mathnerdm

If anyone can help, please do so as I'd like to get this before somebody else does if I can get it at a good price! Thanks again.

Hi, I recently found a rod and reel combo on Craigslist and was just wondering how much I should offer for it. He didn't name a price as he was looking to trade first but said he'd take cash. It's an abu garcia ambassadeur revo stx on a Fenwick Techna AV 7' rod. One question I did have was, the reel says ambassadeur on the front and then revo stx on the side, but I thought the ambassadeur and revo series were different, is that normal to have it named ambassadeur and revo? Anyways, assuming nothing is wrong with either, what's a good price to offer for the combo? Thanks!

Thanks for the info, but does that apply to senkos? Typically the way I fish them is cast them out then just let em sink on slack line then just lift it off the bottom a few times then re cast. When I'm doing that I won't feel any different tension unless the fish is actually swimming away with it will I? So then all I can do is watch the line and feel for the different ticks and such?

Thanks for the info, but does that apply to senkos? Typically the way I fish them is cast them out then just let em sink on slack line then just lift it off the bottom a few times then re cast. When I'm doing that I won't feel any different tension unless the fish is actually swimming away with it will I? So then all I can do is watch the line and feel for the different ticks and such?

So I just recently have been getting into soft plastics, and one of the first questions I've had is, how do you detect strikes with a slack line? When I fish spinnerbait or crankbait for example, it's fairly obvious most of the time when you hook up with something, how can I tell when fishing a soft plastic like a senko? I just picked up a pack of GY Senkos and did what most agree on as the best way to fish them, T-rigged and just let them sink on a slack line after casting it. But as I sat there, I started thinking, how the heck do I know if something takes it? Do I just have to be a line watcher? Or can you feel it even if it's on a slack line? Also how do you line watch if the sun reflecting off the water is hurting the view of your line? I'm sure this has been asked countless times, so please by all means reference me where to go. I remember watching a bassresourcevideo on what a bite feels like, but I don't think that was intended to be on a slack line. Thanks!

Thanks for all the help, yall basically cleared up all my questions and then some! What has been awesome about this forum is that no matter what I have questions with, yall can always answer and then still give more advice. By far the best forum I've ever been on!

Thanks again for all the replies! Do yall use leaders when using braid or do you tie it directly to the frog? I heard some people saying it's hard to walk top waters with braid, is that true?

Thanks for the replies guys! Another question, on your retrieves do you tend to lean towards just steadily walking it in? Or little twitch pauses? And also this is the first time I've used braid and already have fallen in love with it, I really do mostly fishing in creeks and places with a LOT of trees and brush to get caught in and the braid has already saved me from losing quite a few dollars in lures. Loving it!

So I'm pretty new to bass fishing, and just recently discovered the fun of top water frog fishing. I was out with a buddy in a local creek full of grass and lily pads when he pulls out a frog and just starts killing them, I knew I had to try them. So I went to academy and picked up a pack of 4 H2O hollow body frogs and a SPRO bronzeye frog. I've fished them twice so far, once at a different part of the creek where I had a few explosive hits but missed the hooksets (later reading taught I should have waited a few seconds first) and then today at a lake where I saw no action. My questions were, can they be fished through open water or do you just want to fish them through/near lily pads and grass? The lake I was at had a couple spots with lily pads near the bank where I was fishing and I would just cast into them and walk it through (the best I could), occasionally pausing in gaps between the pads. Nothing. We did just get a lot of rain a couple days ago so could that affect frogs effectiveness? Does it matter the depth of the water you're fishing them in? Also, I just put on 50# braid and was wondering if that's good for frog fishing? Any tips for why I might have had zero luck would be much obliged! Thanks!

So I took out my first spinning combo today and absolutely loved it as I was finally able to cast weightless senkos as far as I wanted, but I do have one question. Like on a baitcaster if the lure isn't going where you wanted or into any brush, you can always stop the spool with your thumb, is there any similar technique for spinning gear to stop a lure from heading straight into a bush? Thanks a bunch!

So what I ended up going with was a Sienna 1000 and a Bass Pro Micro light 7'6" ultralight. Gonna take em out today, can't wait! Thanks all for your help!

Thanks for the reply and I think I'll go with the Sienna for the reel. Now for the rod, are there any cheaper rods (under 50 maybe?) you can think of? I know I'm getting what I pay for but I'm not looking for a nice combo, just something every now and then for fun.

So I'm looking to buy a cheapo(ish) spinning rod and reel for just hook and worm fishing. I plan to use it for panfish and small creek bass. With that in mind, I also would prefer for the rod to be an ultra light, I want to have the fun of every bass feeling like Moby Dick (similar to fly fishing). I've always been a baitcasting guy and from what I've read, it's pretty difficult to go wrong with a spinning reel. How would a Shimano Sienna work for a first cheap spinning reel? Also, what would be a good budget ultra light or just light rod? Thanks and any help would be appreciated!

So that's why fishing was slow during the government shutdown!

Love this answer.

So I've noticed recently from time to time that there will be a random bass that when I set the hook just decides that he gives up. Like today I hooked a good size bass that put up a fun fight (almost running to a tree that freaked me out) then the second one I hooked just sat at the surface as I reeled him in. Does it have to do with the fact that I was using a crankbait? Todays one was hooked perfectly on the side of its lip but just gave up. I feel bad for them, kinda like they're humiliated... Ok, that might be going a little to far haha. Do you have any idea why that happens? I've never found a sunnie to not give it every bit of strength to fight. So what's happening?

Thanks much! I'll try to get the pics up later today, just been too lazy to try and deal with photobucket which never seems to work for me. I was using an H2O square bill diamond dust 3-5ft diving crankbait. In the past where I was I've caught a couple with that so I assumed that would be good to start with, seems like it was a good idea lol!

So recently I posted a topic about why I've had such bad luck with catching bass recently. I got a lot of good responses, one being to try and increase my collection of tackle. So I did, bought a few crankbaits, caught a bass first outing with one. Obviously I was hooked (no pun intended) with crankbaits. Well I went out today again with the same crankbait that I caught the first one and almost immediately caught another tiny one. Then on the last cast before I had to go, I felt the biggest hit and watched as my line was flying towards the downed tree... Anyways, long story short, I saw the head come out of the water and I flipped. My new PB. (yall would laugh at it, but for me it was something lol). So obviously I took some pics of it before releasing it back... Sorry for rambling, I just had to share my excitement, but now it's question time. So one of the hooks of the lure went through the top lip between the eyes. Not far back at all but I was just wondering if that could hurt the fish in any way to hook it through its top lip. I don't believe the brain is in front of the eyes like where the hook was so I'd imagine it's ok, I was just worried somebody else might now get the joy of catching it later on. Sorry if this thread is all over the place, I'm just super excited and wanted to let yall know and have this question answered. Thanks and I really can't thank you guys' enough for all the help you give!

Sorry I shoulda specified this isn't my first time kayaking, just fishing from one. I used to be big onto canoeing and kayaking but that was before I got more into fishing. Also, I know there's a wooden dock and I've heard casting around and into the shadows of those can be a great way to get some, is that correct?

So what exactly is the obvious? Just casting into structures and foliage?

I appologize in advance if this is a stupid question. But tomorrow I'm going to a new lake I've never been to and we're going to try some kayak fishing (something I've never done)... This really is just a general boating question I'd imagine and not just kayak related, but where the heck do you begin on a new lake? I'm used to bank fishing where I basically will fish where I can, but this is totally different. Personally, I'd imagine in general to stick to areas with cover like downed branches and whatnot. Or should I just go to the middle and start casting? Also, when unfamiliar with a lake, would something like a spinnerbait or a shallow crankbait work well for covering a lot of water opposed to say a soft plastic? Thanks and any other tips I know yall could give to a newbie like myself would be greatly appreciated!

I've only been able to bank fish. I plan on buying a kayak from a buddy of mine though soon.

Well I ended up going to academy to pick up some crankbaits then going out to a creek by my house today... 3 casts in I landed my largest bass and my day was made. Yeah sure, catching it on my third cast with this lure was almost all luck, but doesn't change the fact that it broke my bass fishing dry spell haha! Thanks for the tips guys as now I've added crankbaits to my tacklebox and could not be happier.

So you're not using a floating thermometer? If so, does that mean you always want to get the temperature of the bottom?

Thanks for all the replies. And about my lack of tackle, I only listed the few that I feel like I can work well (one might say confident baits, but hard to have confidence in something you've only caught a couple bass on lol) but I will also throw some spinnerbaits and other types of soft plastics. But I do agree I'm lacking tackle, although you all know how expensive this hobby can be especially when you're trying to start from near scratch. Tomorrow I'm going to go pickup some crankbaits to add to the arsenal. Any recommendations on a few types of crankbaits that you think I should go pick up that could cover shallow to deep water and just be some good general purpose lures? If it's available at Academy that'd be nice as that's where I can make it to tomorrow. Thanks again for the help and support!