Brett's_daddy

Okay, so I am a guy who has fished before but haven't for a long while, last year was the first time I've been fishing in almost 10 years. I've definitely gotten into bass fishing this year (IMO much more fun than trout fishing). My question is this...is there a real difference in quality of bait nowadays? In other words, do you have to spend top dollar on bait for best results or will the "Wal-Mart" baits like Strike King, Boo-Yah, Rebel, Arbogast etc. work just as well? I have some success with the less expensive bait but wonder if I'd have more success with a more expensive bait or if it's mostly a marketing ploy and for the amount of money involved you can catch just about as many fish with the economy baits as with the premium?

Nowadays there are soooo many different lures with so many different colors, hook sets, action etc., etc. I decided to go "old school" if you'll call it that and bought a natural frog color Jitterbug the other day. My wife complained a little because it seems like I'm always spending money on lures but I'll tell you what, I'm glad I did. On my second cast I decided to go into the lily pads with it and WHAM a nice 16.5" 2.5lb. bass it it like a ton of bricks. My wife was impressed so I let her use it and she caught one too but not quite as big at about 14.5" and maybe 1.5 - 2lbs. I know Jitterbugs aren't anything fancy and have been around for years but I guess there's a reason they're still around...they seem to work .

I just saw these being used on a video the other day...do these really work? What setups do you use (single or double blade, 1 hook or 2)? This guy use a double blade with 2 hooks and on the top hook he added a soft bait horny toad. They come in a bunch of different colors, some bright and some dark...which work best? What would work on my pole (up to 5/8 oz.)?

Care to provide examples?

What do you guys think of Cabela's Tourney Trail or Pro Guide rods for a beginner baitcaster? I'm thinking the 7ft. heavy rod with fast action. Right now the Pro Guide is like $49.99 and the Tourney Trail is on sale for $32.

I will never spend that amount of money on a single bait! Not when you can catch fish on much cheaper bait as well. I actually checked out those Cabela's real image fork tails and they look very nice and seem to be reasonably priced at $6.99 each...maybe that's the way to go for now, I can't see spending the same amount on the Huddleston if it's only good for a few uses before the bass chew it up so bad it needs replacing.

I'm using an Abu Garcia Vengeance 7ft. medium fast action rod so I can't get much bigger than those Huddleston 4 1/4" shads...my pole says up to 5/8 oz which is what those shads are. I also can't afford to replace them if they only last for 1 or 2 fish...YIKES!!!

I might be able to return my 6'6" Ugly Stik medium spinning rod to Cabelas and exchange it for a 7 ft. medium-heavy casting rod...would that be wise or are Ugly Stik's not really made for baitcasting?

I also notice that a lot (if not all) people using a baitcast reel hold their poles reel side up instead of having the reel under the pole like with a spinning reel...is this personal preference too or is there a legit reason for doing it this way?

Thanks but I personally like the ones that actually look like a fish...maybe it's beginners naivete...lol.

What's the best inexpensive (less than $10) swimbait? I'm thinking of the Huddleston 4 1/4' Shad swimbaits (opne with green on top and one with blue) as they are only about $7 each but there must be others in that range too that work good too. I checked the Castaic but they seem to all be over $10 for a decent sized one.

Okay, I am new to baitcast reels but would like the wife to get me one for Christmas so i can try it out next season. It doesn't appear that you can switch the handle from left to right like you can on a spinning reel...is this a correct observation? If so I am right handed but when I fish I hold my pole with my right hand and reel with my left...does this mean I should get a LH baitcast reel? I'm sure this is a "stupid" question but hey, you don't know until you ask .

Nope, no Academy sports near me. What about one of the above reels on a Abu Garcia Venegeance 7ft. medium heavy rod? I have this in a straight medium with a spinning reel and it seems like a good rod...not against another type/brand rod I just have firsthand experience with this and my Ugly Stik.

Keep in mind Deep...I'm a beginner here...don't need fancy expensive reel...need something beginner friendly that will be reliable and last me for the next couple of years or so until I am experienced enough to upgrade. While I'm sure a Citca is a very nice reel is it a good beginner reel?

How about a Shimano Caenan 100, saw a review that said they are very easy to cast...anybody have experience with them?

Looks like he has some decent stuff Bill but I don't really know what I should be looking for and that was really the purpose of this post.

I want something that performs well and is reliable...not going to enter any tournaments any time soon. I've seen the Abu Garcia Pro Max rod & reel combo at Dick's for $99.00...is that any good or should I look elsewhere? I don't really want to buy a throwaway rod/reel but again, needs to be easy to cast with as little chance for birds nests as possible but good casting distance and smooth retrieve.

Okay, I'm sure this has been posted like a thousand times already but I'm new to this forum so please don't bust my chops too bad . I'm definitely on a budget with a wife, 4-1/2 year old son and a house that seems to always need something done to it. This is my 1st year bass fishing and I really love it! It's so much more exciting than trout fishing IMO. We've been strictly shore/bank fishing but do have a rubber boat large enough for 3 adults that we may have time to put in the water this year (hopefully). I'm currently using an Abu Garcia Vengeance 7ft. medium rod with a Shimano Syncopate 2500FG spinning reel and 10lb. Berkley Vanish flourocarbon line. This seems to work well for me but I'd like to get into baitcasting too and was wondering what is the best baitcast rod/reel combo (or maybe a rod and reel purchased separately that combine to add up to my budget) for $100 or less? I don't want something too fancy as I'm a beginner in every sense as I've never used a baitcast reel before...I just need something that is extremely easy to cast and is durable enough to last me 2 or 3 years until I get more experience under my belt and want to upgrade (I don't want something that is more advanced than I need and I'll end up with a bunch of birds nests...even if it's a great deal, I don't want it to ruin my outlook on baitcasters). This setup will be strictly for freshwater as I live way up in Vermont .