The Bassman

My catch rate seems to always go down when I've got someone with me. I thrive on solitude. That said, the few times I pair up is when someone is in from out of town. The fellowship trumps (can I say that?) the fishing.

I frequently cross paths with big hybrid bluegills in the ponds I fish. This one came on a Teeny Pop-R.

And I thought I was high tech cane polin' with a telescopic fiberglass pole years ago.

Nothing wiggles like well worn elaztech.

Welcome to these forums. Sounds to me like you're sitting on a gold mine. Telling us where you are will help. For one thing wind and low light would be a big help with your problem. A wacky rigged stick worm would be a good place to start. Lots to read up on and learn here. Enjoy

At 136 oz. maybe a carbon fiber handle to lighten it up?

When conditions are right I love throwing a wakebait such as a 1-Minus. I've also built enough confidence with jerkbaits that I reach for them a lot during late fall and winter. That said, other baits such as ned and Dark Sleeper pretty much always earn their keep. For whatever the reason I've trended away from worms lately.

Kinda glad the new member resurrected this thread. A lot of younger guys wouldn't know who I was talking about but when I was a kid I got Gadabout Gaddis's autograph. He was "The Flying Fisherman" (not for the lure but for his float plane).

Fond memories from my youth. I used to turn over rocks and catch craws one at a time as I waded creeks. July 20,1969 I was walking the front yard with a flashlight picking nightcrawlers when my mom called me in to watch Neil Armstrong step off the LEM.

Painter for 47 yrs., self employed the past 30. Gives me more time to fish.

Agree with all the above. Only problem right now is inventory but that seems to be the case with everyone.

You're in for a long wait. It's been pushed out a couple of months.

I've had cataract surgery in both eyes and can see as clear as when I was a teenager. Before the 1970's if you had cataracts (which eventually most do) you pretty much went blind. We're really blessed with what's available to us these days.

What convinced me that the stuff helps has nothing to do with fishing. My window blind cords would tend to bind up so I tried L&L on them. They stay slick for a long time. I use all braid on my reels and do notice some benefit. I would suppose that it diminishes during the course of several hours use.

We've got cats. lol

I'll try using that excuse when the UPS truck shows up with my new Zodias tomorrow.

What color were the ducks hitting?

The ratio of smaller bass to bigger that you mentioned is actually not too bad. Larger bass actually make up a very small percentage of total population in most bodies of water. A healthy pond produces bass of all sizes not just big ones. The ponds I fish produce very similarly with the occasional 4-5 lber.

Sounds like a perfect setup other than the leader being too light. BTW I hope you bought more than one. The tails get bitten off sooner or later. Most of my Sleeper fishing is done with a tail spinner hack that I do.

I use to take pics of most all of my bigger bass. Then I scrolled through my phone gallery and realized how redundant they were. Yes, I get a thrill when I catch a big one (over 4 for me) but I'm out there alone and truthfully have as much fun getting on a good bite with fish that are much smaller.

Just rake off the dead stuff then scratch up the soil so the seed has a place to root. Get a good bluegrass and tall fescue blend. Don't scatter it too thick. Lightly shake the dead stuff over the top of it to hold moisture and discourage birds. Keep it damp and stand back. You'll get a lot of weeds at first but don't spray them until you're able to mow a few times. You might have to hand weed until fall cause you don't want to use weed killer once the temp gets above 80 or so. Good luck.

I've found this to be the best solution too, even on rods with keepers. BTW welcome.

Mine are the orange ones. I was off on the price but I've had them for quite a while.

I use a four dollar pair from Wal-Mart's craft aisle. More precise than anything fishing specific that I've tried.

Shimano's rep Dan Thorburn, aka Bantam 1 concurs. He's a Shimano engineer and knows what he's talking about. I've used Shimano spinners for years and have had no issues with stock drag washers. It's not a big issue with bass fishing anyway. Just the occasional catfish or other rough fish that comes along.