Choporoz

First trip out last spring was on a trolling-motor-only lake. Worked the far end of the lake all day. Wind started to pick up around 2PM and I was at least a mile down-wind from launch. Swapped out batteries for last hour or two and the ride back, and nothing. Somehow, I'd only charged one of the two. I got blown up on shore and not enough juice to even get off the sand. Was lucky a couple of kind strangers happened by who had a full spare battery on board, loaned it to me, and I followed them in and thanked them profusely. Not the first time I ran out of juice, but the first time that rowing/paddling wasn't going to be an option and I was sure I'd be hiking through the woods.

If I'm listening to music, it isn't mine and I'm none too happy about it. Actually I'm quite amazed at how many here do listen to music while fishing. I have never once thought about listening to music while fishing. But, I'm even more amazed (and dismayed) by those that think its perfectly ok to inflict their music on others. On a lake....or anywhere else.....wow.

Unfortunately, it is going to be very easy to get overwhelmed by the info quite quickly. To address just the Walmart question, I'll tell you that a couple of weeks ago I was out of state for a week without any of my gear, but lots of opportunity for shore bass fishing. I went to Walmart and spent about $90 on a decent enough Mitchell spinning combo, line, plastics kit, jig, hooks, weights, jig heads, spinnerbait, $8 backback, nail clippers and the only other thing I needed was a $10 temp non-resident license. I caught bass all week and the combo should hold up fine for a couple/few seasons in regular rotation.

Nice fish!! I imagine if I'd caught that, she'd be a solid 8 when I described her.

Great video. Thank you. Educational. And entertaining. I learned something valuable. The ducks and spitting were a bonus! still lol

Ok....been nearly a month now and I still have no idea what folks are talking about much of the time. Am I missing a sticky-post with acronyms or translations somewhere? Or do I just hope it will come with time?

I've only been on the forum for a couple of weeks, but from all the info I've been drowning in, I'd say you're missing about 60 categories/sub-categories

I like the above answers. Spoons and/or inline spinners. Daredevils are great. Johnson silver minnow with pork trailer. Nice heavy inline with some bright bucktail. Consider using a wire leader.

For about three weeks last summer (June/July, I think), along the banks/beaches/piers of Gunston Cove, the bass were slamming big swim baits when little else was working.

Planning to hit it on Saturday. Excited. First time out since November....been going nuts!

What would that be? Someone 'preparing' for a tournament?

I spent last week in Havelock, NC for work. I hit the ponds on the base every day. Far and away the best presentation, no matter the time of day or the depth or anything else, was a green finesse/shaky worm with no weight at all. Tough to cast very far, but that slow fall killed 'em. I also did OK with 4 in. Senkos (no weight), but mostly went to those when I felt I needed the casting distance more than the perfect drop. (For no apparent reason, purple was hot one afternoon, but watermelon the rest of the time.)

fieldsupply.com has Colemans on sale today at good prices. I haven't tried them yet, but ordered a pair for $17 shipped - just based on reviews I've found.

I'm super cheap myself and REALLY wanted to love Stick-O's and Cabela's. I don't. Maybe just a mental/confidence thing, but I will swear that I get better than twice the action on Senkos than on either of the two mentioned. I hate that...but can't deny it.

I haven't done it myself yet, but I read a pro saying he changes out the trebles to next bigger size for extra depth. Sounds like it should work unless the bait's engineered action has so little tolerance for the changed weight/displacement.

I keep opening this thread just because I love the title. I'm getting in the line of those that want help too! lol

Thanks for the warm welcome, all. Itching to get back on the water

I've got one (6W, I think) and badly wanted it to work for same reason as OP. I tested once in the backyard on a (mostly?) drained battery for one week with no noticeable increase in charge. Not very scientific, but I was disappointed and haven't taken it out since.

I'm Dave - from Woodbridge, VA. Largemouth fisherman, frequenting those rez up here that rent boats: Occoquan, Hunting Run, Brittle, Lunga, especially -- and a couple of times out of Pohick Park (but their hours are pretty limiting.) I'm currently in the market for a boat (and a place to park it since I live in a town house and front lawn isn't an option, according to my HOA.) I try to get out on Occoquan or Hunting Run most weekends -- those I don't, I'm usually down in Williamsburg area on one of the Cheatham Annex ponds. I also spend a fair amount of time on the banks of the Potomac - mostly Gunston Cove: Belvoir, Pohick, esp. Hopefully, Lunga will open back up this year, too. Looks to be a large active VA contingent in here. I'm looking forward to this community.