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Here's a few to get you started: https://www.bassresource.com/fishing/Reading_Maps.html https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/how-to-read-a-map.html https://www.bassresource.com/fishing_lures/fishing_with_maps.html

Just had a thought and maybe it's already been asked but how many of you got to fish while serving in our armed forces. I was stationed in Adak, Alaska and fished the ocean and very small streams for dolly's. Was cool you could see these fish in the bays too and you would cast to the cruising fish. The creeks were more like ditches and you could jump over them in most places. The fish hid underneath the undercut banks....had to be very stealthy. Also while going to school for radioman in San Diego I fished a lot of piers for just about everything that swam in the bays and ocean...was pretty cool. Ray's were my favorite...especially at night. Tight Lines.....Thanks for Serving

Count me in. Caught all sorts of things from the decks of 2 Spruance class destroyers, as well as the many places they took us. I make it a point to take Veterans fishing, or giving them good advise whenever I can. Many of us are huge fans of the outdoors.

From a previous thread & should be a sticky! Good evenin' folks, I may be about to open a SERIOUS can of worms with this thread, but what the heck.....here goes anyway. Being in the blank distribution business, I get asked A LOT about the construction and makeup of the various graphite rod blanks that I sell. And, I have to say that whenever somebody asks me about modulus I just cringe! Here is why; It seems that about 90% of the folks that email me want to know what the modulus is of the blank(s) they are considering buying. When I ask "Why do you want to know that" they can't really give me an answer....they're just convinced that higher the IM rating is better. Here is how the conversation usually evolves: Mr. Customer: What modulus is that blank made from? Andy: Well, if you must know, it's about 40million Msi Mr. Customer: What does that mean? Andy: Well, it means the blank is made from the material you have come to know and love as IM6 Mr. Customer: Oh, that's too antiquated...I only fish with IM7 and higher. Andy: Really? Did you know that the difference between IM6 and IM7 is not the modulus it's the tensile strength? Mr. Customer: Really? Andy: Yeah REALLY! Mr. Customer: Eh Hhhmmm....erreer, uh, oh....well uh....well Bass Pro Shops says... Andy: Forget Bass Pro shops...let's look at the numbers (at this point Andy whips out his trusty data chart that illustrates the differences between the different fibers that actually have IM designations). Here take a look at this. This comes from a chart put together by the folks at Hexcel (http://www.advancedcomposites.com/technology.htm) The number on the far right is the modulus of the fiber, and the number in the middle is the elongation to failure or stretch. Hexcel IM4 600 40 Hexcel IM6 760 40 Hexcel IM7 780 40 Hexcel IM8 790 44 Hexcel IM9 920 42 Mr. Customer: You Mean all this time I thought I was getting a higher modulus fiber with the higher IM rating, when what I was really getting is a fiber that stretches more? Andy: Well, in some cases you are, and in some cases you arent. The fact is though that the difference between IM6 and IM7 is nothing in terms of modulus, and compared to IM8 it's only slightly higher. Wow...look at that IM9 actually has a lower modulus than IM8...go figure Now, many companies are using fibers with a much higher modulus, like 57 and even higher, however these fibers don't necessarily use the IM ratings. So, whenever you see a fiber with an IM rating...BUYER BEWARE! THE HIGHER THE IM RATING, DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE HIGHER THE MODULUS!!! The point is this folks...just because you have a blank made from a high modulus fiber, doesn't means it's a good rod! And vice versa, just because you have a blank with a low modulus...even the original fiber blanks were made with (33 million) doesn't mean it's a bad or outdated rod. It's all about what the designer does with it. I know there are some of you that may already know this, but judging from the amount of calls I get on a daily basis from folks who ONLY want IM7 or IM8, but can't really tell you why, I have to believe they don't really know what they are talking about at all. They've just been sucked into the marketing machine that leads people to believe that the higher the IM rating, the lighter and more sensetive the material, which is not always the case. Be forewarned that there is A LOT more to graphite blank construction, performance, quality, sensetivity, weight etc... than just what modulus the fiber is. There are lots of other variables like flag patterns, and wall thickness, and resin systems, and mandrel design....It's all about the talent of the designer, and what he is able to do in terms of the sum of those variables...not just the friggin modulus! Whewww...ok I feel better now... My aforementioned explanation of modulus and IM ratings is by no means meant to be anything more than a brief primer for the folks who didn't realize what the differences with the IM ratings were. I hope this clears things up a bit, and I hope that some of you will chime in on this as well. Oh, here is a link to the Hexcel page for those of you who want to investigate the matter further. Do a search for IM6 and you'll get some interesting info. (if you're into that kind of techie junk). [www.hexcel.com] [www.advancedcomposites.com] Now, this gives you some ammunition...next time you stroll into BassPro, and some yahoo tries to sell you a rod based on it's IM rating, ask him to explain to you why the higher IM ratings are better. When he replies by sayin' that the higher the IM rating means more sensetivity, less weight etc....just tell him that you have a blank at home made from IM2000, and see what he says. Regards, Andy Dear Lamar Manufacturing

This gives away my location but oh well! I rarely take good pictures but I like this one. We never seem to catch anything downtown so I was pleasantly surprised.

Number 11 is a lure called the Fincheroo by a company called Robfin. It came out in the early 70's Number 19 is a lure called the Water Scout from a company called CA Clark company. They started production in the 30's and continue today as the Spence Scout by Strike King Lure CO. P.S. Nice display he can be proud of.

Eufala is a classic deep water lake . Home of the Little George . I have a lot of success catching deep water fish but really dont know that much about it . First thing I do is look for a thermocline .That will be the maximum depth . Then I look to see if there is a depth most of the underwater life is congregating . I dont know why fish congregate at a certain depth but they do , maybe a higher O2 content there. Then with these two depths in mind I search out long extended points or other structure . I almost always use buoy's to mark the depth , fish , stump... My two main lures are Texas rigs and crankbaits . The key to crankbaits is they must make bottom contact . If I'm fishing 12 foot I'll use a crank that touches bottom in about 14 or 15 foot . Those Berkely Dredgers stay at the depth a long time and I have caught a lot of fish close to the boat using them . The Red Eye Shad fished like a worm has been very effective . I also fish channels , humps , road beds , flats... too . I'll often see a lot of activity say at 10 foot and the thermocline is at 18 or so . It will stay that way all across open water and finding structure at that depth may yield several dozen fish . Thats about it for me very simple but effective .

Yeah man! I fished in Japan a bit for the couple years I was out there. Mostly for squid and flounder. Lots of fun. Fished in Dubai a couple times during port visits. And now I am fishing all over Virginia while serving here.

Used to have a eagle claw pack rod with a mitchel 300. This rod has been all over the states. Remember hooking a couple halibut off of a DE around Canada. First one could not lift off the bottom so had to break the line....second one took forever to get in. Was only about 15 pounds but I had ever inch of line off the reel to get to the bottom!!! So took a long time bringing up. Fished a couple Vet tourneys back in Oregon....was awesome.

I know just what you mean. We hated to see our old boat leave. My wife had a few tears seeing our old boat heading for it's new home. I don't think she would have let it go if we weren't convinced the gentleman who bought it was going to take care of it. We made a lot of good memories in it. However for several reasons it was time to upgrade. Jim

Nope, just got to slow down (usually, but not always) when it's that cold. Still make sure to experiment with speeds though, don't fall into doing the same thing over and over. Fish blade baits, jerkbaits, small bucktail hair jigs, and shaky heads on steep dropping banks where the channel swings into the bank. The dam is always a good spot in the winter. Had some great days in 39-40 degree water, but you can't plan on picking one off here and there like sometimes happens in the warmer months, they tend to stack up much tighter (and the amount of time that they are active is usually shorter) but when the school gets active, fishing can be great if you're on them. Most of my very cold water fish are caught in a very narrow window of time during each outing. BTW, had another great day doing what I explained above with 24 bass (including a 3.8 and several around 3) this afternoon. Shaky heads and jerkbaits were the ticket.

Long time friend, Damon and me today out at Cross Lake in Shreveport. Didn't catch anything, but had a great time hanging out with a friend I've known since the 4th grade.

Hi guys. Been quite a while since I've posted or even been on. I have had an interesting summer. Been teaching my brother in law bass fishing. Had no idea what I was getting myself into. First, we're both retirees. He, in his late sixties and me, well, let's just say well past that. First day he shows up with 2 Zebco 202's and spaghetti rods. I expected that so I had 2 baitcasters ready for him. Surprisingly he mastered the anti backlash thing fairly quickly . Keeping the lure in the water, that's another story . Half the crankbaits and spinnerbaits that I gave him wound up unreachable in the trees. By the end of October the trees are already decorated for Christmas . He managed to fall out of the boat once , with cell phone in his pocket. Fortunately that was in August, so no danger of freezing. Also close enough to shore that he was able to stand up and climb back into the boat. I threatened once to beach the boat and run up to the nearest Wal-Mart and get him a coloring book and a box of crayons. Seriously all in all we had a lot of fun. Looking forward to next year, I think....? Hootie

Same river different seasons .

Loving the cooler weather

Quickly becoming my goto ? Make your order & let Siebert customize them for your location.

You would be better off keeping the rod/reel you have for frogging and buy another general use MH combo rod/reel for you budget. Putting a $300 reel on a store brand $90 rod is counter productive IMO. Tom

As stated very well by others here - these are durable, workhorse rods that someone will enjoy fishing with. They are not the most sensitive rods (as there is a trade off for the durability), but for some things they are sensitive enough and work well. I have a 9' light action big water downrigger Ugly Stik that I originally purchased over 30 years ago when I was a kid for use trolling for trout and salmon on Lake Ontario. Since I no longer troll on the big lake, I have used this in Florida on the surf and regularly use it for salmon fishing. I love it for salmon fishing, it's stout enough and sensitive enough for this application and gets the job done. Here's a picture my wife snapped of me with my Ugly Stik hooked up to a 28# salmon.

Hello. I fish alot around northern indiana. If I can be any help let me know. Nice to meet you all.

Hello, been a lurker for some time. Have learned quite a bit and had some enjoyable reading. I am from and currently live in eastern ky. Grew up bass fishing, got away from it for several years, found my way back a few years ago. Fish a lot of local tournaments. Looking forward to the knowledge I know I'll gain and possibly share some of my own on here!

My wife took this one of me showing my 8 year old the finer points of frogging this summer.

Kudos. Nicely done.

Under 100 bucks - orra winch Over 100 bucks- curado 200iP

so the very next day i was ready for the lower deck area. i was really stressing over this one. i think i spent three nights doing it in my sleep so on game day i had a plan. glue down the drivers side cockpit first, frog tape the remaining carpet up, and to the windshield, apply glue to the deck, then stick the rest. this way i’m not walking around on it. it went well. i was able get it down and roll it without stepping all over it til it cured. the next day was Friday and the front deck carpet went down without a hitch. Saturday i installed the hatches, EZ Troll tray, did some trimming, and a final vacuum. these pics loaded out of order, but that’s it guys. the end

That is a thing of beauty right there.

I am a Vietnam Vet. 1966 to 1970

A different option - Pflueger Patriarch. Best baitcaster i've ever used.

Yes, those are the MSRP prices. Heaven is us owning an incredibly light, sensitive rod and my favorite, incredibly flawless reel. The Conquest comes with a Limited Lifetime Warranty just like the rest of the Loomis brand, and is eligible for the no questions asked expiditor program. The spool oil on the 2500 HGS is REALLY shallow. Plus, this reel is the same frame. I primarily wanted the upgraded drag and higher gear ratio.

Just stumbled across this thread today... for some reason it never caught my eye. Some good photos, some funny ones, all interesting. Thanks to all who have contributed. Since it's Veteran's Day, here is my first contribution to the thread:

@Siebert Outdoors is a member here ?

Thank you to all who have served in our armed forces. Your sacrifice makes our safety possible.

Is it ice up already over there in Indiana?

Xcalibur has only been gone for 2 years. It may not be an old lure just made by a brand that no longer exsists. My favorite Squarebill, Lipless and Jerkbait were made by xcalibur (XR50, One knocker, EEratic Shad). I believe the Heddon is the exact same with a different brand and packaging just like the Booyah One Knocker is the same. Edit: The bait you possess is "Excalibur" not "Xcalibur". Those are two different companies. The brand you have is a knock-off of Heddon products. They were normally sold at chain store or "discount" stores. Just use what you know about to Heddon baits and you'll have success with your bait.

@BrackishBassin, I think Xcalibur "disappeared" in 2015. There's a post called Say it ain't so....xcalibur hi-tek tackle going away? (your profile shows you joined in 2016 which is after the post was made.) Not sure if I did this link correctly . . .

Today, I just wanted to say, “Happy Birthday” to my family and friends. And I’d like to say on this Veterans Day to all the Bass Resource vets and those vets around the world, a heartfelt “Thank you for your service”. R.I.P. Pops and Semper Fidelis, I think you’d like where I have these displayed... And to my family, my brothers and sisters in blue, be safe.

Haven't ever caught one that big, but like you said, the ones I've caught were serious fighters.

Yup....@Padon pretty much nailed it...C Rigs, Split Shot, and Mojo rigs usually just drag the lure on the bottom. This works a lot of the time and is an excellent presentation. The drop shot Will suspend the lure off the bottom. You might be overworking it. Light shaking on semi slack line with dead sticking mixed in for a while. Drag a little, repeat.

A few thoughts about this topic. 1). Spend as much time on the water as possible, under all types of conditions. 2). Fish with as many other fisherman as you can. You will learn something each trip from others you fish with. Some good , some bad. All part of the experience. I got a boat in the early 80's and invited as many others to join me as possible. I have learned as much from them, as I ever taught anyone. 3). You want to learn a new technique, go out with that bait and nothing else. You will learn it quick, if you can't escape to a comfort bait. 4). Join a club and fish with with more experienced guys. Be a good watcher, and listener, and not a talker, while you fish. 5). You never know it all, no matter how long you have been fishing, there is always something new to learn on every trip.

Happy 242nd birthday to my brother Devil Dogs! Semper-Fi, Al

I had a 15 year hiatus from when I put the rods and picked them back up last year. I’ve caught more (bigger)fish in the past year than I ever have...much thanks to this forum. 16 years ago, we didn’t have the resources we do now—so unless you knew someone or just played trial and error you were on your own. The internet is a wonderful thing(at least when it comes to fishing). Anecdotal: funny thing is, is that I spent the past year ripping cranks(and having success), that I almost stopped using soft plastics—which is what I used 16 years ago. I didn’t understand the draw of the Senko, I all but abandoned the Texas rig. However, some of my biggest fish have come off a Senko and I restarted using the t-rig last week and it’s been killing it. A lot of fishing is circumstantial. You need to know what to throw and when. Water temps, air temp, wind, etc. But that’s when you Google and you’ll ultimately be brought back here, commit the advice to memory, and then you’re prepared for the next time the conditions arise. I do believe it’s helpful, but not necessary to keep two rigs(I go with 3, all relatively inexpensive). One for plastics/finesse, one for power fishing(cranks, spinners, etc.). For the mere sake of not having to constantly switch out baits. Keep pliers and scissors in your pocket or at least nearby at all times. Most importantly, fishing is fun and should always be fun—unless you take a treble to the face or something.

Giant drum on a finesse jig Monday. Couple of wipers on Keitechs Tuesday.

The first 3/4 of October, life was good and the steelhead fishing was easy. Then the salmon finished spawning and the nasty fall cold-front hit. It has been a skunk-fest for the last few weeks. Looking to regroup and change tactics. Should be interesting to see what happens from here up until ice-fishing season. Temperatures look to be <40 from here on out. Did manage these two nice males 10-22 on the pre rapala short wart and magnum wart though. Smaller one was given to the neighbors and the bigger one tasted amazing on the grill. Did also manage to capture both on GoPro, although it looks like I have a scratched lense now. Fish On

The fastest way to get good at something is to surround yourself with people that are better than you. Join a club, start fishing the back seat in big events or hire guides. Ask lot's of questions. When you get out there you will meet people that will be willing to help you. There is a lot of good information out there that you can read and build on but there is no substitute for being out there on the water.

We call them Tennessee redfish or Alabama smallmouth to make it sound like we accomplished something haha. In all seriousness though they are fun to catch and hit about any lure.

Tautog aka Blackfish aka White Chins aka Slipper Bass or simply Tog, has been my target species of late. Hard fighting fish and is blast to catch on my lighter spinning gear. The jig has been killer so far for me this season.

Looking to get myself a higher end ($300 give or take) jig&worm rod. Needs to be 7' or less for primarily kayak usage. Want a sensitive rod for these duties, but want a tip that isn't so stiff that it's hard to accurately make spot casts and skip jigs. Mostly 3/8 jigs for moderate cover, nothing real heavy. 3/8 at the most texas rigs So far I'm looking at the following -jb custom 7' snake -dobyns extreme 704 Any other suggestions?

It's good for fishing. Everyone gets too caught up in thinking good gear makes them an elite fisherman, but KVD could outfish us all with a Barbie setup. I can understand being a gear junkie, but don't look down upon those that can't afford Stella's and NRX's.

They are certainly quite a step up from the solid steel, tubular steel and fiberglass rods I grew up with. And no rod ever caught a fish. Only fishermen do.

I have a couple of the Ugly Stick Pro Lite spinning rods and I really like them. They're balanced and well made. I match them with several different Shimano reels and they make a great combo. How many remember the Zebco Indestructable rods??? I have one I use with a shimano symetre and it's a really nice combo. I'm starting to believe that freshwater fisherman are starting to get like some of the flyfisherman "SNOBS"!!LOL If you don't use a $1000 rod, and at least a $500 fly reel you're not a real flyfisherman. I found a St. Croix Imperial fly rod at the flea market last summer and got it for $10!! Looks like it was never used. They go for $250 and a used one depending on condition $150 and up. Put my fly reel on it and I hate to say it but my cheap Courtland Fairplay fly rod casts better. Fishing is for relaxing - use what you like and can afford and go catch some fish!!!

To just answer the question: Fishing