SJS

Oh boy, were into rods now too, this is my idea of fun.

Thanks guys, I really appreciate the info. Actually, I know how to use baitcasting gear. I am an old greybeard and started out with it as a kid in the early 1960's and my last reel was an Ambassador 5000C. But, I got away from fishing for several years and when I started again the tackle had changed so much, and the prices had gone so high, I didn't have any sense of what gear was good stuff and what was not. I started fishing again using an old fly rod I had not given away, and then asked this same question about spinning and got spinning gear and now I am confident the ponds have fish and I want to use baitcasting. For me it is more fun, more effective and just all around better except for light lures. After reading these comments I am thinking I will raise my budget and go up to a Shimano Curado, but looking at them, I see several variations and can't tell from the description which version would be good for me. I also like the look of the Abu Garcia Max and Lew's Speed Spool that I see in the local sporting goods store. On the lure size, I agree my fish are not going to like large lures, but I believe I can cast a plastic bait, texas rig or carolina, and the smaller fish will go for them. The weight will be enough for casting and I have already caught small bass with them on my spinning gear. I love this stuff.

I am fishing several small ponds with fly rod and spinning gear from the bank. I have been catching panfish and 1 to 2 lb largemouth. There are probably a few large bass in them, but I haven't seen one yet. I would like to also use baitcasting gear just for the fun of it, but I am fishing from the bank, so it is pretty much just fan casting with no idea of the structure underwater. I want to spend as little as possible, but I do not want junk. Is there a baitcasting reel that is no more than $100 that is worth bothering with?

I ended up getting the Shimano Miravel 3000 reel, Star Starlite 7' medium light rod, and 6lb Trylene and it has been perfect. Great fun with bluegill and crappie and small bass. Haven't managed to hook up with any largemouth over a pound or so but it will be fine if I get lucky with a larger bass. I had forgotten how much fun it can be fishing small ponds, even for small fish with light gear. Thanks for info. r 2 lbs but it will be fine for larger bass if I get lucky.

Thanks guys, that helps.

I am going to buy a new rig for a new kind of fishing and don't know what to get. I have not fished for years, gave away all my gear, and now want to try out several small ponds near me. I went online and things have changed so much with gear I got overwhelmed with all the choices and new terminology. I don't want to buy more than one rig, I want spinning and I want to use mono. I will be fishing lures only and from the shore. Problem is there are largemouth and they are my preferred target, but mostly I suspect I will be catching sunfish. Two separate rigs are the answer, but I need to do it with one. If I get one light enough for the panfish it might not have enough backbone to set a hook on the bony mouth of a bass. One heavy enough to do that might not cast worth a darn with sunfish lures. I am looking at about $300 for my budget for rod and reel, and I greatly prefer Shimano reels. Any suggestions?

Went to the emergency room last month with a crankbait buried deep in my calf, fortunately I was fishing a pond less than a mile from the hospital, but I did have my sunglasses on. The nurses thought it was pretty funny actually.

Have you been to Lake Pinchot? When I lived up there they used to have canoes for rent and it used to hold good bass.

Wow, that is a ton of info. Thank you very much. I used to do a lot of fly fishing and it never occurred to me to use nymphing techniques. Heck, maybe I should even try a strike indicator. I am not having much success but I am enjoying the learning process. PS. I just noticed where you are from Kicker. I used to live 5 minutes from the Susquehanna and used to wade fish for smallmouth with streamers and nypmhs. I hope the smallmouth population has come back.

Thank you guys for all the helpful info.

Thanks, very helpful comments. Scott F, when using that technique with braid how long a leader are you using? WRB, I've watched that video and learned alot but I don't get what pegging the weight does?

I have read a number of threads and articles on river fishing for LMB and have not seen this specific question addressed. I am fishing a new river (actually it is called the "New River") near my home in SC and it is a tidal river with current most places at most times, and the current changes direction with the tides. I am fishing from a solo canoe, no trolling motor, just a paddle and it is fine with crankbaits, buzzbaits and spinnerbaits, but anything requiring finesse like a plastic worm or a jig is giving me trouble. I am always drifting with the current (and often the wind) and the water is moving and I can't seem to find a rig set up that gives me any feel for the lure. I have tried a heavy weight with a Texas or Carolina rig but if it is heavy enough to get some feel for the worm it seems to large and heavy for river bass. I have had no luck with a heavy rig and have no confidence a bait that big will work here. Maybe I just have to forget plastics and jigs for this river, or maybe just stick with heavy rigs, but I hope someone has some ideas on this. I would appreciate any tips anyone might have for how to deal with this.

Thanks, great stuff. Question: how do you know when the worm hits the bottom? Are you keeping a tight line as it falls?

Thank you Fry, I'll check it out.

I just bought an Old Town Guide 119 canoe to use as my bass boat. I took it out today for the first time on a small river near my house and it handles exactly as I had hoped for this kind of fishing. Only problem is it has a plastic molded seat with an adjustable back rest and the thing is not comfortable for me. I plan on replacing it with a traditional cane or web lattice bench type seat. Looking on line there are many choices and the price range is broad but I don't see big differences in the various brands. I would appreciate any advice from anyone who has replaced their canoe seat.

Army, 8 years active duty, 8 years reserves.

Thank you guys, this is great. I was wondering about those super expensive plugs, sounds like they are worth the money if you can afford them but I get annoyed losing a 5$ plug, losing one of those would ruin my day. Maybe I will try just one. It is neat to read that some of the old timers are still effective. I used to swear that bass were getting educated and now I read that there may be some scientific truth of that. It will be fun shopping for some of these you guys have mentioned. I will have something specific to look for as my eyes glaze over looking at hundreds and hundreds of plugs on the rack. Thank you.

New to the forum but I'm an old fisherman that first started bass fishing in the 50's with linen braided line, baitcasting rod made of split bamboo and a baitcasting reel without any brakes or other backlash control. I tried the search function and couldn't find anything on this but I suspect it is due to my lack of computer skill. I got away from largemouth fishing years ago when I moved to a location with much better smallmouth and trout fishing, and now I live in SC and do a lot of saltwater fishing. I want to go fishing for largemouth again and I am trying to build my tackle box. The number and variety of lures for sale are staggering. I have assumed that things have not changed so much that I could not make any decisions and I bought plastic worms, sinkers and hooks, spinnerbaits, buzzbaits and jigs. However, when it comes to plugs I need some help. I googled this stuff and read lots of articles, watched utubes and have read some of the beginner articles here but I don't feel I am getting focused enough on my search. It seems nobody even calls them plugs anymore, but I am talking about crankbaits (spoon bill, lipless, suspended, sinking, etc.) , jerkbaits, surface lures and poppers, and the like that used to be made out of wood, now are plastic, and generally look like baitfish. I am not asking which kind to use in general, but I am asking whether there is a general consensus as to certain specific brand names that are accepted as effective. In the old days that would have been lures like Hoola Popper, Jitterbug, Daredevil Spoon and Mepps Spinners. I know that there are established brands like Rapala, Strike King, Rebel, etc., but I don't know which specific plugs, if any, are generally considered must have plugs. Perhaps none, and there are several good choices of each kind but just knowing that would help. Any current plugs that would make your hall of fame?