Choporoz

That loss of 'smoothness' is common for spinning reels that get dunked or used in extended rainy conditions. As @Delaware Valley Tacklehas explained to me, wet drag washers on some spinning reels cause a little temporary 'balkiness'. When fully dried out, it'll be fine.

I fish year round up here unless/until there's some ice, which isn't every year. I can't ever recall doing well early morning in the winter, so, I actually make decision on when to go out partly based upon predicted warming through the day. If a couple hours delay will mean 20 degrees, I may wait. If it isn't going to warm much, I will go as early as I'm ready. But, I admit, its more about my personal kayaking comfort than what I expect the fish to be doing.

I watched an Andy Montgomery video or two, set out to do it....and it happened pretty quick. Two of the bigger lessons that I needed to learn: 1. Think about skipping a rock while you're practicing....not sure about the actual physics/physiology, but the mind telling my wrist to skip it like a rock made a huge difference in the way my hand/wrist rolled it correctly. 2. This one took me a lot longer, but now I try to leave the spool tension alone and crank up the other brakes. I used to fine tune (and even rough tune) with spool tension, but I have become better since someone on here (forget who) told me to just tighten the brakes, not the spool. I still get a little overconfident at times and put my lure into overhanging bushes that I had no business trying to shoot the 5 inch gap, but for the most part, I feel pretty good after just a couple years of practice :)

Great link @fishwizzard. thank you. One more that may be a bit out of your way, but worth keeping on your list: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2019 8:00 A.M. — 1:00 P.M.. Bass Fishing flea market Hillendale Fire Dept 13511 Hillendale Dr Dale City VA 22193 admission $2 http://www.bassfishingfleamarket.com/

Perhaps...but why does it have to be mono? Like @Burrows above, I use Gliss. The title was specific about distance and you will not get greater distance with anything else. I now use it on every one of my spinning rods, always with a leader. However, if you do go with mono, consider KVD Line conditioner - it will help your manageability.

I just googled your lake....when I saw that the Susquehanna is only a couple miles away, my first thought was why would someone fish that lake? But, I know nothing about bank fishing the river around there...nor about the lake. As has been said, move around the lake...cast to spots that don't get beat up bad...soak those worms for a long time....trick worms are good; as are senkos....I also like Rage Tail Cut-R's - because you can soak them...or swim them until you find what is getting bit that day.

I decide which to start with not so much about the season than about the conditions. These are very general and as with any rule, I'll ignore it much of the time, but.... -Grass within about 2 feet of surface: chatterbait all day every day -Targeting depths more than about six feet: spinnerbait; just never got real comfortable fishing chatterbaits deep, but I'll yo-yo a spinnerbait down to 20 feet -Laydowns prevalent: spinnerbait hangs less for me -Glass surface: chatterbait -Emergent grass with well defined lines: spinnerbait close to the edges..unless surface is glassy

I've never owned one, but it isn't even the fragile reputation so much as the reports of atrocious customer service and broken promises that leads me write off the brand.

@Siebert Outdoors Fogy kind of weekend. Caught some on other stuff, but the biggest ten or so were all on Fogy

I'd be mighty appreciative if you pick up the 702 here and remove any further temptation:

then again.... :) I'm down to only braid, Gliss (spinning) and YZH. There are times when fluoro or mono would be incrementally better, but I like the simplicity of doing without either

I'll start by answering the first question: no, I don't have experience with those rods. I do, however, have a St. Croix Rage 7'1"MF, and a 7'4" St Croix Mojo cranking rod. If I'm not mistaken, the graphite Mojos today are built on the same blank as the Rage (SCIII graphite with IPC.) For me, that Rage is by far my favorite for smaller treble hook lures -- I used it for everything with trebles under about 3/4oz except for jerkbaits. It is a phenomenal rod for cranks, blade baits, lipless, poppers, small walking baits, etc. The tip is actually slower than my other two MF casting rods and isn't as great for single hook applications as those. So....I guess what I'm saying is that for me, I need more than one MF rod at all times.....sorry.... I have a Fenwick MF that I use for light (1/8-1/4oz) plastic and finesse jig presentations. For jerkbaits, I use a third MF rod (and spinning rods) that have faster tip than the two I mentioned above. That Rage just has a little too much give in the tip for confident jerking.

Count me among them. I don't keep fish and I won't kill fish (snakeheads, gars, etc.) and just leave them at/in the water. Was a time when I figured they'd get eaten by birds, fish, etc. However, its been my experience that dead fish just aren't all that attractive to most predators...other than vultures. Too many fish just end up floating and rotting.

IMO, If you are looking to fill a smaller popper hole in your tackle box, get two different color Pop Rs for same price (or less); if you don't have larger popper already, get PopMax, instead.

Never got to put the chatterbait down. Perfect storm of tides and wind and time of day. Over two dozen in three hours...all in one bay.

'match the hatch' may mean that you're going to need to t-rig a cantaloupe

what's a gym?

Way cool! Came across this picture of Ryon's Dam...exactly like you pictured it, right? https://www.midcopw.net/mid-county-history.html

@Catt, I'm a student of your structure teachings (or preachings?) I think about things you emphasize nearly every time on the water. But, I have trouble applying them at times like now when many bass are aggressively feeding, but over a vast expanse of (mostly?) featureless water; no weeds, no wood, no rocks, no roadbeds, no fences...nothing....I assume it was fields before the dams, 100, and 70 years ago. There's acres and acres of flats, some 12', some 17'. I never find them schooling or hunting in packs -- they are all over the place, constantly moving (and feeding, I assume.) I catch some of them, but it feels like shooting in the dark most of the time.

Seated in my kayak I never flip and really don't pitch all that often. I've just gotten so much more accurate and confident in my roll cast that I don't often find the need. Sometimes, in close quarters, depending on overhang, etc., I will still pitch, but I won't claim to be very good. I generally use a 7'MHF and/or 7'4"HF. I will say that the shorter is a little easier to pitch, but that may be more because the handle is split and shorter, than due to differences in overall lengths.

Thanks for that report! Just got through rigging some rods for tomorrow evening. Going to kayak Gunston Cove after work. Didn't tie on a walker, but probably will now.

Last weekend I did actually try trolling for bass for the first time over some of these areas. Didn't get a bite. However, I did a little better by sort of long-lining jerk baits. I never really read up on long-lining, so I was making it up as I went along....but I'd cast a jerk bait, leave the spool disengaged and troll across flats until most of the spool was let out....and then jerk them back to the boat. I caught a couple, but not really any more than blindly throwing crankbaits and spinner baits into the void. Thing is....I caught some decent fish both ways....but it felt as though there must be a much better approach. Especially maddening when there's big bass crashing the surface every so often....usually in an area I'd just left :) Never got a single bite on topwater all day, however.

Largemouth are on the prowl. Finding baitfish schools isn't all that hard, and covering shallow flats is only moderately more difficult. But what are your approaches/tactics/secrets when bass are hunting over big, expansive, featureless deeper flats? Feels like playing roulette some fall (and some spring) days. Hundreds of casts, hoping to smack your crank or spinnerbaits into their nose. What're your secret tricks?

I miss Al. I'd forgotten about this thread. Soon after I last posted on this topic, my wife and I went and spent a long weekend in Dandridge. Was only our third or fourth retirement spot investigation/visit. Before the weekend was over we both decided we are going to live on Douglas. Absolutely loved the towns, the lake, and especially the people. It's still a few years off ....we've been back to visit a couple times. We haven't changed our minds.