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There are a bajillion "what is your favorite/greatest/most bestus" posts on here but I really want to talk about what is important; confidence. It doesn't matter if I can catch fish on a pink buzzbait on every cast if there is not confidence in the bait I have already failed. With all the posts asking about what to use if say use what works for you and concentrate on finding the fish and you will be a better angler. This seems to be a fundamental flaw with a lot o people so I figured i would mention it. I have been on this forum awhile now and generally do not reply to the "favorite" threads for this reason. Allen

Can you please point me to a great setup for a "hundo" as you say.

Just a thought, you may want to check your rod, for chipped or cracked guide inserts, it is possible that your line is being cut.

I have been on both sides. Many years ago I was fishing down a bank at a local power plant lake, not catching anything. Working the bank from the other direction were a couple of guys catching fish on almost every cast. When we passed I asked them what they were using that was working so well. They gave me a bag of 3" grubs and a bag 1/8 oz darter jig heads, along with detailed instruction while showing me how to use them. It changed the day and opened the world of finesse to me. I will never forget it. Another time on the same same lake we were killing hybrid stripers on roadrunner jigs. We had just lost the last of them when an old guy (probably about my age now) stopped to tell is how good we were doing. When we told him we had used the last of the roadrunners he dug in his box and found us a couple that he would not take a penny for. That is good stuff and I have tried to pay that forward over the years. The look on someones face when you cut off a bait that they just saw you catch fish on and hand it to them is worth much more than the cost IMO. Helping others is part of the outdoor tradition. I am grateful that I can occasionally be part of that.

I tell em where, with what, & even give them some! I laugh at people who think they have honey holes! Some one was there before & will be there after you're gone!

Before this past weekend, I had only caught one smallmouth in my life. I have a 2 hour drive north to find the Tennessee River for the nearest smallmouth. Well I fished a tournament in TN this past weekend and landed big bass in the tournament with this 21.25 inch smallmouth. It was between 5 & 6 lbs. Caught it in a few feet of water on a Rage Craw.

Went out with my good buddy Dwight Hottle for a week of BS, lies, ribbing, drinking and a little fishing to boot. We fished 6.5 days on famous Erie, with nothing but jerkbaits, and focusing not on numbers but size. My previous PB smallie was 4lb 12oz(twice) and I was determined to beat it........and I did. Last day too. Talk about putting in my work. I caught 49 smallies, 1 stripe bass, 2 goggle eyes, 1 perch (3/4lb PB), and 1 walleye (5.5lb PB), and several dumb dumb heads all on jerkbaits. And what makes this even more awesome, 14 of my bass were over 4 lbs. Good times, were had, and I look forward to my next trip up! Now for the pics: My New PB weighing 5lbs even on 2 scales..... PB Walleye: (5.5 lbs) And the biggest Dumb Dumb head: (14lbs) Thanks to Dwight for putting me on these bass and look forward to fishing again buddy! Jeff

Didn't get much sleep last night but the gopro is all charged up and I'm pumped tot finally be able to fish again!

They should make a crawfish scented sunscreen

A Roadtrip bass on a Rage Bug and A hook I've been testing. Then two Lake St Clair fish.

Power Pro is great affordable braid.

I always pay it forward. I am very appreciative of those who have helped me along the way.

Got it rigged on a slower gear. What a difference!!!

I do not offer unsolicited advice to anyone. I don't want it either. Now if someone asks, I'll mention what I've caught fish with at that particular lake, but I make it a point not to just walk up to a guy I don't know and tell him how to fish, even if it looks like he has no idea what he's doing.

It's all about searching for perfection,,,,,,I mean what do we really need to catch a stink'n predator, that is ions behind our intelligences,,,,,,even mine,,,,,

It's poaching. Keep the number of the local dnr in your phone and call to report them. In todays world it may not be wise to confront them.

day 3 this day we had a great morning. within 2 hours we had boated 55 fish. a 4 pounder and a 4 pound 5 oz after that we requested the guide to go for bigger fish. the numbers decreased considerably but the size went up. this is my biggest fish for the trip, a little under 6 pounds we kept catching 4-5 pounders all day long. we even got some nice doubles and even a nice triple (2 nice fish and a smaller one, but a triple anyways) a nice one my dad caught 1.86 kilos, a little more than 4 pounds a couple more: i just realized since i had the only camera, i have very few shots of myself...anyways, i also took only random pics, as the fishing was so hot i couldnt waste time taking pictures a nice 5 pounder my friend got right before sunset and thats the last fishing pic. this is a shot of the other side of the dam overall we got more than 250 fish in less than 2 1/2 days. even though the biggest one was more than 7 pounder, we missed the really big ones of the lake, fish in excess of 12 lbs have been caught in there. anyways, we had a lot of fun, i caught 3 fish on consecutive casts, and so did my friend. it was really worth it, im already planing to return in november.

Hello im new to the bass resource site and its pretty cool so far alot of good people with lots of info. Can't wait to improve my skills of all fishing species. I love fishing for bass, Catfish, Bream or bluegill. Looking forward to maybe meeting some new fishing buddys and getting and giving help on all fishing. I'm an electrician in the counstruction field doing commercial and Industrial. So not as much fishing going on as i used to. I have a 1994 16' 7" procraft bass boat if anyone has any cool ideas for the boat just give me a holler. Thanks

Whatever bait I'm using. If I lose confidence in a bait I won't be fishing it anymore.

Unless its a big fish just grab it behind the head. Just grab it quick and firm. They don't even try to flop around like that when you grab them. Plus you shouldn't just lip a bass because you can. Bass thumb can be a real issue tough hands or not

This is what I do. But I'm very focused when I do it. If the fish is still shaking its head, I'll loop it around again until its laying flat out. I've handled a lot of fish so I'm pretty confident. (Papajoe does this fit your Superstitions question? ) If the fish has multiple sets in, often with mouth pinned closed, I'll belly lift. It works very well. But .. and this is true with all fish handling, you have to beware of the fish giving an unexpected kick. After handling fish a while you get a sense for when they are uncomfortable, jazzed up, and what prods them to react. A fish with a face full of hooks I'll often keep in the water a bit longer until it stops fighting all together. Once laying out prone I'll belly lift. After I've freed one set, I then switch to the more secure lip grip. Another option that works surprisingly well is going barbless. Here's why I started looking into this option: This fish is a common sight in some public waters I've fished. That fish will likely lose it's maxillary and premaxillary on that side. Like this fish has: I found going barbless works just fine. I don't lose fish. However, I don't do this with just any lure. Works fine with soft plastics with light weights, and with most free-swinging trebles. I don't go barbless with jigs; The barb is necessary there. I don't go barbless with lipless cranks either -their compact weight seems easier for bass to throw. But other cranks and topwaters, I don't know I'm barbless until I have the fish in hand, and the hooks just shake out. Very cool. There are also micro-barb hooks out there that work very well. But the big barbed trebles, I can't stomach anymore.

suspendingjerk: Thats been happening to me a lot recently with berkley vansih flourcarbon. I lost 3 fish plus tackle yesterday before I did a google search. Apparently flourocarbon (and sounds like p line) breaks very easily at the knot. KNots must be tied perfectly and lubricated so the line doesnt pinch itself. All my fish were lost on hook sets. op: I have lost a few fish in a single day using braid as well. Turns out I was missing the ceramic insert in the last guide. It was like a knife. I didnt notice until I got home. Is there any other way to cut braid? Seems like it would need something to actually cut it. If its not getting snagged, the only thing that could be is your rod, reel or lure.

X2 good reels for the money. Current model has the flipping switch. Older model can be had for under $100 and is a work horse

Quantum Energy.

Ah good ole mud bog. The waterport mud bog is right behind my house I think they already had there first event the other week judging by the miles of mud left going down the road from the site.

have you tried slowing down the retrieve to be near the bottom?

Lews super duty in high speed. That is what it was made for

Pick me up a case of Governors White from the Williamsburg Winery!! The local liquor store has trouble getting it and it has been a PITA to find any. A

I am not going to suggest any baits but that situation fish whatever finesse baits that you have confidence in. It doesn't matter what I can catch fish on or anybody else on this forum! Fish whatever finesse baits you have confidence in and concentrate on llen

It all goes to my sons. My wife aint getting ****.

I've told people how I was fishing and given them a lure and told them how to use it. I've actually been swore at because they still couldn't catch a fish and it was my fault. I don't tell a lot of people much about fishing, anymore.

a lews speed spool and a falcon bucoo

I agree, I'm not looking for a confrontation. I did once call the DEC to report illegal keeping of fish. They sent an officer over there, nailed him and called me back to let me know what happened.

Just putting this out there, since I've been in your position before. Spend an extra $50 and you'll jump up SUBSTANTIALLY in quality. For $250, I feel like I got a STEAL on the new Shimano Ci4+ reels. I refused to spend more than $200 on a reel for years and this year dropped some cash on something more expensive.... It's similar to driving a Chevrolet -VS- Ferrari. I'm telling you... just do it.

another recoil guide fan here...i absolutely love them and can't figure why so many people complain about them. to the OP, i like both split- and full-grip...i have plenty of both. my problem with split grip rods is that the trend seems to be for them to get skinnier and skinner. capt.bob, i like the full-handle conversion...looks great and i bet they feel great too.

The Lew's tournament pro would be an awesome reel also tight lines Andrew

Snook, there are some others on here: Dwight Hottle, A-Jay, Shane Procell, Rolo, Catt, WRB, Dead River, Bluebasser86, Shane J. Jeff

I tell the misses Im going striper fishing.

DelcoSol - I really dig my 2 Scorpion XT 1001s with super ship. I also have the Core and agree with TTs assessment that something about the aluminum version, pretty much being this reel casts a little better and feels super nice. I don't think you would be taking a step back at all, with enough money left over to tune and dress it to the nuts.

This is my cranking setup: G Loomis 783 cranking rod with a Core 101Mg. It's setup for shallow to medium crankbaits, from Scatter Raps to DT4s and 6s.

Been fishing this river run for over 40 years, this year was great, kinda different than the last 10 or so years. This year with the real winter and spring back on time (it was not late) everything was back like it used to be. The rains kept the water levels high for the most part, and the fish kept pull'n. This was the first year in a long time you could still pull limits after the first week of May. The freezer is restocked and I am stocked up for another year. The last few tripp's kept a few White Bass for the smoker as well. Didn't unhook the "METAL "MISS" FIT" the whole month of May!! Been pretty descent Crappie fish'n the last 2 weeks,love this time of the season.

I caught my biggest walleye yet a few days ago, and I managed to get it on video so I thought I'd share it with you guys. I know there's a lot bigger walleyes out there, but I really don't fish for them all that much so it was sweet to hook into a bigger one!

Wow, tons of good information in those posts. You can tell there are a lot of good fishermen on this site. I will throw my two cents into the mix. Great advice, be a line watcher! It doesn't mean you don't concentrate on feel too. I often throw plastics on a slack fall. I don't keep the line slack all the time but definitely on the fall. Especially when weightless, and I go weightless often, especially with senkos and trick worms. I want them to dance as they fall to the bottom. Weightless they will dance and dart as they fall. I let them sit on the bottom slack for quite some time. During the pause I will watch for any movement. On the retrieve if you jerk and give slack immediately that senko will walk side to side even on the bottom. Just like walking a zara spook but slower. When I let it sit I give some slack, but go back to watching the line. The side to side action will knock them dead. Practice in a pool, where you can watch the action of the bait. Zoom Trick Worm walk great also. Don't forget to pause and let it sit still. Many of the bites occur while sitting there. I use Trilene 100% Professional Floro. I can feel everything going on at the end of the line. I can feel what type of bottom, and type of veggies that are down there. Not all Floros are the same, find one you can handle. It took me a while, but now I have eliminated many of the problems with floro, and now love the stuff. It took a while. Good luck, the more you do it, the better you'll get. Just keep doing it until you need glasses. Lol !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Watching you line is only a part of the puzzle to knowing exactly what is going on with under soft plastics or jigs. Detecting strikes from slow moving lures that you can't see on slack line that you can't feel and hoping to see the line move makes for a lot of missing strikes. You need to concentrate on everything and a good way to learn is fish at night. You can't see your line well so you must feel your line for movement and any slight change in pressure on the line. The classic tick doesn't always occur, a change in the resistance the lure creates going through the water does occur. If you are keeping in contact with you lure all the time you can detect strikes when you feel the lure getting heavier, lighter, can't feel anything, like it was cut off, is called weighing the lure. These changes is weight or pressure on the line happen when you go through grass, up and over obstacles like branches or rocks and when bass engulf you lure. How to know the difference can only be learned by time on the water and setting the hook; swings are free, so when in doubt set the hook. Keep this thought in mind, we are all learning and will continue to experience missed strikes, they get fewer with practice. Tom

You can not afford to know the truth until you buy a scale.

A Sermon About Lying At the end of church one morning the pastor said, "Next week I'll be doing a sermon on lying. To help yall understand it better, I want yall to read Mark 17. The next Sunday the pastor said, "Ok, by a show of hands, who read Mark 17?" Everyone raised there hand. "Mark only has 16 chapters. I will now proceed my sermon on the sin of lying."

Today o feel like toilet paper, I was on a roll then I had to deal with a lot of other peoples crap

Courtesy of U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services: > Number of U.S. practicing physicians: 830,000 > Annual deaths caused by physicians: 180,000 > Annual deaths caused per physician 0.217 Courtesy of Federal Bureau of Investigation: > Number of gun owners in United States 80,0000,0000 > Annual number of firearm homicides 11,078 > Annual number of gun deaths per owner 0.00014 Conclusions > Doctors are 1,550 times more dangerous than gun-owners > Guns don't kill people - Doctors do Roger

Roger

Check out the site for NBAA, they have 3 different leagues that are spread out on week nights and weekends. I've never fished Gun Lake, I have been to Jordan lake down that way. I fish Crystal Lake, Townline lake, Lake Ovid and a private lake in Farwell called Surrey Lake. Good luck finding your info.