tstraub

Didn't get much fishing in today. I spent the better part of the day making plumbing repairs in the camper. I did get out for a little pan fishing. I picked up one small bass on a ned rig on the way out to the spot where we drop anchors. The bluegill and crappie were not biting but we did get 2 golden sinners to use as bait on our overnight rigs. Still searching for these big blue cats I've heard stories of. We've never caught anything but bullheads and turtles maybe tonight is our night (fingers crossed)

I love my H2O Xpress Mettles I throw frogs on one and 1/8 oz bettle spins, which probably weight close to 1/4 oz including the blade and plastic, on another. The mettle sells for about $60 and frequently goes on sale for less. The reels the other guys are suggesting might be better if you want to go to the top of your budget I have never used them.

I have a blackout and really like it. Never had a ghost in my hands so I can't say if one is better than the other just that the blackout is a great rod, probably my favorite rod of all that I own. The only thing I own that's close is a St Croix Legend that I got used last weekend or possiably my father in law's mojo bass that I've used a few times. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you go with a blackout. It sounds like you have a local shop where you can get a good look and feel for several different rods so I say go look at a bunch and see if one of them speaks to you.

I've never oiled the plastic brakes themselves I just make sure they are clean. Then I put a drop of oil on a q-tip and wipe it on the drum ring. Never had a problem doing it this way.

I have plenty of other reels to swap around. The noise in the deadbolt did go right away with a little oil. I was mostly using it just to see if I like it. It casts pretty good for a cheep reel but it seems to need a higher brake setting than my better reels. Casting distance dose not seem to be affected by the higher setting just like the magnetics are weaker and need to be set higher to get the same effect. It feels a lot like my silver max but has a higher great ratio. I might put my Energy PT reel on this rod but that reel is heavy and this rod isn't exactly light. I'll keep playing around with things until I find what I like best.

I contacted St Croix via email and they replied today. The one I got was made 1996-1997 and list price was $125 if it were to break the replacement would be an Avid Casting. The one my father-in-law kept was made between 1996-1998 and list price was $75 replacement model is Premier Casting. I guess he kept the wrong one LOL

It does it have seen it. My son tried dipping an elaztech lizard. The tail fell off in the jar. He tried to fish it without a tail and the rear legs came off on the first cast.

I have never had a goose take to but I did have a robin bite a plastic worm. I had been fishing a Texas rig from a Jon boat. I pulled the boat up on shore and left my rod in the boat with the tip extending out the back and the worm laying on the ground. A few hours later I happened to see my rod moving like a fish was taking a bottom bait. A went over closer to see what was going on and a robin had the worm in his mouth. Anyway he flew away before I could run over there and set the hook so it's just another story about the one that got away.

I have know idea why they would drain the first lake. As far as the second one goes, my guess is that all of the ponds at salamonie were connected to the main lake during the big flood. Anything that swims in the river could have found its way in or out. I would try it out for bass and throw a line out on bottom could be some monster cats or carp to fight. Tyler

General google searches about fishing kept turning up bassresource usually as the top link or at least in the top few. Then I started going straight here and skipping google all together. I lurked here as a guest for months before singing up and posting. I can't remember exactly why I finally took the bait and signed up, probably to enter one of the giveaways. Anyway now I'm hooked!

Yep, only had one. I really wanted to fish it more to get a feel for it but I found it very difficult to set that St Croix down. First impression are it's a good rod split grip micro guides a heck of a deal on clearance. But if I was going to spend retail price a would probably get another blackout over the KVD

The weekend fishing was good but the catching was poor. We managed about 6 or 7 bass over the weekend and a bunch of little bluegill crappie and golden shinners nothing great but it kept the kids busy. I did add to 3 rods to the mix. Didn't need any but found some deals I just could not pass on. I got a 7 for ugly sick spinning combo with a strike king spinner bait tied to it for $10. Also got a quantum KVD casting rod on clearance for $14 original price was $100 seems like a good rod I'm sure there are better $100 rods but you would be hard pressed to find a nicer $14 rod. And the prize jewel is a St Croix legend MH 6'6 casting rod for $10 with a penical deadbolt reel for an additional $8 I simply could not pass up on those deals.

I'm sure I'll have more eventually but at this point in my life I can't justify full retail price. I'll sure enjoy this one and my blackout in the meantime. I did manage to catch one this morning it wasn't a monster but still a solid keeper at 15 inches

The blank is black it has gold lettering and deep purple strips around the guides. The one he kept looks almost identical but does not say legend and it's a medium action. We did get to fish them for about an hour or so. I got skunked he got 2 in the boat. The reel sounds like it has a dry bearing so I'll give it a good cleaning and lube.

My father in law made out big time at a flea market this afternoon. He got 2 St Croix casting rods for $10 each and 4 baitcasting reels (2 bps tourney specials and 2 penical deadbolts) for $8 each. Anyway when he showed then to me he said I don't really want the MH rod I just could not pass up the deal and offered to sell it to me for what he paid. So for $18 I now own a St Croix legend series lc66mh with a deadbolt reel. I really don't know how high out low this rod is on the St Croix line but it feels great to me for the money

I just picked up a team KVD signature rod at Walmart on clearance for $14.22 it's 6'6 MH with micro guides and an EVA split grip handle. Modle number TKVDC666FW anybody have any experience with one of these rods?

I wish I had water like that near me. We have been catching lots fewer fish but better size. Mostly 16-18 inch fish but they don't come fast enough to keep the kids interested. I can't find those aggressive little ones. Their getting some 4-6 inch bass while targeting panfish so the population as a whole looks good just seems like we're missing a size range.

I got to the campground about 7pm last night and heard the should have been hear earlier story. My father in law caught 6 bass in about 20 minutes in the morning. Pattern was throwing a pumpkinseed worm into about 3 feet of water near the beach and working it down a drop off into about 12 feet of water. We tried the same thing in the evening and boated a few. Then again this morning. He got one and I got 1 my son got skunked. Attached is a picture of the big fish 17 1/4 inch. I beat him by 1/4 of an inch.

I'm right handed and all of my casting reels are right hand retrieve. I like to trow right and catch left most of the time. My confidence baits are soft plastics so I tend to make the hand switch while waiting for the bait to sink. If I'm throwing I buzz bait of something that requires an immediate retrieve I'm perfectly capable of a mid cast switch no issues there. I'm also comfortable casting with my left hand if overhanging branches or a crowed boat makes a right hand cast difficult. I mean I'm right hand dominant but my left is not completely useless. I've considered buying a left hand reel to try one out but never could justify the price of a good reel just to try. I'm sure some day I'll find a deal on a used or discount reel that is left handed and get one but right hand works well enough for me that I haven't looked real hard for one yet.

I keep an old Remington graphite 5'6 casting rod that I got for free when my father in law was cleaning out his barn. It fits well enough in the back of my Aztec for a 1 piece rod. It's decently light weight, loads well with most anything I try to cast and the price was right so I don't have to worry too much about it getting damaged or stolen. It's paired with an H2O xpress mettle baitcasting reel. Is nothing to fancy but plenty good enough to get the job done.

I'll keep at it and hopefully figure it out. But my favorite rod is my blackout and it always has a T-rig tied on so it's hard to set down that rod and go with lighter tackle. I'm just stubborn that way lol.

I've thrown 3 colors or ned rig. June bug, pb&j and green pumpkin/orange. Had a few bites but no hookups. The lake I'm on is only 22 acres and not a lot of places I can throw an exposed hook. I've probably been fishing it wrong. I try to drag it but end up in the weeds so I've been swimming it over the weeds is just not producing fish yet.

I'm still fishless on the ned rig I just keep coming up with weeds. I did get 2 in the boat this morning on a pumpkinseed power worm

Hello welcome to the forum