DEPS_250

Get a FISH GRIPPER! They are so useful and have saved me from a few bad situations. I never leave home without one.

Before Noon, are you supposed to fish the West shoreline/bank first because it's the first water to heat up/get warm? Or are you supposed to fish the East shoreline/bank first because there's more shadows there for the bass to hide in? After Noon, are you supposed to fish the West shoreline/bank last because there's more shadows there for the bass to hide in? Or are you supposed to fish the East shoreline/bank last because the water there is last to keep/sustain warm water? Im all confused because bass are generally attracted to warmer water. On the other hand, they also need shade/cover in order to hide from predators while also being a predator themselves. What gives? Any tips?

I have 3 fish that really stand out and totally changed my life. The one that sowed the seeds/started the bass fishing bug. The one that got away. My first true swimbait fish & current PB. 1. I started bass fishing around 15 years ago. Before this, I only did some light saltwater fishing from a pier with a spinning rod and reel a few times a year for mackerel just for grins and giggles. Nothing really serious, it was just an excuse to go to the beach/pier and drink a few beers while killing a few hours fishing for 1/4lb and less mackerels. Around 15-18 years ago, I decided to go freshwater fishing with some buddies at Lake Skinner. We didn't catch anything but it was still fun to rent a boat and just drive around. At the end of the day, I watched a bass boat getting out of the water and was in awe struck at all the tackle, gear and the boats! I went home and started doing some reading and researching on bass fishing and my curiosity/affinity for bass fishing kind of started from there. Fast forward maybe 2-3 years and I decided I would buy my first baitcaster rod and reel setup and give bass fishing a try. I did not know what the hell I was doing since I was a beginner. I had only been out a few times by myself in order to learn how to cast a baitcaster and properly work a bait. But, it was probably my 5th or 6th outing and I casted a 1/2 ounce Booyah white and chartreuse spinnerbait next to some tules and got whacked by a 2lb bass. Before this, I had only fished for mackerels that weighed a few ounces to maybe a 1/2lb on a spinning rod and reel. It was the first time I ever felt a fish that weighed over 1lb and that fought very aggressively and would jump in the air. I was so ecstatic and it was the HAPPIEST DAY of my life since I caught my first ever largemouth bass. That fish started the bass fishing bug for me. 2. Fast forward another 5 years and I had already been bass fishing a while and tried out many different techniques and baits. Tried out top water fishing with walk the dog topwaters and instantly fell in love with it after I figured out the proper gear and technique to get the bait to walk from side to side. Bought a Paycheck Baits Repoman top water and went to a local lake during the middle of Summer when it was very HOT. Just as the sun was setting, I casted my bait over a long tapering point and my bait gets absolutely hammered by a very LARGE FISH! The blow up was so loud that it literally sounded like a bomb went off! My rod goes bendo and folds instantly in half! The blow up caught me totally off guard that I never even had enough time to set the hook and reel! A few seconds later, the fish goes for deep water and runs straight into some rocks and was able to come off. I never even saw the fish. To this day, I have never felt a fish so big and powerful before in my life! It was probably a big cat fish or a big striper! Whatever it was, this was the one that got away and I have been in the hunt for big fish ever since. 3. Fast forward to spring 2023 and I decided I would dedicate to fishing swimbaits only since I have never caught a fish on a swimbait before. Just last month I finally BROKE my PB! It was the coolest, weirdest, craziest and most devastating bite I have ever experienced in my life! I don't think I will ever forget this fish. I think this fish has permanently planted the swimbaiting seed in me and now I think I won't be able to ever put down a swimbait ever again! There goes my bank account and all of my conventional bass fishing tackle! It was a cool bite because I had never seen a fish hit my bait so hard and fast before in my life. It was the typical glide bait bite where I saw the fish's mouth open, than my bait goes missing, than I see the 'flash' from the fish's side as it turned to head back to cover and than all of a sudden, my rod goes bendo and there was this very heavy weight at the end of my rod! Let me remind you, I fish braid to leader, therefore all of my senses were heightened to the extreme. The fish smoked my bait so quick that I barely had the reaction time to swing on the hook set. I had never seen a fish bite my bait with so much aggression before in my life. It was a crazy bite because I had never caught a fish before where I felt like I was never going to lose it! I had 4 hook points buried deep past the barb and in the top of the fish's mouth in the very hard part. Most times when I catch a fish on a treble hook bait, I only have 1 or 2 points and they are usually barely hooked on the side of the mouth in the soft part where its easy to lose them. It's the first treble hook bait bite where I felt the fish was never coming off in a million years! I have never seen a fish hooked so GOOD before in my life! It was actually a bit of a struggle getting the hooks out with the pliers. It was a very weird bite/fish because it was the most DOCILE fish I have ever seen out of the water! After the fish fought and I got its head out of the water and lipped it, the fish never struggled, moved or even wiggled when I took it out of the water and handled it for pictures and removing hooks! Most fish I catch are always struggling when I get them out of the water. I had never seen such a docile fish before in my life. I had it out of the water for a pretty long time too, probably close to 5 mins. What's even more weird is, 3 seconds after I release it, it made 1 last jump out of the water. I have never seen a fish do this before. It was weird because I have never seen such a long fish with such a small head before. It looked like a hybrid between a spotted bass and a largemouth. This fish was very long. The fish was over 21 inches in length but the head and mouth was very small. The bait barely fit inside its mouth! It was also weird because it was the first time I was able to actually feel my intuition and feel that I was going to get bit. Most days I fish, I am usually indifferent and usually never give any thought to actually trying to call my shots and say to myself that I am going to get bit. But, for whatever reason, this was the very first time where I pulled up to a spot and something inside my gut said...'this is the JUICE, keep fishing it, I think you're about to get bit'. I was also very lucky too, because a few casts before I got bit, I had actually thought about moving and abandoning the spot since I was on a time crunch and wanted to check out the rest of the lake. It was also devastating because I for sure thought it was going to be 5 or even 6lbs! It fought so hard and the weight I felt when I lipped it, had my hopes up thinking I might have actually surpassed the 5lb mark. When I weighed it, it was only 4.5 lbs. I was so devastated because I have been trying to surpass that 5lb mark for a few years now! _ Tackle Breakdown Dobyns Fury 795SB Daiwa Tatula 300XSL 8.1 _ Swapped out the stock 110 mm handle for a 100 mm handle from a Tatula 200 for better sensitivity when working glides. 40lb Sufix 832 braid to a 20lb Seaguar InvizX fluorocarbon leader Uni to uni leader knot Bass Pro Shops XPS Swerve Glide Bait _ Crappie color 2 gram golfers lead tape on the belly and chin. Owner ST-36 Size 2 Hand tied 80lb braided line soft split rings SPRO Prime Snap Mini size 4 Tornado HH knot to the snap

Will an 8 carrier braid sink faster than a 4 carrier braid, if comparing/accounting for an 8 carrier and a 4 carrier braid that have the same line diameter? Since an 8 carrier braid is smoother and more round than a 4 carrier braid, I would assume that an 8 carrier braid would have less resistance in the water and therefore should sink a little faster than the 4 carrier braid, right? I know that a smaller line diameter will always sink faster than a larger line diameter, but I was curious as to which type of braided line would sink faster when comparing braided lines with the same line diameter and the only difference/variable between them was carrier count.

1-4oz glide baits are my bread and butter. I have been experimenting with different rod brands, lengths and powers for a little over a year now. Rod length is mainly going to boil down to personal preference and it's mainly going to depend on the size and weights of the baits that you are planning to throw. In my opinion, 7'6" to 7'9" rod is the 'golden/money' range for 1-4oz glide baits. I had a 7'11" Okuma Guide Select that I absolutely hated because it was too long. It felt heavy, cumbersome and fatiguing after a long day of fishing glide baits. I went to a 7'9" and immediately I could feel a huge difference. One caution, don't go too short! If you go too short, your line pickup on each quarter or half crank suffers a bit and you are going to have to compensate by either using braid to leader and/or a very high gear ratio reel and/or going to a bigger reel with a larger spool dimension. One other thing to consider, a larger/heavier bait is going to require a longer rod, even if a shorter rod can handle said bait's weight fine. For example, I love to fish a Japanese bait called the DRT Klash 9. It's a 2 piece jointed bait that has the option to configure the bait with lips and tails of varying kinds to change the bait's action at will. The bait is 9 inches long and weighs 4oz. I tried fishing the Klash 9 on my 7'9" rod and I hated it, even though it could cast it just fine. I decided to try the Klash 9 on my 7'11" Okuma Guide Select rod and I ended up liking it better on the longer rod. Different rod lengths, powers and brands, all bring a different set of problems and variables and in the end, complicate things even more and make it that much harder to fine tune your setups for different baits. My 2 cents.

I went out yesterday to one of my local ponds. I found a male bass really shallow and it looks like the spawn is about to go into full effect in just a few days in my local area. It looked like he was getting a nest ready for a female. It's a small pond and I fished it for a good 5-6 hours. I ended up catching that male but I could not see and/or find the female anywhere near the male. I don't know how long that male has been in the shallows getting his nest ready. Some questions... How long should/will it be until the female/BIG MAMA comes to the nest and finally shows herself? I want to be there when it happens so I can have a chance at catching the biggest bass in this pond. Is there a set timeline/number of days from now until the female shows up? How do you 'time' it just right, so you can be there when the female finally shows up? Should I go everyday until I see her? How long does a female usually stay around at a nest when she is ready to drop her eggs? I don't want to be late. Does the female leave the nest right after she drops her eggs or does she stick around? If the latter, does this mean I still have a chance to catch her if my timing is off/late?

Does anyone know what the difference is between Izorline XXX and Izorline Platinum? Hopefully there is someone in here who has used both lines extensively and that has a lot of experience with both lines. I decided to grab a 12lb Izorline XXX and a 12lb Izorline Platinum to try out and compare against each other. I am not able to get out on the water just yet but my initial first impressions are... _ Izorline XXX Feels a little softer/suppler over the Platinum but not by much (might be splitting hairs here). Less slick. Looks and feels more uniform in diameter. Therefore lays more evenly on the spool. Ties really good knots. Looks to have less memory over Platinum. More stretch than the Platinum, but not by much (might be splitting hairs here). _ Izorline Platinum Feels a bit stiffer/harder over the XXX but not by much (might be splitting hairs here). More slick. Looks and feels less uniform in diameter (some spots look thin and some spots look thick). Therefore does not lay evenly on the spool. Ties good knots. Looks to have more memory over XXX. Less stretch than the XXX but not by much (might be splitting hairs here). Honestly, If you blindfolded me and told me to compare the two without telling me that they were different models/variants, I would honestly tell you that they are the same exact line. That's how close both lines look and feel from my initial impression. They are neck and neck. I don't know which to choose since they are so close. If I was to buy more spools, I would probably go with Platinum in the lower lb tests like 10 and 12, than get the XXX in the higher lb tests like 15 and 20. That way, I can somewhat mitigate some of the shortcomings of both lines while still trying to achieve a best of both worlds scenario and still get some or all of the best characteristics from both lines. Does anyone have the same experience and/or initial first impression/opinion when trying out both lines?

Does the McCoy Mean Green have a similar sink rate to Yozuri Hybrid and/or to comparable fluorocarbon lines? Or does it float like a mono?

I guess I could always just go with a cheaper/lower tier fluorocarbon that has a little more stretch than a mid to upper tier fluorocarbon. That should get me most of the way there, as far as 'matching' the characteristics/properties of Yozuri Hybrid. Sunline Super Fluorocarbon and Seaguar Red Label are on my short list as potential lines to fill out the line diameter gap between 12lb and 15lb Yozuri Hybrid. I am thinking since these 2 are lower tier/cheaper fluorocarbon lines, they should 'behave' somewhat pretty close to Yozuri Hybrid, right? What do you guys think?

Does anyone know if Izorline XXX sinks like fluorocarbon or floats like mono? Since it's a copolymer, is the sink rate in between mono and fluorocarbon? Does anyone know if the sink rate for Izorline XXX is similar or close to Yozuri Hybrid when comparing the same LB test?

Does anyone know of a copolymer line that behaves similar to and/or has the same/similar properties to Yozuri Hybrid? I fish braid to leader and I love using Yozuri Hybrid as a leader line for moving style swimbaits and hardbaits. In my opinion, using a braid mainline along with Yozuri Hybrid as a leader gives me the best of both worlds. I bought all of the Yozuri Hybrid line sizes so I could cover most or all of my bases. On the other hand, I have noticed that there is a big gap in line diameter from the 12lb to the 15lb. Per Tackle Warehouse, 12lb is listed at .338 and 15lb is listed at .405. There is a pretty big gap in there. Therefore, I am looking for a copolymer and/or fluoro/mono hybrid that has similar characteristics to Yozuri Hybrid and that also offers some line diameters between .33 and .40 in order to give me more versatility and cover more baits and/or situations I might come across.

When it comes to fishing line sink rates, I have read mixed opinions when it comes to comparing different fishing line diameters/LB tests. I have heard some people say... Thicker line = More friction/drag = Slower rate of fall Thinner line = Less friction/drag = Faster rate of fall On the other hand I have also heard people say... Thicker line = Heavier/Denser line = Faster rate of fall Thinner line = Lighter/Less Dense line = Slower rate of fall I am all confused, which variable takes precedence in this case/scenario, the line diameter or the line density/weight? Which one will have the most effect on impacting the rate of fall? More specifically, I am also concerned with the line type too. Mono vs fluorocarbon vs copolymer. Therefore... 1. Will a thicker mono sink slower than a thinner mono because it has more friction/drag or will it sink faster than a thinner mono since its heavier/denser? 2. Will a thicker fluorocarbon sink slower than a thinner fluorocarbon because it has more friction/drag or will it sink faster than a thinner fluorocarbon since its heavier/denser? 3. Will a thicker thicker copolymer sink slower than a thinner copolymer because it has more friction/drag or will it sink faster than a thinner copolymer since its heavier/denser? With that said, I fish nothing but braid to leader for all of my fishing. I have been experimenting a lot lately with different line thickness/LB tests and some of my testing/observations are really confusing and all over the place. I have personally observed some of my baits sinking slower on a thicker line. On the other hand, I have also seen some baits sink fast on a thicker line also. I don't get it. Therefore, I need some accurate info and tips so I can better gauge which line diameters and/or LB tests I should be using in order to get the best action out of my baits, while also being able to fish them at the right sink rate and depths.

I have been experimenting with down sizing my line size and hook size on all sorts of baits in order to get more action and therefore make my baits look way more natural in order to get more bites from pressured fish. On the other hand, does a big line size and hook size not matter much on certain bait styles? Say for example, something like a 2-3oz wakebait/rat? With that said, most wakebaits/rats create so much resistance when coming through the water that it usually means a very exaggerated action with a large amount of disturbance and commotion in the water. I would assume the very exaggerated action and the large amount of resistance, disturbance and commotion actually precedes any variable/difference the line size and hook size might have on the action of the bait right? Therefore, using a large line size and hook size on something like a 2-3oz wakebait/rat, should not hinder you from getting less bites right? I mean, the action of a wakebait/rat is so pronounced, loud and brash, that I would assume the chances of getting bit will never be compromised by something like a large line size and hook size affecting the baits action. In this case, it would actually be better to go with the higher line/larger hooks versus the lower line/smaller hooks since this style of bait is usually thrown around some heavy cover for bigger than average fish and therefore the 'extra insurance' of the bigger line and hooks is warranted, correct?

This is exactly what I am currently doing. I always make sure to buy rods that are slow and soft enough to absorb some shock since I like fishing with braid. I have one rod that I really like for glide baits and it's a little too fast and stiff for my liking for fishing treble hook baits. It's not flippin stick fast but I do wish it was a tad bit softer and more parabolic. Therefore, I am currently running a mono leader since mono has a lot more stretch vs fluorocarbon. On the other hand, I hate that mono is very thick and has a larger diameter when compared to the same pound test in a fluorocarbon. The larger diameter really hinders the action on a lot of hardbaits. Also, mono tends to have less abrasion resistance when compared to mono. I am a bank fisherman and I need high abrasion resistance since my line runs really close to rocks and cover. With that said, I want to switch over to fluorocarbon for the thinner diameters and for the higher abrasion resistance. I recently got a spool of Shimano Mastiff FC to try out as leader material on my reaction baits and I found the line to be too low stretch for me. I am planning to use it for bottom contact techniques and flipping/pitching only now. Sunline FC Sniper always gets really good reviews and people are always praising about its thin diameters and good abrasion resistance. Therefore, I was looking to get a spool to try out and I was hoping it would have some stretch since I am going to be using it as leader material for braid.

Does the Sunline Super FC Sniper have enough stretch/shock absorbing properties for fishing treble hook reaction style baits in order to keep fish pinned? I need a fluorocarbon line with a good amount of stretch since I like to fish braid to leader for most of my reaction style baits. After doing some research and reading some reviews, it seems like a lot of people really like Sunline Super FC Sniper for fishing crankbaits and jerkbaits. Therefore, I am assuming it should be a really good line for fishing reaction style baits. Just wanted to see what fellow Bass Resource members opinions on what the stretch is like before I spend any money.

For my next reel purchase, I am debating between getting a Daiwa HRF PE Special or a Shimano Curado 200 DC. Which one is going to hold more line? The HRF PE Special is on the same frame/platform as the Tatula 100. Since the Shimano Curado DC is designated as a 200 sized reel, I am thinking the Curado 200 DC should hold more line. As far as specs on paper though, the HRF PE Special is labeled at 14lb 100m, while the Shimano Curado 200 DC is labeled at 14lb 110 yds. That is only a 30in difference. On the other hand, specs on paper don't really mean anything in real world fishing conditions/situations. The spool on the HRF PE Special does look deeper compared to the shallower looking spool on the Curado 200 DC. Also, I know that Daiwa and Shimano reels are not the same when it comes to line capacity within the same designated 3 digit reel class size. As far as line capacity is concerned, a lot of experienced anglers will know and tell you that a 150 sized reel from Daiwa is a lot closer to a 200 sized reel from Shimano. Basically, Daiwa reels tend to hold more line vs a comparable Shimano reel of the same class and size. I am leaning towards the HRF PE Special since I prefer an external magnetic style braking system. I also really like the Twing system. Therefore, I was hoping the HRF PE Special might actually hold about the same line as the Curado 200 DC based on my 2 assumptions above. On the other hand, if the Curado 200 DC does substantially hold more line, than I am willing to sacrifice the external magnetic braking system and the Twing system in order to have more line capacity. I was hoping there was someone in here who has experience with both reels already and can confirm.

Does a thicker line tighten up the action on a reaction bait? Also, can a line with less stretch and/or no stretch tighten up the action on a reaction bait? Will a reaction bait have a tighter action on braid and fluorocarbon since these fishing line types have little stretch versus say a mono fishing line, of which has a lot of stretch? I want to fish some glide baits in the coming weeks here in winter and I started thinking about ways I could tighten up the action on my glide baits in order to make them look more natural in the colder water. I do know for a fact that you want your reaction baits to have a tighter action in the winter versus the Spring, Summer and Fall where you would want a wider more aggressive action. Therefore, it got me thinking about fishing line thickness and fishing line types and if these have any effect on the action of a bait and if so, can they play a pretty huge role in how tight or wide a bait will swim.

Has anyone in here ever used/experienced the used gear trade in program from americanlegacyfishing.com? I have 3 rods that I want to get rid of since they are just taking up space and since I rarely use them. I am also finding it hard to sell them on here, on other fishing forums and even on craigslist. I want to sell them ASAP in order to receive funds for other tackle that I am wanting. If anyone in here has used the used gear trade in program from americanlegacyfishing.com, do you know if they pay for the shipping and handling of your rods in order to get your used rods to americanlegacyfishing.com? Or is that something you are going to have to pay up front first/out of your own pocket? Also, does anyone know if 3 rods can fit inside of a Tacklewarehouse rod tube? I understand its probably going to be a 'tight squeeze', since I remember seeing a couple posts in this forum in the past about shipping rods in a Tacklwarehouse rod tube and IIRC, some people have stated that they were able to fit 3 rods inside of a Tacklewarehouse rod tube.

Finally got to try out the TW neoprene baitcasting reel cover on a Shimano Curado 300. I am happy to say, it fits! Although, I would say its a very 'tight' fit. Not a lot of wiggle room. Hopefully this helps someone out who likes to use/buy TW neoprene reel covers and are looking to add a 300 sized reel to their arsenal.

I am originally a Daiwa guy/fan boy. But I made the decision to buy a Shimano Scorpion MD 301 for swimbait fishing since the price was right and because it has the high IPT I need for fishing glide baits. I need some help with Shimano braking systems. What is the difference between 'standard/regular' SVS and SVS Infinity? I don't see a 'infinity' label/moniker of some sort on the spec sheet/product page for the Shimano Scorpion MD 301 anywhere. My brother has a Curado 200K and I know it definitely has SVS Infinity. It has a dial on the side with numbers from 1-6 for adjusting braking. My Scorpion MD 301 does not have a dial like the Curado 200k at all. Does the SVS infinity braking system mean that it has the dial for 'fine adjustment' whereas the regular SVS has no dial right? Is one better than the other or are they both equally effective and are therefore used for different applications/styles of fishing based on the weights of the baits you are fishing and your specific bait situations and preferences? I mean, I can understand why Shimano chose not to give the Shimano Scorpion MD 301 the infinity/dial, since the Scorpion MD 301 is supposed to be used for swimbaits and heavy lures 2oz+, while the SVS infinity in the Curado 200k would be ideal for baits weighing less than 2oz. I am a very hyper/overzealous type of fisherman since bass fishing gets me so hyped up. That usually means I am always moving very fast and trying to push the reel to its limits as far as casting goes and I am always trying to achieve the longest cast I can on every cast since I fish from the shore. This means I get a lot of backlashes quite frequently. I have always wanted to try out a DC reel from Shimano since I believe it will greatly improve casting distance while also minimizing backlashes. On the other hand, I have seen a lot of videos on the DC reels on Youtube and it seems like they are pretty 'loud' when casting. I have very sensitive hearing and I think the buzzing/whirring sound of the DC system might become annoying after a while. For the guys that fish the DC reels a lot, Does the sound ever become annoying? Do you get used to it after a while? Do you feel like the sound hinders or affects your fishing enjoyment/experience negatively on the water/in nature?

Does anyone know if the Tackle Warehouse neoprene baitcasting reel cover will fit a 300 sized reel like a Shimano Curado 300? I have a 200 sized Daiwa Tatula and the TW neoprene reel cover fits the Tatula really nice with a little bit of wiggle room left over. I have heard that the Shimano Curado 300 is only 'slightly' larger than your average 200 sized reel. I am hoping the TW neoprene baitcasting reel cover will fit a Shimano Curado 300 just fine.

Have you tried the Shimano SLX 7'10 Heavy Mod. Fast? I was also looking at this rod and was wondering if it would be parabolic/soft enough for treble hooks? Its a moderate fast and not a fast like the Intenza therefore, I am suspecting it should work fine for treble hook baits. What is the 'sweet spot' as far as lure weights are concerned? Do you know if it can handle 2.5 to 3oz? Max lure weight is 1.5oz but was hoping I could stretch it out to 2.5 maybe 3oz. Do you know what the rear handle length measurement is from the back of the reel seat to the butt end?

The search bar did not yield many reviews for the Shimano Intenza. The replies were few and far in between and did not really go too in depth and detailed as far as a review is concerned. Does anyone in here have any experiences with the Shimano Intenza 7'8" XH? Is it parabolic/soft enough for treble hooks? What is the 'sweet spot' as far as lure weights are concerned? Does anyone know what the rear handle length measures from the back of the reel seat to the butt end? I think Shimano intended the 7'8" XH rod for punching. Its rated as a fast but I was hoping it would lean more towards being slightly slower than a true fast and provide enough give in the blank/bend for treble hooks. Need a rod for small 1-2.5oz glide baits, topwaters and rats. I have not seen too many reviews specifically for the 7'8" XH. The reviews I have found are mostly positive and it seems like these rods are a homerun. Looking to pick one up soon before the fall transition.

Does anyone in here know if P-Line PF Original is a copolymer or is it 100% nylon/mono? I originally thought it was a copolymer based on what I have read and seen on forum posts. On the other hand, Tackle Warehouse lists P-Line PF Original 'under' their monofilament section of their fishing lines by category. I have no experience with this line. I was thinking about pulling the trigger since I am looking for a cheap bulk copolymer. Can someone help me confirm if it's really a copolymer or is it a monofilament? All I know is, its an 'old skool' line that came out a few decades ago and that there are still a proportionately high number of people that still like it and use it even though its considered old skool by today's modern line technology/standards. Hence, why it is still being made and sold even till this day.

Ok I get it. I never looked at it from that perspective/way before. Would that make line diameter and the length of your cast the most important variables to what your actual speeds/IPT is going to feel like?