Tony L.

Not sure i would try it, but it is not because of your car's motor. I would have no concerns about your engine being able to tow that boat. Those 3.8's (3800 series II???) are some of the most dependable engines that GM has ever made and they are workhorses. For me, the greater worry is in your transmission. I doubt that it is geared to handle that kind of strain. It is a reasonably light boat, so I am up in the air on this one, but i'd probably stay on the safe side and not chance it.

When I was little, I mean like 4 years old little, I tried baiting my own hook with a nightcrawler to catch bluegill. I was probably too young to have been doing that for myself. Needless to say, one of my uncoordinated little fingers ended up stabbed by the hook point. Sobbing, startled, and obviously very confused about the source of my pain, I turned to my parents and proclaimed that "THE WORM BIT ME!" I don't recall that being a very fun fishing experience....

Well I certainly cant top that one. Thank God no one got hurt though, or it would have obviously been much worse still. I think that my worst fishing experiences have all typically involved running a hook into some part of my body or another. Its usually my hand or finger, but I did once manage to catch myself right between the shoulder blades on my first attempt at learning how to use a fly rod. Still don't have that type of casting down-- its a completely different animal

That's an interesting question, and I guess I never considered it. I understand that this was a hypothetical question, but..... If, in theory, you didn't have laws governing how many bass you could possess at a time, and there were no minimum size requirement (both of which instantly rule them out as bait) just what on earth would one be hoping to catch by rigging up and tossing out a largemouth? Muskie? Pike? Flatheads? I could see them all gobbling up one or two small ones, but hardly would consider bass a primary source of forage for any of the above. Just pitching out another hypothetical since you got me thinking. Great discussion

I could see that working well. I also learned from someone on this forum (I wish I could remember who so I could credit them) that some people use small sections of clear plastic drinking straws. Snip off a small piece and then make a sjngle lengthwise slit to open it up so that you can fit/wrap it around the Senko. Haven't tried it yet, but I don't see why it shouldn't work.

I would venture to say that whoever came up with the first safety-pin style spinnerbait probably rocked the bot quite a bit. I imagine that people thought that it looked pretty ridiculous when it came out. Now they are just part of everyone's arsenal. Good question, I'm going to be thinking of other ones all day now!

It could be a thin steel cable like some people might use as a leader for very toothy fish, but i would bet that it is actually a lead-core trolling line that the previous owner was using to gets his lures down deep. Walleye angles use them too from time to time. To my knowledge, there are a number of manufacturers that make them, so I couldn't tell you where yours came from. Starting the search with "lead core fishing line" should hopefully point you in the right direction though. Good luck!

Bps Pro Qualifier or base model reels by Lews. They both perform at a level to hold their own reasonably well against more expensive reels and are at a great price point for some one starting out and isn't looking to tie up too much money on something they may not like. Both are priced at or below $100 brand new, and I have seen the Pro Qualifier go as low as $69 on sale. Start out practicing with the cheapest line you can get away with that still has little to no memory. You WILL have a bird's nest or two because that is simply part of the learning process. Might as well save your money and throw out cheaper line as opposed to breaking the bank on expensive stuff that you will just be cutting off and discarding anyway.

I use suffix 832 and I would highly recommend it. I've also heard good things about power pro. Don't think you could go wrong with either...

Just to be safe, I sometimes cut the line and put the rigged worm (hook and all) back into the bag--- especially if the plastics are scented. I know that it doesn't make too much difference either way, but it is a habit I have gotten into. Anyways, I just re-tie the prerigged hook the next day and it is good to go. I have found that this also helps protect because it keeps it from snagging or tearing when i transport my rods.

I use 10 lb suffix 832. I feel like if you go too much smaller than that, the line becomes too thin in diameter and starts digging into itself on the spool.

I haven't had the chance to use it myself, but i hear very positive things about all hid seas products. Let us know what you think of it.

^^^^^ This post wins!

X2 on this being your best bet for an all around rod. From what you are describing though, you might be asking an awful lot out of a single setup.

It could have been any of those things, or a bass that just didn't put up much fight (not sure how cold your water is, they might still be sluggish). Maybe it was even a turtle. I once caught one on a crankbait of all things. It didn't fight, and it didn't thrash. Just a long, heavy pull in the opposite direction. When I did get it in, it was less than happy to see me.

At that price, I really like the pro qualifier. It think that outperforms just about everything in the sub $100 categpry. If you are willing to bump your budget into the 120's, you have a bunch of other stellar options. Thruthfully though, the pro qualifier still does a reasonably good job at holding its own against those reels too. The thing just fights outside of its weight class.

We do have a way of overcomplicating this sport. I have learned a lot from this site and it has reallly helped me to fill my tackle box. This is both a blessing and a curse because there have been times that I have gone to the lake with all of my gear and been completely overwhelmed by the decision of what to tie on and how to fish it. The more I have learned, the more I have realized just how much I still don't know. Most any bait you buy will catch them, it is just that sometimes, a particular one will catch a few more. I think that michang5 nailed it right on the head. A soft plastic worm (and i will also throw in a spinnerbait) will almost always perform.

I have seen several topics in these forums about how the 6.5 -7ft medium-heavy, fast action rod paired with a low profile reel is the closest thing to an "all around" setup in the baitcasting category. It should reasonably cover most applications with the exception of maybe lures with treble hooks. My question to you all is, what would be the closest thing to an "all around" LINE to go with this setup? I am intentionally vague on the details because I am looking to cover the widest range of scenarios possible. Thank you in advance, and have fun debating!

I picked up the Accurist PT on black Friday at Gander Mtn. I went in for a pflueger, but they had this one marked down to $40 from its original 90-something. It was too good to pass up. So far, it seems really solid. 10 bearings, very smooth, doesn't reverse. The bale wire is indestructible too- can bend it any way you want and it snaps back into the same position. I cant say that I have put it head to head with any other reels in the 90 dollar price range, so I don't know how it compares, but I am sure it will catch fish all the same. I don't imagine that you would be disappointed

Do you guys add any backing to your spool, or straight fill it with braid?

I have noticed that "finding bigfoot" was also strangely addicting despite it being just a horrible show. I wish i how something so ridiculous can also be so compelling. It eventually wears out after a season or two because it is the exact same thing every week, just in a different location.

I dont see why you shouldn't be able to use braid, just use a longer leader. In really clear water, I've heard of people using a section of flourocarbon thats up to 8 feet long to bridge the gap between the end of their main line and the lure tie on.

There is inherently some sensitivity that is always lost when you put a joint into a rod, but will it make THAT much of a noticeable difference to the average angler? Probably not. Carbonlites are good rods for their price and even if you lose some sensitivity compared to a solid one-piece, I have no doubt you'll still catch fish if you are using the right lures and putting them in the right spots.

I dvr just about every daytime fishing show that comes on NBCSN, Fox Sports, and Destination America so that I can watch fishing shows in the evening (because I am too cheap to pay for an additional sports package to get the outdoor channel or wfn). Lunkerville is one of my favorites. It is way too easy to forget that you can still catch plenty of fish without having the newest and most expensive of gear and electronics.

I would second all of the ideas that have been put forward so far and throw in one more disclaimer-- pay attention to your approach to the pond as well. The bass in your pond could be sensitive to the noise and vibration you produce, so step lightly. Maybe it is because i recently took to learning fly fishing, but i am a firm believer in the idea that if you can see them, you'd better believe they can see you. I would assume that a lot of the rules for stalking trout apply here as well and anything that you can do to break up your profile will be helpful. You might not have to go full on camo, but I wouldn't trot up to the edge of the water wearing flourescent yellow either. I read that it helps to keep the sun in front of you to the extent that you can so that you aren't creating a shadow or dark outline of your profile. I've also heard that some trout fisherman bend over, crouch down, or even crawl on the approach to the water so that they aren't outlined against the sky from a fish's point of view. I was advised by the Orvis instructor that standing partially behind a tree or shrub helps mask your outline too, as does standing further back from the edge of the water or keeping a tall bank or hill at your back. I don't think that bass have the same eagle-eye vision that trout do, but I do believe that the bigger ones didn't reach their adult size by being careless. The biggest fish stayed alive by being cautious, so the minute they suspect something is up, they develop lockjaw no matter what you throw at them