Leaderboard

I wish you all a healthy, happy, prosperous 2015. Good fishing for all and It'd be nice if we all could score a new PB.

Sure there's such a thing as too much tackle. But who the *&*$#@ cares. I'll buy it anyway. Hootie

i need one of each rate of fall and color, never know what the fish will want when you are on the water... right?

Today Is the Day. Starting in 2015, my wife & I have decided that we're going to start celebrating the start of each season instead of the start of the new year. Simply because there will be more of them left, we're hoping anyway. So Happy Winter 2015 A-Jay

I complained to this to the guys at TW as well. After much time and consideration they will be offering a new wife option for their 2015 website.

After compiling & tabulating years & years of fish weighing data, the following “How Much Does This Weigh?” Scale has finally been completed. This most accurate unit of measure is particularly effective for those who have never owned a scale, refuse to purchase one and or have never weighed more than 3 fish in their entire life. And best of all it is being offered right here & now for the first time, totally Free of charge. See Below ~ If you (as the angler who landed said bass) believe the fish in question to be . . . . Between 3-5 pounds – the actual weight is at least 1 pound less than you think it is. Between 5-7 pounds – the actual weight is at least 2 pounds less than you think it is. Between 8-10 pounds – the actual weight is at least 3 pounds less than you think it is. Over 10 pounds – at this point our scale varies so widely that we cannot publish the results at this time. For those anglers who may have a question regarding the accuracy of these findings – get a scale. And see for yourself. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. A-Jay

I have the best of both worlds and I know it...my wife doesn't say a word about my tackle buying AND she has no interest in spending money on purses, shoes, etc. So every once in a while when she does mention something she would like I make sure to make it happen.

Matt, You have an interesting dilemma. You are looking for one rod to handle techniques that ideally three (or four) rods will be used for. For example, for jerkbaits, I like to use a shorter rod (6'9") with a faster action (actually, I like a mod-fast rod) with a reel that has 28 IPT when the reel is full. I have gone through many different rods with various actions and different reels with various IPT to come to that combination, which suites how and where I fish jerkbaits. I use a 7'5" moderate action rod for shallow to medium running crankbaits with a reel that has around 24 IPT. I have a 7'11" moderate action rod for deep diving crankbaits with a reel that has 22 IPT. With that being said, I would focus on getting a rod that suits what you will be fishing the most. For example, if you suspect that you will be throwing jerkbaits and shallow to medium running cranks more than deep diving dredgers, then that G Loomis GLC 855 CBR would be an excellent choice. And as far as the IPT on a reel, I would suggest you stay around 26 IPT. If you go up into say 28 to 30 IPT, those medium diving crankbaits could be a little more of a chore to use all day (not saying you can't do it, just saying it will be a little more taxing than with a lower ratio reel). If you drop into the 24 IPT or lower, then you will not be able to catch up the slack between jerks while jerkbait fishing, which is a total pain in the rear end. I think the best choice for you would be the Shimano Chronarch CI4+ (it has 26 IPT). You already have the Shimano Chronarch CI4+HG (which is a great worm and frog reel) so you are used to how it feels in your hands. Plus, if you look around, I bet you could find one around that $200 mark you are seeking. Good luck in your search and I think you will love the GLX 855 CBR. I know I do and it makes for one nice Lipless Crankbait rod on top of those other techniques you are wanting to cover.

I know it doesn't really fit your genre, but you should definitely read American Sniper by Chris Kyle. Amazing book, true events he went through.

Mom/Dad-"Jonah you spend too much on tackle" Me-"could spend my money on drugs, alcohol, and gambling....your call here ma and pa" Works every time

I like the way you think A-Jay. Happy Winter to you and yours!

I like braking. Centrifugal. Magnetic. Dual. Even the magic kind. My thumb was held back two grades, was caught smoking in the boys room several times, and eventually dropped out of school. If it wasn't for braking, my thumb would have probably grown up to be a burglar, con-man, arsonist, or U.S. Senator. Tight lines, Bob

The Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper is a fairly versatile bait that can be effective in and around all types of structure. When you're faced with vegetation you can rig the Skinny Dipper weedless and swim it over grass beds or rig it on a weighted swim bait hook and run it through sumbmerged weeds. The slender design of the Skinny Dipper coupled with the paddle tail creates a vibration in the water. The Skinny Dipper can also be deadly fished on a Carolina rig over humps and creek channels with grass and brush. A-Jay

Bling bling

Happy New Year to all ! I did my end-of-year number crunching yesterday afternoon. My AVERAGE LMB for the 2014 season, from a total of 1559 bass, was 10.90". For the last 5 seasons, totaling 6828 bass, the average length was 11.35373352855051". I fish small neighborhood lakes, not known for being very fertile, and we do have a lot of skinny fish so I know my numbers will be smaller than most. HOWEVER, for most of the people on this thread - you obviously must be fishing close to nuclear power plants with leaking cooling systems because your "average" fish are incredibly large mutants and the entire growth cycle/survival rate of bass has been altered to produce "average" fish of varying weights from 3 to 6 pounds. Hope you wear a radiation suit while you're fishing.. Perhaps what people are thinking of is not a mathematical "average" fish (where short fish can really pull down your average length) but they are thinking of what is their most "common" size fish. In that case, these folks could create a bar chart that would show a bell curve with the top of the curve residing in the 18 to 22 inch range (which would be just incredible)...instead of a bar chart as shown below. OR...are most of the folks on this thread guessing, because they don't have the records necessary to actually calculate an average, or even determine the most "common" size fish? OR...is everyone using the "new math"? OR, does everyone actually have an average fish of 3 or more pounds in which case you have an absolutely incredible fishery. And tournament anglers - this thread will have KVD shaking in his boots. The topic was average fish and you state your winning bags, So, you went out and caught 5 bass, that weighed a total of 20-25 pounds, so your average fish was 4 to 5 pounds. You never culled a fish right? Otherwise, your "average" fish would be smaller now wouldn't it... It's been an interesting thread...

You will never know how much that fish weighed. But does it really matter? What difference would it make if you knew? Obviously, you're curious, but forget about it, get a scale, and go catch another one.

No, we stayed home last night. Partying over a date got old many years ago. And Hootie, you know you are getting old when the things you like to do become a hassle. Happy New Year!

One of my new toys that came in the mail today

An actual fishing thread with useful information in it, I knew this day would come! All the replies above are spot on with what I have found. Small hair jigs or 2 1/2" tubes fished slow enough to be live bait in deeper areas. Allen

You are going to get bombarded with recommendations, i just wanted to say after your 1st frog catch, bass fishing will never be the same again. Good luck!!

BTW Felix77, I like your box...............looks like mine. You don't need a boat full, you just need ones your confident in.

Did Raider move to Virgina?

I don't like to spend a lot on tube jigs. Usually fish 1/8-1/4 tube jig heads with eagle claw hooks and the cheapest tubes I can find at any given moments. Like green, orange and maybe a black or smoke. It works for me. Sorry missed a few points. Usually have a 1/0 or 2/0 hook on the jig head. One of the best tips I've heard here on br; don't push the jig head all the way to the top of the tube leave a small gap at the top. It should help from snagging so much.

That would be the last rod I would ever buy then, seeing as I hate ham sandwiches...

I use a 3/0 to a small tube jig not sure what size is my favorite I use Berkley Havoc, all I really know..... I would like to find some cheaper ones Be patient and let the fish tell you what they want

Nah... since i got kicked out, i will not argue with law enforcement. With my luck i will be ticketed or fined next time... lol

Stay the course, young Padawan. The choices you make now will establish a pattern for you for the rest of your life. There are many times in a man's life when he wants to quit. Whether it's a tough college course, a crappy job (that he needs), a rough patch in a marriage...even life itself can become overwhelming at times and some feel tempted to pack it in. If it's something worth fighting for, winners don't quit. They embrace the challenge and forge ahead through the fire and come out stronger and smarter on the other side. A month and a half of your life is NOTHING (even though it may seem like an eternity now). Ask yourself this...."2 months from now will I be happy I wrestled or will I regret it?" Unless you somehow are able to foresee an injury or it could compromise your health, the answer to this question is very clear. Learn now to be a winner....a guy that can be depended upon...a guy that sticks to his obligations. That guy will get taken advantage of once in a while as he goes though life but that guy will ALWAYS be a winner. Be that guy my .02

Happy New year. May 2015 be a bassy year for all!

My fish scale has called me a liar so many times, that now I "underestimate" fish weights. So, to compensate for my traumatic bias, I'll just add a couple pounds to my best guess Roger

From what I see, I don't believe those weights to be accurate.

23" on the nose & it weighed 6lbs-12oz

Best of luck C&G. Staph infections can be very dangerous. I hope it all goes well for you.

Me being the number one varsity 138 on the team I just can't bring myself to get up and walk out on all my freinds...

I would start by getting some hollow body frogs, I use Spro but that is all personal preference. You will want colors that match the body's of water that you fish. A light and dark frog will be a great start.

Where did you ever find a 175?

I have a friend who (knowingly) left one in my boat on one of his rods. It is the best revo I have used (as it should be according to the price). The drag was strong and smooth, it casted light baits very well, I was throwing ripbaits into and around wind and the reel performed great. I don't know if I could personally pay retail price for it as I'm just a fan of less expensive reels but for a good deal I would say go for it! Also, VERY light reel in hand! I should add, I'm the WRONG person to ask about other reels in this price range, I'm basically entirely ignorant in that regard!

Lews are built in the same factory as, and share tooling with Pure Fishing brands (Pflueger/Revo etc). The Lews and Citica are only similar to the extent that all/most modern baitcast reels are similar in the basic design theory. Any similarity between these two reels ends there.

Medium Power/ Moderate Action or MH/F with a soft tip

I used to feel the same until I was provided a macbook from work. Will never touch another PC POS lol

only the side imaging won't work with the thru hull application. getting the transducer in the water is ideal, but the right method on a thru hull will work well. all you need to do is go to lowers or home depot in the electrical or havc area and ask for duct seal. just google duct seal transducer on google and you will see how to do it. i did that for over a year with my first kayak and a garmin echo 150 and it worked like a charm. i now have a lowrance 4x HDI that i have on a ram mount that sticks in the water. best part of the duct seal is you can move it, remove it, whatever and no holes no drills no mess no glue none of that. pretty certain you'll thank me later on if you go this route. as for that model fish finder, i am no help. i just read customer reviews until i'm blue in the face and make a decision based on the experiences of others. good luck, enjoy the new depth finder no matter which way you go.

That's the great thing about Macs, they don't work like PCs, they actually work! Take 5 minutes to read the instructions.

So your bearings spin freely when they are packed with grease? Also I don't like to mix oils and grease of different types, this can lead to some real problems. If your process works for you I would not change a thing. I believe when people pay money for a professional reel cleaning, that they should have the reasonable expectation that everything will be cleaned and lubricated with clean oils and grease. How do you treat the AR bearing?

Look at it this way, I have maybe 20 times what you have, and from that all i just fish with maybe 20 cranks, the rest is just to bragg ..... Well, I don't bragg, I just overwhelm and make you feel miserable cuz you're crankbait poor. Back on the subject, actually the only thing Rapala lacks is a Jitterbug like topwater.

Tournament Goal: Last two years I floundered in the last 2 tournaments to drop out of contention for BOBA. I need to figure that out. Fishing Techniques: Refine my drop shot game. Build my crankbait game. Explore spybaiting for Smallies. Personal: Maintain my weight loss.

The consensus is light braid 10-20lb with fc/mono leader 8-15lb.

I remember Dobler..tatum too.

I have yet to see any parasite live through that 350F deep fry bath. But if it does, it deserves to win becaue it's a lot tougher then any of us.

Fat ika was my favorite new bait

Are we talking stocked trout or wild trout? Stocked trout will take about any brightly colored fly. For wild trout, I would have to say the Beadhead Pheasant Tail would be my favorite.

Pointer