EmersonFish

I don't believe there is anything in the rules keeping women from fishing in professional tournaments. The reason you don't see them at the highest levels of FLW or BASS (Elite Tour) is because no woman has qualified for the "top level" yet. Plenty of women are fishing at the lower levels trying to make it there, and hopefully, one of them will break through soon. Back when there was a Women's Tour on the BASS side, there was an automatic qualifier from there into the 'Classic;' but the Women's Tour folded a few years back.

Well I'm glad you asked. It's something to consider. I'm still not 100% sure I'm fishing it. My broken foot isn't healing well, among other things. But if I do, I may as well win it. I assume my first call on the Monday after will be to my accountant for his advice.

I only use 'Terminator Super Stainless' spinnerbaits. The main reason I only use those is because I tried them many years ago, liked them, and for some reason bought more of them then I would need for half of a fishing career. I assume the Terminator SS baits they sell now have been redesigned. I wouldn't know. I skip the spinnerbait section at the tackle shop. One of these days, maybe 10 years from now, I'll try something else.

Geez gardnerjigman. You seem pretty confident about this 'Big Bass Bash' coming up. Asking specifically about $70,000.00? You must have the big ones at LOZ pretty well dialed in.

I cast baitcasters overhead, and from every other angle you can think of, depending on what I need to do. If there are trees in the way, or another fisherman in a small boat, or whatever; you still have to get the bait out there. You can't make a soft landing cast overhead, so if you need to do that, hopefully you can pitch the bait where you need it; but casting overhead isn't an issue. Just raise your launch angle a bit so you don't spank the water with your bait before you are ready and give yourself a mess to clean up. But you are correct; all things being equal, overhead casts are probably not most people's preferred method. As far as controlling an overhead cast, like I said, a higher launch angle, finish your cast with your tip a little higher than you might. Make sure you can feel the bait load in your "backswing" so to speak. If you don't need to make a full cast because the target is close, don't bother going overhead; pitch the bait where you need it.

Sweet video. Keep up the good fishing.

I like my regular St. Croix Avid, 7', Medium , Fast Action rod just fine for the uses you mentioned.

I know in golf, pros use some equipment that looks just like what we can buy off the rack, but the major equipment manufacturers can tweek every club and get everything dialed in just the way the pro wants it. They even have trailers at the tournaments where they can make adjustments. I don't know if bass fishing is quite at that level, but I've always assumed the top guys have access to people at the companies who can make sure they are very happy with what they are using. As far as baits go, I've pretty much assumed they used their sponsors stuff enough in tourneys to say they did, but otherwise used whatever it took to catch fish.

A lot depends on what kind of fisherman you are. If your "sensory perception," for lack of a better term, is good, and you are a somewhat skilled fisherman, you will enjoy the feeling of a higher quality rod. If you are the kind of guy who just ties something on and slings it around, and spends most of his time talking and doing 12 oz. curls, it probably won't make much difference. You are probably the kind of guy who would benefit from investing in a higher quality rod and seeing what you think. I assume that because you took the time to come here and ask the question. I will also point out that you will also want to invest in high quality line that is worthy of that high quality rod, so that you get the full benefit.

Never had a Veritas, but everyone seems to think they are a good rod for the money. I've had a few of the orange 'Carrot Stix Wild' rods. Broke one almost instantly on a hook-set. Sold another at a loss because I didn't like it and assumed it would break. However, I still have the Medium-Light casting rod. That cheap rod is probably garbage, but it's actually a sweet little finesse jig rod; so I'm just going to keep it around until it dies.

Welcome to the forum, and LMB fishing. I need to get into the stuff you were doing before. I have only dabbled in fly-fishing, and really enjoyed it, but am terrified of developing another expensive addiction.

Welcome. See you around the boards.

Welcome to the site. As far as that drop-off goes, I like the idea of a football head jig as well, as a means of learning what might be down there structure/cover wise, while still having an opportunity to catch fish. You might lose a few jigs in the process, but that's part of it. And that drop-off will likely give you access to fish throughout most of the year. See you around the boards.

You can catch fish with lower priced equipment. Over time, will higher quality equipment get a few more in the boat? Probably. If you are fishing competitively, that few more could mean a lot. If you are fishing recreationally, one of those few more could be the fish of a lifetime. I like having full confidence in my equipment. Some people wax nostalgic about wearing out one reel after another. Personally, that would drive me crazy; wondering when my equipment would fail. Most people who invest a GREAT deal of money (I'm talking big bucks) in fishing equipment do it as much for the enjoyment of owning something of such quality as they the actual performance of it. It's like a custom car. My boring Toyota Avalon will get me down the road just as well as my employer's Mercedes, but he enjoys his car, and he earned it. It's probably a little more comfortable than my car, and I'm sure it handles a little better... like a nice fishing rod, I guess. In any case, I'm a middle of the road guy. I like rock solid, reliable stuff. St. Croix Avid rods are not cheap, but they are not glamour rods by any means. I will likely be spending between $250 and $300 on a Drop Shot rod this Fall. Is that crazy to some people? I guess. But for that style of fishing, I need the confidence that my equipment is allowing to feel as much of what is happening as possible. Maybe I'll catch a few more fish this Fall. Those are expensive fish, but I deserve it.

You can probably find a decent boat to get you on the water for $1500, if you are not picky about how it looks, or expecting quality electronics and other extras. The problem is that $1500 boats are $1500 for a reason, and unless you are knowledgeable about outboard motors, and wiring, and things like that, you are going to be calling in a lot of favors. If you do buy an old used boat, consider what comes with it as well. I assume $1500 is a big investment for you? Well if some guy is selling his old boat because he is upgrading and he keeps his anchor, his oar, his spare tire, his battery and charger, his bearing grease gun, his fire extinguisher, and everything else not strapped down, you will find you have a long Christmas wish list before you have everything you need to get started. There is a lot to consider when buying a boat. I paid $3000 recently for a boat to use primarily as a catfish boat. I don't even want to think about how much I have in that boat now, but I know if I had it to do again, I would have spent more on the boat on the front side. I just couldn't wait any longer. I didn't want to waste another season without it. Then I broke my foot, and haven't been fishing much anyway.

You should be able to pitch a 3/8 oz. jig with your reel. If you have the spool tension down, and still are not getting the distance, there must be another problem, but it would be pure speculation for me to guess without seeing the equipment or you pitching. So let me commence speculating. Maybe there is something keeping the spool from spinning as freely as it should? Is the reel clean? Maybe you just need to practice the technique? I've seen guys who just lift the rod tip and expect the pendulum effect of the lure to propel it 30 feet. Maybe you are trying to pitch too far, and need to learn other ways to present your bait. When I am "pitching" I find, as targets are varying distances away, I am actually alternating between true pitches and little "roll casts" that allow me to keep the bait low but cast it further and still land it softly. I don't know what rod you use, but one problem I've seen with guys who are newer to pitching is that they buy what is billed as a "flippin' stick," which according to SOME rod manufacturers may as well say "broom handle." Flippin' Sticks are fine for flippin', but are not as good for pitching. You need a little more snappy tip action to propel the bait if you want any distance when you pitch, with that short stroke. Guys also tend to use line that is very heavy. This shouldn't matter with a 3/8 oz. bait, but the lighter the bait, the harder it gets to get accuracy and distance when you flip with heavy line. Lastly, I wouldn't buy a reel based on it having some kind of extra Flippin' feature. Maybe it's just me, but I never bother with those, and it's just more weight and potential mechanical problems on your reel. Buy a solid, higher speed reel that has a good reputation among fishermen. There are a ton of them to choose from.

You guys are right. I left out the 'X.' I edited it. Thanks.

I'm thinking this fall I'm going to treat myself to a fairly nice spinning rod. It will primarily be used for drop shot fishing, but it will used for other finesse techniques as well. I've already combed the boards, and have seen people rave about around 300 different rods. Two rods that intrigue me are: Megabass Orochi XX F3-611XXS and St. Croix Legend Tournament Bass TBC610MLXF This would likely be the only spinning rod in my primary arsenal for a while, so versatility is nice, but I'm comfortable using casting gear for fairly light applications, so this will be all about "finesse." I know I need to get my finesse game to the next level, and I've been coming around to light spinning tackle since I bought a cheaper setup earlier this year. So does anyone out there have actual experience with these two rods, and insight into which would be the way to go as I step my finesse game up? I know it's all opinion, but there are a lot of guys here who know equipment better than I ever will. I am familiar with St. Croix. I use Avid casting rods now. But a part of me wants to spice it up a bit. I know the Orochi XX is their "entry level" option, but it's Megabass. If it matters, I'll be primarily fishing the big Missouri lakes. A lot of clear, deep water; but we have a little of everything.

Is there a space or weight issue that makes adding another battery and running them in parallel (don't run them in series) a problem? A good battery (and some jumper wires) is a relatively minor financial investment for the peace of mind (assuming this will eliminate the issue, which it may not). Also, I assume you are using smaller cooling packs in the livewell because of space issues as well?

I move my foot pedal around a lot, but I suppose if I had a recessed one, I'd get use to it. I definitely need more time in the front seat before I'm ready for primetime. Mostly I've fished with my dad, in buddy tourneys and recreationally, and he's the boss. He don't like to let me up there, and boat control is my biggest weakness by a country mile. But that's for another thread. My catfish/bass combo boat I've been fishing out of lately has the basic Powerdrive V2 with the low profile foot pedal, which eliminates the need to recess it. I needed something I could use to control my drift while fishing out of the back of the boat, so I went with electric steer. In any case, I hate that thing for bass fishing. It is LOUD, and it's hard to turn and propel at the same time. It's fine for steering the boat a little in a drift, but it tight cover, I can't stand it.

The link to the blog mentioned here didn't work for me, but I read some of the discussion. It's funny. While I was fishing yesterday, I was thinking about this. I plan on fishing some tournaments next year. I have no sponsors, and probably never will, but there are charitable organizations I wouldn't mind endorsing, and was thinking about having a jersey made for that purpose. It was just a random thought that will probably go nowhere. I know most of the people I see with the shirts, decals on their cars, etc..., are sending a message to people about their lifestyle. Kind of like wearing a concert T-shirt, or something with the logo of your favorite team. You want people to know something about you. I'm a bass fisherman! I like the Ramones! I'm a Cardinals fan! Where it gets goofy is when people start slapping all kinds of logos on their boats, or wearing jerseys with logos, and paying for the privilege to do that. Everyone knows you are a fisherman. Let those who have agreements with the company do that. What should the bar be? Free stuff? A discount? Financial compensation? That depends on the level of the fisherman. But if guys start selling themselves short, it impacts everyone in the business. I know tournament fishing isn't cheap, but you are a brand as well, and you have to manage that, if you get to that point in your career. I try not to wear anything with obnoxious logos on it, anywhere. Not just fishing. That's a personal preference. I find it tacky. Obviously my shoes have logos, my shirts will often have a small logo, my jeans have a logo. That's all hard to avoid. But I don't begrudge the guy with the Castrol hat and the Berkley shirt. They were probably free, and if he likes them, why should he care what I think.

My STRATEGY/TECHNIQUES have evolved through observation/study of various resources (television shows, videos, magazines, forums like this, books, other fishermen, etc...), combined with my spin how doing those things have worked best for me. I'm pretty sure I haven't invented anything, when it comes to fishing. I'm also pretty sure some of the things I do with confidence are not necessarily "by the book" so to speak. Other things are somewhat self taught. For instance, I just bought a baitcaster one day years ago (a lefty because I didn't think the righty made sense), spooled it, and started using it until I figured it out. To this day, I've never sought out information on "how to use a baitcaster." I basically intuitively taught myself every type of cast necessary to present my bait the way I needed to. Ironocally, I'm now at a point where I find myself looking for advice on how to manage spinning tackle better, as I'm just now getting back into using that gear for certain finesse presentations, which is long overdue.

A nice, heavy, tailspinner is a useful little lure that doesn't get talked about much these days.

I've considered fishing as a co-angler for years, and the more I read articles and forums about it, the more anxiety I get about actually doing it. If I ever did it, I'd be afraid to bring a reasonable amount of tackle with me, not offer $1000 for gas and boat maintenance, speak at all during the entire tournament (let alone discuss fishing), touch anything in the boat, try and retrieve a lure if got hung up, catch a fish that was bigger than the boater, or generally do anything enjoyable. This is why I'm trying to get my boat squared away and looking at tournaments I can fish by myself.

If it's the same fish, you only get half credit. That's the rules. Sorry. I'm just kidding. Great fish. Great pics as well. I need to get a measuring board like that one. Looks like a great board for taking pics that accurately show the length while keeping the fish relatively calm and comfortable.