the reel ess

Water temp of 62+ should turn that on. I caught this one on a Pop R last night. Water temp was mid 60's.

There's no wrong way. The most accepted way is weightless T-rigged. But I've only used them wacky style. That's because I already use Trick Worms weightless T-rigged everywhere I fish. I was looking for a different presentation. And I was sure the fish haven't seen wacky.

I caught a bass on my first ever cast on a wacky rig. The nothing for a couple years. It has already saved the day for me twice this year. Last time out, I was getting skunked while my buddy was only getting dinks on a minnow. They weren't chasing any food-postspawn blues. As a last resort, I tried the wacky-rigged Big Bite Trick Stick. I had nothing to lose. I caught 5 on it. and Lost a +/-5 pounder at the boat. Then I caught another 3 pounder on a Pop-R. Lesson learned...this won't be a last resort for me anymore. But this was a large pond/watershed. You know there is a captive population of fish there and you have to find a way to catch them. In a major lake, they could just not be where you are. BTW, I don't let it sit there 20 minutes. I hardly let it hit the bottom unless I know a fish is there. Cast it, let it sink on slack line, twitch a couple times and repeat in the next location. My buddy power fishes and I didn't have time to let it lay. But I was catching fish in spots he already cast to.

I forgot, I dumped myself out of my kayak trying to avoid dumping four rods. I had my iPhone and wallet in my pockets, I did net a new iPhone 6 instead of my hand-me-down 4.

Yea! I'm jealous. Ditto on the braid. Best thing since the fishing reel.

I stripped down and went dipping in Feb to retrieve the sideplate of a new BC reel from BPS I dropped while adjusting the cast control. My efforts were wasted. I had to order a replacement. $19. I've stayed on a lake too long while a storm approached because they were biting. We got soaked while lightning hit the water around us as we crossed the lake. Had to bail that boat out. I have lied about being sick to lay out and fish...more than once. Funny how I always got sick on nice spring days. When I was 13, I got my first baitcaster for Christmas. I stayed home "sick" a couple weeks later so I could practice casting so I would know how when it came time to go fishing. I left a window open so I would hear if my mom called to check on me.

I guess there are times when noise matters and times when it doesn't. Ever see Ike after he catches a good bass? He goes bananas...screams. I've seen Dean Rojas whispering when he's sight fishing. I think there are times when it wouldn't turn them off if you fell in. But I'm not taking chances.

I will fillet the back right down to where the ribs touch the skin. Then I'll start peeling the meat back off the ribs. That meat below the ribs is what fries the crispiest. I keep bass from a lb to 3 lbs. 3 pounders can be kinda thick. But what's below the ribcage is the tastiest. It also is the fattiest. No coincidence. But it also holds the most contaminants in places with warnings.

This is the best advice I have to offer. Gamakatsu hooks for plastics. There's a reason they cost more.

I saw a very nice inflatable SUP at Grady's Outdoors in Anderson, SC a couple years ago with attachments to add a kayak-type seat to it. If I had seen it before I bought my kayak, I'd probably have it. I haven't been able to find one since. It looked like a great compromise between the two and a good option for standing and casting.

I fish a place that has some big bass, loaded with gold shiners and a lot of moss on the bottom. I'm thinking a soft plastic swimbait in gold shiner would be a good option. Anyone have a favorite?

The pros say if it catches fish it's an old one. If it doesn't, it's not. So far, mine is not.

Start searching the articles on this very site. Start with "beginner" and branch out. If you are on Facebook, like Bass Resource. It will send links to articles to your FB feed. I've learned a lot like that. Keep it simple to start with. Study what to use in different conditions. Good luck.

My dad throwing the anchor in from his pontoon boat. My dad casting a lure in the trees after we pulled up to a prime spot. God love him! Going to the lake, launching the night before so the boat's ready, spending the night, getting up one hour before sunrise, heading to the best spot I can think of, and two boats are already in the cove. I know they've already fished it thouroughly. I just crank up and go elsewhere. Maybe come back midday. This is why I bought the kayak.

I recently walked the bank at a pond and saw some nice fat mamas (for this small pond) on the bed close together. I spooked them off. I put my kayak in and went the other direction around the pond. Came back to them about 30 min later and caught both where I saw them. One ate the worm off my hook. I rigged another up and caught it next cast. They have short memories. +1 on the confidence too. If you don't feel something won't work well, you won't give it a fair shot. I haven't given jigs or swimbaits a fair shot yet. I'd like to fish with someone who is good at them to learn.

I usually cautiously approach a particular laydown that just looks perfect. I wait until the boat's in position. I cast my bait and get snagged first cast! Noise, dropping stuff, my daughter throwing things in. My daughter paddling her kayak between mine and the bank. My daughter swimming where I try to fish. I am patient. For some reason I feel compelled to throw back a fish on the opposite side from where it was caught-like it matters. Friends getting too drunk to fish.

I like the shad patterns but with something a little different.: A purple back or smokey color. Something to set it apart from the millions of shad out there. But lately, I'm fishing a place with gold shiners and I look for a gold/black pattern. AND CRAWFISH!!!

I carry 4 rods and one plano 3700 with a few bags of whatever plastics I think I need. If I'm at private property, I won't carry the box in the kayak. I recently got a new tackle bag from Cabela's and gave my old bag, boxes and whatever lures I've either never used or never caught anything on to a local kid. It's so hard letting go!

I caught scads of bass on a Torpedo 2 Saturdays ago ahead of a front, overcast. But we had a couple cool nights that kind of turned that off. Still, I would think it's about here to stay in SC.

I just started using Fireline on spinning this spring and I already love it. I've gotten plenty of bites with no leader. I've caught a nice one over 5 lbs. I don't like feeling a knot go through the rod guides when I reel up and cast. If you tie a good Palomar knot, you won't lose lures. If fish will strike a Bama rig with 5 wires going different directions, they don't care about a single visible thread.

Very good article on this very site regarding "must-have" lures. http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/bass-lures.html

My fishing buddy came up with a new one recently. A crappie sized crankbait in bubble gum color. He would crank it down a little then let it float up. He texted me pics of 2 over 4 lbs and lost a larger one.So I took a small Bomber and painted the thing with bubble gum color fingernail polish. Next time out, neither of us caught one on it. But it worked for a day on bedding females. Sometimes you just have to think outside the box and show them something they haven't seen yet. Tick them off.

LOL That's great! Always wear the PFD! I had to bail out once myself.

I can't remember anything that early. My parents said I started with the cane pole and worms so early it preceded my earliest memories. We had a lake house. I would nag my dad to stop and buy me bait and supplies on the way to the lake. If he had to go back and get it, I lost valuable fishing time. I would wake up and start walking the banks, fishing with a cane pole before they even got up. It's a wonder I didn't drown. I almost did twice as a kid. So I'm pretty sure my first bass would have been way back then. I got a pic of my daughter's first fish as well as the entire catch. Two white perch and a crappie on the Barbie rod. Perhaps the proudest I've been besides the day she was baptized.

I notice this too. There are three docks and a few blowdowns where I mostly fish and there are almost never fish on them. They hunker in the mossy bottom until they feel like chasing bait. The fish don't get concentrated like they would on a barren lake with wood cover.