frogflogger

I kept detailed journals for years and found them very helpful, but I'm now in the "my way" stage and am usually trying some hare-brained lure or modified something or other which guarantees failure quite often - I feel no need to record my efforts.

Keep at it you'll figure it out. I repaired and serviced reels for years and always encouraged folks to learn to do their own. There's lots of good advice on here and around the web - being able to take care of your own stuff is a good thing. Take your time, it ain't rocket science. Although I do have a Daiwa that gives me fits.

Bronson green hornet that needed at least 3/4 oz. to cast followed by Langley lurecast - then Ambassadeur 5000 which I still have.

Countless tourists who never fished before - o-ring whacky rigged stiko's - circle hooks - just reel - bass live to fight another day - everyone happy.

Split shot has been a staple for years - not in the news so much but you better believe it's in many a pro's arsenal. With so many t-rigs, drop shots, shakey head presentations in front of the fish - the split shot can be a most effective alternative and it's cheap - vary shot size to fit your situation. Have you read about stitching worms large and small ala Bill Murphy? It's a deadly technique with any soft plastic, don't be afraid to experiment.

swim jig with a fast retrieve - frogs - buzz baits - these are personal choices - there are several options but you're going to need to keep their heads up and coming toward you rather quickly to be successful which requires stout tackle - but I love your situation.

The distance at which you can land your lure in an area the size of a coffee can is a good distance. Practice practice

I have used a 6' med. with braid for years - find no need to change.

Had luck with the zoom horny toad as flipping bait.

Ned rig.

Depends - plastic with salt in it I rig when I use them - some plastics are on until a fish tears them up.

Periodically I'll measure a regular cast on my lawn - it's always a sobering experience.

I have two large boxes of frogs and mice - one box of furbits - the furbits are used 90% of the time.

snaps and sometimes snaps with split rings - sometimes neither - fine tuning - that's my way

I use the Leverage spinnerbaits without trailer hooks and never have an issue - for deep slow rolling I do like a modified pork frog on a short arm with a colorado blade. All that aside - if you're burning them in clear water a different brand with a trailer hook is the way to go.

two hand casting will help if your're not doing it - what weight are you throwing that distance? - one easy way to increase distance is have more line out between your rod tip and lure - practice -practice - there's a tendency to overestimate casting distance.

I watch my line - I'm in contact with my line - I spiral wrapped my mh avid and used a recoil tip guide - it's a very sensitive jig and worm outfit - but as in all bass fishing it's how you use what's between your ears and time on the water that makes for success.

Yessir - that casting rod gets you into places longer rods can't - that and pinpoint accuracy keeps me using my 5'6" -

I have 3 old brownings I'm real impressed with - use two 5:1's for cranking so they've had a workout. I service them regularly and keep fishing with them.

I started with stick and string - my folks bought me a Bronson green hornet casting reel and solid glass rod - black line, L&S bass master lure - I graduated to langleys and shakespeare tournament casting reels -9# braided silk for light lures - then I saw a guy with a weird looking thing that hung under a rod that had the largest guides I'd ever seen - soon after I bought an airex bache brown spinning reel with manual bail and have used both casting and spinning ever since - but northern or southern baitcasting was all there was at one time for most of us.

I've never found a better knife than the old wood handled rapala - sharpens quick does the job -

we do a thing we call "tremble" we use it with jigs and worms when bass are iffy - lift out slack and try to let the jig/worm tremble without moving it toward you - harder to explain than to do - it's easier now that I'm old and tremble naturally

Yep - hold rod tip high - fish it like a johnson spoon

2 different tools for me each has its time and place - rock/gravel football - laydowns and such - round.

try pork