J Francho

I know some that are spinning ONLY. They primarily throw grubs on jigheads (really, just an old school Ned rig) senkos, and other small baits like Tiny Torpeedos, inline spinners, etc. These are the ones to watch out for when conditions are tough. In some ways, I'm the weirdo that fishes with casting gear. Unless I'm out on the big lake, then it's like six identical rods, all with drop shot rigs.

I'm getting reports from downstate (Westchester Co., NYC Res. System) that bass are just creeping up shallow. In years past, we're around two weeks behind them.

It's still prespawn. There haven't been enough warm days in a row to warm waters, even shallow ponds above the low 50s. You simply cannot get water temps up above 60 if the average daily temps are in the mid 50s and night temps in the 30s. Now, this is going to turn around FAST. I've seen this before. We're having some warmer average temps steadily, and very soon, you will see beds. We're just a little late this year. Most normal years, they are on beds by today. Why today? It's my birthday, and I usually go fishing on my birthday. Was out last weekend, and there's no way you'll see beds yet. Reminds me of '95 when they didn't start spawning until mid-late June. I don't think it will be that late, but we're behind in WNY.

I have four year old Kanzan 50# on on of my jig rods. Still works fine.

If YOU felt unstable, then your friend wasn't a good host or driver.

You're going to sand any way, so it probably isn't necessary.

There's a TON of videos on YouTube. Many are pitching from shore. I can pitch with a 6' topwater rod, and all the way up to my 15' centerpin rod. Look up "wallace" or "modified wallace" casting to see how that works. It's a little different, but the mechanics are the same: pendulum and centrifugal force. Once you are good at it, you'll develop a whip, or flicking action, where you actually load up the rod, and can cast 20 yards or more.

She'll be there. You just have to wait until she forgets about the sore lip.

Another fun tip: I like to put the targets in cover, like shrubbery or the bushes out front. When you miss, you learn how to finesse the bait out the snag. I missed this. This is actually the fish you should be targeting. The techniques were developed over time to catch inactive bass in heavy cover. You're targeting the fish that want an easy snack, without too much effort.

They are not. https://www.bassresource.com/fish/flip-pitch.html

Flipping is not pitching. Two totally different casts. You would not flip any farther than a bit more than the length of your rod. For pitching, use something smaller, like a coffee can. You want to practice and learn to be THAT accurate. It's the difference between catching fish and losing baits. The gear you're using looks perfect. I just picked up a JDM Zillion that has 40+ IPT. That's fast.

220 and seal with U40. Will last years.

I don't really make any correlations between lure size and bass size. Some of my biggest bass have come on small, finesse type lures. For me, location, depth control, and presentation are the keys to bigger bass. Some locations seems to be proving grounds for younger, smaller bass. They are often more aggressive, therefore it may feel like a numbers game with smaller bass. If you can think a little differently, discover what specific structural irregularities attract bigger bass, then you have unlocked the puzzle for that day on your lake.

For the 203, you'd have to look for used, or NOS. They are currently making the 253 and 300 sizes in both LH and RH.

I'm trying really hard to imagine how a knot results from that pic above, and how line of that spool in the pic later in the thread gets like the line in the original pic. What the heck are you doing?

Quoting 15 year old posts, trashing a dead guy, whose ideas about structure still hold true, refuting some dang good fisherman here, no proof of anything, just viscous dialog...We're done here. More of this, and so are you "JerryL." Why don't you man up, and start YOUR OWN thread about how to catch fish. I'd like pictures. I've caught a few bass; here's proof.

Defintiely reach out to both. Seaguar needs to know what went wrong, and Tacklewarehouse can make good on the credit/return. Sorry you didn't get to experience the line the way it's supposed to be.

Is that supposed to be grey? Man, that doesn't look the Smackdown I've used.

This, to me sounds like the real problem, and not simply going fast. You're not comfortable with what goes along with going fast, and the resulting effects. That's okay. If you told me (I had an 85 mph Bullet) you didn't want to go too fast, I would respect that and not run fast, and keep it around 40. Most of the places I fish, that will be fine. I want a happy partner. That said, If I go screaming by you and the other boats in the tournament to get to a spot, I think you know why: because I can.

That they use "outbreak" to describe the highest activity level... Stay safe!

That's a big fallfish! The only place I've caught them regularly is Upper Saranac. I was able to get out on Sodus Bay this weekend, but mostly chased the perch. Bass aren't awake yet, it seems, and it was too easy to catch a bunch of perch.

By mid summer, Lake O. smallies are puking up small white bass, small perch, and crayfish. On Erie it's all craws.

That's pretty cool. I've had people actually hit my prop in traffic or in a parking lot. The props were stainless, so the damage was always to their vehicle. This might prevent that difficult conversation afterward.

Not even close.

Temperature looks higher than medium, but it looks good. I was my steak bloody, mostly pink, with a thin strip of red in the middle. I've done the reverse sear on a charcoal grill, and the first time, I cooked it too long.