joetomlee

1. I just watch my line, I used to hold a finger lightly against it but didn't find it very helpful in the long run. 2. I've got a 20 ft boat, never had anyone fish up front with me, seems kind of silly.

Usually when I am changing out lures frequently I will tie on a swivel to speed up the transition. Do you guys do the same, or just tie directly to the O-ring? I never hear anyone mention the usage of swivels and so was wondering if I am alone in this?

Great advice here. I had used a pen last year before finally deciding to buy a wacky rigging tool and honestly don't notice a difference between the efficiency of the pen and the actual tool. The tools are cheap but an old pen is cheaper and works just as well.

I'll give them a try but it still feels like you have to work the lure quite a bit. Not so much with the action of your rod tip anymore but rather cadence. I'm not entirely convinced they will be much more productive than anything else on the market, but it's always nice to try new things out.

Nice idea! Have you noticed the hooksets are easier like this?

Last year was a bust for CNY. The weather was so warm that the fish were off and it became insanely difficult to anticipate their locations and feeding schedules. I am with the others who want a SLOWWWW transition this year.

I don't have much luck with spinnerbaits but have heard many people claim that split tail worms and pork trailers work well for them.

In my opinion this is a very underrated fish. I am going to be doing a lot more carp fishing this year, they put up great fights that last right until they're landed. It's a real great way to catch some huge fish too. If state regulations allow and you frequent the area, try chumming with corn for a couple days to attract them to the area. Then, use a ball of bread with vanilla extract in the middle. Carp love it! As others have already mentioned, it's important to use smaller hooks on these guys (they have small mouths), size 2 or 3 is good. Also let the bait sit on bottom with a slack line, This might be something you aren't used to doing if you fish for other species such as bass but I've heard of a lot of people losing carp because they felt the line and got scared. Slack line keeps the carp from running into it and getting frightened. Just keep an eye on your line and you'll see them start to pull at it.

I'm from the same geographic area as you (CNY) and never have any problems catching pike on spoons in fire tiger colors. They hit them all the time.

I used to be a big fan of In-Fisherman before realizing more than half the magazine is a marketing gimmick for one lure or another. So although I can't speak for the best, I would advise against In-Fisherman. Although there is some good information within, it is not worth the headache of filtering through the trash. Fishing magazine specializing in any type of fish (bass?) or just a general fishing magazine?

I've never heard of that before but I suppose it's a possibility. I generally keep mine on and don't have trouble catching any fish.

I'm totally with you. I've noticed that the more I read, the more confused I get!! It's crazy because someone thinks they've figured out some perfect technique then I'll read a second article completely contradicting it. It's just like anything else that gets studied to death though. Think about eggs over the last 30 years. They're good for you they're bad for you good bad good bad just the whites are good (avoid the yellows). :dazed-7: :dazed-7: WHAT!! I think the important thing about fishing is just to keep on adapting to different circumstances and figure out what works best for you as an individual. Studying the subject helps a ton (but is also further confusing in my personal opinion). There is no substitute for experience. Each year I go out onto the water I feel confident in my abilities but then the following year I realize how much I have learned since then and how foolish I was to think I had it all figured out. This is a annual occurance for me.

Mike, it sounds like your halfway there to being a great angler. You've already bypassed a lot of others by sticking to it and not giving up. Once you start getting a solid base of knowledge under your belt you should be good. I'd personally hold off on the sonar right now. This is enough info to take in on its own without adding a bunch of other aspects to further confuse you. Maybe it would help if you found a nearby lake and grabbed a topo map of it and uploaded it to this thread. Then, we could kind of help you find some points and contours that might be beneficial to check into this season. Just a suggestion.

Thanks for all the input. Think I'm going to stick with braid and FC line.

OK thanks, I hadn't seen that forum before or else I'd have posted there. Sorry, and thanks again!

Anyone here ever tried using Nanofil fishing line? I've heard a lot of good things about it (from a marketing standpoint) but don't actually know anyone who uses it. If you've tried it, how does it compare?

Let us know what ends up working for you.

That's a great color. The size sounds a bit large to me for a starter lure - maybe cut an inch off? If tomorrow has rain forecasted but your fishing shallow and clear waters I'd use a color that seems very natural to the fish, like a green pumpkin or maybe even some sort of cholocate brown if you can get your hands on it. Don't forget to work it really slow, almost dragging it along the bottom or just give it some slow raises and let it fall. If nothing is working, try deadsticking the bait before bailing out.

Congratulations on your decision! It looks like a beautiful boat I bet you're super excited to take it out!!

Thanks, where are you getting your materials from? I've just recently been introduced to fishingskirts.com which seems like a nice start. I don't recall seeing molds there though.

I'm with ProCrafter, those baits sound like ideal starting places. I'd personally run with a senko to start, maybe in green pumpkin or watermelon if the water is a bit murky.

Nice!! I've been a guest at a small residential pond before and caught some big fish!!! Mine also was low pressure and the fish would bite just about anything I wanted to throw. I've always wanted to go back but not had the chance - I'm jealous!

Can I get a link to the website you are purchasing the mold from? I've been thinking about getting into making my own spinnerbaits as well. What kind of skirts do you use? I've heard that silicone was no good.

What type of boat are you planning on storing??? Consider the time you'll be putting into a project of this nature. Do you have a job? Figure out all your costs!! How long it takes to build the unit? Use that timeframe and multiply it by your hourly wage. (example: $8 / hour * 15 hours = $120). There are usually always hidden costs as well, which you won't encounter until the project has been started and suddenly you realize you forgot something. It's also important to factor in your savings from building this unit. If you want to keep the boat for another 5 years and you're paying $300 a year to store it now, that's potentially $1,500 savings. Just trying to help you figure out if it is economically worthwhile. Obviously costs are the major issue. If you don't take the time to do the math, definitely don't do the project. I personally wouldn't bother. You're 19, and unless you come from a well-to-do family, that's a lot of cash to sink into a large wooden box!! I'm not sure it will be very effective either.

If so, thought we could swap some ideas back and forth and maybe get together for some fishing.