BASS302

Those are percolation ponds where the water goes back into the water table. There's one large one where fishing is allowed. Another one is (or was) reserved for radio-controlled model boats. I'm not sure about the other ones. The summer before the big rains we had, the large pond was nearly empty. This summer I stopped to look around and saw a lot of baby bass swimming around (so there must be some bigger ones in there).

@BrackishBassin, I think Xcalibur "disappeared" in 2015. There's a post called Say it ain't so....xcalibur hi-tek tackle going away? (your profile shows you joined in 2016 which is after the post was made.) Not sure if I did this link correctly . . .

@Bluebasser86, What is the fish in your top photo - is it a longear sunfish? I don't think we have those here in California where I live. Interesting coloration.

Rust? You haven't seen my "silverware"

@MichaelCopeland Yes, it is always a requirement to stop and buy fishing equipment! Good luck in Shreveport. Catch lots of fish.

@Joshuabradbury Wood densities: https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/wood-density-d_40.html @crypt BASSwood sounds great!

I don't even see how it's possible to cast with a spinning reel on top!

@FishOnLMB, You list your location as CA (which I assume is California). Be aware that the current California freshwater sport fishing regulations have a provision on "Movement of Live Fish" that states that "live fin fish may not be transported alive from the water where taken." Maybe if you wrote to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and told them you will put the fish in an aquarium (and never let it go into a body of water) they can issue you a special permit (how does BPS get their fish for the tanks they have in their stores?). If they let you keep your green sunfish, it would probably count against your bag/possession limit of 25 sunfish/crappie.

@bigbill, If you go to the Yakima Bait Company website, you can download a full catalog. In the flatfish section, it shows the available colors for each size group. "Metallic Gold" is available in sizes F7-T4, and M2, T50, T55, and T60. If you go to the VanDam Warehouse website, they have Heddon Clatter Tadpollys in Gold/red Bars.

@Big_Easy_Bassin, I buy the 1/2 oz Cordell Super Spots and because they are inexpensive, I drill a hole in them and I can either remove or add BBs (and reseal with epoxy). In your case you would want to remove some/all of the BBs and make it lighter. I don't touch my RES because I'm afraid of messing up the shimmy when they fall.

Hard to tell because you can't see the shape of the fins. I don't think it is a baby. Maybe an Eastern Banded Killifish? http://gallery.nanfa.org/v/members/Nate+Tessler/nativenorthamericanfreshwaterfish/Fundulidae/Fundulus/diaphanus+diaphanus/Eastern+Banded+Killifish+_edit__+Currituck+Sound_+8-8-10_+NT.jpg.html

I don't know anything about carp fishing. What is the purpose of the seat-belt type strap?

I know many of you do not like spinning reels, but I've been using them since I was a kid. Anyway, here are couple of unusual spinning reels I have. The blue reel is a Mitchell 440A. It has an automatic bail. This was one of my "extra" reels when I started fishing as a kid. My dad had one of these, and I bought a couple to use and an extra one "just in case" (of course, it took a while to earn the money needed to buy them). The bail opens automatically when you push on it if it is in the correct position. It allows one-handed operation of the reel when casting. The anti-reverse is noisy though and there is a lot of friction when reeling compared to modern spinning reels. The gray one is a Quantum Hypercast HPX30. It has a lever for handling the bail. I only used this twice because I could never figure out how to disengage the anti-reverse. I don't use either one anymore. I just keep them around for memories.

@MichaelCopeland, So, did you weigh the turtle?

Does a high center of gravity cause the lure to be more erratic, or will it just flop over and not run properly?

@DomQ, Thanks for the photo.

I'm not familiar with the capabilities of 3D printers. Would you be able to print your lure around a wire frame or would you put screweyes in after the lure is printed? Also, with the current technology, does your printed object have to be one color, or could you build a lure with a clear bill and a fire tiger body. Anyway, sounds interesting.

@StrikePrince, That top fish might be a pikeminnow.

@kosta, I don't think anyone on this site had input into the CA Fish regulations, so we won't be able to answer your question. Please contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and ask them that question. If they don't give you a good answer, start a petition to change the law. The laws change every year - look at this year's regulations.

@kosta, Bag limit for sunfish is 25. And yes, as @NorcalBassin stated, where they are legal to use, they must be used only in the water where taken. If you have questions about CA sport fishing regulations, you should contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. You don't want to ruin your fishing trip by getting fined for a regulation violation.

@wukong, That fish looks huge. There is a Bass Resource "Fish Weight Calculator" (I call it a fish weight estimator). https://www.bassresource.com/bassfishing/fishcalculator.html I hate to tell you this, but the number that comes up for 21.5" length, 16" girth, is 7.25 lbs!

The Lurenet website has several types of Badonk-A-Donks listed. Topwater and slowsinking, and in different sizes. They are designed for saltwater, so be careful if swapping hooks, it might upset the action if the hooks are a different weight.

I assume "delta" means the Sacramento delta in California. The California limit for sunfish is 25 (except in a couple of San Diego lakes that are 0). In areas where use of fin fish as bait is legal, they can only be used if lawfully taken, and, only if used in the water where taken. Please abide by all sport fishing regulations (even if they do not make sense to you).

Thanks for the reminder about northern and Florida largemouth. That puts me at 17.