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After a little research I was all set on buying a Stradic FK reel from one of my favorite JDM sites to round out my bass fishing gear. As I logged onto the site, a voice kept whispering a name in the most convincing voice "Stella... Stella... Stella..." Initially I resisted the urge, but the voice led my wandering hands to click on the Stella image. "Stradic" I said out loud while my right index finger added a 2014 Stella C2500HGS to my cart. Often times I'll talk myself out of the 25 pack of hooks and settle on the 10 pack, I can be cheap sometimes - but there was no such cash saving impulse. As I glanced at the Stella in my cart, I did not hesitate to click "Pay with Paypal." The was no rationalization as I clicked the "Pay Now" button. Oddly, there was no regret or remorse when I received the "You just sent an obscene amount of money for a fishing reel to XXXXXX" email from Paypal. All I feel now is excitement. A special kind of excitement that I will in no way whatsoever share with my wife. I bought a Stella and it's in an airplane on it's way to me right now.

How would you hold a baitcaster if you are not essentially palming the reel. I palm it under all applications as a natural placement and the balance point of the setup. I guess I may hold the rod in front of the reel for real slow worm and jig presentations but still mostly palm 100% of the time.

I wasn't gonna post these, but they were just sitting there on my phone SCREAMING "LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT", So, I present to you: Project Pea Soup

Any guide who gives you a sad story is well isn't marketing himself very well and is going to fail as well as some really great fisherman who become guides but have the personality and ego that gets in their own way of becoming successful. I chose to "fish" for a living because I loved to do it. No we aren't stuck in an office and the thrill of going out and putting my customers on fish everyday to the best of my ability is what drove me. I never felt entitled to a tip nor did I let my crew slack on customer service. Working out of San Diego there were lots of boats to choose from, but my goal was to provide my passengers with the best experience and customer service that they would want to fish with me based on that factor. On the other end of the stick, you have customers who don't listen, do their own thing, do not take tips on what is working and what isn't, think they know better then the guy that's out there every day, then complain because THEY didn't catch anything and it was the guides fault. Those people aren't the ones I based my repeat business around. If your guide is successful in his business he will never give you a sad story of how bad it is. But you also have to remember, it's expensive to run that kind of business. Oh, and that $100 bill you gave the deckhand, odds are half went to the guy you tried to stiff. Crew's don't operate that way, it's all split evenly.

I see a bunch of letters but I can't understand anything you just typed.

For you guys/gals that are newer to bass fishing, I want to give you a little input. You absolutely do not need to have the best fishing equipment on the market to catch a bass. Instead of spending beyond your means, just get the best that you can afford. Most of the equipment made nowdays is pretty decent so you will be just fine. JT Bagwell @BagwellFishing

The main reason I almost never fish a Senko wacky style is because you lose the jerbait/walk the dog action the unweighted, T-rigged, Senko is so good at. The fact that it sinks, makes it more appealing to me than a Slug-go or a fluke.

Agree, I would rather cover up w appropriate clothing for sun protection than pour on sunscreen ( unless I'm at the beach ) last time I was burned badly was Daytona beach, spring break 81... I know what your going thru. Best wishes...

I heard the same whispers, ordered mine on Wednesday

Coming from the charter fishing industry. The only thing a guide can guarantee is quality service, get you out and back safely, and make the best out of what the fishing conditions are. What he can't control is how the fish bite. Tipping someone on that basis from what you catch instead of the service you recieved doesn't paint a great picture. If a guide puts a no catch no pay into his contract, then you need to find out what "catch" includes. Guess my point is I tip someone based on service provided, not if I caught a fish. You can park you on fish all day but if the don't bite there isn't much he can do about it but keep you in productive water and hope they do. Point being no tip is guaranteed, it's earned for the effort the person puts in. Great customer servie great tip. We could wear them out fishing, but if he's paying more attention to his fishing then who paid to go fishing, then his customer service skills sucked which will end in a smaller tip then someone that was "johnny on the spot" everytime making sure I was taken care of first.

What A-Jay said. Here's more info: http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/finding_fishing_guide.html http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/guides.html

My tip for you. Look up this guy in Sturgeon Bay http://wackywalleye.com/about-us/captain-dale-stroschein/ He fishes out of a Nitro ZV21 and knows Sturgeon Bay better than anyone. Real nice guy too.

Hello and Welcome to Bass Resource ~ Three weeks is not really a long time when it come to bass fishing. There is quite a bit to learn. So much in fact, that a life time doesn't seem like enough time. The good news is that although reading & watching video's can be helpful, the majority of what is "learned" happens while we're fishing. So keep at it. Good Luck A-Jay

Bait monkey hit me hard this week. Ordered a nrx 803s, shimano stella 2500 (jdm regular spool), and some megabass baits...

No question here- Long Lake, in the Adirondacks. IMO it's the ideal summer getaway...remote but still has one boat ramp access site at the southern end. There is a lot of state owned shoreline but some summer cottages as well, only reachable by boat. May be pricey to rent. It is deepest, and best to fish, in the northern end which is an 8 mile boat/paddle up the lake. I have caught some great smallmouth there, a lot on a fly. Never even caught one dink LMB there, but they apparently exist, too. It's a very good pike fishery, and has some brook trout and yellow perch as well. One of the most beautiful, well preserved and enjoyable lakes I have found in NY. My alternatives would be Indian, Sacandaga, Lake George, Saranac chain, Tupper, Cranberry. I like Hemlock and Canadice too but 100% of their shoreline is state owned.

Dang nice! It's not often that one can pick up a huddleston in store!!

Finally, a Bass Fishing Store in my local area that stocks some high quality baits, with an Owner who actually knows about bass fishing. I was able to pick up a few things I've been wanting for quite a while and haven't been able to find until now... WolfyBrandon

Hi all, Just wondering, what snacks do you guys pack to hold you off on a fishing trip?

WPS

Your fee includes the tip, does the guide refund any money for an outing where he didn't produce? I have been on charters, no fish no pay. If the outing was outstanding in your eyes, I would give a tip, which I usually do. Seldom have I not given a tip.

Getting a decent sleep in before any morning fishing trip.I wake up every 30/40 minutes all nite long. Ya think after 70 yrs I could get over that.

A Tip or Gratuity is a very personal matter between you & whomever is providing you a service. It's also different for each person & situation - tough to just throw a number up. My version of it is - if I feel there was an effort above & beyond the service I'm already paying for, them I usually reward the "Extra Effort" If I get bare minimum service, well I've already paid for that. And big fish or large numbers of fish may play a role but not ever the only factor. I try to communicate my expectations in advance so we're both on the same page. Helps a ton if we both speak the same language . . . Good Luck shimmy and have fun. And you better post pics & a story here when you get back . . . . . A-Jay

From one Old Fart to another, welcome aboard! There are a lot of nice folks around here.

30 is enough but I think you'd be happier with the 50. I run a 40 and mainly stick to lakes under 300 acres. The added power will come in handy if a storm pops up and you have to get to shore quick.

coulda been a big cat

Welcome from Louisville

find you your blank in the chart. The measurements are from the butt end up the blank. Determine where you want your grips and reel seat on the blank. The measurements in the chart are in mm. Always go up one size. Or you can call Mudhole and one of the sales guys will walk you through it and help you place the order over the phone. They will pull your blank and measure for you. This is what I do sometimes when I'm building on a blank I've never used before and I'm in a hurry.

It is basically the OD of the reel seat. 17 has a larger profile than a 16.

use a double fluke rig. Twice the weight, twice the bait, triple the action (at least).

Nice! (no idea what those mean, but still nice)

Yes! Made up some good ground today. Forgot to set a tiebreaker for the event, which would suck if I won and lost because of that. But it's not looking like I will. Today was all about survival, unlike most tourneys where day 3/4 is about survival. The bay is in a funk, and weights are predicted to rise through the week. My day one roster shot me up to 98%, the highest I've gotten. SO proud of Cliff Prince for making top 50 exactly, even with a bag of small fish. At least he wasn't in the one fish club. Get out there and catch 'em tomorrow, boys! Points: 7,138 Rank: 640 Overall Pct: 98.0 % Elite Series Tournament: Chesapeake BayAugust 13-16, 2015 Grp Angler Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Pts Bonus Total A Jacob Powroznik Port Haywood, VA Place: 6 5 - 15 lb, 2 oz 274 0 274 B Bill Lowen Brookville, IN Place: 19 5 - 12 lb, 6 oz 237 0 237 C Ken Iyobe Tokoname Aichi, JP Place: 32 4 - 10 lb, 9 oz 211 0 211 D Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK Place: 73 2 - 4 lb, 5 oz 129 0 129 E Cliff Prince Palatka, FL Place: 50 5 - 7 lb, 6 oz 175 0 175 ROSTER TOTAL 1026

Welcome!

Knot. They don't make a swivel small enough to pass a 3.5mm or 4mm guide.

Big EZ is a killer bait from FL to upper Canada. I have caught pike up to 23lbs on them in northern Saskatchewan. Captain Shane Procell caught his first DD bass on one last year. They do work.

TW order just showed up. More Gliss line (moving almost all my spinners to this....) 7Lb Sniper Poor Boy Gobies (road trip coming up.....) a bunch of Roboworms some of those Fuji hook keepers I've been meaning to buy for months.

Basically the same reel. The spool shaft doesn't even make contact with the bushing. No need to replace it. Been there, done that, no difference.

I was going out at 4:00am. Fishing till around 9am. But the key to shore fishing when the place is quiet and calm is being stealthy and very, very quiet. Walk softly, don't step on rocks or roots sticking out of the ground. This can send vibrations into the water. It's the basses alarm system. There not dumb. I find the bass are close to the shoreline feeding on eels, frogs, baitfish. I don't use a baitcaster at this time because of the click when the spool locks in. I'm quiet as a ghost like I'm not there. I close my bail by hand. I stress about making no noise. In the dark it's topwater. Depending how deep the water is I use shallow and deeper crankbaits. Spinnerbaits, inline spinners, rapalas, then as the sunlight arrives I switch to a c rig plastics and follow the bass deeper to there daylight haunts. I fish a 9/10' droppoffs. Using a hummingbird cast out fish finder shows me the depths, holes, flats, transision points. Then I know what depth cranks I can use to stay away from the bottom or bump the bottom. Shore fishing isn't that hard. It's all about location, location. Once you find a area that has Rocky points, a sand bar, deeper areas you figure out what bait works for that area. I like a bait that has a rattle, sends out vibration plus I add a scent and choosing the right color means success. I use rattles in my plastics too. Fishing a new spot can be tough but that's were the fun is I find it's a challenge as to what bait and color matched to the correct presentation means success. Change baits and colors till you get action. Best tip ever. Say a take a spook. I walk the dog. Cast it out till the ripples disappear. I do a 1 rip, 2 rip, 3rd rip, then pause. Make every rip the same length. Make each pause equal time wise. Make the timing on this presentation slow not too fast. The bass time when to hit it. Mostly on the pause so your timing and speed is very important. I use floating cranks over submerged weeds this way too. Just go out and practice this the bass will let u know when it's right. With any presentation don't rush it, don't go too fast. Relax and make every presentation a award winning presentation. No flaws the bass look for flaws. The better we get with presentations the more fish we catch. Shore fishing = picking the correct pattern = matching it with the correct presentation = SUCCESS. It's skill that catches fish not luck. Bill

This topic always stirs much discussion. I think most of us learned on inexpensive gear. Truth is for many of us the equipment in common use when we started was pretty primitive by today's standards. That even entry level rods and reels today are far better than what I used as a kid is not in doubt. With that said, you can still buy gear that limits your ability to catch fish effectively in my opinion. That is why the advice, "Buy the best you can afford" is the standard advice given. Spending just a little more can make a big difference in making the entire experience more enjoyable and productive. For those who can afford the best, this advice really is too simple. Just because you can afford top of the line gear doesn't mean that it is a good investment. For the avid fisherman with deep pockets it may be. For the collecting enthusiast, sure. But for the vast majority of experienced anglers there is a fairly clear point where the dimishing returns don't justify spending more. The problem for me is the methods and materials continue to improve. While I don't really need new gear, I am always curious about the advances. This is the engine that keeps the wheels turning for tackle manufacturing IMO.

Classic! The penguin makes it that much better! Haha. For me the "go to" is protein bars and small bags of peanuts. Jerky if i'm feeling spendy. Lunch is usually a sub. For drinks water is a must and an ice cold sports drink is a thirst quencher!

Gold Key Lake in Dingmans Ferry has a healthy bass and walleye population, as well as panfish. You wouldn't be far from Wallenpaupack, Shohola, or Fairview. I grew up in Milford and there are some good lakes around the area.

I figure by now, everyone's tired of my drill Very basically: use a good-sized hook (5/0 or 6/0), a light weight (3/16 oz is ample), keep the lure working in the slop (spatterdock is my favorite) and crank the swimbait just fast enough to maintain reliable tail action. If all goes well, micropterus will do the rest Roger

Never used the EZ Swimmer (too small), but the Gambler Big EZ should be outlawed. Roger

It's not just the Mustang name, it's their technology you are paying for. I haven't shopped for one in a while but at the time, Mustang was the only company I found selling one with the hydrostatic discharge device. If you are not familiar with the different discharge devices in inflatable vest, you might want to do a little research. Most all other brands use some type of discharge devise that involves the water dissolving some type of device that triggers the auto inflate. This means if it gets wet, it goes off. Leave it enclosed in a storage box and the high humidity can cause it go off. The Mustang arming kits are going to be more expensive for the Mustang as well, but if you are fishing and get caught in the heavy rain, you don't have to worry about your auto inflate PFD inflating. Years ago I bought two, top of the line SOSpends, and after a couple auto inflates in afternoon thunderstorms, I found out how the hydrostatic discharge device worked and that Mustang used them and called it their HIT. I've had two Mustangs for several years now and have never had one go off when getting totally soaked in a number of thundershowers. No I don't work for Mustang, or have anything to do with their products, other that being a very satisfied user of them. After all, you can buy PFDs from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. I wear the auto inflate because it's too dang hot in the summer time here to where a full vest and when you get to be an old fart, things can happen that might put you in the water a lot quicker than when young. That can be from a heart attack, stroke, slip/trip and fall, or just clumsy, and I just prefer Mustangs auto inflation device.

Any US coast Guard approved life vest will do the job, no matter how much it cost.....as long as you have it on. Find one in a price you can live with that is comfortable enough that you will actually use it. If you find it uncomfortable, you won't wear it and it won't be any good no matter how much you paid for it.

If you're 7ft tall it would be a sick jerkbait rod

My head is spinning

Its definitely not a hard fast rule You cant push a huge swimbait in their face but yes fish do bite after a cold front

I would like to try the Ned rig but I doubt it would work where I fish... Tons of grass, silty bottoms, and low visibility water doesn't sound like a good combination for the Ned rig.... I have caught a lot of bowfin on something like the Ned rig, a senko cut in half on a jig head.

for some reason i cant stand using a spinning rod for cranks, just doesnt feel right.

My advice would be to get a fast action. It's not perfect for either but it'll suffice, just be sure to lighten your drag up when fishing crankbaits to prevent any hook pullout.