Marty

Only been there once, but I'm unaware of any such restrictions. We had a 50 HP motor and there were no signs visible and the guy in the booth didn't say anything.

Very best wishes for your friend's full recovery.

This is not necessarily true. Spinning reels often have larger spool diameters than baitcasters and may retrieve more line per turn of the handle than a baitcaster with a higher ratio.

No. But I'm a big believer in people following their dreams. You know in advance about the risks and rewards, so go for it if it means not doing it is going to eat away at you.

I've had one baitcaster but I sold it 20 years ago and have used spinning only since then. I didn't have any trouble using it, but it wasn't versatile enough for the things I wanted to do. I'm not a technique-specific angler and spinning fills my general-purpose needs better.

Are you fishing where the smallies are? My experience is that smallies will take a wide variety of lures and are aggressive fish (but not always). My best guess is that the problems you've been having are not attributable to using the wrong lures. I don't profess to know anything about smallmouth behavior in June, wherever you may be located.

That's a very open-ended question. A Chevy can last longer than a Cadillac. I've got some $50 Daiwa spinning reels that have lasted for years, except for bail springs. There are too many variables, such as overall product quality, how it's used, how often it's used, how well it's maintained, etc.

Frustration can occur with a large variety of retailers. To say you're frustrated with Wal-Mart is not very specific; some good equipment can be purchased there. What products are you frustrated with and what are those frustrations?

Congratulations on your PB. I've done a lot of fishing in pickerel waters, and though I much prefer to catch bass, I've always thought that pickerel fight better than largemouth.

Yes and no. I take either three or four combos with me, but they're just for quick lure changes. They're all spinning, 6'6" M (and one MH), fast action and 15# braid.

Just about any lure can and does work from shore. Just match it to the conditions. You always want to cast out from shore to see what might happen, but the majority of the waters I've shore fished produce better by casting parallel to the shore.

Jitterbug is my confidence lure. Am I the only one who doesn't have the good fortune to encounter catchable fish anywhere I go?

I've been catching fish on crankbaits for 40+ years and seldom am able to bounce them off anything. Fish are known to come up good distances to hit a topwater or shallow lure. It's definitely something worth trying and doesn't cost you anything but a few minutes.

Shad Raps and Swim-N Images.

A-Jay is right, it's different for everyone. I did what I think other pet owners should do, that is, ask the vet what they would do if it was their cat. I took his advice and put her down. We don't want to see any loved one suffering, be it person or animal.

There are a lot of setups that can be used. I've used medium spinning rods with 10# mono or 15# braid. You can crawl the lure along the bottom or use a lift-and-drop retrieve, in addition to others. If you fish surface weeds, such as lily pads, you can let the lure drop into holes or at the edges. Watch your line closely. Much of the time a bass will move off with the lure without the angler feeling anything, so you need to watch for line movement.

Perhaps so, but I had problems with Tuf Line XP that I never had with Power Pro. Admittedly, it was just based on one spool, but when you have problems with your first purchase there won't be a second.

Are you using a large enough hook? I prefer a 4/0 extra-wide-gap, but I know some folks use a 3/0. If the hook is large enough, I'd review everything involved in the process, because even if your technique was less than perfect you ought to land more than 10% of your bass.

You don't know. Fishing is unpredictable and every outing has a trial-and-error component. You pick a search bait that's suitable for the cover and depth you want to fish and make sure it's a lure you have confidence in. If it doesn't pay off, change baits and/or tactics. You just can't predict what the fish will do on any given day.

It can be pretty intimidating. I'd first decide on what categories you want, such as spinnerbaits, crankbaits, topwaters, soft plastics, etc. I'd just pick something out from a brand you've heard of and match it to the depth you want to fish. After you have some experience under your belt with these lures you'll probably develop your own preferences for brands, styles, colors, etc.

As far as I'm concerned, topwaters are search lures as well.

I don't think it's a matter of lures, because I have caught big fish on most of the common lure types. The key is fishing where the big ones are. Unfortunately, I can't help out in that department, but I think it's a bigger factor than lure choice.

I use a snap and connect it to a split ring or line tie, whatever's on the lure out of the box.

I've used 15# Power Pro and Fireline Braid with no difference that I could detect. Didn't have good luck with Tuf-Line XP, which kept digging into itself and wouldn't cast properly.

"The Best Thing About Bass Fishing?" At the risk of sounding like a smart aleck, it's catching bass.