B@ssCrzy

Great!! Thanks!!!

Haha...that's what I keep telling myself!!! It doesn't seem to be working though...

Are you talking like a mepp's inline spinnerbait or more of a willow leaf spinnerbait?

Hung up on shore or in a tree....

Jeff, how long to you let it sit? Till the ripples disappear, count seconds, etc.?

Going close to the U.P. Michigan in late June. I am guessing water temps will be in the upper 60's to lower 70's. Where should I look for Pike. And what lures are good? I have several spots with thick weeds that I was going to try in the mornings and evenings, but any help would be appreciated.

These are some great suggestions. I agree that the lure choices listed here are easy to use and can carry through from spring, summer, fall, and winter. The only thing I would add would be that I would go with a 7' medium action rod with a fast tip. I prefer a little more give in my rod for some of the lighter applications you will be using, but that is just preference. I too would go with a spinning reel, but keep in mind if you are casting a lot (with cranks, etc.) the biggest choice you are going to have to make is whether you want to use mono or braid. Mono is what most beginners will use b/c it is very forgiving and has a lot stretch. Which is probably best to start out with. However, it can be frustrating because it has "line memory" which on a spinning outfit can get all tangled up when it gets bad. Braid however is less forgiving, more expensive, more visible to the fish if fishing clear water but it does not tangle after casting for long periods of time. I recently switched to braid with a mono leader on all my spinning outfits and prefer it to mono. The thing about fishing is there is sooo much to learn that you may not become successful right away, but each season changes the things the fish do so keep reading and learning and you will start catching fish. If you read and apply the information in the articles and forums on this website there is no way you won't be able to start catching fish consistently. Welcome to the forum and the sport!! Good luck.

I have by far had the best year of my life. I don't necessarily attribute that to the weather or conditions though. I actually attribute it to this site. This is the first spring that I feel like I am fishing with purpose and not just out there slinging baits in random places. With some of the stuff I have learned by reading over the past year I have been able to see my catch rates go way up. Last year I caught zero fish on a crankbait...this year I landed my pb largemouth (about 4-5lbs) and have caught numbers on lipless cranks. This is a big deal to me since last year I couldn't catch a cold on a crank. Thanks everybody!! Tight lines!!

I know there are different ways to work/reel in a dropshot. I am assuming the most common being to shake it in place, but I have also heard of guys casting it out and dragging it in slowly. Just wondering what is your most effective technique, and what bait you are using when you use this technique?

I keep mine in the bags. Biggest reason is why pay more money for something to store them in when you are already paying for something that they were made to be stored in. I am on a tight budget. So I can either pay $30 for something additional to store them in or keep them in the bags and buy $30 worth of new cranks, frogs, plastics, etc. I think that bait monkey knows what I will do....However, I can understand, after seeing pictures of some of the tackle collections you guys have, that organization is a big factor you have to deal with. So to each his own.

Berkley 4" ribbon tail worm.

It's all about the fight!! A 1.5lb smallmouth put up a better fight than my 4.5lb personal best largemouth. Catching my pb 5.3lb smallmouth was a blast!! I will never forget that one. Don't get me wrong though I like both of them. To me the best part of fishing is "hunt" so to speak.

Thanks everybody for your help. Looks like *** is getting more of my business!!

This spring I took my 3 year old son fishing to our local pond. We hit it at the right time and over 1.5 hours we had landed about 7-8 bass, with two of them weighing 3-4. I would hook them and he would reel them in. He was all smiles from ear to ear!! My favorite comment of the night after landing 6-7 was..."Dad you are the best fisherman ever!!" I guess from now on I just have to make sure he does not find out about bassresource.com. Other memorable times have been when I go fishing with my wife and she out fishes me. Great times.

I use the cheapest mono I can find and like to use a decent amount of backing so that I can save money on my braid. I always like to have the spool full as I think they perform better when loaded up. Might just be personal preference.

Humidity does not have anything to do with effecting the fish bite, but the heat will elevate the water temperature which will start to slow them down and drive them deeper as it gets warmer. I would check out the articles section of this site, and also check out the"pinned" senko section at the top of this forum. Lot of good information that should help you. Also, if you have never tried top water......go get some Stanley Ribbits and buzz them across the surface close to the shore in morning or evening (sometimes works in the middle of the day). Nice fish pic by the way for your first season of fishing. Tight lines...

I agree that a big part is about presentation, but I don't agree that color does not matter. It may matters less when fish are actively feeding, but depending on the conditions it can make a difference. Location, weather, presentation, may play a bigger role in whether or not you catch something, but choosing the proper color can only help add to your chances. I fish mainly clearer waters. So if I buy colors I buy colors that match the forage of the lake or pond I fish. If it is topwater I always have white and black as well. However, if you see something that really gives you a lot of confidence in it then get that, because confidence is key and the more you have confidence in it the more you will keep it in the water not in your tacklebox.

This is some good advice. You can look on youtube to see a video of how this thumb trick works to get bird nests out if you need more of a description. I have used it many times and it really works. The one thing that I would add is that with a baitcaster you get what you pay for. In my opinion there is a big difference between a $80-$100 baitcaster vs. $130-$200 baitcaster. My suggestion would be to save a little extra money and get into a Curado E7 if you can. This is a very nice reel and will make your baitcasting experience that much better. I used to be strictly spinning and like you tried a cheap baitcaster and hated it. Finally decided to invest in a curado years later and now don't pick up my spinning reels much at all. It's good with light baits and you can dial it in so that it very rarely gets bird nests. You can find them on the web for around $130. If I had to stay under $100 then I would go with the Citica for sure. Let us know what you get when you make that decision. Tight lines!

x2...Still have not seen them on the beds yet. Hoping to go out tonight to see if they are up shallow.

The clarus for sure. On a budget the lifetime warranty and confidence in Shimano's customer service gives gives you peace that if you break it you can replace it easily. I have a 7ft MF spinning and like it a lot. No problems with it.

What brand do you prefer to fish with for deeper water?

I would go with a 7 ft MF as previously recommended. That is what my first BC rod was and it served me well for most of the applications that you mentioned.

I bought into the same Gander Mountain deal for $75. Bought a MH. I have not had any problems, but have yet to catch a fish on it. Casting and a few snags have not caused any problems. Waiting for frog season then it will be really put to the test. Really like the way it casts and performs so far. Would not have bought it for $150, but at $75 it seems like a great rod. My only complaint is where they put the hook keeper. Worst placement ever.

I am looking at fishing a sunken island that is surrounded by water that is 10-15 ft and then 6-7 feet on the top of the island. I am wanting to crank around the sides. It is a rock bottom and very clear water. Any color suggestions would be great as well. Thanks.

Definitely too stiff of a rod for throwing light baits. I would also switch to 8lb mono if you can. I like a medium rod, with a moderate action for cranks.