CassLaw

I do like the Christie Craws a lot, everywhere from as a topwater weightless, Texas rigged, jig, trailer, very versatile bait! Ive been using the Zman pop’n frog a lot lately, just wish it came in white. I really want to try the pop’n shad but I haven’t found them in a store near me.

I definitely fish as therapy. I have bass fished since I could walk according to some pictures I’ve found lately...stopped after I got Lyme Disease in 2008. I bought a bay boat and did the snook, trout, redfish thing but my Lyme got bad and all the toys had to go. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer late 2015, it eventually spread to her brain. I was lucky enough as an attorney working at a large firm that I could basically walk away and take care of her for 14 months until she passed March 14, 2018....I was absolutely miserable. I had spent 14 months fishing off the dock at the house I grew up at and fell in love with bass fishing again. After a month or two my brother and I decided to expand so I bought my little aluminum Triton w a 90 Etec and we are now making memories! Its been a godsend to be able to get back out on the water predawn and watch nature wake up; and it’s brought my brother and I closer than we have ever been....just wish my mom was here to see us getting along like we are since before she passed we were at each other’s throats almost constantly...I still feel guilty of depriving her the images of us fishing together and being brothers again. That boat, and my love of bass fishing is better than any therapy I’ve paid for!

I haven’t thought of the 4 vs 8 braid...all of my braid is 832 in either 30 or 65 for flipping. I try to pin the fish to the pads then go get them. And yes, I have reached down to a 10 pound pad stem more than I care to count! I have fished out a kayak a lot so I know the hookset can be hard in weeds that thick but I chalk that up to getting to places others can’t. I have noticed at times times if I give them room to move they will occasionally swim out and start the fight over. Can’t say I do it the same way every time. Good luck

My wife caught this picture while I was fishing a few miles away in a canal since I’m not a beach lover...the absolute power of this lightning we have been getting was enough to scare me...for a while anyway, I’m sure it will wear off. Always does!

I was watching the weather channel this morning and saw that a lot of Minnesota and Wisconsin has some major flooding that you’re dealing with! Here in Tampa we have been getting so many thunderstorms it’s literally not safe to be on the water many days. It it helping our lakes...many are so high the water is in areas I’ve never seen it before. The weather has no doubt contributed to me being unable to locate the fish like normal....gotta blame something right?

That’s a beautiful fish and a bag to be very proud of! More than that the description of your day made me feel how excited you were...are! It’s great to near a great story and see beautiful fish like that!

Welcome from another Floridian! I’m just north of Tampa in Wesley Chapel. I’ve been reading this site for a few months and the people all seem to be very nice and willing to answer questions with true authenticity. The articles and videos are are very helpful too, very comprehensive place!

I’m jealous of your success actually! While my brethren here in Florida have had good summers mine has been the worst in years! I cannot seem to find a consistent pattern on any given day after the first weekend in July. I tried night fishing one of my small local lakes and the only thing biting were gnats and mosquitos! So badly that by 9:15 we were trying to get off of the lake as fast as possible; no amount of bug spray worked. I say good for you! You had a great run, and now you will find their new pattern and get back to your successful trips! Good luck!

When spooling a baitcaster I use the pencil between the toes method and put the line through the 2 eyes closest to the reel and use a washcloth to keep tension while spooling. On a spinning outfit I use the last 2 eyes as well but I usually find label down is the way to avoid line twist, and yes that cutout for the line to be stored on drives me nuts! The one thing I do is overload the reel a bit and when I’m done I tie my line to the fence then go for a walk at least 100 yards and reel the line tight on the reel. Just make sure to keep your line away from anything that will cause a nick in it and I wind my line in keeping the tip of the rod with good tension on it until you get back to the end. If its still over filled I strip some off but with braid I find it usually compacts nicely and throws best when I do it this way.

I signed up for this forum specifically because I just bought 2 Duckett Ghost rods because I bought a *** ***, and a Daiwa Type R used on *** and I went to my local Dicks and they had these rods on sale for $79 each. I put the *** on a 7’ med heavy because it’s a 5.3-1 ratio and I wanted another crankbait rod. This rod worked very well with a Berkeley Wild Thing 6.5 and 8.5. I thought it would be too heavy but the tip is fast and with 30lb Suffix 832 I could cast it a mile and felt every piece of grass and it wasn’t too strong for a crankbait rod. I even threw a KVD 1.5 and it was great. I pit put the Type R on a Ducket Ghost 7’3” med heavy as a worm rod and it also works perfect. Same Suffix 30lb 832 and even with a 1/8-3/16 weight and a Texas rugged 7” worm it throws further than I imagined and has plenty of power. Most of my rods are BPS Carbonlite 2s a d while these Duckett rods are a bit thicker and have tiny guides they’re the best rods I have ever bought for $79! hope this helps

In Florida where our lakes, especially smaller ones, are shallow bowls the ramps are where I concentrate; especially if there’s a lot of grass and the ramp provides a nice hole with a hard bottom. Like said above, the ramp has saved me from being skunked more than once! Common courtesy, like common sense, just isn’t that common. If you have common courtesy I’d fish the ramp and just be mindful.