Marty

Never tried a Honey Crisp but I should based on the good things I've heard. I eat mostly Empires, Galas and Ginger Golds.

Your only solution is what Grey Wolf said about using heavy braid. Those retrievers that use a weight sliding down the line don't work when the line is at an angle. Maybe your other option is cheaper lures?

I agree with my fellow Rochesterian that Oakland gave up a lot for him. The Bengals got the best of this deal, in my opinion.

I had huge success with a telescoping lure retriever when fishing a couple of spots on the Erie Canal, where the only snags were rocks. If your snags are on something hard and close enough to shore, the telescoping type might work for you. The type of retriever that works by dropping a weight down a line never worked for me because the weight slid down at an angle and these really need to be over the lure where the weight drops straight down. Nobody likes to lose lures, but fishing is not a free hobby and lost lures are part of the cost, unfortunately.

I have done a huge amount of shore fishing in the years I've been at it. If you see what you consider good cover and/or structure, by all means fish it thoroughly. If you don't see any or you see it and don't catch anything, then move around a lot and cover as much water as possible. You may very well pick off some fish and find some good spots. Often you won't know why the good spots are good, as you don't know what's beneath the surface. I'd get out as often as possible and learn the waters you visit. There is potential to catch some pretty big fish from shore and I've caught plenty of them (meaning big by my standards), including my personal best.

Congratulations. MY PB is also 6#, caught in the Erie Canal on a most appropriate lure, a Wally Diver. I hope yours fought better than mine, which put up -0- fight.

While you mentioned some air temperatures, water temp is of much greater importance. Your water there should be more than warm enough for good bass fishing. I've had good fishing well into November in some years, so my best advice is to persist and not give up.

My bass fishing is done almost exclusively with braid. I don't use leaders.

I use 6'6" rods and have no idea what my casting distance is. It's also hard to generalize for a given lure weight because the aerodynamic efficiency of lures varies. For example, a Senko is very efficient and will probably cast considerably farther than, say, a skirted jig of the same weight which is less efficient.

Definitely NOT a waste of time. I and, I'm sure, countless anglers have caught some excellent bass from man-made ponds.

I generally use the same size as the original hooks. If you want to trust the manufacturer, they are putting in that package what they believe will provide optimum performance. That said, I'm sure you can go up or down a size on most lures with no adverse effects.

Move around and cover a lot of water until you learn what spots are good and what aren't. Like a previous poster said, cast parallel to the bank, although I've had a few places where casting straight out can catch fish. Don't rule out any lures just because you're on the bank. You can use a wide variety of lures, so choose lures based on conditions. Get out as often as you can and try being there at higher percentage times, like mornings, evenings and overcast days. Don't let yourself get frustrated at the good-looking cover out there that you can't reach; just concentrate on what you can reach.

I'm very pleased with Heddon Swim-n Images, which reach a depth of 18" per the manufacturer.

If you're looking for the Tom Mann authenticity, then I'd ask questions. If you're looking for lures, you've got 16 of them there which may be able to be had for a low price. The seller does have a perfect score with almost 5000 feedbacks.

Like has previously been said, you can use any lure you want that fits the conditions. The bass don't know whether you're in a boat or on shore. I've done a huge amount of shore fishing and have used a wide variety of lures.

I've had a preference, but I don't know why, for the round bend style of trebles and have been satisfied with a number of brands, including VMC, Gamakatsu and Lazer Sharp. Not that it's any of my business, but why not check the hooks first before replacing them? Many crankbaits come with lousy hooks, but others come with pretty decent hooks which will do the job just fine with a couple of strokes with a hook file.

I don't know anything about that rod, but rods in the 6'6" to 7' range, fast action and medium power make excellent all-purpose sticks.

You can fuse parts together with heat; I use a candle. If a lure, like a Senko or Power Worm, is just torn at the nose, cut off 1/4" and re-rig. You can do that four times and still be fishing with a lure that's just 1" shorter. The fish don't seem to mind.

Whatever plastic you use, make sure that the hook gap is at least double the diameter of the plastic so as to allow the hook to get through the plastic and into the fish.

To the best of my knowledge, there is no definitive answer as to whether visible line is a deterrent to strikes. Some people use leaders all the time and others never do. I think unless you have evidence to the contrary, you probably need to do what you feel most comfortable and confident with. I personally don't use leaders, which proves nothing.

I don't keep close track of these things, but I know that some well-known names at one time or another lacked a sponsor in some tackle category such as rods, reels, line, crankbait or what have you. Perhaps with companies cutting back expenses in this economy, maybe even more pros lack some sponsorships.

I don't shore fish as much as I used to but when the weather's been right I've fished well into November. Also, if you want to fish for other than bass, does Oak Orchard get much of a trout/salmon run?

Well, I hope you get to use it a lot.

I'd get some free professional advice if you can, like talking with a biologist at your DNR office.

Agreed. From my perspective there's nothing like having a carp on the end of your line.