jitterbug127

What do yall do to keep your reels in perfect shape? I just bought some new ones and I’d like to keep them perfect. I’ve tried selling a few lately with some light scratches and I didn’t realize in like new condition was the only way to really sell for any sort of value. It’s been a learning curve and I will keep my stuff perfect in the future.

St croix mojo bass 6 8 medium xtra fast St croix mojo bass 7 10 heavy st croix mojo bass 7 10 heavy st croix victory 7 10 heavy

I've been working on outboard motors as a hobby for the last 3 or 4 years now. I tried the amazon parts here and there and they're mostly junk. I will only buy OMC parts unless I absolutely cant find something then Sierra it is. Buy once, cry once is my philosophy. Also breaking down on the river isn't an option for me in this life.

Thank you! I had a couple vintage guitars collecting dust at my house I traded for most of this gear. Buddy of mine plays so I was happy to see them get some use. I also fell in LOVE with the mgl spools. I’ve been a curado man for a long time but the newest ones I had were the k and I. These are smaller and cast little lures so much better. I was really impressed

What can I say? Mostly trades and marketplace. This is all in last 2 weeks 😅

I’ve go through visit from the bait monkey about every 3 years. This was the year. so far let’s see so far: Shimano vanford c2000hg pflueger supreme 3000 (matches one I’ve had love it!) curado mgl 151 6.2:1, 7.4:1, 7.4:1 curado 201k 8.5:1 rods: Diawa tatula 7’ medium fast Powell max 7’ medium heavy/xtra fast bass xml 7’6” medium light xtra fast dobyns fury 7’3” heavy dobyns Kaden 7’3” medium heavy moderste dobyns Kaden 7’3” medium moderate ark rod lancer pro 6’10” medium/moderate (not sure how good of a jerkbait rod this will be) bass pro shops cranking stick 7’3” heavy moderate more tackle than I’d like to admit. still hunting for a couple more reels.

What a fish!! Absolutely stunning.

If you were going to pick 3-5 baits to really learn what would they be? 75% of my fishing is : River smallmouth. Generally slow current 2 1.5-2 mph or less most places. green and about 1 foot of visibility is clean to complete chocolate milk. There are boat dock on the river, weed lines. I'd say fairly shallow. 4 feet being average depth. I'll make a little river box and fish that all next season.

I agree 100%. Catching is about 10% of the reason I'm there. Being outside on the water and hanging out with my buddies are the main reasons I love to fish. Catching is a bonus. I am really just wanting to stop getting skunked at this point. I went nuts with rods/reels/tackle a few years ago. I have stepped that back by about 90%. I have 2 or 3 3600 boxes now and 5 rod types (I'll bring 3 medium/fast spinning rods to not have to tie all the time) instead of like 15 and more tackle than I can count.

Thanks to everyone for all of the replies! I think this thread has been helpful. I am going to go out this week and try some of the items suggested. Finding fish instead of just catching them is going to be the name of the game this fall and into next season. I have been looking at some lake maps of the lakes around here finding points to focus on depending on time of year. Also I have a new respect for water temperature i never really considered too much before.

6th sense divine swimbait in white has served me well

The places I fish have a ton of boat traffic, so I think the stealthier I can be the better. A paddle boat looks like a ton of fun! I have been reading a-jays big thread on smallmouth bass. Lots of good information in there to learn. I think I might buy a kayak this winter to get into new next season to find some less pressured places to go. Being in the metropolitan area of Indy lots people are hitting the same spots over and over and over again. Off the beaten path will be a nice change

Glad I started this thread. It’s a good reset button on how to start again. Does anyone have a favorite book they’ve read for smallmouth bass fishing?

YES! I really do think i fish a bunch of unproductive waters. This skill is probably just as or more important than finding the fish. Eliminating bad water is a big deal. Love this. Will buy some worms and give them a try. I love smallmouth. Most of my fishing has been the river. if its not fishing shallow at a lake I'm not really sure where to start. I have more to learn. Thanks for all the advice.

I'm in the same boat. I was so annoyed getting skunked Satuday that I am at a point of needing to make some changes. I LOVE to fish too. It's my favorite thing in the world to be doing. I am 100% obsessed. I've invested too many years of my life and too much money to be this bad is where I'm at right now. Thank you! I have some more homework to do to really know what is going on below the surface. i do look up the main baitfish before I go to to a lake and pick lures that "match the hatch". More homework/research to do. I love fishing the river. We are limited on how far up and down we can go because my boat has a propeller. A few of the places I put in have approximately 2-3 mile stretches (heavily depending on the time of the year). so nothing huge but long enough to potentially hold some fish. I do really wonder if I am fishing dead water more than I know. The lakes I fish is so dirty that spotting baitfish can be rather difficult. I'd a foot of visibility is "clear" for most of the lakes around town. Theyre generally dirtier than that.

I will look into some of these surverys for sure. I've never thought about them. good idea there. I haven't been to Monroe in many years. I have never fished Patoka. We do Geist, Morse, Eagle Creek and Lemon mostly. In learning all these factors of the lake would you recommend youtube/google or are there good books that explain the process more in depth. Thanks for the knowledge. I talked to guys fishing Geist Saturday. The weights were around 18-20 lbs for 5 fish leading on the board. They gave me some advice on colors to throw out there. Stealth is a skill i need to learn. My wife is as quiet as a mouse all the time and I am the loudest man in most rooms i walk into.

Awesome! Thanks for the advice. I generally take 2 rods to the river. My medium/xtra fast rod and my medium/moderate for all my smallmouth fishing. Ned rig get a lot of time for me because I can straighten out the hook a little when I get caught up: I really like tubes as well. All my treble hooks go on the medium moderate at the river. I am a lot more comfortable in shallow water than deep water. So far depth and maps is the only thing I’ve used the electronics for. we had a guide take us out last year 1 time on a river about 3 hours north of me. I caught a BUNCH of fish that day and I didn’t do anything different than I normally do. Guide was able to put me on fish and we boated them. It made me think my casting and techniques not all that bad. I just really struggle to find fish.

Im thinking learn to use my electronics and work on improving my casting accuracy. How do yall like to find fish? My approach has been top water, middle, bottom of water column. I look for current and isolated structur (on river). I face boat into the current and work a spot over with several casts. We’ll drift down river and We just don’t get bit that much.

Like an entire year. I probably fish 30 times a season. I get skunked 15-20 of those.

To find a boat not a nice as mine would be a treat: I’ve got a 1987 smoker craft with floors that need replaced. 😂 I do like the idea though. A guide has really crossed my mind. I have 5 combos I use for most of my bass fishing Ml xf spinning for light finesse m xf spinning for other single wire hooks 6.2:1 m moderate treble hooks 8.5:1 mh moderate other treble hooks, spinner baits, buzz baits, chatter baits etc 7.1:1 heavy fast for the big ones. braid on spinning, 14 mono on the baitcasters, 50 lb braid on my heavy rod. That’s where I was going with my post. I’ve added to it since original. I am awful at finding the fish. Like we REALLY struggle to find fish at all. Once I find the we can normally catch ok. Finding is a really bad struggle. I’m catching about 15-20 fish for an entire season.

I was in the middle of posting in this and got interrupted. I wanted to elaborate more in the op.

I've spent the last few days in deep thought trying to decide whether or not I really wanted to post this but here it goes. I am a terrible fisherman. When I say terrible fisherman. I mean I probably catch 20 about year. That’s in an entire season. We spend a lot of time in the river/lakes The bigger question I have is why and how do I improve? That’s purpose of this post. Not to be negative but just focusing how to improve. About me: I'm 36, been fishing about 11 years. Still can't say I've improved much at all. I live just South of Indianapolis and fish mainly White river: Broad Ripple Park. We also fish about 1/2 a dozen lakes throughout the state at different times of the year. I own a boat with spot lock and a garmin 73sv. I have no idea how to use the depth finder. Learning that will be step 1. I list this because I wanted y’all to know I’m not just fishing the bank. We REALLY struggle to find the fish. I’d say this is my biggest hang up. we are using lures that cover the entire water column. Ned rigs, poppers, swim baits, inline spinners, blade baits, bitsy jigs, whopper poppers, senkos rigged about 10 different ways, tubes, frogs, top water rats, square bills etc, soft crawls. i will research the new lake we’re going to before we go out to find lures that match the primary bait fish: I also try to have an idea of the spots I want to fish before I go out. I’ll target specific coves etc on google maps. It’s pretty much 1 fish or no fish most days.

I really like the sea dek. I’d probably do generic since I only plan to keep this boat 3 or so years before I can get a bigger boat.

My boat needs new floors/covering. What do you prefer? Marine grade plywood? Vinyl/carpet/EVA?

I just got a 6.5 portable tank on the boat: the Meijer down the street is the only place to get Etoh free. I take the portable tank in my car fuel up and bring back home in my car. Easier than having the boat in that tight parking lot.