Josh Smith

Hi Folks, This is in the bass section for a reason. You see, this is my second year of trying to figure out this small lake I enjoy. I made some significant strides last year, and I'm going for more this year. Forage in this lake is mostly crawdads and bluegill. No shad that I know of. I'm sure there are leeches in there, but I've not seen them. There are some frogs, too. I don't know the first thing about bluegill behavior. I figure if I pattern the bluegill movements, I'll have bass movements pretty down pat. Wasn't really wanting to buy a book on the bluegill. Will if I must, but online sources about spawning behavior and whys and hows of movement would be appreciated! Find the bluegill, find the bass in this lake, I'm sure. Regards, Josh

Hi Francho, I've never worked with EVA before. Is it sandable? Thanks, Josh

Hi Folks, I'm wondering if this is just me. I love pistol gripped rods as I grew up with them. However, I have a Tourney Special (http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Tourney-Special-Trigger-Rod/product/12041105005514/) with the "A" grip option. That thing just feels too thick, and I have large hands. It also feels slick. Been thinking of wrapping the middle with something to sort of squish the EVA foam in. On the other hand, the handle on the Cherrywood rod I have is a bit too skinny for comfortable casting, though I don't feel like I'm going to lose it (score one for the cork!) I'm coming to like short split handles more and more. Cork pistol grip handles seem to feel pretty good, but I don't own any. There's no real point to this post other than I've not seen handles discussed much and thought I might bring it up. Regards, Josh

Hi Folks, I have experience with the Berkely Lightning Rods, but not the Shock version. Having grown up on pistol grip rods, I tend to like shorter grips and shorter rods overall. I seen on Bass Pro that they have a 6' Med/Hvy version of the Lightning Shock. I ran to Walmart to try the shorter grip out. I liked it, even with it being a split grip. It's short enough for me to maneuver the way I always have. However, Walmart doesn't have the 6' version, just 6'6" and up. For the role I want it to play, the 6' version is needed. Before I buy, what can you tell me about this Shock version? In your experience, what are the pros and cons over, say, a more expensive rod? I see the Shock has a hybrid tip, and this is one thing that attracts me. I need the slightly slower action. I enjoy the Cherrywood rods for this reason, and I'm thinking the Shock should be right in between the Cherrywood HD and something really stiff, like my Tourney Bass Pro rods. Regards, Josh

I grew up on them. Now I use dual-locking snaps only, usually Bass Pro brand. If I'm fishing a lure that is prone to twisting the line, I will attach a swivel to the dual-locking snap. The wide curve of those dual-locking snaps is much better for lure action than the snap swivels I've seen. Josh

Murky ---> Clear Dark ---> Bright Josh

From what I understand from my own research into these, they catch small bass better as younger bass see UV better than older bass. Good for 10" bass, maybe, from my reading. Josh

I would try creature baits; Texas rigged Yum Dingers, swim jigs, and the like. I'm just trying frogs again this year after trying the old school ones with little success years ago, so I won't comment on them. Regards, Josh

Berkely XT is the lowest stretch I've found. Josh

Ah, well, (poop) Josh

What's the gearing and what's the spool diameter with line? Josh

Hello, I'm debating with myself here. I have a few pre-1980 Ambassadeur models, mostly modified 5000 series. They all have 4.7:1 gears for a 23ipt retrieve. I have been thinking, however, that the original 3.8:1 gears (about 18ipt, I'm guessing) might be excellent for very deep crankbaits, especially those I ride split shot in front of to make them really kick up muck at the bottom. I'm going back an forth with myself on this. Thoughts? Josh

I met my wife when I was 10. She was 6. Her brother was my best friend growing up, and we used to go fishing all the time. We hooked bass and catfish until he hooked himself on drugs. Now he no longer has any interest in doing anything, and I have no interest in doing anything with him. April and I grew up together and eventually married two years ago. We didn't figure out we were right for each other until we hit our late 20s/early 30s, and so spent a lot of time together as friends. Years and years, in fact. She knows me and I know her. I got lucky in that respect, and I think we are probably more honest with each other and talk more openly than most couples. (In fact, getting her to shut up is a challenge! Hehehe) April grew up poor. She does worry about money, especially since we're lucky in that I make enough to keep her at home with the kids, doing what she enjoys, cooking and raising the children. We aren't rich, but we could be a bit worse off. She's excellent at crocheting and is starting a business of handmade items. To give you an idea of how good she is, she will be starting an afghan for me with the Abu Garcia crest crocheted right in. (She knows some folks who can do this with photographs, too, but tells me she is not that good!) She's good. I'm proud of her. Back to the subject: What I've come to understand from April is not that she wants a lot, but rather that she wants to be thought of and remembered. I found a couple good lures for cheap on eBay one night. I bid on them, and bid on a lot of yarn for her, too. She was very, very happy. Likewise, last night I went and bought a smaller tackle box for bank fishing and a couple accessories I'd needed. I got home and right away she asked, "So what you get me?" I pulled out a $20 bill. Told her I spent about that much on myself. See, she likes to complain sometimes. That shut her right down. She knew I'd won. It was funny. We laughed. There's just a lot of give and take to have in a successful relationship. April isn't so much concerned about what she gets so much as what is fair. Now, girlfriends are a different story. When I had girlfriends, they had no right to question anything I did. I was not obligated to explain myself. More than one girlfriend, however, turned from being anti-gun to being gun nuts because I introduced them to the sport. Basic safety instructions and a .22 rifle goes a long way to introducing folks to a safe, fun sport. Same went for fishing. A Zebco 33 and a baited hook did a lot in the way of making new anglers. April enjoys these things, but has her own hobbies. I tell her I'm going fishing, and she tells me to have a good time; supper will be at 5:30 so be here if you want to eat. To me, this is the way it should work. Regards, Josh

Went fishing today after work. The water's still a bit cold for much activity, but I did see a small panfish dart up to take a look at me. There were a couple fish that turned over on top, but I had no way of figuring out what they were for sure. The lake is still sluggish. After this week's rains, pre-spawn should start. Mostly, I was playing with the 5500c3 I finished tuning out today. It works well. I was using a very deep diving crankbait trying to hit the bottom. I don't recall ever fishing this lake this deep before, and I kept getting snagged -- on friggin' monofilament. It seems like there's mono all over the bottom of the lake. Heck, i dragged up some split shot on one cast, and added one to the line in front of the deep diver. That only netted me more broken off monofilament! No real point to this except my disappointment in so much mono on the bottom. Looks like folks cut off at the rod instead of breaking off at the knot or hook, and that type of behavior just strikes me as slobbish. Josh

Lightning Shock - another vote!

I generally buy $100 to $200 reels and sink another $50 to $100 into them. These range in retrieve rate from 23ipt to 30+ipt. I'm thinking about changing the gears out in one of the 23ipt to 18ipt or so, though, for a couple specialized applications. If I did not have the skill to do this, I'd buy a Morrum or a Calcutta reel and call it good. I love this hobby, though; it gets my mind off business. Rods. I don't spend as much on rods as maybe I should, and definitely not as much as some here. I have a couple custom orders planned from DVC, but being the only one working in this family, money is tighter than it was. I have to save for them. The rods I do have range from inexpensive to fairly expensive, ones I've accumulated during my 37 years on this earth, 35 of which have been spent fishing. I choose rods for what I want them to do. My Cherrywood HD, for example, feels exactly how I want it to for its intended role. Likewise the old fiberglass Lew's rod that was Dad's first casting rod, as is the 5'6" MH and very stiff pistol grip rod from Bass Pro, as is the 7'6" (or whatever) rod that I use for long distance casts (in reality, there's only a gain of about 5 yards over my beloved pistol grip rods.) Having used more expensive rods, I'd have to say they'd have a niche role in my collection. They're sensitive partially because they're light, but growing up on pistol grip rods, I've learned to feel on them, too. Point of all this is that you pick what you need to catch fish, or win, if it's a tournament. I would never expect, say, an Ambassadeur S to perform with an Ambassadeur c3, c4, or c5. The quality parts just aren't there. For someone who hasn't gotten used to a particular type of rod, I'd likewise say that the lighter and stiffer (to a point!) the better, from a sensitivity standpoint. Just a few thoughts on the subject. Regards, Josh

I keep a 1/2 ounce Beetle Spin in with my other heavy spinners. I've always had a lighter Beetle Spin on hand. If I recall, it and some panfish jigs were my first lures. These were all recommended by Dad when I was a youngster and wanted to move away from live bait. Come to think of it, the Beetle Spin is one lure I've had constantly. It's the one that I have absolute faith in to perform. Orange with a black stripe is a mandatory color to have. Josh

And here I was just trying to improve feel on a Zebco 33 and fiberglass rod! From an article I was reading: http://www.bassmaster.com/tips/kiriyama-drop-shotting This is one of several articles to make this claim. I found it surprising is all. Regards, Josh

Hello, The other day I was reading a reference to drop shotting, and how it had been brought to America after originating in Japan sometime around 1997 or 1998, I think. In the late '80s and early '90s, I was playing with different ways of rigging plastic worms, and one was a T-rigged worm with a bullet weight tied onto the long tag end of a clinch knot. I also recall reading a magazine article around this time that used this method, but used a split shot weight instead of a bullet weight on the tag end. I recall thinking that it was cool seeing a technique I'd come up with independently. It was a small boost to a young fisherman's ego. Anyone else have similar experiences with rigs or techniques? "New" ones you've used for years, or something? Josh

... or should. Looking at next week's forecast, it appears it's supposed to be mostly in the 60s with quite a bit of rain. That rain should raise the temps to the temps which trigger pre-spawn! The most action I've seen this year is a bass hitting topwater in some shallows I simply could not get to without a canoe. Water was, as of a couple days ago, high 30s to low 40s and even slow dragging jigs wasn't working. Warmish water on the way! Josh

Heck, I prefer 23IPT for this. I twitch jerkbaits and poppers very, very lightly and there's not much slack to take up. Much more than 23IPT and I move the lure when I don't want to. Josh

I have always thought it interesting how much power we give up for speed with rods. I can lift my 50-lb son up with one arm, not a problem. You put me on a rod and a 15lb fish is a challenge. Josh

Hello, Yes, I use my caplock T/C New Englander. I'd prefer a flinter but am a lefty and lefty flinters are harder to come by and more expensive. Would love a .32 caliber for small game. Those are rare around here, too. Most muzzleloader hunters in Indiana use those modern inline deals. I don't see the point. Stalking deer is easy, to the point that I've passed shots up as "unfair" to the deer. Sit against a tree on a deer trail and you'll find one to shoot. Never saw a real need for a repeater. I consider my repeaters, for the most part, as defensive weapons or vermin control firearms. The exception to this is a heavy-barrel .22 I have that I use for longer-range squirrel (out to about 100 yards.) In my opinion, hunters should be started out with single-shots and/or muzzleloaders (though it shouldn't be a law to do this!) Learning the value of a round of ammunition or of powder and ball is essential, I think. Regards, Josh

Hello, The Zoom Yum Craw Papi, 2.75", is 1/10oz. Regards, Josh

I don't shell out that much either. Been paying $3-$5 on local clearances. I doubt they catch more than, say, Rapala, but I DO love them as art. Same reason I love classic reels and custom lures. Josh