Flatrock

Funny this topic came up.. I went fishing with a buddy yesterday.. all he had was R/H BC's. I cast with my right and reel with my left. I had a hell of a time trying to adjust my fishing with my left hand. Finally I had to use his spinning outfit which felt right at home with. All my BC's are L/H reels if for nothing else than because I'm used to reeling with my left. My r/h is my dominate hand and reacts quicker... just is what it is. Funny thing was at the end of the day we stopped at a small tackle shop and he bought a L/H BC to try out. We also found some really nice hand made spinners as well.

I love my LFS... so much so that I purchased the Tourney MB which is as nice if not even better.

Yes you are correct, I tend to write / post more in a direct manner... I will convey my last memories of when I was 15 yrs old on a brook out side of Wallingford CT. Its opening day and everyone was about 20 feet apart, must have been 30 people over a 200 yard area. My spot was like I said about 1 fisherman every 20 feet apart. It was opening day for trout and of course I believe it officially stated at 7am or something like that. Here we all are standing in the water in our waders waiting for the clock. I accidentally dropped my nymph mind you and before I was able to lift my rod and caught a trout. It wasn't intentional and it wasn't a cast.. I had just dropped my line.... Oh man you should have heard the cries.. of course I released the fish and apologized to my neighboring fishermen. and waited the last 10 or 15 minutes. You would have thought I had committed the crime of the century at that moment... I caught my limit that day but have never gone fly fishing since. I remember that day almost like it was yesterday and how every one was to me shoulder to shoulder. When I went fishing for mackerel and blues, I remember my father cussing up a storm cause everyone was fishing so close to each other. Like someone has posted before. You catch a fish then here comes everybody and their brother within 50' of you cause god forbid fish was only in that area... I learned bass fishing in Florida where people, at least where I was at Lake George, kept their distance. So yes there is a difference between regions of the country and what is perceived the norm. Now I live in Ten and I'm beginning to see that northeast mentality of... Oh i see you caught a fish, I'm just gonna squeeze in here and check my luck. I expeienced this just last weekend as I had people parking their boats 20 feet from me in front of the dam while I was catching skipjack (for catfish bait).. it was crazy. I'll stick to my mid week fishing thank you. I don't mean to come across offensive, quite the opposite, just posting what I've already observed just recently Fish up in New England and tell me how things are.. LOL I realized I said northern.. My mistake, I should have said northeast as in Conn, Mass, NY. where they have actual opening days and seasons.

I can tell the difference in attitude based on some of your replies where you are from. Northern folks live in packs so they fish in packs... ice fishing, trout fishing... hell those guys are shoulder to shoulder. Then out sea fishing for mackerel and blues.. everyone are close enough to see what tackle their using. And this is confirmed by the dismissiveness of their post. As someone has already stated, it depends on the area. You have a heavily populated area, you are gonna problems with jerks and its usually people that have moved in from a different part of the country to.. lets say the south. Southerners tend to respect other peoples space, where as northerners don't know what that is... kind of like their driving habits... sorry I mean lack of proper driving habits. Every man for themselves kind of mentality.

I wanted to give an update on my new purchase of the Lews Tournament MB reel... I didn't get to fish with it too much yesterday but I really really like it. Today I did a little practicing in the yard using a 3/8 practice plug and I'm getting distance that even amazed me... 40-45 yds with no backlash with a breeze no less. I find the reel to be quiet and the reel to cast very smooth. I've discovered that my early problems was using too small or light lures. Even on the water I found 3/8 and heavier has helped me control my casting over all. I'm still finding the Alba Garcia a little more challenging but found I can control it as long as I have some weight at the end of the line and I don't try to push it. So far I'm still catching my fish on my old trusty spinning outfit... But in all fairness its been with 1/8 oz and smaller lures.

1 person peeing once or twice is one thing, but now compound that by 100 or 500 in a day times days of the week then month.. that is a lot.

I had 2 yaks do that to me last week.. The first one did stay to the outside of me but he was only about 30' from me when he passed quietly... I thought it rude but as quiet as he was I just bit my tongue and nodded at him as he nodded at me as he passed.. But later on that day this jerk in his bright yellow yak parked it like 50' feet away and I could tell he was testing me as he kept creeping closer. I think I would have swamped him had it not been for about 20 people on shore that would have been witnesses. So I just kicked the trolling motor down shore and this idiot started following me..!!! I think he thought better when I stopped in a cove and couldn't go any further and turned around. It wasn't long when another yak parked it about the same distance from him and began fishing. To me it's not about what you're fishing in... I feel fortunate I was able to find my boat for what I could afford otherwise I'd be in a little jon boat or something. I mean just because you are catching fish doesn't mean I will if I crowd you.. in fact I feel the opposite will happen and neither boats will catch anything at that point. But I'm also seeing guys with your bigger more expensive bass boats have that I've got a better boat than you so I'm going to do what I want attitude... I just want to fish in peace.

I can't believe you just said that... really..

I understand every body wants to catch fish, but whatever happened to fishing Etiquette ? Does anyone even know what it is ? Do you even understand what it is ? Used to be if someone in and area you wanted, you just moved on to another spot or at least a couple HUNDRED YARDS or more away.. Granted I've just started back fishing after 25 yrs, but the way people act on the water these days, its a wonder people or boats aren't shot. Its like everyone is running around with this mentality of I bought and paid for my boat and I'm going to do anything I want, screw you if I'm invading your space. Do I need to start carrying a slingshot and a hand full of split shots to assure me a little personal space ?

Talk about going to the bathroom where you eat... LOL I do believe a 32 oz or half gal jug would serve the purpose better, then emptying it at the port o potty once your back on land... Then again you could buy a box of depends.

Well My Lews Tourn MB came in today and strung it up with K9 and took it out in the yard for a few casts, well actually a dozen and not one backlash or birds nest right out of the box... It does have a different feel to the LFS model but no a bad one. I can't wait to give it a workout

That makes sense .. Thanks. I don't want to have a dozen rods laying around. I suppose if someone wants to sponsor me with their equipment, that would be different. But I believe 3 baitcasters is enough as a semi weekend warrior. So I'm trying to have enough differences between them yet still be general application. I still have 2 heavy catfish rigs and med and light spinning outfit. So I think I have my bases covered between 7 rods/reels

Would you think my fat bodied pumpkin/orange crawfish be better suited used as a texas rig rather than hooked to a jig ?

With a faster reel and a stiffer rod, what application would work best..? I was thinking worms, weighted soft plastic Texas rigs ?

Thank guys.. I never real gave it much thought about it being a grass/weed jig.

I've read thru many subject threads and I'm still somewhat unsettled on my best options. (1) I have a Lews Speed Spool LFS 6.8:1 loaded with BPS 12# mono on a 7' Med / Modified for my top water and plugs (2) I have a Alba Garcia Revo SX 7.1:1 loaded with Trilene XL 12# On a 6'6" Med / Hvy Quantum Bill Dance Special.. I'm thinking Rattle traps and larger rigs. (3) I just purchased a Lews Tournament MB 7.5:1 which will go on a 7' M/H extra fast action graphite Now here is the question to answer, What kind of line would you suggest I use and what application would be best suited for setup #3 ? I'm trying to balance things into 3 categories.. Should I stick with floro or mono... What about braid ? I do like the no memory of braid but it being extra fast action and braid not having any give to it... Then again it could be setup for bottom fishing, worms, jigs, ect... What do you think ?

It is small, but it still measured 10" ?

Alright guys, How would you fish this ? Would you fish this in a rocky, muddy bottom across in the middle of a cove or lake like not along the shore line ? Is the rubber fat bodied crawfish too big for this jig ?

After a 25 yrs of not fishing and fishing at all the wrong times this yr, I finally broke my dry spell with this small hybrid on the new boat. Missed a couple good hits, but at least i'm starting to "get it"..

I'm new to the area as well but from what I have been told is white spinner for clear water and darker for stained water.. Pumpkin seems to be the general color for most fish with soft plastics. Wish I could help more but I'm trying to figure things out as well.

I'm new as well and I tried a different grip which has helped... Try choking up with your grip..? Instead of holding the rod with your first finger against the rod use you middle finger. This will allow your thumb further up on top of the spool. It has helped me with my thumb placement also allowing my my finger to rest along the pole as a pointer.

I suspect you don't use a swivel with your lures. Spinning reels will twist your line. What I suggest is to let your line out with no lure just line while you are going across the lake and when you empty you spool or at least half, reel your line back in. It will untwist while your reeling it back in.

He'll get a fat head and then need to get a bigger hat and eventually a bigger boat .. LOL

As kids we thought we were invincible. If ya never did anything stupid when you were young, then you had a boring life..