Budget Bass Fishing

[Creekcrappie]

 Anyways for a baitcaster id say Abu Garcia silvermax 6.4:1 with a Berkley Lightning rod 6'6" or 7' MH with fast action. 10lb. Seaguar red label or Berkley 100% fluorocarbon line.Best advise on baits is learn how to texas rig a worm and get in the habit of palming your reel and let your index finger sit in front of reel with line resting on top of your finger and keep slack tight so you can feel bite. Small ponds and lakes with good water clarity give 6"-7.5" worms a try in pumpkinseed or green pumpkin color(if water clarity is less than 2' id use junebug or junebug red) with 3/16.oz weight and 3/0-4/0 hook a try    

X2 He hit it right on. I have 2 silvermaxes that I fish off the bank with.

[Darren.]

Great question. For the beginner bass angler or for the angler who hikes into remote locations I would suggest keeping it very basic. Medium action rod such as a 6'-6'6" abu garcia vendetta from the v series of rods is an excellent choice of decent quality and can be had for less than $75 from walmart. Next is a decent reel with power and finesse. For this a good starter is a pflueger president 6935 model( spinning). A limber but stout line is also needed. For an all around approach bass pro XPS 12-14 lb fluorocarbon will do the job. Buy a 1/4 lb spool at least if possible to avoid a trip just for line. Use a mono leader if needed for top water or other applications that you may deem it necessary as fluorocarbon will sink. After that use your favorite hooks or at least the best you can afford and have fun.

 

Hey, welcome to the forums, Cincy!

[CincyBassMan]

Hey, welcome to the forums, Cincy!

Thanks Darren!

[Blues19]

Hey man, I started the same way, on a budget, going to local ponds.  I started with a Shimano Spirex/ Bass pro Bionic Blade combo from bass pro. Rod was 6' medium so i could go through the woods and cast easier while bank fishing.  It was a great way to start because i could fish small spinnerbaits, small worms, baby brush hogs, small rattle traps, grubs, all that kind of stuff.  Shoot, that was 15 years ago or so and Im still using the rod, however I got a better reel on it now.  Anyway, hope this helps. I  would suggest a shorter rod because it should be easier to navigate while on your bike.

[RipSomeLips]

Budget fishing...finally something I can contribute on!  HaHa. Here are some of the first thoughts off my mind:

1) Best baitcast combo for the money IMHO is the Pinnacle inertia, 6'6" MH action. I bought mine thru Academy Sports. I got one on sale for $40, usually $80 (Cork grips) and 2 others for $20 usually $60 (foam grips). 

2) Fishing Line: Check manufacturer rebates for any major company...ie: Berkley has a $3 off 1 or $7 off 2 purchase of fishing line. You can purchase 110yd boxes of berkley XT line from walmart for around $7...therefore 2 boxes for the cost of a stamp after rebate.

3) My favorite lure as a new fisherman was and probably always will be a buzzbait. You can buy them for $1 at walmart, or get some decent off brands like Yahoo from Academy etc for $2. They really keep you motivated because you can see your bait. There are some great videos on Youtube and suggestions on BR on tips to improve cheap buzzbaits.

4) My one splurge is on Kevin Van d**n's line and lure spray. It is about as money of a product as you can find, it makes my less expensive line and budget baitcaster work amazingly better.

5) I bought 10 bags of powerbait plastics for free a few months back because they were on clearance for $2 each (down from $3) at a retailer, and powerbait had a $2 rebate. My point on this and my rebate comment under #2 above is that if you are patient and purchase a few baits and practice mastering them, you can bide your time and find great deals on equipment. In a years time you can be well on your way to a pretty large collection.

6) Baits, get a couple of search baits...shallow crankbait, 2-5' crankbait, lipless crankbait, buzzbait, twirltail grub on a jighead. Then get a few finesse baits, texas rig lizard, senko worm, and maybe a fluke.

 

Hope this helps.

[RipSomeLips]

I have done this on a motorcycle more than once! You get some pretty interesting looks...but whatever it takes to get on the water right?

[gripnrip]

I remember the days of budget bass fishing.  I have a budget for my gear but it has grown over the years.  I do however catch sales and clearance items regularly.  I hardly ever pay retail for rods or reels.  

[gripnrip]

Budget fishing...finally something I can contribute on!  HaHa. Here are some of the first thoughts off my mind:

1) Best baitcast combo for the money IMHO is the Pinnacle inertia, 6'6" MH action. I bought mine thru Academy Sports. I got one on sale for $40, usually $80 (Cork grips) and 2 others for $20 usually $60 (foam grips). 

2) Fishing Line: Check manufacturer rebates for any major company...ie: Berkley has a $3 off 1 or $7 off 2 purchase of fishing line. You can purchase 110yd boxes of berkley XT line from walmart for around $7...therefore 2 boxes for the cost of a stamp after rebate.

3) My favorite lure as a new fisherman was and probably always will be a buzzbait. You can buy them for $1 at walmart, or get some decent off brands like Yahoo from Academy etc for $2. They really keep you motivated because you can see your bait. There are some great videos on Youtube and suggestions on BR on tips to improve cheap buzzbaits.

4) My one splurge is on Kevin Van d**n's line and lure spray. It is about as money of a product as you can find, it makes my less expensive line and budget baitcaster work amazingly better.

5) I bought 10 bags of powerbait plastics for free a few months back because they were on clearance for $2 each (down from $3) at a retailer, and powerbait had a $2 rebate. My point on this and my rebate comment under #2 above is that if you are patient and purchase a few baits and practice mastering them, you can bide your time and find great deals on equipment. In a years time you can be well on your way to a pretty large collection.

6) Baits, get a couple of search baits...shallow crankbait, 2-5' crankbait, lipless crankbait, buzzbait, twirltail grub on a jighead. Then get a few finesse baits, texas rig lizard, senko worm, and maybe a fluke.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Great question. For the beginner bass angler or for the angler who hikes into remote locations I would suggest keeping it very basic. Medium action rod such as a 6'-6'6" abu garcia vendetta from the v series of rods is an excellent choice of decent quality and can be had for less than $75 from walmart. Next is a decent reel with power and finesse. For this a good starter is a pflueger president 6935 model( spinning). A limber but stout line is also needed. For an all around approach bass pro XPS 12-14 lb fluorocarbon will do the job. Buy a 1/4 lb spool at least if possible to avoid a trip just for line. Use a mono leader if needed for top water or other applications that you may deem it necessary as fluorocarbon will sink. After that use your favorite hooks or at least the best you can afford and have fun.

Welcome CincyBassMan!  Not to hijack the thread but I noticed you and Ripsomelips have bank avatars.  

 

Check out our bank fishing thread and join in if you'd like.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/126667-bank-fishing-forum/

[RipSomeLips]

Welcome CincyBassMan!  Not to hijack the thread but I noticed you and Ripsomelips have bank avatars.  

 

Check out our bank fishing thread and join in if you'd like.

 

http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/126667-bank-fishing-forum/

Good call. I read the. And fish forum a couple days ago but got distracted before finishing. Heading over there now.

[WIGuide]

I think you're going to want a at least a 6'6" rod in either medium power and fast action or a medium heavy with a fast action.

[cyclops2]

So how re you doing ? 

[new2BC4bass]

Hey guys I have been meaning to go out fishing more and since I'm only 14 and during summer I will mainly ride my bike to the fishing spots. I have a part time job but I want to just get one rod and reel because I can fit only one on my backpack. I know that for most people a 6 rod and reel system is the normal but I want to know what setup can I use that will be able to use most lures ad be effective.

  Thanks,

     Nate

 

You said you want a baitcast combo.  I love baitcast reels.  They outnumber my spinning reels by about 6:1.  The spinning combos seldom get used.  However, bank fishing with a baitcast reel can be a hassle if there are bushes, shrubs or trees around the spot you are trying to fish.  A fairly common situation.  Casting with a b/c reel in cover is almost impossible for me.  Can be done by flipping and pitching if short casts are all you are looking for.  Therefore I would suggest you consider a spinning outfit instead.  Much easier to cast in tight quarters.   I like 7' to 7'3" rods the most, but I would suggest 6'6" as a maximum in your case with 6' being a better option in my mind.

 

I would prefer a 2-piece rod for ease of transporting through trees and brush.  Medium or MH is your choice, but I would lean towards a Medium so I could throw lighter lures.  One that would handle from 1/8 oz. to at least 5/8 oz.  Be prepared to lose the occasional lure.

 

If you are going to bike up to an open spot on the lake and start casting, then disregard the above advice.

 

I would also suggest posting a "want to buy" ad on a couple fishing forums.  You might be surprised by the results.  I read such a post a few months ago and was hit with the desire to help the young man out.

[SirSnookalot]

As much of a budget purchase is a purchase for a beginner, I would suggest not getting too far ahead of yourself.   Pflueger (other companies too) has some very decent spinning combos, some come pre rigged with line others don't, 8# mono is a good starting point.  Learning how to catch fish is the most important thing, I'd start off with some senkos and worm hooks.  Master that aspect of fishing then work your way into other lures and techniques.  

[GANGGREEN]

As much of a budget purchase is a purchase for a beginner, I would suggest not getting too far ahead of yourself.   Pflueger (other companies too) has some very decent spinning combos, some come pre rigged with line others don't, 8# mono is a good starting point.  Learning how to catch fish is the most important thing, I'd start off with some senkos and worm hooks.  Master that aspect of fishing then work your way into other lures and techniques.  

 

Yep.  I know that the OP asked specifically about a baitcasting combo but I'm one of those guys that would use a spinning combo if I was fairly new to the sport and looking for just one combo to be used for bank fishing.  As Snook pointed out, Pflueger's a pretty good option.  You can often find a Pflueger President reel paired to a Cabela's Tourney Trail rod on special in Cabela's and that's a fine combo for a good price.  In upstate NY, I'd go with a 6-6'6" M power rod paired with a reel sized appropriately to 8 pound test (you could use 6 for finesse or bump up to 10 if you felt the need in weeds, cover, etc.).  That's plenty of rod for most bank fishing situations in the north east.

[pbizzle]

H2O Xpress Mettle and H2O Xpress Ethos 7' MH. The whole setup will run about $120, but since you have a job the extra $20 shouldn't be a problem. Probably your best shot for a good deal. Just search this forum for them.