Leaderboard

A philosophical question. Excellent! I was away from fishing for several years after my brother was killed in an accident. He was my fishing partner and best friend, and I was lost for a while without him. It took me a while to find my passion for fishing again, but thanks to a great wife and good friends I finally found my way back to the water. When I did it was like coming home. My wife has become a very good bass angler and as good a fishing partner as I could hope for, with benefits that are beyond the scope of this discussion. On the water I can talk about the verities and vagaries of life, or nothing at all. There is a spiritual element for me as well that is also beyond the scope of this discussion. While I can not begin to put into words all that fishing means to me, I do know that without it I am not complete. I would be remiss if I did not mention the role this site has played in me finding my way back to fishing. It was not long after getting back into fishing that I found my way here. I was encouraged and welcomed by folks who have become freinds though we have never met. Thanks guys.

Different benefits for different people. I love fishing, it helps me relax and gives me something to look forward to that I enjoy. But I have an associate who I spoke with the other day with a serious mental illness. He told me "fishing has saved my life"

I think the question should be what has'nt it done? Everything you said is true, there is no better way to release nor any better way to get yourself frustrated, bass fishing is a mindset in all aspects of the game, the rubix cube does not even come close, well, with the exception of both being a puzzle. It's everything rolled into one big ball, there is nothing like finally unloading your boat, putting on the PFD and heading out to your first spot, the first time your boat is on plane for the first time of the new season, the first fish, all of these feelings are renewed every trip on the water, and so is the soul renewed each and every time as well. The friendships we make, the chats we have, the arguements we discuss, are all parts of growing into better well rounded fishermen and women, but the end result is always the same, we learn something from someone that will help us all to become better, better anglers and better people. Some good comes from the net, such as this place, it's home to a lot of us, it's freedom to express some of our emotions from a not so good day on the water and having someone make your day with a responce that gives you a new outlook for the next trip out, being able to come back and share your results from what you have learned and finding that this community supports you with your new skills or helps you dissect the faults and try again. Fishing has done a lot of things for a lot of people, for a lot of us, our church is being on the water at sunrise on Sunday mornings or any morning for that matter, looking at what we have to enjoy for the short time we are here, closing your eyes for a brief moment and giving thanks just before that first cast, it's watching your children catch their first fish and feeling the same emotions they are at that moment, only to realise that moment never really leaves you, it's realising the bond of family becomes much stronger when connections like these are made and wishing these moments will last forever. I can't say that fishing to catch fish has been as big of a success as I want it to be, but fishing in and of itself has been a blessing. Good luck and be safe !!!

When someone needs help getting out of the pool, you lip em out.

When you re-spool your reels and re-organize your baits instead of watching the Super Bowl. When your wife wakes up with a black eye caused by you setting the hook in your sleep. When your insurance agent looks at the inventory of your rods and reels for the binder on your home owner's policy and says, " are you kidding me ?" When you keep photos of your personal best in your wallet rather than photos of your grandkids. When you have your girlfriend get a tattoo of the Rage Tail logo where the usual tramp stamp goes. When you borrow your buddies 8-15 to hold up for a photo so you can post it as your Bass Resource avatar. When you get the same Rage Tail tattoo as your girlfriend. When you go to confession and tell the priest you you were on a plane in a no wake zone at your last tournament. When you have so much tackle you are featured on the reality show, " Hoarders." When you wear your tournament jersey at your wedding. That's enough.

When Mike Siebert first started tying his own jigs over 15 years ago, he was doing so to save money. He was a dedicated jig fisherman, and liked one particular brand. As the cost of buying jigs was rising, he figured he could start making some of his own and save for other things he wanted to buy. Problem was, everybody liked his jigs better than store bought. He was being inundated with requests to tie jigs for others. Then the light bulb clicked. Tie jigs for everyone else to fund his jig addiction. And so was born the company that is now known as Siebert Outdoors. Mike started out with just a couple molds and one hook style. He now has over half a dozen jig head styles, plus a couple shakey heads, and even some lead free jig heads for the states that have banned lead (MA). He has multiple hooks to choose from in most of his line as well. My personal favorite is the Big O jig. The Big O Jig head is made with an Owner XXX strong hook and a heavy weed guard. Sizes 1/2 and less have 1/8" heavy weed guard and the 5/8 and up are 5/32. This is the BEST jig I have ever thrown, and has quickly become Mike's best seller. It was influenced by our very own Big O, of Rage Tail products, and it has become a staple in his jig arsenal as well. One of the best things about Mike's operation, is the fact he lets you mix and match colors, sizes, and styles on every order. He will even sell you just the jig heads, and let you create your own fish catching masterpiece. Some of his most popular color combinations are black and blue, falcon craw and the newly emerging sweet craw. My favorite is one that Mike ties called the "00 Modbug", found in the Storm series jigs. http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/index.php/storm-series'>http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/index.php/storm-series The storm series jigs are Mike's very best jigs as far as quality and value. Each Jig in this series was hand chosen by a member of the Bass Resource staff to feature in a series to coincide with the Tackle the Storm Foundation. A portion of each jig sale will go directly to the foundation , and you can do you part to get a great jig, or set of jigs(Modpack), and donate to a great charity as well. http://www.tacklethestormfoundation.org/ Do yourself a favor and get over to http://www.siebertoutdoors.com/ and check out everything he has. Not just Jigs. He has soft plastics, including trailers for you favorite jigs, as well as spinner baits and weighted hooks. Mix and match anything for a total of $50 and the shipping is ALWAYS on Mike. Watch for his specials here on BR and you could find deals like 25% off, or free shipping as low as $20 order. Give him an order and tell him BR sent ya. The Storm Series Mod Packs make GREAT Christmas gifts!!! Jeff

A great fall day testing out some new to me lures. Best fish were: 17.5" LMB & a 20.5" channel cat (bleh)

Great video! The fish catching is really well framed. I'm impressed.

Those are some good lookin fish! Keep the vids coming. Your kayak setup looks pretty awesome with the foot pedals and all.

It's now 5 to 4 between the Potomac and SML, with the Potomac out in front, the Occoquan has 2 and now the Chick is up and running with one vote. It's tight between the 2 front runners, we have the month of December to decide so who's it gonna be ???? This is getting exciting !!!!!

In my hands, that is too heavy; that is a lot of weight there. I would feel much more comfortable with a heavier-powered rod for that application.

I use these: http://www.c-tug.com/

I think this question has been asked by all of us at one point or another and each time, I find nothing but more positives for my general state of being! Some of the things that immediately come to mind are patience, grounding, calm, the list goes on! Fellowship on the water and friendly competition keep me coming back. Like Nitro said, it's my church on Sunday! A chance to reflect, be introspective. I learn a lot about myself when I fish! I think if I wasn't able to "wet a line" from time to time after having the ability and opportunity to do so, the life I have now would be worthless! We are all truly blessed to be able to enjoy what we do with fishing and the happiness it brings we should embrace every moment we have on the water! Not a sermon, just a thought!!

When your Christmas tree ornaments are comprised entirely of fishing lures.

Here's a couple Lake O. beauts:

Too many Very Beneficial Aspects of the sport to list. On a side note, Fishing has Reduced my income potential some what. A-Jay

It allows me to forget about most problems for the time I'm occupied so it keeps me sane in rough times......there's many more benefits but this one comes to mind first.

The last three threads have been very insightful. Bass fishing to me is an outlet. It grounds me in so many different levels. What amazes me about bass fishing is the fact that you meet someone and once you find out they bass fish you click almost right away.I guess that's why I enjoy this site so much.

The more time spent fishing the more you will be acquainted with your waters and learn the nuances of different species and what is needed to catch them. Fishing for fun I use only rods, reels and a few artificial lures that give me pleasure, anything else I may use is just for a change of pace. There is a plethora of good info regarding various baits and how to rig and work them, an excellent starting point, but nothing replaces personal experience.

My suggestion is to pick 1-2 types of lures so that you can focus on the necessary techniques to be successful. A crankbait can keep your interest and there's also active action with jigs and spinnerbaits. If you've got the patience, plastic worms are great lures for bass but you've got to fish them SLOWLY. Good luck and have fun! This is some great advice. When I first started bass fishing I started off throwing two different baits, lipless cranks and spinnerbaits. I could cover a lot of water and they were easy to fish. They also taught me where fish were more likely to be holding so that when I moved onto other presentations I was able to eliminate the less productive areas. Concentrating on a few baits at a time also forced me to put in the time to get better at each one instead of just throwing a bunch of different baits that I didn't have confidence in and hoping for the best. I'm sure others have had different experiences but this is what worked for me.

Another big fan of this stick here. I have a Core 51 with 8-12lb 100% paired with this model. At one time this was my dedicated Roboworm combo...until I fished the Baby Rage Craw. 90% of the time I have a 1/4oz tungsten bullet weight, force bead, and the craw tied on. I generally fish this stick until the grass starts to get really thick later in the summer. I think you will be very happy. I can only recall one person who wasn't a fan on the 7'1" Cumulus, and that was simply because he was expecting it to fish heavier.

You use a 10" powerworm as air freshener in your truck.

Only 10 huh? When you catch your first ever marlin, the day before your wedding, and you tell your wife you can get in a half day before the wedding starts at 1! And then convince her you NEED to go fishing on your honeymoon as well......together of course! Jeff

When you tell your wife that a pair of North Star jigs would look better than the earrings she's wearing When you have bass themed toilet paper When your boat is in for service and you decide to see if your truck can float. When you only have one eyelet left on your favorite rod cause you kept breaking the tip. And.... When you shave your dog so you can make some hair jigs

If she was with the ladies in the office,then they(the other ladies) could easily be confused with the offensive line from the 87 Chicago Bears if you know what I mean.

The fishers here catch huge bass, so you're in the right place.

Lobster bisque and lump crab cakes with a horseradish/ caper/ mayo condiment complimented with Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay and warmed French bread. The salad is Greek olives on bib lettuce with a splash of Greek dressing and goat cheese. Dessert is coconut cream pie.

So how much does this Citica cost after you pay for the upgrades that allow it to perform as a Revo S? oe

When you continue to fish as the sky grows dark, the wind is howling & the waves are building with the ramp only ten miles away.

Shane thats more info than we needed to know.

That's hilarious! I agree. She's a keeper!

When a (ahem)..."lady of the evening" says she can "show you good time" and you think it means she has a secret fishing spot she's going to share with you.

-Your wife plans your family vacations around a good fishing spot, because that is the only way she will get you to go! Jeff

as with everything else in life, give it some time. my preferences have changed drastically over time. personally, i like light...in fact, the lighter, the better, balance be damned. a 7'2" rod will generally give you longer casting distance than a 6'6" rod. i have found that some reels that i didn't like on certain rods "came alive" when mounted on a different rod and vice-versa.

She sounds like a keeper

I know the feeling. Before this site and others, Id fish worms 99% of the time and catch fish...use the same rod for everything (mono) after this site and others, I have tons of lures , some that work, many combos, but soft plastics still catch most of the fish when I use it and can still use one rod for almost everything and catch fish...moreso its just the line thats used to make it happen so I can catch multiple species with no probs. I could be content but Id rather spend my money on fishing that drugs or alcohol like many do so Im content using it for something that makes me happy.

"Gee your hair smells terrific"

Yes, read ALL the articles in this forum and look for plenty more on the internet. I suggest picking up books and magazines on the subject (shoot, just borrow from the library to save you money). My suggestion is to pick 1-2 types of lures so that you can focus on the necessary techniques to be successful. A crankbait can keep your interest and there's also active action with jigs and spinnerbaits. If you've got the patience, plastic worms are great lures for bass but you've got to fish them SLOWLY. Good luck and have fun!

I don't think that a 3/4 ounce rig is pushing the limits with the rod. It performs well up to a 3/4 football jig with a big trailer on it- easily the weight that you're going to hit with a rig. For instance, I fish a C-rigged Eeliminator or a smoking Rooster on a 3/4 ounce rig with that rod. It handles it fine. Where's the sweet spot? 1/2 ounce football jig with a rage lobster with one tail section off.

I haven't got to bass fish since the specks started biting.My fishing partner is stocking his freezer and we have been killing them on the local lakes.I don't eat fish anymore as I had to live on them once for three months lol.I can't get him to bass fish right now but in a couple more trips I think he will have a years supply.If you are bank bound get some wild shiners and go to Wekiva Springs state park.When you enter the park take the road to the left to Sand Lake.There is a path that will take you to the lake.The water is crystal clear and full of trees so bring heavy tackle.You will need a cork float and large kahle hook.Go left once you get to the lake and fish the first opening you come to.I caught my first double digit there.My ex pulled a thirteen from same spot.This was twenty years ago but I don't think much has changed.The lake is fed by an artesian well and a great place to observe bass in their natural habitat.Hope this helps.P.S.Make sure to wear polarized sunglasses you will be in for a treat.

I will take a bunch of dinks over being skunked any day. I just love to catch fish, size does not matter to me one bit.

Abu Garcia is a way of life for me as well.