Koop

Well not to much tonight, learned the real without to many issues, though I would not recommend anyone trying to learn at night as it was difficult to see, I'll be going back during the day to try it practice more. Was a slow night, lost 1 fish, landed an 18.25" walleye and 2 white bass. (Walleye seemed to be no fight at all, guessing its because I have a 12# line on and the rod is MH while Im used to a 8# and 10# line on my M rods)

Ok I've been having a serious problem lately... I tried a ton of lures and my favorite so far is probably rapala husky jerk in 8-10cm. But I'm doing something terribly wrong because I keep losing fish! A few nights ago I lost didn't land 1 fish I hooked 6 and every one of them shook the lure free... I dont know what I'm doing maybe not setting it correctly? I thought I read they were self setting for the most part, but I usually give an extra little tug (not a huge set) and keep my rod elevated and line tight as I read to do but I keep losing them once they are in the 10-15ft out range. There has got to be something I'm doing wrong? Anyone?

I ended up going with the abu garcia revo s for this rod, heading out to try it tonight.

Well thats one advantage I have its less than 5 miles to about 3 major lakes in any direction from where I live so wont be towed far, was just worried about getting out of the ramps. Was thinking about a 17ft aluminum but may just go with the jon boat for now even though its not what I want it may be safer until I can upgrade to a truck. Just more worried about being able to pull it out of the launch than anything.

Ok just wanted to make sure there wasn't a reason I was missing as to why it may be done like that. Just seems kind of silly to cast with my right hand, switch the rod to my left to reel. To bad left handed bait casters are more difficult to find it seems.

Ok this may seem like a very silly question... With my spinning reels I reel with my left hand but hold my rod with my right hand. When looking at baitcasting reels all the "right" handed reels you reel with your "right" hand and hold the rod with your left... Can someone clear this up? It feels like I should be getting a left handed bait casting reel then unless I'm missing something obvious?

Just got my first casting rod today. Will be a good addition to my 2 spinning reel set ups Berkley® AMP Series Casting Rod its the 6' MH model Now to find a reel that will fit it well

Hey all I'm currently at the point where I can either buy: A. A boat or B. A truck I can get one or the other but not both... I am currently driving a 2005 Pontiac Vibe as it was perfect for camping trips with just my wife and I. Bottom line is, I want to get the boat, but I'm not sure if I need to get the truck first to tow it and then get the boat in a few years or if the Vibe (only has 27k miles and is in great condition so don't NEED a new vehicle at all) will suffice in being able to tow a boat. The specs on the vibe are: Torque: 125 / 170 @ 4200 Trailer towing capacity: 1500lb Maximum tongue weight: 150lb I realize towing is different than pulling at an incline out of a ramp, the car is front wheel drive. Will I be able to tow a boat at all? What sizes should I look at if so?

Yep was all all on Mendota from shore at the locks. Don't have a boat yet so I go to the locks almost every other day as its the only real place I know as I just moved to Madison myself about 2 months ago.

Probably someones lucky spot, they put the grave there to keep everyone else away

Caught my first and second large mouth today. 18.5 and 19 inches, one on a leech the other on a texas rigged seiko. Also caught a few 14ish inch cigars some 10-12 inch small mouth and hooked a musky after he decided to crush my DT6 fire tiger colored rapala. He was about 5 ft out when he jumped, flipped and threw the lure, lucky I didn't lose my lure... he was about 30-35 inches I'm guessing. Was a lot of fun.

Hi all, just signed up on the boards last night, this is a great community with an enormous wealth of knowledge in members and links to articles and other sites. I just started fishing about 2 weeks ago, I mean I fished two or three times a year when I was a kid but just with a bobber for blue gill and what not. The reason I decided to start fishing is rather different I suppose. I was in the Marine Corps for 5 years, did 3 tours to Iraq, while in Iraq I got bored during down time, well these nice people "adopted" troops to send care packages to, well of course I was "adopted" by a bass fisherman. He sent me field and stream magazines, pictures of him on the lake in tournaments, his recent catches and letters of tails or the weekend en devours. I would always read and wish I was on the lake relaxing, having a beer and fishing. Well now that I am out of the Marine Corps and living in Madison WI where I have lakes within a stone shot in any direction I decided I would do just that. I have very limited knowledge of technics all I really know is what I've read on the internet and what I have learned in the past two weeks. My father was WI Mr Bass 2 years in a row in the 80's so maybe angling is hereditary? Could I be that lucky? :

Thanks everyone for all the help. That certainly clears things up. I'll give the fat rap diving series a shot, I am assuming by diving series you mean DT. I actually haven't tried any of the RAPS or SHADS yet, I just bought a few today. I bought the SR-5 Shad Rap deep runner in fire tiger and the XRSH shad shallow slash bait in silver. I will have to go get a fat rap DT to try out, what depth DT should I try as you suggested in my area? The store had a great sale today so a lot was gone... all rapala lures were 25% off and yamamoto seiko's were buy one get one, so I grabbed a few bags of those to try out also. Anyhow tomorrow will get to test all of the new toys, I'll report back. Last night wasn't great just got 3x 14-16" northern on my FT husky jerk and silly me being new didn't have my landing net with. Make a mistake every day, learn something new ;-)

I'm just starting out with fishing and a little confused. I got into it pretty heavily about 2 weeks ago, and since have caught everything from rock bass to walleye to northern. I do a lot of fishing near some locks out on a pier that's about 5-10 ft drop with a gradual decline after that. I have been using rapala husky jerks and originals. What I don't seem to understand is the method I'm using and why the lures are doing what they are. The husky jerks are fine that is what I'm catching everything with I read up on methods here and articles. The originals are what I'm not understanding, I'm not sure what method I should be using as the lure never goes to the depth it is advertised to go to (3-5ft) it usually stays about 1-2ft then if I stop reeling or dragging it, it comes right up to the surface and wont go back under... what am I doing wrong?