Holetail

I am all for progress in technology, but as far as these electric vehicles being the answer to the so called “climate crisis”, I am skeptical. I wonder why the people pushing these things never seem to mention how the electricity needed to charge these vehicles comes from power plants that burn coal or natural gas. Nuclear is another (more efficient) means, but no one wants to have that in their backyard.

My son and I started using cane poles last summer just for fun. We have 10’ and 16’ poles that we have caught several bass on which is a serious challenge. He and I would have a competition to see how many bluegills we could catch. Best day was I beat him 35 to 33! Haha. Fishing with poles is a blast and relaxing as well.

New to the chatter as well and I am throwing it on a MH / Mod rod (Fury 705CB). I am liking the way the rod loads up on the bite giving them a chance to take the hook then doing a sweep set after reeling up slack. This seems to drive the hook past the barb and then the parabolic bend of the rod has had no problem keeping them pinned. Mostly catching them on a med retrieve just above the bottom. Using mostly 1/4 oz chatters with either a rage menace or a Zman razor shad trailer. Tried 3/8 but cannot keep it above the muck on the bottom of shallow ponds I have been fishing. We need some rain to get the water levels back to normal.

Welcome from Wilmington as well

Impulse buy on a Fuego 6.3:1 on Friday evening since I love the other one I have for moving baits. Went to Sportsman's Warehouse yesterday for some different colored chatter bait skirts and left with two packs of magnum Rage Menace trailers in Blugill and Summer Craw. Couldn’t resist. Oh, picked up the skirts as well.

Daredevils hold a major spot in my childhood fishing memories. My grandfather was obsessed with chasing pike and walleye in Canada. He would plan all year for his 2 or 3 trips to Quebec, typically finding small, less know lakes and figuring out a way to get to them. After a 2 day drive from PA, we would then travel up to 100 miles on logging roads to get to a lake he had only seen on a map. Some of the lakes were stupid hard to access. This usually required a chainsaw and rope / pulley to drag his 14’ Starcraft through the brush to get to the lake. One lake we had to drag the boat up a 20’ high dune before portaging another 100 yards to reach the water. The balls it took for him and his buddies to do this hours from any help in another country, where almost no one spoke English still amazes me. I got to go with him for the first time when I was 12. First day we trolled red/white daredevils and I caught several small pike but also hooked into a 10 pounder. Largest fish I had ever caught. I then started using a smaller hammered copper spoon with a double hook instead of a treble and casting it toward shorelines. Hooking those pike like this was mind blowing! Later in the trip, I went with my uncle and cousin to a nearby lake for an hour or so after dinner. As we trolled out of a pocket into the main lake, I hooked into what ended up being an 18 Lb pike. Caught him on a hammered copper daredevil. Up to that point, the largest my grandfather had ever caught in 20 years of fishing this area was 15 lbs so I had some bragging rights until he landed a 19 on his trip later that year. Thanks for bringing up the ole Daredevil OP, brought back some great memories. I have a red / white hanging above my workbench next to a 20 year old can of Labatts Blue from my last trip up North with my now late Grandfather.

Landed this girl this AM on a white chatter on my “last cast” before leaving. Not a sniff on that bait in over an hour of trying it. Caught 3 on green pumpkin swim jig. Measured 20” and weighed 4.26. I weighed her twice because I swore she was pushing 6 lbs. huge head but just skinny I guess. Chatter has really proved to be a big fish bait for me so far this season. Two 4+ and a 3.5 to date. Just goes to show that an old dog can learn new tricks!

Wayne county. Middle of nowhere but it’s home.

Thanks for all the replies. I always need to check myself so I don’t over think everything since I am still sorta new at the bass game. I am just excited because I will be fishing water that doesn’t hardly get touched which is a huge difference from where I fish in NC. Considering possibly doing a guided trip for smallies since we don’t have them here.

Sorry, just realized I double posted this when trying to edit spelling errors...

I am traveling back to my hometown in PA in a few weeks from NC. Going to have some time to fish and hoping to get some advice from any of our Northern members on what lures, trailers, colors I should plan on bringing. I have all kinds of tackle for my southern waters (green pumpkins, watermelons, shad colors) but want to maximize my time on the water up there and not bring all my baits if I can help it. Planning on bringing 3 BC (H/F, MH/F, MH/M) and 2 spinning (M/F, ML/F) combos with maybe an extra reel with braid. I can cover any techniques with these but I am most confident fishing swim jigs, chatters, senkos, and drop shot. Will be fishing private ponds in small boats at my hunting clubs but have never really fished them since I was a kid with a worm and bobber. Any advice is welcomed. Will pick up some different lures / colors, but trying not to get crazy with the bait monkey for a few days of fishing. Thanks in advance...

I am traveling back to my hometown in PA in a few weeks from NC. Going to have some time to fish and hoping to get some advice from any of our Northern members on what lures, trailers, colors I should plan on bringing. I have all kinds of tackle for my southern waters (green pumpkins, watermelons, shad colors) but want to maximize my time on the water up there and not bring all my baits if I can help it. Planning on bringing 3 BC (H/F, MH/F, MH/M) and 2 spinning (M/F, ML/F) combos with maybe an extra reel with braid. I can cover any techniques with these but I am most confident fishing swim jigs, chatters, senkos, and drop shot. Will be fishing private ponds in small boats at my hunting clubs but have never really fished them since I was a kid with a worm and bobber. Any advice is welcomed. Will pick up some different lures / colors, but trying not to get crazy with the bait monkey for a few days of fishing. Thanks I’m advance...

Nice 4 lb. ILM pond fish tonight. Caught her on brand new Fury 705CB and Fuego 6.3:1 I had picked up today and spooled up right before leaving. She ate a chatterbait after 3 turns of the reel. Not bad for first fish on new combo!

I have been really pleased with my Dobyns Fury 702 SF paired with a Fuego 2000 reel. Have 15# yellow power pro with an 8# fluoro leader. I don’t fish deep water since there isn’t much of it where I am, but this setup has handled everything I have thrown at it for around $250 including the line. Good luck with your search...

Haha, thanks. Had a pretty decent day today. 10 fish total with a 2 and 4 pounder in the mix. All but one caught on 3.8 keitech easy shiner in sungill on a 3/16 oz jig head. Tried this setup for the first time on the Colt 702 spinning rod paired with a Daiwa revros. Rod and reel handled even the 4 pounder with no issues. Super pleased to have found this combo to throw these lighter paddletails. Another productive weekend where I gained confidence in some new techniques and gear.

Finally figured out how to compress and upload pics. This is my boy with the 3.5 lb girl we caught on live bait. Very proud of him!

I tend to struggle with this too. Been catching them on swim jigs with a menace trailer and a rage swimmer on a jig head so I have been sort of pushing those hard. Really trying to get bit on a chatter with nothing to show for it but keep throwing it. Had luck on the purple worm a month ago so I seem to keep trying that to no avail. Had a major drop shot habit two months ago that I seem to have kicked, but the urge is still strong. Doubt I will be able to hold out much longer... The weightless senko and wacky rig are calling my name as well

Update: Got out with my boy this past Saturday and really got into them. I broke down and used some live minnows at a pond I know the bass love them. I’ve been there over the last few months and watched people catching loads of fish with them while I worked hard to catch a few on my drop shot. We ended up with 11 bass including one around 2 lbs and one at 3.5 lbs. I hooked the biggest one and immediately handed him the rod because I could tell it was a good one. It was great seeing him all excited again and we will fish live bait again, but I didn’t get the rush I am used to getting with a lure bite. Almost felt like cheating...

Had an awesome fishing weekend here in NC. Hit up some neighborhood ponds and caught six on Saturday with a rage swimmer. Two of those around 2.5-3 lbs and no dinks. Caught four today on swim jig, rage swimmer, and one on weightless trick worm. Even tried a chatter bait and missed one so I will be adding that to my arsenal. Been catching fish on senkos and drop shot all winter but pretty sporadic and no real size. This was my first time really catching on moving baits and I am ecstatic. Feel like it was a pure reaction bite that I have read about here and watched videos about but had yet to experience. All I can say is wow! I know it won’t always be this good, but I am fired up to get back out. Too bad I’ve got a job!! Haha

So rod arrived today which I’m very happy about. Never did get a shipping notice. Oh well, all’s well that ends well

CL 702S FR 702S FR 703S FR 733C FR 734C CL 601 S on the way from Dobyns now

I have both the 702 and 703. The 702 is my dedicated drop shot rod and I am loving it. The 703 was nice when I tried it for drop shot but actually felt like too much rod for the shallow depths I am fishing in. Unless you are fishing more than 10’ deep or around heavy cover, I would say the 702 would be perfect. My 703 is seeing duty for weightless trick worms and wacky rig senkos and has been impressive so far.

Same here. Recently picked up a F733C and F734C and love them. 733 launches a weightless senko and accuracy is good once I got used to the longer action. The extra length really seems to make hooksets effortless as well with a smooth reel and sweep.

Thank you for the reply. Not in a rush, but the waiting for new toys is the hardest part...

Ordered a Colt Series Panfish rod on Monday and I received an order confirmation but have yet to get a shipping notification. First time ordering from them but this will be my 6th Dobyns. Anyone have experience with ordering from them on what I can expect for shipping time? Have you gotten a shipping notice? Thanks in advance for any info.