Manly Studson

Jackfish, Mudfish, chain pickerel—same fish, three different fishermen.

The “s-word” is definitely something to avoid. It has 7 letters but acts like a 4-lettered word. Like all curse words, I try not to say them, except when I catch no fish (or when my wife tried to drive onto the interstate by going up the exit ramp).

All sports have their lingo. In baseball a pitcher can throw a ‘heater.’ In football it’s called a ‘frozen rope.’ The language of fishing is unique too. For example, ‘skinny water,’ ‘small water,’ and ‘slack water’—three weird terms for depth, size, and flow. One can ‘throw’ a lure but ‘cast’ a rod (if you ‘throw a rod,’ then you’re now talking about a car’s engine). When I began fishing, I found fishermen’s geographic terms to be tough to follow (e.g. main or secondary points). What fishing lingo do you find strange, interesting, or unique?

In addition to the schematic, you may find a YouTube video of your exact reel being cleaned. Many of the popular reels are on YouTube. Baitcasters are not difficult to clean. But a spinning reel can be tough to reassemble—at least for me.

Although watching videos of others fishing is time consuming, it has proven to be just as helpful as shorter instructional videos. I often ask myself questions like, Why did he cast right there? or, Why is he throwing that lure in those conditions? It’s like I’m on the boat, observing a seasoned angler.

I forgot about the impact of online maps. I agree. That resource has been a huge help. It’s always fun to find a new place to fish and to let your phone steer you in the right direction.

I fished as a boy mostly with live bait and spincast reels. In college I began using spinning gear, but fishing was ultimately put on the back burner for career reasons. When I resumed fishing, the internet had been born, and I spent countless hours online learning new fishing skills. I’ve been fishing for a few years now, but I still learn much from websites like Bassresource and YouTubers like Ndyakangler. What about you? How much have you learned from the internet? Who/what are your trusted internet guides on the subject of fishing?

I have spent days throwing one lure, because it worked really well. But I didn’t do it intentionally. Poppers, spooks, worms, jigs, spinner baits, and crank baits are always at the ready.

I agree. I’ve had positive experiences with BPS rods. Even when I’ve broken them (smash with a car door) the return was hassle free.

Man! Most everyone has a plethora of setups. Mine are just four: 1) Stradic FL 1000 w/ 6’ ML/F Fenwick HMG spinning rod. 2) Curado 71 w/ 6’ M/F Pro Qualifier casting rod. 3) Daiwa Exceler 1000 w/ 6’ UL/F St. Croix Panfish Series spinning rod. 4) Lew’s Speed Spool LFS w/ 6’ M/F St. Croix Triumph casting rod.

Now that changes everything! I originally said a popper, but if money is on the line, then a jig would be tied on.

I’d select a top water lure, like a popper. I don’t think that I could do without top water strikes. Just too exciting.

I did too. Sorry, my pictures always upload sideways.

I’ve never missed a strike, and I’ve never missed a hook set. All my hook sets are in the same spot on every bass (1/4 inch from upper lip, direct center). It’s a technique I call “lying.”

Yeah, I’d like to know too. Fishing is a sport. Like other sports, competitors want lighter, more durable gear. Football players want thin, but forgiving shoulder pads which can take a beating. Pro anglers want light, fatigue-reducing, sensitive gear. I would think that the pros would use the best they can get.

This post is helpful. Sometimes I see gear from different no-name brands that look exactly the same, but the reviews are very good and similar. I just wish Daiwa or Shimano would solicit my opinions in exchange for free gear. I’m confident that my reviews would be great even before I received the product!

Very true. My cheap kayak was worth the price. Koz, maybe it will help you get to the fish.

I had similar challenges. But I’ll frequently drive an hour in any direction if I have to. Maybe even 2 hours.

I’m going to fish paddle tail swimbaits on jig heads and no longer on weighted t-rigs.

Today I fished a lake in middle GA. I traveled from the Midwest to visit relatives, and unfortunately I brought the cold weather with me. But today the temp rose into the 60s, and I opted to throw a frog around stumps. The bass were the most aggressive I have ever seen. They launched above the surface, tail and all. Is this typical of bass fishing in GA this time of year? Do you guys fish stumps in the winter in other parts of the country? If so, do you throw top water frogs?

Some spinning reels have a bearing in the line roller. Some do not. I haven’t noticed a big difference between my reels which have them and those that don’t. I fish with Daiwa and Shimano spinning reels. I’ve never considered what the advantage is for bass fishing until recently. Bearings or no bearings? Do you prefer one or the other? Why?

This is how it’s done.

The Curado 70/71 is on sale at TW. I saw it on sale in a Cabela’s store too for $50.00 off. It’s a good reel.

Ike’s Micro Jigs by Missile Baits and Strike King’s Bitsy Bugs are inexpensive and versatile. Pair them with Kalin’s grubs or Z-Man TRD Crawz and you’re bound to catch fish.