the reel ess

I did just that.Trion Reel, Med action 7' Lightning Rod. Instant $70 combo. Lightning rods are very light, but not incredibly sensitive. So I use this setup for lighter treble hook lures and wacky rigs.

I bought a sky blue Columbia PFG long sleeve jersey. I've never been skunked while wearing it. Coincidence? But my daughter left Chap Stick in the pocket of her jeans and I dried them with the shirt. Now it has darker spots all over it. I wear it anyway. Still stops the sunburn and makes me look knowledgeable.

It tends to land right because it's weighted on the bottom. But I believe the others with the rubber skirt legs do the same.

I have two of those, the medium and the pocket size. I haven't used the pocket size, but the medium fills with water too easily. It got bites and the action was awesome till it started filling up. I complained on their official YouTube video and they told me to take some Superglue to the nose around the line tie and that plastic button that seals the belly cavity, but NOT the hole for the hooks. I did so, but haven't tried it again. I much prefer the Booyah Pad Crasher when they're hitting it. Better hookup ratio. The hooks are just in the right place out of the box and the body is super soft. I caught what was my PB bass for years on a Snag Proof Original frog. They make some really good frogs too. I hear SPROs are good. I have one of their older frogs and don't really like it. The body is hard. Maybe they're better now. I also like a Chug Bug and a Chug'n Spook, Jr. in frog pattern. To me, they get more bites unless the water is just a mat of weeds or there's a big pollen slick on it.

I wouldn't even start with a BC as my first combo. If you do you have to learn to bass fish and cast a BC reel at the same time. Recognizing the usefulness of a MH and a M spinning combo, I'd start with those two to learn the basics of bassin'.

Me too. I got a 33 with a stiff rod and a Daiwa UL spinning combo. I had all the bases covered!

When you have a family and aren't a pro, you have to make choices regarding food, clothing, etc.

I've got a combo that, if purchased new, would have cost about $260. I bought the Johnny Morris reel off Ebay used and the Falcon rod from a guy at work getting out of fishing. I have $100 in the combo. By far my best combo. But my personal best was on a cheap used ABU 2005LP BC composite frame reel and a Lightning rod. This has to be one of the best composite framed reels ever made. So strong it could be used for pitching in heavy cover. My point is I have several $70 combos. A lot of people go gung-ho with the best equipment money can buy only to get tired of the hobby and either sell it cheap or let it collect dust.

If I may make a suggestion, for anyone looking for a top quality spinning reel, try the Pfleuger Trion series. I've been using one since winter and I can't think of a single complaint. No twists and the drag is smooth as butter and strong. $40 everywhere every day. I'm going to buy another when my MH combo reel quits on me. It's an old BPS Viper $70 combo special that just won't wear out. I'd suggest it too, but they don't make it anymore.

Or strong

If you're fishing a big lake, you might not find them for a while. They're likely on offshore structure during the day this time of year.

I never really liked video games and always considered them a waste of time and money. When you're done with it, you have no more to show for your efforts than when you began.

I wouldn't mind less competition for a finite number of bites.

I'd ask them to make all soft plastics and cranks in golden shiner patterns. I fish a place with shiners and I have to improvise a good bit to get bit.

I used to pack a plano box, but I got tired of always changing it out. My kayak has a flush-mount rod holder and I put 4 more in a milk crate. So now I can take 5 rods rigged. Then I throw a few bags of soft plastics behind the seat. If they won't hit any of that, I'm just out of luck. Or I can paddle back to the truck, where I left the entire tackle bag, and unload what they aren't biting and tie on something else.

I hear you on the cost. But you could get pretty deep into bass fishing with 2 spinning combos. Then add on as you improve and learn new techniques. When I was a 13-18 year old, all I wanted was fishing tackle and equipment. My mom had to drag me clothes shopping and could never get me to tell her anything I wanted outside of fishing.

But probably not a decline from when I stopped fishing public waters. I probably wouldn't notice a difference. And I imagine boating and jet ski traffic is up since development is.

I don't know about that in SC. But when I stopped chasing small fish around a huge reservoir it seemed to me to be at record high levels. That's why I stopped. I couldn't even be alone on a Monday anymore.

I caught a lot of bass on them when I was a kid. Bill Dance endorsed them and I idolized him. I also asked for a Daiwa BC reel because of him. He has probably switched brands of reels/rods 10X since them. Back to Bagley's...I'm sure there have been innovations since 2004, but if they were decent then, they'll catch fish now.

What do you have to lose? next time you're out and things aren't going great, throw it. edit: I was thinking of a fluke when I said that. For me, they seem to shy away from the hard jerkbaits after late spring. But they'll still hit the fluke, I guess because it's a little bit slower and it sinks. I'll also still try the Trick Worm, weightless, fished as you would a hard jerkbait. As a bonus, if you're on a lake with stripers, they'll also hit the fluke when you happen upon them on the main lake structure where you're bass fishing. I caught a few once as fast as I could cast and unhook. I was throwing them in the floor of the boat and casting back out.

I have a buddy that used to be that way. Everything was a competition, complete with smack-talk. If we went out fishing and I landed 2 nice bass, but he landed 4 eyeball bluegill, he won! And he wanted to keep EVERYTHING-even got angry with me when I didn't. Over the years, I got used to his smack-talking and ignored it or engaged in it myself, while he was becoming a better angler and learning to catch bass and enjoy the fishing almost as much as hearing himself talk. He recently caught his PB from a kayak fishing with me and he released it. My work is done there.

Someone on here told me if it bothers you, put a dab of SuperGlue on the knot. It bothers me.

Get a sit on top that's made for fishing and it probably will never dump you. They're more stable. I bailed out of mine once in 3 years-my fault-and the rods all stayed in and it never flipped. You get what you pay for. If you want to stand in it, I think the cheapest you'll find is about $600-700. Mine is a 10' Perception Sport Pescador, which is a decent little fishing kayak, but toward the cheaper end of the range. It's $500 every day at Academy. You get used to casting and hook sets from it. Try some out before you decide on a model. It would be good if you could fish for 3 hours in one before buying. They can hurt your butt after a while. A good seat is a great feature.

I don't get skunked a lot. Usually, when it happens is in the winter or after an early season cold front. But to me, it's more about expecting a bite. I missed an early spring/late winter monster this year because I wasn't expecting anything to hit. My dad used to call that head up the butt syndrome. He wasn't a fantastic bass fisherman by far. He only used a crankbait or a 6" worm most of the time. But he did have patience and concentration that he instilled in me. Pay attention at all times if your hook is in the water! When I started fishing he would get mad at me for losing one. He was late to the fishing just for fun party. I don't ever really get a negative attitude about fishing anymore. I can usually take 5 lures and get a bite on one. After all, there are at least crawfish, bluegill and/or minnows everywhere I fish.

My family had a lake house when I was growing up and we would clean them and drop them off the end of the pier after dark. Everything would be gone the next day, but the catfishing would be good that night. The air bladder in them can cause them to float if you filleted them and didn't cut into the abdomen. Stick a knife through the abdomen so they'll all sink. People get a little bent out of shape about filleted carcasses on their beach. If there's a size limit, don't fillet them before you get home. Game wardens will probably fine you if they see that.