fishhugger

like most, i think you're worrying over nothing. although my understanding is mono deteriorates in sun... i'd worry about that stuff AFTER it's on your reel, and you been fishing with it......in the sun. idk how often people replace their fishing lines though - yearly, every other year... whatever. that would probably be for exposure to elements and abrasion and all..........

shallow cranking with a squarebill or other crank bait... i like doing it with my spinning rod. it's just so low maintenance, and i like constant or semi-constant movement. i am tied to the bank and do not enjoy carrying lots of rods or gear. i definitely prefer the evening, when it is quiet, warm, calm. sometimes in the summer i can see the bats flying around.

thanks so much, guys....terrific info. okay, i'll be more subtle and feel for the hits... i'm throwing pop-r's, which i just sort of got attached to. if i were a fish, i'd go for them, was my thinking, lol. definitely heard about 'waiting' b4 setting the hook on a top water, although that's a little counter-intuitive to me. i guess i'm thinking - if i were mr bass, i'd definitely spit that thing out, as fast as possible. but, clearly that's not your guys' experience. i'll take aj's 'split second' as gospel.... i like a definite number. it sticks in my head. yeah - i'll abandon my "let the pop-r sit for awhile" strategy. that frankly isn't that much fun for me. this lake, or large pond, is very quiet and peaceful in the evenings, and the surface can be like glass.. i think that's a reason i tried my very quiet slow pop-r thing. should i go the opposite way, and use a pretty noisy or obnoxious type topwater? open to suggestions... but there's very little milfoil, etc along the edges of the pond, fair amount of wood in the shallows. i'm assuming frogs wouldn't work, except around the few weed beds...

i think it's too hard for me to see the pop-r, at like 30', even though it has a bright yellow mouth. my eye sight is a little below par at my age. i guess what i would ask is should i give up on the long pauses, since it's so hard to see the popper, and simply move it more continuously. or would that be really limiting the pop-r's effectiveness.... thanks!

so - when i do fish topwaters, i like to reel them in pretty slow... let them sit...be patient.... maybe twitch it... problem is, i really can't see the little part of the topwater that sticks up. i like the rebel pop-r, i believe they're called. i'm assuming a topwater needs good eye sight, if you like to fish the lure slowly, you'd be able to see the lure taken, right? or am i doing something wrong... i prefer squarebills and other cranks, because to me they are almost purely 'feeling' baits....

fermented steel cut oats, with milk or cream, coffee or tea....... maybe some meat or cheese, fruit. and chocolate.

i asked my friend if i should buy this very very pricey bottle of scotch. i said i hadn't had that particular scotch in decades. she said "buy it. you never know how long you'll be around...." so i did. target has lagavulin for 10% off!!! omg - target is so terrific! i haven't picked it up yet.... yeeeeeee-haw!!! sorry - no, it's not a cheap whiskey.....

please define 'everything'..... and how does it do with lmb? i have a couple of those guys.... they still regularly sell them, afaik........

why are you guys mentioning lagavulin 16 yo in this thread??? it really doesn't belong. for me, it's the best whiskey i've had..... i suppose when i'm on my death bed, i'll spring for a bottle, but before i even get to sniff it.......... oh oh. for cheap bourbon, i'd go standard knob creek, i guess.............. but i normally get the 120 proof version, lol. never been a jack daniel's person --- but it's been a long time since i've had it. but i think there's a number of bourbons in the $30 plus range that seem ok, at least to me.

thanks, tom.... yes, the 9" seemed like a kid to me. i'll try the swim jig you suggested. and yeah... i do prefer cast and retrieve, over significantly slower techniques.

it seems fishing in this pond has been really slow in the past year, or longer. before covid, i fished there, and even i caught larger bass --- but there was a lot more of the vegetation (along the shores, milfoil, or whatever it is). now - hardly any veg at all. right now - guess you guys r right... maybe the fish are tired out from spawning........... i'll try a lipless though. it's my favorite pond to fish. we seem to agree that we're fishing just to get out there.................

except the bites all feel like small fish............ i caught a 9" lmb.... and this other guy was grousing that he's catching all these little ones.... he was fishing nearby --- altho i did hear him pleading with a fish to bite. i assume you don't do that unless it's a larger fish. or at least, i wouldn't! no idea of the spawning, etc....

i fish a small pond, in california. i've been getting bites in the evening, and it feels like they're small ones. i was using a pop-r, and then a square bill, both in sexy shad. i caught one - a 9" lmb, on a square. the pop-r -- it's like some little feller is slappin' at it??? i often fish on top of the earth dam --- i cast out, but focus mainly on the water near me -- that is, sort of the shallows, or near what little veggies there are, or under some overhanging trees. so, should i figure the larger ones are probably nearby also? or might there be so many little guys, that the big 'uns could be anywhere in the pond.... i'm figuring the small fry must be eating something, or being there for a reason...... or should i fish in the slightly deeper water near the shallows.... maybe a lipless crank to get deeper? note: open to any suggestions on technique, since other guys read this -- but i'm currently working on my crankin' technique ..... thanks in advance!

when i fish, which is in the afternoons, the pond is very quiet. which is just really enjoyable. it's a beautiful pond. but it's very quiet, and the pond can be like glass... i'll work on my splash down, altho maybe i'm just using the wrong technique right now. it's what i want to work on, (cranks) lol. it's very hard to let the bait sit for a minute --- i'd do it for a top water ---- i just don't have that patience with a squarebill. i do try not to stomp around, etc... i try to stay low. i've considered getting a tree costume to wear.... (lol again) thanks for replies!

@scaleface right now i'm just trying to work on crankbait type things --- and i assume? squarebills and lipless crankbaits are somewhat similar, at least in general technique? altho, i assume squarebills are for shallow, lipless for deeper.... i'm assuming similar 'feel' when reeling in, tho. @GetFishorDieTryin that'd be nice - if they're in close! i've been hoping for that - i fish later in the day, when the water's hopefully are warmer, especially shallow and in the sun............

throttleplate --- wow... those rocks is way scarey.... u formerly carried all that stuff, plus three rods or so among those rocks? glad you're not going to go there anymore... the little cylinders seem pretty handy.

i only carry one or two rods. i don't like carrying many more. it takes some of the fun out, carrying a lot of gear. so it sounds like i need to move around. after only a few casts --- move on. i guess if i was fishing more a finesse bait, i could stick to one spot a lot longer. sometimes on the way back around, i'll fish a couple of the same spots again. thanks for the advice!

Man, I don't even like looking at that big ol Plano... I think your away better off. The fun quotient itself should be worth it... How do those cylinders holding... Jig heads work?? Did they make it to your smaller box....

i fish from the bank, and i don't toss squares or tops very far, maybe 60'. i fish them in shallow waters, under trees, or by reeds, etc. but they seem very noisy landing in the water, and i'm guessing that if mr or mrs bass is down there, they're hearing this distinctive plop, then they're seeing this insane looking thing go cruising by. i try to cast past my targets, but then you're running it through deeper water to get to where you want to go. but that's my basic strategy. that plus just picking up, and moving further around the lake, bit by bit. are these the types of baits that you're moving around a lot, rather than working one area? to me they just seem like the bass in your spot will catch on pretty quickly to them, as opposed to a more natural or slower presentation.

double unit for leader to braid, improved clinch for mono to hook, lure, etc.... the old standards!

i think the only guys here who actually have a better idea of what the fish like are the boat and sonar dudes. by that i mean - the really really fancy sonar. i have neither... so my only tools are my wits

great and thorough information - thank you.

thanks for the great replies! where i fish, there's lots of wood and rocks. i lose most of my squarebills - i assume on wood. i get a quick tick, and i might instinctively pull, and i'm stuck. i have been trying to ignore the wood 'bites', lol. i guess i have to really recognize these wood 'bites' and not even give a little jerk. they're just a soft but distinct tick. but i will try to monitor the wobble wobble of the square bill better. it does at times - disappear.... i'll try a sweep set... i assume relatively gentle. i'm using a medium spinning rod. i do not think there are white perch in the bay area... i assume blue gill, but i am guessing the bite i got was a small lmb... it was definitely a kind of few quick tugs, then gone.... i've only caught lmb there. so, a sweep hook set is to the side, not up above you? and i *guess* you run squarebills in shallow water, or by downed trees, objects, etc? i'm assuming square bills are for fairly shallow water, like less than 10'?

i'm using a brightly colored little squarebill - lite blue on top, chartreuse on bottom... to me, colors that don't exist i my lake. and i haven't used squarebills much, so i'm kind of just experimenting. it's january, between rains, the water is muddy, and the bite is slow in the sf bay area. other guys are using drop shots, so i figure i'm using the wrong technique. the squarebill is pretty interesting, since it seems to contact the wood and rocks, and bounce off, generally, etc. it's the floating kind. they're fun. so about 10' from me, i *think* it hits wood, then there's this rapid bite, then it's gone. it's like that rapid tugging, and gone. i figure it had to be a bite, unless it was the squarebill tumbling somehow, and me pulling too hard. thanks in advance! happy squarebilling

interesting how a few guys have had so many hobbies..... lists of hobbies - some very time and cash consuming. i got back into fishing after a LONG break..... about 35 years. when i got back into it, it was pretty overwhelming, trying surf fishing, bass, rock fishing, crab snaring, no trout yet (too far away)... and all the techniques. i was carrying, i guess like some of you guys, a small handful of rods. little plastic boxes of lures.... i'm a bankie. then, another break of a couple years. just lost interest. my cousin passed away, and since we always exchanged fishing info, such as about his crazy fishing buddies (one poor buddy of his whose wife took away his credit cards, and he had to sell cans to get gas money to go fish.... ), i went fishing once in my cousin's memory, at my favorite pond. now i've gone out a few times, just one rod, a couple worms and things.... i keep it simple, local, and try to relax. met a couple guys.... we all love that pond. i don't care if i even get a fish --- it's early february, after all.