fishhugger

thanks, mn.... i didn't word that very well... the difference in weight (2 oz) between my 5' shakespeare and the 6' celilo make them seem so different. it's the reels - one is a 1000, the other 500. i might try to balance them better so there's less of a weight difference... maybe that's just me... just wondering what length rods other ultralight guys are fishing with - esp. from the bank... i'm so surprised i like the 5' rod, i wondered what others felt about short fishing rods... in addition, i may try a 7' rod. they're pretty inexpensive. maybe that's a benefit of ultralight equipment.

just starting doing some ultralight fishing for panfish at my small lake. i fish chiefly close to the bank - i've heard its pretty tough to find fish out in the middle of the lake... unless you no where the structure is,etc. i fish holes, logs, reeds, grass, overhanging brush, and ledges and points --- all close to the bank. i use 1/24 oz or less jig heads... trying out some thill, 1/2" slip bobbers, mepps, trout magnets... etc... and rapala. so i have a 5' shakespeare micro series, w a shimano sienna 500, and a 6' okuma celilo, w 1000 shimano sedona. they both got 4# hi vis mono.. there's such a difference between these rods. sometimes i like one, sometimes the other. i figured i'd hate the 5' one. yet it seems to cast surprisingly well, and cast far --- uh - 40' or more, and cast accurately. then the 6' feels clunky and heavy - wow - ..... i figured i'd hate that 5' rod... any suggestions or what do youse guys like and why? gee, should i get a 5 1/2' rod?? seems like splitting hairs. tysm and happy fishing

a lot of activity tonight at my lake - at dusk. i'm going for bluegill - hopefully they are somewhat similar to crappie, except smaller. sitting on the bank, the fish i see are about 4" long, lmb, i think. i used a 1" curly tail grub on a 1/64 oz jig head... got three bites, but the fish were so tiny ? but, at least i got bites, and i've never used the 1" curly tail. and a bright pink one at that so eventually i decide to switch to a rapala, because my bites feel so tiny, the rapala 2" rainbow trout. a nice strike; missed him. then it got dark. i've been using a mini topwater, a rebel mini, but haven't gotten anything on it yet. didn't try it today.

i hadn't even thought of minnows eating insects --- idk, the dimples -- are minnows big enough to make those dimples... i'm going to bring my binoculars, next time. what i have noticed, it's when it gets darker that there's lots more activity on the surface...lots more dimpling. maybe some are trout - this is quite near the shore, tho. five to 15 feet away from the bank, but the water will be deeper at that point. and where are the bass in all this? at my lake, the bluegill (i think they're all bluegill) hang out in the shallows. i've just been fishing for them. not the lmb, etc.

rocket bobber for panfish, 2 for $5.... thill pro series slip bobber, $2.50 for the smallest one, 1/2". i am using these. at this point, i prefer slip bobbers, but not the clip on/slip bobbers. i've actually been trying bobbers on bluegill that are doing the same thing (these are dimpling, but also splashing on the surface, schooling). i've kind of given up. they must be going for insects, right? why would they go for whatever i got on the end of my bobber? i just feel the bobber is pretty intrusive. but i'm just starting with these things. but if they're not biting on what you're tossing, do you switch to more naturalistic, or more 'out there?' i'd wondering naturalistic, really light, ultralight???? so bobbers might be too 'big'....?

no bubble to burst. gtk.

i completely agree with your feathering, and manually flipping the bail with the off hand. i assume guys who use their index finger of the grip hand to feather, that they're not flipping the bail manually... but idk. with a bait caster, feathering and controlling the speed of the spool with your thumb, it's so automatic. that seems like a big positive for bait casters

it just seems that the finger release for overhead casts, as u say, you can overshoot or undershoot. sort of simple. but sidearm, a slightly mistimed finger release (for me) can result in casting way to the left or right, or actually whichever direction the arc of your cast is taking... i just feel a lot more can go wrong, that's all, with the sidearm. i agree with others here about muscle memory, etc... the eye looking at the target - yes, that seems to result in best accuracy. but then there's dodging the tree or cliff next to you, or the little opening in the trees you're casting thru - i'm focusing on that...not exactly where my cast will end up. so, much less accurate, for me. but it gets my bait where i want it. the other thing is, i'm using two rods, one five foot, one six foot.. they just seem so different... same 4# line, but the lures might be 1/16 oz vs 1/32 oz... more variables... but ultralight spin casting is a total hoot! i miss bait casting, but that's, for me, 3/8 oz weights on up. uh - you can roll cast, like with a bait caster, using ultralight? i don't no how to roll cast a bait caster - i had to use youtube to see what it was... and i'm just saying sidearms seem like, well, nfl passing, vs overhand, which is college... i normally sidearm, but yeah, i've got to be focused doing it, if i need accuracy. i'm still working on my feathering --- it's basically my 'oh ****' helper.

i got into baitcasting last year; this year i discovered ultralight, and am back into spinning. in terms of accuracy, i'm surprised. casting overhand, since the rod travels in the target direction, i just have to worry about distance. but if i cast sidewarm, a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm. i seem to aim by - just going for it. i pick a spot, and just am committed. it's like i used to hit a tennis ball, etc. is this how other guys aim spinning casts? and feathering - yeah, i do that with my off hand. and skipping - i didn't know enough that spinning equipment is actually great for that. spinning is pretty darn fun...

i take out fishing line. if there's a lure attached to it - that is my salary. if i see something lying around, and see a person who may have lost it, i'll probably ask them. people in my city often leave stuff for others to paw over (this is in neighborhoods). i'll check things out --- i've gotten my current tackle bag, two coleman camp stoves (a 425 and 413, both two burners). i fixed them up, they work great. books, (i got hardcover hemingway editions),. other people just leave garbage. i sometimes toss it in my garbage can.

hi mn ok... a couple questions... so i got the thill bobbers with the springs and notches --- i'd never used that style before, and assumed it (the spring and notch) was a thill - thing. but i guess it's not. is the basic advantage of this style just that you can stick one on and off a line, wo retying? but the downside i'd say is it's not as good to cast as a sliding style, and it kind of kinks my 4# line, actually. so i just ordered a pro series unweighted 1/2" sliding bobber. i believe you use the weighted version -- is this mainly for longer casts? i'm content to be able to cast about 70', which i think i can do with an unweighted bobber... and i use small 1/32 oz to 1/64 oz jig heads, with little plastic things. so these dangle from a bobber, or are simply tied on to my 4# line. the bobberless jigs, i cast from the shore, and can go about 20'. i can slowly bring this in, or just drop it along the deep holes by the bank. i figure this is my most natural presentation. thank you! any thoughts? edit - i have no clue how to use the spring loaded bobbers... i'll have to uh...watch some youtube, lol...........................

ty for info, mn, so i'll use your instruction - but no sonar for me, just a bankie... i'm assuming i'll just be using my bobbers in the shallows, since it would be hard to locate fish in the depths. unless i maybe had a chart or something.

ok, i can remember that, maybe by --- ok, the baby shad just seems so subtle, so i can see it not moving a lot... the curly tail --- seems more active.. i'll give it a try.....

yes! i got a couple sets to try... an assortment of thill, and a thkfish set of bobbers, 2.5"x.5"x4". all these have those little springs with a slot at the bottom... i had a simpler mr. crappie bobber, but it caught a tree. do you fish mainly with a bobber, or with the hook/plastic --- just moving along on its own? how do you decide - bobber vs no bobber.... ty..... i no... i just haven't used them much, and haven't had any luck so far... i guess use them similarly to the garland baby shad? the curly tail seems - pretty universal....

.. yes, i got monkey milk... and, i think blue thunder, bs 142, but not sure ... a hyper grub, curly tail, black/chartreuse/silver.... i've don't think i've ever caught anything on a curly tailed grub... but haven't fished them much.

k, lads... i got some of the garlands... may get some of the strike kings crappie baits... got some jig heads... 1/32 to 1/64 oz... some 1/16... i noticed today a number of people fishing similarly to me, i guess. very close to shore, kind of quietly... one *was* using the bobby garland baits - didn't ask exactly what kind. she was using tiny rods, like mine. they move around. then the soakers are on the piers..... thanks for the great advice, as always.

ok, guys... tysm... oh, i guess i'm headed to fisherman's heaven, (aka dicks) for cute lil plastix with tiny tails... !!! what i'll do for a fish or three..................

is the bobby garland little plastic guys really that great? i've seen a handful of them at my fisherman's heaven. richard gene seems to like them a lot, but there are so many little plastic things, even walmart has their versions... do these little guys stand out that much?

ty, mn.... i'll check out flopping crappie.. !

he has a youtube channel, and uses these 1/32 oz jig heads, 2 to 4# test mono, and small bobby garland - idk what to call them... they're plastics, 1 1/2" to 2" long, very small, tapering to a long thin tail. he fishes chiefly for crappie, or 'slabs' as he calls 'em, fishing very slow and "natural". i think i'd say his philosophy would be "less (movement) is more." but is his teknique effective against bluegill? i have been trying it for a couple weeks now. i've had some success, and figure i'm just learning at this point.. and is it as effective as a worm? i've heard real bait fishing is the most effective way to get bluegill. but i don't find bait fishing for panfish fun. WHOOOOOOO!!!!! oh yeah... i'm a northerner; i can't do that without sounding like a total weirdo or faker. but happy WHOOOOOOOOO.... thank you.

ty... gtk what are really good ones, and good ones... i just lost a few jig heads, to tree trunks, unknowns, etc... there are quite a few hazards in the lake i fish. just ordered a couple (cheap) brands from amazon. i'll take a look at them, see if either looks ok. if not, i'll send 'em back. strike king is kind of reasonably priced.

just got an ultralight spin rod, and trying very light jig heads. i don't like how heavier jig heads are so loud hitting the water. i like the 1/64 oz ones that come with trout magnets - what is a good price and brand of this weight of jig head? i know there are ball heads, then the trout magnet dart heads, painted heads... on amazon there are 100 packs for $10 - but are the hooks any good? i have prime; and ordered temorah jigs, unpainted ball heads, eyelet on the top front, 45 degree angle... ---they're returnable, 50 for $7. strike king painted jig heads are twice as much. i no the trout magnet hooks seem sharp - i accidentally stabbed myself with one this evening. i've caught tiny bass (one was 4" long), bluegill..., and a larger bass - 10"? i'm going for things for the fry pan - bluegill. just got a celilo, 6' that i can cast the trout magnets on, and 4# test mono thanks so much.

having a lotta fun chasing the gills with mini lures.... i'm using 4# mono, hi vis, shakespeare microlite 7' rod --- i use the lures as top waters quite a bit. , i like to cast 60, 70' to get to some nice areas. there is limited bank access. the problem (to me): when i cast that far out, the line belies out from my rod tip, and the rest of the line floats on the surface, finally leading to the lure, on the surface. that's a lot of slack, right? i don't see how the fish can get hooked that way. and there's no way to get rid of the slack; you'll just drag the lure towards you. so my questions are: am i casting too far, and i can't effectively fish a top water that far? should i switch to braid? this is assuming the weight of the line is an issue. that seems complex, altho i use braid for lmb, etc. or, , having that slack to your top water pop-r is not an issue, and please explain what i'm totally missing... thanks again! oh, here's brekkies.

couldn't find vmc needlepoints... i've got gamakatsu siwash, open eye, size 10. are those similar to the vmc you're using? i'm not used to changing out lots of trebles, and siwash are the only hooks i no of to do it with...

i like the mini... . since the end of it dangles in the water, i like having that part swing tantalizingly in the water. haven't had bites yet on pulling him in. i thought it would only be effective in low light, or even night? and the mini is so tiny --- uh, i use 4# mono on it currently, a very light rod, with a 4# leader.. (my main line is hi vis). do you use heavier line - in case you get larger fish? thanks! thanks.. no idea craws swam that much..... ok... i'll be flexible on what the bait is supposed to be... they are just drawings, kind of. other than the color and rough shape...