MerderInc

Never saw it before this year. Pretty small town and I've been self taught on pretty much everything I know. Basically forums and YouTube are my best resources on fishing.

I went to a larger spool and that seemed to fix the problem. Love the VMC spin shot hooks. I use them and do the FG not FC leader to brain. Thanks for all the great input. It's refreshing to have every response be positive and not have half the replies be people telling you that you're an idiot for asking and not already knowing.

Thanks. I use the VMC spin shots and really like them. I think my issue with the *** source x was the spool was too small and causing the line twist. I also may have had a bad reel as the retrieve was not very smooth.

Do you use straight FC? over the summer I've been using a 6# braid with a 6# FC leader on it. Aside from when it snagged and broke at the snag it's never been a problem. I have however had some line twist under the spool with the braid though.

Sure. Is it just about the drag system being smooth and doing its job?

Me too. I have a couple. But does the reel size matter, and when people mention drag in referring to drop shot what are they talking about specifically?

Hey everyone, Over the summer I set a goal to get better with finesse fishing so I started doing dropshot, ned rig, and neko rig. Turns out I really love it so I'm wanting to put together a couple of spinning rod setups for it. I already have the rods, St Croix mojo's but I've been disappointed in the reels I've used so far. I had a 13 source X, but I returned it after about 3 outings because of the line twist issues I had. I'm not really sure what I should be looking for in a finesse reel. I've always been a fan of Pflueger reels all my life and have 4 or 5 Presidents. I've read some articles and seen some buyers guides but they're all over the place. What should I be looking for when I'm shopping for reels for these 2 setups? Thanks

The fish tend to be very finicky there. I've never had topwater success and if I bring a new bait into the mix it's often only successful catching a couple fish in a small amount of time before the bite goes away. Drop shot and finesse work very well, last year zoom lizards worked great and even the bluegill were biting them. This year, I haven't caught anything on lizards. Crankbaits rarely, if ever, will get a bite. Spinner baits and chatter baits will get some attention in the very early spring and then will drop off sharply.

I don't know if there's been a good thread before on the subject, but I didn't see one. Can you guys help me understand pressured fish more? It seems like the smaller the body of water that I fish, the less often particular baits work or the fish get wise to them. Does this mean the fish are getting pressured?

I've been looking at the do-it molds for a while to make my own jig heads over the winter time. I've been looking at the molds, components, a lead pot and other stuff to get started. Is it worth the investment? Is there a good source of information out there about the molding process? I've heard people talking about preheating the molds, smoking them etc. I just want the best chance for success. Thanks

I fish at a 1 acre pond that I also help to take care of. Seems like the LMB population limit is about 3-4 lbs with plenty of 1lb-ers and tons of bluegill. What should I expect to be the biggest fish in here? People in my area have told me to start taking out smaller bass and bluegill to let the population get bigger...23 LMB/year and 25-50 bluegill/year. Any information on how best to take care of my fishing haven would be great. Thanks!

The chatterbait is great in the early spring, then it kinda falls off with the heat. We're unseasonably hot here now, so lately some mojo rig fishing has really been great and gets lots of bites. almost all the soft plastics I use have to be rigged weightless because it was a farm pond and all manner of junk has been thrown in there over the years. The trick worms in black or green pumpkin are always a favorite here.

I usually will fish a couple hours a couple times a week. I'm able to fish the entire pond. It's on family property so I can come and go as I like. I've tried topwater baits many times, different times of day and throughout the year. Don't think I've ever gotten a bite or any interest in it there. There's some shrubbery in the water that holds a lot of fish, but it's very tight and I've been meaning to setup a heavy rod with some heavy braid to start pitching into it because the lower test line will get hung up, snagged or snapped. Last year it was zoom lizards and flukes that caught everything, this year it's more swimbaits or finesse worms that they seem to prefer.

Up until a couple years ago this pond wasn't fished very much. Aside from a few 3-4lbs in there, all the bass are the same size. Should some of those smaller sized bass be taken out from time to time?

About 99% of my fishing is bank fishing at about a 1 acre pound full of largemouth and bluegill. My old standbys are the fish head jig, Carolina rig, finesse rig, and drop shot. Sometimes even day to day the results change drastically. Are the bass more likely to tire of the lure, the presentation, or the color from one day to the next? Some days are great, and some days I head back to the house almost mad. Any tips would be great!