Ratherbfishing

I only use swivels on spoons and in-line spinners-because those baits will twist line. But otherwise a swivel is just extra hardware which isn't needed.

Not after I catch one (well, perhaps a quick "Woo Hoo!") but during the fight I've been known to let out a resounding "Aghh!!!! Stay down, stay down!!"

I've been known to exchange sour... "unpleasantries" with some rather noisy Canada Geese before but otherwise...what noise?

Not as far as I used to, I can tell you that. Once I went with my cousin's husband (and his brother) to Pickwick Lake (about a 6 or 7 hour drive) in late February-obstensibly because that's when the big female smallies start to bite. We didn't catch a single smallie during the whole time we were there-let alone any big ones. My cousin's husband brother even went so far as to hire a guide (on the second day) and THEY didn't catch so much as a cold, either. I'm not saying there aren't times when this isn't true but I'm not drivin' that far just to freeze my potatos off.

As they say, payback is h*ll!

One can, I suppose, go through life without ever fishing a spinnerbait. I'm sure it's happened. Spinnerbaits do not ALWAYS work but I'd be hard pressed to be able to say anything different about any other bait. They are great search baits and, because of their flash and vibration, they are especially good when the water is murky. If I had to guess, your 15 spinnerbaits do not get a lot of honest to God game time. Or, possibly, you are not use them when or where they (pardon the pun) shine their brightest.

y y y y y y yyoouurr j j j j just j j j jealous s s!!!!!

I'm going to go against the prevailing winds here and say that 5 is too young for anything more lethal than a butter knife.

First, fishing is (or can be) a lifetime pursuit. About the time you "master" a technique, you'll probably move on and find something else to try. HOWEVER, you can make it as simple or as complicated as you wish it to be. I agree with those who say location is the most important thing. Where fish can be found is impacted by time of year (which includes instinctive behaviors such as spawning, etc), weather conditions, food availability, etc. Bass, in particular, seem to always relate to structure and cover in some fashion. Weed edges, points, shelves, submerged creek beds, tree lines, drop offs etc. are always good places to look. But, again, bass will move according to factors like food availability, temperature, oxygen, etc. Some bass move a lot while others in the right locations may move very little. You can seldom go wrong by fishing in or near vegitation. In my mind, there are two different kinds of baits: Search baits and probing baits. Search baits are helpful for covering a lot of water and finding the actively feeding fish (those willing to "chase" their prey). Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, trolling spoons, inline spinners, swim baits, etc. are good examples of lures in this category. Probe baits, like plastic worms, and creature baits, jigs, jigging spoons, etc are for methodically picking an area apart. You can get hung up on brands (and generally it's true that brand names tend to work better than cheapo immitations) but if you are unwilling to fish a high dollar bait where it might hang up for fear you might lose it, you're better off going with a cheaper brand or model. New fishermen,especially those with boats, often take the approach that the grass is greener on the other side of the lake and then roar off to the other side-just to find everything about the same, and then begin casting randomly. It's better to use a map (in conjuction with a fish finder) to choose where you are going to fish however the geological features above the water (gentle sloping banks as opposed to steep cliffs, for example) will often give you a good idea as to what is going on below the water. At least near the shore. Although some "purists" tend to disdain trolling, this method will cover a lot of water, find more active feeding fish, and keep youngsters entertained. There are nuances to even this method, however, so like everything else, there is a learning curve. Oh, bass tend to be more active during periods of stable weather than after it has been stormy or after a cold front has moved through. Fish more quickly in the former and slow down after cold fronts. There! Everything you'll ever need to know!

With the exception of replacing lost or damaged baits I do the majority of my purchases during the doldrums of winter. Seldom do I purchase much during the heady rush of victory unless only one bait and/or technique seems to be working and I only have one of said item. THEN I buy 20!

SHHHHH!!!! They'll try to ban forks next!

Although I'm sure I'll buy some stuff (like I really need it), none is earmarked as fun money. Hope to pay off more of the mortgage.

You have to anticipate the hop. When he's ABOUT to cast is when you hit the TM. Just be sure he hasn't borrowed one of your rods.

That was great footage! I just never think of trout breaching the surface like that but obviously they do.

Darn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead! (sorry, couldn't resist)

It's only perverted if you use your tongue.

I resemble that remark.

You need the option of "Sometimes" because sometimes Red hooks help and sometimes they do not.

I use to troll for bass but they called me a cyber-bully so I stopped.

We are all, as a coworker says, just a little "touched in the head" but what is or are the funniest/oddest things you've seen others do when they are fishing? My personal favorite is a friend who has 2 tackle boxes stuffed to the "gills" with various baits but almost always fishes with a rooster tail. Oh, he's a collector all right.

I think I recall on another thread that you cannot fathom ice-fishing however that, too, is an area where bluegill can be a real game saver. Last weekend I caught numerous 7 inch green sunfish and one 9.5 inch 'gil. For liquid water, I especially enjoy fly fishing for bluegill-especially when they are bedding. During this time of year, a big old bull bluegill will practically leap out of the water to smack a popper or spider-fly. And, as you said, they are good fighters. They seem to know how to use that big flat side of theirs to resist being captured. A big bluegill on a 5-weight fly rod will give you a good show any day of the week.

For sheer sound, it's hard to beat a Cordell Super-spot.

When I was at Scheels last week, I saw the coolest tricked out Hobie Mirage Drive in the showroom. Yes it was expensive (for a kayak) but I found myself wondering IF I ought to sell my late model Toyota Tacoma, my 17 foot jon boat and buy a hobie can and flat bed trailer to carry it (pulled with my civic). Last year, with only a few exceptions, I used my Pelican 2 man bass raider (mostly by myself) and the Jon boat mostly sat in the garage. When I bought the Jon Boat I had hoped to carry others in it but that really hasn't transpired all that often and it kind of irks me for having spent that much money for the few times that I do carry others. (grumble grumble). Does anyone else on this site own a Hobie Cat? How steady a platform is it and how comfortable is it? How strong is the Mirage Drive (propulsion wise and durability wise) and how maneuverable is it? Also, I'm turning 50 this year and though I'm in pretty good shape, the old bones aren't what they used to be. Is a kayak (even a mirage drive model) a young man's game? Thanks for your thoughts! I won't be making any quick decisions regardless so any reasonably constructive feedback is welcome.

Lure color matters-except for when it doesn't.

I've never used tip ups and my experience is otherwise rather limited, however I'll say the most important piece of equipment is the flasher (AND knowing how to use it). If you just go out, drill a hole, plunk the transducer in the hole and just sit there, it is only marginally better than going without. But even then, if you do happen to hit on the right area, the flasher will tell you the depth of the fish, the mood they are in, and where your bait is in relation to the fish. So, if you don't mind shelling out some dollars, a flasher is very helpful. I use mine even in the summer to find suspending crappie or bass. But getting back to knowing how to use a flasher-sometimes you still have to drill a number of holes before you find fish but with a flasher, you'll have a much better idea. The second most important piece of equipment is live bait such as minnows or wax worms. You can do without (I guess) but I can pretty much tell when my jig or spoon has been stripped 'cause the fish stop biting. They'll hang around for curiousities sake (I can observe them with my flasher) but most won't bite. There are always exceptions but live bait is definitely a plus. Wax worms, if kept in a cool (almost cold) place will keep for weeks. The third most important piece of equipment, particularly for timid biters (which most winter fish tend to be), is the spring bobber on the last guide. You can have a pole which is too stiff but a spring bobber on the end can mitigate this. It will help you catch fish you otherwise might not know were even there (less likely with a flasher).