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I've been leaving the crappie alone lately and just targeting some bigger blue gills. This is an average one which came in at 8.5", just love the colours on her. Hoping to break the 12" mark over the coming days as I enjoy a week off and get to do some more fishing between the house errands that just never seem to end. I've been fishing an Angler's Choice 1.75" Crappie Fry on a 1/64oz jig head with red bleeding hooks under a Thill slip float. The colour I've been using the most is called Bionic Tiger, a two tone chartreuse and orange with a thin triangular shaped tail which quivers when shaken. There is an additive added to make it react with UV light which I have yet to put to the test but will be doing so this weekend. Next up for me will be some pike fishing for a couple of weeks before walleye opens in May. Cheers, hope that your spring is going well!

Caught in Lee, MA on a submerged log. Lure was a 5.5" savage gear wide glide in chartruse flash color. This is my first year using glide baits and baitcasters and i am hooked. Will definately be getting a more natural color and other glide baits. Fish was 20.5 inches and 4.5-5 lbs

I like to start the casual angler with a moving bait - square bills, spinnerbaits, even a curly tail grub on a ball head jig. Reason is, the strike is obvious and fish generally hook themselves. One of the biggest complaints I see on these boards from new anglers is being able to detect the strike. Once they get this down, you can begin with more subtle presentations.

Turkey Run! Some here will recognize that name, as it was much more than a lake to me. Sadly it was drained years ago, and all fish lost. It was (because it was sold and subsequently closed) a private pay lake ($10/person/day) with a decent ramp. To the casual observer it was just a generic 75ish acre "depression" with few stand out features and very little structure to hold bass offshore, outside of 2 small, silted in ditches from the original creek... however it was lined with cattails about 20 - 30 feet thick and held surprising depth in those tails. It was an absolute dream to fish... pitching into the cattail lanes from dawn til dark, except the half hour of buzzbaits ticking off the edge tails. It was close quarters battle all day long. Strong healthy fish until you were tired! Days of 100+ fish were common and we caught lots of big fish. Ironically enough, we rarely saw another boat out there, and have to think it was the appearance combined with a pay entry that held people off. It's kind of how I picture Heaven on earth. I sure do miss it!! (and the good buddy I used to fish it with!!)

This past Saturday was my first day on the water. It was a balmy 30 degrees when I got to lake. I could see that the water was up a bit which I always enjoy. I launched my boat and found that the water temperature was 40 degrees. I went to one of my favorite early season spot and started fishing a jig. I couldn't buy a bite. After fishing a crankbait, spinnerbait, drop shot, a suspending jerkbait, swimbait, a red eye shad as well as a texas rigged craw fished painfully slow I decided. I still couldn't manage a bite. Not he start to the season I had hoped. Almost 2 hours had passed with no bites or fish seen. My next spot which had been very reliable for me consistently for years also produced 0 bites. The water was even colder there 39 degrees. It was almost 1 pm by then. I knew I had to make a big move and switch game plans. I had a few options but choice to fish the northwest corner of the lake. After a long run I was fishing a suspending jerkbait in 6-8 ft of water. I was pleased to see the water temperature was much warmer there, 41 degrees. It didn't take long before I had caught my first bass of the season a 2 lb 13 oz largemouth. After hours with no success I was rejuvenated. I stayed in that area until the very end of the day getting 2or 3 bites an hour. I had a couple big fish come unbuttoned which is always sad. My 2nd bass of the year was a 4 lb 6 oz largemouth. By the end of the day I had managed to land 5 largemouth and 1 2 lb 10 oz smallie. Lunker for the day was a 6 lb 11 oz hawg. After such a rough start to the day was very happy with how the day ended, finishing the day with a 5 fish limit of 6-11, 4-6, 3-1, 2-13, and 2-10. The fishing turned out good but the weather could have been better, mist, snow flakes and a daytime high of 41 degrees was not ideal.

If you think that money to performance is a linear thing. its not. you pay more and more money for less and less increase in performance. money to performance graph is not a straight line, its a curve. thats how business works.

4lbs on a bladed jig. was in the thick pads. crazy fight pulling her through that slop.

4" weightless senko. Wacky style!

My only concern with that is that you are 16 and dont know where your life will take you. I thought at 16 that I would be in VA forever. Then in my 20s I thought I would never leave MD. Now im living in AL when I got a job offer I couldnt refuse. So If I would have pulled the trigger on the VA license, I would be out quite a bit of money. I would say hold off until your life has a little more direction.

I don't think you should tell him anything about His pond. Mind your own business and just be thankful you can fish there.

Great day with a guided tour, between the three people in the boat, we caught 115 smallies. Biggest one and personal best for me was 18.5 inches

Not an ounce over 15.73 pounds

There's always that one guy.

Great little bait and I'm guilty of neglecting the fact that they're great fish catchers.

Couldn't even tell you what brand my net is but it's lasted a few years now, way longer than they usually do. Mine is a 8 footer with 3/8" holes. It's the best compromise of size and ease of use that I've found. Like others have said, look for flipping shad and try to get a net on the area ASAP. Once you get it right, you can catch bait pretty fast. Always a good feeling to toss a net and see all the flashes or the rope jumping if you're throwing for big gizzard shad.

Uuummm...check out my avatar.

There's definitely a point of diminishing returns but prices can only be raised to what the market will tolerate. Whether it's cars, houses, wine, fishing tackle you name it, some people enjoy the finer things. Doesn't make th bad or others bad for choosing to be more frugal. On a strict cost / benefit basis IMO $250-$275 will get you all the reel you want.

33® Platinum Spincast Reel Sturdy all-metal body 5 bearings Continuous Anti-Reverse™ 4.1:1 gear ratio

Depends on how long your going to live. With me, it's about day to day around here.....especially if my wife is mad. So forking over the cash for a lifetime license might not be a wise move.

Over the years I've owned 3 Trackers, and they are excellent aluminum hulls for the price (for the price). Though I've never owned a Lund, if I ever purchased another aluminum hull, it would be a Lund Roger

Said good by to a waiver 168 today......but it did sail a mile!

Like others have said, try fishing after midnight.

Try fishing at nighttime.

I use fish topwaters only in the early morning or just before dark. Now I fish them throughout the day if the conditions are right for it. Some of the small lakes I fish get really choked with vegetation so I will be working a pop-r or a frog all day.

Try it at night .

I jumped in as an opportunity to learn. I am an ok fishermen but I know there is a lot more stuff out there to pick up from those that are a lot better than I am. I never plan to be a champion and win a bunch of money, but if I can learn a bunch to increase my fun while keeping costs down and meet a bunch of like minded guys doing what I love than why not. Your end result and what your looking for has a lot to do with how much fun it will be for you. I am in my first season of tourneys, in an area I just moved to, and had very little time fishing the area. I know I am no way competitive in this group, but I will always have a good time and not worry if I don't win.

I'm neutral on them. Baits that come with a feathered treble I fish as is. When I have added one to a bait that didn't have one originally I never was convinced that they really help. The concept of a feathered treble seems to compliment a bait that is fished very subtlety like a dead stick rod.

if this is happening to you, you are doing it wrong. you keep constant contact with the bottom on a tight line. there is no bow or slack. its a tight line between you and the weight at all times.

Retired in Florida. 800 dollar reels. You made some good choices along the way didn't ya. I'm glad you said this though . ! I value your opinion. And although my view on this subject may be a little biased (because I'm on the outside looking in) , I'm not so sure I could be convinced otherwise !

Use one about 10 - 15 percent of my LMB fishing. Here's one I use on occasion >>

Good question Yearjray, and I wouldn't want to be the defending attorney. I have the same question regarding the price difference between a Shimano Stradic ($230) and a Shimano Stella ($800). As the owner of both reels, I wouldn't know which reel was in my hand if I didn't look down and read the label Roger

After a certain price point (given you want durability out of your reel) ... It comes down to a level of refinement that you might prefer, but isn't necessary. Tighter tolerances, lighter spools, retrieve feel, bells and whistles... Whatever floats your boat. I've settled where I find I get the max durability/ performance ratio for the money and I've been happy there. I'd rather own two curado 70s than a one metanium. But that's me and I won't spend my valuable time convincing others to do the same. Your life, your money. Whatever makes one happy and helps one have fun on the water,

All I can say is I can't afford either of them.

lost my favorite Rattle Trap.......the only problem there was a rod and reel attached to it. never saw em again. bounced right out of the boat when my buddy stepped on the handle. didn't notice it gone for about 1/2 second. ever see 2 guys dive in to the Stick Marsh to go after a lost combo? we didn't forget to anchor the boat...................oh well......still can't forget it.

Quarry Man it is not "better or wiser" its just old! LOL IF you get OLD you should learn more along the way.

"Ditto" If I may, allow me to add a rarely considered surface lure, an unweighted or lightly weighted "Soft Swimbait" (e.g. Gambler Big EZ). When a bass wallops a paddle-tail minnow on top, the water surface resembles shattered plate-glass Roger

I just came back from a trip up north and caught a couple smallmouth bass for the first time, they are a blast to catch and its worth making a trip to fish for them. Pound for pound smallmouth bass are stronger than a equal sized largemouth bass, but butterfly peacock bass are much stronger than a smallmouth bass. Good list! I plan on fishing South America for speckled peacock bass and other strong fighting fish of the Amazon.

The Perfect Pitch and the Antares DC were new to me this season, got them out on the water Sunday and OH MAN... Perfection. Exactly what I was looking for!! That Antares is like a rail gun for baits- even a 3/8 trick darter was off like a bullet. That PP has a killer flex profile and backbone too, very pleased!

Caught my pb a few weeks ago on it went to a different pond sent the hook into a underwater tree. She gone lol

Nice Tiger Muskie! I recently came back from a fishing trip up north and caught 2 Muskies on light tackle. They are a blast to catch!!!

Here is one of the different style fish quilts my wife has made. Please share with your wife. Thanks for the thread.

both

I'm 99% sure it's the Dicks Sporting Goods House brand (Jawbone) frog. They run like $3 each https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/jawbone-frog-soft-bait-17jawujwbnfrgsxxxlur/17jawujwbnfrgsxxxlur?&color=Black Blue Looks like it's the color "Frog"

I only ever used one fishing from a friend's dock so take my advice with caution. We would normally crush up stale bread (sometimes he had bags of fish food) that we would chum an area up with. We would come back some hours later to collect the fish, it was usually around 3-4 hours. A 5' - 6' net should do the trick just fine. Just make sure to check your state regulations. In Florida, we can't use cast nets to catch bluegill for bait, we have to catch those on hook and line if we want to use them as bait.

Lol. Sometimes we pick up a few of these guys in fall, while chasing smallmouth.

I'm not really sure what the "deciding factor" was for me. All I know now is that I couldn't see myself not competing at some level. The excitement and feeling I get from catching a 4 pounder during a tournament is a million times more intense than catching a 7 while fun fishing. Don't get me wrong, I still have an incredible time anytime I go fishing. It will always be fun, enjoyable, and relaxing for me. The emotional response I get from competing is just so much more intense. That goes both ways though. The highs are incredibly high and the lows are incredibly low. I will tell you, my heart doesn't beat nearly as fast when I'm fishing for fun. I just don't get that uncontrollable shaky, grinning, giggly, excitement when I'm not fishing a tournament. It's definitely not for everyone but I say give it a shot.

2.3 and 2.2

My last French Pearl STX, cast into oblivion thanks to some zebra mussels. I searched the shoreline where it landed for awhile to no avail. Yeah they still make that color, but it's not the same as it used to be. I'd like to remember the good times with it.

I've never met you farmer, but I feel that I know you. You've given me the sense that you're a clear thinker and a survivor, and really that's all it takes. In any event, I wish you the best of luck, though you probably won't need it Roger

Lol y'all are pounding this guy..