If the turtles are headed uphill it’s going to rain.  My favorite is if the cows are laying down the fishing is gonna stink. 

1 hour ago, Mat_ski said:

If you rely on moon cycles to plan your freshwater fishing trips then you should also call your local tarot and ouija board experts. 

Yes. If your having a slump, get your palm read before your next trip. And, if you do decide to have your palm read before your next trip, make sure they read your casting hand only. Otherwise, it will never work...

1 hour ago, Mat_ski said:

If you rely on moon cycles to plan your freshwater fishing trips then you should also call your local tarot and ouija board experts. 

Yes. If your having a slump, get your palm read before your next trip. And, if you do decide to have your palm read before your next trip, make sure they read your casting hand only. Otherwise, it will never work...

I know what I'm talking about 

The stretch of monofilament 

 

Yes I know it stretches but it doesn't hinder you strike detection or hook setting.

 

It doesn't matter if you're using monofilament, fluorocarbon, copolymore, or braid. You have to adjust your rod's action & your reels drag to match the lines strengths & weaknesses.

 

When braid became popular anglers had all kinds of issues destroying rods & reels. Once everyone started understanding braid adjustment were made to both rods & reels.

 

Monofilament is no different, adjustments have to be made.

I have a few myth-busting videos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

And and an all-time favorite:

 

1 minute ago, Glenn said:

I have a few myth-busting videos...

 

 

 

 

 

 

And and an all-time favorite:

 

Thanks Glen!

53 minutes ago, Catt said:

The stretch of monofilament 

 

Yes I know it stretches but it doesn't hinder you strike detection or hook setting.

 

It doesn't matter if you're using monofilament, fluorocarbon, copolymore, or braid. You have to adjust your rod's action & your reels drag to match the lines strengths & weaknesses.

 

When braid became popular anglers had all kinds of issues destroying rods & reels. Once everyone started understanding braid adjustment were made to both rods & reels.

 

Monofilament is no different, adjustments have to be made.

One could also say you have to adjust your line to your rods, reels and techniques.

Rod, reel, line, knot, and bait are a system.  Evaluate all the parts, and put together the best possible solution for catching fish.  Think of it that way, and the mythology gives way to logic.

Bass won't eat moving baits in cold water. Caught a 7lber last April in 45ish degree water then a 6 on a spinner bait in late October or Early November in similar water temps.

Here’s an old one.  If you store a rod on the wall using metal nails, that will cause  your graphite rods to break on that point of contact.  

Wind pushes baitfish 

Pretty much anything that comes out of a fisherman's mouth can be true or false depending on everything in the world, even this.  

The cows are standing/walking the fish will be biting is the silliest thing. Cows aren't wild animals. They're driven by food and that's pretty much it. 

 

Now if you see a bunch of actual wildlife out and about on your way to the lake, then you might expect the fish to be more active. 

The two universal falsehood for all types of fishing:

 

1. Braid will slip without backer.

 

2. Braid will wear a groove in metal guides.

I don't get the "beginner's lure" thing.  Is a beginner's lure something that catches fish?  If so, why aren't we all using them?  Why would anyone use a lure (in whatever situation) that they think is less appealing to bass than something else they could throw?

 

To me, a beginner's lure might be something that is easily castable and more weedless and/or less snaggable.  

Although I've done way more fishing than hunting, I think I've heard more deer hunting myths than fishing ones.

49 minutes ago, CrankFate said:

The two universal falsehood for all types of fishing:

 

1. Braid will slip without backer.

 

2. Braid will wear a groove in metal guides.

On a standard spool, without any fixture (ie. tape), braid will slip. Been there don’t that. Thought my drag was busted. 

20 minutes ago, billmac said:

I don't get the "beginner's lure" thing.  Is a beginner's lure something that catches fish?  If so, why aren't we all using them?  Why would anyone use a lure (in whatever situation) that they think is less appealing to bass than something else they could throw?

 

To me, a beginner's lure might be something that is easily castable and more weedless and/or less snaggable.  

Some lures have been called a beginner's lure over the years. The Beetlespin has been called this. Most are cast and reel type baits, and don't require the skill of a jig or soft plastic bait. But, this isn't always true.

16 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Some lures have been called a beginner's lure over the years. The Beetlespin has been called this. Most are cast and reel type baits, and don't require the skill of a jig or soft plastic bait. But, this isn't always true.

I think it’s called that because most kids were given that first. 
 

Than again maybe not
 

 

 

 

Mike

21 hours ago, PourMyOwn said:

Id like to add, use smaller lures to catch smallies. I've caught a pile of big smallmouth on 3/4 oz football jigs on 17lb test line. 

 

Some of the biggest I've ever caught were on a Rage Bug and a LC 128.

 

Just because their mouth is smaller doesn't mean their appetite is.

 

People around here dont throw big swimbaits because the fish are not big enough.?

13 minutes ago, Siebert Outdoors said:

 

Some of the biggest I've ever caught were on a Rage Bug and a LC 128.

 

Just because their mouth is smaller doesn't mean their appetite is.

 

People around here dont throw big swimbaits because the fish are not big enough.?

I caught a 1-1/4 lb bass on an original AC Plug BITD. The fish wasn't much bigger than the plug. Other than that though, the smallest we ever caught with them was at least five pounds.

15 hours ago, Catt said:

The stretch of monofilament 

 

Yes I know it stretches but it doesn't hinder you strike detection or hook setting.

 

It doesn't matter if you're using monofilament, fluorocarbon, copolymore, or braid. You have to adjust your rod's action & your reels drag to match the lines strengths & weaknesses.

 

When braid became popular anglers had all kinds of issues destroying rods & reels. Once everyone started understanding braid adjustment were made to both rods & reels.

 

Monofilament is no different, adjustments have to be made.

In my experience, 4 to 6 lb mono has quite a bit of stretch, but I have also put multiple bruises on my stomach setting the hook with 20 lb mono when I fished out in your neck of the woods.

12 minutes ago, Big Hands said:

In my experience, 4 to 6 lb mono has quite a bit of stretch, but I have also put multiple bruises on my stomach setting the hook with 20 lb mono when I fished out in your neck of the woods.

 

Do you use the same rod for both?

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

Do you use the same rod for both?

No sir. I don't usually bring my rods to TX because my buddy has a ton of rods for me to use, and I don't want to let the orcs that work baggage at the airports do what they do. But the rods I used with 6 lb mono were all rated as MH with line ratings at 10-17, 10-20 & 10-25. I know that because I still have them and I went and looked at them to be sure. The 6 lb mono has so much stretch that I could get away with a heavier rod. Old school Bionix, Lightning Rods, and a Shimano Jimmy Houston that was my favorite. Action is probably a little slower than today's fast action rods, but not moderate.

 

The rods I use in TX are usually 6.5' to 7' MH or H with 17-20 lb mono. That seems to be the norm for just about everything. Most of the water I have fished in TX, you can't give the fish much room to play around or you're going to be battling a fish and a tree  ;~)

18 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The cows are standing/walking the fish will be biting is the silliest thing. Cows aren't wild animals. They're driven by food and that's pretty much it. 

 

Now if you see a bunch of actual wildlife out and about on your way to the lake, then you might expect the fish to be more active. 

 

 

Cows eat up to 15 times a day so I guess the fish are always biting according to them. Now if I see fish eating I know that the fish are probably uh, eating.

9 hours ago, Mat_ski said:

On a standard spool, without any fixture (ie. tape), braid will slip. Been there don’t that. Thought my drag was busted. 

I agree, been there done that as well