casts_by_fly

Yes. A single bait and glue it to your arm. Or a style of bait that you want to learn. If I want to just go out and fish and maybe catch fish or not usiong things I know then so be it. But sometimes those aren't the things I need so once or twice a year I add something to the repetoir. I now have a texas rig on most trips after focusing on fishing in the plastics outing 2 years ago. Its different to a jig and I know when it has a time and place. I'm going to do the same thing tomorrow with finesse lures/baits.

I think that's what you might call 'finding your own balance'. I like it.

My default is to fish like you. I'll throw moving baits as preference and always start there. What I've learned over the last year though is that I stick with them for longer than I should (hence your question above I assume). What I've learned about throwing moving baits is that for the most part if the fish are active and chasing you're going to get bit on whichever one you're throwing. It might not be optimal for the conditions or the fish, but if you swap a spinnerbait, a swim jig, and a chatterbait they will all get bit on the days when moving baits are the ticket. So if I start with a chatterbait and I'm getting one here, one there every 15-30 minutes then I might alternatve with a swim jig and see if that does a little better. Or vice versa. Same with topwater. I love throwing a buzzbait, but if I'm getting short strikes or not having enough hits as I should, I'll swap to a toad, frog, or something else. Like Pat said above though, sometimes you just know it isn't right. If I go down a bank that I know has fish and after 30 minutes of casting I've not had a single bump then I'm changing to a different lure type. For me, my progression is usually topwater, mid column moving bait, and texas rig for a morning trip. Topwater usually shuts off once the sun pokes up here and the fish stop looking up. Cloudy days and wind extend that window. If I go down a bank and they aren't eating and of the first two, I'll slow down in a couple high percentage spots and throw a texas rig. If they are eating but just looking down to do it then that should start picking up fish. If not even a bump there, I go home because its going to be a tough day. I'm also not hung up on colors. I carry a ton, but that's for me more than the fish. If they are going to eat a swim jig, then green pumpkin, bluegill, black and blue, and california craw are all going to be similar. The weight and size is more important than the color, and I suspect that's more related to the speed and depth more than the actual size most of the time.

The 1-compartment 3700's a great for that. I use a 3704 and leave it at 2 compartments for my ned box and keep the heads/hooks in the small side. Its a good setup for that. For my other plastics still in bags I use speedbags. They claim to hold 20 standard bags, but I've put 30 in depending on the plastic, if there is a hard plastic liner, etc. I've got one for creatures and one for worms. My dropshot ziplock goes in with the worms to keep it semi organized.

That's about the same for me. Year on year I've added a little more here and there. The first runs in the boat (March 2021) I just had the motor, 80 AH Lithium, helix 7, and me. I think I had one rod maybe and 2-3 lures. I was getting a consistent 4.0-4.1 mph on the power prop. Fast forward to this year and I was getting a consistent 3.6 mph. I thought for sure my brushes were burned out so I replaced them (they didn't look too bad). Speed change? nope. Still consistently 3.6. The past few trips I've left the Helix 9 and live mount in the truck. I've taken a 3700 box or two out. I've personally slimmed down 10 lb. Now I'm back to 3.7 consistently and touching 3.8. Next trip is the finesse trip and I'll lighten up another 15 lb. I think the AP is sensitive to nose weight in particular. I notice it when I am leaning forward adjusting the helix when on a run. I'll drop 0.1-0.3 mph as the nose is digging down. Then when I sit back I can pick it back up. Speed vs propulsion is an exponential relationship, i.e. to double your speed you need 4x the propulsion for a given design and speed. For a different boat and a higher speed you need 8x the propulsion for 2x the speed. Eventually you hit the point of minimal gains for ANY increase in power. Similar, brushed electric motors have limits. The prop has limits. A brushed electric motor can only take so many amps and turn so many RPMs before you start burning things up. A prop will start to slip in the water and you need a bigger prop (which doesn't fit in the AP hole). All of those factors are in play for the AP with the standard motor. Increasing it to a 55 lb 12V brushed bottom motor would probably get 0.2 mph, maybe 0.4. The prop would be limiting at that point. Same if you went up to an 80 lb 24V. As you see on yours, going brushless on the back with a different prop design gives a lot more power. But, you're putting down triple the power for 50% more speed. You're already running up the power/output curve. The EPDL is the bigwater Hull design, not the sportsman design. Its a lot more sleek in the water, sits a little shallower, and is no where near the drag. Its been that way for a while (the bigwater) and is consistently ony of the fastest hulls in a fishing kayak for a given propulsion.

I call that winter. More seriously though, I'm a strong introvert on the MBTI scale which means I derrive my energy from alone time, quiet contemplation, etc. If I didn't fish and hunt I wouldn't be able to do the other things in my life like being social with friends or being engaged at work. How much I get to go varies. From 2020 to this early spring I had a combination of jobs that mostly meant I set my own schedule. I had bosses that so long as the job got done I was free to do things as I saw fit. It meant I would cluster my calendar with morning meetings and meetings on certain days while leaving other days free or free in the afternoon. I was fishing 3 days a week most weeks and that didn't include going on the weekends. Similar when hunting season came around. I've taken meetings in a treestand and listened to town halls in the kayak. Caught with headphones in. However, a new role in Feb plus a consistent gym routine 3 days a week means that this year has been limited. I've had to fish the weekends a little more which means an early morning to be home for whatever saturday afternoon plans we have. Prior to that, we lived in the UK for 12 years. There is basically no bass fishing in the UK. So I had to bide my time with trout, carp, and some other things. I hunted a little more since I could do it year round. You'll have to find what works for you. I'm just the opposite. Interracting with that many people daily would definitely draw a lot of current from me. But fishing would recharge it. Also curious what you were lecturing/where.

Its not a hard install, but that's cutting it pretty close if you have any issues with pairing. I put mine here (front of bow in pic below), but to do it again I wouldn't. My battery meter is right behind the fish's anal fin in the pic. The heading sensor does absolutely nothing for you being in view. You don't have to see it. The battery meter does, but I don't need to see it as much as where it's located. The PROBLEM with both of them there is night fishing. When my eyes get adjusted to the dark I don't want any light and they are both bright. I have to throw a towel over them to tone it down. If you night fish, put the sensor in the back or at least at seat level. The two flat spots on either side of the seat are perfect, except I already had might mounts there.

I'm looking at 1/4 oz, maybe 5/16 as the upper end of total bait weight here. 'Downsized' would be a good descriptor. 'Finesse techniques' fit. If its too heavy to fish well on a ML spinning rod its too big for this outing. Then again, I fish for fun and rules don't have to be absolutely hard. I've got some 5" senkos in the box that will be in the boat and while that's easily fished on a MH baitcaster, unweighted and wacky I'd still call it a finesse technique. I've also got some 3 1/2" long walking spoons that are around 1/4-3/8 oz that will get fished if I think the fish are on top. also since you mentioned them (except it’s the teeny torpedo and the pooch)

That was my thought also. I saw them over the winter and thought they would be a good option to slide through grass. We also get a ton of filamentous algae that mucks everything up so it should come through that pretty clean on that hook. I can throw it on a lighter baitcaster too if I want.

funny enough, on one rod right now is a smoke/purple ika and ready in backup is a pbnj Ned worm.

For the most part you're right on. There are some fantastic 'old fashioned' syrups that are basically a cross between rich syrup and bitters flavors. I've tried a handful now and all make a pretty tasty drink. Some inexpensive bourbon or rye is all you need there. Bullet Rye is a good cheap option if you want the rye side. That said, there are some times where a little higher price in the whiskey makes a difference. If you go to a cask/barrel strength and something pretty rich in flavor (four roses cask would be an example) then a very basic simple syrup and a shake of angostura will still let the whisky flavor come through. Excellent whiskey treated simply makes for a great old fashioned. I love good cocktails and make some pretty good ones myself. That said, I'm also lazy. So a quick old fashioned is simple to make and tastes great. One glass, a barspoon, and some ice plus the liquor and the syrup. I can grab some ice from the freezer, head to the bar room, and not have to make trips back and forth for ingredients. Pick a different syrup, pick a different liquor (I do tequilla and rum a lot), and you're good to go.

thanks guys, lots of hits on my prepped list. I should add, it doesn't have to be finesse plastics only. I've got more than just plastics rigged and ready to go. I'd also note that I'm fishing for largemouth. The lake I'll be on is weedy, but not horrible right now (they sprayed a couple weeks ago). I'll be fishing down to 20', but mostly in the 1-10' realm. It's also my usual so I'm not taking any electronics with me so no FFS jighead minnow happening.

Hi all, Every year I like to pick a trip and do something that I don't normally do so that I expand my horizons. It was the 'all plastics' outing the past two years. Prior to that first trip, I didn't really fish plastics. Sure I'd have jig trailers and other things, but I mean just a good old texas rig or similar. Another trip was (inadvertently) a 'use what you've got lying around' trip where I only had what was tied on my 5 rods from home plus a small handful of things in the bottom of the boat (I forgot my tackle bag). This year, I'm picking an 'all finesse' theme. Now this might not be new to some of you, but it's not what I do. I'm a bait casting power fisherman at heart. If it doesn't weigh at least 3/8 of an ounce (even better for a half) I'm unlikely to tie it on. I didn't carry a spinning rod in the boat for the past 3 years unless the crappie were spawning and I wanted to bring a couple home. This past winter I added a nice spinning setup and have used it a bunch this year. However, finesse techniques, light rods, and small lures are not my wheelhouse. So that's what I'm doing, maybe on my next trip out if this wind will ever settle down. I have a plan of what I'm going to fish. I'm only bringing the bare minimum gear in the boat (gotta be able to throw it on a ML or lighter so we're looking at 1/4 and under really). My goal is a half dozen keeper sized bass in an evening session. Rods will range from light to medium powered spinning rods (I'll have 4) and one ML BFS like casting rod. For the most part, all will be braid to leader. If you were going to do such an outing, what are you rigging? What's your approach for the day? Not limited to just tiny soft plastics either. Like I said, I'm a power fisherman at heart, so there's going to be some cast and crank lures involved for sure. thanks, rick

I think with longer worms they can just grab the tail at times, swim off with it, and then inhale the rest. I've seen video of them doing that. On the other hand, I've seen video of them inhaling a 12" worm on one hit. My default is a 4" beaver and with a flipping hook the hook point is 3/4 the way back so if they hit it at all they are caught. That's one thing I really like about throwing a beaver type bait.

all of these things are true. the RC prop will give you ~0.3-0.4 over the power prop. The weedless wedge will drop you the same amount. The RC prop only needs 1 tiny weed strand to incapacitate it. Its only okay in rocky lakes with no grass. Also have to be careful clipping it against rocks as it chips and breaks a lot easier than the minn kota props. The weedless wedge is dynamite in weeds. With it and the ninja blade I don't worry about getting junked in. Curly pondweed is tricky because it wraps the nosecone so much but anything else is fine. From may until September I pretty much only use the wedge prop. The standard prop is a good compromise and works great for the most part. Some lakes and some times of year I'll throw it on before I leave the house because the weeds aren't high or I'm not fishing around them. In that case I'll take the extra speed, but not go to the RC prop because there's still a chance to see some weeds here or there. I carry all three on the boat every trip so that I always have a spare prop on hand. I also will swap the prop on the water if I've made a bad choice.

Makers. And if you can get it makers 46. Four roses is another good option, but makers is a richer flavor (unless you spring for the four roses single barrel).

Ram/Chrysler/stelantis vehicles are prone to electrical 'niggles' when the battery isn't in top shape. Things will intermittently work or not, you'll get an odd dashboard light, etc. That's about the time to change it. Speaking of which, I think mine is acting up. 2018 truck and original battery, so... It can also sit for a week or two at a time now and then without me driving it.

when you say prop lures, do you mean ploppers, buzzbaits, or a devil's horse type baits (also a tiny torpedo)? My head went with the 3rd option. Clearly Tom went with the first. the short answer is that most any rod will work for most any teqhnique. There's no reason why you shouldn't just use the rod you have. It will work just fine. If you have a debt to pay to the bait monkey though and 'need' a new rod, then you can make some other choices. For a devil's horse style prop bait or a tiny torpedo, they are fairly light (can be 3/8 oz) so something with a little bit of tip is easier for casting. The medium/extra fast would be a good choice. A MH/F is also a pretty good choice. If you're talking about ploppers and buzzbaits though, you probably want a little more rod. I don't throw tiny ploppers. I rarely throw the 90's. My usual is a 105/110 size which is 3/4 ounce. My buzzbaits are 3/8 or 1/2 oz which comes out around 3/4 oz total weight. That's a lot for a rod rated to 3/4 oz. I also want a bigger, longer rod for fishing them personally. I use a 7'4" 1/2-1 heavy/fast in that case.

I grew up using it. My dad was a nightcrawler fisherman for a long time. Same rig- 1-4 BB split shot about a foot up from the hook and a big old nightcrawler. Fish it along laydowns and rock ledges for walleye and bass. Sometime in the 80's he started fishing artificials primarily but the same rig with a 4" zoom centipede or a ring worm is deadly. Insead of a #6 fine wire with the nightcrawler we would use a 1/0 light wire gamakatsu EWG with the plastics. My dad still fishes a worm that way. When the bite gets tough for him its a magnum swamp crawler on a 4/0 with one or two BBs. He catches a LOT of bass that way.

sounds like a winner. I’m considering a similar power and length rod for the same applications but not spending that much. for uploading pictures, if you’re using an Apple product it’s dead simple. Click the choose files under this text box, select the pictures, and after you tap the picture the window will show ‘show selected’. Tap there and pick the size that gets it down around 1mb.

Glad you got it all sorted out.

This is my favorite time of year- now until it starts to cool down in late September. The bass aren’t thinking about spawning, just eating. Figure out what they are eating and you figure out the bass. For me, that’s a lot of shallow bluegills in early mornings before sun up which just happens to be perfect for what I love to fish- buzzbaits.

In that case I bet the top tip broke off in the tip top. if you have a 1/16 drill bit you could clean it out. You’ll still need to strip the thread and wrap though.

What he said. Though I’d start with a 14. if youve never cast a bait caster before then add a little spool tension. Don’t worry about distance, sort out ‘smooth’ action first. Then gradually take off some spool tension.

no, it should have been 3x that at least. You can see on the tip top where the outside of the tube crunches in. That’s how far it should go. you’re going to have to strip the thread off and glue the tip all the way in. Then a little thread wrap he. He. He. That’s what she said.