68camaro

I have this problem also and very frustrating. Fishing can be very hit or miss. Plastics rarely work for me.

I put 50lb braid on my spool with no backing, and when casting braid is kinda noisy? Is this normal, did I spool too tight or something?

I just received the senkos and Fat Ika's in mail today so might be able to get out this weekend to try.

Wow, just the hike up would be worth it, the fish was a bonus.

I have three Curado's, one in each gear ratio. They are great especially once you learn to dial brakes in. I am trying to keep sticks to minimum as well. My next and possible last will be a 7' Dobyns Champion Extreme HP or Orochi xxx spinning finesse rod, or at least I think it will be last:)

Welcome, I just started bass fishing about 30 -45 days ago and like to stick with higher end gear also, although I live in VA I am from Albany originally and parents still have lake house just north of Albany just off Northway. I have a Basspro by me plus several very nice large outdoor stores with great selections of fishing gear. I have learned that even if these stores have the name brands I want they do not stock their higher end models. Higher end is relative, I am sure their is a lot more expensive gear out there than I am interested in. Ex. Just today I picked up a Dobyns Champion series jerkbait rod for $230. Only one of my stores carry Dobyns but they don't stock the Champion series so they had to order it in. I wanted to buy the Lews Team Lite LS reel ($239) but none of my local stores carry the Lews reels over $200 and needed up to 2 weeks to get it, so I had to order thru amazon and will get it by weeks end. I am lucky that I can feel alot of gear options that my stores stock to get an idea of what I like. I started with a middle of road St. croix with basspro shops baitcaster reel to see how'd I do. I have added 2 dobyns, 1 G. Loomis and three Curado's plus the Lewshigh for each. You can get crazy buying rods/reels, some have rods for each technique or type of bait. You can make it as easy or as complicated as you want. I was going to get a an Orochi xxx jerkbait rod but got the Dobyns instead because the Orochi doesn't come in length I wanted. I have three Curado reels and love them, the Lews I just ordered was mostly wanting to try something different.

I just got a 6'3" rod for jerk baits. Being a land locked shore fisherman, I like the shorter size for quick downward snaps and side snaps around a lot of shrubbery. I have to pick it up tomorrow so handed even handled it yet.

I love them, haven't been to one in years but always enjoyed the,

Clayton, I have never duck hunted but really want to try it. Have you ever upland bird hunting with bird dogs, way fun.

Flyfisher, I am in Chesterfield and for the last 5-6 days the two ponds I fish went almost dead. Yesterday I tied on a popper and finally had success as well as this am, hopefully I can get out later. Sounds like you had a nice day.

While fishing today I found a sandy creek channel running between weed beds, only 1-3 feet deep. I started with popper, threw up into channel and worked it back. The water was very clear in the channel and there were a bunch of shad, a lot of them, checking out my popper. After a while a decent sized bass followed the popper into middle of channel about 5' in front of me. For 5 minutes or so, I worked the popper around him to get him to bite but he would not. But what was interesting, the shad were swimming all around him and they were ignoring each other. I kept pitching lure out and reeling back in by bass, he clearly he was interested in it but would bite. Nor did he go after any of the shad that was there. I went and got a swim jig and when I came back bass was gone, whiling swimming jig shad were checking it out big time. Question, why would shad not be scared to have big bass inches or foot from them.. Did they sense bass wasn't hungry or something? Why did bass ignore them. By the way caught two pickerel no bass.

"What do you do all day".......don't ask how I know, it didn't end well!

JBW, very interesting, I would like to try this but how are you suppose to rig the bait, Texas rig, Wacky or other? I did not see in post best way to rig the plastics.

Welcome, like you I spent last decade or more focusing on trout in SE on UL trout gear. I recently purchased several bass/rods but have started to use UL trout rod/reel for finesse techniques.

Welcome to the board, I only started bass fishing in late September. The folks here on this site have been a huge help shortening the learning curve. With your background you are well ahead of me already so you should pick up quickly. There is a lot of info in the forums and on the site so I just started reading and then picking up some appropriate gear/lures and experimenting. Good luck.

http://www.keystonetractorworks.com/gallery2/ Keystone Tractor Museum is by me here in Richmond VA. If your ever driving down I-95 thru Richmond it is right off exit.

I am banker in large money center bank, been doing this for over 25 years now. I started out as forestry major in Adirondacks, not quite sure where I took the wrong turn:) However, I love what I do and money is very good. However, I stumbled into this and didn't start doing it for the money. Like Baitmonkey 1984 says, I do go stir crazy once in a while but I travel a lot so not to bad. I tell people "banking is what I do, it is not who I am". I am much more comfortable playing in the dirt. Over the years I have satisfied my love of outdoors by doing the following: Very active BSA leader in cub scouts and boy scouts - son obtained eagle. About 8 years member of Wildness Search and Rescue group, was board member for several years When kids younger heavily trout fished and tent camped. Our fondest memories were camping in miserable conditions. Major hobby for long long time was ultralight backpacking. Now that I am in 50's not doing this much anymore, but hope to do the AT when I retire. Also, certified instructor for Red Cross Wilderness First Aid course, it is 16 - 18 hour advanced first aid course that emphasizes what to do in a delayed help situation, with no first aid supplies and exposed to environmental conditions. Recently took up bass fishing, get out several times a week for 1 - 3 hrs each time. My point is even with a desk job and suit and tie I am still able to satisfy who I really am. My son is in college, I tell him one of his subjects/classes will sing to him and he will really follow that path and the rest will work out. I was a bit lucky as I found my passion for finance early and jumped into it 110% and its worked out well, but I never lost or let dwindle my love for outdoors. It helped my wife loves outdoors and came from a very active outdoor family as well.

I agree, I have Med. Heavy Fast Croix and it is pretty stout. Mine 6'6" Croix is my utility stick, when I only bring one pole and want to try different things I bring the St. Croix. I have specialty poles now but having a nice all-around utility pole that throws most everything and works all types of baits is nice. If you said I could only fish with one of my rods for from sun up to sun down, this is one I would pick.

Thanks all, Rod comes in by weekend so will check out these suggestions, but I am very comfortable with Curato so we'll see if a change is in the air! Anyone have thoughts on the Lews bb1?

Thanks for posting, as a parent of two many of these hit close to home, SOME TOO CLOSE TO HOME:)

I just ordered a Dobyns 634CB rod (6 foot 3 inch) for Jerk Baits and topwaters. I plan to mostly throw 1/4 to 1/2 oz lures on 8 lb flouro. I think this rod will be great for intended uses but I am concerned about casting distance on such a short rod, although I did not buy to throw "a country mile", I would like to maximize distance. I have 3 Shimano Curato's in each gear ratio and was planning to put a 6.3:1 Curato 200 reel on this new rod. However, instead of the Curato 200, is there a better choice reel that "should" allow me to cast farther with the 8lb flour and 1/4 - 1/2 oz baits? Budget, the Curato's are $179 but I am more than willing to stretch budget to help with longer casts. Will a different reel even matter on such a short rod? Thanks Chuck

I have had one for a couple weeks now, use it for frogs, jig/swimming jigs in heavy stuff, and punching. Absolutely love it. Have a curado 7.1:1 reel with 50lb braid.

I only got into bass fishing in last 30 - 45 days, I started with a few lures and added once I discovered what I could use and not, for me deep divers are a waste, actually anything below 6 feet get hooked up unless weedless. This "discovery" allowed me to focus on topwaters, cranks and Jerks that are rated to 6', no need to waste money deeper if I can't use them. I wanted to try shaky head technique but before buying lures I used an extra trout jig to give it a go, soon found out shaky head doesnt' work well with in my ponds due to algae and weeds, with very soft bottom. I bought a swimming jig and structure jig with Rage Chunk Trailer and discovered the swimming jig works great, so I bout a few more but still only have the original 1 or 2 vertical jigs I bought. When I go to store I usually only buy one to two baits i have researched and want to try. This allows me to learn different techniques, presentations and baits and how effective they are or not without throwing a lot of money at baits that do not work for me or my areas.

I'm kinda in your boat, excuse the pun, and I am looking at a Sea-Eagle frameless inflatable fishing raft. I used to have their infalatable mototmount raft and used the heck out of fishing small rivers and ponds/lakes. Seaeagle.com

Wow, thanks all for the great info on differences between "structure" and "cover", I had no idea, plus the hints to flippin/pitchiin. Drinks are on me at my house