TedderX

1. Why are fly fishing rods so long? Like 9 foot and such. Especially in the east, where there are so many trees on rivers. 2. Fly fishing rods used to be made of cane. Are they as good as modern graphite and such? Better? Worse? 3. Why do fly fishing reels have a drag on them, if "typically" you pull a fish in by the line? 4. How important is floating fly line vs. sinking fly line?

Why did baitcaster rods used to be short (about 5 foot or so) and also inset into the handle?

What are wire leader and snells? What are they used for? When are they good to use? Are they necessary?

The Ambassadeur reel has gained and retained it's prestige throughout the years for it's quality and (I think) being affordable to the average fisherman. I read some stories now that question the new reels due to quality issues and multiple company changes, etc. Is there any kid of baitcast reel on the market today that is considered prestigious and timeless?

Is there anything "wrong" with just your standard monofilament companies that you see? Like are they considered poorer quality or anything? Talking Stren, Suffix, Trilene, etc. Can fish se the hi-vis and clear? Or should you go with the low-vis stuff? Does anyone make black monofilament?

I bought both. I'm using crawfish on the skirted ones and worms on the shakey heads. For some reason I can't visualize this description. Do you have a picture of what you're talking about?

I bought War Eagle Shakey Head, 3/8 oz and tried using them for the first time today. I tried texas rigging them like I do with my EWG hooks and realized it just simply doesn't work the same. What are other ways I can attach the worm? I'm using Zoom Original Trick Worm (Okeechobee craw).

Wanted to say thank you for all of the replies. Gives me a different insight and courage.

I know there are many variables but from what I gather and you can even had one rod for each specific fishing. However, I realistically can only afford (and only want) two types of set ups. GENERALLY it goes like this (correct?): Baitcaster is for "heavier" fishing. 15+ lbs line. Crank baits, swim baits, lipless crank baits, top water, frogs, swim jigs. Spinning real is for "finesse" fishing. 8-12 lbs line. worms, shakey heads, craw-type jigs, drop shot rigs, etc. What other "types" of fishing fits into these categories? where do jerk baits fall? where do chatterbaits fall? etc, etc.

I've been fishing for about three weeks solid. I've only caught four blue gill; no bass. I'm getting a little disheartened by it. For a bank fisherman, how often "should" you be catching fish? I know there are TONS of variables, but I feel I am giving it a decent effort and good go at it but seeing no results. Is it really that much of an advantage that a "consistent" bass fisherman needs a boat and radar/scanner thing to see fish and under water structures? You watch youtube and it seems they're picking fish out of the water every five minutes. I know that's not reality, but I feel I should be some better by now. For me, this has been a double whammy. Baitcasting rod is totally new to me (I'm getting decent at it). But also lure fishing is new to me as well. Before now, I fished occasionally only with worms/crickets on a bobber. I don't have any buddies to learn from. What more can I do?

I figure the rod pretty much takes care of itself unless you bust an eye off. Reel- How often should you take it apart and clean, oil, and grease it? Once a year? Once a week? I have an Abu Garcia Revo SX. Line- How often should you change your line? Is there a way to tell when it's time? I'm strictly using monofilament. Scenario I had: I fished three-four hours a day for about three weeks. After about a week of not fishing, I went today. I noticed the "top" layer of line on my spool was fairly dark in color (not your typical clear/see through). I assume this was the amount of line I had been using and was actually in the water. Until several casts, and it getting wet again, it had ALOT of memory in it. It also was somewhat stiffer. I had several backlashes because of this. Once decently wet, it seemed to perform normally again. Should I just cut this section of line off and use what's underneath? Or is it ok to use?

Thank you everyone for your help! I bought a bunch today. I'm still keeping an eye out for some of these I wasn't able to find (whopper popper, live target sunfish, jackal pompadour, a few others). "Unfortunately", I still have plenty of room in two of those plano boxes. Lol! I'm having a hard time fitting all the soft plastics in my tackle box, but I do think I want to leave them in the original packaging. Here is everything I got: -Strike King 1.5 (black/chartreuse (2), Neon Bluegill, Blue Gill, Chartreuse Sexy Sad, DB Craw, -Yum Crawbug (Green pumpkin, watermelon red flake) -Zoom Z Craw (black sapphire -Zoom Swimmin Super Fluke Jr (white ice) -Zoom Super Fluke (Midnite Chartreuse) -Zoom Ol Monster 10.5" (green pumpkin) -Zoom Ultravibe Speed Worm (red shad) -Zoom Original Trick Worm (Okeechobee craw) -Strike King Swimming Jig, 3/8 oz (white/silver sparkes, and a multicolor one) -Strike King Premier Pro-Model Jig, 1/2 oz (black/blue) -War Eagle Shakey Head, 3/8 oz (black and green pumpkin) -Eagle Claw Bobber Stops -Eagle Claw Wacky Worm Hooks, 2/0 -Cabelas Dropp Shot sinkers, 1/4 oz -Jitterbug (black) -Rat-l-trap 1/2 oz (kinda of a bloody shad/blue) -Original Dardevle 1/4 oz

Is there fishing line considered a quality line? Specifically I'm looking at their monofilament. Also, what is the purpose of their "EZ" series that they have in all the types of line?

The chatterbaits I've bought so far come with a two-tailed trailer. I guess it's a type of tube. Is that the best trailer to be using with it?

Alright, I'll try the original trick worm them. So far I've used them wacky rigged and texas rigged with those 1/2 oz worm weights.

What's wrong with the super salt plus finesse worms? Thanks everyone for your help! I'm taking time to look into all these. Any suggestions on swimbaits?

Keep in mind, I'm a bank fisherman and the depths I fish aren't what a person with a boat might fish. I likely won't be casting ~20 foot deep. I've been saving up my money and am ready to purchase a good selection of lures. I mostly fish dark/dirty water, fishing for large mouth and spotted bass. I've got two and half 3600 series boxes I can fill up. I'm looking for just generally "good" lures that will give me a good selection. Don't forget some good suggestions for plastic lures as well! In the other one and a half boxes so far I've got: 2- H2O Express Hollow Body Tiny Toads (black/yellow and limetreuse) 2- Strike King "Denny Brauer Structure Jig". 1/2 oz. (green pumpkin color and dark green w/ red) 2- ZMan Chatter Bait. 1/4 oz and 1/2 oz. (green pumpkin and white/chartreuse) 1- H2O Xpress Crankbait Model CRS, 2'-5' Depth (threadfin shad) 1- H2O Express Lipless Crank Bait Model LCR, 5/8 oz (summer shad) 1- Rat-L-Trap, 1/2 oz, 3 inch (golden/bronze color) 1 - Rebel Pop-R (silver with black back) 1- Heddon Zara Spook (baby bass) 1- Strike King "KVD Splash" (silver with black black) 1- Rapala Original Floating, F11, 4-6 foot depth (silver with black back) 1- Heddon Baby Torpedo (bullfrog) 1- H2O Xpress, Crank "M", 3-5 foot depth (southern bluegill) 2- H2O Xpress, "5/8 oz Rattlin T Lipess Crankbait" (male bluegill and summer shad) 1- H2O Xpress, Model S, 2-4 foot depth (Summer Shad) 1- Zoom "Super Salt Plus Finesse Black" worms, red Gamakatsu 2/0 offset shank worm hooks, 1/4 oz tungsten worm weights 1- H2O Xpress weedless spoon (1/2 oz I think, it's rather large) (silver) So let me know what you think I can fill up these other boxes with! Thanks a bunch!

I'm looking for general information on jigs. I've purchased two Strike King "Denny Brauer Structure Jig" (different colors) in 1/2 oz. What trailers do you attach to them? Do you even need to attach trailers? You fish them predominately on the bottom (except for swimming jigs), correct?

I stand corrected. I meant to say brook trout are the only ones native to Appalachia/eastern US. That is correct, isn't it?

I THOUGHT there were only three but now I've read something that says there are more. What are the other species? I know grayling exists, but it's not a species of trout, is it? Brook Trout (the only one native to America). Rainbow Trout Brown Trout What are the others?

Trying to get this straight in my head. NOT discussing rigs/ways to attach things; strictly lure types. I'll post a category and short description. Please fill me in on others as I learn more. Crankbait: Hard-bodied lure, designed like baitfish, with a plastic clear bill on the front to stimulate action. Jerkbait: Same as crankbait, but typically elongated and narrow, often floating lure Lipless crankbait: same as crankbait but with no front clear bill Flatfish: hard bodied, arched-shape lure with recessed bill Propeller bait: similar to jerkbait with no front clear bill, replaced with metal "propeller" in front, rear, or both. Swimbait: promotes action with multiple joints and/or soft plastic tail design. Often the most realistic lure. Spoons: concave metal with treble hook attached, skirted or not Poppers: Floating lure with concave mouth to give "pop" on water surface, skirted or not Frogs: weedless, floating, soft body lures Spinner bait/chatter bait/buzz bait: often skirted with a trailer attached. A visual or sound creating metal piece is attached separate from the lure Jig head: weighted hook, often with plastic trailer attached Soft plastics: molded lures designed to take on shapes of baitfish, worms, crawdads, etc. Used as trailers or with jig heads. Rooster tails: treble hook with skirt or tail, small spoon attached that spins.

I was just thinking along the lines of them melting inside the bag or something. It gets a tad bit warm in Georgia.

Keep in mind I'm a bank fisherman. I'm using an Abu Garcia Cardinal SX10 with 6 pound test monofilament. In this instance (but it happens with other light lures) I was using a Zoom Worm that is "Super Salt Plus" Finesse. It doesn't say on the package but they're less than six inches long. I texas rigged (no weight) to a Gomakatsu Offset Shank Worm EWG Size 2/0. My method is to cast, let is settle, twitch the rod two or three times, then reel in slack. My problem is, because there isn't much weight on the line, and there is no water resistance (from like a crank bait) when reeling in slack, my line spools VERY loosely on my spool. After no more than a second cast, sometimes even the first cast, it's so loose that I either get knots, or the line goes under the spool and between it and the gear housing, or won't cast properly. What can I do to resolve this issue? Is it a technique problem? A reel problem? My second problem I believe is related to the reel itself, so I wanted to ask. When I reel super slow, it makes a "clicking" noise. Is that normal? I never remember an open-face reel doing that as a kid. Also, after reeling awhile my handle loosens up. How do I fix that? Thanks for any help!

Wasn't having much luck, so I decided to cast my Heddon Baby Torpedo just for fun. I wasn't too impressed with the lure, seemed almost comical instead of realistic but wouldn't ya know it? Five or six times, I was getting bites! I finally saw one of the fish popping out of the water. I realized they were small, and may have been too small for the treble hooks on the Baby Torpedo. So, I put on a Strike King Bitsy Minnow, and I started reeling them in! I turned out to be correct, they needed a small hook. I caught four. One I lost while playing it. One was really small. Here are pictures of the other three! Measured about seven inches. I know the second one is a blue gill, but what are the first and third ones? The first one was kind of speckled color with black dots. The third one had a pretty light purple color to it: These weren't the fish I was after but I sure had a lot of fun!!

Good lord! You many need to visit "lures anonymous" lol!