Fishes in trees

The old Eakins jigs were ball heads. They were a compromise, i.e., probably not the best choice for any particular type of cover, but good enough in any type of cover. They worked ok. I think that they worked best for "hopping " style retrieves and not as well for "dragging" style retrieves.

I'm not a fan of the pistol grips, or as I call them "wrist killers". I agree with using shorter rods for throwing spooks & other walking baits, because I'm not slapping the water or the side of the boat as much. I use shorter, straight handled rods. I have a couple of old Mitchell Fulcrums on the bench right now, 5'9" and 6". My current favorite is a close out from Academy, a 6' All Star Top Water Special. All the benefits of the pistol grip, with the benefits of two handed casting available - overhead for distance and/or two handed side arm or roll casts. I have a few of the older pistol grips, but just so that I can say, "Yep, I got a few of those old rods." and not that I'd ever use them seriously. Begs the question, "If you don't like the pistol grips so much, what are you doing with several of them?" Well, hey, in my youth, rod options aren't what they are now, AND my wrists didn't hurt after a short while of fishing with the pistol grips, so I used them. I used them for cranks , spinnerbaits, worms, whatever.. . These days, I got better rods, more suited to each approach.

I wonder why you're selling it. It is pretty, and old and has value as a wall hanger. Assuming it is in great shape internally, it has a deep spool and holds quite a bit of line. If I decided to fish with it, I'd load it up with 20 or 30 lb mono or 65 lb braid and use it as a catfish reel. Maybe , assuming it is in great shape and been correctly lubricated it could throw heavier baits pretty well - maybe put it in the lineup as an A-rig reel. Not on that rod though - spend the money and get a decent rod. If you're going catfish rig - decent catfish rods can be had in the $50 to $100 or so range. You want a strong back bone, but the first foot or so down from the tip needs to be pretty flexible - this aids greatly in setting circle hooks. If you're going A-rig, there are lots of different price ranges for A-rig rods. I think that the pistol grip ugly stick that reel is currently mounted on is mediocre at best.\, and I'd only use that rig as is if I didn't have other options. So, I don't know what that reel is worth. If you were local I'd offer $50 and say keep the rod.

This is something that I try not to overthink - however - there have been times when a particular split ring has gotten a rust spot on it, or got bent slightly out of round or I took it off to use a snap and I've since become disgusted with snaps - whatever. Anyway, when any of that stuff happens -which isn't very often but it does happen, I replace the split ring with an oval one, because I don't like the idea of the knot being between two pieces of potentially sharp ends.

If the speed bags are a little pricey for you, a very similar tool bag can be had at Harbor Freight for slightly less - around $6 - often less if you've got a coupon. They are made of canvas if that 's an issue. I've got several of them. You can fit 20 or so bags of bait into each bag and separate them by style.

An advertisement on one of these pages, and of course I can't find the ad again - Goofish I think, was advertising a "slow pitch jigging rod". The website that I wound up at seemed to imply that these were more salt water oriented gear than fresh water - however, it still begs the question , "Just what is a slow pitch jigging rod?" They are available in spinning or casting, straight guides or left or right spiral guides - which makes a difference I guess how? What is a slow pitch jigging rod? Who knows?

What kind of discount are you getting and how did you get it? My personal fishing team could use in influx of Loomis rods.

I got some several years ago and for sure, the first year or so they are pretty slick and you need to pay attention. Now, years down the road they aren't and the slickness issue isn't one.

Sometimes I go into a tackle store and the gear speaks to me. "Buy me, buy me!!" it says, " I can help you catch more & bigger fish & come a part of your collection!" Who am I - ? - to not listen to inanimate fishing gear?

How weird - I would imagine that stick worms drenched in some sort of oil and the o-rings would slide on easier. If they slide on easier, it stands to reason that they would slide off easier as well. I have one of those o-ring tools, but most of time time I don't use it - it seems like just a little slobber and the o-rings slide on just fine. I have to be a little careful putting on the o-rings so that I don't tear the senko. Were the o-rings the correct size? I have found that 3/8 o.d. ( outside diameter)/ 1/4 i.d. ( inside diameter) to work best for me, in that they stay put where I put them on the body of the worm. Several years ago, I bought a couple of thousand of them, because I was tired of buying them buy the each from Ace Hardware. I fish senkos quite a bit and I still have a lot left. For me the just is still out as to if it is better to use one ring, or have 2 crossed over. I've caught fish both ways. I think that you will miss an equal amount of fish no matter how you rig the o-rings - one, which puts the hook in line with the bait or two crossed, which puts the hook at a 90 degree angle to the bait. I keep telling myself that I ought to pay more attention to the quality of bites, how the hits happen and so forth, so that I could get a bitter idea of how to rig the hook, but I haven't so far.

Does the team have a coach? What does the coach recommend? What kind of gear do the other kids have? Jr high kids like to "fit in". Give the kid high end gear and he's a "snotty rich kid", get gear that is low end and he's a "poor kid". This is another area where the coach needs to set some guide lines. Here is a cautionary tale about high school fishing . .. A buddy of mine get a new job and moved - from suburban St. Louis to a town in central Missouri within relatively close driving distance to 4 decent reservoirs - Lake Ozark - Truman - Pomme de Terre - and Stockton. When he moved his relatively new 2nd wife and her teen age son moved with him. To call him a fishing fanatic isn't fair - he's more serious about fishing than that. Seriously into tournaments at the BFL level. Town had a high school fishing team - he made some inquiries - yes anyone could join the team but fishing in the tournaments mostly depended on who had a dad or brother or uncle or neighbor with a boat who could act as boat captain. School didn't have any boats of their own. So he bought a new boat - one of those 20' nationally advertised Skeeters, tricked out - might as well get in in the high school colors. You can't imagine how much abuse that teen age kid took, being the new kid in school, wanted to get on the fishing team so he had his dad buy a new boat. That wasn't exactly my buds intention, but that was kinda how the other kids on the fishing team saw it. Couple of years later it was mostly better, only after he made a point of taking most of the other kids out fishing in the new boat - and several tournaments taking two other kids on the team in his boat and his step kid went fishing with one of the other dads. In some ways the fishing team was just as big a deal as the football or basketball team.

Spend the extra money, get a Curado K or a 70 - tell your husband you deserve it& don't take no for an answer.

How big is the boat and how much do you weigh? When manufacturers put a weight limit on a boat, there is a certain "fudge factor". The boat should have an information plate on it, stating the brand & model #, length, width, horse power limit , people limit, and WEIGHT LIMIT. If the boat is old enough that the information plate on the boat is missing, then you have to guess. If you know the brand of the boat, you can call them up and get an idea, or if you don't know the brand you can look up something similar and go with the stats from that boat. You obviously exceeded that - by a bunch. A mis-aligned seat isn't, by itself, a reason for a boat to tip. Too much weight is. 4 rods & reels - a few tackle boxes - a battery & trolling motor isn't an inordinate amount of weight. While you're replacing gear, they make these things called life jackets - might want to get one. You are actually fortunate you did this in the summer time when the water is relatively warm. Do this in April or late October and you might have drowned. I hope the there is someone in your neighborhood, who you know & trust, who can give you an honest opinion about how to balance out the weight in your boat.

How cheap is " ridiculously cheap?" Big Rick is correct in that should you get a fiberglass boat stuck on a stump, it is often a challenge to get off of it if you don't have a big motor. Prior to getting my current boat, I used to have a Water Buster - a 10' mini boat, similar to a Pelican or a Pond Prowler, and I became very aware of deep stumps once I got stuck on them a couple of times. It is a challenge to get off of them. That being said, I think that a very cheap fiberglass boat would make a great lawn ornament, something for kids to climb on and play in. Put it right next to the swing set. I've also seen them lined with a tarp and changed into a cool tub, let it set in the sun long enough and it is a hot tub.

I agree with losing the braid until you learn more about how to use the reel. If you can put it back on the spool it come on using an electric drill that would be best. Now - step A - go get some cheap but decent mono. Stay away from big game or p-line. I'd start out with 14 lb. There are lots of opinions on how to learn. Me, if I had to do it all over again, I'd learn how to pitch first. There are many videos on u-tube that will give you the general idea - then just practice. It is worth the money to get a pick to help you untangle backlashes. Good luck. You make no mention about what rod you got to go with the reel - for a learner I'd recommend one with a medium action and a forgiving tip. A 6'6" Medium Berkley Lightning Rod, something like that. Your classic pitching stick 7' to 7 1/2, MH to Heavy, extra fast tip, isn't the kind of stick you learn on. It is the kind that you graduate to once you understand the basics of how to coordinate your thumb, wrist, arm & elbow.

The Brewer lighter hooks were intended for Crappie fishing. You can use them for bass fishing buy don't be surprised if a fish (even a 12" fish) straightens one out every so often. If you're fishing for dinks, use of these jigs will pretty much guarantee that any fish 14" or over will get an early release.

As I've gotten older, almost all of the reels that make the traveling team are 1000 size - mostly because of the weight issue. If I'm fishing braid around gnarly places, I crank down on the drag. I like my reels to have an anti-reverse switch. I have a Shimano Nasci that is a great reel, but doesn't have the anti=reverse switch, so it doesn't see much action. I still believe that the 3000 size reels handle fluorocarbon better, but with all the other considerations, the 1000 size Shimano & Pfluegers handle 6 or 8 lb fluorocarbon good enough for me. I have a number of 3000 and 2000 size reels that I use for borrowers reels.

Time of the year makes a big difference when you're choosing rain gear. If it is going to get chilly, I like my Cabelas Guide Wear. If it is going to get real chilly, wear layers underneath or get the insulated Guide Wear. Late May to early September I like my Frog Toggs. Either way, the prior advice about getting bibs rather than pants is good advice. If I know it is going to be raining most of the day and I have to go fishing, some thin stretchy galoshes to cover your sneakers are nice. I keep them in my fishing truck and only had to wear them 3 or 4 times over the last 10 years, but they were worth it. Kept my feet warm in 40 degree rain.

I put a trailer on my spinnerbaits and chatter baits much more often than not. I like the BPS Cajun trailers quite a bit, but from time to time I'll put on something else - just depends.

I fish my "Bubba" drop shot rig more than my lighter drop shot set ups mostly because of where I fish. My logic is, "Do I have a better chance of landing any fish that bites with the bubba rig or a lighter rig?" A couple of examples - a beaver dam on a steep clay bank - a boat length from the bank the water is 12 to 16 feet deep, depending on the water level of the lake. Getting bit in this neighborhood, more often than not, fish runs you right into branches, stumps, stuff on the bottom. With the bubba rig (7'5" flipping stick & 20 lb ABrazx line) I can lean on this fish and get it up and out of the debris. More often than not, with a lighter rig, I'm run into branches and hang up or line snaps. Example #B - deep brush piles composed of wired together hardwood & cedar trees. Basically the same deal. If I feel that a brush pile is more likely to be rocks, bulldozer debris, with few to no branches sticking out, I'm much more likely to go lighter. Main lake points I'm more likely to lead off with the lighter rig.

All those different features you want are pretty subjective. You "understand" that there are multiple varieties of rods & reels out there. OK that's a start. A post like this, with pretty vague parameters and NO ballpark fiscal limits makes me say "Huh?" In order to get what you want, you might need to know what you want, or to put it more succinctly, you need to be able to describe what you want/need/desire in the way of a finesse fishing rig in more understandable terms. Here's an idea - the St Croix factory store is within a days drive - go there and see all the different models. If that doesn't give you a better idea of what you want - can't help you. Now as far as reels go, that's pretty easy. Get something that says SHIMANO on it in the hundred dollar range or so and you really can't go wrong.

It is true that different conditions can affect your pitches. For instance, pitching into the wind isn't quite the same as pitching with a side wind, or wind approaching from different angles. Nothing serious, just might have to think about it for a moment prior to letting it fly. The good thing about fishing from a boat is that moving the boat is often an option. The aerodynamic features of any given bait affect your pitching success. I've never been able, ( and I've looked ALOT), to find a bait that pitched as well as a practice plug. On my deck, throwing a half ounce practice plug - I look like a master caster. Put some soft plastic with a hook & weight on the end of my line and my pitching suffers some. Just have to put in the time practicing and after a season or two it will become second nature and you can shift from pitch to roll cast, to side arm, overhead, interchangeably. Then there will be days when you can't. So you practice some more or live with it or both.

While not a "shakyhead per se, I've found that a Brewer Slider head works good for presenting Zoom Finesse worms.

I learned to pitch several seasons ago. It took most of a season to get comfortable with it. At some point, when you're going for distance, a pitch becomes a roll cast which becomes a side arm cast. There is a gradient/learning curve there. Me, I seldom pitch more than 40 feet, longer than that it becomes a roll cast or a side arm cast. Principles are similar in that you're trying to stay as low to the water as possible with as little a splash as possible. Some guys make next to no splash - that ain't me. That being said, I wish I had learned to pitch first and then gradually moved to distance side arm/overhead casting. My thumb would have been better trained and I would have spent less money on line overall. You will back lash from time to time learning to pitch, however, in my experiences the back lash isn't as deep as when you really screw up trying for distance using an overhead cast.

In olden days guys made their own wake baits by purchasing a Cordell Red Fin ( jointed or not ) and using a butane lighter to bend the lip down to a 90 degree angle. It worked.