Lard_Bass

If a rod says it can handle up to a 1/2 oz lure size, what are the ramifications if you put on a slightly heavier weight (let's say 5/8 or 3/5)? I have never really fished a rod beyond its recommended lure sizes but was curious to the pitfalls of doing it.

Confusing, which is it clockwise or counterclockwise?

But with a side of ranch, it won't be so bad ;D Seriously, what is the basis for your opinion. I read in several places favorable reviews about Quantum Hot Sauce Reel Oil. http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=44520&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

Here you go..Reel Service SuppliesIs Quantum Hot Sauce just as good or better?

Reel Mech, Thanks for the heads up. I did not receive any oil with my Shimano Reel. I will try to look for a place to buy them. I also have a Daiwa spinning reel which does not have any recommendation for maintenance. I was just going to copy Shimano's method onto the Daiwa. I will definitely send the reels in for a pro to tune up. Thanks again.

Okay, I am dealing with some conflicting advice. I am cleaning my Shimano spinning reels according to Shimano's website: http://fish.shimano.com/publish/content/fish/sac/us/en/customer_service/reel_maintenance_instractions.-MainContent-0007-DownloadFile.tmp/Maintenance%20Tips-%20Spinning%20Reels%20(1%20page).pdf.pdf So, I am using Abu Garcia Silicote Reel Oil. However, I also read somewhere to use Lube. Which do I use? I am confused now.

Deal update. Gander Mountain: $1.99 Powerbaits, .99 Strike King 3x Plastics, $1.99 Mann's Minus 4 & Minus 8 Cranks. There was a bunch of other stuff like spinners and strike king spinnerbaits ($3) on sale too. Dick's: 20% of Rapala baits (excluding Minnow Rap), Daiwa Hardbaits (2 for $7), $50 breathable waders, Fireline $8 Shut out if you see any deals in the area.

I saw in the latest BassMaster that someone suggested putting their crankbaits in the dishwasher. I was curious to see who does that on the forum. Also, do you use soap? The article didn't mention. Also, any tips on getting those spinnerbait or jig skirts looking white again? I have been using MegaStrike and I think it stains it a little.

According to Rapala, it's good for walleye, pike, perch, bass, trout. http://www.rapala.com/products/luresdetail.cfm?modelName=minnow_rap&freshorsalt=Fresh Supposedly, it's a cross between a shad rap and the original floater.

I was feeding the bait monkey the other day when I met another lost soul shopping in the crankbait aisle (Rapalas were 20% off). He is standing there with bags and bags of soft plastics cradled like a baby in his arms. I am staring at some Rattlin Rapalas and the lost soul comes over and mentions that one must get the new minnow rap (the only lure excluded from the sale). He says that the wobble makes it a killer lure. I see him pick up several minnow raps. The bait monkey finishes his work with one and plants seeds with another in one swoop. ;D Anyone have experience with this lure?

Anyone wet a line this weekend? I did a little shore fishing with the kids at Peters Lake Park. No luck. In the next couple of weeks, if I have more free time, I am going to check out some of HPBB's lake recs. One question, are there any lakes that have a good family area for my kids to play at? Lake Arthur is nice because there is so many trails and things to do. My kids give up fishing too fast. :'(

I saw on Lindner's show "Angling Edge" about a website that gave fishermen weather maps, barometric pressure tracking, and radar loops. I believe that website is no longer functional but it does not load up when I try to go there. I already have weather.com on my pda but it does not have barometric tracking. Does anyone know of website that tracks barometric pressure daily and plots it out on a nice graph?

HPBB, Thanks for the lake recs. I have been to High Point. I like the lake a lot because, at least when I have been there, it doesn't seem to have a lot of fishing pressure. I caught some walleye there. My only issue is that I can't find a topo map of the lake.

Which lakes are better? I am a big fan of Cross Creek (given proximity). I am going to try Glade Mills based on your recommendation for canoe fishing.

Avid, Thanks for the clarification. The catfish / flounder analogy helped me. I also didn't realize that there were artificial only tournaments. I have been watching big fish madness on Versus TV network and most of the tournaments are bait (live or dead). A co-worker was pointing out that the bait monkey is not as pervasive in saltwater. I then reminded him that bigger rods and reels mean more $$$. Plus, you need a nice big boat to go after the big fish!

Just out of curiousity, why do saltwater tournaments permit live bait fishing while freshwater do not? Also, it seems that most saltwater fish are caught with bait. Are lures not that effective on saltwater fish? I have never gone for big game fish on saltwater but have jigged for Bluefish and weakfish. I have also used bait for Fluke / Flounder. A couple of people I work with asked that question to which I was curious too.

Looks like we got a warm front coming in! 66 on Thursday and 70 by Friday. HPBB, thanks for the lake recommendation for a canoe. I will check it out sometime this year. Another thanks for the tube idea. I have been rigging Gitzits this way. I might have to pick up some heavier jig heads for deeper water. What do you recommend (1/4 oz)? Any of you guys trying for trout or are you just going for bass? BTW, check out Dick's. The PFBC book has a $10 off $50 coupon and a lot of their lures are on sale this week. Rapalas are 20% off. I was able to pick up a Minn Kota portable battery charger for $50 (price matched because Gander has it on sale). I used the coupon for another $10 off and there's a $15 mail in rebate. At the end of the day, the charger ran me only $25. NHBass, how much HP do you have on your boat? A lot of lakes are 9.9HP or less.

I assume you jumped on the same deal that I did at Gander Mt. Just an FYI, the Mann's Minus cranks on clearance were either -4 or -8. Even if they didn't have a number, the salesperson told me that they were Mann's Cranks that came in bulk quantity and they we either -4 or -8. He showed me a -1 and the lips were much smaller than those on clearance. What colors do people like on the Minus-1? I was thinking of getting a shiner (green back / white belly) and a crawfish color.

I went through the PFBC handbook and saw that lakes / streams can be listed under both Approved Trout Waters (no fishing from now until opening day) and Early Season (fishing permitted until March 31 but closed from April 1 to 14). If it is listed under Early Season, the lake is open for fishing with size and creel limits. I also typically fish from the bank but got a canoe last fall. I am itching to get out there and fish. What baits did you guys have success in this area with? I am going to try a lot of jigs and spinnerbaits this year.

I also read that what Blue Eyed said. Here's a quick reference that I have read before: http://www.quickoneplus.com/fish/articles/page.asp?page=barometric I first heard of barometric pressure from a park ranger. He said that if the sky is clear, it usually is a high pressure day. Fishing is a lot tougher / lousy. Before a cold front comes in (falling pressure), fishing is great because the fish will feed fast before hibernating. A couple days after a cold front (rising pressure), the fish are active again.

Anyone have some experience with Hodgman? Their LakeStream Lites are on sale for $49.99.

I went to Cabelas today for their spring sale and wasn't really impressed. Their best deal was on some Cabelas knock-off Rat-L-Traps I thought (buy one get one free at $1.99). When I got to the register, they said it was a misprint and the knockoffs were only 50% off. So, each was a $1.99. > The best deal I got was a new fly fishing rod. I got a discontinued St. Croix Premier 4 piece (9 ft 6 wt) at only $55 (original $110). I paired it with a Cabelas Prestige reel that was on sale from $49.99 to $29.99. There was also a cooler full of GYCB baits (grubs, hula grubs, some craws) but really bright colors (bright red, chartreuse, orange) for $2.99.

Well, here's my first report. I went to Peters Lake and found ICE! Argh!!! The whole lake was still frozen over. As I was staring at the lake, someone walked by and told me that Canonsburg was completely thawed (suprising since it's only a .5 mile away but has a lot less shade too). I ventured over to Canonsburg lake and saw a lot of people fishing. I am not a big fan of this lake but decided to spend the time talking to a couple of guys. They were catching trout which surprised me because I thought trout fishing didn't start until April 14th. Also, I thought any trout protected lakes were off limits to fishing. Any PA residents can clarify this for me? I believe the extended season for bass is Catch and Release right now (which is all I do anyways).

One tip that I read that has helped my hookset is to lower the rod tip slightly when you feel that initial tug. Let the fish suck that worm in and then set the hook with a straight up jerk. I use 2/0 and had no issues with the hook being too small. Remember that going bigger on hooks will affect the fall of the worm slightly. I am going to use more lightwire hooks this year to give it a more natural / slower fall. Additionally, definitely make sure your drag is set right. The easiest tip I got from this forum is to fill a plastic bag of groceries set at 25% of your line rating. So, a 16oz (1 lb) can of soup for 4 lb test would do. Lift the bag slightly off the ground and the drag should start releasing line slowly. When I learned this tip, it helped me tremendously. Hope this helps.

I was hoping to start a thread focused on SW PA (Pittsburgh surrounding area). I visit some other forums but most of them are not too active for this region and not devoted mainly to bass fishing. I was hoping people could post recaps of their outings, where they went, and any tips they would like to share for that specific spot. I live in the South Hills and will be hitting lakes such as Canonsburg, Cross Creek, Peters Lake / Dam #2, Dunlap, and High Point. I will make some trips to Lake Arthur and then hope to try some new lakes (I am relatively new to the area and will continue to explore). Also, if anyone spots any tackle deals, please share them. I have been hitting the Wally Worlds and buiying up Strike King 3x, FLW, and Waveworm soft plastics (.50 to 1.00 per bag). Gander Mt. had some nice Spro crankbaits for $1.99 and stone jigs $1.50. I will be heading out to Cabelas this weekend to check out their Spring sale. I will post a follow up if anything looks decent.