Bob

Thanks, guys. So it's ok to mess up them nice treble hooks? I haven't had any gut hooks with the Rapalas (I can't see how that would even be possible), but them fish had faces full of treble hooks! It certainly looks....uncomfortable. Aside, I also like fishing the Rapalas better than Senkos because it's more intense when the fish takes the bait. POW! Great fun! 8-) I'm going out now!

I can't take them--it's CNR only fishing, and they're "golf course lake" fish--probably loaded with chemical pesticides and/or fertilizers, and not that good to eat even if they could be taken.

More questions from a newbie... I gill-hooked a fish with a Rapala treble hook today, and it took some not-so-delicate maneuvering to get the hooks out. I know I took a little flesh(?) off the gills, and it was oozing blood. I released it, and it swam away pretty well, so I'm hopeful that it survived. My question(s) are: How bad is it when a fish starts bleeding like that? Is it a death sentence for the fish? What are it's chances for surviving? Maybe this is just a dumb question, but I'm curious--do fish have a clotting factor in their blood? If a fish is bleeding badly, should I just euthanize it? What do you do if it doesn't swim away? I'm pretty sure it would not last very long where I live--birds or gators will have their way in no time... I'd been taking the barbs off of circle hooks and using plastics, and even though I still gut-hooked a few, I was usually able to get the hook out without causing any bleeding. I tried a few Rapala lures, and caught fish with them, but should I take the barbs off of the treble hooks? They seem like really good hooks, and I don't want to ruin them. It's not like it's the end of the world or anything for me if the fish dies. I love catching them, but I don't like injuring them at all. Goes with the territory, I guess.

That's what I was hoping for! I don't know how much the difference might be where I live, but I could still pay more than you're paying and still have it be reasonable. Just out of curiousity, is the ramp free of cost? If I do this, I'll probably be out anywhere from 3-6 days a week, and launch fees (if any) could possibly add considerable costs... I'm just looking for "ballpark" numbers to give me a better idea...I'll certainly check out my local area ASAP. Thank ya! 8-)

I'm thinking about buying a boat, but I have no place on my property to keep it (deed restriction and my garage is too small). If you don't mind saying, I'd like to know where you keep your boat when you're not using it (marina? storage facility? friend's house?) and about how much it costs you per month (or year) to do so. (I live in Florida, but I'm interested in knowing regardless of where you are located) Thank you!

Anyone...? Even some basic info or just trying to point me in the right direction will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Double palomar. Up until a few weeks ago I didn't even know what a palomar knot was. ;D Today, I'm working on the rapala knot.

What features and functions do you look for in a rod and/or reel (besides price) that makes you say "now this....this is good stuff..." I'm in search of some new tackle. I'd like to buy used gear if possible, hopefully save me some $$, but I'm not sure what to look for that is indicative of good (or poor) quality. Please educate me. TA!

Cool! Thanks for the replies! I find this of interest because I'm basically at "ground zero" of my bass fishing experience--I caught my first bass less than 1 month ago. I've learned a lot about bass fishing in the last month, most of which was learned right here at this site. Maybe you people can give me a small glimpse into my bass fishing future! 8-) Keep 'em comin'!

As a neophyte bass fisherman, I would like to ask you some questions: How has fishing for bass changed for you since you first started? When did you start? Have you been plugging along (no pun intended) with the same gear you've always used, or have you upgraded always with an eye out for the latest gear improvements? Has technology increased your ability to catch fish, and if so, how? Has bass fishing changed YOU in any way? Are you a "different person" because of it? Do you live your life differently now, perhaps substituting a few days fishing on the lake as a vacation instead of, say, a few rounds of golf at your favorite course (or some other recreational/vacation activity)? Are you fishing differently than you did when you first started, maybe using a boat now instead of fishing from shore, or vice-versa? Are you a tournament chaser now, as opposed to being a "just for fun" fisherman, or has competing lost it's appeal to you and you'd now rather just take it slow, without trying to win anything? In general, has fishing improved for you, or is it not as good or as much fun as it used to be? Has fishing improved your life, or has it created some personal difficulties? Basically, how was this whole "bass fishing" thing for you when you first started, and how is it for you now?

Not over the top. I'm not talking about calling a S.W.A.T. team in...just notifying the authorities. We're talking about one youth confronting a few armed and apparently unsupervised youths who may have also committed a misdemeanor, at the least. Notifying the authorities is a much safer way to handle this situation, and in general is a safer way to confront armed individuals. If you see someone who you feel may be breaking the law and is also using/has used a weapon, call the police. It's much easier to clear up a simple misunderstanding among neighbors than it is to clear up a homocide, even just an accidental one.

Unless there is an imminent threat to you or someone else, you should never EVER talk to someone who has committed a crime or is in the act of committing a crime--even if the crime could be considered "petty" or "small". Always call the authorities--even if it's "only" the local police, and provide as much detail of the situation as you safely can. Always get a name of the person you have spoken with. Even with the best of intentions, directly addressing someone who may have committed a crime will rarely defuse a situation, and it could make a situation dangerous to yourself and/or others. I repeat: ALWAYS call the authorities ASAP, and always get a name. It's their job to address these situations. They're trained to do so, and they are almost always better able to protect themselves should the situation worsen. Let them deal with the decision as to what is an actual crime, or not. That way, it's much harder to go wrong for you.

I had some mixed luck today as far as number of fish caught (3) and their size (all under 2lbs) for the amount of time fishing (about 3 hours), but at least there were no gut-hooks.

Sorry, not a gopher turtle. It was a softshell.

Well, today I went to a different lake and I hooked my first....turtle. It was a gopher turtle, and just when I was getting ready to cut the line, it freed itself. I'm glad I push the barbs down on my hooks... Then I gut-hooked a catfish. : Lip-hooked a nice, fat largemouth! 8-) Gut-hooked a catfish... : Done for the day... It's a cool spot though, I'll be going back...probably try to stay off the bottom next time. I'll tell you, they're literally inhaling Senkos and Berkley plastics... Incidentally (and I know this is probably a dumb question), but can you handle a catfish the same way you handle a bass, a thumb in the mouth to remove a hook? Are catfish as easy in that regard as bass are?

"Wet noodle" defines it well. The medium heavy is a Shakespeare 6' 6" SP1101. It's what I'll be using today (it's all I have). The other one is... TOAST.

Thank you. I guess I was under the impression that a lighter-action rod would be more sensitive. Is that wrong? Incidentally, on the last fish, I guess I made yet another newb mistake by reeling in too far. I stood the pole up, and snapped the tip off. :-[

Unfortunately, I gut-hooked 2 fish yesterday. I had been using 5" Senkos, T-rigged on a 3/0 Eagle Claw offset J hooks. I did the best I could to get the hooks out without injuring the fish, but I had to cut the lines to release them. They both swam away, so I'm hoping that they'll survive. My questions: Is a 3/0 hook too small for that bait? It seemed that if I had the hook buried inside the bait a little, that the hook wouldn't be exposed enough for a good set once a fish took the bait. I started pushing the bait through the hook before I cast, but that didn't seem to work either. I was using a medium action 5'6" Graphite Ugly Stick with 10lb test. It had a very "elastic" feel to it; in other words, by the time I could whip the rod back far enough to set the hook, it was already past the point that the fish had entirely swallowed the bait. Should I be using a rod with a heavier action? I had been using a 6' 6" medium heavy action, but that seemed to be too "stiff", for lack of a better word. I'm going out today to buy some circle hooks. I hope that will prevent the gut-hooking. In the meantime, any insight and widsom on setting the hook that you may impart to me will be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

If I totaled up all the money I've spent on fishing gear in my entire life--bait included, probably--it would still be less then $100! I think one of those high-falutin' scales are going to have to wait a little bit... Back to the question: Hook the fish under the gill? (I guess not with one of those fancy lip-grabbers--but other than that...?)

I tried everything short of replacing the batteries--all while I was talking to the Berkley CS/support tech on the phone. Zeroed it with the fish off, on, upside down and backwards. I hooked a 4.4 lb dumbell weight to it, and the closest I could get it to read was 3 lbs 14 oz--it just didn't do it all the time. Bzzzzzzzzzt! It's going back. I have no patience for gizmos that don't work as/when they're supposed to. I need simple--hook the fish on, needle points to "HAWG!". Done deal. That BogaGrip looks like something good for pulling out teeth! I might get one just for that! :-X

Alright, so I bought a scale. A Berkley FS50 Digital. I caught a fish. Honest I did. It was relatively small, but alive, and seeming to be in good health. Maybe it weighed one lb or so. I weighed the fish. It weighed exactly 0 lbs. 0 oz. according to the scale. (even I can guess better than that) I'm not happy with this digi scale. I finally weighed a few items in my house, but the scale was fickle. It seems only work when it wants to, but not when it has to. I guess that's not much different than many people, in that regard. I called Berkley and commented. They say right there on the package to call the 800 number for questions and comments, so I did. The girl I spoke to was very nice. They didn't offer to make up for my inconvenience of driving to the store specifically to buy the scale, and now having to drive back to return it. Perhaps I should have asked them to. I'll consider that the next time I'm shopping for fishing tackle. They certainly aren't the only company making fishing tackle these days. I digress.... When I weigh a fish, should I just put that hook under the fish's gill? I'm not sure how to weigh a fish (but that's what I did), and I don't want to harm a fish unless I actually intend to kill it, in which case death will be caused as quickly and as painlessly as possible. I'm pretty good that way... Also, any suggestions for a GOOD and ACCURATE scale, based on your personal experience? Thanks again for all the help--I do sincerely appreciate it.

No sweat. I was just guessing anyway--I try to be conservative, but the other guy said "at least 6lbs ...", that had me thinking 'may be....!' We'll just call it my "official, first unofficial big largemouth bass", and leave it at that. 8-)

Thanks for clearing that up for me. You obviously know what you're talking about, and I obviously don't. Good for you.

So you're telling us that you didn't have a scale...? ;D ;D Everyone knows a lunker when they see one! That other dude said it was 6 lbs, and I believed him! (a scale has been added to the shopping list!) The good news is that the fish is still there, and I can catch him again! Next time--PICTURES!

As reported here http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1180835924 earlier, I caught my first big bass today. Many thanks to all in this thread--couldn't have done it without ya! I've just joined B.A.S.S. Go figger! ;D