edfitzvb

My very first reel was a Zebco 202 on a five foot fiberglass rod, and I used to catch a ton of fish with a Mepps spinner or a Tiny Torpedo in the pond where we lived. I remember the learning curve when I bought my first Garcia Mitchell 300 and had to crank with the left hand. When I started using bait casters I tried a LH for buzz baits, but didn't feel as comfortable as a RH. I crank with the left hand when spinning and the right when using baitcasters and am comfortable with both, but I am an older/more mature individual with thousands of hours of muscle memory

Saltwater fish are tasty and the flesh is firm. My favorites for inshore are flounder, rockfish/striper, and spot (when they are the big yellow belly spot). I will miss them when we move back to the mountains

First catfish I ever caught was on a Mepps spinner. I lifted him out of the water onto the bank (I was about 13 or so) he opened his mouth, and the bait came free. He was just too stubborn to let go

Snakes? Taste like chicken

AND throw stuff that the fish don't see often. I have caught some nice bass on the old Arbogast AC plug in chalk shad and rainbow

Too late. My son went the other day and counted 15 people fishing. You'll notice that nowhere in my post did I give a name, but SOMEBODY obviously has been spreading the word. Oh well... I had big fun for a while there...

I have several spinning reels. I have Lew's, several Shimanos, Mitchell, and Pflueger. FOR THE MONEY Pflueger is the best buy. I primarily use bait casting reels, but I would reach for the Pflueger as quickly as any spinning reel in my arsenal. The Shimano Saros is the highest end spinning reel at around 150 or so, so I don't have the higher end Shimano reels, but that is not the price range the OP was shopping in, anyway. Pflueger President

A local golf course went out of business recently, and the water hazards have nice fish that haven't seen a lot of lures.Years ago they would let me fish it occasionally, but when it changed hands the last time the answer was always "no." Now they are out of business but the bass are still there. I have caught three bass in the last 2 hours of fishing that are 19-20 inches long. I would estimate weight at 4-5 pounds each. All caught yesterday or today and all caught on a Jitterbug, so the strike was fun. It doesn't get much better than this. The only problem is, I saw more people today tan yesterday. It was too good to last, but it is fun for now.

I have both types of reels in many configurations. From what you say, I would upgrade your spinning reel first. You said the reel wasn't cutting it and felt like it was about to explode. Because you already said that you didn't pay much for the other reel, I would recommend a Pflueger President spinning reel in either 30 or 35 size. You could pair that up with either a Pflueger M action, a Berkley Shock M action, or if you have a little more cash, a St.Croix Premier ML. For under $200.00 you have a spinning setup that is a serious upgrade from your current setup, is reliable, and won't break the bank. Now that you know that you can fish without things falling apart on you, I would look at a bait casting setup. Generally speaking, I would suggest a low profile reel for comfort. I learned on an old Daiwa BW and got reasonably good on that before I bought any more. It was an inexpensive (read cheap) reel, but it taught me the basics. As I began to try nicer reels it QUICKLY became obvious to me that the more expensive reels were proportionately that much better than the entry level reels. I buy almost exclusively used reels because I am not a wealthy man. I have more reels than I need, but fishing is not something that I NEED to do. I have tried Black Max, Silver Max, and Pro Max, and now have an old Revo STX that I kept. Abu makes fine reels and is a reputable company. My personal advice, based on my experience, would be to find a Lew's BB-1 speed spool. They retail new for under $100.00. It is a really nice, serviceable reel that is easy to learn on, and I have found Lew's customer service to be a pleasure to work with. I would pair that reel with a 6' or 6'6" M or MH rod. Again, I would look at Berkley Shock, St. Croix Premier, or keep your eyes open for a nice used high end rod at fishing flea markets and pawn shops. I have picked up some real nice G.Loomis rods at pawn shops for 25-30% of original cost. Bottom line is, do you NEED to upgrade? Of course not. Do you WANT to upgrade? Sounds like it. Let us know how it goes. Tight ines

Everything feels awkward at first. I learned to crank a spinning reel with my left hand years ago. That feels more comfortable to me. That being siad, I prefer the right handed reels I have. My son is left handed. he uses a right handed spinning reel and a left handed bait caster. Time makes both comfortable. Don't over-think it. Either way there is a learning curve.

I have a Revo STX that I can recommend without reservation. My first quality bait casting reel was an Abu Garcia 5500c. It was an outstanding reel that disappeared somehow (I have 2 sons that "borrow" my tackle from time to time.) I would agree with you that ABU Garcia has excellent quality control.

This is a two-edged sword. I have a skin mount on my wall, but it is not one that I caught. I caught one that I released that was a certain size, and then bought a skin mount on an auction site that was the same length. It looks real nice on my wall, and if my fish is no longer swimming around it is not MY fault. I thought about a replica, but this was far cheaper and I like it better

If it were I, I would pick up a Pflueger combo starting at the President level, with a Pflueger rod in the same class, medium action and 6 1/2 feet. Depending on budget, maybe further up the Pflueger scale, but my President has served me well, so I would feel fine giving one as a gift

Again, In-line spinner. I spent many hours throwing a Mepps in brass finish. I caught pretty much whatever was swimming with it. If I only had one lure, I would trust an inline spinner to feed me.

NICE brook trout for Virginia... or were you visiting someone?

I have an Okuma Serrano in my arsenal that is spooled with braid. I don't use it much, because I usually prefer lighter applications. I know that it got good reviews on Tackle Tour, but I don't know how reliable they are. This has a special coating to prevent corrosion which is a GOOD thing here on the coast

It sounds to me (and I am not there) like your reel either needs tweaking or it needs cleaning and oiling. With lures that fall in the right range (3/8 oz. or so and up) I can throw a lure as far with a casting reel as I can with a spinning reel. (At least close enough that any difference is negligible.) I prefer to use a medium action rod when I can because it loads so much more easily. The action and length of the rod makes a big difference, too. For BIG distance, a longer rod. For accuracy, I like a 6 to 6-6 length. Maybe I didnn't need to add my experience with rods, but you said that you were having issues with the rod, too. Neither the rod nor the reel operate in a vacuum. Good luck

I have "several" rods and reels... enough that I sat down and created a database file for insurance purposes. I have Shimano, Abu Garcia, Lew's, Daiwa, pretty much everything. My favorites are Lew's, followed closely by Shimano and the my Revo STX. All of my reels are pretty much at the 200 price point, but because I buy 90% of my stuff used, I generally buy them at around $50.00 each. My absolute favorite for comfort and quality combined is the Lew's Tournament Pro. Because I have plenty of reels I haven't bought many recently, but my Shiman BCs are all Curado 200 series reels. I use all of them, but like I said, my preference is for Lew's. I don't have a vested interest, BUT... I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once...

One BC and One Spinning setup One 3600 type bag with a shoulder strap, rig like a creel. Left side pocket holds pliers, scale, sunglasses, etc Right side pocket holds critter baits and trailers Center front holds all worm baits Three 3600 boxes in the main compartmrnt for hard baits to include: cranks, jerks, poppers, spinnerbaits, etc.... Whatever I wish to bring for that trip. When fishing I swing the bag back to the small of my back. When I move, I just pick up the rod that I don't have in my hand and I'm ready to go

Thanks. I thought the last time I was there that they had upped the HP. Mine is a 9.9

+2 If they are in a bag, I usually leave them there, but I have numerous soft plastics that live in the Plano type storage boxes also. Of the two, I would recommend that they stay in the bag. They seem freshest then.The boxes don't seem to react like the old tackle boxes used to, and I usually add scent to make the soft baits slippery and fresh

I can relate. My next house has a storage shed dedicated to rods, reels, and lures. I could also fish for the rest of my life without ever buying another thing, and that includes line. But again, that won't happen

NOW is the time for fishing. I also currently live in Virginia Beach, and formerly lived in Ferrum. Small world. There are numerous drainage ponds and most of them hold fish. If you have a boat, I can recommend Lake Western Branch and Lake Prince. There is a license required ($40.00 per year for non-residents of Norfolk) and size is restricted to 17 feet and 15 HP. The fishing is excellent. Additionally, Back Bay is on the upswing and should continue to improve. It was once THE premiere place in Virginia for trophy bass. Tight lines

Okay... If bank fishing, I recommend pretty much any body of water created for drainage purposes. Because the topography is so flat there are numerous small drainage ponds created which hold fish. Use google earth and find several that are accessible. I can think of a dozen that hold fish within 15 minutes of my house, and some of them are large fish. In Chesapeake you are within 30 minutes of several bodies of good water. You might try the Lone Star Lakes in Suffolk or the extensive drainage system close to Chesapeake Square Mall. If you find someone with a boat I highly recommend Lake Western Branch or Lake Prince. Tight lines