mathnerdm

So let me start by saying I just started bass fishing about a month ago, so I'm obviously brand new. The first 2 outings I caught a couple bass, needless to say it rocked... It's been about 3 weeks and 7-10 trips and have yet to see another bass. Been such a bummer. I've watched all the videos I can and read all the articles on here I could but nothing seems to be working. Given I'm in texas and it's only just starting to cool down (below 90) so I'm not sure if that's a factor. As an example, today I was out fishing at a lake for about an hour and absolutely nada, one bite and I missed the hook set. The guy 100 yards from me pulled out 2 bass one being at least a 4#er. When he leaves he tells me to go try at his spot, 30 minutes later, still nothing. I mainly was throwing a weightless pearl fluke and a couple 5" weightless senkos T-rigged. Those being the 2 I throw the most seeing as I've heard how great they are. Yet to really see that though. I just need some help, maybe a reference to a magical troubleshooting guide (if that were to exist lol). Any tips for a newbie would be infinitely helpful. I honestly have been thinking I wasted my money trying to get into this hobby. Thanks and have a good day!

So I just recently picked up an H2O Mettle and been loving it... Only problem is it seems that casting weightless plastics like senkos is near impossible. I can cast heavier lures more or less without backlashing but throwing lighter 5" or less worms sometimes I can't even get it to go more than 3 feet in front of me. Do you think it's the reel or just my inexperience with baitcasters? Anyways, if this baitcaster is just not good for lighter baits, do yall think getting a spinner setup would be better? And is there any cheaper spinning reel that you could recommend? I'd probably run it with another berkley lightning rod shock like I have with the mettle. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Posted this question on the way out of the house and was amazed how many replies I got. You guys rock! Thanks a bunch and gonna go get on the water hopefully tomorrow and try out all the tips and hopefully get some bites to test it out lol. Thanks again all of you!

I'm sure this thread is somewhere, but thought I'd be best to start my own with my own experiences. So I've just started bass fishing and really been enjoying it and the few fish I've caught. One problem I'm having is that if I'm fishing anything on the bottom (Carolina rig, T-rig, whatever) almost anytime it gets hung up on a rock or weed I always wanna set the hook. I don't mean like literally stuck on a rock, but even if it just gets hung up for a second to me it's just instinct to want to set the hook. The bites I've had are always obvious, but I've wondered how many fish I've missed thinking it was a rock. Especially with heavy weeds and grass on bottoms, I'll feel resistance even after I've tried setting just to then realize I had a pound of crud covering my lure. Any tips on how to tell whether or not it's a bite or just getting caught would be fantastic. Thanks!

So there's a local Creek here and I've read good things about it online but when I got there every part I could see had thick Algae On top. I tried fishing through tiny holes but I couldn't retrieve without getting pounds of crud on my bait/lure... My question is, when does this go away and why? I'm in Texas so rain is very foreign this time of year lol. So what conditions would clear it up because it seems like a great place to fish but without any kayak or canoe it's near impossible to fish from the shore.

That's kinda what I wanted to hear, makes me feel a little better bout it... And if I recall I think I was using a size 4 hook so I'll downsize that next outing. Thanks for the help.

At the lake today I eye hooked a tiny tiny sunfish and it actually pushed the eye out of its socket. When I removed it as delicately as possible. well... You know what happened. I felt/feel absolutely awful. Hunting is one thing, but that just made me feel terrible. How often has anything like this happened to yall and is there anything I can do to prevent it in the future? I've eye hooked fish before, but this obviously being the worst. What can I do to hopefully prevent this from happening? Thanks!

And will peat moss work as the soil? Or should I mix it with something else?

Thanks for the tips! The one problem is, I'm not exactly sure what the maximum load for a certain container is, like how many crawlers can "happily" occupy a certain space before becoming over populated. Would a dark colored large plastic container like this work? http://www.walmart.com/ip/Rubbermaid-Roughtote-18-Gallon-Storage-Box-w-Snap-On-Lid/25559231... I know you recommend a deeper one so I'm sure I could find a better rubbermaid, but just as an example would that be ok?

Also, how many worms should I start with in something similarly sized to a 5 gallon bucket? I see these ebay sellers selling hundreds at a time, and I feel like I'd just be overwhelmed with worms with that many lol.

Hey, I'm looking to start farming my own nightcrawlers but I just had a few questions.. 1) Which nightcralwers would work better in heat (I'm in Texas, so you know how it is) African or European? Actually laughed writing that thinking about Monty Python... 2) I assume peat moss would work fine for their soil. Is that correct? 3) What do you feed yours? I've heard chicken mash works, along with just about any organic substance also. What do you like? Thanks and would appreciate any help!

So on my new berkley lightning rod shock, I noticed after the third outing with it (at night, go figure) one of the guide got pushed forward almost against the rod. I was kinda worried to try it, but I slowly pushed it back to where it belongs. Is that ok, or is the integrity of the guide forever less? I can't imagine that this doesn't happen often and I can't imagine sending it back just because of that, so is this normal? Thanks!

so I can just run water through it? Can I just leave it assembled? Only thing I've taken out is the spool, so can I just use water and like a tooth brush without worrying about it messing anything up?

Hey I just picked up a new baitcaster, H2O mettle, and absolutely love it! Caught my first bass on it first outing with it to my first time at a creek near me. I did fish through some pretty murky and muddy waters and got some crud on my line and in the spool. Now when I took it out this morning, it was a little almost grindy and had lost it's smoothness. I can see on the line guide that it has a bunch of algae but I'm not exactly sure what part would be causing the grindy-nes... Its more noticeable reeling in heavier lures like spinnerbait than just plastics but still is there. What parts do you recommend I clean and how? Thanks!

Well, time to go move my new rod lol! Thanks for the tip!

Well thanks for all your help guys! Thanks to everyone on this forum I went out last night in my backyard, put 3/8 ounce bullet weight on my line and just started casting. It was a blast! Only ended up doing about 30 casts because it was dark and a baitcasting novice in the dark with tiny weights is just asking for backlashes lol... Out of those first 30, I had about 4 birds nest none of which were particularly bad either. Not too impressive though seeing as the furthest I was casting was about 30 ft. Went out again today, and still had a great time just practicing. Now I can't wait to get to the lake!

I had a buddy who always did that and I always said it's not right but never could get through to him lol. Now I know I have a designated one!

I heard that before so I'll probably try that if you say the way I did it wasn't good. I hooked it to a fence post, and simulated setting and just kinda tightened it for what would be a decent size bass. With a stationary object, you do want the spool to spin a little when setting the hook relatively hard, right? And for anybody who cares, I took it out and just put some bullet weights on the line (3/8 ounce) and just started casting into grass in my backyard. It was a blast. Only did around 30 casts because it was dark, and small sinkers when you can't see much and tell when its going to hit makes it a little tough lol. Out of the 30 I only had 4 birdsnest, none of which were too bad. I think that's not too bad of a start, given the furthest I casted was about 30 feet it isn't all too impressive either. Just wanted to let you guys know I had a great time just practicing and can't wait to get the line wet!

. Awesome tips! Thanks a lot! I've actually been casting with a cheapo rod side arm to practice getting used to it cuz I knew I was getting a baitcaster. One more thing, I'm going to look it up but if I can't find anything maybe you can help, how do you set your drag on your baitcasters? If I recall it's different than a spinning reel so what do you recommend?

Ok, stupid question inbound. I picked up a lightning rod and cant wait to go use it this week! The one question is, there's like a miniature cheesy guide (I know it's not a real guide but it's what it looks like) about 2 inches in front of the reel. It happened to be where they put the tag on with a rubber band. Is that ALL it is for? Anyone who owns one know what I'm talking about? Do I just leave it on the rod? I was gonna upload a photo but photobucket isn't letting me right now. Thanks and I'd appreciate somebody letting me know if I should just leave it alone or what.

So I just picked up my first baitcaster (super excited to go take it out!) at academy, the H2O Mettle. When I bought it, they offered to spool it for me for free with their own H2O line, not wanting to pass up free line, I put up no fight. I'm sure it's junk, I know, but that leads in to my question. So I wanted 12 lb mono line, but they didn't have any (upsetting, I know) so I settled for 10 lb. My question is, I knew I'm gonna have plenty of backlash and probably end up burning through a spool way to quick, so I figured I'll just stick with the 10 lb they spooled for me till I get the hang of the new reel then go up to 12 lbs... Is that ok? Do I NEED 12 lb line for it, which is what the reel recommends I think? Or can I get away with 10 till I'm more proficient, then re spool it with my own stuff. Thanks and hope you guys can help!

Well I'm going with the Berkeley lightning rod shock and the h2o mettle. Heard great reviews about both so hope it goes well!

OK, I was thinking about trying p line or maybe big game for it. Either or thanks! From what you said, sounds like a case of somebody who just didn't learn properly. Or like when I first started driving a stick people telling me it was tough cuz you were gonna stall it a bunch learning lol...

So when I've read that people have to keep re spooling it actually is because of the birdsnest weakening the line and breaking? Then I'll defiantly start with mono line, and do I still need to worry about breaking line because of backlash or does mono normally not break (due to backlash)?

So I plan on picking up my first baitcasting reel (H2O Mettle) and obviously I've heard about backlash and birdsnest and I've hopefully watched enough videos to have as minimal of it as possible when learning. But the question is, I've read a couple times people who do have issues with this talk about how they're having to keep re spooling their reel often... Birdsnests don't actually trash the line do they? I thought you could just pull the line out of the guide hole and just reel it till it's back in the spool, is that not true? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but if I'm gonna have to keep changing line in the beginning cuz of this (or whatever might cause you to change line often) then I might just want to go with cheaper mono line instead of the fluorocarbon line I planned to get for it. Please let me know if birdsnest do affect the line. Thanks a bunch!