Dschouest42

Ive heard such great things about fishing flukes. But I never seem to be able to cast them well. Any tips for better casting distance for a weightless fluke? And when are the best times to use one?

I'm just wondering if there's any other folks from these parishes around here who could help a newer bass angler. I have a small shallow water skiff that I mainly use for fly fishing but I wanna get into bass fishing, since the wind is always a killer here. I know Bayou Black can be hot, but the Intercoastal Waterway scares me in a small boat. Any tips, or maybe any clubs I could look into, would be very much appreciated

When I started getting really into bassin' this year, I focused on the Texas Rig, specifically things like Brush Hogs, Z Hogs, and soon curly tailed worms. I soon learned to read the water, the conditions, etc. I still always go to the Texas Rig when it comes to fishing around grass and hangs. Soon, I started using spinnerbaits (one color combo: white and charteuse), lipless cranks, and now I am working on drop shotting. The main thing is to learn what the bass in your area want. Take the time to talk to other anglers, research, and most important in my book, keep a fishing log. Log the water conditions, wind, temp, what baits worked, what ones didn't cover, retrieve style, etc. Then use this information to help you pattern fish.

Thanks for this! I might need to change the water pump on this old boat I am working on. Ill find out if its not "ticking" out the little spout when I get her hooked up

Money is in! I have to get some tires for it right now. What is the average size trailer tires does one need for a trailer about 16 feet long?

Thanks for the input guys! I get paid this week (some money from a side job I worked on earlier this year) and Im gonna be putting a good chunk of that dough to getting this boat fixed. I might not be able to go after many bass before winter, but, Ill be able to go chase some redfish and speckled trout when they start to stack up! Here is more information: -The motor is a 1996(?) 40 hp Johnson. -The hull brand is Alweld, based in Arkansas I believe. Honestly? Im excited yet nervous about this little venture. But I think itll be worth it.

So, I got my paws on a very run down old aluminum hull that needs a lot of TLC, paint, and maybe an exorcism. This boat has been sitting for about six years according to the previous owner, and it mainly has a handful of problems: 1.) The rectifier will not charge a boat battery. A diode may be bad, and it needs to be replaced. Not hard considering I am a budding mechanic and can switch it easily. 2.) The steering cables are locked up. I need to know what I need to do to replace these, as I have no experience really with hydraulic lines. 3.) The wooden floor is rotten and needs to be replaced. Not a hard fix. I am also going to extend the deck about three feet back, towards amidships. 4.) It needs new fuel lines and a fuel tank. Not hard. 5.) Second biggest headache: The power tilt does not function anymore. Two ideas: either a bad motor, or the switch in the throttle assembly went bad. 6.) Single biggest headache: I need new numbers on it. The owner and I did a bill of sale, but, he doesn't have the boat registration. I will need to contact LWF (Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries) for what to do. 7.) The owner cannot locate the key for the ignition. He may find it yet, but, at this point, I doubt it. It is a throttle, choke, ignition, and kill switch all in one. Can I have a locksmith make a new key, or does it need to be changed out? I need help with #2 and #5 mostly. Does anyone have much experience replacing these?

SaltLife Optics are my current pair. They have Zeiss lenses, crafted in Itally, and from what I have read, can be used as safety glasses. (NOTE: PLEASE VERIFY THIS CLAIM BEFORE ATTEMPTING A DANGEROUS ACTION THAT COULD HARM YOUR EYES) I have a small head, and they fit me very well. They have tons of different frame and lens combos. I would check them out, as they cost less than Costas, and perform just as good if not better.

Depends on your water color: my only luck on a jig came from a blue/black Strike King football jig when I was 13. I really prefer other lures. Maybe I need to start throwing them more.

Welcome to the forum! I go up to Nawlins to go carp fishing quite a bit on fly. Metarie is full of those freshwater permit! City Park is super pressured: I have a buddy who goes there semi regularly. They may just be keyed in on the action of the senko. It has one hell of a subtle yet irresistable action, and I love to throw them. If you ever want a fishing buddy, I might have to come up there and fish with ya! Just excuse me if I start throwing some permit flies at carp: those things fight like the biggest redfish!

I am not the brightest bulb on the tree. Things like finesse fishing are new to me. With the hot water here and some pressured areas I am fishing, I think drop shotting will be a way for me to put more weight in my kayak. So I have two questions: 1.) How long do you leave the leader from the weight to the hook? I am fishing in about 3-6 feet of water, so I am assuming about 8-10 feet of line between? 2.) How do you deal with fishing in weeds or around moss/algae?

I retie after every five or six fish. Just because mono can stretch so easily.

While evacuating the (at the time) coming flooding in Gonzales, La, I burnt the bearings on the hub of my truck. Thankfully got the truck towed right before the flooding came.

Lol, that is why I wear long sleeve shirts and thick blue jeans. Put enough pressure on it, place it on your pants, and let the denim soak it. Im fine with stains on my clothes.

Prior to this year, every time I tried to target bass, I would skunk out badly. Last year, I caught maybe fifteen bass in my life. This year, since I started getting much more serious into the strategies and techniques of bass fishing, I have caught 24 bass and I plan to catch 24 more by years end. Find two or three baits that you have: I recommend a Senko, a spinnerbait, and a swimbait. Take the time to fish whatever three baits you pick religiously. Learn how to fish them. Educate yourself on the tactics, rigs, etc. of the lures. Fish them constantly. You WILL learn how to catch fish! Focus on a few tactics that would work for your area. Is it deep? Then try Carolina rigs, drop shots, and suspending cranks. Is it weedy and shallow? Spinnerbaits and Texas rigs will work wonders. Fish something long enough, and you'll learn how to catch fish with it! I also second getting a cheap, used kayak. Kayak fishing is one of the most fun, and exerting, ways of fishing. You can lose weight, gain muscle, and cover tons and tons of water. Try it sometime, you might find a new addiction!

Fair enough. I honestly forgot about the Commander and Pugo. Again, its just preferential. Try before you buy, and find what best fits your style of fishing. For me? SOTs and SUPs fit the bill perfectly

Honestly? Duct tape. Worry about infection after you get back to the bank. I cant tell you how many times I cut a finger at work, and I just taped it up and went back to work.

The reason I deter people from a SINK is two fold: I fish a lot of busy waters. Lots of boaters who don't know how to slow down, and sometimes in waters that get rough quick with summer storms. The hull design of a SINK I find is prone to flipping. Most SOTs have chines in the hull that can catch easier when the boat begins to tip. And with a closed in hull, it is harder to take in water inside the boat: only pinhole leaks or leaky hatches will cause water to get inside. The second reason is comfort. I like the options of seats nowadays: specially the high-low designs prevalent on models from Jackson, Wilderness Systems, and Old Town. I also like to stand up and sight fish. I have tried to stand in a SINK already, and I thought I was gonna flip. I guess my biggest qualm is the ability to fish the style you want: I like to sit high, stand up, and be able to twist and turn to sight cast at redfish or even bass. I cant find a comfortable way to twist and turn in a SINK to make cast, grab equipment, or help a fellow kayaker.

Shimano Sellus 6'8". We have it on sale at Cabelas for 49.99

Kayak wise, do not get a sit in: we call them SINKs for a reason: they fill with water and sink. Get a good sit on top, such as the Wilderness Systems Ride, the Jackson Cuda/Coosa, or heck even a Hobie. Rod wise, I don't like a long rod other than my fly rods. I never go over 7 foot unless its my 9 foot fly rods. The reason is that the longer the rod, the longer a leaver you have to use to get the fish to the side of the boat. Meaning, you have to bend the rod further to get the fish boat side. More bend means more of a chance of breaking a rod. My current favorite rod is the Shimano Sellus 6'8". It is a fantastic rod, and has handled senkos, spinnerbaits, Texas rigs, lipless cranks, etc.

I use three things to choose my bait: 1.) Bass activity and time of year. Its hot here in L'siana. And by hot, I mean we were measuring 98 degree water in early August. That is too hot even for the brute redfish we have. When the temps get hot, I find the bass here dont wanna work hard for a bait. They want something easy to chase or something slow. When they are like this, I have luck on curly tailed worms Texas Rigged, or something like a Brush Hog or Z Hog. 2.) Water clarity. Bass can't hit what they cant see. In dirty water, even dark colored baits (which are more preferred as you are looking to silhouette the bait against the dark water) are hard to find, unless they put out vibration. In clear water, I want something that is both a lighter color like a watermellon red or a charteuse, and also putting out vibration. My current favorite is the Jackall Scissor Comb and a tandem spinnerbait. In dirty water, I go back to the spinnerbait and a lipless crank, either colored like forage fish, or like a crawfish. 3.) Food in the area. Bass that have never seen a mullet or shad won't recognize the colors or actions of a bait that imitates them. And if bass are keyed in on a forge fish, they might avoid things like crawfish or even frog imitations. In fly fishing, we call it "matching the hatch". If i see shad, mullet, or bluegill, I am going to the spinnerbait or crank again, usually the spinnerbait. And remember: fish what you have confidence in. If you like it and it works, but people say you are using the wrong bait, tell them to make like a googin and go blow a head gasket: you fish the way you want.

.... you have waited an hour in your truck listening to podcast waiting on the rain to die so you can go put the kayak in and go chase lunkers.

I read the title and immediately started singing The Eagles "Life In The Fast Lane"

.... you and your girlfriend have agreed that you can get a bass mount before you even agree on decorations for the new apartment. .... you and your coworkers spend more time talking bass fishing than selling fishing gear to customers. .... you own two seprate Bill Dance bloopers DVDs. .... seeing any body of water has you saying "I wonder how a spinnerbait would do"

Pertaining to salt water, H&H Lures has had something called the "shad rig" for decades: it is two lures and jigheads tied together at a swivel and they swim together in tandem. Speckled trout and white trout by the millions have fallen victum to it. I have used it when the white trout are blitzing on baitfish, and have doubled up quite a few times