A Few Firsts Today

[Dypsis]

So I know many of these things I will list are probably in everyone rear view mirror but I had a lot of fishing firsts today.

• First time with a baitcaster ever on the water.  Did really well IMO only had one backlash (plus it was really windy out).  I may not have had the farthest casts but all in do time.
• While I feel a little embarrassed to actually admit this one it is what it is - today I actually felt a bite and set the hook.  This may sound minor as to all of you this is probably second ntature, but it is a huge deal to me.  I fished with a Inshore Ugly Stick for the last year and a half and never really felt a fish bite before (not the most sensitive rod).  Most of the time on my Ugly Stick I would just fish fast and almost always be reeling in and the fish would just be on the end.  But today I was fishing a weighted tube nice a slow on the bottom and felt them hit.

Anyway just wanted to share, I am going to go out both Saturday and Sunday so here's to feeling more bites.

 

Thanks for all the tips I have received from this forum!

 

Matt

[BassinLou]

The good news is all hooksets are free. Better to set at something you thought you felt or saw than miss the big one and not setting at all.

[Senko lover]

Nice job, man. I'm getting a baitcaster soon. Looking forward to it.

[geo g]

Way to go buddy. A good rod is very important in feeling the bite. You will get to a point where you can feel the bottom make up, rock, muck, sand, weeds. You will also get to the point where you know the type of bite it is, bait fish, bass, gar, or mudfish. You will also know when they really have the bait. The more time on the water the better you'll get.To me the baitcaster is the way to go. More control, when to back off the brakes, when to tighten the brakes. Soon you will control things with you thumb and less with the internal braking. It hard to beat a good rod and reel that fit the conditions. You made a giant leap by switching to the new reel. Get some good line spray and use it often, it will help. Until you get comfortable keep a strong wind to your back if you can. Soon you be able to handle all conditions, just with the thumb. It just takes time and even if your not catching, you are learning a lot. Good luck!

George

[Catch and Grease]

Nice man! Shoot I still backlash more than one time a trip and I've been using baitcasters awhile....

[TBO]

congrats!! you know what those bites you felt were????  they were the fishing bug setting in now haha..  now your addicted to a great sport/hobby      for a tip id say be a line watcher to fishing plastics  sometimes the plastic never hits bottom before its sucked into a fishes mouth you will just see your line moving.   

 

[F14A-B]

Sweet! Now, you must add a room for the rod & reel monkey, brother of the bait monkey!

[Smokinal]

[Dypsis]

Thanks everyone. Today was certainly a great day, but I still have so much to learn and look forward to advancing my fishing skills.

[deep]

Good stuff! WTG.

[jbw252]

Congrats Matt.  Go get 'em!

[Bassun]

Only one backlash...that sounds like a fish tale to me, lol.  Just picking, that's pretty awesome - expecially considering it was your first day on the water with one.  I suspect, you will find that you will get worse with the baitcaster before you get better.  Don't sweat it, it's normal.  As you become more comfortable you will cast harder, loosen the weights etc more and you're going to spin up some nests.  I'm a firm believer that you learn more from your mistakes then by getting lucky the first time.  Once you learn what not to do, you will slowly lock down what to do and soon it will all become second nature.

 

As for feeling the bit -- congrats.  And like was said above, gear makes a huge difference in feeling the bit.  And now that you know what it feels like, you know "what" you are feeling for - and that means you are going to only become better and better at perceiving fish.  Congrats and welcome to the addiction lol.

[desmobob]

 

• While I feel a little embarrassed to actually admit this one it is what it is - today I actually felt a bite and set the hook.  This may sound minor as to all of you this is probably second ntature, but it is a huge deal to me.  I fished with a Inshore Ugly Stick for the last year and a half and never really felt a fish bite before (not the most sensitive rod).  Most of the time on my Ugly Stick I would just fish fast and almost always be reeling in and the fish would just be on the end.  But today I was fishing a weighted tube nice a slow on the bottom and felt them hit.

 

Matt

 

Excellent!!!

 

There is a great satisfaction in learning to detect a bite and hook the fish.  I think that's what makes jig fishing so much fun.  It's also why people spend a lot of money on really sensitive rods.

 

Have fun and know from now on it's only going to get better!

 

Tight lines,

Bob