Paul Roberts

Ummmmm.... I can only speak about Viscious from years ago... I'm an old guy now, so decades swim by like years do for my son. But that stuff was a nightmare! I only had it in 4lb (.008) on a spinning rig (no toy-sized spool either), and it was like wire. It was truly awful. I don't like to denigrate any product, but if you are considering FCs, Viscious -at least the stuff I bought probably 10yrs ago now- was not the way to go. Might be OK on casting tackle, if you are good with it(?) But there is better out there. Seems like Vanish and Vicious are/were at the extremes, one too soft for durability for most bass fishing, and the other too hard/stiff for sanity sake. Many newer formulas out there that are more fishable. But, I'm hearing WRB on this, FC is still a specialty line in my experience; and there ARE advantages, but in my mind they are advantages someone might look for, rather than start out with. If you are considering FC's and Nylon's as interchangeable, you probably want nylons. This said, to be fair, I've not tried any of the expensive formulas out there. I will say that I've found BPS KVD to work well, walking the line between durability and handling well. However, even this line is not recommended for spinning reels in above 12 to 14lb (.012-.014). I have 014 on one spinning rig, and that is a USReels 40, with a mega-sized spool. Still gotta watch that wiry-ness for potential trouble -loops, and twist tangles. Good thread.

For me, it has less to do with any "dream". We don't have DD bass here. If that was enough to dream about, I'd know to travel south. The issue is the strain in tackle large fish can create. And, if my experiences with BIG salmonids is relevant to BIG bass, the effect appears exponential. Gotta plan ahead for the big ones. It may seem kinda nit-picky or obsessive, esp where such fish are rare, until you hook one and discover what our southern brothers already know. They can expose the weak link in our planning, execution, and maintenance.

Yes, we can get used to almost anything. Until we get used to something MUCH better. Then, it's darn tough to go back.

Follow-up: Front blew through. Was able to pick things back up. The fall transition is progressing as usual. Was windy, but that's one of the pluses of being in a float tube. I can keep my rod tip right on the water. ?The fish I was targeting were tough, in a foot of water and spooky. Bad, challenging weather, is part of it. Fish still want to eat, esp this time of year here.

Their fishing section is almost bare here.

Man... several come to mind. But first "real" one... Guess they were all "real" to me, although none would have been top of the line by any means. It was all glass back then (through the 70s). My first "bass rod" (to me) was a 5'6" Berkley "Gray", M to ML, and a Mitchell 300. I caught a lot of bass and other fish on it. I recently found the same exact rod at a thrift store, and was almost tempted to buy it. But... it wasn't as I'd lovingly remembered it. I thought it was a pretty classy looking rod back then. I left the store without it, which felt a bit like I was betraying some old friend, or, that kid I left behind. But, I've made up for it since. :)) I suppose my first "REAL" rod was a Skyline 6005. It was my first graphite rod and I paid $64 for it back in 1981. That took a chunk of my paycheck back then! But... I'd never seen such a creature. I still have it and use it regularly. I ❤️that rod.

Yes, I guess so. But... today, I'm not on the water bc a front is bearing down faster than expected, and altered what I was working on. Blew it up. Wind, and no good heating. Oh, well. Hopefully I'll get another crack at it after the front blows through. Otherwise, I guess I wait til next year to pick that question back up again. Such is life on the planet.

Fishing's been good, when I can get out. I spent the "late summer" this year fishing the densest weed cover I could find, just to do it. It was hell, and darn addicting. :)) Last outing was a Sept outing, during the heavy weed die-offs we get, that start here as light diminishes through August. Seems like a week or two passes and BAM! -that vegetation dies, rots, and sinks. But, I found 'em, including a couple nice ones -19"ers- for here. They wouldn't chase, so buzzbaits, SBs, walking topwaters -"Fall" stuff, wouldn't do it. Will post a report when I can get to it. Some mixing happening within? Interesting, I dunno how that works exactly. Or, possibly stuff beginning to rain down from above? I've got a lot of debris in the "depths" of my super shallow waters too. No thermocline though. They are weedy waters, and it appears to be dying vegetation bits -organic matter that's flocculating as bacteria numbers grow. And perhaps a late algae bloom too. Makes the water kinda funky. I suspect it had some effect on my fish bc they weren't commiting suicide, as they will come fall.

I'm actually more interested in length, than weight. It tells me more about a fisheries potential. Apparently, growth in length is a more rare commodity for fish. Longer fish can put more weight on that frame. Of course, we live in different places. Maybe 22" fish are common in your waters. That bass, if all goes well -and it looks healthy- will break 6lbs by next spring. A 22" bass is a BIG bass -in my waters- regardless on what it weighs when it was caught.

Agree. Not so sure it's a quite a hoax though, except maybe the "fish can't see it" part. Hey, maybe fish can't actually "see" it as well, but, that's not what scares them. And... maybe the abrasion resistance (AR) part. I suspect that the AR claim has much to do with the fact that FC doesn't soften and weaken when wet, like nylons do. I too have been leery of FCs apparent susceptibility to nicks, and associated knot issues. In the end, FC doesn't last much longer than nylon's, except under a high summer sun. And it's much more expensive. FC offers one advantage: its density, ability to sink. Can be an advantage, although in the mostly shallow waters I fish I do fine most of the time with braid and/or nylon monos. Where I find an advantage in my shallow waters is under windy conditions, when that density helps in the air, in that "sticky" surface film, and for detection when sunk. I'm most apt to use it in winter, when my fish are "deep". But, then, super-fine "braids"/PE lines out now fish deep really well, with a (usually FC) leader where abrasion is an issue. But... this kind of stuff is "splitting hairs". And, hey, there are times when splitting hairs makes a difference. Bottom line for me, so far, is that FC is an "extra" in my mind, and in my fishing budget.

I've wondered who actually manufactures BPS, and many other, FCs. Seaguar, if they are indeed a manufacturer, is not unlikely.

Great to see you on the water again, Ed. And exciting that you are nearly pain free. Nice fish! That's a darn pretty Spot. And, that 5er is a long fish. That one could hang some pounds on that frame. Bodes well for the future. I had to learn to fish left-handed (spinning) a while back due to epicondylitis ("bass elbow" -don't play golf). That was an interesting adjustment, that took a little time. I actually had to teach my hands to, and brain, to switch jobs. But, I can go either way now. So, there are always pluses out there. Good to have you back in the boat, and taking us along.

Sounds good! Just had our first snow, here. Still plenty of fishing to be had, but the windows can be short here.

To tell you the truth, I'm not convinced that bass even see the line, when they are focused on the bait. They physically can see fishing lines, but don't actually have issues with line shaped objects in the water. I think -and this is just my opinion- what can put them off is the disturbance line might make on, or in, the water. This is esp an issue on the surface, esp under high visibility conditions. Underwater it's an issue of displacement: If the line is thick enough to register with the fish, it doesn't register as a "fishing line" but as some large unidentified object, that's too close for comfort -whether they actually "see" it or not. Or line might appear to be part of the lure, making the lure appear larger than expected. Again, this is what I think are the major effects line can have.

I've used a few different "inexpensive" 100% FC's. The one I've gone with is BPS KVD 100% FC. It rated high in some testing that was published a while back, although, apparently, the formulations have changed over the years. You know, "New! Improved!". Regardless, I've used at least two formulations and found both to hold up and handle well -for a full FC. Nylon it isn't. When it goes on sale, I've bought my supplies. I found Berkley 100% to be a good line. However, you should know that it is under-rated in terms of lb test. Or at least the older stuff I have was. Meaning, if you want "8lb", buy the "6lb" if you value diameter as much as I do. Again, don't know where that stands now but, just a head's up. Another option is to use braid with a FC leader, of various lengths. Certainly saves money. While FC does not degrade in sunlight -a bane of nylons- it does get frayed and nicked, so still needs replacing. I use the braid/leader option most often.

"Vision-inhibiting"; Rarely hear anyone mention that often critical part of triggering, esp in high vis conditions or circumstances.

Wow... tons. More than I can actually get to. Reel maintenance, tweak some heavy cover rigs, and lures. But first I have to replace the impeller on my well pump, upgrade the hot water heater, clean out my pressure tank, and... re-plumb the works while I'm at it. Among other such things...

I've done a lot of wading on a lot of diff bottom types. Not afraid to wade. However, one can drown doing it, and in surprisingly shallow water. It happens this way: Getting feet stuck, then falling over, and tiring out. This happened, years ago, to an angler on a not-so-big trout stream I frequented often. There was a clay bank and he got stuck, fell over in the current, and no one found him until too late. Looking at that relatively shallow stretch of stream, you'd wonder how in the world someone could drown there. So... I've been VERY careful ever since. I've never been in this situation above, face down with my feet stuck. But... this is what I do: Test as I go. Even bring a probing stick if you are at all wondering about the depth of the muck. Be aware as you stand in place for any time that you may sink in. Watch for this. Re-set your footing often. If you are sticking, limit your time there, or just get out and find a different spot. I also wear wading shoes/old sneakers as these are easier to get out of than waders, hippers, even some calf-high boots are. Recognizing such areas just by looking? Many areas collect soft sediments like potholes, dips, anything that can create an eddy where stuff can settle out. Wind, waves, current can sweep things down closer to firm substrate. Many areas will have firm substrate just beneath, so you may sink a bit then hit hard stuff. AOK, but make sure you aren't sticking and apt to stumble trying to get unstuck. Some vegetation grows in muck, like cattails. Flooded shrubbery tends to grow in firmer substrate bc it is all terrestrial. Reeds often grow in gritty substrate, but may be overlain by muck, so just be wary there. High spots, hummocks, may offer stepping spots that can get you out away from shore a bit, just be wary of losing balance and stepping into really soft stuff. Again, my life has never been endangered by wading, although... I can easily take that back; I've made some stupid wades in my life. But, I've learned from them, sometimes in retrospect. The guy that drowned in 2fow along that clay bank sure opened my eyes to the potential risks of soft bottoms.

Well... I'm surprised with all that fishing you've not got into them. There are definitely windows where they shine. I guess, I'd offer three general pieces of advice, since you mention already doing what I'd normally recommend: -CBs do not have to be fished fast. Once, years ago, a fishing buddy lamented the same thing. He seemed to mostly chuck-n-wind them, thinking the fish would come to him. I suggested he fish his cranks like a jig, slow and methodical, through and around bottom and cover. And he was a CBer thereafter. If you can fish a jig, or T-rig, you can fish a CB. -Be sure you know where in the water column your lures actually are. You may already, since the only way you can bounce off hard cover and rip weeds -without fouling or losing plugs- is to know where your lure is and specifically where the cover pieces are. -Fish them when bass are apt to be aggressive: early summer, and mid-fall are such windows. Essentially good times to get to know just about any lure type.

I almost chose 6'8" to split the middle. Because I use 'em all 5' to 7'10", UL to H. Then again, I'm a wonk. I chose 6ft for three reasons: -Culture: I'm an older fart with older tackle. -Habit: I'm an old fart; Some favorites that are 6fters, and almost always with me. -Practical: I still enjoy fishing from the bank, and not afraid to use rabbit tunnels to get where I'm going. So, short rods actually allow me to cast -and accurately- when I'm there. MH for bass, esp LM's, is a no-brainer. It's the middle road. (Then there's all those times I'd wish I had an UL, or a H. Kinda like playing 18holes of golf with one club. I've done it -9 anyway. With a 6-iron. You can do it all with a 6-iron, with handicaps. I said "kinda like" bc there are places in bass fishing that the MH just isn't going to cut it. Hooks: I like to experiment with hooks, esp having been a fly designer/tier. But, a standard wide-gap will cover most bases. A scary thing though... the wider range of rods you own, the wider range of supporting tackle you need. Just like when I was making bows... the more bows you have, the more sets of arrows you need, and that's where the devil, and the work, lies. Pretty soon... that's all you do.?

Actually, there are 5 altogether. First is slop from the bank, then IDing what "bassy" means in that slop water, then "froggin", then punching, then... something I discovered along the way that lead to a match-the-hatch scenario. Wish I could spend more time out there. So much more to do and record.

I don't know about expert here, but I like that patch.

Ditto Ditto.

If you are doing more flipping/pitching/punching, go longer. If you are doing more casting, go shorter. If you are doing much fishing from the bank, go shorter yet.

Welcome. What kind of fishing do you have there in SE PA?