Certified Public Angler

What about the BPS in Destin? Yep, Destin is the closest, about 2 hours. A Gander in Ocala, about 3hrs or so. We do have a sportsman warehouse, but their selection of reels isn't very impressive. I guess I should be happy the bait monkey can't choke the life out of me. ;D

Do you have some buddies that will let you try both?? That would be a big help for you in deciding. Well, I borrowed my uncle's 1990's shimano bantam mag. I have been casting it in the backyard and I'm starting to get the hang of it. I've never actually seen someone use a LH reel. As I am practicing it is becoming natural to just swap hands. Oh and I was gonna wait a month or so to buy a BC to save some money, but then I remembered that I kept all my old college books. I've already lined up to sell 4 of them for 185$ and might get 235$. I've already been picking out my favorite BCs. If I end up with $235 I think I'll get a shimano citica E and clarus rod. I just really respect shimano's products.

dangit, I've got no Gander, no BPS, and no Cabelas. :'(

this means "does not equal"

That is interesting RW. Thanks. Does it always have to come down to, which ever you are comfortable with...because I DONT KNOW :-? ;D Thanks everyone for your answers.

I like to make sure the hook is rigged so the point is sticking out the other side of the plastic and then barely tucked into the side, if that makes sense. You may want to set the hook harder if you have a light rod or try using braided line. Then again, sometimes it's just bad luck.

Sounds like fun. I recently picked up a berkley digital scale at wal-mart for 20$. Used it today on a 3.9 lbs, too bad it was my cousins fish and not mine. I think the average size just varies depending on the lake you are in.

Maybe this is a stupid question but, why do baitcasters for RH ppl have the fisherman cast with his RH, then switch hands to reel in? I can't figure this out. It seems like a predominantly RH person would have an easier time working baits with their RH. Is there any reason that a righty that is used to using spinning reels can't buy a lefty BC? Just wondering...tnx

plenty of room.

ah man, I got up at 6:30 this morning and loaded my 12ft jon boat in the back of the truck. There was a light drizzle and clouds overhead and I was thinking I might get a good bite. I got down to the lake and the wind was blowing 20 mph. lol. I tried to fish anyways, but as soon as I paddled out of the lillies and reached for my trolling motor I was already blown back in them. I didn't even cast a line, just got blown around in circles for 10 minutes and went back home. I know, I know...its a tropical storm, I was just hoping to fish my last weekend of summer. :'(

thanks for the thread, very relevant for my current situation.

Jax, I use a $30 shimano syncopate spinning reel. I picked it up at wal-mart and it works just great. They probably sell it in a combo for real cheap. Welcome to the forums btw, I also started fishing just recently and this forum has been a great source of information. There is always some nice experienced guys willing to lend a hand.

I will be fishing from a boat most of the time, does this mean I can go longer?

I have seen a lot of you say the BPS extreme is a great reel. I have been looking at the Shimano Clarus and the St. Croix Triumph med power fast action, they are 60 and 70 respectively. From the other BC thread I gathered that the BPS extreme, Daiwa Exceler or Megaforce would be good options in my range. I would love a shimano reel bc I think they do a great job with their products so I guess I need to get a Citica 200d in my hands and see whether it feels as bulky as the reviews I've read.

So I need a new rod because I am using a POS, but I don't want to spend the money on a spinning rod bc at the rate of my obsession I will be forking out for a baitcaster soon enough. So I am gonna go ahead and get the BC combo. A little about myself first. My bait of choice is soft plastics, lizards, senkos, flukes, frogs, crawdads, brush bugs, weightless, c-rig or t-rig. I fish soft plastics more than 75% of the time. I also use some crank baits and poppers usually 1/4oz. I'd say. I need a BC that will perform well with light baits. I am only 5'8 so I would like a less bulky reel that could easily be palmed. Now the important details...I would like to purchase a combo between $120 - $140. I have been reading the BC<$100 thread and have been scouting some out. But I am curious about what rod would be best for an all around set up, this will be my main rod&reel. What kind of combo would you put together if you were me? Thanks for letting me dip into your wealth of experience BR.

I just made the switch from spiderwire 12lbs mono to PowerPro 30lbs braid (8lbs diameter equivalent) a couple weeks ago. I love using the braid. I left about 7 yards of the mono on the spool and connected them with a uni to uni knot. It has worked great.

go to tinypic.com and upload your photo, then copy paste with the image tags into the thread you are creating. Hope that helps.

I just bought a 12 foot gamefisher and a trolling motor for 215$ and it beats the crap out of shore fishing. I just put it in the back of the truck and drag it out onto a pvc roller.

great story I caught my PB in a private pond also. My girlfriend was house sitting for her boss. I came to visit her and brought along my rod & reel and my shore fishing tackle. I caught two bass that were clearly larger then my previous PB. And one of those big boys was on a topwater Pop-R, it was incredible. I guess I should take notes on this thread bc I would really like to get back to that pond with my new berkley scale. I don't want to wait til it's house sitting time again.

I have been using PowerPro 30lbs and I love it, I can rip a bass out of any clump of lilly pads or weeds. I have a question though, I was using a shimano power: light action: fast taper of my cousins, well then my cousin took it back. So now I think I'm using a medium power fast action rod or maybe moderate action rod. Should I switch back to mono?

People catching a fish on every cast are either a) fishing a stocked pond or fishing a school of bass that are going nuts If it's A then you can't do anything bc they have access to a pond you don't. If it's B then you aren't seeing all the time that led up to the bass schooling up and all the time after the feeding frenzy is over. Flukemaster fishes a private stocked fish that are feeder trained. It would make anyone look like a fishing God.

Man that looks like fun. Are these the golf course ponds you were talking about?

supposedly it is aiming right at Tallahassee, but I am also welcoming the rain to help out my pond that's low.

lol sounds like me. The last 2 nights ive been casting into my pool. I can avoid a birdnest but the accuracy and distance are pathetic.

Great show, I enjoyed it.