toddwchandler

Thank you! What about rod length? 6'6 or 7'?

I have always enjoyed fishing top water with poppers and buzzbaits, but never felt like I have had the exact right setup for it. A couple of days ago, I also decided to jump in on the Whopper Plopper craze and picked up a couple of them at Dick's Sporting Goods. I've got some spooks in the tackle box that I use on occasion as well. If you were going to purchase a rod and reel combo just for throwing top water, what would you choose. I'm not really looking for specific brands, but more along the lines of baitcaster vs spinning, rod length/power/action, and reel gear ratio (if baitcaster) or reel size (if spinning). If you have time, I'd also like to know why you would choose what you are suggesting so that I can be better educated. Finally, from what I've been able to read, most folks prefer mono for top water applications. Do you all find this to be true for your situation?

When I read about lure color selection, I often see the phrase "Match the hatch" used. This may sound like a dumb question, but how do I know what the "hatch" is? I see small bait fish jumping around from time to time and sometimes see small fish scurrying around near the bank. That being said, I have no idea what color they are or what they are. I know that on bigger bodies of water, you can do some reading and learn what bait fish are in that particular lake. The problem for me is that I am fishing a decent size neighborhood lake/pond that is not publicly accessible, so there isn't a lot of info to be had. Do I need to try to net some of these little fish to get a look at them?

I am fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood with access to about a 50 acre lake/pond that sits just beyond my property line. I can take a short walk and be fishing in minutes. I will often walk down there after work and fish for a little while and sometimes go for several hours on the weekends. I have lived in this house for 17 years, but only really started fishing regularly within the last 3-4 years. I have one of the Pelican Bass Raider boats that I can take out on the water with a trolling motor. I have no electronics on the boat at this time. There will be days when I go down there to fish and don't get a single bite. Other days, I'll have some luck and catch a few. I think what is bothering me is that when I do catch some, I have no idea why. It seems to just be dumb luck. It is not like I had a particularly great strategy going in. This year, I would really like to eliminate the days of going down there and getting skunked as much as possible. I'd like to be very intentional with my approach and have a plan. While I enjoy just being outside, we all know it is more fun when you are catching fish. I realize that there will be those days when nothing seems to work. Given that I don't have any electronics to help me determine the contours of the bottom of the lake, the depth of the lake, or where the fish are, could you all offer any advice to me regarding how to devise a solid strategy and put more fish on the hook? What are some strategies that would help me best learn the lake, find the fish, and know what lures are most appropriate to use at a given time? If it were you and you walked down there after work on an early spring day, how would you approach it? I do plenty of reading and watching videos on this great website, but sometimes it seems to be information overload. Thanks in advance guys!

I wanted to get some opinions on the best rod/reel/line combo for walking top water lures like the Zara Spook and the Bill Lewis Stutter Step. I am looking to know rod length and strength, reel gear ratio (and spinning vs bait caster), and type and weight of line. I know this is a lot for one post but I really am trying to learn the whats and whys. If you have time to kind of explain why you answered like you did on these, I sure would appreciate it so that I can learn.

Dick's has a good sale this week on some of their Abu Garcia spinning combos and I was thinking of picking one up. I am debating between the 6'6 or 7'0 rod. Would you guys mind giving me the pros and cons of one over the other? Also, for the sake of clarity, generally these spinning setups are used for soft plastics t-rigged, c-rigged, and weightless and for drop shutting, correct? Any other applications for this setup that I am overlooking?

I really like The Bass Pros. I feel like I learn something every time I watch and I don't feel like they are pitching product.

I picked up a couple of KVD 8.0 Squarebill cranks yesterday. They weight 3/4oz. I am wondering if I'll be OK tossing these with my 7' Abu Garcia Veritas Medium rod. That's what I normally use for my cranking rod and I'm just curious if it'll hold up with the bigger crankbait. Thoughts?

I tried it last year with some success. I actually rigged up some Zoom lizards on it last spring and had some pretty good success.

Thanks for all of the great advice! I am using an Abu Garcia Silvermax reel on a Veritas 7' rod. I think that one of the main things I am seeing that I am doing wrong is not "thumbing" the line as it goes out. I was under the impression for some reason that I should let the line spool off freely and then gently brake it with my thumb prior to the lure hitting the water. I was not aware that I needed to have some contact with the line the entire time. Also, I think that my release angle is messed up. I think I am waiting too long to lift my thumb and let line spool off, resulting in the lure crashing hard into the water and backlashing. I'll get back out in the yard and practice more. Thanks for all of the great advice!

I picked up my first bait casting setup towards the end of last season. I got to where I could cast my lures side armed without too much trouble. The issue that I am having is that every time I try to do an overhead cast, I get nasty backlash. I have not had a Baitcaster long enough to have figured out the tricks to clearing a backlash. I have watched the videos on YouTube, but for some reason I can never clear my backlashes like the guys in the videos. This leads to me having to cut line, eat up a bunch of time, and generally getting ticked off. Anyway, I digress. So my main question is, what is wrong with my technique that is causing backlash on every overhead cast? My secondary question is, does anybody have a tried and true method of clearing backlash that will not make me want to throw things and cuss?

I just really started fishing as an adult a couple of years back and am so glad I did. I started out with a couple of the $25 Bass Pro Shops spinning combos and they served me relatively well. Last year I wanted to invest in a setup for crankbait fishing. I posted on these forums and get some really good feedback regarding the proper setup for both the rod and the reel. I settled on an Abu Garcia Veritas rod and one of their Silvermax reels. I know there are better out there, but it fell in line with my budget. I have been very pleased. My question is this, I see many experienced fishermen who have special setups for multiple situations. For example, there are guys that have setups for frogging, for worm fishing, etc. For someone relatively new to fishing, the amount of combinations is kind of staggering. Would you guys mind sharing some of your rod and reel setups and what special purpose you use them for? I think I can gain a great deal of education on the topic by hearing what some of you experienced anglers take with you when you fish and what you use it for. Thank in advance for the feedback!

No, it is not a shaky head. Look at this: http://northgeorgiaoutdoor.weebly.com/fishing-products-blog/product-review-yank-um-shakin-shad Made for swim baits basically. They were using the Castaic Giant Jerky J on the show.

I was watching Bass Dr. on The Outdoor Channel and they were fishing with the jig heads called the Yank-Um Shakin' Shad. I can't find where to buy these things. Anybody have an idea?

I started back fishing pretty seriously about a year and a half ago. I have bought a lot of lures and subscribed to both LTB and MTB for a few months. I had been carrying every lure I had with me for quite a while, but now it is just to much. How do I decide on any given trip what to take with me? I am fortunate to have a 50 acre lake in the neighborhood, so I get to fish often and am close to the house. I just don't want to get out there and wish I had something I did not bring.

I like the Rebel Pop-R and the Cavitron buzzbait

OK, so last question. What is the most common rod length for these kinds of setups?

So are these set ups used for lipless cranks too, or is something else needed for that? Also, what weight and type of line are typically used in these set ups?

I have seen the term cranking rod used a fair amount lately but have no idea what it really means. Obviously, based on the name, I assume it is a special setup just for crank baits. What are the characteristics of this setup? Is it a certain length or strength of rod? A specific kind of reel? Or some combination of both? Also, are cranking setups generally bait casters or spinning? Could someone please enlighten me?

So I went back out tonight to the same general area. After I had been out there a little while, I noticed something kind of shiny right up against the bank about three feet from where I was spending. I bend down to get a closer look and lo and behold, it was my Livingston lure that had come untied last night. Happy to get that one back!

I usually don't suck this bad. Just a terribly off day.

After a long day at work today I was excited to get home and get a little fishing in. Well, I proceeded to hang my Hedon Spook in a tree, then hung my Booyah Buzz in a different tree, and finally flung my Livingston jerk bait about 30 yards after apparently not tying it on good. So I lose $15 to $25 in lures and get skunked. Should have stayed in the house tonight.

A 5/0 is really big in my opinion. Take that for what it is worth though. You will hear all kinds of opinions on hook size on these boards. For me, where I fish and the way I fish, I have found 3/0 to be the sweet spot for me fishing Senkos.

As far as Senkos, I Texas Rig them weightless an a Gamakatsu 3/0 EWG hook. I will also wacky rig them.

The Rat L Trap is one of my go to lures. I love those lures. I use a spinning rod with braid and a flouro leader. You can cast it a mile and it catches fish. Just vary your retrieve until you figure out what works.