frosty

My buddy and I were fishing from a boat when we were teenagers, he made a nice sidearm cast that went right across the back of my head! It bent the eyelet on the rod and laid the back of my head open.

I try to hit points on both sides if I can access them. I also always work the weed lines and lay downs. If there are places on the pond that are nearly inaccessible, try really hard to get to them. I've found that the bigger bass will stay on the sides of the ponds that have less pressure. If you're crawling through brush you're doing it right

Putting something natural and organic that came from the water back into the water is grounds for execution in CA!

For the guys recommending the Lews, what makes you recommend it over the Abu? Just curious as I've been thinking about picking up the pro max to replace an old quantum that was my dad's.

The cleanup crew in most bodies of water will make short work of fish guts. It won't just lay in there and rot.

I worked for a guy doing small construction jobs in high school and occasionally I'd cut a ceiling tile 5/8" short. After it happening several times in a day he started watching me cut them. We finally figured out one of the rivets in the end of the tape was catching the end of the tile. He promptly cut the end of the tape off and threw the whole thing in the trash

Oh wait... Your a moderator... I'll just shut up now

This is 20 pound test braid, with a palomer knot. I can't imagine you not being able to bend out a treble hook. 3/0 KGD Mustad worm hook.

Tackle warehouse used to sell o-rings that went on your trebles and connected to the lure, they would bend out and you'd lose the treble but not the lure. I don't know if they are still made, I watched a video about them on YouTube.

Oh they can see it, just listen for the faint thuds of fish heads against ice I bet a frog is a cake to walk on ice!

Newton lake huh... how's the shore access? Man I need a boat!

So we should just abuse something we are going to put back into the water? Who cares what the pros do? I don't, I fish as a hobby, and I have a certain respect for living things. Why be so rough with them, it's not going to prove anything to anybody.

If you don't mind, what kind of braid were you using? I've got power pro on a spinning reel, and I have no line twist issues or problems with wind knots. Are you letting the line hang slack? I try to keep mine semi taught, that way when the wind blows there's not enough line slack to let it twist up.

I was going to suggest a soft plastic swimbait as well.

This is good advice. As a guy with a young family that gets to fish a couple times a week, a high end rod isn't in the cards right now. I was looking at the berkley Lightning rods, thank you for good, unbiased information.

Take that tape measure with you when you get a replacement! This reminds me of an article I was reading about wood working, basically it says to use the same ruler for an entire project, so even if your ruler is off 1/8", your project will still be consistent. Seems these odd measurements aren't just for fishing if you want one that is dead on, buy a 24" starret ruler. They are expensive, but very, very accurate.

A guy I was fishing with took my bass (my pb) and picked it up, basically lipping it, while making a fist under its jaw and cranked her to a 45 degree angle really ticked me off, when the fish was in the water she had a hard time closing her mouth, like I told him, it's a shame she will die because he didn't have the courtesy to hold her correctly. Try to treat the fish gently, no point in harming them if your putting them back in.

I was on vacation last week, I got 3 full days of fishing in and the bite was really tough. I never got skunked all week, but man they made me work for it. As much as I hate to say it, I'm wondering if those lunar tables aren't at least partially accurate? The last time it said fishing would be best I tore them up, all this last week it was poor or fair and it was tough fishing all week.

Mine do this to, for no apparent reason. If you open the full size picture it's right side up.

Broke out the baitcaster yesterday. I haven't used it since I was 14, and even then I was NOT good with it. I could cast, but didn't have distance or accuracy. Well I think I got it down yesterday, slapped a frog on and started whipping it out there, making nice long, fairly accurate casts. My only issue is after many years of spinning gear use I have no rod control with my left hand. Walking the frog was more like stumbling the frog

I caught a small largemouth the other day that had large spikes on its upper lip, bigger than normal anyway. Maybe 1/8" long? Maybe it's young and the spikes on its lips haven't been worn down?

Congrats on the new setup. Looks like you guys will have a blast fishing together. Don't take it for granted, most of my favorite memories of my dad was when we were fishing together. It will be with him his whole life, and your relationship with him will be better because of it. As far as the reel, I'll second (or third?) the Pfleuger president. I have the limited edition and it's a very nice reel for the money. I would suggest the limited version if for nothing else it has 2016 inscribed on it so everytime your son uses it he will remember these moments fishing with dad. Boy it's getting dusty in here...

Man, that thing is obese! She was probably almost dead after that much excercise!

Usually the only one that ends up paying for anything is me trying to do a 3' vertical! I've never had a snake stick around long enough to do anything to, normally they are long gone by the time I realize they were there!

I don't even know what to say besides respect!