tuxdaddy

How big of a reel, and what gear ratio are you using on Catt ?? Most of my reel are from 5.3 - 7 to 1 ratio on my larger reels, and my ultra light rigs are around the same ratio, but smaller.. Not disputing your success with the technique but you're still not in direct contact with the line. The rod also acts as the shock absorber, so when you get a REAL soft biter you may miss it... As for the rod shaking I've added that many a times, when I've felt something messing with the bait but not picking it up.. You know, when something just feels like it's something there but just hasn't decided to commit yet.. It's one of those feelings where if you close your eyes and just go with what you're feeling you KNOW somethings about to happen .. You're on pins and needles waiting and feeling that now odd feeling in the line(almost like a throb), and you get to that last stitch and start to take up slack(still holding the line in your fingers)... You've got it all up but that last loop, and you get set up to start again.. Just as you start or finish that first stitch you feel that slightest "tick", something you may not even feel thru the rod, and line starts easing thru your fingers REAL slow... You stretch your arms out and give a little more room before the line goes tight and SLAMM !! You set the hook on what feels like log but you see that rod bend and pulse and theres no mistaking you got something with shoulders on it, and when it comes up to try and spit your bait it looks like a basketball hoop with a worm hanging from it .. If you're with your buddy, you yell for him, and he come running when he see what you have on ... He gets there just as you get to shore(as in my case ) and you both are blown away at the size of this critter !! Yes, in my case it was a 6 lb 8 oz beauty which we released... Now I've not caught anything that size in a long time but have had a good share of 4's on and that feeling's still the same on them... To me that's the wildest feeling ever of playing "cat and mouse" with a bass who's interested in you offering and just not sure if they're wanting it or not... Now for me when I stitch a worm, or jig, it takes over 5 minutes to work it back to me compared to some others fishing near me who by the time I'm dont and casting oput again, they've casted about 3 or 4 times, WORKING THE SAME LURE !! Now I do have to tell you this... STitching is not something you can do when you're in the back of the boat, unless your buddy's stitching also, and you're anchored up.. IT'S JUST NOT GONNA WORK !! Especially when the bite is slow and he/she wants to cover water looking for that aggressive bite.. It's better done when you have the controls... Also it's better to acnhor both ends of the boat, so there's no swinging or spinning of the boat ... Also keep the rod low and poited towards your bait, to cut down on linne bends on those windy days.. Ok I'm done jabbering ...again ;D Get out there and try it !! Best of luck to you again!!

BTW, one word of advice to you all... Try not to have too much line stitched in at your feet, keep it to around 5 stitches and reel up the slack, but leave a loop of line hang to begin stitching again... Yes I'm speaking from experience... Had a bunch of line at my feet when one picked it up, and by the time I set the hook, the bass had swallowed the worm :'(...(not a good thing)...

In the original article(in memory serves me), he was using HUGE worms, and with a rather long pole.. I've had my best luck on 4 to 6" worms, of the creme variety but it should work fine with any style of worm.. Sometimes I peg the worm, but mostly I don't .. It's WAY beyond slow crawling, as you're moving the worm at a speed thats depended on your hand size of maybe 5 to 8" at a stitch, where as when you work it with the rod you're moving feet(depending on the rod length), and the worm's getting a good bit of altitude in the process.. This way you're in constant contact with the bottom and creeping over structure that may be key to where fish are holding.. Now I have to ask you Red, when that "dink" picked up your bait you knew it instantly didn't you? There was no waiting or trying to decide whether it was nothing or not because you felt it through your fingers rather than the rod... You was in direct contact with your bait and that fish when it hit, and started taking off with your bait... That's what I think makes it such an awesome technique, especially on those soft biters(which are usually the BIGGUNS ) .. It's the first way I able to catch a bass on a rubber worm, and has worked for me ever since... I've turned on a couple of my best friends to it and they've also been successful with stitching... To all the rest of you best of luck with your stitching !! Tux

I usually do about 5 or 6 stitches, then reel in the slack to where I have about 1 stitch left out, and start up again... There's been times where I did up to 10 stitches before reeling in the slack.. For me it depends on whether I'm sitting or standing as to when I take up the slack.. My rule is when the line hits the ground(or deck), reel in the slack... As for hopping the worm that only happens when you hits a snag of some sort and you have to get your worm over it, then you got right back to stitching(after it settles of course).. I can honestly say that its a great for a beginner to learn worm fishing, because you're in constant contact with the bait, and there'll be no denying when a bass picks up your worm... Best of luck to you !! Hope you give a try !!! Tux

Well I've had good luck with spinners(roostertails), for smallies, mainly with the brown trout color pattern on streams and rivers, also white with silver blades is pretty good.. Hope it helps a little.. Best of luck to you !!

I can say that I've gotten awesome results with stitchin ... The guy who started it wrote about in fishing facts, and he was using HUGE worms(12 to 14"), and after trying it with smaller worms found it to be pretty effective on front days... Just for the record, my best catch with the stitching technique was about 4.5 pounds, and my worst about 2, but again its a technique for when you pretty much can't even buy a bite.. It's a lot slower than the traditional workings of a worm, and keeps it in the zone longer ... Give it a try for yourself, and decide...

I think Ceph got the better fight and memory Basser... I've been in that same situation before and was able to land it, but the fun is always the fight.. Yea, once you get it in thats a good memory as well but if you didn't that memory of fightin' a beasty of unknown size and weight, stripping line and slicing thru the water and getting airborn will stay with you longer than just holding it up after "towtrucking" it in... It's the tough battles that stay with us the longest.. Just my 2 cents... Congrats again Ceph !! What was the best part of the fight for you btw ??

As my uncle would say, " don't make a bit a difference, ain't nothing but a bream" ...lol They belong in the hot grease with bread and mustard family... ;D..

BUMP!

Interesting !! I'm not sure when they spawn but it must be close to time in your area if they're hanging around fallen trees and such... Usually when they're spawning they're pretty protective of their holes, and attack just about anything that come near it...

Creme lures have had a new bunch of lures out for a good while now.. They're called pond favorites.. I bought some of them and have had great results with them.. Have any of you out there tried them?? How'd you like them?? Also they're being used on spinning tackle mainly with no heavier than 12 lb test line... Tux

Looks like you're a force to be reckoned with on the cats TF !! WTG !! What're you using for bait?? You guys trotlining, or what ??

Sounds like you did the right thing... I bank fish mainly and folks on boats are pretty rude ... I've only had 2 folks in my past stop and ask how far out I'm casting and then ask if I minded them fishing around me but out of my casting range... I think dude was just giving you a heads up of his range, but he could've done it without the nasty looks.. I guess it's all a matter of communication...

Being a feller who took the test for being a DNR officer and passed, and having that same question on the test, if you're caught, you're gonna be fined and or possibly jailed... I just hope the constables get you first instead of the land owner... May have to get some first aid, or an ambulance ride.. You have to ask yourself... Is it worth it, when all you have to do is ask ?? To me it's just not worth it....

Don't tell CB that!!! He'll get to dancing again ;D!! It might be tricky doing that in the crick on slippery rocks !! ;D BTW, he's got some moves, I can vouch for that !!

Hey roostertail is better than none dude !! ;D It's always there if you need it...lol Let me know when this frog leg fry and fishing outing is gonna happen !! Hook a few for me..

My suggestion would be to try a few roostertails, (brown trout pattern, and few black with silver blades), along with a good selection of grubs(3 - 4"), in black or brown or any other natural color.. I rig up my grubs on offset worm hooks that come just short of tail section, with 1/8 or 1/16 oz bullet weight and do quartering casts.. Now mind you I was using these from the bank and had plenty of luck with them... Best of luck to you... BTW, pick up a few cheapo spinners with white bodies and silver blades for those really sunny days .. Wally world used to sell them... Tux

:)Hey dude!! Glad to see you're wettin' some line... I haven't gotten out as of yet, heck I just got my license a couple of weeks ago... Have you tried any roostertails yet?? JK!! Tux

Not sure if I'm for or against it as of yet... They(the dnr) dumped a bunch in the stream by my house friady and there were folks already stopping and checking out the stream 20 minutes after the truck left, and saturday was almost elbow room only, but no ignorant folks out.. Which is good in my book... Tux

There were plennty of folks fishing by my house Jake... They dumped the trout in friday and guys were out here 20 minutes later checking it out for today, and they were out in full force... Tux

Let us know how you do?????

With the roostertails, I'd pick these colors, brown and white with a gold blade, then black with a silver blade, white with silver blade, and any of the chartrues(sort of a lime green color) colored ones.... Those seem to work the best for me... Some folks use snap swivels with spinners to keep down on line twist, but I personally dont... It seems to take away from the action for me... Yea you'll get line twist, but that can be fixed by just just stripping off about 30 or 50' of line and reeling it back in thru grass with NOTHING on the end of the line.. Btw, how's your knot tying?? Since you're green to fishing, I'll assume you're not up to speed on it... Practice the palomar knot, it's easy, quick and very good knot for line strength... I think there's a pic on this site of how to tie it, if not just do a search, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it. Best of luck to you !!

So what size rods are you all using for this?? I was looking at maybe a 10' ugly stik for this, with what I've been reading on the subject.. If not that, then maybe a "BnM" in a 10' ?? Also are you all using the 3' leader, or are you varying it, and have you tried it in the summer?

Was reading up on this technique the other night after coming back from wally world and was wondering if anyone on here has ever tried their hand at it?? It's supposedly for winter time fishing but I'm willing to try it in the other seasons if I have the chance... Tux

I'm looking for someone with a beavertail mold like yum or riverside has.. What I'm wanting is have some made up in a particular color for an experiment I'm trying(if someone can help)... Give a yell if you do and then I'll explain... Thanks Tux