"There and Back Again" - a full tank of gas

[CybrSlydr]

Boy, today was a day.

 

Couple weeks ago I broke my Dobyns rod.  Thanks to their awesome no fault warranty, all I need to do is show up to a retailer, pay $80 and I get a replacement, no questions asked.  Only real problem is the only retailer in the state is about 2.5hr drive away.  -sigh-

 

Brother didn't have class so he decides to come with me and wait for my class to end.  We then have lunch at Taco Bell.

 

 

Well, my thought was I'd switch from a spinning setup to a baitcaster.  So I asked folks here and, thanks to a larger than expected paycheck, splurged on a Shimano Curado 150 DC with 8.5:1 gearing, left hand retrieve.  I figured the DC would be a boon for my learning how to operate a baitcaster.

 

 

 

So I then ask about the rod - apparently they can only give an exact replacement and only if in stock.  Despite being the same price and series, I cannot switch from a spinning rod to a baitcaster.  To do that, I have to send in in to Dobyns and spend another $20.

 

**** me.  Just drove over two hours to be told that.  Should have called first.

 

I'm a little steamed because I had wanted to go fishing after we got my new rod/reel.

 

So after walking around the store, I ask for a cheap rod in the 1/4-1oz range.  Dammit, I'm gonna use this freaking reel today!!!  I'm thinking Ugly Stick.  Guy says no and hands me a 6'6" Berkley Cherrystick HD.  $25.  BINGO.  

 

I head over and get a 150yd spool of Suffix 832 in 15lb.  Guy spools it for me while I go pay for everything.

 

So I walk out with two rods and a new reel along with some hooks, snaps and some Bio worms.

 

It's an hour and a half drive to Piedmont Lake, so we take off.  

 

 

Get there around 430p.  Nice.  I grab the reel and put it on the rod and tie on a 1/8oz bullet weight with a swimbait hook with screw keeper and a blue/black Bio worm.

 

I get the instruction manual and start to figure out the settings.  I hit the spool release and the lure drops.  Not thinking, I let it hit the ground and BEFORE I EVEN CAST THE d**n THING, have a MASSIVE overrun that I have to completely cut off the spool.  Never even used it and I lose an entire spool of braid. 

 

I'm ticked.  VERY ticked.

 

 

So I grab my spinning reel and tie on the Berkley Super8 to my Curado and spool it up.  Manage to make a few casts before I manage to get another overrun.  This time I manage to only have to cut off about 1/3 of it because I discovered the side plate and pull the spool out.

 

By now, I think I've got this thing figured out and only encounter a few more minor birdnests that I can pull out.

 

Having had no luck with the bullet weight Texas rig, I switch to a Spook.  No go.

 

I then try a whopper plopper.  By now, it's getting late and there are lots of little fish jumping the surface.

 

I work my way down the shore and about 15ft out, I GET A BITE!!!  I set the hook and haul in a decent sized largemouth!

 

 

I had another fish go after the whopper later - saw it follow in and open its mouth and attempt to go but I yanked too soon and it missed  

 

Shortly after that, I get sick of being eaten alive by bugs and we call it a night and head home.  9pm rolls around and we pull in.  Managed to go from Marietta to Akron to Piedmont to Beverly on a single tank of gas in my Jeep.  

 

Once home, bro goes and makes us some Mac & Cheese.

 

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  Mmmm...

 

So, all in all, not a bad day.

 

Pics to come shortly.

[Bluebasser86]

Congrats on the new reel! It will take some getting use to, but it will be worth it in the end.

 

BTW, your largemouth is most certainly a smallmouth. 

[CybrSlydr]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Congrats on the new reel! It will take some getting use to, but it will be worth it in the end.

 

BTW, your largemouth is most certainly a smallmouth. 

No ****??  The pic doesn't do it justice, but it looked more green to me - plus it doesn't have red eyes, so I figured it was a largie.  

 

Here's a link to the full-sized photo.

 

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1944/45077117342_6565af2d66_o.jpg

[Bluebasser86]

26 minutes ago, CybrSlydr said:

No ****??  The pic doesn't do it justice, but it looked more green to me - plus it doesn't have red eyes, so I figured it was a largie.  

 

Here's a link to the full-sized photo.

 

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1944/45077117342_6565af2d66_o.jpg

Yep, not all smallmouth have red eyes and their colors vary wildly. What you have there is 100% a smallmouth bass, congrats. 

[CybrSlydr]

 

Well hell yeah!!!  

 

There it is folks - my first ever smallie! 

 

Thank you Blue!

[Backroad Angler]

Yeah first glance I would of thought it was a largie too ?. but if you look super close, its a smallmouth lol

[Derek1]

How did you end up likening the dc I was thinking of getting one next spring. 

[CybrSlydr]

12 hours ago, Derek1 said:

How did you end up likening the dc I was thinking of getting one next spring. 

So far I like it.  This is the first baitcaster I've ever used so a comparison is difficult.

 

However, I like what I see thus far.  Once I use it a little more, I was going to do a write-up about it.

[MIbassyaker]

Yeah, that's a smallie...nice one, too!  Once you catch several of each species and get used to seeing the range of variability in markings, you can see it pretty easily.

 

Congrats!

 

Overruns of mono are a LOT less expensive than braid if you have to cut them out....I'd recommend picking up some Berkley Big Game to spool up instead while you're still getting used to baitcasters.