fishhugger

it just seems that the finger release for overhead casts, as u say, you can overshoot or undershoot. sort of simple. but sidearm, a slightly mistimed finger release (for me) can result in casting way to the left or right, or actually whichever direction the arc of your cast is taking... i just feel a lot more can go wrong, that's all, with the sidearm. i agree with others here about muscle memory, etc... the eye looking at the target - yes, that seems to result in best accuracy. but then there's dodging the tree or cliff next to you, or the little opening in the trees you're casting thru - i'm focusing on that...not exactly where my cast will end up. so, much less accurate, for me. but it gets my bait where i want it. the other thing is, i'm using two rods, one five foot, one six foot.. they just seem so different... same 4# line, but the lures might be 1/16 oz vs 1/32 oz... more variables... but ultralight spin casting is a total hoot! i miss bait casting, but that's, for me, 3/8 oz weights on up. uh - you can roll cast, like with a bait caster, using ultralight? i don't no how to roll cast a bait caster - i had to use youtube to see what it was... and i'm just saying sidearms seem like, well, nfl passing, vs overhand, which is college... i normally sidearm, but yeah, i've got to be focused doing it, if i need accuracy. i'm still working on my feathering --- it's basically my 'oh ****' helper.

i got into baitcasting last year; this year i discovered ultralight, and am back into spinning. in terms of accuracy, i'm surprised. casting overhand, since the rod travels in the target direction, i just have to worry about distance. but if i cast sidewarm, a miscalculation of my forefinger and lord knows where the bait will go. the two variables, direction and distance, seem more vague when casting sidearm. i seem to aim by - just going for it. i pick a spot, and just am committed. it's like i used to hit a tennis ball, etc. is this how other guys aim spinning casts? and feathering - yeah, i do that with my off hand. and skipping - i didn't know enough that spinning equipment is actually great for that. spinning is pretty darn fun...

i take out fishing line. if there's a lure attached to it - that is my salary. if i see something lying around, and see a person who may have lost it, i'll probably ask them. people in my city often leave stuff for others to paw over (this is in neighborhoods). i'll check things out --- i've gotten my current tackle bag, two coleman camp stoves (a 425 and 413, both two burners). i fixed them up, they work great. books, (i got hardcover hemingway editions),. other people just leave garbage. i sometimes toss it in my garbage can.

hi mn ok... a couple questions... so i got the thill bobbers with the springs and notches --- i'd never used that style before, and assumed it (the spring and notch) was a thill - thing. but i guess it's not. is the basic advantage of this style just that you can stick one on and off a line, wo retying? but the downside i'd say is it's not as good to cast as a sliding style, and it kind of kinks my 4# line, actually. so i just ordered a pro series unweighted 1/2" sliding bobber. i believe you use the weighted version -- is this mainly for longer casts? i'm content to be able to cast about 70', which i think i can do with an unweighted bobber... and i use small 1/32 oz to 1/64 oz jig heads, with little plastic things. so these dangle from a bobber, or are simply tied on to my 4# line. the bobberless jigs, i cast from the shore, and can go about 20'. i can slowly bring this in, or just drop it along the deep holes by the bank. i figure this is my most natural presentation. thank you! any thoughts? edit - i have no clue how to use the spring loaded bobbers... i'll have to uh...watch some youtube, lol...........................

ty for info, mn, so i'll use your instruction - but no sonar for me, just a bankie... i'm assuming i'll just be using my bobbers in the shallows, since it would be hard to locate fish in the depths. unless i maybe had a chart or something.

ok, i can remember that, maybe by --- ok, the baby shad just seems so subtle, so i can see it not moving a lot... the curly tail --- seems more active.. i'll give it a try.....

yes! i got a couple sets to try... an assortment of thill, and a thkfish set of bobbers, 2.5"x.5"x4". all these have those little springs with a slot at the bottom... i had a simpler mr. crappie bobber, but it caught a tree. do you fish mainly with a bobber, or with the hook/plastic --- just moving along on its own? how do you decide - bobber vs no bobber.... ty..... i no... i just haven't used them much, and haven't had any luck so far... i guess use them similarly to the garland baby shad? the curly tail seems - pretty universal....

.. yes, i got monkey milk... and, i think blue thunder, bs 142, but not sure ... a hyper grub, curly tail, black/chartreuse/silver.... i've don't think i've ever caught anything on a curly tailed grub... but haven't fished them much.

k, lads... i got some of the garlands... may get some of the strike kings crappie baits... got some jig heads... 1/32 to 1/64 oz... some 1/16... i noticed today a number of people fishing similarly to me, i guess. very close to shore, kind of quietly... one *was* using the bobby garland baits - didn't ask exactly what kind. she was using tiny rods, like mine. they move around. then the soakers are on the piers..... thanks for the great advice, as always.

ok, guys... tysm... oh, i guess i'm headed to fisherman's heaven, (aka dicks) for cute lil plastix with tiny tails... !!! what i'll do for a fish or three..................

is the bobby garland little plastic guys really that great? i've seen a handful of them at my fisherman's heaven. richard gene seems to like them a lot, but there are so many little plastic things, even walmart has their versions... do these little guys stand out that much?

ty, mn.... i'll check out flopping crappie.. !

he has a youtube channel, and uses these 1/32 oz jig heads, 2 to 4# test mono, and small bobby garland - idk what to call them... they're plastics, 1 1/2" to 2" long, very small, tapering to a long thin tail. he fishes chiefly for crappie, or 'slabs' as he calls 'em, fishing very slow and "natural". i think i'd say his philosophy would be "less (movement) is more." but is his teknique effective against bluegill? i have been trying it for a couple weeks now. i've had some success, and figure i'm just learning at this point.. and is it as effective as a worm? i've heard real bait fishing is the most effective way to get bluegill. but i don't find bait fishing for panfish fun. WHOOOOOOO!!!!! oh yeah... i'm a northerner; i can't do that without sounding like a total weirdo or faker. but happy WHOOOOOOOOO.... thank you.

ty... gtk what are really good ones, and good ones... i just lost a few jig heads, to tree trunks, unknowns, etc... there are quite a few hazards in the lake i fish. just ordered a couple (cheap) brands from amazon. i'll take a look at them, see if either looks ok. if not, i'll send 'em back. strike king is kind of reasonably priced.

just got an ultralight spin rod, and trying very light jig heads. i don't like how heavier jig heads are so loud hitting the water. i like the 1/64 oz ones that come with trout magnets - what is a good price and brand of this weight of jig head? i know there are ball heads, then the trout magnet dart heads, painted heads... on amazon there are 100 packs for $10 - but are the hooks any good? i have prime; and ordered temorah jigs, unpainted ball heads, eyelet on the top front, 45 degree angle... ---they're returnable, 50 for $7. strike king painted jig heads are twice as much. i no the trout magnet hooks seem sharp - i accidentally stabbed myself with one this evening. i've caught tiny bass (one was 4" long), bluegill..., and a larger bass - 10"? i'm going for things for the fry pan - bluegill. just got a celilo, 6' that i can cast the trout magnets on, and 4# test mono thanks so much.

having a lotta fun chasing the gills with mini lures.... i'm using 4# mono, hi vis, shakespeare microlite 7' rod --- i use the lures as top waters quite a bit. , i like to cast 60, 70' to get to some nice areas. there is limited bank access. the problem (to me): when i cast that far out, the line belies out from my rod tip, and the rest of the line floats on the surface, finally leading to the lure, on the surface. that's a lot of slack, right? i don't see how the fish can get hooked that way. and there's no way to get rid of the slack; you'll just drag the lure towards you. so my questions are: am i casting too far, and i can't effectively fish a top water that far? should i switch to braid? this is assuming the weight of the line is an issue. that seems complex, altho i use braid for lmb, etc. or, , having that slack to your top water pop-r is not an issue, and please explain what i'm totally missing... thanks again! oh, here's brekkies.

couldn't find vmc needlepoints... i've got gamakatsu siwash, open eye, size 10. are those similar to the vmc you're using? i'm not used to changing out lots of trebles, and siwash are the only hooks i no of to do it with...

i like the mini... . since the end of it dangles in the water, i like having that part swing tantalizingly in the water. haven't had bites yet on pulling him in. i thought it would only be effective in low light, or even night? and the mini is so tiny --- uh, i use 4# mono on it currently, a very light rod, with a 4# leader.. (my main line is hi vis). do you use heavier line - in case you get larger fish? thanks! thanks.. no idea craws swam that much..... ok... i'll be flexible on what the bait is supposed to be... they are just drawings, kind of. other than the color and rough shape...

i read that the red slashes on the side of the heads (visible on mr turtle to the right) means they were pets. in any event, the california native turtle (i have no idea what the scientific name is) is pretty drab by comparison.....

trying these lures for bluegill... i'm fishing a lake, 7acre, california. i've gone out a couple times at 630a... it's light by then. i've gotten some nice bites from 630 to 645, and there's some dimples near the shores. lake surface is like glass. i use these like topwaters --- twitching on surface, even jumping. i do my best to let them sit for 20 seconds, instead of constant slowly retrieving. my latest thing today was wobbling the rod tip back and forth quickly, slow retrieve... i think using them as crank baits would result in lots of snags, or covered maybe with vegetation. if i did use them as crank baits, which i think is what they are designed for? i can't imagine a hopper or crawfish swimming at mid water. and that's where i'd fish these, until i get more skilled at depth control, and avoiding snags. but - i would tend to use a spinner for mid depth fishing... should i not think of them as what i buy them as (a specific animal that behaves a certain way) and just fish them all the same? i should get my butt out of bed and at the lake when it's still dark, right? esp for topwaters? thank you

am i the only one who agrees with your friend? when i go to fish, i don't want to have to turn all sorts of mental and physical gymnastix to get ... a bite... i've switched to blue gill this summer,. i may return to bass later. i'm between your friend and i guess guys here... okay, it's like this for me: i don't want to play chess with some scaley fish. i want to play checkers. i used to be a tournament chess player. one error, good bye. five tiny errors - good bye.

some people pick up the bait caster pretty quickly...... i bought my first one, practiced with it - went out within days and was - well, not catching fish, that would've been a disaster - but was having fun. and i figured birds nests were part of the process. it didn't take that long to kind of figure out how to untangle most of them. i think i began with mono - it's easier to detangle and i think i heard it's good to start with mono because it's harder to cast than braid. might have worked for me cause i enjoy casting and often am not pressured to catch fish. i've only been bass fishing for a couple years.. i think being a beginner at bass fishing, me, it makes learning bait casting simpler. less pressure cause everything is new. and there's little danger of a 10 pounder grabbing your bait.. just dinks. within a month i preferred my bait caster to my spin outfits.

i'm just kind of asking about - times you're not out to just do serious fishing. i'm talking panfish, near my house, i just drop by.................... no expectation. it was just so pleasant.. if i go up to the delta loaded for lmb or stripers - no... that would not be that pleasant... or if i had my kayak loaded up, going fishing. that might not be so great either, to go fishless....

i'd think hunting - altho i've never done that - could be enjoyable even if you didn't get nothin'. depends on how much you want to get something - that particular day? but i'd guess that a nice, sunny, maybe brisk, but nice outdoor day - maybe less necessary to get that animal. especially if it's not a hassle getting all your gear and travel and stuff.. if i'm pretty relaxed, i like just watching my line flying out in the wind, how it settles on the water, the scenery... but then if i kind of want a fish, like for dinner, i'd be disappointed and probably frustrated. but if i don't really care that day and am just enjoying everything, i'm good.

yeah, i re-edited my op, which was worded poorly - i just have been going out lately to get bluegill - no kayak, no anything really. i keep my rod in my car, and i'm going out semi-bright and early now to do the same - wet a line. for an hour or so. then just back to the car, back home...right there. few expectations, although i'm working on my spinner technique. yesterday it all just 'aligned' - yeah, live in california --- dunno, like it wasn't a big deal to fish, and not a big deal that i didn't catch any.... other days are different.