bigbill

I'm thinking a 5'4" baitcasting rod with a bullet proof zebco reel for now? What do you think. I could add a baitcasting reel down the road. I hate to trust him with a spinning outfit right now. I therefore think the closed zebco reel won't give him any problems. For now anyway.

I finally gave up trying to use a castiac 9" rainbow on a heavier freshwater rod. Either way the last 15" or so if every rod has no real backbone up there. I'm into the saltwater rods now. The upper section is stronger but I may cut the rod tip shorter so I have more meat and backbone at the tip.(spinning rods) I think by cutting down a 8' or 9' saltwater rod it should be ok.(cheaper rod like a $20) I'm so afraid the tip is going to break from bending on most of these rods. I'm almost thinking about a boat rod for casting this heavier stuff. Do a search for, swimbait rod reviews a lot of swimbait rod reviews comes up.

In looking for a pattern I use a variety of different lures and vary my presentations till I get action. Then I stay on that pattern. You guys are right I should of said lure not pattern. I see so many fisherman throw one lure constantly for no results. My challenge to myself is for me is to throw different lures till I figure out the pattern. It's fun to do this challenge. Why do we carry all these lures if we use just one?

I have mentioned this before but it's been a while. Having all this wet weather lately makes me want to say it again. I always had rusty hooks on my lures. Finally one day with all my new stuff I wanted to solve we're the rust was conning from and what activated it. Leaving our tackle boxes open in the rain wets everything inside. Having salted plastics in with our topwater and cranks it promotes and feeds rust. Then we close up the tackle box with the moisture in it then it mixes with the salt and it goes to work while we sleep. Here's the way to stop it, First when fishing in the rain keep your tackle box closed as much as possible. But make sure it's latched shut before you move it. When you get home leave your tackle box open for a few days to dry out. Now if you have to store plastics in the same box with your tremble hooked lures put your open bags of plastics in zip loc bags. Sometimes I use smaller zip loc bags to seperate the different ones then use one larger zip loc bag to hold all of the little bags too. I put the original plastics bag in the smaller zip loc bag. Then in the larger zip loc bag. Also remove the zip lock bags so you get every drop of moisture out of the bottom of your tackle box. Otherwise I carry a tackle box with just plastics. But one zip loc bag with a few senkos, another with a few worms etc. Doesn't warrant carrying another box. I hope I solved your rusted hook problems. Let your tackle dry out but keep it away from your cat if you have one. Bb BTW; Once a year I wash my lures and tackle box with a mild dish detergent to get the foul oders out of it. Sometimes the scent build up on them gives off a foul oder. Mainly in the fall before they go for there long winters sleep.

I try to go with a larger size lure, a rattle and use scents when the water is on the stained and muddy side. It makes me wonder why we don't see and chartreuse & brighter red colors in jigs for stained/muddy waters. They could tone the chartreuse and red colors down for stained water and turn them up hotter/brighter in muddy water ever wonder why?

I find myself too quick on the hook set when the blow up happens I just get too excited and try to set the hook quickly rather than waiting for the line to move meaning it has it in its mouth. I'm pulling it out of its mouth before it lips it. I need to calm down and be slower on the trigger. I realize what was said here once the bass will strike it to knock it silly or stun it first then turn and take it. I had a big bass stun my topwater lure once and I froze it waiting for the u turn and strike. I stood there watching the action as it unfolded. She had her back out of the water like a surfaced submarine on the first pass. Then she did a quick 180 turn and engulfed it. It reminds me of my cats with mice. They will play with it first. Then when the game is over its din,din. I figure the bass are no different when there doing short strikes and torpedo practice runs. It's like there playing like the cats. Has anyone tried the bogbait frog juice on there frog lures yet? A little frog scent could change the game.

I been using lately the mister twister 4" split double tail grubs for all my trailers on all my lures. There bulkier and look alive like there actually swimming. They look awesome in the water. The bass like it too. On my mini & micro spinnerbaits it's the mister twister 2" split double tail grubs as trailers. They offer these in there discounted section.

I still carry the flying lure in my weedless tackle box today. That drainage pond I pass by all the time on the way to my local haunts to fish. You never know when I will stop and pick off a few bass. The last time I was there they were up to 3lbers. They should be at least 4+lbs by now. Seeing these bass in a run off drainage place makes me think about fishing at these same places on our highway entrance and exit ramps?

Go to lure, BPS TOPNOCKER COLOR #25 chartruece My Shakespeare Black Beauty 7' rod Okuma expitor spinning reel w/12lb test vicious copolymer line. If I don't get any action my next lure is a bomber shallow A in redapplecraw.

It's on my heavier inshore rod setup. If I keep on losing bigger bass in the thick weeds I'll get a tow truck next. Kidding but when these bigger gals go down in the thicker weeds on a long cast from shore put a fork in me I'm done. I lose all my BPS XPS Topnockers this way. Since these lures are discontinued I'm on my last set of them.

I would fish near the rocks but what water conditions do you have stained or muddy or slightly stained? My next question is does your jig have a rattle and do you use scents?

So in the beginning of your bass fishing adventures what's the easiest lure and presentation you have learned at first? For me in the beginning it was; Split shot rigged plastic worm Inline spinners Crankbaits shallow Topwater walk the dog spooks / poppers Soon after Senko type plastics Brushog Spinnerbaits Jig n pig

Rage tail shell cracker?

Fishing from shore I tried a 3/8oz football jig in green pumpkin with an uncle Josh craw pork trailer. I casted down a rocky point and hopped it slowly up the point when a bass took it on a hop. I got the presentation down. I do know this Rocky point does hold bass on both sides of it too. I fan cast across this Rocky point with cranks and the bass are there all the time. On one side of the point(left side) is a weed drop off and con the right side is a 10' deep channel. I like seeing the bass comming from the weed side to strike what I'm using. I draw them out at will. But I'm using what they like or want. Keep on trying it don't give up till you find the right color, size, trailer and presentation. You can and will figure it out. When I'm out there trying to learn how to use a new lure and presentation I remain calm, decades, motivated and a strong will for success. Go to a spot you know we're bass are and try different presentations. When you get it right a bass will interrupt you. I hate it when I'm practicing.........(smile) bigbill Staying motivated is the key to learning a new pattern. Skill is how we learn to use that pattern. Skill and success go together. It's not luck in fishing we are in control in fishing, it's our skill that catches fish. Luck is for the casino. I'd rather buy lures with my casino money.

Well I'd rather not use a lighter test leader that's eliminates the purpose of using stronger line in the first place. The lighter test leader becomes the weak link in the setup. I figure the thinner, flexible steel leader just may give me the action I want with no loss of strength plus give me my topwater action and lure movement back together too. Plus I see the toothy critters hitting my spinnerbaits from the side just ripping it off. And off in the sunset they go with it.

I wanted to spool up my new bait casting reel. After watching the videos on you tube we need to hold the new line spool horizontal so the line unwarps off the spool in reverse the way the line was wrapped on it. My problem is I had no spool holder. I took and old reel box and poked two holes thru it with a pencil. I then poked two holes thru the new line spool label on each end. I installed the spool in the reel box and I now have a holder for the new line spool. I run the line thru an elevated telephone book to give it some attention on the reel spool. There we go problem solved for a new line spool holder.

Mister twister has the 2" split double tail grubs in white and chartreuse on clearance I believe there being discontinued. These work great as micro and mini spinnerbaits and for the mepps "00" timber doodle for the skirts/trailers. They also added more stuff to there discounted baits list too. Bill

My first decent spinning reels were Wal-Mart quantum like I said before for the low cost these are really decent reels.

Baitcaster Sealed ball bearings Brass machined bevel cut gears drive the spool Injected molded housing and side covers. Machined aluminum spool To me the overall rating is it does work/function. Not the best top shelf reel but it will last for a while. If you keep it lubed you may get some extra life out of it. I have to add it is smooth and casts good. No problems. I will push it with spinnerbaits. Spinning reel model 6000 Open ball bearings on the crank spindle shaft Ball bearing on the line guide on the bail. Die casted drive gears. Open ball bearing on the spool drum(bail attaches)on the main shaft. The life expectancy I'm not sure, it's smooth and functions. For you average normal fisherman it may last if it's kept lubed. I will install it on my topwater setup and work it hard till it breaks or not. I think the best way to test is let the bass punish it. No flames please it's just my follow up report that I promised. The next report will be how long they last. I do believe the baitcaster will outlast the spinning reel. One thing these reels have in common is left hand threads. One point I want to make is I had 4 spinning reels from a large well named reel manufacturer in the past that we're great for trout/Spanish but the bigger bass tore them up. They did have no bearings and die cast straight cut gears. These were low budget cheap reels. Just some reel sence.

Fishing from shore the distance in casting farther matters. I'm fishing one dog leg where I can almost hit the shore on the other side at the widest part at the top of the dog leg. I do drop my largest amount of scent at that distance then I leave a scent trail back to me. In the past years before my illness I would fish for bass right after trout season. As soon as the bass start biting I fish everyday 24/7 for about three months "estimate" but I fish up at 3:30am everyday till I burn out. I hope to start fall fishing soon as the side effects from the radiation slowdown a tad. I have never fished in the fall 24/7. This year I hope to do it. I will stay fishing either way till the ice is on. Like I said on somedays my arms feel like there going to fall off. But I'll be back pushing the next day anyway.

I just took off 17lb test on my new topwater spinning rod setup. I put on 12lb test. I did notice my topwater lures I have used for decades acting weird with the 17lb test. So I figure with the 12lb test I was planning on using a steel leader like 8" long from Wal-Mart with a swivel eye on one end and a locking snap swivel on the other

Well I'll put it next to my flying lure? But the flying lure did work. We bought it on a deep discount and used it in a water drainage pond in a large complex. This was an unfished place. It did work in chartreuse color. I did not buy the flying minnow.

I been thinking of getting a 30-06 savage for my youngest son. BB

Some newer bolt action rifles aren't that accurate nowadays. At one time shooting 1 1/2" groups were acceptable by the gun manufacturers now there saying 2" groups are acceptable when anyone complains about the accuracy. Not all the new rifles are accurate will different brands of ammo. My 30-06 isn't accurate at all with any brand of new ammo. I ended up reloading for it. Then it shot nickel sized groups ever since. My 338wm was also not shooting tight groups with new remington ammo. When I tried the Winchester super X ammo the group's became a one holer at 100yds. I did purchase the dies to reload for it but why reload if it's that accurate with the Winchester super x ammo. So I stocked up on it back then for $24 a box. I think it's near $70 per box. I think I have 10 boxes of super x ammo left. It surprised me to see new ammo that accurate. Out of all my new rifles the only one that's accurate with remington ammo is my 444 marlin. Go figure. I'm thinking the SWAT guys weren't trying different brands of ammo. My 30-06 was so bad at shooting groups I ran some military surplus FMJsteel jacket ammo thru it to remove any burrs in the rifling. When this happens it's called break in time. This is a 1972 mossberg not a newer one. After the steel jacket ammo ran thru it the reloads brought the accuracy right on the money. Back then this rifle was $172 with a scope. I should of purchased more. BB

I didn't know that. They are a hoot to catch but they do like ripping lures off my like. I lost a brand new Mann's hank Parker classic spinner bait that I just finished tweaking when another 30"+ pickerel ripped it off my line at the waters edge as I tried to take it out of the water. I froze and was in shock when I seen it parallel to the waters edge shaking it's head, ripping off my lure and leaving with it. I have one spot the stock with trout and a seen a very large fish in the tall 6' bamboo looking weeds ambushing what was probably trout. It gets the winter run off from a lake about it that has northern pike. From its turning circles I seen that we're really large it's a big one. Of course my bass setups will be too small for this fish but my new inshore setup should put me in the ballpark anyway. I threw all the 12" minnowbaits I had that day. But nothing happened. Now I have a better selection of pike lures. I have lakes with pike all around me. They stocked these places with pike to control the white perch population. I still catch white perch all the time so there is plenty of food for the pike. Bb