Marty

Jitterbug is my favorite lure and I throw it so much, I may be overusing it, but I have a load of confidence in them.

They're both good. Don't ignore one in favor of the other.

All the Finger Lakes offer bass fishing. I'm unfamiliar with with the eastern ones. Boat rentals, at least 14' rowboats, are much harder to find, if at all, compared to years ago. If you bring your yak, Honeoye and Conesus could be a couple of places to try, although both can be very crowded. I don't know much about the fishing in Canadice, other than there are fish, but it's a beautiful place with no development, if those pristine conditions are to your liking. The lake has a 10 hp limit.

Saying the line needs to come off the supply spool the same way it goes on the reel is correct as long as it is understood that you are looking from the rod butt, i.e., the back of the reel. When you say you're holding the rod as if you were casting, it sounds like you're looking at the back of the reel, in which case the bail would be spinning counterclockwise. I hate to sound arrogant, but I stand 100% by my original post.

Sorry, but if I am interpreting your post correctly, it's user error. The line should come off the supply spool counterclockwise. The basic theory is that when line goes on your reel, it makes a clockwise twist. So you have the line coming off the supply spool counterclockwise to offset the twist on the reel so the line goes on the reel straight (it's not fully straight because of differences in spool sizes and the like). I'm assuming that you're looking at the front of the reel when you say it goes on clockwise. On the other hand, I've never seen a reel which rotates any other way. You didn't ask, but 14# is pretty big line for a spinning reel. If the line is pretty limp and your reel has a large spool you might get away with it; otherwise you could run into some problems.

Probably because the sun is in the south and its rays hit the north end with more density.

Yes, using crankbaits from shore can be very effective. All you need to do is match the bait's running depth to the depth of the water. If the water is open you might want a lure that will bump the bottom. If it's weedy you may want something that ticks the weeds or runs just above them.

Largemouth x Smallmouth. http://www.in-fisherman.com/2012/08/24/hybrid-black-bass/

I don't think Excalibur baits were originally in the Bomber line, rather a new brand name among the many that Pradco owns. Apparently they wanted to at least partially discontinue Excalibur because they re-branded the Fat Free lures to Bomber and the Image series to Heddon. As to that deal on lures that were two for $4, Pradco has often made lures specifically for this type of sale and sell them under the Excalibur name. I've seen them a number of times on a display at Dicks. Typically there is less information on the package and they come in colors that are not used on the brand name lures. I've bought a few of these and they're just as good as the regular stuff as far as I'm concerned.

Likewise, except my canoe fishing isn't exclusive.

I used Fireline on spinning gear for a few years. My only complaint was that it didn't cast as well as I would've liked. The line didn't seem to flow off the spool smoothly and my casts weren't as long as I wanted. Otherwise, it was good; strong line and great abrasion resistance to wood and vegetation.

I'm just the opposite, I bought a canoe and never considered a kayak. But like was mentioned above, I've read in a couple of places that kayaks outsell canoes by up to a 20:1 ratio.

I think the full saying is something like this: When the wind is from the east, that's when fishing is the least, When the wind is from the north, do not bother to venture forth, When the wind is from the south, it blows the lure into the fish's mouth, But when the wind is from the west, that's when the fishing is the best

You think you've got a monopoly on that $*?

Congratulations and best of luck on the new job.

Dr. Keith Jones, author of Knowing Bass, says we don't know definitively whether fish feel pain or not, but we're sure that they can't feel it in the way that we do. Fish and other animals act as if they show fear, but I don't know if fear is the right word. Survival is the strongest instinct and they instinctively avoid other critters that are perceived to be a threat. Consider the baby sparrow in the back yard along with three small furry critters: a squirrel, a rabbit and a cat. That bird knows instinctively it can mingle with the rabbit and squirrel but has to get away from the cat. I don't know if fear is the appropriate word, but animals know which others to avoid.

I'm not from Ohio, but I fish a pond that averages about 6' deep that sounds like Buckeye, but without the rocky shores. Yes, there are so many pad beds that look good, it's tough to pick a spot. This pond is only about 125 acres so I can cover a lot of territory in a couple of hours. That's what I'd try at your lake. If it's too large, then I'd pick a manageable chunk of the lake and cover as much water as you can until and if you discover something.

I would go with a spinnerbait by a very small margin, but they'll readily hit anything in your tackle box.

If my long casts are getting near the knot, I'll continue with it. If during that outing I cut off enough enough to reach the knot, I'll continue to use that combo for shorter casts and respool at home. If I get near the knot during the outing, again, I'll respool at home. It seems to me that the line needs to be reduced by 20 or so yards before a respool is needed. When that happens do you replace all the braid on your reel?

Lots of good advice above. I'll throw out the idea of taking an appropriate night school course.

Last year I hooked into a yard-long carp which made plenty of runs, but none far enough to get to the backing.

I agree, but the money saving is enough for me. I use backing and about 60 yards of braid, which gives me five spoolings from a 300-yard spool. Sort of opposite to SirSnookalot, there are no disadvantages that I can see.

Enjoy your new toy!!

I don't know anything about that particular line, but I've had lines such as Stren and Trilene XL last for many years under proper storage conditions.

I bought a 35 last year and I'm pleased. It seems similar to the Daiwa 2500s that I'm used to.