Ratherbfishing

Ditto. Really warm water will distress fish. Windblown areas and thick surface vegitation and "slop" which blocks the sunlight (where the oxygen levels are higher) will often hold more fish.

Did you add line later or did it come with it? First thing I would do, if it came with (or you bought) level-taper line (line that is the same thickness throughout), is get rid of it and replace it with weight-forward line. It is arguably the most versatile and best line for distance and for less "delicate" presentations-something most bass fishing doesn't require. Also, for most beginners, a floating line is best. You can graduate to a sinking line but start with floating. Generally speaking, the line that comes with a rod/reel combo will match the "weight" of the rod. In other words, if you have a 7 weight rod, the line should also be 7-weight as well. (There is some tolerance for one weight higher or lower but it should approximately match. If it does not, you'll have trouble. Most beginners have trouble with a wimpy back cast and then getting in a hurry with the forward cast. They do not give the backcast sufficient "umph" and then, before the line has flattened out behind them, they "snap" the rod forward. I call this "cracking the whip". If this is a problem, stand at an angle so you can see what is going on with the line behind you. The weight of the rod and the line will largely deterimine how heavy or bulky a fly you can cast. Too heavy or bulky a fly on a light-weight line will cause problems. (Not so much the vice-versa scenario). Whole books (or thick chapters) have been devoted to the subject but what I've written may, hopefully, provide some help. Let me know iof you have specific questions.

To an eight year old boy whose combined fishing experience amounted to a few trout from a local pay lake and some yellow bullheads under a bridge where a small stream widened, bass fishing, like any other kind was more an abstract thought than a reality. Somehow I had managed to procure a propeller rigged creme worm and, with a zebco 202, caught a small grass pike that scared the living daylights out of me. It was so exotic and dangerous I was afraid to touch it. But it had me hooked! I had actually caught something with a lure! Me!!! I found and purchased a Garcia fishing magazine from a local Ben Franklin 5 & dim. Ah, it was beautiful! I poured over the glossy pictures of trout, salmon, and bonefish found in reaches no closer than 8 hours by car (or 800 hours by 1-speed bicycle). My fingerprints must've been all over that magazine. I can't remember ever actually reading (or comprehending) many of the articles but those gem like images fueled my imagination! Then, sometime in early high school, a friend who lived near the Middle Fork river introduced me to Smallmouth bass-or at least the concept of smallmouth fishing. Mostly we caught rock bass and creek chubs) but now my obsession (sickness) had gained in strength and is only worsening The prognosis, I fear, is terminal. But what a way to go!

My vote: a warmouth.

A lure has to catch only one fish to make it worthwhile. Prior to that, it's still a free-loader. This year I've made it my goal to fish with and catch fish on lures that get neglected. I've had countless hooks rust off baits and I've broken my share of lips on rocks. Some have paint chipped off so bad their original color scheme is undiscernable. I've even lost a few pricey crankbaits on the very first cast. But it's all in the name of fishing so it's all good.

Maybe I'm old-fashioned but the one bait I can almost always rely on to catch at least a few fish is the original floating Rapala. They may not always be the largest fish and I may have to move around some (to fit the location to the lure) but I can nearly always catch something. Of the various sizes and colors, I probably have 15 or more in my two boxes.

Things like where a creek channel or ditch butts up against a point or a flat. I look for any "intersections" and I look for anywhere where abrupt changes in depth occur. then I look for what's around it.

Depends on how desperate I am to get bit. If it's been a long day with few results, even two fish caught in the same way is good enough for me.

Instead of putting on pounds with people, the camera seems to subtract size and/or weight on fish. I've caught what I considered some pretty nice fish until I see picture images of them, then it's like "huh? What happened to my giant fish?!" Certainly, in my minds eye they were larger. So, to make up for that "shrinkage", I hold out the fish some. I think a lot of people do likewise.

My first "sport fish", if you will, was a little grass pike on a creme worm. In my youthful inexperience, the thing looked like a snake with fins and sharp teeth. I was afraid to touch it. Even though I mostly target bass now, that fish is probably what got me hooked. Nice fish by all accounts!

Unless it is digital, even a broken clock is right twice a day. So even if you were doing a lot of things wrong, you should be able to pick up a fish or two here or there-unless the fishery or location isn't very good. Try someplace else-a different lake or part of the lake. My other thought is this: mix it up a little bit. If one thing doesn't work, try something else. Fish the entire water column starting with the top and working down to the bottom (or vice versa). Don't stay with anything too long until you figure out where they are or what they want. Maybe leave your gear at home one day and see if you can shadow a known successful fisherman. Ask a lot of questions.

My buddy and I once hit pay dirt and caught over 130 bass. For awhile it was so hot, if a bass threw our bait, another would often jump on it. They were mostly cookie cutter bass around a pound and a half apiece but we were nearly worn out before the bite stopped.

Regardless of conditions, you still have to best everyone else to come in first place. So I don't know why they would have to put anyone's life at risk just so the show can go on. That's just stupid and irresponsible. Good ethics have to begin with the organization.

What he said.

Ditto.

"Tom" sure rhymes with "mom". Cooincidence?

Depends. If it's windier than *^%$#, I'll take the back of someone else's boat any day (assuming the boater isn't a complete moron). There are some individuals I like better than others and some fishing styles that gel better with mine but by in large it doesn't matter whose boat I'm on. If I reallllllly don't like fishing with someone, I don't fish with them-doesn't matter how nice their boat is.

Depending upon how they are cleaned, they are pretty boney but the flesh is really good. I like as much as walleye- if not more. My favorite fish is probably rainbow trout cooked with butter and lemon juice over a charcoal grill.

This, gentlemen, is why I live about as far inland as is humanly possible.

Without kicking the tires, a bad oxygen sensor would be my guess.

I've never heard of flourcarbon doing what you've described. Mostly it's braid. But it sure seems like ghost drag to me (where the whole mass of line turns freely/slips on the spool). I haven't read every single thread thoroughly so I apologize in advance if I missed something but If the problem persists, take all the line off then, when respooling it, tape the tag end down to the spool so it can't slip. My reel was doing about the same thing and all I could do was scratch my head until several mbrs of this site clued me in. Thanks guys!!!!

I'm too lazy to hunt down live bait and then clean fish if they swallow the hook. That's two reasons why I don't use live bait.

Northland tackle has a stick-bait called the Slurpies Dip-stick that I like well. I have found it on sale at both Gander Mountain and Scheels.

Biggest bass? I'm afraid I don't catch enough really big bass to identify a strong trend. Most bass? In the spring, usually around 2 or 3 after the water's had a chance to warm up. In the summer months, usually early morning or late afternoon/evening.

I am away, fish come to play. I come around, fishing shuts down.