jwo1124

I recently posted about Gulp Alive. I was not so much interested in the soft plastics as much as the spray scent. MY only reply was " It's like crack for bass." SO I'm guessing it gets them to bite. I am a guy that feels a good scent is worth using. Even if it's only a placebo effect, it can;t hurt. I typically only use a little. I feel its like colonge, a little bit will attract the ladies, but too much and you'll put them off.

You would figure they would be a little bit more specific with depths though. Or at least put 6-8 ft. casting and 12-15 trolling to give some idea. I would figure based on cast distance the bait would run alittle shallower or deeper like a two foot difference, but a 9 ft. difference on a long cast...that doesn;t sound right. I'm betting on cast/troll depth. Maybe I'll shoot a Rapala customer serv. representative a line and get to the concrete truth so I can be confident in any given lure.

I know I'm going a little over board on Rapala, you;d figure I was trying to promote them, which is not at all the case Moderators. Its just, these are quality lures IMO, and you don't here or see them promoted too much, or at all by Bass guys. I know that in bass fishing, different size and color plays a big role in lure selection for different patterns, and doing so with rapalas can be expensive since they run about 6.50 a piece. This is about half of what some other lures cost. Why do you think it is that bass fishing and Rapala aren;t intertwined more? A lot of there lures can be used in many bass applications like topwaters (Skitterwalk and skitter pops, and the new X-Rap walk and twitchin rap) Jerkbaits (floating minnow, husky jerk, x-rap) ands crankbaits (too many to name but some are shad rap, taildancer, deep xrap and deep husky jerk) I know that since Rapala doesn;t put out more familiar soft plastics, jigs, and spinnerbaits which are more popular bass fishing tools, it may be pushed aside. I know that a lotta guys on this forum, and even many pros probably fish these mentioned baits, but why do you think it is that they aren;t pushed on Bass fishing tv shows. The only shows I even seen promote Rapala is In-Fisherman and the new Lindner's Angling Edge. Any ideas?

I am a HUGE fan of Rapala. I have had a lot of success with Rapala lures, especially Floating Minnows and Husky Jerks. I'm not a fan of the jointed minnow though, it seems to just snake on the top and not dive at...maybe thats the point though. Anyway, I had one of the countdowns which my brother used to catch a salmon with, but then it got snagged and lost. I have never used them for bass fishing as most of my bassin is done from shore or down on a small shallow pond with no need for countdowns. I would figure though that these would be great for suspending bass, or deeper holding bass that show up on the Fish Finder. Anyone have any opinions?

I am hoping someone can recommend a quality spinning rod I can use for crankbaits/top/jerks. I am looking for one that will handle medium-large lures 1/4-3/4. I was thinking about the BPS Crankin Rod, but it only comes in a Baitcaster.

I love Rapala lures. I have many of them. X-Raps, Floating Minnows, Shad Raps, and Husky Jerks are some of my favortie lures. The only thing I dislike about Rapala is the diving depths they give for their lures. For example, on the Cabela's page the X-Rap Deep is rated to dived 6-15 feet. Now I would take an educated guess and say this means the lure will dive to 6 ft. on a cast and retrieve and dive to 15 while trolling on 100 feet of line. My second and last guess would be that Rapala means it will dive within 6-15 feet based on line size, current, cast distance, retrieve speed, etc. Does anyone lnow the truth to this mystery? By the way, anyone like these Deep XRaps. Seems like it would good to twitch and rip to entice sluggish bass holding in deeper (8-10) water, more so than a straigh crank bait stop and go or a twitching retrieve.

Does anyone own any of these lures? Wal Mart and Dicks Sporting Goods carries them, but Cabela's and BPS doesn't. I own a couple that I purchased the beginning of last fishing season. I have a couple shallow cranks and a couple topwaters. They seem like they're made from thin plastic and all the colors are holographic. Plus, the hooks are thin and probably cheap.

Bass fishing and baitcasters seem to go together like a hot day and a cold beer. I have tried fishing a baitcaster once, it was a conventional not a low profile, and for a few casts I would cast great...then I'd get a backlash. And nothing brings your mood down and your blood pressure up than trying to untangle a birds nest when your trying to enjoy a day of fishing. I guess it just takes practice, I like spinning gear, thats just me though. They make MH and H spinning gear for muskies/pike/cats, and they makes larger spinning reels that hold heavier line. So if you really like spinning, just opt for one on these heavier set ups. I think the only thing baitcasters have over spinning gear is longer more accurate casting. But I'm sure with practice you can get more accurate.

I'm glad someone asked this question. I love cabelas and do a lot of business with them. In the past year I bough 5 rods, 5 reels, and a trolling motor. I use the Cabela's whuppin stick glass rods for cranks. They are very sensitive for glass, and they are tough. Great choice for anyone who needs a cranking stick without breaking th ebank. only 19.99-24.99 I also want to get a couple ProGuides and a Fish Eagle 2 since they have MH and H rated spinning rods.

I find myself bank fishing more than on my boat. I have a small 12' aluminum which I load in/out of the back of my Ford Explorer. It needs two people to load/umload. So if no ones around, I'm stuck casting from shore. I usually bring the majority of my rods and leaver them in my truck. I'll take 2-3 rods and a backpack with some plano clear boxes. I should cut down to 1 or 2 rods. Just remember the words "pattern fishing" this means fishing a specific way(presentation/location) at a given time based on weather/season/time of day/ fish's biological needs) Say I was to fish today, right now. Its 8:53 am Eastern time, 8/28 about 80 degrees and sunny, its been 80 and sunny the past couple weeks on average. Its summer its hot I will know that since the surface temp is going to be hot from all the sunny hot days we have had. The bass will most likely be off shore in deeper water 10-15 feet near grassbeds for cover, camoflauge, oxygen. Since its hot and bright bass that remain in shallows will be in thick vegetation. Since its bright and sunny, shallow water bass will be on high alert and jumpy today since on bright days they feel vulnerable to predators since they can be seen easier. So if I was fishing today from the bank, I would say, I probably am not going to be able to reach the deeper bass holding in cooler water on shore, so I'd focus on shallow vegetation and/boat docks or anywhere a fish can hide and be safe. If the shallow water temps were getting in the 80's I may slow down, plus since its sunny and bass are spooky I would use jigs/plastics natural presentations, maybe a topwater frog. So for today all I need is a plastic/jig rod, and maybe a pitch/froggin rod. This will eliminate excess baggage I'll have to carry around on the lake. If you know where the fish will most likely be, and what's the few best presentations to get them to bite, you'll know the gear you need. This will make choosing your bank fishing gear much easier and leave you a lot more comfortable walking around the shore of you rlocal lake or pond.

Hey NC, good to meet another angler. I'm like you in the sense that I had to teach myself how to fish. My mom's father was an angler and hunter, but he passed away from cancer when I was very young; around 8. I never got to grow up and fish with him, although he is sort of why I like fishing. After he passed, whenever I went up my grandmother's house, I would always go through all his fishing stuff, tackle boxes, rods, reels, and it fascinated me. I remember watching fishing shows he had recorded on VHS tapes and not knowing what was going on. I later started watching the weekend line up of fishing shows like Bill Dance, Roland, Hank Parker, Shaw, Bassmasters, In fisherman, and numerous ohter shows. Any fishing show thats been on in the past, say, 8 or 9 years, I've probably seen it. I also subrscribed to every fishing magizine I could. I was getting BassMaster Mag, In-Fisherman mag, Field and Stream, On the Water(a new england fishing mag) I would also buy less familiar mags from bookstores whenever I would see a fishing one(like BASSIN') I would also go through all the lure and tackle catalogs like I was reading the bible. I learned A LOT from watching all these shows and reading all these magizines. I thought I knew everything there was too know about fishing. Was I so wrong. All I really learned from all these shows and reading was the basics with a little extra on top. I'm been involved with fishing for 9 years now, and I have just scratched the surface of experience and knowledge. My father never liked fishing either. I remember a few times he drove me out to the local pond when I asked him, but he would never fish. He'd just drink a beer or close his eyes and relax in a chair. I fished a local kids derby at 13, and have been fishing ever since. I love the sport, and I hope my kids will not have to teach themselves how to fish. I have been chipping away at my younger brother and trying to turn him into an angler, but he's not as into it as many of us are. He likes to catch fish, but if there's no action for an hour we wants to call it quits. He's your run of the mill fair weather fisherman. When there's nothing better to do he'll go fishing, but he's no die hard like me. I'll fish in the rain, the snow, 30 degrees, 90 degrees, it doesn;t matter. Your not alone NC. Literally and metaphorically speaking. As far as you not being successful, it just takes time. Try fishing with shiners at first, that how I started out. Its a great tactic to catch bass, and its so much fun watching your bobber get sucked into the water. This will get you started into bass fishing. Then experiment with lures. My best advice is: study your subject. Learn as much as you can from fishing shows, magizines, online posts etc. Bass Resource is great because its catagorized so it's easy to find everything you need to know about most aspects of bass fishing. Use this forum as much as you can. Ask questions to anyone and everyone about any topic you need to, that's what we're here for. Lastly, go fishing as much as you can, and apply your knowledge and past experiences. Never give up, don't get discouraged, and have fun.

Thanks Catt. By the way, are there any places where I shouldn't keep fish from. How do I know the fish are safe to eat? One pond I fish at has signs posted that the fish may be contaminated with a chemical they use to spray the surrounding trees for bugs. So I obviously woulodn;t eat fish from there. But other than that, when signs aren't posted by local Government, should I assume that all other ponds/lakes are safe to keep fish from? I also fish a real small swamp type pond which has losts of dink bass and sunfish. This would be a good place to get some fish from, but is there a chance I could get parasites or something from these fish or the water? I would hate to get sick and miss work and school. Any help with this subject would be great.

thanks matt

when a recipes calls for you to "clean a fish" what does this mean. I know you can just cut fillets from fish by slicing down the sides without having to clean/scale it.

I fish a local pond which inhabits largemouth bass, pikerel, sunfish, perch, crappie, stocked rainbow trout, stocked brown trout, and stocked salmon. I don;t think I would eat largemouth since they are a prized sportfish, and I never heard of people eating pikerel, though I would expect them to taste like pike which I have heard of people eating. And I'm sure the rest of the fish are edible. Has anyone here eaten bluegill? I am looking at a recipe online for them but it calls for "panfish fillets" not specifically bluegill. Are they a good fish to eat? There must be thousands in this local pond, so they could be a convienent snack if I aquire a taste. Plus I could save money on buying cold cuts and other live stock products from the stop and shop if I learned how to fllet and cook some fishies.

Take it from me. I am in college, and it is what you make it. College itself is a tool for you to use to better yourself. It's where you higher your education in order to work in a respectable career.(No disrespect to the trade guys since you all have to go to school too, plus you guys actually do labor, where most of us college grads sit on ours a$$es all day) Keep a social life in college, meaning, know where there will be a few parties on the weekends, make a few good friends, and know when to get your head out of the book and have some fun. But don;t get caught up in the party life, it will get you nowhere in the long run. Sure its fun getting drunk all the time and getting with the ladies, but that only lasts so long. You are at college to learn, not party. Make sure you remember the good old saying, work before play. Just make sure you do take time to play every once in awhile. You are an adult now, you make your own life choices. These choices will determine where you end up down the road, so make the right ones. So if you have a big test or a paper due and your roomate comes in while your doing your work and says "Hey we're all getting drunk let's go". Don;t fall into the trap, cuz that will be the first of many poor choices. Habits are hard to break, so if you make partying a habit, it will be tough to leave that life, but if you make studying and doing well academically a habit, you will only reap rewards of success which are so much sweeter than a few years of drunken foggy memories. But like I said, make sure you get out on the weekends and meet some people and have a little fun.

Is anyone here in this field of study or work, or know someone in it. I am a college student studying Marine Biology for my bachelor's degree, and plan on attending graduate school for a Master's in Aquatic Biology. I hope to someday work in fisheries/ general research ensuring the survival of fresh and salt water fishes and their environments. As a biologist(marine or aquatic) I would study fresh and salt water ecosystems as well as the animals that inhabit them. These two main areas are so important to human life, as well as an interest of mine. I figured it would be a great oppurtunity to work in such interesting fields and be able to protect wildlife/natureal resources. Anyone with any infromation on these subjects would be a great help. Thanks.

i freakin love UFC. These guys are train like animals and deserve so much respect. I wanted to see this so bad, but I can;t dish out $50 everytime there on just to watch them streaming on the internet the next week. Thanks for the updates Fivebass. Hopefully someone posts the fights on YOutube.com soon.

I started drinking coffee a few years ago when I started college. I don;t now if I coulda got this far without it. Waking up at 7am to sit in boring lectures all day only to be followed by sitting in a boring library and studying boring books. SO without coffee stimulating me I would have spent the time dozing off. Not to mention one hour weightlifting sessions four times a week and working a part time job AND OF COURSE finding time to wet a line whenever possible. Coffee is a life saver. I don;t drink it that much anymore since I realized coffee doesn;t agree well with me. I think I'm caffeine sensitive. To paint a picture, after a small cup off regualr I'm start sweating from my pits, my Blood pressure shoots up and I want to puch someone in the face. It just sends me into fight or flight mode. I switched to drinking(as girly as it sounds) tea a few months ago and couldn;t be happpier. It keeps me alert and mellow without the tension and anxiety gives me. I'll never forget you though, my good, late friend coffee bean. God Bless and R.I.P. lol But for you guys who can take the coffee buzz, keep on chuggin, especially for theose early mornings driving out to the lake.

thanks guys, kinda figured I was gonna get the responses that I did. I don't care too much for the ugly stiks that much anymore. Being a college student on a tight budget is tough, especially when you'r a fisherman and you gotta feed the bait monkey. I am however starting to wait tables now at the restataunt I work at, so I should start making a good amount of more money per week. Gotta put the monkey on a diet though cuz I need to save up for a boat this spring.

Thanks guys. Special thatnks to Road Warrior, that link was very imformative. One of the main reasons I like belonging to a forum is so that you can ask questions and learned from more expeerienced fisherman. I have been doing most of my hardbait fishing with a ML/Soft glass rod and I can;t think of a fish I have lost using it. Its a cheap Cabela's Whuppin' Stick, sort of like an ugly stik but lighter and much more sensitive even though its glass. I've fished the two side by side and the ugly stik sux compared to the Whuppin. I mostlu use lures around 1/4 oz. Its rated for 1/8-1/2. I have caught bass, slamon, and perch using this rod when fishing trebles and like I said, I can;t remember losing a fish. For the recreational fishing I do(no tournaments) Its a fine rod. I'm sure I could spend more for another rod, but if it's not broken, don;t fix it. I am planning on getting a H action rated (3/8-2 1/4 oz) [so says the Cabela's fishign customer serv. rep.] I'll be using this for heavier stuff like 1/2-1 ounce topwaters like Zara Spooks, or heavy 3/4-1 ounce crankbaits. The lure ratings aren't printed on the rod blanks which I find odd. But my ML works fine within the lure weights he said so I guess he's on the ball.

Hinkle probably means the Shad Rap. The Cabela's site says it dives 5-11 feet. http://cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?id=0042615121703a&navCount=4&podId=0042615&parentId=cat20388&masterpathid=&navAction=jump&cmCat=MainCatcat20166-cat20388&catalogCode=IH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20388&hasJS=true The fact that you are getting weeds even in deeper water could be that the weeds are growing 4' up out of the ground. I think hydrilla does this. So if you are fishing in 10' of water and the lure dives on average 8' (5+11= 16/2=8) then this explains why you may still be getting weeks. I have four of these in my plano box, 2 bright and 2 natural colors. I have yet to catch something on them. I did have luck the other day using a shad rap though getting a small bass and a big perch. I found that the shape of these minnow raps makes it hard to cast them as they have a tendency to spin and flip in the air kind of like a bad football pass. Anyone else have a problem casting these?

Has anyone used or even heard on the new Gulp Alive scnet spray? I recently saw it on Cabela's and want to pick up a bottle of it and try it out. It comes in a variety of freshwater scents like shad/craw/and crawler and coems in a generous 8 oz. bottle. They also came out with new Gulp Alive baits. Anyone try these?

Not to beat a dead horse, but Jig man's post is a prime example of what I was saying. The fish that populate the deeper water feel safer from predators and feel comfortable all day long, therefor they will feed all day long since nothing will throw them off this "frame of mind". The shallow water fish will feed during the low light when they feel safe, but once that sun gets high in the sky and they feel vulnerable, they get scared, and lose their "feeding frame of mind" and go into survival mode, which is a much stronger instinct thant to feed. This will, as jigman pointed out, send the bass to either deeper water, which is a sort of cover, or seek true cover such as thick vegatation or timber where they can hide.