bagofdonuts

Keep on keeping on. I've been at for 45+ years. Fishing will give you a life time of good memories, clean fun and great friends. I'v gotten a lot more out of it than just the fish caught. In fact, the fish are probably pretty far down the list. As said above keep it simple while honing your skills. Learn how to crawl a jig through the heaviest cover without hanging up and it will make you better at all other techniques.

Seems the answer to the op's question "how do you retrieve a ned rig?" is ... you don't.

Check out Dirty jigs - Luke klausen compact flipping jig or the casting jig. Great all around jigs

you may be able to get a new drag washer for it and save the reel.

strip out what would be a very long cash, put a piece of electrical tap over the line, then reel in the line on top of the tape. you will only get a backlash down to the tape, which will come out very easily. then practice away. once you gain confidence you can remove the tape.

i lost one on okeechobee several years ago that i still loose sleep over.

I think you need to update your pb. That's a pig.

neko rig zoom trick worm

i use the bret ehler model buzzbait which is designed for this. casts much better without the skirt and plastics add weight and floatation. i actually like something like a zcraw or beaver style better than the toad.

fish the whole thing.

Actually weighing the fish greatly reduces their weight in my experience. Don't know how it has the opposite affect whenever I weigh myself.

Are you casting it using an overhand motion, like throwing a baseball? if so, try more of a roll cast (like turning a door knob). This will have the lure landing at a much flatter angle and not as much splash. I'd also work on it backhanded.

i like my falcon bucco 7', MH, mod fast. right at $100.

fishing line in the lake. just cost me $300 for lower unit seal replacement

Dirty Jigs - Luke Clauson compact pitchin jig is my favorite.

I’m suffering from a bad case of trolling motor hip pain right now. Standing on one leg all day hurts a lot more than it use to.

Not sure what studies your referring to. I’ve read several that show removing the hook on a deaply hooked fish nearly doubles the mortality rate. One I recall was on trout stated that leaving the hook decreased mortality rate from 79% to 47%. The fish has a better chance of expelling the hook itself. I’m not against keeping the fish, but if the question is how to prevent mortality, all the studies I’ve seen say leave the hook. If the fish is not legal size keeping it may get you a ticket.

i'd try to find a creek to wade and get away from the crowd to catch some smallies if it were me.

If its bad just cut the line and leave the hook in.

Anyone use a lithium ion battery. Just saw one at my boat mechanic's shop. Supposed to be able to recharge the thing 7,000 times, looked like a lawn mower battery and weighed nothing (maybe 5 or 6 lbs). Downside is they cost $700. but if it last 10x longer than regular battery it may be worth it. I'm a little concerned about fire hazard from seeing all the cell phone problems. Curious if anyone is using one and what they think about it.

Ebony and ivory

Whopper Plopper, but i catch them on a buzz bait. Seriously, anything with spinning tackle or finesse in the title makes me uncomfortable.

I find that i fish it better the faster i go. Rapid fire casting and trolling motor on high, covering lots of water. So with a buzz bait i'm always moving to the next spot. Works for me as i get into a better rhythm that way.

For me. I tend to use a worm (usually a zoom ole monster) when i'm offshore, making longer cast and dragging the worm. When I'm flipping and pitching a t-rig I tend to use beaver style baits or craws more often than a worm. Just easier for me to pitch a more compact bait.

The bottle will leak badly in your truck in the heat.