gulfcaptain

when you walk into a BPS to pick up 2 packs of plastics and some weights and when you get your total it's over $600.00. But I did justify to myself that I did need everything I picked up. I mean that reel was 40% off so had to get it and since I got a new reel I need a new rod to go with it.

Look at carrying a pond thermometer with you during the fall, winter and spring, those few degrees can make a dfference or could have a temp drop and not even realize it. I would look into fishing topwater later in the afternoon and not so much early as the evenings can cool the surface temps so warm sunny afternoons may be better. Spinnerbaits, rattle-traps and bladed jigs are a good tool to search for fish and may work better for you locating feeding fall fish.

What's your water temp? Topwaters can be good, but all depends on temp and forage base as well.

you mean a 2 bait combo? You could fish say a blade bait or swimjig, or a swmbait (hollow body 4") as your primary search bait, and a missed strike quickly follow it up with a swimming senko. I tend to use an A-rig as a search bait (from shore) and if I miss a fish or get a couple hits without hooking them, quickly follow up with a dropshot and a 3 1/2" swing impact or live impact.

I think preparing your tackle for each trip isn't a waste of time either. I tend to find I enjoy that hour or more preparing and going over what I am going to fish and rigging ALL those rods up.....sometimes I change my mind and swap out a rig last minute(which was rigged as well) to take with me. Also lets me look over my rods and make sure there is no damage to them and the reel is workig properly, if not having extras gives me the ability to swap out and not loose a set up because I only had a few. Do I need 2 flipping/pitching rods...probably not, but both have different actions and I can change on the fly without re-tying which in a tournament that 2 min could be the difference in catching a fish and making a payday or 2min wasted. Look at Major League Fishing 2 min time out rule. Those pro's don't want to sit for 2 min, they want to get their baits back out in the water and fish. I guess the hours we all fish is wasted as well, I mean I could be working, but I'd rather be fishing.

Well if you read my response in the M post, the MH rod has different applications. But that doesn't mean I change line weight. My Med action rods are softer and lend themselves to reation baits where the MH rod I use more fishing plastics or baits I'm going to try and rip through grass as well as open water frog fishing and buzzbaits(both straight braid 20-30lb) and also use it for swimjigs, so all are still running braid 20-30lb with topshots of mono or fc between 10-15lb.

When I'm home I have a minimum of 5 combo's in my car at all times (except when I have to pick up my youngest since I have to put a car seat in). All together, umm well I think I'm up to 15 I think, but I did see 3 other rods and reels I'd like to aquire this winter. And there's one I want now, but won't be back in stock till the beginning of Dec. Oh and then there is another spinning rod set up I want to get.....and yes I do fish them all sooner or later.

I know Paris had spots at one time, wasn't aware there were spots in DVL. I know they have some SM, which the one you caught is a nice one. Yes it is amazing how low all the lakes are, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that this winter we will end up with a lot of rain.....almost every time after a strong El Nino S. Cal gets hammered with lots of rain. I take pictures of the lakes when they are low like they are now, gives you a great reference when the lakes rise to what's below you.

Fat Ikas, Senkos, Chatterbaits, and dropshot are probably the most productive when it come to what I see people using and fishing. I started back into bass fishing 4 years ago and dropshotted 98% of the time. Then went to wakebaits and shallow cranks the other 2%. Now, I fish mutiple lures and techniques. S.Cal is a tough place to fish especially if you're fishing the city parks. Summer when the weeds get up a frog is a good bet. So here is what I would start with. 4" Fat Ika's 4-5" Senkos 2- Chatterbaits (one white, one green pumpkin) couple squarebill cranks 3 1/2-4" jerkbaits 4 1/2" roboworms (dropshot) couple rattletrap style baits. I'd fish your football jigs with a paca chunk (3") Send me a personal message about where you fish and if I've fished there before I may be able to give you a bit more info. Do a lot of city park fishing in the OC/LA area.

I work on the water and have more respect for it then a lot of "weekend warriors". Not saying that all do not respect the water, but I have friends that take a 16ft center console 20+miles out off of S. Cal. I've been in his boat and honestly he doesn't have enought boat to fish when the wind kicks up and it's 2-3ft chop. No free board, more of a flats boat. My son wants me to get a boat and as much as I would love a bass boat, the safety of my boys and myself I would rather have a 17-19ft deep V Muti-speicies rig aluminum boat that can take a bit more weather. And I would only be wanting to fish near shore and in the harbor (less then 3mi out). And speed is a nice thing to have, but when it's rough you don't have the speed, and in a bass boat as you're taking waves constantly over the bow sitting in a pool of water running 6knots because you get caught with your pants down, wondering if you're going to make it back to shore safely, ask yourself that when you are choosing your boat for the body of water you're going to fish. The Great Lakes are freshwater, but I would refer to them as INLAND SEAS. I'd rather be overgunned and over prepared then undergunned, not to mention you get caught out in a bass boat in heavy weather, you may make it back in but may have structual damage to your boat that will lead to costly repairs. Guess I'm trying to say is make safety the most important part of your desicion when you decide to buy your boat.

first off, I'd ask where you're fishing (lakes/rivers/ponds), then where you're located regionally to get a better idea.

No problem, asking questions on here gives you answers from several people, mind it they may be different and be debated but that's what these forums are for.

Um heat is the enemy of mono, so if you boil it you weaken the line. Mono has memory, when it sets in it's time to change it. $12.00 for 1000 yards, so it runs you about a $1.20 per refill if that depending on how much you take off. And you need to have the line come off the spool and go on the reel the same way or it will not lay right. If you fish from a boat you can also let it out and drag it behind the boat (without anything on it). This will straighten it out as well as let you repack it onto the reel. Mono is cheap, keep it fresh because you never know when that fish of a lifetime is going to bite and the only thing between the two of you is that line.....is a $1.20 worth the risk of what may be the biggest bass you have ever caught?

Wow how this topic has turned...never new bass had exhaust ports.....must be the upgraded model. Bet the duel exhaust bass are really fast swimmers.

I purchased one of these, it's got a pronounced side to side wobble, so not real suttle like to original floater. So as far as my opinion on it, it gives you a slinder wake bait but the same pronounced side to side wobble.

Ordered two of them from Persuader for just that reason. Watched bass at some of the ponds I fish pick them cute balls of fluff off. They want nothing to do with anything else and are commited to the ducklings just like they do when they stock trout. They sit about 15ft off the bank facing the few spots the ducklings can get in and out of and wait patiently. Then a boil, and no more baby duck, just the mother duck upset looking for her baby. Nature is cruel but awesome. I Can't wait to fish the Persuader baby duckling next spring and see what happens.

The older Accurists are great, have 2 of them in both gear ratio's as well as 2 Kinetics. Honestly, my opinion on BPS reels, the PQ is a nice reel, but I prefer the Carbonlites (all were purchased on sale when they dropped to $99). I have 4 of them. And the *** is about the $180 price, purchased the C for $210 (on sale) and honestly there really isn't much difference between them. Purchase almost all my reels on sale or save up and then get them. I am a firm believer it isn't the price of the tackle you use that catches the fish, it's the fisherman. For 2 years I fished a H20 rod and reel (reel was $79 and the rod 60) and still use them. Had no problem outfishing my friends with their higher dollar Shimano's, Diawa's, Fenwicks, etc....

I was a Diawa, BPS, and Quantum fisherman, then tried 13's concepts this summer and they have blown away the others.

Well all my baitcasters are spooled with either 15, 20, or 30lb power pro or 832. From there it's a matter of what I'm fishing, then adjusting and either putting a topshot of mono (10-14lb) or FC (10 or 12). The med action rods I fish I throw cranks, topwaters, blade, buzz, and spinnerbaits.

Tom, you pobably have forgotten more then I will ever know. As someone else stated, it's always an eye opener when you post as you bring lots of knowledge and facts as well as some of the history in the bass fishing world lots of us never even new about. Thank you.

#1....what am I going to use it for. #2....what gear ratio do I want #3.....what is the wieght of the reel #4.....Drag #5.....cost #6.....brand (as long as it doesn't say Shimano, Lews, or Abu) j/k these are great products, just don't prefer not to fish them.

If it doesn't feel right, I swing. Like most say, "swings are free". Fishing and punching grass, line watching, weight of the lure, and even the occasional tap let me know. But I think 95% of the fish I caught this year fishing grass I never felt a tap just a change in weight or the line just twitched. I do love the few bites where they tried to rip the rod out of my hand as they swim off with my jig. So I may swing often, but hey odds are if it doesn't feel right then it's probably a bite.

I'm with Catt, 15-20yrds is a good range for pitching. It's about accuracy and the amount of targets, not the distance. I don't know many places I'm going to pitch a bait 45+feet away. That distance your accuracy isn't going to be as good with a pitch opposed to a softer role cast.

yes, that would work and Big Game isn't bad mono either. Caught A LOT of fish on that line both in fresh and salt.

I used to talk to myself, now I have just come to terms and agree with the voices in my head. Much easer then arguing with myself on which rod, reel, or bait to buy.