Bazoo

The farthest I have ever cast is 60 yards. I paced it, and that was with a 1/2 oz weight going for distance. The farthest I can cast with any amount of accuracy is about 40 yards. At 25-30 yards though I am reasonably accurate. I can hit an 18" target normally at that distance, and when I'm on I get centered on a smaller target, but will cast over or short. So distance judging is probably my weak point. When I'm on, at 25 yards I can sink a spinnerbait in a lawnmower tire I use to practice casting at. It makes a satisfying jump when you flip the spinnerbait out of the center.

Sounds pretty good. We don't get much in the way of winter up there, and I can fish year-round, but it does go into the 30-s-40s a lot during the day for a spell.

Could I, mhmm. I wouldn't want to though. There has been plenty of times I've fished just 2 lures, crankbaits and worms. If I had to do just crankbaits, I could do it, I'd catch less probably, but I also might end up learning a lot. Bass eat baitfish year round... so I don't see why it wouldn't work.

I cannot do it captain... I'm givin' her all she's got!

I love a good fire. I have a fire ring that I made out of an old tractor rim. But I also will have one without the ring if I want one somewhere else and don't want to move the ring. Something about it is friendly, comforting, relaxing. Not sure why or what. I like to do such things as, talk about hunting & fishing, sharpen my knife, and clean or admire a favorite firearm. Those things seem to just go hand in hand with a fire. I have a cast iron grate that I cook on when using my fire ring. Learning to cook over open fire is something I've been working on for years. I have found that dry cherry wood is about the best wood for cooking over. Get the fire going good and put the grate over it, supported by bricks. Then when it's mostly coals, throw on the steaks (also have done chicken that turned out amazing). I like steak well done so I give it about 10 minutes on the first side, and then 20 minutes or so on the second side, since the coals have died down more. Mmm, it makes this crispy little parts on the edges, seared on the sides, and just a bit of juice inside.

I reckon for me, it would be a farm pond that I had when growing up. It was probably an acre, and we were told it was 18' deep. I was about 13 at the time, and I got my first taste of bass fishing there. I remember catching a bass on a crankbait, and one of the hooks got in it's eye. I didn't know what to do and started crying. I tied the line to a bush, leaving the fish in the water. Then I went up to the house and got mom. She was irritated, as she didn't want to be troubled with such proceedings, rather, she much preferred to be perched on her chair in front of her desk with a cup of coffee in one hand and a Tareyton 100 betwixt the fingers of the other hand. Nevertheless, she saw fit to get the side cutters and accompany back to the wilderness of our backyard pond. She cut the hook that was offending the fish's eye. I unhooked the critter and put him back unscathed. Mom admonished me and said don't be fishing any more. That was a turning point for me, and I've always remembered it. It made me want to learn all I could about how to unhook and properly handle fish. That pond once yielded a fish that the adults to me was a smallmouth. They seemed excited... though I've never figured out why. It was just a fish to a 13 year old. I always fished to the same spot, never around cover, nor what looking back would have been the better spots. I'd like to be able to work around it and all the dead stumps, the shallows, the tree lines. Now, I'd start with the Spit'n Image. Then I'd move to squarebill crankbaits. Then, weightless trick worms. Might as try small spinnerbait amongst the stumps. Then I'd try flukes everywhere. And lizards... man.

I know it... and I don't care for it. Fall is my favorite season, I wish it'd last longer. I love the crispness of the air in the mornings and the warming of the sun as the day progresses. One of my most memorable catches was on calm water with a Spit'n Image, working it slow through floating leaves in the fall. Probably 1 1/2 pound largemouth. Not huge but it was a beautiful day and spot.

Okay, for those that say a bass probably can't see the line in amongst all the vegetation; Have you not considered that a bass can see a bug on the surface amongst floating leaves? What about... seeing a green pumpkin worm in leaves/grass while dead sticking it? Okay sure it might move subtly on its own, but if it's amongst some stuff that will hide it, and it's camouflaged in color, I'd surmise that it'd be pretty hard to see. At the very least, harder to see than a worm with a chartreuse tail. I'm in no way saying that coloring your line is going to make it less visible, as I think bass can see it regardless.

Getting to be a whiff of fall round these parts too. Seems like it's coming a mite early.

Howdy from Kentucky. Lots of fun tricking ol' iron jaws into biting. Not to be confused with a canoeing member named ol' crickety LOL!

Howdy and welcome. I never have tried trout or fly fishing... but the bass bug has bit hard down here.

Wow, that's crazy. Glad they didn't kill you. Prayed for you, and hope you the best!

Been pretty decent bank fishing round here. I've connected with a few here and there, no hawgs, but a few 2lbers.

I don't have anything super light, but lighter-weight rods are my preference. Balanced rods are more important to me.

So staying in a hot locker year after year. Thanks.

Thank you all for he the canoe info. I'll definitely have to learn about those too. I have a feeling, that would be more my speed. Outriggers will most likely be something I'll add to either canoe or kayak. I do like the idea of a canoe being able to handle a little bit of a load, because I hunt as well. Might open up a few other doors for hunting opportunities. How do canoes handle larger people?

Thanks for the suggestion. And... no I ain't noticed. LOL! What kind of stability does a canoe have? I've never been on either a canoe or kayak.

I am already an old man at 40! lol

I'm learning to skip with a baitcaster. I can skip a lure with spinning, but with not great accuracy. I have got a few good skips with a baitcaster though so I know the skill is in there, just got to hone it. I heard several pro types say that skipping a lure under a dock they try to hit the dock, sorta like ringing the dinner bell.

Why wait if you have sons to do your diving for you?

I appreciate the discussion here. I assume that sunlight is the primary thing that degrades life vests?

WILD! Thanks for sharing, and sorry for both of your loses. I'm going with 15lb bass!

Howdy Randy. Sounds like your rig would make the hair on the sides of my head ruffle, the one up top however would be having a wild ride! Welcome to the forum and thanks for the chuckle!

Sweet, looks a lot better. Whatchu doing with the old seats? If they were mine, I'd duct tape them, and put them in the garage.

Thanks for the suggestions. All round rod for me will mostly be for 1/4 ounce beetle spins, weighted and weightless worms, flukes, spinnerbaits, crankbaits including 1/4 ounce crankbaits, jerkbaits, topwater including frog, buzzbait, popper, walking baits, jitterbug. Very occasionally a jig, but never flipping or pitching from a boat, all horizontal.