Rich Tehan

Hi all, I moved to Oregon two years ago, to start grad school at OSU, and inadvertently took a break from fishing as school consumed my life and my rods and tackle collect dust at my parents' house in NY. I am looking to make some fishing friends and I am wondering if there is anyone who might be willing to bring a busy, hard-working student out bass fishing or if there are any good bass club where I could fish as a non-boater maybe a couple times a year. Nearly all of my tackle is in NY, but I could ship some of it here if there were opportunities for me to get out. I'm willing to drive < 3 hrs from Corvallis, and will give gas money. I can back trailers, and rig tackle and I'm good company! I'm also skilled in mushroom collection and ID and can exchange guide services! Any takers? Cheers, Rich

I ordered the Powell Endurance Cranking Rod 7'2" Heavy 726CB. Any advice on a reel for this outfit? I specifically want casting distance.

Thanks for your advice. I definitely don't want a pool cue. I'm now deliberating between the Dobyns savvy 734 and the two Powells I mentioned (endurance crankbait, or max swimbait). I'm leaning toward Powell because they have mod. fast action, but which one....

Thanks flippin and pitchin. On Tackle Warehouse, the Excel 735C is rated for 3/8 - 1 1/2 oz, whereas the Savvy 734 is rated for 1/4 - 1 oz, but you're saying that these ratings are wrong?

Let me also add to my considerations: Powell Endurance Cranking Rod 7'2" Heavy 726CB Powell Max Swimbait Casting Rods

Hello All, I want to get a new rod to devote to reaction baits, largely, the ABT Lures "Banshee" swimbaits that I just got and am very impressed by (caught a fish on my 2nd cast with it), I just can't cast them very well on the 7' MH Crankbait rod I was using. I will also use this rod for spinnerbaits and perhaps crankbaits. I want to get a rod that will be able to throw both my 4" (1/2 oz) and 6" (1.5oz) banshees, so I need it to be able to cast baits in that range, 1-1.5oz. I would like it to be between 7'2"-7'6" and I think I want it to have a moderate-fast action, and preferebly full cork handle, no split grip. My budget is, ideally, < $200 Can anyone give me any advice or criticism for this setup? Or, any rod suggestions? So far I've considered these: Dobyns Savvy Micro Casting Rod 7'3" Mag Heavy < F action, lure weight .25-1oz (not what I want), but it's reccomended for small swimbaits and spinnerbaits (which is what I want)... never used micro guides- a bonus? Dobyns Savvy Micro Casting Rod 7'3" Heavy < reccomended for small swimbaits, but the action is XF! could this work for me? Kistler Micro Mag Crankbait Casting Rod 7'9" Med Hvy < a tad long, a tad pricey St. Croix Rage Cast Rod 7'8" Med Hvy < a tad long, a tad light. Lamiglas Excel Cast Rod 7'3" Med Hvy < split grip but, satisfies the other categories, and good price. I'm leaning toward this one None of those offer exactly what I want, but perhaps I will like one of those for what I want to do. Any thoughts? Tight lines, Rich

Hello all, I am going down to Tampa, FL, to visit family from 3/10-3/16. I would like to do some fishing while there, but I'm not sure what I'll have for transportation and I don't think I'll be able to bring any rods. If anyone is willing to take me out for some hawg largemouths, I would be willing to pay for the gas and baits for the day, or I can exchange a trip on my homewaters, Lake Ontario for some football smallmouths (See attached picture ), I can also tutor math and science if that is at all valuable to you, will work for bass! I'm also willing to hire a guide if anyone has reccomendations. What say you, Floridians? Rich

Looks really cool, I'm excited to try it, but they're good at advertising I've been let down plenty of times by Berkley (ahhhem... vanish). I do like that they experiment with new materials and ideas and try to expand the tackle industry.

I would imagine it's still quite cold, bass are out of season for Lake Ontario/St. Lawrence River in Jefferson Co., right now anyway.

I love to fish a jig in thick grass. A 3/4oz+ grass jig. I also agree with many of the above suggestions, especially the fluke, but I wouldn't use a football jig in grass. Jigs are fun in grass but require the right outfit to properly use, 7'+ heavy power/ fast action rod is ideal. If you do not have this, a texas rigged worm can much more easily be thrown on lighter rods. I recommend a 5 or 6 inch Yum Dinger in "Watermelonseed" or "Green Pumpkin" if the water is clear, or a darker or flashier color if the water is not clear. Use a 3/0 or 4/0 EWG worm hook and a 1/4-3/8 oz (tungsten[ideally]) bullet weight.

A bunch of brands make them now and I'd like to know which brand do you all use? When I first got them two years ago, they were incredible! The bill was stiff and gave a superfluke an awesome swimming action, then they started making the bill out of a different material and it didn't give a fluke any action, I called the company and they sent me new bills but they still didn't work (What gives?!!) So, which brand do you use and does it make your fluke swim like a snake(without spinning)?!

When you catch whatever it is, please post a picture.

Don't use Vanish

Wow, not much love for the Rattlin Rapala. How about the Clackin' Rap? Anyone use that?? I just spent $9 on it, it better catch fish!

Sure, flippin jigs work for smallies, mostly I fish football jigs for smallies because they are good on rocks- the smallmouth's preferred cover, but I have had success fishing rip-rap and shoreline cover with a flippin jig in the springtime for pre-spawn/spawn smallies. 3/8-1/2 oz, work great in any appropriate color for the water clarity. I've used watermelon, green pumpkin and black neon.

Quantum Tour Edition PT Abu Garcia Revo STX

you can get a revo stx on ebay for < $160, curados even less, both are very good reels

Proper length all depends on the person and application. I am 6'4 and I like a 7'6" rod for most flippin, sometimes 7', but other people use 8'. If you aren't very tall though, 8' would be very awkward for you.

Don't have an SX but I use an STX for flippin, it is awesome!

Okay, the short version, here goes... Jigs are my favorite bait! They're great baits and especially for big fish but don't be forced into thinking you have to throw them to catch big fish and win. There are times when a jig is just no good. Often when the fishing is tough, bass want something with a smaller profile and soft body, soft plastic baits will often be a better choice than a jig, fish them t-rigged, shakey, drop shot, weightless etc... Jigs are especially fun when fish are tight to cover and aggressive, flipping docks, trees, weeds etc is a blast, but sometimes the fish just aren't so ambitious. Often, ya can't beat a weightless senko deadsticked. If you have not already, then I would suggest first getting familiar with t-rigged plastics. Get used to feeling the bait, the bite, and setting the hook. It is just about the same with a jig, but you need to be a little quicker with a jig. Bass will reject a heavy steel and silicon bait faster than a lightweight salty plastic bait. With a jig, you want to have the maximum sensitivity. A lightweight, fast action, heavy power rod with high speed reel spooled with braid is ideal. Never lose 'touch' with your jig. I think of my jig rod as an extension of my nervous system, a prod for feeling around and probing weedbeds, docks, etc. Try to minimize slack in the line when your jig is falling and always watch your line. Make sure you let your jig get to the bottom. Often bass will bite a jig as it falls or the instant it hits bottom, this is why you want to minimize slack, if it falls to the bottom on slack, you'll miss a lot of bites. Set it down without ever losing contact. If no bite on the initial drop, a lethargic lunker may yet be watching. Lift and drop your jig again. Dunno what this imitates but bass love to hit the bait when you 'kill' it like that. Of course there are several different kinds of jigs and even more ways to fish them. As I described above, applies mostly to flipping a jig but I am also a huge fan of football jigs- these are great for rocks. Drag them over rocky banks and flats. <-A killer smallmouth bait! Fish a football jig on a long, M or MH fast rod with 10-14# fluorocarbon. Long, for good hook sets on long casts. Fast rod, with fluoro, because again, here, sensitivity is key. The best way to learn learn jig fishing, as with any technique is to fish with someone who has experience with it. You will pick up a lot about the mechanics of it that I can't describe here, by watching someone do it.

Biggest LM =~ 6lbs in 15' SM =~4.5 in 25' ^Rather big fish for my region of the country anway. Drop shotting is certainly not just good for numbers.

I was thinking about a 2000 for dropshotting. What size rod do you have that on and how do you like that setup? How does such a small reel handle fluorocarbon, is the spool wide enough? I have it on a 7' ML power, fast action St Croix Avid. It's just about my favorite set up. I use 6lb Trilene flouro on one spool, and 10 lb Power Pro on another. I usually just use the straight fluoro for DS'ing, handles it as good as any other spinning reel with flouro I have or have used. Great thanks, that's all I needed to hear, just bought one on ebay for $60

I was thinking about a 2000 for dropshotting. What size rod do you have that on and how do you like that setup? How does such a small reel handle fluorocarbon, is the spool wide enough?

John, a trout on a bass swimbait?! now I've heard everything...

Ok thanks! I will throw them on my 702SF. How thick of cover would you throw them in? Docks? Weeds? Or are they best suited for sparse cover?