TriCityBassin'

1st Strike 2nd Strike 3rd jump My stuff gets a LOT of eyes on it. As such I keep it old school and don't share locations. Sorry, I hope you can understand.

Yep, got the whole thing on multiple gopro! There were 3 of us fishing. It hit a Choppo 3 times and waked on the 1st! Got all three hits plus the jump immediately after the hookup! That is a gopro, I mount them into the brim of my hat so I can fish as normal and don't have hands in my shots like you would if it was a chest mount.

I have to chime in on this one LOL. Assuming no maps, no electronics, no phone. Look at your vegitation on the bank. Different vegetation types will help you. more Pine trees generally denotes the area being sandier. Sandier will facilitate better spawning habitat for bream, bass, etc. Gum trees in my area (Va) grow in boggy wet bottoms or lower areas. If these are on the banks that area is more likely to be shallower close to the bank with a soft bottom. Learn to read the vegetation in the water. Thinner areas within an area of vegetation may mean a depth change and that area is deeper. using this method in lilly pad fields help to identify deeper gullies used by beavers or where the old creek or spring is. This works the same in Hydrilla but not as well since it can grow so deep. Vegetation type is also a big thing. Reeds, cattails, hydrilla, lilly pads, etc. all have a preferred bottom substrate. Lilly pads love mud/muck, Hydrilla likes everthing, Cattails like mud as well. I am not super versed on this but the oracle would have that information. Look for different colors in the vegetation or a change in type/mixed types. When reading the topography look for features on the bank, they extend into the water. If you see something (rock, point, etc) extended into the water, look across the lake for a matching feature. If you see it, you just found a saddle or structure element that extends the distance between them. that is all I have right now. I fish a lot with my electronics off on purpose. Keeping the old skills is important.

I have to re size these, sorry if they look wierd.

So close to a VA citation Smallmouth!

Agree on build. Not concerned about the whine. Used Curado DC are hard to find...probably says something about build quality. I was trying to be cheaper, that $200 is the lowest I've seen on the Curado. I found a pawn shop that had one for 175...but then they wanted 15 to ship it. thanks for the input, I will keep looking and seeing if i can squeeze my budget.

HGN, Hagane is cold forged gears and frame that is super rigid and tight. It's a feature on the better Shimano reels. thanks for the insight, I had no idea those reels were bad. That is prob why so many available. Do you know the specific problems?

I want a Shimano DC reel for myself (and mainly for my son to use). I am looking at the SLX DC ($190) or a used 2011 Shimano Scorpion DC7 ($165). Considering that Shimano had to cut cost somewhere on the SLX Models...I've used them and they are good. I know the Scorpion is solid with great bearings, etc but its old and doesn't have the HGN body. I guess part of me just doesn't want the SLX Model but can't afford a new Curado DC LOL. What do you guys think.

No, never been to that site! Thanks I have a shallow spool on a jdm reel that has the same (looks like) frame as the caenan, casitas. But the casts are unstoppable. 4 red brake weights. I'll put a picture up later. This gave me the idea.

Great!!! Has anyone swapped a BFS or MGL spool into a curado or citica? The lower end and really high end Shimanos have that option in JDM.

Can we talk about reel mods here or does it belong somewhere else?

I have several casitas. They do flex with the load from a heavy stick, wad of hydrilla and a fish. I switched punching and frogging to a citica. For me cost is a concern. The older citica g7 cam be had on Ebay for good prices.

oooooo....that is so obvious. face=palm

"Tinker Bell" Fairy wands are powerful

Central Virginia ain't no better! all the creeks and rivers are raging. stops raining today but blows +30. Starts raining again tomorrow. I have no idea how to adjust. Since the winter of 2017-2018 the amount of rain we have gotten is un heard of. I didn't even fish for a spotted bass last year and only for smallies 1/2 times. The trees started budding 2 weeks ago, birds started returning and I have not been on the water in 15 days because of rain. I'm starting to feel like I am going to miss my big fish window AGAIN for the 2nd year in a row.

Here is my comment. I grew up in the inner city of Richmond VA. Concrete has no fish even though the james river was 10 minutes away, it was not "accessible". I would suggest that anyone who is interested in continuing our sport set up events that get children who do not have access and are probably (Like I was) children of single parents or parents who can do nothing other than work on the water. It can be bank fishing or even just creek exploration. My perspective is very different than most fisherman I know. Most grew up in rural areas with easy access or ponds. I don't really think this is a perspective most people have considered. We focus on the kids in our life/family. We need to light the match for 20 kids, not just 2/3. Just my 2 cents, good post.

My research says that I am gonna need to use a 6-7/0 hook. Crimping the rubber core weight would be a good option. The lakes I am fishing are flooded timber lakes. NO WAY I am using a non weedless option.

Omgosh! I just watched Trash fish's product video. The bait is an unscrupulous copy! Down to the way he talked about modding the tail. Wow, i had no idea.

Could i use an owner beast hook and a tungsten bullet weight? How would a bait like this swim behind a bullet weight? And this finesse fisherman can't drop $15 on two trash fish. But these are at my ollies closeout store for $1.99. It is a shameless copy tho. ?

You know...i wondered that after I saw tactical bassins video! Thanks! I am trying to crawl it on the bottom. I want to fish it along break lines and down points. My lakes are grassy and have A LOT of wooded cover. Jig heads are not an option. 1/4oz is not gonna maintain bottom contact.

Ok, this may not be big to some of you but i have a question about the 5.5" beekley havoc swimmer that was designed by skeet reese. I can't find anything on what hook to use. I am guessing a 6/0. Too big? And why are weedless hooks so light! Someone needs to custom make a 1/2oz 5 or 6/0 ewg with an owner centering pin!?

The reason I know they are in this lake is because I caught one ON A BRIDGE fishing a suspending jerk!!! spot on!!!! Thank you so much everyone. You reinforced what i was already thinking and taught me a few totally new things. As soon as I fix this pesky head gasket I'm breaing my PB. Not sure which strain we have in VA...but they are commonly 3lbs in this lake and another river. Def bigger than 1.5 but never seen one over 3.5. But who cares...they are Gorgeous and fight HARD!

This is a GREAT post! ^^^^^ I Agree completely...with All of it. I am looking/hoping/praying to get my hands on a Sony A6300 with a kit lens and a 20 something mm. Even zooming in post won't work the GoPro because of the low megapixel. But, it would really require another person to assist with that type of filming. I am not really ok with trusting someone else to handle nearly $1k of camera gear. Batteries don't last long enough to just leave it running and the cameras suffer from overheating. So I guess there is a trade off to all of it. And the dividing line of who can be creative enough with all the tools.