EmersonFish

Some people are better fishermen than others; some people have better summertime fishing locations available than others. Most people have rough days now and then. As for me, I'm capable of getting skunked any of the 4 seasons, if the conditions are right (or wrong, perhaps). That just motivates me. If it were as easy as catching fish at a well stocked, pay lake, it wouldn't interest me much. I'm always learning and getting better. When it's tough out there, and people are lined up at the boat ramp, grumbling about the heat, trying to get home; if I can catch a couple decent fish, that makes me feel a lot better than catching those same fish at the crack of dawn, when they are all chasing baitfish right by the loading dock.

I don't pick up everything when I bank fish, because around here if I did that, I'd never be bank fishing, it would only be bank cleaning; but I always try to leave the bank a little cleaner than it was when I came, which means cleaning up after a few idiots. It's really sad that people have no respect for nature, or the other people who use the area.

It's not always possible (like if they toss something out of the boat and it gets away), but when I fish with people who litter, I clean up after them. I shouldn't have to do that, but believe me, I don't have to say anything. They know how I feel, and decent people will feel cruddy about it when they are getting in their car to leave and they see me picking up their trash. Hopefully, that makes them think next time. Some people are hopeless, of course; but it's best to just not associate with them.

Welcome to the site jrstick if you're new, or welcome back if you've been here before. I agree that the new stick looks much better. I think the red rod looks a little cheap. We'll see how they look in person. I'm not sure I'll like having the hook keeper on the trigger. Seems like a good way for me to grab a hook. That Team Lew's Lite reel at 5.7 oz looks pretty sweet as well. And I've had my eyes on the old Super Duty. Might have to hold off for a bit now.

Yes. Marketing. One thing about marketing; you don't discredit everything you said previously with a silly statement. There's nothing wrong with a rod being a great value. Anyway, I just said it was "over the top." I'm not upset about it, and look forward to seeing the rod in person.

If you're not going to have a lot of rods, you've got a couple of pretty good ones to work with. I'd think that Powell would be a fine big worm rod. I'd put that jig (assuming it's not a super heavy flippin' jig) on that Smoke, and be set to switch back and forth.

Looks like a nice rod, and 31 models is nice. I think at the end when he says; "if you're looking for the ULTIMATE in rods, check out the new Veritas 2.0..." that's a little over the top, but I'm always happy to see competition in the more affordable rod category.

Like others have said (so why am I saying it?), if a reel is submerged, and water is trapped inside, it will eventually dry out. So the water will be gone, and the reel will perform fairly well again, but the sediment, or whatever else was in the water will still be in the reel, and having been submerged, that stuff will get into places it normally wouldn't get. The lube will protect most of the moving parts, but there are always parts where lube has worn off, unless you are very diligent. A dunk or two won't be that huge of a deal, but depending on the water quality, and how much time it spends in said water, eventually the reel will need a more thorough cleaning. Some reels handle being dunked better than others, but any good quality reel will be fine if you take care of it.

I'm not sure what those are for. Still plenty of area to fish. If anything, I'd be more prone to fish that dock, assuming some algae had accumulated on those pipes, attracting some baitfish, and on from there. As far as the comparing a lake to a parking lot idea; that isn't quite a direct comparison. That would be a more direct example if one could build a permanent structure on a public parking lot. When you put a structure on public land, you are taking up that space, and in some way, making it your own. That is a privilege. With that privilege comes an expectation that people will be fishing around it, throwing a wake toward it, etc... If someone damages your property, uses it without your consent, etc.; you have legal recourse, whether that property sits on private or public land. The question is how far can one go to limit the public's access to the public water in order to protect their property? Putting up chicken wire on their own dock? Probably fine. Confronting me because I'm fishing the perimeter of your dock. Perhaps legal, but I don't recommend it. It's unfortunate that some fishermen are irresponsible and give us all a bad name. It's unfortunate that some homeowners, regardless of income, are jerks. But my car, in those parking lots that were mentioned, gets dinged and scratched all the time. I never get an apology or anyone's insurance information. It just comes with the territory. If I caught a guy doing significant damage; I'd want him to make it right. If I did damage to someone else; I'd want to make it right. Everyone should be that way. In any case, if I couldn't fish private docks, that would be inconvenient. The closest lake to me is Lake of the Ozarks.

I wish I remembered mine. That's why I make a big deal out of everything my kids do when I take them fishing. They probably won't remember the details either, but I hope they have fond memories of fishing with me as little kids in general.

How much does this pond get fished? And it sounds like the water is nice and clear?. Aside from the lure options you have been given, consider your tackle. Are you using light tackle? Lower visibility line? Maybe they are spooked by something, which accounts for them chasing real bait, but not being willing to strike yours. I like the idea of matching the forage, like grampa was saying, and working a 'shakey head' rig. Maybe the bass that were following your reaction baits were just chasing it out of their spot, and not interested in eating anything at the moment. Throw a bait that won't retreat so easily, and maybe they'll get mad enough to bite it.

Did you get the 'Veritas' on clearance? If so, is that rod Moderate/Fast action? I almost bought a 'Veritas' yesterday. It was on clearance, plus 25% of the clearance price. I didn't need the rod, but almost bought it because it was so cheap. It was the 7' 6" MH. I'd have bought the 7' 11" if they would have had it. I'd use it for flipping/punching pads and heavy vegetation, where you really need to jerk them out of there, and will be pulling big piles of weeds in with them often times. I can't bring myself to invest a lot of money for a rod like that, because where I live, we don't get to fish like that as much as they do other places. If your is moderate/fast, I might even try a medium crank bait on it, or slow roll a big spinnerbait in deeper water, just to see how it felt. It should work for A-Rigs too. If all else fails, you have a nice little channel cat rod

1) Finesse Jig w/ Tiny Paca Chunk Trailer (something with watermelon and red in it) 2) Baby Brush Hog, T-Rigged, 3/16 oz, (something watermelon with the tips dipped in chartreuse garlic Spike-It 3) 3 1/2" Tender Tube w/ 1/8 oz tube head (white)

As far as lakes that others do well on that seem to kick my butt every time... 'Grand Lake' in Oklahoma. I use to go fish the 'Falcon Grand Challenge' every May, but got tired of the embarrassing results. Since then I've sold most of my Falcon rods anyway, and you have to use Falcon rods in that tournament. As a matter of pride, I might just grab a couple of cheap Bucoos off of the sale rack and go down there again next year. Try and slay that dragon.

There are so many rod companies competing in that $100 price range. A lot of it will come down to personal preference. I will say that I've heard so much hype about these '*** Black' rods that I'm tempted to spend $100 on one that I really don't need just because I'm curious to know if they are really "all that." They definitely look sweet. If I were starting a new rod arsenal, I would definitely give one a shot. There have been mixed reviews about the 'Duckett Ghost' rods, but some people are very impressed with those. The 'Veritas' rods have been around quite a while, and they seem to have help up okay. They are also easy to find (around here anyway).

I suppose one's level of confidence topwater fishing in deep water when there is no sign of surface activity might relate somewhat to where they fish. 20' - 25' of water in a deep, clear, highland reservoir is different than those same depths in a dingy, clay banked lake in the flatlands. Of course, if you use your electronics (better than I do) you don't need obvious signs of surface activity to locate fish suspending in deeper water; it's just that most people (like myself) won't have the confidence in that pattern to go out looking for them unless they have some experience with the habits of the fish in that particular area, or are aware of some significant deep structure that would lend itself to said pattern.

I've personally used Spike-It that was years old, had sat out in the heat and freezing cold alike, and it was just fine. You just either got a bad batch, or dipped something in it that somehow reacted with it in a strange way, like Kevin22 said. Having said that, I'll have to try out JJ's some time, if I get the chance.

Thank you everyone!

I've never noticed, but it actually seems like a good idea. I know that with all that goes on dealing with the fish I've caught, I have frequently looked down and saw my bait/hook wrapped in something, or stuck in the carpet, or I've stepped on it, or whatever. I'm too focused on other things. You definitely don't have time to put it in the hook-keeper before you take care of the fish. Of course, if conditions are moving the boat around, and I'm fishing in a bunch of timber or around something the hook can snag, I'd rather it be inside the perimeter of the boat.

I've never used the Carbonlite rod there, but I'm sure a lot of people here have and can tell you about it. There has probably already been a thread discussing it specifically. I've held it, and it feels light without a reel on it, although the one in that link doesn't have the microguides. The Pro Qualifier reel is just a solid reel. Nothing spectacular, but it gets the job done. I still have four or five, and have never had a problem with any of them, although mine are a different color (kind of a goofy dark grey pearl whatever).

There are so many options for both rods and reels in the price ranges you mentioned. You'll get a lot of different opinions. I've used BPS Pro Qualifier reels for a long time. They may not perform like a higher end reel, but they are reliable, and relatively easy to use for someone just getting into baitcasters. I also have a Lew's Speed Spool SS1, and have another one in the mail right now. You can buy one for $89-$99, and right now Lew's has a $20 mail-in rebate. You can buy the reel anywhere, send them a copy of the receipt and the barcode along with the form they have on their website, and they'll send you $20 (until mid-August). For the money, I doubt you'll find a better reel. Would go great on an *** or a Veritas, up to a medium-heavy action. I personally wouldn't use the SS1 on heavier equipment, but I know some do without issue.

If you were doing everything you usually do, and it usually works, I wouldn't over think it. It could have been something the fish were doing. A 12" worm is a big bait. Maybe they were striking it short for some reason? If a fish pulls a bait off of a hook, they probably never had the hook in their mouth in the first place. They were gripping the tail when you set the hook, and you basically ripped the worm off.

My wife doesn't fish at all, and she has no desire to start. Probably works out better for me. We have 4 kids at home. If she loved fishing, it would be hard for me to say; "See you later honey! I'm going to be out fishing all day while your here with the children." Not sure that would go over well. As it is, I think she's happy for me to get out of the house and out of her way once in a while.

I hope to fish that tournament if I'm not down in Texas fishing the Gulf. I'm not trying to be cryptic, but I have no idea what I'm going to do. I'm hoping as the event approaches, I'll get it dialed in. Depending on what the weather does leading up to that, I'll start shallow and work out, but I wouldn't be surprised if I end up working a Swivel Head Football Jig or a Shakey Head with a variety of somewhat smaller profile baits around the ends of a docks that are in favorable areas, and have brush beneath them.

I just joined the site. I'm turning 40 later this month. Living in Jeff City, MO. Do most of my fishing from our boat at Table Rock, or from the bank at the lakes, rivers and streams around here in Mid-MO. I use to fish some small team tournaments with my dad, but his arthritis is to the point where he doesn't enjoy it any more. So I haven't been fishing "competitively" lately (not that we were very competitive). Looking to get my cruddy boat in good shape by next season and start fishing some tournaments again. Our better boat lives with my dad down at TRL. In the meantime, there is a lot to do. I just thought I'd say hello before I started chiming in on things.