wisconsin heat

My favorite currently as well. Red Eye Shads have caught me plenty as well, I'll throw a Super Spot, Rat L Trap, or rattling rap (rapala) when I need one to run shallower. Ive been wanting to pick up a *** Filet because they are extremely light for their size; I'm guessing they run very very shallow.

I can't believe all the big box retailers (cabela's, bass pro, etc) still don't offer free shipping for orders over X amount of dollars. Where X is a reasonable amount, it's embarrassing.

The most challenging thing is figuring out the fish (where they are, their mood, what they will bite, how fast to work the lure to make them bite, etc) The most exciting part is when you have a hunch, and you were right.

I kind of fly fish, I own 1 entry level setup for the trout streams by my house but I still suck pretty badly at it haha.

First off, I am sorry for your loss. I really suggest swinging right back into it. Don't delay if at all possible, I am a junior right now, and I am on my 3rd college. I started undecided and hated my first college. I transferred to another school to study to become a member of the DNR. After learning about the options available and taking courses, I decided it wasn't for me. I failed a Chemistry course that I hadn't been prepared to take, and in the process lost a sizeable scholarship. Now I am at my 3rd school and I am liking it so far. You can make it work for you, I did. I am the first in my family that is going to get a 4 year degree. Had I taken a semester off, I may not have gone back, it has happened before to 2 of my siblings. Work through it, and be proud of yourself for doing it.

I am no expert in catching big bass, you seem to have caught plenty yourself! I would throw similar lures you used to catch them during the spawn. If you had used plastics, but shallow, try using a heavier weight on your texas rig, you said the deepest was about 11' so I think you could use a bullet weight up to 1/4-3/8 oz, I don't think you need to go heavier than that. Jigs are also great lures to fish deeper waters, 1/2 oz may be better here because a jig's skirt will slow down the fall, 1/2 oz will keep you at that depth easier than say a 3/8 oz jig. The past two years I have found that bass like 10 inch worms after the spawn, you could try some of them, but throw what works for you! If the vegetation is too thick to cast a worm or jig through it, then I would get close and make short flips or pitches, working the lure vertically.

I use mainly 3600's and 3700's. I separate lures by category and just take what I think I will use that day fishing. Ex: I leave the frog box at home when it is snowing. And I leave the deep cranks home when it is summer and I am fishing a shallow, weed choked pond.

In a pond this small, I would start looking at deep water first. Throwing a bigger bait couldn't hurt either.

When I started trout fishing my local streams, this is what I did. I stuck to my knowledge of bass fishing and applied it to the trout, they liked plastics down there. I tried a lot, but my best bait was a 2 inch plastic minnow. At the time I was fishing the early season, in the summer I fished with a friend on the same streams, he used inline spinners (which I had tried and failed with) and he caught bunch and had twice as many strikes. I bought a few rooster tails and started catching the fire out of 'em. The spinners are probably the best all-around lure for m streams because it can be worked fast and works well in shallower water. I target deeper pockets around bridges most of the time and another favorite lure is an ice jigging spoon. I plan on trying those 1 inch berkely gulp alive minnows this year. Trout fishing is a lot of fun, and keeps me busy when bass are off limits or under the ice.

What these guys said. Casting a small diameter braid is fine, but you will backlash during the learning process (and if you're like me, all the time after years of use ). Because of braided line's cost and tendency to knot up when backlashed, it is not the line that you want to learn with, grab 8-12 lb mono to learn with, and be OKAY with the thought that you might have to cut out backlashes a few times before you get it down. As you learn, the backlashes will become less frequent, less severe, and you will have had plenty of practice picking them out!!!!

Abu Garcia SX ~$30-$40 Pflueger President ~$60

Abu Garcia SX ~$30-$40 Pflueger President ~$60

I ordered some rod gloves, figured it would be a wise investment. Also got a jerkbait because I "needed it."

I'm in!

I just purchased these on amazon, waiting for them to get here. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N8HDMQ6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00 The reviews look fine on them, even if they suck, they weren't that expensive. Edit: Its a 100 pack, 6 stops om each piece, so 600 stops total.

academy has a bait cast reel for $25. Its not the Mettle this year, its the Maxim. http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/h2o-xpress-maxim-low-profile-baitcast-reel-right-handed?repChildCatid=1251738

Nice, looks super solid, good reference sheet for new guys and gals looking for a new rod.

Hey guys, lets get a thread going for any good black friday deals you come across. It looks like Cabela's is having Quantum Exo reels for $99. That's very tempting if you happen to need a new reel, or even if you don't need a new reel!

Salt and Vinegar is hands down the best. Most commonly found as kettle cooked but I like them as a regular Lay's if I find them too.

I love those spinnerbaits, had a few of em. Lost them though, gonna have to get some more on my next tw order. They are made with great components, everything is top notch. What sets their spinnerbaits apart for me is that the length of the arm is perfect, many spinnerbaits on the market come with an arm that is too long in my opinion. A blade that is closer to being parallel to the hook is going to hook more fish than a spinnerbait whose blade trails behind the hook.

Not something I look at, if we are talking similar lures, they are going to have a relatively equal microscopic effect of cancer causing substances. I guess I'd buy the one with the cancer disclosure because it is likely a newer package.

Almost everything you buy fishing related will have this warning on it. Sinkers, Hooks, Hardbaits with hooks, Fish stringers even.Also probably anything made in a factory that deals with lead, even if the certain product isn't made with it. I'm surprised you haven't noticed it before.

Nice! I have the Live Target Gizzard Shad Lipless and it works very well! Probably my favorite Lipless crank!

I have the 7'2" Worm&Jig. I like it. I have been playing around with rods in the 80-$100 price range though and I would put the Skeet Reese at the lower end. It's a tad heavy, not and not quite as sensitive as some other rods in the price range. I bought a 7' Senko Toad rod a few years ago, and the first trip a rod guide busted off for no reason, I didn't like the feel of the rod anyway. I returned that rod, and bought a Fenwick HMG that they had in store. I love that HMG so much that I just bought another one. I would also check out the *** *** Black, or the *** rods, heard good things about those, even though I haven't used them personally.