Sam

Josh, please go to the introductions section and introduce yourself. Then add your physical location to your avatar so we know where you live and fish so we can give you good advice. The Forum is not set up to give a one time input on any body of water. Too many variables to consider plus the fact that we have no idea of what level you are in your bass fishing. Time on the water is critical to learning any new lake or river. You are probably launching at the free Dinwiddie ramp which means you can go to Whipponock Creek and then up to where the lake turns to the right into the Swamp and beat the bank the entire way up on both sides of the lake in addition to going into coves and creeks. Stay away from the Swamp as it is very dangerous to enter and leave if you have no idea of what you are doing. Have a local show you how to get in and out of the Swamp. Big fish are being caught in Chesdin these days. I nailed an 8.5 pounder and a friend caught an 11 pound lady last weekend. Let us know how you did; the water temperature; water clarity; windy or calm; cloudy or sunny; lots of others on the water or just you; what baits worked; what presentations worked; and was the ramp calm or crazy. Have fun. Be safe. And stay with us asking your questions so you will become a better bass fisherman.

Skin hook it so that the hook's point is back under the skin.

Fantastic catch. Way to go!

No difference. Just another style to sell hooks. You use what you have confidence and you will do great.

X2. And look up "Wacky Rig Senkos" to see how to fish the Senko wacky style. You can also go to the electrical department in your local hardware store and get some 3/8 inch Gardner Bender Heat Shrink polyolefin heat shrink tubes in a package of three. Cut the strips into small 1/8 to 1/4 size and put them in the middle of the Senko so the Senko flutters like a butterfly. Put the tail ends on a table with the rest of the Senko off from the table and the tape is where you can place your multi-purpose bar-b-q lighter under it without setting the table on fire. Heat the tape strip while turning the Senko so the entire strip squeezes against the sides. Slide your #1 or 1/0 (weedless if possible) hook between the tape and Senko's skin and you are ready to fish it wacky style and preserve the Senko for a lot of catches. You may have to heat the tape during the day. Make sure you don't burn the Senko when you do this. You may want to use some MegaStrike as a scent on your Senkos, too. I do an entire pack when I go fishing so they are ready to be used when necessary. Give the wacky rig a try and I think you will like it.

Super having you with us. We need more SEC guys and gals during football season. Just ask your questions and we will do our best to give you our input. Geaux Tigers!

Here is another suggestion: the Wiggle Rig. Check it out:

Here is a great museum south of Richmond off I-95 if you are into tractors and old trucks: https://keystonetractorworks.com/gallery2/ Check it out and if you are ever heading up or down I-95 south of Richmond you will really enjoy the place.

Go with the one that you have the most confidence. Then go and fish the Surekill and let us know what you catch. Have fun and Go Flyers!

Way to go! Congrats!

Glenn has a very good video on Facebook about casting backhanded. I suggest you find it and note what Glenn says to do. If I go to Facebook and find it I will add the link to this post.

Hailie, welcome to the Forum. Please introduce yourself in the Introductions section and keep asking us questions as you begin your bass fishing adventure. Here are some suggestions for your to consider with a baitcaster and spinning rig: COORDINATE ROD, REEL, LINE TEST AND BAIT WEIGHT Look at your rod for the line test and bait weight parameters stamped on the rod near the handle. This will give you an idea of what line test and bait weight to throw at any specific time. Then add the high and low line tests together and divide by two. This will give you the maximum performance line test for the rod. Stay within the bait weight limits. BALANCING A BAITCASTING RIG To stop or minimize backlashes I have been giving this pro's tip on the Forum for a number of years and I want you to do this everytime you change baits on your baitcaster while fishing and when setting it up to go fishing. 1. Put magnets located on the side of the baitcasting reel in an "X" position. If you don't know how to do this then ask us for assistance. 2. Rig your baitcaster with the first bait you are going to throw. 3. Tighten the drag to where you want it. 4. Tighten the spool tension knob on the side of the baitcaster reel. 5. Point rod tip to 11 o'clock and release the reel's spool allowing the bait to fall to the floor. 6. Using the spool tension knob, control the bait's fall so that the spool will stop when your bait hits the floor and no line comes off the spool, even a few strands. 7. Do this as many times as necessary until the spool stops and no line comes off of the spool after the bait hits the floor. DO NOT DO THIS ON CARPET AS THE HOOKS CAN GET STUCK IN THE CARPET. 8. Make final adjustments after a few casts. You will get so proficient at doing this everytime you change your baits that you will let the bait drop a few feet and you know you have the proper setup. Personally, I would suggest using a 10 to 12 pound test at the max for your Beetle Spins and other baits but this will be determined by the bait weight limitations of the rod. If your rod and reel can go down to an 8 pound test that would be excellent for a Beetle Spin presentation on a baitcaster. And remember, mono and fluorocarbon lines can be hard to work with since they are stiff lines and as you go higher in the test range they can be difficult to control. Stay as close to the average line test and bait weight your rod supports and you will do fine. You may want to get some Line Conditioner and make a "wet spot" on a face cloth and run your line through the wet spot when putting your line on your reels. This is supposed to help the line be easier to work with. Your call. BEETLE SPINS Beetle Spins are great for spinning rigs on 4 or 6 pound test. Your line will twist and all of a sudden you will have a mess on your hands but this comes with the Beetle Spin territory. Mono and fluorocarbon line can be hard to handle and you want either a light test or go with braid. But you don't need a heavy line test to fish a Beetle Spin. In fact, the lowest line test possible may be your best presentation. To clarify, if you put a high test mono or flouro line on your spinning reel (over 8 pounds) you will have a problem with the line twisting and flying off the spinning reel. So go as light as possible. Now, if you are going to throw Beetle Spins on your baitcaster check the bait weights for your rod. A Beetle Spin does not weigh very much so be sure it's weight is within the rod's bait weight parameters. You can also throw Crappie and bream baits which are smaller than bass baits but weigh more than a Beetle Spin and are easier to cast. When using braid please put some mono or fluorocarbon line on your spinning reel first and then tie on the braid. This will keep the braid from slipping when battling a fish. Scent. If you want to use scent please consider MegaStrike. Look it up on the Internet or you may find it at your favorite tackle shop. Some guys love scent; others think it is a waste of money. Once again, what ever gives you confidence you use it. BAITCASTERS Double check the reel's ratio to note if it is a "fast" or "slow" retrieve. If in doubt, let us have the reel's details and we may be able to tell you if you have a fast or slow retrieve reel. Good luck and let us know how you do. Before you know it you will be throwing all sorts of baits and having a lot of fun.

OK, here is one more suggestion: cork. Yes, find a cork like the ones used in in wine bottles but smaller, and add it to the front of your bait. I have found small corks at Joanne Fabric and have used them on Carolina rigs. You can whittle down the cork to make it smaller; paint it to make it blend into your bait color; and move it up and down the line as you wish. Use a very small nail to make the hole for the line and then use a bobber stopper or tooth pick to keep the cork where you want it. You may have to use a bobber stopper in front and back of the cork depending where you want it on your line. Not the prettiest presentation but it keeps baits off the bottom. Second Suggestion: Foam ear plug you use for hunting, NASCAR races, or swimming. Not as strong as the cork but easier to use. You may have to use two of them but they will keep an unweighted plastic off the bottom depending on the plastic's weight. In other words, a finesse worm, trick worm, and lizard will float better than if you use a heavy plastic like a creature bait or magnum worm.

1. What is your favorite buzz bait (Brand and Color)? - Cavitron with gold blade and white skirt; Special buzzbait by a local guy and sold at a local tackle shop with a silver blade and white skirt. 2. Do you use a trailer on it? (Type / Brand and Color)? - No. Only a trailer hook.

Super! Congrats on a great day. May you have many more.

Try a drop shot rig with a 2 to 2 and a half foot leader down from the hook. You may have to use a saltwater metal leader if the pike continue to steal your baits.

Tanner, welcome to the Forum. Please go to the Introduction Section and introduce your self. The guys and gals on the Forum could give you lots of tips but since this is your first post you could be like so many guys who post one time, get their answer, and disappear. This Forum is not set up for that type of reply. We can give so you much information that you will be reading the posts all day. However, since there are so many variables that come into the formula for success it is impossible to really give you guidance that will help you now and into the future. So look up cold fronts, spawning temperatures, colors to use in different water clarity, current, wind, line test, types of plastics and corresponding hooks and weights, forage, structure, spinning rigs vs. baitcaster rigs, plus types of plastics, sun on the western and northern banks, flipping and pitching, and you will have a good start to bass fishing and having an understanding of what the bass does under specific circumstances. In other words, please ask your questions; remain on the Forum and read the posts; and go to the top of this page and bring down the Fishing Articles list and start reading. And look up Woo Daves and read his articles, too on his web page. And to give you a suggestion, throw a Junebug Zoom Trick Worm on a 1/4 ounce Provider jighead on 8 pound fluorocarbon line on your spinning rig. You probably won't catch anything as 48* water has the bass suspending but you can give it a try. So don't go away. Start reading and asking questions. Good luck.

Quarry, I would love to agree with you that not being physically fit to bass fish can hold you back, but in my bass club we have a guy who must tip the scales over 300 pounds and he will wax everyone's fanny every tournament. He is a fantastic bass fiserman. And then my old friend, who was overweight and died of a heart attack, could out fish anyone on any day on any body of water. Another friend and great bass fisherman who was sponsored by a number of companies threw the Zoom moccasin blue finesse worm on the Chickahominy River and he and his friend, who was also overweight, won so many tournaments they were asked not to fish local tournaments anymore. My friend died of lung cancer as he was a big smoker. The other guy is still with us. I understand that there are "sports specific" exercises that can be done to improve your performance and they are started in high school, through college, and into the pros. It would be interesting to note what exercises you could suggest to help us avoid rotator cuff injuries and protecting our knees and ankles as we move around the boat or along the bank, improve reaction time, and be able to concentrate for a longer period of time. Interesting post and I don't believe we have ever had a physical therapist provide any information to us on the Forum. Thanks for the post.

Hank Parker says hook sets are free. So go for it and if you get snagged it is part of the game.

No, not really. In fact, when tournament fishing we don't take time to wash our hands before we have a snack or lunch. We just wipe our hands on our jeans or pants. As long as we don't get any death cooties we are OK.

Yep. Just when you think it is safe to go fishing either the weather changes or the bass decide to get lockjaw during the spawn. Give it time. I am sure we will clobber them later this month or into May.

12, nope, you are right on. Colleges' first priority is education. That should top everything else. But then comes the money. With each SEC school averaging $43 million in revenues from all sources each year, and that includes Vandy, Missouri and others who do not make it on TV as much as the other schools, it is difficult for a university to pass up all that income. Football funds the non-revenue sports; gives money back to the school for building projects and other expenses; and generates many millions of dollars via each university's merchandise sales, alumni associations and athletic foundations. Once upon a time Joe Dean, a past LSU athletic director, told me that LSU cleared at least $7,000,000 per game in Tiger Stadium after paying the visiting team and other expenses. This amount does not include TV and Radio revenues paid at the end of the season nor its share of the media money from the SEC. Even though you will hear that college presidents want to put education first, the accountants are telling them in the back rooms that they need the football revenue, if not from fans in the stadium then via media money. As for Toolame, they have a nice 30,000 seat stadium on campus that averages around 15,000 a game. It is like going to a football game at Richmond, Delaware, North Dakota, Maine, William & Mary, and other schools one level down. And this is why Toolame and LSU do not play each other anymore. It is not because Toolame does not like to get crushed. It is that Toolame wants to play the game in the Super Dome as the home team and walk away with the bulk of the revenue while LSU says it will travel 90-miles southeast to play in New Orleans but LSU has to be the home team. Neither school will change their position so no games. Stay tuned. Let's see if education or money wins out.

Sure the companies can order what they need via the Internet. Some will order the same volume; others less; and some none at all until they see the samples later this year. Hopefully things will change for the better and we can have the new baits and tackle in the marketplace by this summer.

Gamma

Yes, but you have to understand that although college football stadiums can hold over 100,000 there is another 100,000 outside the stadium walking around, riding bikes, having tailgates, and just enjoying the atmosphere of game day. This is why I quit going to the LSU games. Way too many people that makes it difficult to walk around the campus. Easier and cheaper to stay home and watch the game on TV.