Frank19

That's a great thread however I noticed most guys are using 14-20 test line. The guy on the Bass Pros show I was watching made a few good points about using 50 lb fluorocarbon line. He was saying that because fluorocarbon does not stretch like braid you can feel the bottom more accurately. He also said using a heavier main line will help you save your weight and swivel if it gets caught up because most likely you will just break your lighter leader line and only loose your hook and plastic. So do you think that this is a good setup to start with my first time C-rigging? Should I try something else instead? Is 50 lb fluorocarbon really too heavy?

I'm still new to bass fishing. I started last year with some simple techniques and this year I want to try some new things. One thing I would like to try is a Carolina rig. I was watching the Bass Pros on the VS channel and the guy was using a 50lb florocarbon line on a baitcaster with a one ounce weight, swivel and then a much lighter line for the leader. What do you guys think of this setup? Is it something I should try or should I set it up differently? Any suggestions?

I release everything I catch. I prefer the taste of pig over bass anytime...ummm BBQ

Wow. Anyone who doesn't thinking fishing is a sport should walk around that with you sometime. Talk about getting your exersize ;D

Thank you for summing up the basics for us newbies! I can't wait to try my first crankbait later today

Pretty interesting. I never even heard of that. How long are the fish usually stunned?

Season will be over here soon...I guess I'll spend the winter figuring out what kind of boat I want to pick up. I've been knocking around the idea of getting an aluminum Jon boat

I would try that somewhere else but this is a public park with a bunch of rules posted on a sign when you go in. I would probably get arrested if I just started hacking though the brush. I think most of you guys are right that I am going to either need to get some sort of boat to move around or try a different fishing hole.

Too funny ;D

The whole reservoir is very shallow. It's about 10' at its deepest point. In spots all over the lake there are big patches of lilly pads. On the shoreline there are a bunch of patches and then there is a ton of clear water and then more patches about 100' out. I usually cast out from the shore to the far lilly pads and then work either a worm or a spinnerbait back in towards the shore. If that totally wasn't working I would say I must be doing something totally wrong but that really isn't the case. Pretty much every time I go I am able to catch a bass within 15-20 minutes of getting there. Then after that the action just goes totally cold and I can't catch anything. Also, I don't know if it tells you anything but so far every bass I have caught has been right around the 1lb mark. They are nothing big. You might be able to get an idea of what I am talking about from this picture. It was taken last weekend. In the background you can see where I am fishing. The size fish I caught there is typical of what I normally get from that spot. You can see there is a lot of clear water. The only thing you can't see in the picture are the lilly pads. They are more to the left of the picture.

I think you guys are right. Most other fisherman that I see there have boats that they take to the other side of the lake. On that side there is no access to the lake from the shore. I guess the area where I am is just over fished.

It's actually a good size reservoir. I'd say its somewhere around 10-15 arces or more. The problem is that the only spot where you have access to the lake from the shore is a small park with about 300 ft of shoreline. Then within that 300 ft you only have 3 or 4 spots where you can fish and the rest of the places have too many close trees and such. Anyway, it's just discouraging when you catch something quick and then you stand there in the same spot and you don't catch anything even if you stand there for another 2 horus.

I don't have a boat so I fish from the shore at a local lake. Where I am there is not a lot of shoreline so I don't move around much. For some reason it seems like every time I go I catch a bass within 15-20 min and then I don't catch any more even if I stay there another hour or two. What could be causing this? Is it possible that after I catch the first one it scares all the bass away from that spot? I have caught them both on Senkos and spinnerbait but it just seems like every time after catching that first one right away I don't get another. :-/

I more feel like being right handed I want to have the rod in my right hand. I feel like my right hand has more feel for the rod and cranking with the left is not a problem. I think my next bait caster will be LH.

Will do...thanks. I think personally I might end up going with a LH baitcaster. I just don't think it is that practical to cast with your right hand and then have to switch hands to reel it back in.

Gotcha. Just wasn't sure how awkward it would be to reel with one hand when using the spinning rod and the other hand when using the baitcaster.

I just thought it was odd when I looked through the thread where people were posting pics of their rods and reels and I noticed a few people that had spinning reels that reeled in on the left and baitcasters that reeled in on the right. I was just wondering if it is all personal preference or is there some benefit to having it on either side.

I have always used a spinning reel that cranks with my left hand and I always cast with my right hand. I bought a cheep baitcaster last night so I can start to get the feel for it but for some reason all of the cheaper rod/reel combos that they had cranked on the right hand side. I am new to fishing so I can really get used to cranking on either side but I always cast with my right hand. Should I look around for a baitcasting setup that cranks with the left? Is there any benefit to either side or is it all whichever feels better?

I would imagine that Bass work a lot like deer. When a deer spots you in the distance it tends to become alert and move away from you a bit. After a few minutes it gets comfortable and starts eating again however it will keep a close eye on you if you get closer than say 200 ft. I'm not a hunter but I live in a wooded area with tons of deer and have experienced this many times. I think that a bass would react similarly by fleeing when you first arrive but then quickly calming down and going about it's business.

Never caught one but I have heard countless stories of kids letting their rod go when a fish bites. It would suck to be the fish that has to swim around dragging a kids rod and reel around ;D