clemsondds

Have fished there twice and can't seem to find any good spots. Can anyone offer some tips on this lake? I fished there once in the morning and caught two small ones, but couldn't seem to figure out any pattern. And then last evening/night we went and saw absolutely nothing. Tried a few points and some docks...didn't even see any surface activity. I don't expect anyone to give away their secret spots, but maybe just some general tips/areas. Unfortunately, being a dad of three small kids, I am not able to get out there and spend hours on the lake figuring it out...so it would be nice to have a little better idea of where to go/what to look for. Thanks for the help!

Ok guys, just picked up a Dobyns champion xp 705CB glass. What do you think? It was a in the moment purchase ha so hopefully I won't regret it. Dicks had a $20 off good for 8 more minutes and it was on sale so it's orig $230 and I got it for $140. Let me know what you think. I was hoping for a little longer rod, but that was the only champion line that was on sale and useful for crankbait. Also, can anyone suggest what else they use their crankbait rod for?

Cool thanks! Anyone have any experience with the Bass X? Kinda surprised no one has chimed in about the fury line. Thanks

Ok thanks. Anyone try the st Croix bass x? I’m finding it’s hard to find a moderate action rod...not too many of them out there. Bass x has a 7’2” mhm crank rod.

Hello, looking for advice on a good all around crankbait rod. Will be doing mostly 5-15’ deep around cover, with the occasional deep diver (6xd) during summers. Probably looking at a M or MH with moderate action. I have heard good things about the fury line, but also heard good things about the premier crankbait rod. Also heard shimano six is good but didn’t see a good crankbait setup. Looking to stay around the $125-150 range. Thanks and always open to other suggestions.

Hello, looking for advice on a good all around crankbait rod. Will be doing mostly 5-15’ deep around cover, with the occasional deep diver (6xd) during summers. Probably looking at a M or MH with moderate action. I have heard good things about the fury line, but also heard good things about the premier crankbait rod. Looking to stay around the $125-150 range. Thanks and always open to other suggestions.

Hey everyone, could use your advice on lake James. I have been struggling the last two days. We are up here for a few days and I am striking out so far. I’m only able to fish at sunrise and then off and on during the day. We are near where the Catawba river joins into the main lake. Morning I have tried to fish banks (bends in river, rock, docks...) with topwater, (frog and whopper plopper) spinnerbait, bluegill swim jig, and even shaky head. Afternoons I have fished brush piles and ledges 20-30ft with drop shot (keitech 2.8) and shaky head. I am marking fish on humminbird but just can’t get them to bite. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ok thanks! I guess I had heard soo much about the wonders of lipless and jerkbaits...that I got a little carried away. I'm still somewhat new to this...so trying to feel it all out. I had tried tr worm, spinnerbait and chatterbait...to no avail that day. I think the fish were just in a funk from the bad weather the day before. And I'm sure there were probably better spots on the lake to fish...just haven't found them yet. Thanks again everyone!

Just what i was looking for. Thank you!

No in a boat. Throwing to an area close to shore and upon retrieve got hung up multiple times 8-10 feet deep 10 feet or so out from shore under a tree or something submerged.

Right. Yeh I guess i was just wondering how people fish jerk baits and lipless crankbaits? Do you just stay a way from cover completely? Just more cautious and not as shallow? Or is it just a part of it that you will get hung up? Thanks again!

Hey everyone, just wanting to get some advice. I was fishing last week and the bite was very hard. I was trying multiple different tactics. I tried working a lipless crankbait, jerkbait, and a jig some and kept getting hooked on under water cover. I was about 30 feet off bank throwing to about 3-5ft deep and bringing it back. There wre quite a few trees down under the water and just kept getting stuck. It was so frustrating. Spent more time trying to kept my lure free than actually fishing. My question is, was I doing something wrong? Should I have switched to weedless? Do you only throw crankbait when there’s no under water obstruction? Obviously I need to continue to perfect my accuracy. But it didn’t seem to always be accuracy as the issue...it was more trees and brush under the water that I couldn’t see. I know crankbait are great and I want to use them...just tired of getting hung up and losing lures. Thanks for the help!

Great idea! Thank you!!

Thanks A-Jay. Can you share your system for picking a particular area to fish when you get to a new lake? Do you use electronics at all? Obviously you take a lot into consideration...just trying to figure out what's the best way to utilize the electronics. Thanks to everyone else for their advice so far. That's kind of what I figured would be the best route, but just wanted to get other's thoughts. Going from zero electronics to a really nice one with lots of various views, it can get a little overwhelming. I love fishing and feel like I can find fish even without it electronics (caught a nice bass within a few minutes of being on the water yesterday), I still want to be able to utilize this staple of the fishing industry as best I can. Right now also trying to figure out which views (sidescan, down imaging...) to look at. I assume a split screen is the best route. Again, not trying to figure everything out at once. I understand the best way to learn is to get out there and do it. All I'm really trying to do right now is see how everyone else is doing it. Thanks!

I understand a lot of that. I’m just asking for what you specifically do when you get to the lake. How do you use your electronics? Not much at all or a lot. How do use it?

Ok and then what? When you get to the lake, you head to certain areas that you picked out on the map...do you put the trolling motor down immediately and start fishing? Or, once you get there, do you go over the area with electronics to get a more specific area in that area? Thanks again!

So when you come to a lake for the first time (or first time in a long time), how do you find bass? I know there's the traditional ways (time of year, points, structure...) but just curious how you go about finding your initial spots to focus in on. I just bought my first boat and have a humminbird and not sure how to utilize it. I've seen great fishermen on youtube doing various things...going around looking for signs of life (baitfish, birds..) and others scanning shoreline with sidescan or structure scan. I went out today on a new lake and just felt torn as to what to do. Do I fish places where I think there would be fish, or do I cruise along at the depth I think they are at and use my electronics to find structure or fish and then go after those? Just trying to learn how to utilize my electronics the most. Thanks all!

Maybe that’s the problem...the one’s in stores now say type 2 or 3. Just looked at cabelas and they have a type 2 for $150. I’ve left a voicemail with the state boating law officer...hopefully I can get a final answer on this.

From what I have seen, the USCG and state laws default to what the vest says it is. If it says it's a type II or type III then you don't have to be wearing it and it counts. If it says type V, then you need to have a secondary pfd.

Well you can show them your own states website. It has a pretty good explanation of it. https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/boating/wog/equipment-regulations/#Personal_Flotation_Devices Didn't mean for this to turn into this kind of debate. I'm just looking for pfd recommendations.

At the top it says recreational type II...commercial is type V.

Pretty sure that's standard everywhere...can't count an inflatable on a jetski. I have a regular fishing boat. Thanks for the tip! That's a great idea

Don't get me wrong...I agree that if it's not on you...it won't do much good. I was just passing along what I had read

Pretty sure that's not the case anymore. Check out the USCG laws. copying this from a thread over on the hull truth. https://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/908989-inflatable-pfds-do-they-count-if-you-not-wearing-2.html "They only have to be worn (in order to be "counted") if they are Coast Guard approved as a "type V". Otherwise, they DO NOT have to be worn. Read the tag on the PFD. See the pics for two of mine. I am a recreational vessel, thus, they are approved as type II and do not need to be worn to be counted. I have seen other inflatables approved only as type V for commercial AND recreational. Again, see the tag on your individual PFD for clarification."

I could be wrong, but I don't think this is the case anymore.