Ohio Dave

welcome fellow buckeye. Practice with the reel and make sure that you catch some videos on proper set up with it. I really struggled with the first reel I bought (it was just plain a junker from one of those big box places) Just like with spinning reels you generally get what you pay for These guys have helped me a ton and its a fun place to check in with!

Ohio has been the definition of a mixed bag of weather. I had to literally mow my yard in the snow Saturday. Temps bounce up and down and more rain is in our forecast. Aside from the obvious of moving what might you all look to as a strategy. water temp has never topped the 50's even on the warmest stretch. Bassing has likewise heated up only to turn back to ice. My approach has been lipless cranks and jigs. Jigs have been the only producer to date for me. any Suggestions on I might have better results with: especially on the colder stretches

The easy solution is to look at the FLW for help. They have a program for high school teams and have done some good work in helping states jump into high school bass fishing as a varsity sport. If you are or need to go without a group like the FLW then I would treat it just like any other club. Have a mission, organize meetings that forward that mission, and delegate work so no one person has to do it all. Dave Bowers Bellevue High School Bass Club advisor

Just got off the phone with the owner of Sebert jigs (also a sponsor here) He put a nice jig package together for me to give away as a prize in our fishing club. Very helpful recommending sizes and colors. I am really impressed with the customer service!

thanks guys: do you all through cranks on mono too? I wondered if the softer rod would let me stay with florocarbon (which keeps my life simpler) or if the soft rod still really works better with a traditional mono line ???

Here in ohio there aren't that many places that I would look to a crankbait deeper than about 10 feet. Fish in the Marinas and bays maybe that 10' mark. the above ground reservoirs I think I would be on a jig for deeper fish Am I crazy??

I don't want to start any sort of shouting match as I know these topics are sensitive to some folks. As i shop for a new crankbait rod (first time I am getting a rod specific for that task) I know that some of this will simply be personal preference, some differences are a matter of the quality of the components, etc. I think what I am really asking is what are the qualities that I should look for in a good quality crank bait rod and what will I lose out on by not going to higher end quality.

Mark did not do anything personally at the Detroit show: I certainly would not mind meeting him or at the very least hearing him give a talk on local bass fishing. I was just being whiny about how hard it is to actually see him in person. Having him in on Thursday, and for only one time slot: it bummed me out a bit. The Toledo Bass Pro did the same thing a few years back: he was only in for just one time slot and it was not very easy for most guys to make. They don't bring anyone in now at that store: they just make the guys in the department do the talks.

I think it would be Bill Dance: I grew up watching him on TV and really fell in love with the sport because of him. I love that he puts all of those crazy bloopers of himself out ever so often. A lot of guys could really teach me a ton about fishing but few can tell a story like Dance. Jerry M would be in the top five as well. My first thought actually went to Mark Zona but I don't know what to make of his appearances like at the Detroit fishing show. One night only and one time only..... I have never met any of these guys so its really a crap shoot as to who would be the most fun to spend a day on the water with

that is huge: stock up on the tp and cocopuffs. Looks like the beast will not push to Ohio though. I would bet on it sliding and staying north in Canada

great work young man, I won't tap on the nail already driven home pretty good: they speak the truth though. As a coach; I want you to enjoy the finish but also to take careful notes about what did and did not work for you and well as what you can take away from the winning patterns. Those notes are our version of Saturday morning football films. I manage to learn a little something every time I fish with someone and every solo trip. keep the mind and notebook open and ready.

Heard many good things about New London Res. Might try to sneak over yet this fall myself if my surgery recovery goes a little better. great idea about pairing by ability. A nice trend I have noticed is that the better the kid is the more likely they are to share what they know. Being paired up with someone better than you is always my wish. Although, as you teach, you realize that there is so much more to learn at the level you are at. I have learned so much more teaching my science subjects than I ever did as a student.

Thanks a bunch Felix I do have a boat just not one that is safe on Erie. Its one of those 10' plastic jobs but is a load of fun to fish with on smaller water. Sadly there is only room for one other person though so its hard to get guys out on the water and work with them as I could from a bass boat. I have a pretty decent background in bass fishing and really do enjoy the sport. Some of my students only fish for cats or pan fish etc and that is perfectly fine with the club too. For students who just want to have fun and have zero interest in making a team and competing: my mission is to support those students by providing more knowledge and fishing partners.

just got to push it north now!! I think too many guys see the shows that are largely southern based and don't realize that there is great bass fishing in their back yards.

The reservoirs around Bellevue are good as are a few lakes in the area. We don't have a way to fish Erie which is amazingly sad as its one of the very best bass lakes in the world not owning a bass boat myself makes it really tough for the kids to get out on the water rather than just shore. But if you can catch bass from shore day in and out then when you finally have a chance to be in a boat its that much more fun. I really appreciate all who have take time to share their thoughts. A panic box or confidence box is a fun conversation regardless of experience. Now we got to get more states off the snide and make competitive bass fishing an official high school sport. It would be a heck of a lot less head aches in terms of getting and keeping a couple boats for the students to be able to fish on as school representatives.. The FLW does hold a High School Championship for Ohio but its not sanctioned and really should be up on the big lake anyway not the Ohio River where no students north of Columbus ever get to fish that far south.