jkarol24

For some reason the site is still down. If you have any questions about the club PM me and I will give you my number.

Ben, I am a member of the Rochester Bassmasters. I fished the last 2 years as a non-boater and this year will be fishing as a boater. There are some fantastic fishermen in the club, and i learned a TON of new information as a non boater. Feel free to drop into a meeting and see what we are all about, we hold them on the first wednesday and third Thursday of every month at Tucci's restaurant on Lyell Ave in Rochester at 7:30 PM. If you have any questions at all, shoot me a PM and I will give you my phone number.

3/8 oz jig

Great first post

I do a quick clean and lube once a month, and a full breakdown and bearing soak 1-2 times / year

This is actually at my school (RIT), I will have to check it out. I'm in that building all the time and use those stairs and have never noticed anything wierd...

For long-range casting, I love my Abu Revo Premier (1st Gen). That thing actually hums when you launch a sammy to busting smallies For pitching, flipping, and skipping, my Curado 200E7s are the bees knees Did pick up a Core at Gander Mtn once, drooled for a while before quickly putting it back in the case so that I wouldn't buy it.

The biggest thing is practice and gaining the "feel" of it. My gear consists of a 7' MH Ex-Fast rod and a quality baitcaster (i prefer a Shimano Curado 200E7 for skipping and pitching). I go with 40-50 lb Power Pro braid as the PP seems to be a bit rougher/more abrasive than other braids, as well as mono and fluoro. I feel as if I can control the spool a bit better with that extra grab from my thumb on the line/spool. I can also pick backlashes better with braid. I start with about 12"of line out and the cast is more of a wrist roll than a cast. I make the lure do a near 360 degree revolution to load the tip. The rod tip loads up to fling the bait, but you dont need to or want to load the entire rod like a normal cast. When you release the lure to make the cast, you want the rod tip to be close to the water and the lure should have a trajectory as low and as paralleled to the water as possible. Tips on the cast: You dont need to cast it as hard as you think Loose brakes are better than heavy brakes Use your thumb throughout the entire cast (this is where the "feel" comes in) Focus on making the lure do a bunch of short, sliding skips as opposed to 3 or 4 long jumpy skips I raise my rod tip up at the end to provide lift, and also to get a bit more line off the reel so I can follow the bait down Focus about a foot in front of where you want your lure to slide into, or the first skip The lure should normally be skipping before or right as it gets under the dock Dont try to skip when there is wind and waves, its not gonna happen Lurewise, I prefer to skip a 3/8 oz jig more than anything else. I use an alien/ brush style head, while others prefer an arky head. Go with a trailer that isnt real bulky and wont catch a bunch of water. I use a simple craw trailer most of the time. And of course, PRACTICE! The way I learned is that I used skip casts any time I was making a normal cast. Lets say I was out in 15 FOW making short pitches to a weed edge or grass clumps. Instead of making a pitch, I would do a skip cast. Got the same distance, the lure got to the same place, but I was practicing my skipping on every cast. And its easier in open water with no pressure to make that perfect cast.

Nothing like setting the hook on a hog while pitching a weedbed

Saw somebody on another forum making square bills with carbon fiber.

I didnt see it, but it sounds like a metal version of this: http://www.thehookuptackle.com/fishing-accessories/paycheck+baits/nose+job

I cannot speak for high school, but for college you can win money and still be eligible (at least in the FLW, that is what I am familiar with...). The only restriction is that you are not allowed to fish more than 3 FLW events outside of the collegiate series.

I would be fishing the first drop off or channel swing adjacent to the grass flat, I would guess the bigger females will be staging on this break. Alternatively, you may want to see if there is a depression in the grass flat, they could be staging there as well.

SK 3.5" Coffee tube- Watermelon Gold/Copper

Not as "crazy" as you, but I cannot stand to have more than 4 rod son the deck of the boat. If I do, i stop fishing and put a few away