casts_by_fly

I could have just as easily titled this post “just when you think you know something”. I’ve always preferred grey and drizzly days, light or no wind- classic bas fishing conditions. Sunshine has never been my preference. And yet, last year I hammered a lot of fish on finesse baits on still sunny days. Then just this past Wednesday I had a great day in 85 degrees bluebird sky on moving baits. I should hope for sun more often I think. The forecast for both days this weekend was 60 degrees and drizzle for 48+ straight hours, wind maxing out at 4 mph but not frequently or sustained. The bass are long done spawning and the bluegills are in full swing. Water temps are mid to high 70’s now so we’re well into the early summer routine. For me and my lakes, that means a great early morning topwater (buzzbait) bite for the 2 hours before sunrise and the hour after. It has been a consistent thing for the past 5 seasons. Between the weather and the season, I thought for sure yesterday would have been a banger early so I set a 3:15 alarm to be out of the house by 4 and on the water by 445. That was later than I wanted, but no matter since it was staying gray all morning. I had rods rigged, but I only pulled one out at the dock and started down the bank. Immediately things were weird. There were shad feeding on top everywhere and not a thing touching them. They were flipping on the surface, some even coming out of the water and there wasn’t a single bass out chasing them. Maybe that should have been an early clue but I was stubborn. I ran the first third of the lake with a buzzbait, first my standard black, then swapping to white in case the bass were actually interested in the shad. I caught two and missed one, but for what I was expecting that wasn’t enough (even if one was a 3lb fish). I did the next third alternating between a buzzbait, spinnerbait, and bladed jig to no avail. The bass definitely weren’t doing what I was planning. So plan B. I knew they would be in the areas I just fished, but they just weren’t looking up or even mid depth. I figured with the rain and the bluegills they would at least be eating, so a couple bottom rigs got tied up as I let the trolling motor take me across the lake. The good news was that I had the entire lake to myself so I didn’t have to contend with anyone else which was lovely. It didn’t take long and the trusty rage bug came through. It wasn’t a numbers kind of day (only 8 in total) but half were over 3lb with the biggest at 4-03. I’ll take a 15lb bag any day when they pull like these freight trains.

If you’re spending $300, then get a JDM metanium for $260 and be done with it. A JDM zillion would be a good alternative if you prefer daiwa. In that price range, there aren’t any other reels I would be considering.

After reading AJay’s logic which is the same as ranger jockey’s, I tie long leaders, normally about 15’. That puts the knot on the reel when the fish is boat side. I trust my knots, but it’s one more variable. Also, if the fish makes a run and the knot is in the guides, there is a tiny chance that the knot catches in the guide just when it makes a run. If it is on the reel then the first 2’ of the run (the shock part) has the line coming off smooth. I don’t think line visibility really matters for most people and places. Super clear water maybe. Heavily pressured fish maybe. I use it for the abrasion resistance mostly. I’m not throwing topwaters with it, mostly plastics around cover or on the bottom.

You could do just one if you had to. It would work and get you through the season. It isn’t the best long term choice since the well used one would drag down the less used one over time. If you had a half decent used battery sitting around then I might do that to get through the season, otherwise just get a new set. I went lithium when i built my boat (had lithiums in the kayak before it). I went with 1 24 volt for the motor and a 100 ah for the electronics. I kept a lead acid for the cranking battery. To do it again I would have gone 2x12v for the motor since charger options are tough for a 24v bank and 2 12 v banks in the same charger. Other than that, I have no regrets whatsoever with lithium and wouldn’t ever go lead. If you need weight for balance, still get lithium and put two sand bags in to make up the difference. The consistent voltage from lithium is so nice.

I’ve never fished them, but know what they are. After DC crushed the fish on gunnersville with them they caught my attention again. Similar but different bait is a bladed jig blade on a plain jig head with a plastic if your choice. I was throwing one of them on Wednesday.

@HawkeyeSmallie- that’s awesome. I don’t think I’ve ever caught a smallmouth in the dark. I’ve not really fished for them in the dark, but still never done it. I have a headlamp and wear it all the time when I’m out in the dark. It is almost always off, and when it is on I have it in red mode. I don’t use it for casting or anything other than tying a hook (or detangling a mess). It is easier than leaving a flashlight out or searching for it in the box when you need it so I just leave it clipped to my hat. It’s handy when you are loading up the boat also since most of my ramps don’t really have god lighting. I’ve got pretty good eyes so once they adapt to the available light I’m good to go with just starlight/moonlight and the bit of glow in the sky from light pollution. YMMV.

Depends on the rod and also the REEL. For a while I was struggling with my eye crosser for 1/2 oz frogs. It’s rated 1/2-1.5 and while it would cast overhead just fine, trying to throw sidearm it was throwing hard left every time no matter how loose I had the reel. I was using a bigger and heavier spool reel and it was struggling to start up on a light sidearm toss and the rod wasn’t helping me. When I swapped to an MGL spool it was night and day. Same rod, same line, same frog. For frogs only I’d like the rod to be just a tiniest tich lighter in the tip but the reel makes up for that. For toads I have no problems because they normally weigh 5/8-3/4 and cast like a brick.

Tilt, not trim and yes I’ve played a little. I can’t change it while running, but I can tilt it up a little before I kick it in gear and it stays there. A little trim got another 0.3-0.4 mph which isn’t much to most, but that’s 3-4% better for me when I top out at 10 mph.

Before you do that, visit one of the board sponsors in Siebert outdoors and pick up a couple swim jigs or mini swim jigs, whichever is your preference. They are the highest quality you’re going to find and the colors are limitless. I just might have one tied on right now for tomorrow’s trip. The bluegill were on beds heavy 10 days ago but the bass didn’t care. I suspect they care now. I’m throwing my black buzzbait first thing and until they stop eating it, but shortly thereafter I expect the swim jigs bite to kick in.

yeah, this. There is no chance that I’m getting on plane with a 9.9. I’d need another 4-6 mph to get there. Maybe more. unfortunately, the shop that did it is 90 minutes away and they also don’t have a lake big enough to run it. Just enough to start it up and putter around. They do have a setup guy though and that’s what makes me think that it’s right as it is.

The falcon Amistad is what I use for most of that. It's my 'big stick' for heavy pitching and light punching. I can frog with it (though I prefer a shorter rod for frogging personally). It is what I threw 6" magdrafts on last year and other similar swimbaits. I move my swimbaits to a bigger rod to handle bigger baits so took the magdraft off of it, but it will still do it. I also used the Falcon Eye crosser to do the same things (6'11", 1/2- 1 1/2). It is my primary frog rod but last year when I was a more limited in what I could carry I would load it up with either a frog or magdraft to keep the Amistad free for a heavy pitching setup. Or, if I left the amistad at home one evening and needed a heavy pitching rod the eye crosser would do it. The shorter length is great for working frogs, fine for pitching, and tougher with big swimbaits. I think the 7'3" is the right blend for all of those things.

I can and have considered it. But I've never done it before and it's a 90 lb motor for which I don't have a hoist. So I'd need a couple guys (and thus a couple beers and a full afternoon which will turn into an evening and probably pizza). So I wanted to get some other opinions if it was even wrong in the first place (I do trust the marina, though this is a motor combo they don't normally use) and if there was any benefit before going to that level of work.

I've never tried heat shrink. Guys above say it works so I would assume it works. I'd have to check the gauge of the wire I have here, but 20 feels about right. You only need 3 or 4 wraps and they don't have to be screaming tight- just snug to the arm wire. Then twist the two ends together with a pair of pliers and snip them short. I point them backwards in line with the arms.

I have no illusions about getting on plane. I’m just looking to optimize. I do have hp restrictions, Hence the 9.9.

16’ aluminum. Light boat even at 16’ (800 or so dry weight). Fully decked

Yeah, that’s what I’m saying the anti cavitation plate (aka anti ventilation plate) is about 1.5” below the bottom of the hull. Take that motor in the picture and lower it 1.5”.

I do. I try to rotate through a half dozen or so. Which ones I go to more depend on how they are treating me lately and what I think the weather will be like. Sometimes I'll go to a lake because I need to learn it better. Sometimes because I want to try a specific thing. Last year time was really tight so I stuck to the same lake for most of my trips and it was rewarding because I know that lake really well now (and it has been my #1 for the past 4 years), but knowing it so well means falling into ruts and ways of doing things which I don't want to do. Every now and then I need a change of scenery.

Almost regardless of the lure, I'm throwing black at night. About the only exception is if there is a bright moon (half or more) and the water is clear. Then there is enough light that white shows up pretty well too. More important to me is having enough thump in the water for both me and the fish to feel it. the fish are better at that of course so it doesn't take much for them. For me, I need to know the lure is working right and with the amount of weeds we have here it only takes one strand to stop a spinnerbait blade or foul a buzzbait blade. And I want to know if it is fouled. On a swim jig at night, that means throwing one with a rage bug or another rage product as a trailer.

hi gents, twice now I’ve been watching the back of the boat as I drove and I’m getting a lot of spray that I’m not convinced is right. If the boat was up on plane then I’m sure it wouldn’t be right, but since I’m only in a 9.9 I’m not quite getting up on plane. The photo isn’t great (I was driving) but you can see the splash from either side of the motor where it meets the transom. When I look at it on the trailer, the anti ventilation plate is about 1.5” below the bottom of the boat. I was thinking that it should be level with the bottom of the boat. Again, I don’t have the horsepower to get me up on plane, but I was thinking that if it is 1.5” too low that’s extra drag in the water that I don’t need. Might pick up a a little more speed from it. I can raise it 1” via the bolt holes on the motor, but it would be a process since I don’t have a crane. thanks rick

I don’t use heat shrink, i just use wire (or a knot).

light gauge craft wire will work, but you have to be careful with it. It is fragile if it gets bent hard and will break. Not a critical fault if that happens on the water, but if you can get skirt tying wire it holds up much better.

I'm close to 1:1. I'll upgrade a rod. Then realize it needs a better reel so upgrade the reel. Or vice versa.

I can't fish one effectly in a lot of the lakes here due to grass but this just worked out this time.

I made it out yesterday evening. I wasn't enthused by the weather by any means- 82 degrees, bluebird sky, the day after a front- all of which said finesse day. And 10 mph winds which makes finessing a whole lot tougher. I fished the same conditions on my own mini Menderchuk last week and skunked, so I didn't want to do that again. Instead I went to one of the bigger reservoirs that was part of the reason for moving to the boat from a kayak. If nothing else, it has a couple arms where I could get out of the wind and with the direction of the wind it was blowing onto some of the banks I could fish with moving baits at least. This lake used to have some great grass (milfoil primarily) but a couple summers of no rain followed by cold winters have eliminted every piece of aquatic vegetation in the lake aside from a couple patches of reeds (tuilles?) that I've never caught a fish on in 4 years. It is a hard bottom lake though so the plan was to find off shore locations which I've previously marked and find either smallies or largemouth using them to ambush the copious amounts of baitfish in the lake. I rigged up a wobble head, carolina rig, 14' crankbait, jerkbait, and a scrounger. Show me a school and I can cover it... After graphing around looking for a school for a while and striking out, I had two rock piles that I knew from when the water was 25' low and they were visible from a mile away (literally) in the parking lot. One sits in 20' of water and tops out at 15', the other 12'/8'. I started with the shallower one and mega live 2 immediately showed me fish on top of it. I ran through the gamut of baitfish things on my deck to no avail, swapped around depths on the jerkbait. nada. I hadn't rigged a spinning rod for the day yet given the wind, but now was the time for a jighead minnow. First cast across the rock pile and the front fish hit it- 13" crappie. It wasn't set up like a school of crappie on FFS, but that's what was there so on to the next rock pile. Pile #2 had a huge school of baitfish (shad or herring) up in the water column and if you watched you could see fish come off the bottom 15' to grab fish from the bottom of the school. I thought for sure it would be smallies given the size and bottom orientation. I finally managed to track one (did I mention the wind?) and he ate it on the fall. I knew I had a good one when I set the hook and didn't turn it's head. It took two minutes of back and forth before I finally got it to the surface to see it and then another minute after it made a drag peeling run back towards the bottom. A quick net job and it was the first striper I've caught in 4 years. 22-23" and an exact 5# on the scale. There were more around, but they were always moving and quickly. With the wind, it was tough to track them let alone cast accurately and then get a bait down to them before they moved. And, the water was dirty here so you had to be pretty much on them. After ten or fifteen minutes I gave up on that and went looking for bass. Rewind to last Friday. I took friday off and went fishing with my dad on his home water since we were home in Pittsburgh for the weekend. We've fished this lake before and caught a bunch of nice bass. We caught a bunch of nice ones Friday too- 22 bass including 6 that were all 18-19" and 3 1/2 lb. Alas, we both forgot our phones at home so no picture or trip report. However, each time I fish with him I try to learn something that I didn't know before (or reinforce something I know but don't do). Last Friday it was a combination of "listen to the fish" and "just put your head down and fish". I've never caught bass on a buzzbait well after sunup before- it's always a low light deal for me. And I never have faith fishing <2' of water in semi sparse cover when the sun is up. My local lakes are typically clear- 5'+ visibility- so bass just don't sit in really shallow water with bright sun as they get picked off by eagles and ospreys here. But nothing else was really working at that point so I listened to the fish and just kept throwing. They kept eating it so that was that. Last night was 'apply your learnings' night. As I said, the lake has been low and all the aquatic vegetation long gone. BUT with it being so low for so long there is plenty of submerged terresterial vegetation now that it's back up to almost full pool. So i put my head down and just started casting. What else do you throw in windy, sunny conditions with dirty water (1' visibility) and light, scattered 'shrubby' cover? Spinnerbait of course. It paid off well with a half dozen bass all caught in 2' of water or less, some hitting it as soon as it hit the water. On top, I landed a 24" pike and a 4" perch. At one point I was in the deepest part of a large cove with the trolling motor skeg burried in the mud and throwing into inches of water at the bank (and caught one there). I think a swim jig would have also been a good choice, but the spinnerbait was just too much fun. After running a few more banks that I'd never fished before, I needed to start heading back towards the ramp. On the way i made a pit stop at another place where baitfish congregate and found another school of both bait and predators. The first cast with a jighead minnow confirmed what I thought- more 13" crappies. All in for the night, 6 keeper bass, 2 big crappie, a nice northern, a big hybrid, and a perch that was so small it couldn't even get the hook in its mouth. Not a bad evening at all.

Which river are you fishing? In your other post you said you're NJ based and fishing from a kayak (at least in lakes). There are 3 rivers that you could be talking about- two worth fishing for smallies and one not. And among the 3 there are some differences worth noting.