kiteman

when i was a kid a friend from out of town came and visited and we went fishing in a local pond. we were probably 12-13. he had never fished before and i remember he hooked up to a little bream, and instead of reeling in the line/fish, he just turned away from the lake and sprinted while holding the fishing pole until the fish came out of the lake. i just remember thinking "where's he going??" i guess there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Same. Recently two guys my age saw me catch a bass and thought it was 6lbs, when it was in fact only 2.5lbs. I think a lot of people aren't doing it to overly brag, but they probably just don't know. When you see a 20" fish out of the water with a mouth that can hold your fist in it, you're probably comparing it in your head to a 10lb dumbbell's size and so it really isn't that extraordinary to assume it's probably about 10lbs. It definitely requires measuring some on your own until you can spot weigh them with any accuracy. My personal best was 22.5" long, back before I had a scale. I don't doubt it was between 5-6lbs.

Thanks guys! I caught one in the 2.5-3 range yesterday but held off on weighing until I made sure I read your advice first! Next time! Maybe it will be bigger than I expected. Though it's usually the opposite haha.

now that there is so simple and smart, that i feel dumb for not thinking of it i assume that's not going to hurt their slime cover?

I've got this thing: https://www.amazon.com/TyhoTech-Portable-Electronic-Measuring-Included/dp/B07176GDPY/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?s=hunting-fishing&ie=UTF8&qid=1512408402&sr=***-spons&keywords=fish+scale&psc=1 I used to weigh fish all the time, then I only weighed them if I thought they were over 3lbs since I got pretty good at eyeing a fish's weight under that threshold. I haven't actually weighed one in a while even though I'm certain I've caught a few over 3lb, and that's because I wasn't sure if this scale was safe for the fish. Basically i just use that hook and put it underneath it's lip BEFORE the first gill. I put it nearly center of it's lip (obviously can't go completely center since there is flesh there). But I make sure not to put it behind a gill. Still, I'm not sure the pressure on that part of the jaw is detrimental to the fish, so I just haven't done it in a while. Do you think that will hurt a fish? If so then I don't mind buying the kind of scale that hooks on the mouth like you would hold a bass with your thumb and fingers. This scale just happens to fit nicely in my portable tackle box, so I'd like to keep using it if it's not going to hurt the fish.

Thanks guys. One of the reasons I've used the snap is I am terrible with a jig. I never catch anything! But yesterday I started flipping it right on the edge of the the weeds, that's how I "caught" this one and the other 3lb. I had another hit it hard as well but not enough to snag. Of course flipping with a spinning rod from the bank looks rather ridiculous, I basically lob the lure up in the air and try to land it right where the weeds end. I had been just casting out and trying a myriad of reeling in techniques with little success. In fact the 3lb I caught earlier in the day I had reeled the jig past him many times, some worms and a crank and couldn't get him to bite. But the lob jig flip thing worked lol. I probably look like a dang fool out there though, haha. Needless to say I usually use snaps with jigs because I cast them a dozen times with no luck and move on. I'm starting to become a believer though. I'm actually pretty good with tying knots, I just typically don't have issues with snaps.

I understand. But I only get about an hour every month to fish from a large pond from the bank. Snaps are the way to go for me with such a short window of time and big body if water without a boat, and they haven't failed me except for twice. Nonetheless if anyone has further input on my initial questions, to ease my mind about this fish I hooked!

Sounds like it may live, though not many people fish out there so I'm not sure if it has a good chance of shaking it naturally? This is what I've been using for the last 4-5 years. I've caught as big as a 6lb LMB, and only twice including today have they become unsnapped and bent until I lost the lure over that same period of time. And it's possible it's my fault for leaving those two snaps on for too long. Any thoughts on these? If not then I'm not sure what ideal snaps are... 250PCS/BOX Size 0 1 2 3 4 Stainless Steel Duo-lock Snaps Assortement Fishing Lure/Hook Connector Black Nickel Color (150Pcs/Box Size 0 1 2 3 4) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073F8VWMF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gLMcAbMEJXZF6

1. I use snaps and my snap must have come undone and bent when a bass hit my jig with a small craw trailer. It hit it hard in the weeds, I saw part of the belly and it looked decent size, but it was dark and pulling weeds also makes a fish seem bigger than it really is. I can't imagine anything over 2-3lbs. Also based on how quickly I set the hook, I bet it is stuck in the jaw and not in the gills or anything. How likely is it that a bass can survive with a jig in it's lip? 2. I caught a 3lb earlier in the day, again lots of forage in front of the bank so usually instead of trying to throw a fish clear of the vegetation, I try to find a clear area to release. Well, this stupid fish turned around and swam back towards me then high tailed it into the weeds. I saw a bunch of ripples close to the shore and then it stopped. But as thick as that stuff is, can a fish get stuck? I poked around and nothing was there, so I'm assuming it got lose. I don't mind throwing the little ones out beyond the vegetation, but I figure it's best to be gentle with the larger ones. Thanks for the help.

yeah i was going to say peacock are probably the most enjoyable to try and catch out there, and i've seen topwater rapalas, cranks and jerks are pretty commonly used. my wife and i are going out there for vacation/look at homes later this year. never lived in florida but our jobs may take us there. how do you like it? what's the general age group? sounds exciting from an outdoor perspective...fresh/salt water fishing, beach, golf, etc. actually we'll see how your thread goes. i came here to post a similar idea, we were thinking of renting paddleboards for going through the canals. i was considering taking my little emmrod and see if i could catch any fish while doing it. i don't know the canals well enough though, maybe where you rent these things is too populated with tourists to expect much action. maybe someone will chime in and answer both our questions.

today is a record high, it's about 92. as early as tuesday the high was 51, and going back the past week it's been between 35 and 92. so, i'm thinking about fishing today, but not really sure what to expect from the bass regarding behavior and eating patterns. it's like a summer day today so one would think worms and soft plastics...but earlier this week it was truly fall and frogs were working. i'm confused about the weather as a human so i have to assume the fish are probably in a little shock as well and have unpredictable dinner plans. also don't know if they'll be shallow or deep. thoughts? what lures might you recommend in these conditions?

This is what I notice too, i kink the line when i pull it too tight. not sure if that's a problem, but i have noticed it.

i'm going with some friends at the end of october. we have too many people for a guide (guide's can only have 2-3 people max on their boats) so are renting a larger boat at a nearby rental. not sure if some people who fish out there frequently this time of year can provide good tips on lure choices, as it would be nice to stock up before we go since we will only be fishing for a day. i'd obviously love to know areas to go to where we might have more success, but i know some people don't like giving up their spots and stuff. but aside from hoping to catch big bass, we're also interested in doing some crappie and catfishishing as well. thanks for any help.

i'm trying to use 20# coply leader on a reeel that has 30lb braid. the rod has micro guides to the double uni knot catches a lot. i've tried alberto and FG and they always work the first fish or two and then after about 25 casts it just flies off into the lake. when i look at the braid it appears to have unwound itself through the knot itself. i go and look at directions and my knots look as good as the ones online, but when i cut my braid it appears to fray, and i think that fray undoes itself and wiggles itself slowly out of the knot. i don't know if i'm doing something wrong of it's not very good braid that shouldn't be fraying like that. the model is kastking braid, not the most expensive, but it's been strong as heck for years for me. any ideas?

the through the gill sometimes works. i'm sure some people are better than others, but i have big fingers and unless it's a big fish, i just don't have enough wiggle room with my fingers to pull it out many times.

seems like there are some varying opinions on if fish have been caught or just learned to go somewhere else in the pond, but i get it. also i think some people are not good at fishing, like they just throw worms because that's all they know. the biggest fish i've caught were because i saw a strike and went to another lure, just based on what i've learned on here and through google about how to fish. but i don't think a lot of people know that. so if the fish get conditioned even a little bit, combined with dumb anglers, i think it's totally plausible that some of the bigger ones are still out there, and just not as easily catchable any longer. this is my sincere hope though, as i want it to be harder to catch them, but i still want them to be there. if you catch 3 5-lbers every day you get bored of 5lbers. if you catch 1 every 6 months, it's pretty awesome.

15 braid is actually really really small. 30lb is much more reasonable, and easier to work with. unless you just happen to have 15 braid and nothing to do with it, i would recommend 30lb at least.

i'm with this guy. i don't like killing fish even though i love the way they taste. my pond is just too small to take many, so i try not to. but i gut hook them and i know if i don't pull the hook they will die. i've had many that die. but sometimes, especially the little ones who seem quite tough, may take a deep hook and 5-10minutes i remove the nasty hook and they still swim off and i don't see them floating 15 minutes later. usually the ones i return i see floating a big later. throw a topwater and take them home the biggest issue is bleeding. i think if you don't harm a fish on the hookset then it will probably be OK out of water for some time. but, for me, i throw them back or if they are over 3lbs, set them back in the water almost immediately. conceptually catching a fish has to be extremely tough on them. it might be the equivalent of you being chased only to have your nose and mouth taped up for 2 minutes before being let go. i'm sure it's no fun, so i try to be nice to the fish i choose to catch another day

I've fished this pond for 3-4 years now and I know traffic has accumulated the last year or two. It is a private pond per se, but the owners aren't super restrictive about who fishes there. They make a good effort to run off poaches, but there is no daily bag limit, it's just a small country lake too small for boats and lots of room for bank fishing. i recently went through a dry spell and could not catch a thing bigger than 1lb. this week i went to hard to access spots and caught my pb of 5-6lbs. are fish smart enough to get away or was this just dumb luck?

i'm relatively new to fishing, but i went 30lb braid to 20lb coply. i didn't realize the coply would be hard to wrap on a spinning reel, i was simply trying to match weight threshold of line. as for why i went with coply at all it was because i thought clearer line (leader) might make a better presentation and yield more fish. $12 experiment failed, not a big deal.

i tried the FG today, after a couple of practices i thought i had it pretty good and went out and fished with it. caught a 1lber or so, went a few more casts until the copoly went flying with my t-rig lure into the middle of the lake. i looked at the end of the braid and it appeared like it frayed through the FG. not really sure if i tied it wrong or just cut it wrong after the tie...

i am using kastking 30lb braid and p-line 20lb copolymer. thanks for the tips

So could I still use the 20lb copoly as a "leader?" When we are talking leaders, how long could I get away with? I think I'm going to have to learn the Alberto or FG, because the double uni with these two lines really limits the casting distance. Thanks for the responses.

i got some 20lb copolymer to put on my spinning reel. i backed it with 30lb braid and tried to tie a double uni knot to connect the two. i found that this line was really thick in this knot and caught on the guides of the rod a lot. also i probably put too much on, maybe 20 yards, and it did not cast far/well at all. it also didn't wrap back around the spool very well and tended to get tangled. ultimately i put this rod away and decided to fish with straight braid until i figured out exactly how to use it. i probably should have asked this question first but thought it would be just as easy and tying on and going at it, but clearly it wasn't for me. thanks for any tips. also separately i read that you should fish crankbaits in the fall with fluoro or something like it (in my case copolymer). at the end of my crankbaits is an extra ring. usually i use a snap connector on the end of my line to connect to that ring, but using copolymer would i not want to use the snap and tie directly to the crankbait? do i still use that extra ring on the lure itself, or should i remove that too? thanks.

The water I fish in is relatively clear so I can see how this might make sense. The pond in question used to produce bass on the braid I am currently using all the time. It's gotten more pressure in the last year or so and I've seen a drop off in activity. While I can't say (but hope this isn't the case) that the fish population is dwindling because people are taking a lot of fish, perhaps the fish have only gotten smarter about what they take, and that's why I'm considering trying the leader.