no riding.

Pick a lure, let's say a crankbait.(example) Read everything here about using crankbaits. Watch the videos here about fishing with crankbaits. Go to you tube and watch more videos on crankbait fishing. Try to catch the Bill Dance, Kevin HamDan, Hank Parker videos on crankbait fishing. With the videos watch what they do with the rod tip and reel. Besides listening to them. Crankbait fishing breathe it, live it, go out and do it. It's all about the size, the color, the action and the speed you reel it at. Match the color to the water conditions, having a rattle is a plus, using scents is another plus. I do this with every new lure I want to learn. I want to soak up all the info my mind will handle. Then go out and try it. Bb