SirSnookalot

I don't think the average weekend warrior is going to spend 100k to go bass fishing, even if they could afford it. Perhaps a different story if they were a high level competitor or retired having all of life's obligations well managed. I choose no longer to have a boat for bass fishing, I come and go as I please. I do go offshore in the ocean without owning my own boat. I have friends I go out with and I'm also a member of a boat club. My membership dues cost me less than what insurance would be, let alone repairs and marina fees, just gas and go.

Tried a number of different hooks over the years, back to using only 2. Standard 4/0 offset hooks for weedless presentation, mounted on a jig head for open water. As long as the hook is sharp enough the brand isn't a concern, few swipes with a file works wonders. The only hookup problem I may encounter is short strike either from a smaller fish or fish not overly aggressive. Given the option I will always use a lure with exposed hooks, fluke on a jig head falls into that.

I check into Facebook daily to see what some of my friends and family are up to. I'm a member of a few groups from Detroit where I grew up that have a lot of participation, non "friends" but people I know pop up. I don't use my fishing screen name, other fishermen don't appear.

Chris is right, it's winter. I've been doing much less inshore this winter than I normally do, fished cuda yesterday and didn't see one in 2 hours. Location has a lot to do with it, offshore fishing has been good and there is always something being caught in the Keys.

Nice pea ! I'm little jealous, the only peas I'm catching are less than pound, and not getting them everyday.

Shrimp or squid.

Retired 11 years, owned a scrap metal company for 30 years.

I was rooting for the Pack and they are in my division. Seahawks comeback was incredible.

The ponds I fish I think are more like 10-12' but with no significant drop off not much depth off the shoreline. I stick petty much with shallow running lures and top waters, roostertails have been super good. Yesterday the bite improved a little bit but a short window.

Whether using 1 rod and a couple of lures or many combos with scores of lure options, they are neither jack of all trades or specialists. What they are is successful anglers, that is if they consistently catch fish. I don't see any reason to classify myself as this kind of fisherman or that kind of fisherman.

Never thought about it. I don't use too many different lures, I do go thru jig heads and jerk shads and bucktail jigs fishing saltwater. I don't lose too many lures in freshwater. I buy my fair share of braided lines, that's probably the biggest expense over the year. Can't come up with a dollar amount, but it's managable.

Jigs catch all predatory fish PERIOD ! Hair jigs can be bought just about everywhere, I catch as many fish using a 15 cent crappie jig as I do a $5.00 bonefish flats jig (I use them for bass sometimes) or the ones I make myself. One jig I go out of my way to buy is BPS hot lips jigs, 3 pack for about 6 bucks, caught evething from bass to tarpon on them, this one is my mainstay.

This doesn't make sense to me, a new reel should need no back up parts. I've handled the reel in the store, does not captivate my interest.

Yesterday was the first day that I haven't had a strike, this cold front really shut them down here in South Florida, at least the places I fish. I've been as hot as I have ever been the last few weeks, some real quality fish, but Zippo yesterday. Haven't gone to the ocean in a week, think I may go this morning.

The equipment to use and how it's rigged is predicated on where you will be fishing. My inshore set ups are different fishing a beach vs a pier or being on a boat. A simplistic rule of thumb for me is the higher I am from the water (jettie or pier) the heavier the gear. Fishing close to the water like a beach it's lighter rods and reels, 3-4000 spinners and med or mh inshore rods, with 15 or 20# braid and about 2' 30# leader. IMO something comfortable and easy to handle because for me it's all casting artificial, a bait set up is slightly different. Being a saltwater fisherman I would never consider using bass equipment, but for the person that fishes inshore sporadically it's fine, take what you have and don't make a big deal over it. Please believe me when I tell you this, you are not going to catch a 40# fish on every cast, even if you target redfish.

When I think jigging spoons this is the style that comes to mind http://braidproducts.com/shop/db-jig.html, they excel casting, trolling and deep water jigging, but for salt water. When it comes to bass fishing I prefer a spoon with more of a wobble and slower drop.

Smoke inshore 40 is on tap.

Salt or fresh I set by feel, having done it so much I know where I like it. I may set it slightly tighter (that's about 1 click) bass fishing when fishing a weedless fluke for a better hookset.

Went out again this morning just before sunrise, fished an hour without a strike, my opinion a cold front. Fishing golf courses where I usually do real well.

Only catching fish matters ! I do draw the line at camo.

Once I purchased a vise and tying equipment the cost to make my jigs isn't too much. I buy my materials from a fly shop in Boca just 20 minutes away but they ship free or did last time I ordered. I am not real good at making them but they catch fish and that's the bottom line. Most of my jig heads are from Walmart, I have yet to have any problems even with snook and tarpon but usually use store bought unless I'm out, BPS hot lips are my favorite. My jigs are primarily used for peacock bass.

With all the fishing I do in both fresh and saltwater I've yet to have a major issue with drag pads. I have replaced only a few and when I've done it I took pads from a spool I wasn't using. If I were to order them I'd be buying the best available for just a few bucks more. So far I haven't done that yet as stock drags work fine for me.

Don't think for second that all fish we catch in the salt are huge, we catch plenty of 1 & 2 pound fish. Not much different than bass fishing as we have to hunt them down as well. Some people think it's a fish a cast in salt, nothing could be further from the truth. Whether it's 1# fish or much larger I want all I can get from that fish, for me it's all about the fight, not dragging them in at supersonic speed. I do understand why it's done but not wanting to fish that way I have no interest in seeing someone do it on TV.

Don't know if anyone watches the WTI, it's been bouncing up and down the last few days, hope that's an attempt to make a bottom. Don't really care what the price is as long as it's more stable. The big question is where is this new found wealth going, according to analysts it's being saved or used to pay down credit, they say it has not gone into the general economy. Case in point may have been the holiday retail sales, not what the street had hoped for. Long Mike made a good point about how low oil can affect the workforce, in Canada that is already happening. Their oil production has been cut and some of their companies have lost 30-40% book value. Important to us as we buy most of our imported oil from Canada and Canada is the biggest buyer of American imports. WTI 48.69, DOW +190, first up day in the last 6, is it covering short selling for a 3 day weekend or is the bottom near? My lowest pump price, $2.29.

Being primarily an inshore fisherman I'm always looking at the water and the sky. I do not line watch and seldom use the type of baits that would require me to do so. When I bass fish I'm trying to sight cast as much a possible, I know I pass up a lot of fish by not using senkos and jigs and trailers, but I like the way I do it.