JF1

I am a die hard baitcast guy who only owns one spinning rod. I have a much more difficult time casting a spinning outfit than a baitcast combo. What would each of you suggest as the best light rod for a bc combo? The only advantage I see w/ a spinning outfit is the sensitiivty you get with the lighter line. The line rests on the eyes of the rod due to the eyes being on the underside. This makes a spinning rod more sensitive than a baitcast rod, all things being equal as far as quality goes.

Shenango river lake, and shenango river reservoir are the same lake. Its confusing when u look on the map, but they are the same thing. Of the Ohio lakes I mentioned, I think Mosquito has the best quality and quanity of bass. Lake Milton has a good # of smallies that have some size to them. I live 10 minutes from Mosquito, and it is almost exactly an hr drive to cranberry from here. Berlin is a great lake too, but I'd stay away from it in summer, due to boat traffic. I plan on going to watch the FLW on the 3 rivers this year. Hope they can have some current so they have better numbers than the bassmaster. Winning fish will be from Allegheny or yough IMO.

One thing I forgot, if you get the stratos, obviously you won't be fishing the smaller 20hp lakes. You aren't that far of a drive from cranberry to the OH lakes I mentioned. In my opinion, I'd put the bass in these ohio lakes up agains any of the Pa lakes I mentioned. I don't know why, but the bass fishing seems to be MUCH better over here. I caught over 5 bass that were over 4 and 4 of them were 5+ just last year. And yes I do have pics and a digi scale so no they aren't fish stories!

IMO if your targeting bass, you are waisting your time on the 3 rivers. Not that there aren't any bass there, but there are much better fisheries in the area. I grew up and lived in Monaca for 25yrs. Lived right on the ohio, fished it A LOT and never was able to catch any real quality bass. Arthur I dont care much for except for the wiper bite. It is something to experience, in the dark w/ them feeding on alewifes! Other than that I struggled at arthur. Wilhelm, I've done really really well on. We used to have a permanent site @ the local campground, so I put alot of time into the lake. Like I said, alot o 3-5's there. I don't think you'll ever go there and think that you caught A TON of bass, but def catch alot of quality fish. Pymie is a good bass lake too, and in my opinion is very underratted as a bass fisherie. I think it contrasts to Wilhelm in that you will catch A TON of bass here, but the numbers of big fish will be fewer. I love fishing shenango. I just started fishing it last year alot (my work is less than 3miles from launch!). I haven't figured it out yet, alot of offshore structure. But by end of year I could do very well. Like I said it is unlimited HP, which I like because you can move around alot and do it quickly. I've started fishing alot of the Ohio lakes nearer to me (mosquito, Berlin, West Branch, and Milton) because of the unlimited HP accomodates my new bass boat. Also, you aren't that far of a run from Pesque Isle. We all know what a great smallie factory Erie is, but I think it is the most underrated LM fisherie in the state! I've never fished the lakes you've mentioned, so I can't fairly compare. http://forums.fishusa.com/ is a pretty good Pa fishing site. Ask over there and see what they tell ya. I'm sure some of the other PA guys on here will chime in. Have you considered joining a club? HPBB president is an active member on here and he has been helpful to me w/ any quesitons I've asked. I believe his name is Jim.

Welcome to the area! I just moved from the cranberry area to NE ohio. Do you have a boat? If so, what size motor does it have? Reason I ask is because Wilhelm has a 20hp motor limit, Shenango is unlimited. Wilhelm is a fantastic bass lake. There are tons of 3-5lbers in it. I've fished it several times, however it has been a few years since I've been there. They've opened "the stumps" up to electric motor only. This is an area of the lake that is real shallow and has tons of flooded timber. It's right out of a bill dance show. Great fishing. Shenango is a good bass lake, and an excellent crappie lake. I don't do much crappie fishing, but I've seen many large/trophy crappie taken from this lake. I fish shenango ALOT through the year for bass and always seem to do pretty well. There are also alot of nice stripers in the lake, and it has a very nice campground on the lake that you can camp and if you get a spot close enough to the lake, leave your boat in the lake. You can't go wrong with either lake, as both have excellent fish in them. You can pickup a good FHS lake map for either @ Dicks in cranberry or even the wal-mart in cranberry.

I just moved to the hermitage area this year. Actually livin across the line in OH. I fished shenango alot last year, maybe I can get you off of the banks and into my boat this year if interested.

very well put!!

Where in Ohio are u located? I was considering fishing the OBFN this year as well. I recently moved from pa.

BASS definately has the better show, and I even enjoy Zona. The quatlity is much better, and espn has invested the time and resources to make it a better program. The amount of time espn has invested is the reason so many of us know the bass anglers. That being said, I think the FLW tour is def. a better tour. Better for the anglers, better for the amatures like you and I, and overall has a higher pay out. It also has just as good, if not better anglers IMO. The difference is that alot of us don't know their name because they aren't on ESPN. ESPN has spent alot of time so we know the anglers on the BASS tour, and quite frankly FLW could care less about this. If I'm choosing to watch one, Bass it is. If I'm choosing to fish one, FLW it is.

This is my only point. I could care less that the FLW allows you to use a net, and if it's better for the fish then fantastic. However, the angler should have to net their own fish. How many of us have lost a fish right at the boat because their wasn' t a co-angler to net it for us?? It's the anglers fish until it's in the boat, period. Net your own fish!

Where abouts?? I'm an ex pa guy livin near the border in OH, but still work in the sharon pa area. Sharon's approx 80 miles south of Erie.

depends on situation.... However I'm a big fan of DS for sight fishing bedding bass..... So yes it can be fished horizontally!

Ok, typically when it's bright blue bird sky, and the sun is high and bright I downsize and fish very very slowly. Shaky head, smaller jig, maybe a small senko, or t-rigged worm. My question is does this still apply in the fall?? I usually throw larger baits in the fall, swim baits, large spinners, large crankbaits and cover as much water as possible. Soooo on a fall day, when the sun is high and bright w/o a cloud in the sky, what does everyone else do?

I'm all for using the net as long as the angler is the one using it. And the comment "how much skill is needed to swing a fish into the boat." obviously has never tried to swing a big fish.

Excuse me for being ignorant, but what exactly is a "paper" tournament?

I am extremely spoiled. My new home sits approx 10-15ft away from the shoreline of a private 13acre lake that is loaded w/ bass and crappie. My goal this summer was to fish everyday, even if just for 15minutes and I've accomplished it! ;D But as far as taking the big boat out and spending an entire day on the lake, 1-2 times a month.

you've got a pm..

Its better known as west branch. I recently moved to eastern ohio from pa, so I haven't had a chance to fish it yet looks promising. I'm either taking the boat out there or fishing a tourney at mosquito weds. if I go to West Branch I'll give you some info...

I understand a copolymer has characteristics of both mono and flouro, but which sinking characteristic does it have? Does it sink like flouro, or float like mono? For some reason I can't find an answer in all of my searches and I feel this is a pretty important characteristic.

you've got another pm...

I haven't heard very many people talk about doing this, and wanted to know if anyone else uses a drop shot technique while sight fishing? I have found this to be extremely effective in getting a bass to bite while sight fishing beds. I simply tie on a drop shot rig, along with a texas rigged senko (bubble gum or white). I choose these colors because I can see them better while they are on the bed. I don't dropshot vertically though, I dropshot horizontally. I past beyond the bed, and pull the senko right on top of the bed. The dropshot allows me to pick the senko and let it fall as often as I want while keeping it on the bed. I hear about all these people sight fishing, however I don't hear anyone else talk about catching bedding bass this way. Does anyone else have any experience with this?

depending on where you are at in the wheeling area you shouldn't be too far from cross creek pa. There are alot of tourneys held there and I'm sure you could find a western pa bass club there.

I am relatively new to the whole boat scene, as I've only had a boat for the last year. I have a 12/24v trolling motor and although I do understand how to hook up the batteries, I do have concerns for the rest of my lights and/ electronics. I understand that if I hook up the batteries in parrell (bat A + to bat B+ and Bat A - to Bat B -) it will only give me 12v but w/ a prolonged life. I also understand that if I hook up the + of Bat A to the - of Bat B and run my trolling motor off of bot the A and B batteries it will run 24v. Here's my question. How to run my electronics and lights?? Will hooking them up to one batter both + and - give me 12v or 24v? Kind of unclear, I know, but try to follow me here gonna get confusing: Bat A - to trolling motor + jumped to Bat B - Bat B + to trolling motor - jumped to Bat A+ This will give me 24v to trolling motor BUT if I run my lights and electronics off of say Bat A + and - what will happen? will it be 24V or 12? and if it will be 24V, will the lights/ fish finder be ok??? Thanks in advance

I think I may be making a trip to Tamarack to try for some muskie. I'm pretty much a bass only fisherman, but I'd like to try Tamarck for some muskie. Any suggestions on where to go???

I'm from the western side of the state, near pittsburgh. I fish mostly old abaondon strip mines out of a little 12' jon boat. But recently bought a skeeter bass boat to try my luck on some bigger water and fish some local tourneys. Anyone else from the west side of pa???