I've heard it called, "getting it slimed".  

 

I am bad about it.  I get a new combo and it is very important that I catch that first fish on it.   I have had very bad days fishing by forcing one set up to be in my hands way to long when the the bait associated with it is a non-producer for the days conditions.  

 

out in the pacific it seemed amplified.  I had to catch a "first fish" on my new ocean set up.   fish were hitting the other rod (two tubes spiraling down towards them was too much to resist).   however, I stayed with the jig stuff, on my jigging set up.  I was headed to a very bad day, but I stubbornly stuck with it.  then the tide swapped and all was great.   FISH ON!!  FIRST FISH ON!

 

you?  or is this just a me thing.?  

If you buy an outfit that you really like it is going to get slimed because you can’t put it down. When I fall in love with a combo because of balance or sensitivity or what ever parameters it becomes my favorite & gets fished a lot. 

It doesn't matter to me.  They are all tools. Some are old, some are new, they will all catch fish when it's time for the right tool for the job.

It doesn’t really matter one way or another. I have several combos that have yet to catch a fish and that’s that as they say.

14 hours ago, king fisher said:

It doesn't matter to me.  They are all tools. Some are old, some are new, they will all catch fish when it's time for the right tool for the job.

 

I agree with @king fisher. I bought an expensive reel a couple years ago and have yet to use it, but I expect to use it this year. 

A nice new shiny combo is just like a new shiny Stihl chainsaw. It'll have it's day in the Sun, but I don't force it. But I fully understand the compulsion.

I hear you can get therapy over the phone nowadays.😁

Yep, I do it.  But I called it getting the stink off it.

The only thing I go is to use it first at my next outing and try to dial it in by which bait and weight (if any) it’s best suited for and hope I made the right choice for what I bought it for.
After that I just put it in rotation. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

Yeah I’m more worried about dialing in the baitcaster and getting a feel for the rod than the first catch. I’ll throw the lightest and heaviest lures I think I’ll use and see how that works. 

I like to use my shiny new combs and like to get a fish on them.  I may not use them the whole day but a will give them extra time.  

The only time I have any feelings at all about a first catch on a combo, is when it's a family member, or friend that I gifted it to. I get a charge out of watching them fight and land that first one. My own, I'm just excited that I caught something.   

I just send things and hope for the best. All fishing gear is just tools nothing sentimental. The memories I make with people are what matter.

That’s not really me. I don’t worry about getting it slimed, first fish, or any of that stuff. I’ll bring bananas in the boat, fill the livewells right away, whatever. I don’t give much thought to luck or superstition.

 

What I do pay attention to are the things that actually matter—scent on the lure, noise in the boat, line size, color, ect. If a setup isn’t producing, I’m not going to force it just so it can catch the “first fish.”

 

I just try to fish the conditions and adjust as I go. Probably not as fun of a story, but it works for me.

its not so much a superstition.  more of a practical aspect.   I want to know my purchase was justified.

13 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

I just send things and hope for the best. All fishing gear is just tools nothing sentimental. The memories I make with people are what matter.

Can't agree more, my son is with me for the majority of my fishing so there's the memories. All the other stuff is just brain clutter.

On 12/31/2025 at 6:43 PM, Darth-Baiter said:

I've heard it called, "getting it slimed".  

 

I am bad about it.  I get a new combo and it is very important that I catch that first fish on it.   I have had very bad days fishing by forcing one set up to be in my hands way to long when the the bait associated with it is a non-producer for the days conditions.  

 

out in the pacific it seemed amplified.  I had to catch a "first fish" on my new ocean set up.   fish were hitting the other rod (two tubes spiraling down towards them was too much to resist).   however, I stayed with the jig stuff, on my jigging set up.  I was headed to a very bad day, but I stubbornly stuck with it.  then the tide swapped and all was great.   FISH ON!!  FIRST FISH ON!

 

you?  or is this just a me thing.?  

I’ve had a combo sit for months before it was time to employ its specific use. It was my Steez XH Cover Special. I believe I bought and sold a rod once where I never actually caught anything with it even though I’d thrown baits on it multiple times. 
 

 

Oddly, the Japanese don't believe in karma.  

They do believe in Nyu-kon, which from Shinto, is that the object doesn't know what it is until it's broken in, and broken in right.  

Tackle and lures are not lucky, but they can be effective.  

When I first get a new reel, I want to dissect it to a certain extent. Look for weird things that might bother me later down the road. Once it's on the rod, I want to use it right away.  I want to find out if it is going to work for what I want despite what the rod company might say. It should feel like....

 

 

So the first cast will only show me half the picture.  The first fish almost completes it. A whole day of catching fish, finishes it.

@FishTank all fair, but I've never been surprised by a fish after I set up a combo.  

My drag and terminal is set and reliable, and I learn what to expect from the rod loading through set-up casting.  

 

Aaaaah.  Cabin fever is starting to set in.  

@new2BC4bass - cabin fever don't work in S. Texas

 

I'm in Central Florida.  Been a cold front the past few days.  What I would have called 'balmy' while living in PA has me freezing now.  I did keep my winter jacket but have no desire to use it by going out.  

Just like here, you'll get a 70-degree weekend each month of winter.  

@bulldog1935 I am going to give you three different examples of set ups, in particular rods, as to why landing a fish and bringing it in is important, for me, in getting a complete picture.

 

1. St. Croix Legend Glass 7'2'' M Mod. Fast with Shimano Antares 2012. When I purchased it and put the reel I wanted on it, I thought its too heavy,  too soft and too under powered to bring fish in on a deep crank.  On the first cast, it felt off and I needed to change my release. Once I got use to the weight and I got the balance squared away, I was good on casting.  When I finally caught a fish on it, I realized I was wrong.  It was fantastic at bringing fish in and pinning them. It is probably my favorite crankbait setup. 

 

2. Megabass Daemos with a Daiwa Steez SV (previous gen). I got this rod as a do all but mainly for 3/8oz jigs. It felt on the first cast like it was just what I wanted. It loads well, casts accurately and was good in the sensitivity department. Then I hooked into my first fish and that's when the wheels fell off. As the day went,  I kept loosing fish. One after the other kept popping off. I wasn't doing anything different. It was that the rod was so stiff in one portion and then soft in another that it was causing me to have fish pop off. It took me several trips to figure this out. It is now my go to for swimjigs.

 

3. Kistler Hunt BFS 3X Ultralight with Shimano Aldebaran BFS.  This rod is a toothpick and the reel feels like a toy but put them together and its amazing.  By casting it and holding it in hand you would never think it would be capable of bringing in big fish from deep water but it can. Nothing but having a fish on can give you confidence in a set up like this.

 

 

 

Only direct comparison, St. Croix Legend Glass matched with Shimano 4000

First morning to use it, fishing squarebill, on a tide pass draining a 3' storm tide.  Bait was so thick it was thumping our kayak hulls, and you could feel them hit your rudder through foot pedals.  All I did was haul in fish that morning.