the reel ess

Don't be afraid to go talk to them directly. One of two things can happen and one of them is good. I've actually been denied permission to fish a pond that belonged to my dad's GF even though I promised to take no fish. That was awkward. But I've also been given carte blanche to come and go as I please and even have a couple of gate keys. Some people like someone looking after their property. One guy told me to take literally everything I catch so they don't get stunted. Most people don't manage their own ponds and they need help to stay balanced. You can catch your PB in some ponds and a whole lot of eating size bass in others. Now I'm not fond of ponds that cattle can get to. Nasty. I fill a guy's fish basket with my catch because he's more of a hunter and spends his warm months hunting hogs. That makes him want me to come back more often. Symbiotic relationship.

Looks to me like flake is the only difference.

Four docks, two of which are falling down, laydowns, some brushpiles and lilies.

We only have LMB. But I would certainly target brown bass if given the opportunity. It's on the bucket list. I just have to drive bit more than an hour to fish a river that has them. I do target bluegill and crappie regularly. Or I target anything that's in the creek if that's where I am.

When I go in winter and get more than a couple of bites I consider that a success.

The same way I set it it to overhand cast. Your pitching rod will make a great regular T-rigged worm rod and you can do both with it all day long.

I actually prefer little wind because I'm in a kayak. But you get what you get and wind can be very helpful at times. I just hate to take a spring day off and a cold front come through a day or two before. The skies will be completely clear and the breeze will usually be straight out of the east. It just throws a monkey wrench in the whole deal. I like any breeze as long as it's not post frontal. I think easterly winds are really a symptom of the barometer. That said, if I have a weekday off and it's not raining heavily, I'm going. It only takes one good fish to make a trip worthwhile.

I went out yesterday and the conditions were less than favorable. I did manage a bite from a bass, which I totally missed and three crappie. I have my mini umbrella system started on my kayak.

We all think so. But have you ever heard of a major tournament where no one caught a fish? I know people cheat at the lower levels. But they don't when there's a camera and/or an official in the boat.

I've caught the most fish on them at the lowest light periods. I like a dark one for darker times and a white/silverish one for a little more light. On the dark one I like to use a buzztoad like the Rage Toad. Some buzzbaits are not really made for a trailer alone and won't work well with one. If you buy one with the toad of course it's balanced. I don't seem to catch big numbers on them, but usually better than average fish. I think my biggest buzzbait fish is 5 lbs.

I know who you don't like. Amen! I don't need to see you shopping at Walmart or BPS or driving to the lake in the dark. You can show me what you're using while fishing. My time is important and I'll just skip the crap and get to the goodies.

I wouldn't buy any reel that does not have a solid metal frame. I've owned two that didn't and they wore out quickly. I currently have 2 Lews Tournament MB and a Lews LFS reel, which I love. Great value. I have a Daiwa Fuego that I bought on the advice of others here. It's noisy. I mean I guess I can't complain because it has worked well for years. Just doesn't feel like $100 worth.

They both have their time and place.

No matter how many, it was not enough.

I started wearing a neck gaiter about 6-7 years ago while fishing in direct sun. I'm usually completely covered up top and I use a high SPF sunscreen on the legs if uncovered. When places were enforcing face coverings to go in their businesses, I didn't really see the point of wearing one to and from the door and then eating and drinking and talking at the table without one. So I started wearing the neck gaiter to be a little more comfy.

Warm water discharges at nuclear plants used to be the ticket in winter. Now you can't get close to them since 911. There' used to be one near here everyone called simply The Hot Hole.

I can't see a reason to spend more than $8-ish on a spinnerbait. Actually, the Walmart and BPS spinnerbaits that are hanging loose on pegs work pretty well too. I remember when the Uncle Buck BPS brand were $1. I bought about 6 different combinations and caught lots of bass on them. I still have a couple.

Yeah, that bass is a lb. less than my PB, but way more photogenic. And I believe I caught that fish twice a couple months apart.

Could take forever and never actually happen. Consider the odds against a few eggs on a bird's leg surviving flight, actually hatching and not getting eaten by something else, like said bird. A much more likely scenario is a pond upstream overflows and a few get washed down. If you want to see bass there anytime soon, they'll need to be transplanted or stocked. And they'll need a source of forage.

I use a H/F Falcon 6'8" Bucoo rod for jigs and T rigs. It's light, tough, has a very good tip & plenty of backbone tp horse big fish out of heavy cover.

Lew's LFS that has 15 on my jig rod. I say that I cinch it down, but I've had one fish take a little drag on it set very tight, not cinched. I also have a Lew's on my frog rod.

I like either the Rage Craw or Rage Bug. But if you want a really small package try a double tail grub of some kind.

Lock it down. If you don't get that bass turned and headed your way you'll reel back a frog and 5 lbs. of salad. Ideally you want to turn the bass, get it to the surface and drag it to you. Imagine trying to do that with a big bass. I don't see how to do it without at least setting your drag very tight.

I see what you did there. ?

nm