GrumpyOlPhartte

@Bunnielab: I have a hassle with longer butts on rods since I fish from a sit-in kayak. I found that Manley rods with an adjustable butt have made my life easier. Very quick and easy to extend and retract as required. Just mentioning this in case you are interested. Great customer service if you have questions. I'm hoping to replace a couple more rods since anything with over a ten-inch butt is an accident waiting to happen in my situation.

Well, I once forgot my four-inch foam cushion and had serious kayak butt. Caught eleven bass ... OK, one was a rock bass. So can I borrow your lucky spinnerbait? By the way, that's amazing! Good job!

Thanks for all the kind comments, Folks. It would have been much more of an achievement if I had actually been fishing for smallies! But I have no problem catching any bass - especially since I really so heavily on blind luck! I read, practiced, and analyzed this lake as much as I could to find some big largemouths. This guy wasn't even supposed to be there! Caught a couple largemouths in the same spot, but together they didn't weigh what this one did. Go figger! The Bait Monkey is prodding me to get some tubes and other stuff to go out seriously for smallies, but so far I am resisting his wiles!

Ain't no bass I ever met that can tell the age of a lure! Personally, I'd try chucking a few of those. Mebbe replace some of the hooks if they are dull/rusted. I've got an aged Hula Popper and haven't found that bass turn their noses up at it. Slap the Bait Monkey upside his pointy little head and ignore him until you try them! Can't tell for sure, but that middle pic has a lure that certainly resembles the Devil's Horse I was using when I caught my PB. Of course, if you're thinking about soft plastics ....

@RPreeb: Hear! Hear! Ya got me by a couple of years, but I completely agree with you. I have acquired a kayak, but still enjoy bank fishing when I don't have the motivation - or sometimes the energy - to go through the hassle of loading up my yak. I can catch enough bass from shore to make me happy, but I gotta admit being on the water on a clear quiet morning or a serene evening is satisfying in itself. I view tournament fishermen much as I view race car drivers. I respect them and admire their skill, knowledge and dedication to their respective sports, but I know I'm never gonna drive a Ferrari ... or a Ranger in a competitive event. For me (and I've said it before on here) there is nothing quite as exciting as that next cast which might just yield that personal best largemouth or, as happened recently, that smallmouth that puts on an aerial display second only to a Blue Angels routine. So, I'm gonna just plug away - enjoying every cast that doesn't backlash - and try to improve my fishing skills. I like to think it's why I'm not on medications or sitting in front of the TV drooling on my shirt. Thanks for the perspective ... and reminding me why I love fishing!

Unintended catches, but probably not rare (at least for me) are: 1. Pant leg 2. Other fishing rod 3. Anchor line 4. Assorted trees and shrubs 5. Cold (after an unintended exit from my yak) 6. Approximately twenty feet of line with a nice new tungsten sinker, 4/0 hook, and Culprit worm (which I used) 7. My own water shoe (containing one foot ... mine) Hmmm. Makes me wonder why I fish with treble hooks sometimes.

Wow! Experienced guys on here could write books on your question, but fortunately I'm not one of them so just a couple of thoughts. First, remember that bass have no idea of the cost of your rods and reels. All they recognize is that something is in front of them that is food, threat, or disturbance. You'll get a lot of recommendations and, from my experience, these guys are pretty good ... OK, really good, but they are not you and their personal situations may not be similar to yours. So really read what they tell you in their responses. As a generic example, I can't afford a lot of their recommendations and I have had unpleasant experiences with some of the products they highly recommend but I still study each recommendation IF it is accompanied by reasons why they like a product. Don't read the articles on this site. STUDY THEM. There are terrific articles and videos; in fact, you may be overwhelmed by the amount of info if you don't take the time to think about what they say and determine what applies to your situation. There are forums and articles related to beginning fishing techniques, equipment selection, and tournament fishing. Keep in mind you can't do it all at once so try to focus on a couple of techniques with which you may want to start. It takes time, patience, and practice to acquire the skills attained by some of these guys. A final thought before I get off my soapbox. In my opinion, there are lots of economical tackle configurations, but what you buy is not nearly as critical as learning what to do with it to become successful. So ... pick their brains. Ask how they would use a particular rod/reel combo. Find out not only what they recommend, but how they use it. Don't be afraid to personal message (PM) them. I've never been rebuffed or ridiculed when I sent a PM. Seems that they are much more effusive when they can talk to you one-on-one. Now I yield the floor and wish you good luck! Hope this helps!

@UPSmallie: Young? Don't I wish! I've got a couple of bird's nests I've been trying to pick out since before you were born! And I got a birth certificate written in Cuneiform to back me up. LOL! (I just crack me up sometimes!)

Can't believe there are no "basshole" jokes yet. (Oh, heavens! Bet I get blacklisted for even mentioning it! There goes my standing!)

And this will help me catch bass how? Can it automatically control my casting accuracy? (Like control spool speed so I quit hooking those hog trees?)

I imagine you're going to get a lot of responses to this from folks far more knowledgeable than I so I'm just going to make a few general suggestions and hope they help. 1. You can indicate how much you want to spend to help them give you suggestions. It also helps them if you can describe the type of fishing (bank/boat/, river/lake, types of lures you prefer) in which you will be engaging. Makes a world of difference in the tackle which might be appropriate for you. 2. You might want to use the Search function on here to look for inexpensive outfits. This topic appears frequently so there is already a lot of good info available for about any price range. You can also check the Beginner articles here for existing info. Lots of good stuff there too. 3. As you read recommendations, always remember that what works for one guy doesn't work for the next guy. A 6'4" guy may love a reel that you can't even wrap your mitt around! 4. Beware the guy that says, "All you need is .... (fill in the blank)". He may be right, but he may have different requirements, a different budget, and probably a higher skill level. ALWAYS look for a recommendation that is backed by the rationale for the choice. You want to know WHY someone likes (or dislikes) a specific product. 5. My personal opinion is NEVER buy a rig you haven't actually held in your hands!!!! As you read the recommendations, make a list and take it to your local retailer(s). Then choose from the rigs you can actually hold and manipulate. There are a lot of good manufacturers making quality products and, with help from the guys here, you will find what you need. Good luck!

@RichF Thanks! Don't have a clue why the fish was even there! Warmest, shallowest part of the lake with no discernible rocky cover. Just a gently-sloping sandbar where LMB tend to move in the evening so that's what I was rigged for. Probably half a mile from where I normally (albeit infrequently) catch smallies.

First, I apologize for rambling. I know I'm going to be windy because I'm still wired from my experience yesterday. Second, I know most of you would consider this fish (2.8 pounds) as bait, but I'm just thrilled I got it into my kayak. Finally, as far as I can tell, this guy is either goofy or a heckuva rugged individualist. Anyway, last evening I was fishing for largemouth using a Zoom Ol' Monster (South Africa Special) along a weedy shallow sandbar with nary a rock in sight. I'd caught a couple of dinks and was pouting because action was slow and other than weedless rigs or topwater toads I was limited in lure selections. Milfoil and assorted floating salad were driving me nuts! Anyway, I chucked a long cast out and instead of the typical "tap tap" I expect from a LMB, my line suddenly took off across the lake. I gave it a second then set the hook and almost soiled me pantaloons when this thing came out of the water! I mean he came seriously out of the water! Some guys in a pleasure boat even stopped to watch. After four amazing jumps I lost count, but it took me nearly five minutes to land him because I couldn't keep his butt in the lake and the closer he got to the yak, the worse it got! Talk about an adrenaline rush! I've caught a few small mouths from shore on this lake, but usually it was using Chigger Craws or Craw Fatties around rocks bordering deeper water and none of them jumped like this! My PFD was soaked, I couldn't see out of my glasses, and my hair looked like I just stepped out of the shower. Here's a pic. Compared to most, this guy looks like a deflated football. But for me, he provided the most excitement I've had in years. Thanks for letting me blow off a little steam, but I'm still pumped up.

Hmmm. What about, "With whom would you rather be stranded on a desert island? J-Lo or Angelina?" Eek! Wrong site! I meant, "With whom would you rather spend a day fishing?" (In either version my answer would still be "Angelina" although at my age I don't know what I'd do with her ... mebbe have her hold the spool why I loaded line on my reels.)

I'm guessing 90% of anglers exaggerate how many fish they caught and most of the remaining 10% exaggerate the size. So what? For me it does not matter which percentage I'm in - if I catch a few bass I'm good with my ranking!

You go, @Chance_Taker4!!! While I probably will never buy a Carrot Stix rod (too rich for my blood), I can still appreciate a well-written, objective review. Too many times on here I see terse, fanboy comments, pro or con, about a product with no real rationale for the comment. Thanks for taking the time to explain WHY you have formed your opinion. Excellent job!

What @NHBull said; however, for some inexplicable reason, I personally still can't tie a Uni2Uni to save my tush. Using thirty-pound test braid and 12-pound fluorocarbon leader I can get the Uni in the braid just fine but can't seem to get the Uni in the fluorocarbon to be consistent. When I pull everything taut, I get everything from a "perfect" Uni2Uni to a wad of yuck resembling an explosion in a yarn factory. So, I am a fan of the Uni2Uni if I get it right, but if I don't get it right the first time, I resort to the Alberto. And if I pre-rig, I use the FG. In any case, I find they all work well if I take the time to tie them correctly. My bottom line is to practice while watching TV to learn a few knots correctly. (Side note: Mebbe I should pick up a 12-pack of my favorite suds and try the Uni2Uni while sloshed to the gills. Might just need to "lubricate" my finger joints!")

What @Catt said! I'd maybe expand a little to emphasize focus. I fish for fun so sometimes my mind wanders and my casting gets a little mechanical. I still pick up on the "tap tap" of a bass grabbing a T-rig or jig, for example, but I know I miss fish when the pick-up is more subtle. I've not noticed the initial contact and when the line moves and I do finally set the hook, I usually land several pounds of weeds into which my rig has been carried before being spit out. In my opinion, focused fishing is more productive fishing so I'm working on concentrating on every cast. I try to observe the info that any rod I use is transmitting. For me, it's not the rod that is the culprit, regardless of power or action.

On its website, River2Sea states the Whopper Plopper 130 weighs one and three eighths ounce. That appears to exceed the recommended lure weights for some of the rods mentioned in the previous comments. I'm just bringing this up because I really don't know if it's a good idea to exceed the recommended lure weight for a rod. But I have found that a 7' 3" heavy/fast rod (recommended for lures weighing up to two ounces) works really well for me. Just throwing this out there for your consideration.

All this stuff is w-a-a-a-y too techie for me. Except for frogging, jigging, and finesse fishing my comfort line/leader combo is 30-pound braid with 12/15-pound fluorocarbon leader. Don't know about bass vision and deduction capabilities, but I fish from a kayak and when I get snagged, I'd rather try to break off the leader than the braid. After having to cut many feet of braid to free a snag, I adopted the aforementioned combo. Besides, if I want to switch to a jig I just clip off the leader and tie on a jig. (Dang! I sound so amateurish!)

I spent the morning on a local lake using T-rigs and various plastic critters on two rods with microguides. One rod was rigged with 50-pound braid; the other with 30-pound braid. Both were rigged with six-foot, 20-pound mono leaders joined to the line with Alberto knots. I noticed interference with the microguides both in casting and retrieving. By the end of the morning I observed some fraying at the ends of the Alberto knots. I did have a couple of amateur overruns that I could attribute to the knot - I could hear the "tick" of the line hitting the guides. Having said this, I must admit that I have used the Alberto knot on both rods with success, but I was using 30-pound line and 12-pound fluorocarbon leader. A visual examination of the knots tied with both line/leader combinations did reveal a significant variation in knot diameter. in my opinion, since my fishing location and techniques don't normally require the heavy-gauge line and leader, I am re-rigging with the lighter combination for most of my fishing (T-rigs and critters) and using the heavy line with no leader for frogging and jigs. I've not found a benefit in using leaders for these techniques. Not sure if this helps your situation, but thought I'd relate my experience.

I'm not sure whether this is feasible in your situation but, in my opinion, @Bankbeater and @MasterBasser have made great suggestions. I fish a couple of lakes under similar conditions and although the temps aren't as extreme as yours, the bass seem to behave similarly. I always find I have better results in the evening from dusk to dark and in the early morning. I also try to fish the area in front of me, then wade out into the lake a few feet and cast parallel to the bank. Then I continue wading parallel to the bank, fan casting from shallow to deep, focusing on overhanging brush and trees. Bass do seem to like shade. (Pay attention to any cuts or points no matter how small - they can represent structure to a bass.) Even being five or ten feet from shore gives you access to a lot of water that other bank fishermen can't reach. Sneakers and swimming trunks are recommended, or waders if you are squeamish about an occasional leech finding you. Also, plan your attack and take one small waterproof tackle box tethered to your belt and fill it with a small assortment of your favorite confidence baits - maybe take a few plastics with terminal hardware, a couple of spinnerbaits or chatterbaits, and a topwater lure or two and really work them. A couple of final thoughts: Safety first! Know the bottom along the shore! Avoid muck or extremely rocky bottoms. Move slowly. (I may look silly, but if I don't know the lake/pond, I'm not too proud to wear a PFD!) When you cast, note where your casts land, then, after completing a series of cases, wade to the location where your lure landed and repeat as necessary. In my opinion, wading along the shore gives me access to a lot of water not fished by others. Seems to pay off. Hope this gives you something to consider to expand your bank fishing experience.

@MichaelCopeland:. No sarcasm intended, just my warped sense of humor kicking in. I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't been so impressed with that beast and was curious to see what you were using when you caught it. I should thank you for posting what to me is a very interesting pic!

@MichaelCopeland: You caught that on a six-inch rod? Dang! Would love to see the reel you were using. (Sorry - I couldn't resist. Heckuva fish though ... on ANY rod!) Good job!

I guess the best thing I can say is, "Visit a local tackle store/sporting goods store." From my experience, many of these places have folks who can show you some options that fit your budget and may have some good sales. I recommend that you do a little homework first - you want to be able to tell them the species for which you want to fish, the type of fishing (baitcasting/spincasting/spinning) in which you are interested, the type of water you will be fishing (lake, pond, river, etc.), and whether you will be bank fishing, wading, or using some kind of boat/canoe/ kayak. Another possibility is looking at EBay, Craig's List, or the classified ads in your local paper. My personal preference is to buy new since usually there is a warranty for your gear. Also, I'm a big believer in having a rod and reel in my hands to see if it is comfortable before I buy, so I would go to a store before buying online. As an example, Dick's Sporting Goods in our area has a knowledgeable staff and several budget set-ups that can get you started. There may be other possibilities in your area. Don't forget you will need line, terminal tackle, and lures so consider those added costs. Just a personal note: There are a bazillion folks on here more experienced than I and they may recommend that you save up to increase your budget. I certainly agree in principle with that; but, and I only speak for myself here, I would much rather be fishing for the next few weeks than saving. Should you decide NOT to wait you will at least be gaining experience and knowledge to help you in making future gear choices. (I bet I get yelled at for this!) I happen to believe you can't truly enjoy fishing unless you ARE fishing. Listen to what these guys tell you though - they have helped me immensely! Finally, try to select from name brands that offer combos in your price range - Abu Garcia, Shimano, Daiwa, Lew's, Okuma, and others should have something to help you get started. And ANY rod is fun when there's a fish on the other end of the line attached to it. Lot's of blah-blah in this, but I hope it helps. Good luck!