PhishLI

Heading out soon for a 6 rod night wade. Hazedong Shad in green pumpkin/blue Shellcracker G2 in gill Baby Bull Shad in pearl bone V&M Wild Thang ribbontail 8.5 in black/blue glitter Project Z weedless chatter in black/blue. watermelon double tail grub Black buzz baits. double blade, single, and single with clacker.

We've been broiled for weeks here and the bassin's been tough. It seems that all I can manage is carbon copy 2-lbers lately, which is definitely better than a kick in the you-know-what. I'm not complaining. Also, I've finally lifted the shame I'd brought upon my ancestors and have cracked the code of the Fat Ika. My failure with this bait has been epic, but I've made an adjustment and just like that I'm in the win column at long last. Never give up!

You'll need to be very competent with a reel like the Alde 50. It's a great reel, but also unforgiving when the brakes are set to throw light baits for distance. Your thumb really needs to be on point, especially when you're fishing in wind. It has a very fast spool. If nothing else you'll up your game if you can master it.

We found a very secluded spot last year that's pretty much un-fished. By the end of the season we found that a sort of shantytown was setting up deep in the woods on one side of the place. My buddy knows the lingo and informed anyone whose paths we crossed that we weren't the police. For no particular reason we didn't fish there again last season. This year we hit it on the 2nd weekend of April with pruning equipment to clear paths. When we got to the end of a newly beaten path we found a spot near the water that looked like a garbage truck had exploded. Junk and refuse everywhere. We found a similar scene every few hundred feet. Literally a dump. We got a little farther and closer to the "town" and found what to me looked like a warning. I don't know what else to call it. Come to your own conclusion. The picture is bizarre, but it was super bizarre walking up on the real thing given the context of everything else. There were way more of them then there were of us, and they didn't look thrilled that we were there. I was happy to vamoose, after we fished of course.?

If you're primarily throwing the lipless in grass lakes, I'd opt for the 7 spd and slow down when needed. Reeling like a madman to keep the bait from diving into the salad is a chore. Not fun.

Exactly. Most of the nuances of an artful casting stroke, from the elbows to the wrists, used with baits under an ounce are not present when slinging big baits. It's more of a planted foot, hips, shoulders, then arms cast. Like a straight punch. Even 2 ozs on the end of 8 foot stick requires a bit of muscle, unless you're Andre the Giant.

I picked up one of these in 3/4 oz recently. It's a shade over 3/4 and casts like a bullet, and also walks great. The frog bite has been slow here though, so I haven't gotten bit on it yet. How's the hookup ratio been for you? It's plastic is pretty stiff.

All true with light baits and flick casting, but why would you use a deep spool big bait reel, which the 200 is, and use it for those techniques? It's been flawless with 1-4 oz baits. A pleasure. And believe me, you can bomb those baits without issue. Same here. A Tat 300 is on the way.

Sorry about that, Mike. I used the "C" word in the most innocuous way, and only as a point of reference in time and nothing more. I would've avoided using it if I understood beforehand that my post would get shifted out of the "General Forum" and memory hole'd down into the "What's Bigfoot's Favorite Limerick Forum". Oh well! Perhaps the mythological sea god had standing when he brought my IQ into question? While his reply had nothing whatsoever to do with the spirit of my original post, at least his "C" word PSA was informative. Lotsa juicy stuff. Who knew? Anyway, I've got wounds to lick and knuckles to drag. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

https://www.simmsfishing.com/solarflex-sun-glove?sem_account_id=5672509281&sem_campaign_id=9339619099&sem_ad_group_id=89656806170&sem_device_type=c&sem_keyword=&sem_matchtype=&sem_ad_id=418172407874&sem_network=u&sem_target_id=pla-293946777986&sem_feed_item_id=&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpcshopping&utm_term=&sem_location_id=2840&sem_placement=&sem_placement_category=&gclid=CjwKCAjw0_T4BRBlEiwAwoEiATcfIUFUAVoogS_CQtMWD6cjQG8Qwktm4ne_4pkHrq_RLY7x9C76axoCReYQAvD_BwE I just got these. Tried them out today. The sleeve portion remains firmly on the wrist and doesn't creep back down towards the hand exposing skin between the shirt sleeve and glove. Great!

F&S is running a nice sale on Simms UPF 50 fishing gloves. Had to have 'em. I'm liking the extra material on the inside for the index and middle fingers. Should've gone in with exact change, but nope. Got a few goodies for my monkey.

I'd rather slow down. I get frustrated fast cranking a slow reel when it's necessary.

I know where it went, but as I said earlier, it's treacherous to wade those spots. Our lakes are C&R and live bait's not allowed. I love science and doorknobs...it's a conundrum inside a kallidescope.

Towards the spool's lip is on. You'll hear a click when it engages.

I should quit licking doorknobs.

I've always cursed the weeds and algae at this lake, but have managed to catch good fish and good numbers there regardless. I'm missing them now though.

Box 'em up! I'll pay the shipping!

True, but with heavier baits that really doesn't matter. My brother, who's a Tranx fanatic, just ordered the 300 because of how much he likes the 200.

We've had blistering heat and remarkably little rain here for the past several weeks. The water level in my local no-boats shallow lake is getting very low. The water temp is also very high. Getting in the water when I'm wading usually provides some relief from the air temp, but not lately. It's that hot, and the wind has been rare. Many spots nearest to me are tree lined with occasional openings, or cuts, that allow shore fisherman to cast or wade fishermen to enter. The weeds are usually lush right up to the shoreline and provide cover for ample bait fish. Tons of bluegill are typically seen there through August. That's all changed this year. From sunup through sundown these lakes have been packed and pounded. Wade fishermen have stomped out the weed beds close to shore. Where the bottom was once green nearly year round there's now a sandy bottom in those spots. What's worse are the areas within a 100 ft fan cast. They're now devoid of plants. They've been excavated out by bank beaters and wade fishermen alike. The few times I've been able to get out lately I've found a ton of grass left on the shoreline. Typically it's difficult to fish treble baits here, even wake baits, but no problem now. The only trouble is that the fish are gone from these areas that were once shooting galleries if you hit a hot bite window. No plants. No oxygen. No bait fish, and no bass. I know my way around and can get to the low pressure spots, but that can be hairy. I lost a wading pal this year who pushed it too far without a buddy near by. Things can go bad quickly, and they did for him in the worst possible way. He happened to be the most cautious one out of anyone in our group. Ironic and sad. Another odd thing is the lack of algae. It usually drapes the weeds and covers the bottom which makes jig fishing a misery, but this year the plants are nearly clean of it. The sunfish are usually quite dark and colorful, but are tilting to a paler shade. Same with the bass. It's was a strange, late, spring weather-wise and now this summer's heat is throwing things for a loop, but the impact of fishing traffic on the lakescape due to covid freetime has been the real surprise.

or seeing a left hook coming at me.

If you're going as high as 12lb mono then consider the Daiwa BG 3000 or 3500. Super solid reel that'll last and has a really good drag.

Try this then: Find the most aerodynamic 1/2 oz bass lure that you own and cast it as far as you can with the rig under discussion. With an actual measuring device, hopefully a tape measure, find out how far that you can cast under the best of circumstances. Add 15 yards of line to that number, or however much makes sense to you, for mainline. The rest will be backing. Many people are delusional with regard to how far they're able to cast a typical bass fishing lure. With the best of intentions, there's often lots of guessing and faulty calculation methods tossed around in an effort to help a chum out. Find out what's factual for you and eliminate guessing. In the process you'll find out where you stand as far as casting distance goes.

This baseball cap style hat is the best I've found for ears and back of the neck protection. Even when I need to pull my gaiter down to eat, drink, or talk I remain protected. I try to avoid my reflection when I'm wearing it as it's not a cool look at all, but it works great. https://www.amazon.com/Columbia-Unisex-Schooner-Bank-Cachalot/dp/B0058YRYJ8/ref=sr_1_67?dchild=1&fst=as%3Aoff&qid=1595526038&refinements=p_89%3AColumbia&rnid=2528832011&s=sports-and-fitness&sr=1-67&th=1&psc=1

Zombie cannibal Shellcracker G2 eater! I thought this one was a fluke until one of his gang took a Spro Rat 40 and another bit a 3" Livingston wake. All were about the same size and fired up for bass baits. With the relentless heat and windless days the water's actually hot in the shallows. The bait and bass have been very tough to find near the shoreline recently. Thank god for psycho panfish.

That's 3/8oz total. Any decent standard non-bfs reel you like will be fine. Standard reels with lighter spools will be even better.