my first outing with new rod and real =)

[Big-Dan]

hey guys, so this morning around 10 30 i went out to the local marina to try out my new Shimano Sahara 2500 reel with Shimano Convergence rod, and man is the rod and reel sweet never had anything better blows my old spinning combo thats in my signature. so smooth and the rod is nice and sensitive, i cast much father now. So my local marina is a decent place to fish early spring but in later summer its harder so much weeds and it can be a pain, also there is alot of boats coming in and out of the channel, were we usually fish. bottom is very rock and weeds galore. tried my wacky rigged watermelon senko and did not get anything only felt little nibbles and alot of weeds tried to cast it in holes or just before the weed bed but no luck so i threw on my favorite and got to lure my dollar store crankbait thats in minnow color and dives about 1'- 1' 1/2 , ive caught everything on that little thing. anyways the bass was really small and as soon as i went to put my thumb in his mouth he wiggled off and went right back in the water. BTW the water is pretty clear about 4' visibility. i decied to leave at 1pm and ill see about finding a new spot later this afternoon. so yea that was my first outing with new rod and reel and i love the thing.

oh and also forgot to mention the weeds go to the surface and insome places they are a few feet under

[Simp]

Why in the word aren't you throwing a frog with those conditions?

[Big-Dan]

i dont have any frogs, just made an oder from BPS for some spro frogs, and ive never fished topwater, also i should mention its a river im fishing out here in Quebec, Canada, its at the local marina the marina is surrounded by huge boulder rock walls all around the boat docks im fishing on the outside of them were this is about of 2-3 feet of water before the weeds start, and i dont know anything about frog fishing but i dont think there is any around the marina i wonder if the bass would even bite it but who knows ill let them decide.

[Certified Public Angler]

They'll still bite it

Spro frogs will work, but I really like the soft plastic frogs.  Try out the RageTail toads or the Ribbit frogs.

Just make sure if you get a hit on topwater to give the fish about 2 seconds before setting the hook.  People tend to try and set the hook when they see the splash and it will yank the bait out of their mouth.

Congrats on breaking in the new gear.

[Simp]

I walk the Spro frog and have vicious hits. One thing to note is when your walking it fast and causing some commotion bass often think it's bait fish making the commotion. Another thing to remember with frogs is to let them have it for a couple secs and then set the hook.

BTW the Spro frogs are AWESOME!! I'm working to the center of mine! ;D ;D

[Big-Dan]

i think im going to get some ragetail toads right now lol store closes at 5 pm, once i get them ill head back out, see if i can get them to bite if not ill have to wait till my spro frogs arrive. and color suggestions?

[Certified Public Angler]

I choose watermelon red flake.  Make sure you have 4/0 or 5/0 hooks to rig them with.

[Big-Dan]

time for an update!

so earlyer i went out and bought those ragetail toads you suggested and they only had the watermelon red flake so that choice was easy, so bought those and some 4/0 gama ewg hooks, salesman should me how to hook em up. so i went back to my local marina and started to cast and at first i thought they were not doing much action, then i pulled apart the tails and that help alot with the action. i took me a good 20 mins before i got my first bite so i started realing in the bass and as soon as he got to shore he got unhooked >, so casted out again and BAM another one same thing happened at shore. i have to learn to hook set a little harder lol, oh well next time. a couple of mins later i hooked this 1' 1/2 pike reeled him in and should the young kids fishing next to there expressions were priceless ;D. but after that pike it was dead for the next 2 hors no bites :'( . so thats my story for the day. oh and i wish these ragetail frogs floated.

also that pike really messed up my toad lol but it was still fishable. all in all im satisfied with new rod and reel that i bought and those ragetails, also i think the baitmonkey really likes me i probably spent close to 300$ this week on gear and tackle but i think thats it for me for this season, i hope lol  ;D