Bassun

Hey guys -- so, it's coming on spring, and I've neglected my line for a couple of seasons, actually 3 I think, so it's time to pull it all off and put fresh on. My heavy gear has 50 or 65lb braid strait to the spool, that's still in good shape, I think I will probably flip it and just leave it alone. (pull off and wind on old first on the spool if that didn't make sense) But my basic gear needs fresh line. Most of my gear is spooled with Ande Premium 10 lb. And I have been please as always with it. Even old, I've not had any issues. But I am thinking of making a big change this year. I am going to mix braid in for my small stuff. Here is my current plan, just curious if anyone has any thoughts. For most of my bass rigs: Mono backing, to fill the spool about 2/3rds or so. Ande Ghost in 12 lb. Braid on top of that. Kastking Fortis in 15lb (.14mm just shy of Ande 2lb diamater!) Yellow Submarine color. Then leader off with Tatsu Flurocarbon in 10lb. For my ultralights: Kastking Fortis in 15lb Yellow Submarine, strait to the spool. (may tape or arbor knot if I can get a little bite) Leader off with Tatsu Flurocarbon in 4lb. That spool should last a VERY long time lol. I kind of feel like saving the money with the Ghost and Kastking on the back pays for the ultra premium Tatsu for the leaders, lol. Ande, I know is solid. Love the stuff. Kastking, I've never used, but all I've read has been very positive and the new Fortis is supposed to stop the line fade. I've never used Tatsu before, but I figure if I like Berkley Vanish, then I should love Tatsu lol. I know I will have a big jump in diameters, but I would rather have that vs going with a mono sized braid, or braid sized mono. I'll just have to accept the knot will be there. Any thoughts?

Yup, dead on IMO. Also, hellbenders have "flappy" skin vs the smooth on a mudpuppy.

I've only tried snagging once, and that was some giant grass carp when I was a kid. I only managed to pull a scale off. But, catching carp on light line, is a ball!!! Those big ole boys pull like Mack trucks! I'll give the Europeans a nod on these guys -- they got it right when they took them as a seriously fun fish to catch! Just doesn't sound very "manly" to be fishing with "boilies", lol. butterball sounds about right lol

I've never targeted yellow perch specifically, but I've caught the most off of 2-3" grubs on 1/16 or 1/8th heads, fished deeper; and 2-3" minnow shaped cranks with lots of bright colors like firetiger patterns, etc. Gear, I would drop to 4#-6# on a medium light rod. Watch your drag though, lot's of stuff likes to eat the same thing. :-)

For me, bluegill fishing is 4lb line with a tiny grub 99% of the time, unless I'm on the fly - then a black gnat pattern I tie seems to work wonders as well as lil poppers. 1/16th oz jig, and up to a 2" grub. Colors -- Depends on my mood, lol. Pink, yellow & white are my top picks generally regardless of water clarity. I'm generally on the water, so I just cast right up on shore and work it back until I find em. Then it's just rinse and repeat, replace the grub (if you want) when they pull off the tail and keep on beating the bank, lol. A jig with a good keeper is super handy so you don't spend as much time fixing it. If the water is really, really stained, a beetle spin generally finds its way on.

Wow, I'm kind of surprised that no one had any suggestions.

...and that is how you become proficient! Great call!

The photo of your dad with that bass is fan-freaking-tastic! Congrats on the quick trips and success!

Hey guys -- I have a buddy headed to the DFW area at the end of the month. He's looking to take a buddy to some banks and do some fishing, no boats or anything just some fun fishing. It looks like there should be some good places to pick up some bites along the Trinity in some of the parks. Does anyone have any better suggestions?

I unfortunately do not remember where I read about it, but there is a similar writing about stalking smallmouth in streams using a camo and stealth approach. Not my style of fishing really, but interesting, and he was quite effective with it.

I'll admit, I still get jazzed up when I see a bobber drop! I don't think anything I've done fishing brings back the nostalgia quite like seeing the bobber go under. Every year, we get the families together on free fishing weekend, and make a road trip to a small lake, somewhere generally semi-local. I try to pick a different place each year, but - we're running out of places to go that are close, lol. Anyway -- I generally load up the bulk of my rods, and my live bait box and basically try to provide everyone who comes with a chance to catch fish. And I mean everyone -- From great grandmothers, down to the little dudes who still haven't mastered reeling yet, lol. I get more pleasure out of watching them catch fish, then I get catching them myself. 99% of it is done under a bobber, or fishing the bottom. I look forward to that trip each year more than any other fishing trip I take, and it is the most simple fishing to do. To me, having everyone together, all piddling around, joking and fishing is just an absolute blast. Seeing people who would rarely consider fishing at all getting excited over a bluegill is just priceless. If all I could do was fishing like that, I would be 100% ok with it!

I'm not sure what you disagree with, surely not that pros are better than weekend warriors, lol. :-) Just kind of poking ya here. A little more seriously, the second part, I think perhaps that may be true for some - but certainly not all. And definitely not the few that I know whom I've watched swapping. They basically went through the entire process from cast to touch down, then swapped. A couple tried my left hand cranks, and looked completely lost. They were definitely more proficient swapping than not, but I think mainly because of muscle memory and practice all that jazz. One guy, who admittedly wasn't great with his own bait caster, seemed to stop and think about reeling before he ever turned the crank. He was running a buzz bait, and when he swapped to mine - it may as well have been a spinnerbait, lol. It's funny this topic, which we all know will be debated until the end of time, still get's this much conversation, lol. Fun times!

You can google up local advisories for any major water. Most that have warnings, are not to "not" eat the fish, but to limit the amount, and usually then it is a pretty fair amount, and fish dependent. Bottom dwellers like carp and catfish will generally have the most impact from heavy metals like mercury. If there is any significant risk, they will have the local waters posted heavily. But like many have mentioned, imported from China (for example) has more significant chance of being "bad for you" vs anything local... minus a few extreme exceptions. I believe I read the Ohio has now topped the ranks as the most polluted river in the U.S. but I may be mistaken. Not sure what they based it on, but...

I know a lot of people get really particular on ratio's. I personally don't worry too much about them. Sure, you can wind a few less times, or have better leverage per crank depending --- but for most freshwater fishing, you can adjust the speeds of your retrieve easy enough as long as you don't have something super geared one way or the other. I concern myself more with a smooth drag, no play, and a comfortable reel. The 6.4 : 1 will certainly allow you to wind in lures

I've not tried them personally, but had a friend who basically cooked them just like deep fried spicy catfish, only cut in smaller chunks. I'm guessing the smaller fish to breading ratio was part of it. I think, but am not positive, he said to brine them first.

Sounds like the same folks who would be catfishing if it was warm, lol. Now, let me qualify my catfishing comment -- NO, I do not include all catfishers as litterbugs, just as I don't exclude all native trout fishermen (who IMO seem to be the cleanest of all of us) from the hit list. I differentiate between native trout anglers and those who chase the stocking truck as they usually two distinctly different types of anglers. The latter are often more prone to littering, purely based on the amount of trash I see left on stocked streams vs the more pristine native waters.

lol - no, I wasn't trolling - I had just never thought about how swappers handle fly gear. So, if I followed you correctly, you cast and reel right handed on spinning and casting gear; fly fishing you also have a right hand crank reel (or flipped to reel on the right depending on reel), but strip with your left hand? Unless you hook up with a fish that you want to put on reel, then mid fight you swapped hands, for those you did put on the reel? Excluding your immediate swap practice last night, lol. I think this may be one scenario where I think there is a clear advantage to not swapping hands, lol. I guess I'm kind of lucky in that regard, as I am a right hand rod, left hand cranker regardless of the style... And I think the nascar / pro angler vs commute / weekend warrior was this: Pro's are more capable, finely tuned professionals who are capable of swapping hands with less risk / impact than an average Joe. While there may (or may not) be an advantage/disadvantage, their total skill set and experience put's them so far ahead of weekend warriors that they can effectively nullify any negatives with their extreme proficiency. Those same disadvantages (if they exist) would more significantly impact WW because they are not skilled at the same level. While I am not really convinced one way or the other on actual impact, that concept I 100% agree with, and is relatively inarguable. To debate that would be akin to debating that most WW's bait casting skills are equal to the pros. Sorry, but very very few are as competent. I think there is room to debate the technical risk of a swap vs the gains of comfort and more natural approach for those not as highly skilled. In that regard, I think the amateurs biggest benefit would come from what is natural and feels comfortable - regardless of the risk gained during a swap. Randomly, I also just thought about the scenario where a fish does instantly strike as soon as the lure hits the water ... I guess it could even be argued, that since one of the biggest issue's rookies have when topwater fishing is setting the hook too soon, perhaps that delay during the swap could actually be a benefit by slowing down the hook set reaction time. Or, it could fluster the angler and they try setting mid swap, without cranking out slack, and miss more. IDK, lol. Like I said way back, this debate will go on as long as fishing does. I don't think there is a "right" or "wrong" way - just go with what works for you. Maybe you miss more fish, maybe you don't. As long as you are having fun and sharing that fun with others, who cares!

I have a standard boat rule, for me and anyone on board. The motor just doesn't go into gear until all vests are on. IDC who it is, or how they react. Not trying to be rude or demanding, but it's just not worth the risk. If I'm fishing solo, I have the vest on - it's not a big deal and worth the extra protection. Kind of like having a ladder. May never need it, but it's there if we do. If I'm on a river, vest stays on. Same with the kayak... too much risk to end up in the water, so the vest stays on.

That reminds me of a story on my wife --- which I will deny sharing if she asks... She was in a restaurant, and walked in on the end of a conversation about Dick's Sporting Goods. She pipes up, a little louder than intended, stating... and I quote, "I love Dick's!" Obviously referring to the store... The entire restaurant went dead quiet. She followed up, "Sporting Goods! Dick's Sporting Goods! Oh my gawd!" and shriveled. She now always uses the full name, lol.

No experience with Ice Fishermen personally, but locally - people catfishing are hands down the worst. I think, personally, it's because most of them are not even really there to fish, rather just drink and do whatever. They are not vested in the sport, or the environment, and end up ruining access for those who do enjoy it for what it is. There are a bunch of places locally, where one could go fish on private land, which the landowners just outright deny access anymore. I've spoken to a few and in each case it was because of destruction and litter. That's how it's done! They experienced a great time fishing - experienced a great time with family - and helped clean up the waters. 100% guaranteed the next time you guys go out, they will want to snag bottles. That's instilling value! Well done!

Just an FYI, unless it has changed, anyone can edit wikipedia. You used to just have to log in, then click the edit button. Formatting already exists, so one would only need to duplicate the formatting, and insert the info.

Depending on what the goal of your club is, and just how relaxed you guys want to be you could always do split days - or best of two day tournaments. It's potentially a lot more work and coordination - but if the club is open to being less strict and willing to work together you could try something like that. Not the best option, but it could be an option if things are definitely on the downward spiral. I think the success of something like that really depends on how good of friends people in the club are. People tend to be more willing and lenient for friends than foes after all... I wont get into the charter portion of it, but obviously there may need to be some ratification.

Ok, cool thanks. Anyone else who is a right hand cast and cranker, who also fly fishes? How do you handle things?

Great post, and what a reminder of just how quickly things can go wrong when everything looks perfectly fine and normal.

Do you fly fish? And if so, how do you approach that?