tdown1207

Just moved to Charleston and am wanting to do a guided trip on Lake Marion to help me learn the area faster. What reccomendations do y'all have for quality guides specializing in largemouth fishing?

I am assuming you are using a baitcasting reel and what you are experiencing is called backlash. It happens to everyone. There a couple different things you can do to help reduce backlash. 1. make sure you have a monofilament backer. I tend to spool about 40 yards of mono before I put my braided line on which helps the line grip the reel better. 2. make sure your brakes are set correctly, watch glenn's "how to cast a baitcaster" video he explains it very well. 3. make sure you use the correct diameter of braided line. I like to use 20-30lb line which is the same diameter as a 10-12lb mono. 4.practice, practice, practice some more, then while your at it practice! 5. don't try to cast 100 yards and try to use lures with a little bit of weight to them. By casting to hard you can easily cause backlash. 6. PRACTICE Hope this basic overview helps!

Thanks for all of the input, I ended up going with the Minn Kota Edge, so far I am extremely pleased with the performance and price! I guess we will see how long it last.

Most tanks there is a screw right in the middle of the gas cap that is the vent. If that does not work post a pic. I had the same problem yesterday, pulled a "duh" moment on the water. Got my boat up to speed and the engine was stalling could not figure out why finally it hit me , forgot to realese the vent screw LOL.

I grew up on a Farm in Wade NC, My parents are still there i know that river very well, fished it my whole life. I have never seen or caught a small mouth though.

So which do you prefer fishing spots that look "bassy" like lillies, grass fields, and stump fields or fishing points, drop offs, and deep structure?

Some of my biggest bass have been caught on a private lake. It is amazing what a little door knocking and good manners will get you. I would door knock before paying the HOA though. Throwing the owner a 12 pack and friendly conversation is a lot cheaper and has always worked for me.

I have come accross a used lowrance Elite 5x at a very good price. it comes with a transducer as well. It is a 3 year old fish finder my question is would you take the rrisk of buying a used fish finder? I have never owned one so I am unsure about how long they last.

I have ner heard of this trade in deal how does it work? Do you trade in old rods and reels and and get credit towards new ones?

I have been largemouth fishing in NC for a long time but have never caught a smallmouth. What is the best lake/river in NC for smallmouth and what spots should I look for? thanks for any suggestions

pelican bass raider, 10-12 jon boat off craigslist, or creek boat. Personally I think it is hard to beat a 10-12ft jon boat with a trolling motor or 9.9hp motor for what you need.

Navionics! It is an expensive app at $9.99 but it shows you every lake in the US along with boat ramps, contour lines, dams, dangerous rocks, where vegetation is, and where stump fields are. It will also act as a GPS on the lake, let you pinpoint spots to fish and save them, as well as tell you how fast you are going. It is not as nice as a $1,500 GPS unit for the boat but for me it is a must have for the price.

I may not do a great job of explaining this but here it goes. Once you loosen the thumb screw (chrome bare at the front of your reel) you have to pull it to depress the spring which will release it from the side plate. While you are pulling on the thumb screw push up on the side plate and it will come off allowing you to clean it.

I am a catch and release fisherman but I just went fishing with a guy who brought home two bass for "supper" I have heard of some people doing this but was curious as to how many fisherman have actually eaten a bass? Is it even good?

They had multiple starting and deep cycle classes just an average inventory. Check out this link for specific prices and group sizes. http://www.academy.com/shop/browse/_/N-0?Ntt=Exide&Ntk=All&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial From your experienece how long did they last? I would run a cranking and deep cycle.