SammyLee

This afternoon I bought a Gunnison Camo Float Tube and a Hummingbird Fishing Buddy 120. I took them to my neighbor's house who lives on the lake and assembled the items. I took a quick spin without a rod or tackle just to see how the fish finder and float would work together. There are nylon handles on the side of the float and I just slid the finder transducer rod through the one on the left and zip tied it so that no matter what, it would stay with the float. Both the fish finder and the float worked just fine so asked my buddy to hand me my rod and off I went. It was a bit hard to cast sitting so close to the water and I seemed to cast about 20 degrees to the left of target. After awhile, I got used to it and did better. It was very easy to manuver the float as I was using my scuba split fins and pride myself on my ability to position my body anywhere in the water. Twisting my ankles and bending my knees moved the float most anywhere I wanted to go. The Hummingbird Fishing Buddy model 120 with side scan worked perfectly or at least to the degree I am able to determine. I certainly could understand the bottom contour and fish in the water colum. The forward/side scan seemed to work fine as well. Since the unit can be rotated 360 degrees, it is somewhat like shining a flashlight in any direction, through the water. It's a neat trick. Another plus for the 120 model is that it can be mounted on just about anything, boat, dock, or float without much hassle to move from one to the other. I spent about two hours floating around casting and checking out the lake structure or lack of structure as it turns out. It has the contours of a bowl and is flat as a pool table over the parts I scanned. Not one bit of brush or rocks or anything. There was one area where there was a dich like part that droped off from 20 feet to 24 feet. I did not catch any fish but I was mostly trying to get the system dialed in and for the most part, I did. After two hours in 84 degree water I was starting to get a little cool and called it a day. I think I'm gonna like this setup with just a few tune ups for tackle storage and fish management when I catch them. But consider, a 40 acre lake that is 24 feet deep, no structure to speak of and surface temprature of 84 degree on June 3rd. Bass may be hard to find in August. We'll see.

I'm pretty sure there are laws that state in effect, "If you did not order it, you don't have to pay for it and it is up to you what you do with it." They might learn someting if you keep it and do not pay for it. When they complain or get nasty, report them to the BBB and threaten to take them to court. I know, big PITA for a small dollar amount but think how many times this works for them and how much money they make with the sorry way of business.

Thanks fellows, The one nice I hooked was near a point and if I'd kept my rod tip down I'd likely have a picture to post. I wonder where in the heck I got into the habit of holding my rod so high when fighting a fish? I guess I can blame it on Dad as he never corrected me on this.

I'd be willing to spend maybe 150 dollars for a portable fish finder to use with a float tube. I'd really like one that can actually find FISH as opposed to just depth with bottom structure. If I look on ebay I see some for as little as 30 bucks and some Hummingbird models for around 150 dollars. I need one that has clarity but the transducer must be movable, like holding it next to the tube float. I'd also like to be able to use it on the occasional rental jon boats. Accuracy, ease of use, portability and less than 150 bucks. Is there such a device? Anybody got one they want to sell? Added later to say that I am thinking about a Humminbird PiranhaMAX 230 Lokks like it has good resolution and dual tranducers, one little floating duck and one suction cup to mount on a boat when needed. I think I could tie a line to the duck and send it out to give me data from the float or just hold it at arms distance to see what's directly beneath me. ps, when bank fishing this morning and post spawn seems hard! No bass but one nice brim on a small crankbait running shallow.

Likewise, I'd like to see the pics and updates on how it's going. I am going to get a float tube this month but an old boat with a grey/blue Evenrude, about 25 hp is in my future.

I finally got things together and went to Lake Quashita (Washata?) near Hot Springs Arkansas. It's supposed to be a four star Bass lake. We got there about 10 am on Saturday and I got my 16 foot, wide Jon boat with the 9.9 Merc and hit the lake. The water level was higher than most folks had ever seen with signs and volley ball nets, etc. all under water. They were pulling the level down as fast as they could but it was still high. It was hot as heck and that little 9.9 moved the boat along at 15mph according to my street/car gps. I went into the first cove I saw and starting casting a watermelon swim sinko to the bank and did slow retrieves. No bites. Then fast retrieves. No bites. Switch to a Rapella crank bait, no bites. Switched to a big black spinner bait, no bites. Switch to a Mann's hard nosed, hooked through the nose. No bites. Switched to the same worm, dark green, drop shotted, no bites. Tried same worm, whacky style, no bites. By then the half day rental boat was about due so I came back to the campsite. The next morning I was waiting at the marina to get the same boat with the 15 hp Merc. While I was there a young man was in line to buy oil and he explained that he fished here at least once a week and the high water had messed things up bad. He told me of this area where there was grass on the bottom and that I should drag some worms over it. He said that I should fish 10 to 20 feet of water. I tried that and everything in the tackle box with no bites. Moved around into the brush with the swim sinko and had a bite but missed. I casted into that area 50 + times with no action. I switched back to the spinner and got a hit near the bank in some murky water but he slung the lure on a jump. I was about to run out of time so I headed back but saw this point that looked good. I threw a white, deep running crank-bait up into the shallow. On the second cast I got a whopper of a bite. I had a huge fight on that 6 pound test with a 6 foot St. Croix medium light rod with the Shimano Sarous reel. As I got him to the boat I could see that he was the biggest bass I had ever had on a line, maybe he would go 5 to 6 pounds. With the rod tip high, too high, he came halfway out of the water, shook his head and slung the lure to the sky. I felt a part of me die at that moment. I still had a good time and learned something about managing the boat, trolling motor, navigation etc. So it was worth it. BTW, the 15 hp took the 16 foot boat up to 21 mph on the gps and felt quite lively. The wide boat made standing and walking around nice. Well, I guess I just wanted to complaine a little and ask if there was something I should have done in that high water. It was a beautiful lake, very deep (130 feet) and I reserved a campsite that is unbelievable for the end of September.

Alright, my biggest fish was a shark of some type. My dad and I were bottom fishing for grouper when this 6 to 7 foot shark took my bait. I fought that thing for 20 minutes and when I got him along side the boat I asked the guide, "How are we going to get him in the boat?" He just smiled and cut the line. Now, back to the real world of lmb. Maybe two pounds? I know, pitiful but I am just now learning to bass fish. My dream fish is swimming today, waiting.

I voted in 0-1 hour category cause the rods are in the kitchen and the lake is one block down the street. BUT every couple of weeks, I'll go through the tackle, check lines, work on old reels etc. That usualy keeps me busy for an hour or two. Now when I get the tube float thing on Father's day, it may take longer but I'll likely spend more time on the water too.

Caught two, one dink, one keeper this morning on a swim senko. Cast, let it drop to the bottom with slack line. Waited 30 seconds, took up some slack, did a medium lift of the rod tip and let it drop on slack line. Took some slack, maybe a turn on the spinner reel, started to lift and felt the fish. I set the hook hard and had a nice little fight on the 6 pound Cajun red line. This lake is post spawn and both fish were in deeper water than two weeks ago. The second one, I believe took the worm off the bottom because as soon as took some slack I felt him and set. He had the hook pretty deep so I think he had it in his mouth awhile but who knows. This was a Texas rig with no weight. I am just now starting to learn to fish worms this way as I have always drop shot-ted before. I just had no confidence that I could feel the bite before. This forum convinced me to try it and it works. Last Saturday, I got six in about two hours fishing the same bait casting into the weeds near the bank and fishing it almost like a topwater bait. A quick jerk to splash a bit then a pretty quick retrieve with a bit of jerk here and there. They gulped the darn thing and the hook set was more like drop shot. This was a watermelon 5 inch swim senko in moderately clear greenish water. I pretty much match the worm color to the water color at this stage of my learning curve. I also tried a Mann's hard nosed worm in the same color with no hits. Leaving in the morning to go to Lake Quashita "Wash A Ta" near Hot Springs Arkansas. It supposed to be a pretty good lake so maybe even I can land a few. You've come to the right place to really learn something about bass fishing. Not from me of course, as I am a bass beginner, but there are at least a dozen folks here who are bass geniuses. I could spend 200 hours just to practice the techniques they have suggested. I've caught more bass in the last two months than I did in the 40 years prior. Heck, maybe this year I'll learn to cast a baitcaster. What fun!

I haven't found a 500 dollar boat like the fellow at the yard sale! Wow, what a deal. That said, I am going to get me a tube float and get out in the lake near my house. I had been thinking that I'd like to have a depth finder to see what is underneath me. I did a google search and saw several portables on ebay from 40 to 60 bucks. Does anyone have any experience with these things? Do you think it might be practical with a tube? I also have use my neighbors jon boat so a portable might be the ticket. Are the portables, so cheap, any good?

Cast baits that vibrate for one, like spinner baits or crankbaits that have a strong swim/shake component. Cast baits that look and act like something the bass doesn't like, for example lizards or salamanders or small brim. One fellow here (low cost hooker?) did a video where he was casting a drop shot worm into bedding bass over and over until the bass just got tired of seeing the darn thing and hit it. If the pond is the size of a football field you can cover the whole lake pretty quickly, although that does not assure you that the big ones are going to bite. Just my 2 cents from a guy who has little to no sense.

Dittos on the great pics and super nice fish. I loved the one of Madison kissing the bass! What a wonderful family hobby. Something you all can do together or seperately if you rather. I'll bet that if they ever have "family tournaments" you guys would be the odds on favorite!

Heck, Grimlin, it's the best reel and rod I've ever had. A Shimano Saros 2500F with a St. Croix rod running red cajun 6#. I will surely try the swivel but I can't do any better on the reel. Thanks. Sammylee Nature of the beast with spinning reels.Specially with cheaper ones. Close the bail manually by hand,pull line tight before retrieving line and add swivels to spinning type lures will reduce your line twist dramatically. I have a cheaper set up with braided line and I've yet to have any problems with line twist.If I'm worried about the fish seeing my line I'll add a fluorocarbon leader in clear water.

Crestliner made some good points. I don't know if it makes a difference but I run the tag line back through the hook eye, from the front, also tying a palomar. Two in two days? Has the line been exposed to some bad stuff? Is it fresh? Maybe try a different brand. I'd sure try something different even though it might just be coincidence.

I'm full of questions I know. My wife would probably say I'm full of something else too. Anyway, I got up and hit the neighborhood lake at 6:30 slinging a watermelon swimsenko parallel to the bank just outside and into the snotgrass. I had caught 6 in the first hour. I was fishing this thing almost like a topwater with a pretty fast retrieve. Between number 4 and number 5 I had a heck of a snarl on my spinning reel. I got it cleaned up but then watched the senko action. It was rolling over and over on retrieve. I assumed it was the way I had rigged the bait, Texas style. Specifically, I figured I had the hook off center from the very bottom of the bait. I re-rigged being very careful to get it directly on center. Same result, it spins. I must have rehooked that thing a dozen times with no luck. So two questions. What am I doing wrong or is this just part of the deal with swimsenkos. Also, what can I do to get the twist out of my line. But hey, any day that starts with six bass before breakfast is a good day, for darn sure. I was bank fishing and doing better than the boaters! Guess where I'll be just before sundown today?

My wife actually said to me tonight, "Honey, it looks like you need a new, larger tackle box, don't you think?" Hmmm, let me think about it for a second. "Yeah, you're right!" Since I bought that Shimano Saros reel and a St. Croix rod, all of my old stuff feels like a grit grinder of some sort. Plus, that reel is just a beautiful piece of machinery. I'll never buy a cheap, low quality outfit ever again.

3:16 Born Again Armageddon. It's a FUN bait to throw!!!! http://316lurecompany.com/baits/hardbaits.html Introductory Price: $185.00 ($178.25 + $6.75 sh) Dang, I'll have to be born again as a rich man. I thought they were kidding. $185 bucks for one lure? I mean, I realize it's 9 inches long and all but whoa nellie. No offence intended with the born again pun. I follow Christ (poorly) and don't belive in reincarnation and am not worried about being rich. I am already blessed beyond anything I deserve.

Like most, it's the topwater. I was lucky enough to have about 20 of those in two hours a few weeks ago. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Really, it felt sureal. But, something I do love, is tiny crankbaits, like a panfish plug and be in the middle of a retrieve and this mean as a junkyard dog, brim, slams the lure. He'll turn that fat, flat body of his sideways to me and try to drag my butt into the water. When I get him to shore, he looks at me like, "You SOB! How dare you!" I'll be super careful removing the hook and wish him well with a thank you and goodbye.

I have this old lipless crankbait that looks like a shad that has caught more fish than any other lure in the box. I caught one tonight with it after throwing a swimsenko, a crankbait, a little jerk bait, a big brim bait, a spinner bait and what all else I forget now. The old shad lip-less put one on the bank. I'd be willing to bet though, there are some worm fishermen here that know how to use them (I don't) and that'll be number one in lots of tackle boxes.

I'm thinking that there must be some scientific method of seting the drag on a reel/rod combo. So far, I just pull on the line near the reel and tighten until it "feels" right. Somehow that seems too simple and too error prone. What do y'all do?

I don't think they have trolling motors on the 16 foot rental. They have nice bass boats for rent but at like 175$ per day, it's outta my budget. However I do have a little 30# motor guide transom mount tm that I use on the jon boats here at home so I'll be sure to take it. I'm beginng to want a 14 foot general purpose boat that I can fish from really bad. I'd like to have between a 25 and 40 hp motor and have a set up that is reliable as the sun. In the meantime, I am going to get for father's day, one of the bass pro shops fishing float seat things.

Sounds to me like you need to show up with your truck, two big friends and your checkbook. Pay a reasonable amount for whatever they have done and take your boat. If they try to keep it, call the cops Get someone else to do the work you decide not to do yourself.

Rock climbing until I got too old and weak, though I will still hit some easy routes just to get high. I especially love Yosemite. Used to hunt but not in the last few years. Scuba diving was my main thing when I lived in West Palm Beach. I've always fished. Its been the most constant hobby of my life. I can't remember learning cause I started when I was about three years old. Since I have a pretty nice lake, three houses down, I've been fishing more than anything else lately. Heck, it's almost one am and I just got back from night fishing on that lake. (caught a small lmb) I still have a thousand plus things to learn about bass fishing and I hate to be ignorant so I study it a lot and read this forum every day. One day, I'm gonna land a 6 pounder. And I'll bet it will be before the year is up.

Fishing Cowgirl, Hmmm, cane pole on a horse. Let's see, maybe step up to a shimano caster and a St. Croix rod on the back of a horse. Adds a new dimension to wade fishing. You could go places no average wader could. Heck, you could even troll. And can't a horse swim with a rider? Come on boy, let's go to the other side of the lake. Think of all the tackle you could bring. Well, enough jokes, welcome to the best fishing site I've ever seen.

I ususally just use cut bait when surf fishing on a heavy bottom rig with two hooks and a one ounce wieght. I saw a fellow catch this huge African Permit (maybe 20 pounds) on such a rig.