billmac

The first week in June is before bass season both in NY and Vermont. Just FYI Some states prohibit targeting fish out of season. Not sure if that applies to NY or Vermont.

I was in Dick's last night and looking at Jackhammers for $20, and wondering if they were 4 times more effective than regular Z-Man chatterbaits for $4.99. I have trouble believing they are.

You guys who have $100+ lures: How do you dare throw them? Call me naive but I had no idea there even were such lures. I'd use 100lb braid and electric fence wire as a leader. I'd keep a mask and snorkel in the boat to make sure I never lost one to a snag.

I'm super cheap and am pretty skeptical of really expensive lures. My most expensive lures are undoubtedly some Rapala jerkbaits, most likely in the $7-ish range.

That doesn't even sound like a real place.

That's gotta hurt. Bite offs? That's the only way I can see losing a topwater.

I've never used a plug knocker, but I've always thought a metal stringer run down the line would make a good one.

Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

I have to concentrate on varying my retrieves. I've always been pretty much a cast and reel kind of fisherman and I find it hard to get out of that mode. I've known I should do it of course, but it was borne in on me this year when I caught several fish that struck when I accidentally paused my retrieve. For crying out loud I caught two fish while picking out the same backlash! I'm also going to try to force myself offshore. I'm far more comfortable casting at visible structure and I know I'm limiting myself. I almost landed my PB bass this year jigging deep (for me) on a ned rig, and I'd like to get more used to that.

Koz: I've done plenty of bank fishing so this is no knock on bank fishing or bank fisherman, but a whole new fishing world opens up once you can move away from the bank. In some cases you can do this by wading but I think if I were in your case I'd even settle for a rubber raft if it got me away from the bank.

I gave up on the Carolina rig before I ever got started.

Interesting. That's one I didn't expect.

Normally I would ask what lures or techniques you want to master for the next season. But I'm wondering something different. Any lures or techniques that you've just had it with? You gave them a shot and they just don't work for you? I'm just getting back into fishing after a long hiatus, so I don't have anything really on my list. The Tokyo Rig just doesn't interest me but I've honestly never tried it.

I think I'll need to get a lure knocker next season.

I used a lot of rubbercore sinkers as drop shot weights and lost quite a few.

I wouldn't have guessed this one. Snags or bite offs?

What do you have to most restock? I actually didn't lose a lot of lures.

Any thoughts on the cheap Walmart spinnerbaits and buzzbaits? I normally fish a jig and spinner when I want something spinner-bait-ish, so I don't use them alot, but I should probably have some on hand. And I like buzzbaits for pike.

BASSMaster has Jaime Hartman from Arkansas.

I got nothing for New York.

Enjoy yourself. If you enjoy fishing even if you don't catch anything, then paradoxically, you will catch fish. I have often returned home wishing I had caught some fish, but I've never come home wishing I hadn't gone fishing.

I've never heard of him.

Mine wasn't weighed, but I'm guessing between 3 and 4 lbs, my PB. I had a 5lber up to the boat this year on the St. Lawrence, but it spit the hook. Most of the non-river bodies of water in my fishing neighborhood don't produce smallies anywhere near what the St. Lawrence does. (Lake Ontario and Lake Champlain are just a shade too far for me to regularly fish. A 5 lb smallie is one of my goals for next summer.

I'm a little torn about this. I grew up with BASS and I have an affinity toward them from long association. However when I got back into fishing and interest in tournaments, I was really disappointed to see how roughly the fish were treated. I was immediately impressed with the MLF rules for fish handling. I thought perhaps the big exodus toward MLF might prompt BASS to adopt some better fish handling procedures. Doesn't look like that's going to happen. Likewise, I don't think it would be a big stretch at all for MLF to go to a best 5 while keeping the CWR model. I've never liked the weigh-in side show anyway, but that's just me.

Welcome back. My story is somewhat similar. I didn't get out, or back into fishing for quite as serious reasons as you, but I was also amazed by all the new lures and techniques, and by how much everything had gone up in price! This site is a great resource. You will probably find most of your questions have already been answered, so don't be afraid to poke around.