LionHeart

Would have been a pretty big Bird. Lucky it wasn't still around.

Every time I spool a reel I do it the same way. Tie the tag end to something in my driveway, then take a walk with the spool. Once I reach the end of my driveway I take the spool and wrap it around something so it won't keep unwinding. I then walk back to the starting point, tie to my spool, and walk to the end of my driveway while I reel up the line. I have a pretty long driveway, but this can be done in a parking lot(done that too). Not the most convenient, but gives a good spool for sure.

Texas Rig. You can use an insane amount of baits rigged this way. Killed em' today using worms, lizards, and baby brush hogs fishing around heavy cover for hours. Only got hung up once. I've found with jigs I seem to get hung up quite a bit more often.

If you fish every day buy a decent reel. Not trying to be smug, but you should shoot for a Diawa Tatula or Lews Tournament MB. Those are $ 100 reels and a good place to start.

Juice, if you mean pitching, a quite entry is all about keeping your lure low and close to the water. Its flight path should be mostly parallel with the surface of the water and that has everything to do with when you release. It is all about the release. It just takes practice.

I think one of the worst traps I fell into last season was to latch onto only a few techniques and baits that I enjoyed or otherwise thought was cool for some reason. I have made great progress this year by learning to use techniques I thought I'd never try. I own two spinning setups which I hardly ever take, but truth is it would make me more effective to use them. I will still use casting gear whenever it is even only slightly possible. I may not enjoy the act of using spinning gear, but I sure do enjoy the act of catching fish.

If it's silly and it works, I guess it ain't silly. For the life of me I don't understand why it works, I just know it works.

Currently a Texas rigged jelly worm or lizard. In my limited experience, Texas rigging soft plastic has been the most consistent fish catching method. I really enjoy chatter baits and square bills, but just don't produce the same. I have been trying wacky rigged weightless senkos for the past 2 trips. I feel like a total goof ball using a weightless stick bait and a hook that looks like it's used for bream, but it is actually a good fish catcher.

You mean pitching? Or actually flipping?

Cracks me up when people say hook sets are free. Many of them have cost me around 4 or 5 bucks.

Most spools have holes punched in them. Just tie a few granny knots around one and you're in business.

Thinking of replacing a Cabelas ZX Swim jig rod with a Bucoo SR 'Trap Caster.' The intent would be for an all purpose mainly 3/8 spinner baits, chatter baits, poppers, and 3/8 oz crankbaits. Really like the ZX a lot, but itching to try a Bucko SR. If anyone has experience with both, is it worth swapping rods or are they pretty comparable? Not looking to jack the thread but didn't think I should start a new one just to ask.

To me, a MH should toss 1/4 fairly well and start to feel strained at just over an ounce. I am starting to balk at rod power ratings, lure ratings as well for that matter. Will not buy a rod without handling it and deciding for myself what it feels like.

Up hill in the snow both ways?... Had to man.

Hold on Frank, I'll help you. Guys we gotta help Frank...... Frank?

Not sure what kind of reel you are using but here is my best advice. Cheap reels will lead to a very, very miserable learning experience for baitcaster. Never completely take your thumb off the spool, this will take practice and a lot of focus. Don't go for distance. Until you learn to fine tune your thumb, focus on easy controlled casts, I find side arm to be the easiest. Lastly, don't start off with light lures or spinner baits, start with a weight, a jig, or a Texas rig 3/8ish ounce weight.

This thread has me depressed already.

50 lb. Power Pro to Andes 20 lb mono leader, FG knot, next question.

I find it odd that you had thus experience. I have returned numerous rods to Cabelas. Some, for no other reason than I didn't like the way they fished. Never had a bit of trouble. Matter of fact, the staff at my Cabelas bend over backward to give good customer service. Never doing business with any company because of a single bad experience may be a tad premature, unless of course that experience was with the owner.

This. Use a lure you can literally throw into the weeds of the shore line. I've been using Texas rig for this with mild success.

88 here at Ray Roberts. In August it'll be just below a steady boil.

Of course there are many variables but I've found that some lines hold a leader knot better than others. In my limited experience, mono seems to hold better than flouro.

I'm a weekend angler with a wife and 2 young daughters so mornings work better for my schedule. I'm not crazy about getting up at 4 in the morning after working all week but I enjoy eating supper with the family and putting my girls to bed so fishing in the evening is a rare event for me.

If you're not able to hydrate, don't risk. I have seen many people go down because of heat injury and It's never pretty. Don't risk it man. Sharpen your hooks, rearrange tackle, clean reels, but don't put yourself in a heat wave if you can't hydrate.

Should be fairly difficult to damage a fishing rod by setting a hook.