casts_by_fly

texas rig for me (weighted and pegged in my case) Lots of grass here from may to October so an open hook is a non starter. Depth ranges 0-20' so covering all of that efficiently with one setup means weighted. Beavers have been my best for a while (get through grass and pads efficiently, can pitch them into wood, can also fish them hopped on the bottom).

I fell into this trap also. When we first moved to NJ I joined all of the local/regional groups because I didn't know anything about the area or the lakes. At first I was excited to see all of the fish around that people were catching knowing that I was going to be fishing those same lakes. Then after a while that turned to FOMO when I couldn't get out and others were catching fish. Then when I did get out I was angry that I wasn't catching the big ones or the numbers or even any when others were doing so. I found I was enjoying the earliest season trips the most because I had no expectations to catch anything and could just kick back and enjoy the world around me (often with no other people on the water). After a while I realized the problem and have unfollowed all of the groups that were driving me down. Every now and then I'll pop in and see what's going on, but now I just do my own thing and not worry about others. (also why I have no interest in tournaments)

yeah, a zillion vs an SLX isn't even a choice.

Maybe so, maybe not. BFS isn't a direct replacement for a spinning setup and some lures are just better thrown on certain types of rods. Given what you're saying you fish most, I'd say that a spinning rod is the better choice for a lot of it and certainly can handle all of it. That's not to say that you can't throw lighter stuff on baitcasters, but that soemtimes its just easier not to. Case in point- monday I carried a spinning rod, a ML baitcaster with a BFS reel, and 3 other baitcasters of varying powers. I was throwing a 1/16 oz head and 3" plastic on the spinning rod and 1/8 oz head and 3" plastic on the BFS reel. I could swap them around if I wanted. Both worked fine. But, its all about having a balanced setup for the things you're throwing. Tonight I'm leaving the BFS setup at home in lieu of a second spinning rod of similar power. No real good reason why or why not, just what I'm going to do. I do prefer a baitcaster so I may regret it but who's to say.

I think you're found the issue. You're not properly loading the rod with enough weight. A 1/4 oz is on the light end for a baitcaster. That puts you firmly into the 'medium' rated power territory. 12 lb siege is right for that as it 40 lb braid. I think the 8 lb mono is a bit light, though it can still work depending on the diameter.

Correct. Especially as a new caster it helps to feel the rod load. A moderate fast action will be easier to feel than an extra fast. A setup where you're using at least the middle of the rated weight casting range will be better than if you're on the bottom end. if the heavier rods aren't bending when you cast then they are too heavy (stiff) for the things you're trying to throw. What weight ranges are on the rods you're using with 1/4 oz?

I'm watching this with interest. I picked up a pack last winter and fished them a bit here and there. I've found beavers to be better for me personally, though i imagine I should try them again when beavers are slow. They rig up well and with a tiny 1/8 oz tungsten bullet weight they will come through milfoil and other grass really well. They skip great!

first, watch the video above. Second, any baitcaster should reliably through 3/8 oz and most will throw a true 1/4 oz (not just a 1/4 oz weight plus plastic or a 1/4 oz wire bait). Loading your rod is one part of it. Adjusting the reel is the other. What rods do you have them on? You don't say which reels you have fo whats on what. Each reel has differences in braking style to consider. That said, 12 lb siege on most any lews or Abu should be fine for casting a 1/4 oz weight. The 40 lb braid should also do it. There are two styles for adjusting a baitcaster- using a lot of brakes and low spool tension and using less brakes and adjusting spool tension for a slow drop. High braking is good for hard launching style casts and taming the initial 'flick' of the tip. Low braking with spool tension plays better with a more relaxed casting style. The latter requires a little more rod loading based on the weight of the lure, the former relies on a quicker casting stroke and better timing.

I'm using mostly non elaztech, but I do have some Zman stuff. I'm also using weedless hook rigs, either Bass Union heads or zman chinlock hooks. I could never fish an open hook here from May to October.

a slow reeling twitch through grass? I can't imagine how many senkos would break in half (and become ned trailers) doing that through cover.

me too. I've always hated slowing down in the first place and only would fish the usual power fishing lures regardless of conditions. I've forced myself to slow down a little the past couple years and this year I've been fishing the ned rig more. Its downsized but I'm still not fishing it 'still'. It's more of a waggle and swim retrieve, more like swim jig retrieve, though slower to keep it down. I still can't slow down enough to throw a wacky rigged senko for any length of time. If I even tie one on its because I don't have a better idea or I want to have a follow up bait on.

I just did the opposite. I was carrying 25-30 bags of trailers in my main bag and then another 50 bags of plastics in two speed bags, all in the kayak. I grabbed the essentials into a single 3700 and pared down the speed bags. Far lighter system and a lot less space taken up. I could knock out a speed bag but I like having two different ones for organizational purposes.

I've also come around to the ned rig as my first finesse rig. Any day on the water I want to figure out two things- where in the water column (high medium low) and how aggressive they are being/willingness to chase. Obviously 'topwater/high' and 'aggressive' are the most fun. If I find I'm in the 'medium/low' column and 'non agressive' then the Ned comes out (like it did last night). I don't prefer fishing it but sometimes that much smaller profile is less intimidating to a fish and they just inhale it because they can. I'll try a couple different profiles if they aren't hitting what I'm throwing including a stick worm (TRD/senko), a creature type thing, an 'action tail' type of bait, or a craw. Sometimes they want one over another. The alternative in that scenario is to go big and overaggressive to trigger a reaction bite. Something like a big swimbait that's fished slow and looks like an easy meal.

Bringing this thread back around. I picked up 2 packs earlier in the year and got to fish one for a little bit yesterday. I was using a big worm (10.5" zoom monster I think) on the 3/8 variant. The action sure did look good watching it fall (I had 6' of visibility). However it was a bugger for catching grass. I thought that with the tapered front to the weight that it might slide across. A lighter weight would have helped I'm sure, but I could have also swapped to a weighted swimbait hook instead for the same effect and probably better weedlessness. With the worm basically sitting on top of the hook it presents a big frontal profile and snags everything. Maybe fishing rocks and rocky banks it would be good, but those places aren't ones I'm fishing this type of rig in the first place. I swapped to a standard texas rig and was slithering through everything easily. Anyone else finding this?

Maybe. But I sure would wear out his face muscles while I tried everything out. Maybe I end up where I am now and maybe I don't. But I'm going to try it all. that's for sure.

agreed. Even the threat of rain is usually enough to keep people off the water. Certainly in the early season when the air is only 55 degrees too.

me too. It was supposed to storm while I was on the water last night but the storm didn't get the memo and came later, just as I pulled in at home.

either another bird up front or FFS to find the 'thing' you marked on side scan. I don't know of any way to share across brands.

got lucky on one last night. I was swimming a rage ned cut-r worm back to the boat when this one hit. Hooked right in the nostril on 8 b fluoro leader and 10 lb braid. About a 20" fish.

Where are they breaking? I find that the main bend happens when you have the fish in the net and things tangle or when you boat flip a fish and the bait straightens out. The top arm splays open and you have to bend it down to square it back up again. if that's what's happening to you, then you can put a small metal split ring at the base of the R-bend and that keeps it from opening up. I did that to some of my buzzbaits to keep them running true. Its a real bugger to have them bend out in the dark and you try to bend them back to run true. I usually give up and tie on another one. I used skirt tying wire, maybe 3 or 4 bends, and twist it back on itself tight.

well it was an odd one. I'll post more details elsewhere but I managed 4 different species including a jumbo perch that I didn't know were in the lake, landed a musky on a ned rig, got a treble hook in my shin (2 of three points), and lost a PB boatside. Definitely didn't have any of that on my bingo card for the night.

If money wasn't a factor then there's no such term as 'blowing the bank'. I'm not sure how much I would spend in the end, but you can bet I'd try everything given an unlimited pool of funds. Except those round reels. You couldn't pay me to fish a calcutta or an Ambasssadeur.

thanks. I picked up a pack of 4” senkos off the back of one of your previous trip reports and my own success of using the back of a banged up 5” one. It’s a bigger profile but with a 1/16 oz head I can throw it on all of my lighter casting rods if I want. Smaller than that and I need the bfs rod or spinning. Next order I’ll throw the tanuki in. I’ve been fishing mine either with a Texas rig like drag/hop or like a swim jig with a steady reel and shaking the tip of the rod. I do the latter when I’m throwing into heavier weed areas to keep it just off the junk.

yeah, I imagine that might catch one or two. Is it the same plastic as a senko (salt load, texture)?

I leave my lifepo plugged in for extended periods often. I plug it in when I get home from a trip and then unplug it next time I am nearby and think about it. Sometimes that is multiple weeks. If the charger has a maintainer mode or similar then it will be fine.