Bazoo

Ryan and I fished a VPA pond yesterday. He caught a nice bass, I snagged a nice buzzbait, with a huge paddle tail attached.

That makes sense, thanks. I don't throw a spook a lot, I do use the Spit'n Image quite a bit though.

I had not considered that. Thanks.

I've tried the hold my thumb against the backlash to reel it back up before, but on the few occasions I've tried it, it hasn't worked. For something not horrible, I am normally able to clear it by pulling on the loops and stripping the line out the front. If I find a loop that wont pull, I turn the spool back some, and the next loop is normally the culprit. Freeing that one frees that portion and I continue on.

Thank you all for the suggestions and techniques. @WRB Thank you for sharing, that's some good info there. I was told as a kid to throw a topwater and let it set until the ripples dispersed. I still do that some, but not all the time. I guess on a windy day, or on the river where there is current, letting it set wouldn't do much good?

I have a spook and I haven't any issues walking the dog, but has anyone ever had any success in just straight pulling one the way you do a Devil Horse? If so, what color was it and what season/weather was it?

Sorry to hear of it. My condolences to you, and to his family.

I try to get a buzzbait just out of the water, as slow as I can go and keep it up, most of the time at least.

Nice!

Very nice! I'd use all of them probably. Man, that closeup makes my 14lb mono look more like 30lb! Now if you can just return the favor and snag this one for me @riverratryan

I like my Berkely Lightening Rod. It's only about $50 new and has full cork grip. I don't have a lot of experience with a lot of rod brands, but... I'm very happy with it.

I plan to work it frequently!

Like @ol'crickety, I learned right off after joining the forum that @WRB was someone I should pay attention to when he speaks. I've gained a lot of info from reading his posts, both directly to me and to others. So, thank you Tom for all you contribute here! I've watched a lot of Bill Dance and Roland Martin videos over my lifetime. Ever since I was a kid, I've watched Bill Dance. I just started watching Roland Martin on youtube. I wouldn't say I emulate either, but I would say I learn from watching them. I watched Bill Dance fishing a jig, and while he didn't say it, he was using a certain motion to work the jig across the bottom as it hit obstacles. I emulate that when working a jig. I learn a lot reading on this site. I retain, and the combine all the info I get. I don't work a lure 1 way, but many ways, and I don't use 1 lure, but many lures. I am always trying new techniques and lures, and most of it is a little comment or tip I read here. So thanks everyone for posting your experience and knowledge here.

Howdy from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Lots of good folks willing to help and good info shared here. I use both baitcasting and spinning gear about equally. I use baitcasting for most things like crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs. I use spinning for most light texas rigs, rooster tails, beetle spins; mostly light or small stuff.

I feel like I'm going to get into something huge. For me that will be a 6-8lb largemouth. It'll be a new PB for me. I beat the bank pretty hard at my local lake, and learning all of its ways, I just have more and more success. Only thing will make it better is if my fishing buddy is there and we can weigh it on 2 scales. He'll have his phone for pics too; I usually don't carry my phone with me while I'm fishing.

Is that even real? That's wild man.

Couple of weeks back, I bought a new H20X squarebill. I snagged it badly the first trip out right at the end of the trip. I was able to walk up the bank and finally freed it. The next trip, on the first cast, the bait broke off and slung into the water. I knew I should have re-tied but I neglected to do so. Over the next few weeks during winter, I went several times but didn't catch anything, and always looking for that lure. Well, my buddy was out yesterday and found it, on the bank in the same direction I'd aimed my cast when it'd broken off. I described it, down to the color, and we were sure it was the one I'd lost, so he gave it back to me. We like to do that with each other, though we do play finders keepers if we ain't sure. Today, I caught a couple nice little bass on it. 2lb 4oz with a nice little belly.

I appreciate the help. Nice find then, it hasn't caught anything yet, but it has a nice little action.

I think I went about 3 weeks without catching anything, might have been 4. I don't know how many times I went during that period. At least twice a week. It's just part of it. Caught 2 largemouth today, and my buddy caught 1 largemouth bass and 3 crappie. On crankbaits no less. To begin with we were throwing nedrigs, texas rigged craws, jigs, then I started in on the crankbaits and bam! He tied on a bitsy crank and it was on.

LOL, yep. Lets see a few of them babies! If backlashing were a crime, we'd all be criminals. I had one of them doozies when I snagged my fishing partner's line on my backcast. I had a spare rod with me and switched over, otherwise it would have been spinning gear only for the rest of the trip.

Here's the pic. I hate to report, I snagged this lure underwater and had to break off.

I have a Lews Speed Spool that wears a similar fur coat. Thanks.

Wow, that's a bad one.

Thanks for all the replies. I've never caught, nor am I familiar with hybrid bass, so I appreciate the information. It was interesting to watch their schooling behavior.

Need some help IDing this little crank. It's about 1 3/8" long. It actually has a pretty good action. I fished it some but with no luck. Not sure if it's cheapo or decent stuff, I suspect cheapo. Unfortunately, I lost the gold H20X crank. Snagged it under water and had to break off. I had caught 2 fish on it.