Big Hands

I have a hard time buying a rod that I haven't ever handled myself before buying, especially if it will see a lot of action for me. Very often, the rod I thought I just had to have for a particular purpose ends up not being 'the one'. Even then, what it feels like in the shop may not tell the whole story. I try to take the reel I plan to use on it with me, or use a similar reel the shop has to feel how it feels. Some rods are significantly different with a six ounce reel than they are with a seven ounce reel. Or how the reel sits in the seat, or how it fits in the palm of my hand, or how long the butt section is, or the way some other 'feature' affects me.

The standard answer (absent of any other information offered) would be a 7' or so MH/Fast casting rod. But, I feel like we at least ask you more about what, where, and how you'll be fishing before we suggest that you should probably go with a 7' or so MH/Fast casting rod. In this case, it would add capability that you don't currently possess (to do well anyway), and is a very versatile rig. If you're looking to get something just to get started, a 'budget combo' can do that, but if you're like many of 'us' if not most of 'us', and continue on your bass fishing journey, a budget combo will so find it's long term resting place among your other beginner gear. I'm talking about rods that sell for less than $100 and baitcasting reels that sell for less than $100. Whereas, rods that sell for $150 and baitcasting reels that sell for $150 at least have a decent chance at keeping a rightful place in the rotation for the long term. Rods and reels that in between those price points could arguably go either way. Those are my estimations, and others may disagree. Everybody's sensibilities differ to some degree. Entry level gear has it's place. I have caught some very big bass on reels that cost less than $100, and most of us have constraints on our discretionary income that may not allow for us to get nicer gear and still be able to use it. Just know what it is and what it isn't and decide if that meets your needs at this particular time. If you get good advice and swing for the fence on a Gucci baitcaster combo, you might nail it on the first try. If you don't, that is an expensive mistake. Entry level will never be what a Gucci setup could potentially be, but you won't get hurt too badly and you can learn with it as you get better. The fact that you're inquiring here does give you a better than average chance of making a good choice compared to walking into a tackle store without a decent amount of experience. So, without knowing anything else, I suggest a a 7' or so medium heavy, fast action casting rod and a baitcasting reel that each retail for at least $100 each. Being that bottom contact baits are often the domain of such a setup. if I could spend a little more on one or the other, I would opt for a $150 reel with a $100 rod; a little more than that, maybe a $150 rod and a $150 reel. Generally going for a better rod before a better reel for bottom contact fishing would be my suggestion.

It's been four weeks since I last wet a line. The longest stretch of inactivity in a while. Another dude trying to get some household projects done. I know the fall transition has been going on. The last time I came close to taking an "L" was this time last year, so maybe I'm just a little apprehensive about adjusting to what is in store for the next four or five months.

To a certain extent, it makes hunting easier for all in the food chain. All animals have to eat, and when that animal is preoccupied with getting their food while the gettin is better for them, it makes them easier to prey upon because multitasking divides up your attention. Next thing you know, you're sliding down someone else's cake hole.

If you break off often and don't use leaders, you'll be chewing through a lot more line than you would by using braid with a leader. When you break off a leader, you cut off the braid at the connection knot, and then add a leader. If you use no leader, you lose however much line you lost, and it won't take long before you're way further down than is wanted for good casting. I have two Revros LT 2500D-XH reels along with a Kage LT 2000D-XH, a Fuego LT 2000S-XH and a Legalis LT 2500D-XH. I have ended up with 10 or 12 lb braid on all of them, and use either mono or fluoro leaders of either 6 lb, 7 lb, or 8 lb test. The line almost always breaks off somewhere on the leader, so I rarely lose more than a foot or so of braid when I do break off. I use leaders of anywhere between 6 feet to 12 feet in length. I can break off three or four times, and then only lose a foot of main line when I tie a new leader. I have become pretty good and quick about tying an Alberto knot when I am on the water and it doesn't bother me to do so knowing I'll be getting the most out of the expensive braid. I also like the extra sensitivity of braid and I can switch from 6 lb, 7 lb, or 8 lb leader without re-spooling. Braid is also kinda fragile with respect to contact with rocks and wood. TL/DR version: Line is kinda expensive, and I like the feel of braid, so I am willing to deal with whatever else comes with using it with leaders so I don't keep losing a lot of line main line each time I break off.

I have the Kage version of that rod and love it for heavier presentations like adult sized texas rigged plastics and carolina rigs. I have tried several reels on it and have settled on the Shimano SLX MGL 70 as my personal favorite, even over the Daiwa SV TW 103 because I think it casts further with less weight in my sample size of one experience. It has plenty of line capacity even for bomb casting carolina rigs, which has become my go to technique for winter fishing here in SoCal. I need one more reel to fill out my baitcasting quiver (so I can put my ABU Pro Max 3 out to pasture) and getting another SLX MGL is at the top spot on my list. For comparison, I currently have three Curados, two Tatulas, an SLX DC, and a Fuego CT in addition to my SLX MGL, and for the money, I prefer the SLX MGL for middle of the road duty in my neck of the woods. Other than a few casts with Lews reels that others own and maintain, I have no experience with that brand.

The worst part for me when they come right back at me is that it takes me a second to realize when something is coming straight at me. By the time I realize that it's coming for me quickly, it's too late for me to fully react and I hardly move before it makes contact.

This was what I was going to suggest. Also check he bearing in the side plate. Some reels have a fair amount of . . . 'goop' in them. I would try a drop of oil on the bearing and see if that doesn't loosen things up a bit.

Old bull, young bull

That's almost exactly what happened here, except it was bass on the menu instead of bluegill for this 9+ pounder that ended up weighing 10.33 with the contents of her happy meal visible and she just had to top it off with a 4.5" Roboworm.

Did that too (LOL, good times), then came across the rotisserie at a swap meet.

Bass clubs tend to be located somewhat near lakes. Not all, but certainly most I am aware of. They range from a loose collection of souls that are happy to put out the bat-signal and throw a few bucks in a hat on Saturday morning, to highly organized cohorts complete with hierarchies, no shortage of parliamentarian procedures, and drama. The trick is finding the one that suits you. BITD, a group of us couldn't find one we liked, so we started our own. I recently found out that it's still operating. Our focus was on camaraderie, getting new anglers into the sport and having a way for non-boaters that didn't have a friend with a boat to still be able to fish competitively.

I built a decent quiver of saltwater boat rods for myself back in the 80's. All Sabre and Truline blanks, wrapped to match what Sabre was selling in their complete rods. All I used was a tea cup to hold the thread, and an encyclopedia to tension the thread. Scotch tape and an exacto knife. I did cobble an old BBQ rotisserie to evenly dry the flex-coat. Cork tape handle with a crutch tip at the butt and a small length of shrinkwrap at the top of the cork tape. I see all the fancy wraps and designs with patterns and more. I don't get it. Is there some functionality that stuff adds that I'm not aware of. For me, the less the better. If it doesn't help, it takes away. Freshwater rods? No sir. That's a completely different animal IMHO. I definitely want mine as lightweight/minimalist as possible while still being functional and somewhat durable at a semi-reasonable price. A man's got to know his limitations and I want no part of that.

Depends on who you ask

Coupla months ago, I got a wind knot from hades and spent several minutes trying to p[ick it out. I finally came to the conclusion that it was a lost cause, so I cut the braid and began to pull my line by hand and sure enough, there was a bass on. Of course, I had blown a little ways over and my line was now dragging across a point and the bass managed to find the only tumbleweed on the bank to get tangled up. It eventually shook itself off the hook while cavorting around in the center of the tumbleweed until it earned it's freedom. Just another in a series of 'Bill Dance' moments on the lake for me.

I think if they can fit it into their mouth, even if it's just partially in their mouth with some dangling out, some of them will do it at times. Bass, at times when hungry, are greedy, canniballistic, gluttonous pigs. Some may be dainty eaters, but not all of 'em.

I know I certainly do.

Bass have some pretty soft tissue areas, and they have other areas in their mouths that are very resistant to any hook burying past the barb. I think when hooks bend out or open up, it is often because the point has found one of those cartilage type areas and the bass gains leverage if the hook isn't buried to the bend where it's much more resistant to failure. And sometimes, I believe the bass can hold the bait firmly enough in their crushers to even let the hook find a home on a hookset only to have the bass fight a while, and then simply let go. You get the bait back and the hook is still in the plastic worm in spite of swinging hard enough to cross their eyes.

Saw fish boiling not far from my boat. I was fishing with a slipshot rig (like a finesse carolina rig) with a blue-ish/brown straight tail plastic worm tied on. I flung it out past the boil, and yo-yo'd it just under the surface (because I had no other idea what to do with it) and came up with a 3 lb rainbow trout. The first fish I ever caught on a Z-Man TRD was with it on a carolina rig dragging it through weeds. I was catching fish that day with just about everything and thought it was time for some 'proof of concept' action. Last winter, I used Keitech Swing Impact swimbaits on Carolina rigs and crawled them at 25 feet as slow as I could turn the handle. Let's just say I was inquiring about purchasing them in packs of 100. That seems to fit the stated criteria.

From what I understand, it's only legal to use live bait (except for worms/nightcrawlers) that you caught from the water you're going to use them to fish in, and they can only be used on the day you catch them. Best to read the current California regulations to be sure you know what the law says and make your best decision with that in mind. One of the last things you want these days is a fish and game violation in California. I used to drive down to Signal Hill near San Pedro to buy several dozen crawdads at time. As mentioned above, a little lettuce and some water in the bottom of an ice chest or even in a cardboard box with a trash bag liner, and they'll be fine for quite a while.

Nobody owns the lake. If you get there first, you pick your spot. A bank fisherman caught a 9.25 lb off the shore of the lagoon last weekend on a weightless Senko.

For a long time, I have largely thought that skipping would be something I wouldn't have much use for given the conditions I fish in (there's rarely anything overhanging the water that I would need to scooch underneath or in between at surface level to present a bait). But I have been reconsidering that position lately and thinking that skipping could help my presentations in a few different ways that could be more effective for me. The first way is that if I could skip the bait the last few feet into the water's edge where the surface disturbance as the bait enters the water would look different than something plopping into the water with a splash. It might be simply different enough from what they see on a daily basis and know to be another attempt to fool them. The second was it that if I were skipping the bait into a shoreline where there is a sheer wall/cliff that there would be less chance to overshoot the spot where I want the bait to fall if it can't get up onto the shoreline from simply casting too far. And that seems to happen even more at night when depth and distance are more difficult for me to gauge when casting to targets. And, of course, there is the occasionally an opportunity to employ the technique to slide underneath overhanging vegetation, rock structures and maybe even a dock if/when I get the fish somewhere other than my normal haunts.

It's easy to necro-revive a thread if you google something about bass fishing. It will often return links to threads here in bunches. My jig game needs a shot of something. It's next on my bass bucket list of things to get better at. It would seem that plastic worm fishing skills and techniques would be transferrable to jig fishing, but it hasn't been that way for me. Was there a disruption in the FORCE on January 12, 2009? That was the last time visiting for three of the posters on this thread.