#502- “Hands Off My Soft Plastics!” EditionPrevious Thread:>>2717358janny pls…Thinking about picking up a new hobby? Want to get a memecaster? Haven't mastered the Palomar knot? Click here! http://www.pastebin.com/u/fishingandtacklehttps://imgur.com/a/1Xw3NNew Bong Fishin Guidehttps://pastebin.com/sDB5SQTqFirst for best telescopic rod is the one you exchanged for a 3pc.Talk about fishin
>>2721788Why does that woman have a man's ass?
>>2721775Continuing off of this, would this rod and reel be appropriate for carp fishing? What length should I buy and what gauge line should I be using? Again, totally new to this, so excuse me if these are super noob questions. I've gotten into a lot of hobbies in the past and fishing is surprisingly one of the more daunting ones in terms of learning all the lingo and technical side of things.https://daiwa.us/products/presso-ultralight-rodshttps://fish.shimano.com/en-SG/product/reels/spinning/a0710000020emhkaaw.html>>2721794Thanks man, I appreciate the help. Carp seem like they're nice and simple for a beginner to get into as well.
>>2721779Oi this will be a longpost…For rods, if you want a telescoping rod, just get whatever is in your budget from a known brand like Abu Garcia, Shimano, Daiwa, Lew’s, etc. If you can find like a 6ft 3pc or 4pc rod, it will probably be about the same size as a telescoping rod and less sketchy.Medium weight 6’6” rod with a 30/3000 size reel (this sizing varies by brand) and 6lb-8lb monofilament line is kinda the standard all around freshwater rod for the US, everything from bluegill up to bass and common carp and channel catfish.IMO easiest starter fishing would be to get some regular bobbers, either the old red n white boys or the stick buoy lookin ones with the spring, then get some assorted split shots, and assorted hooks (I always liked the aberdeen hooks I think they’re called because the long shank makes them easy to remove from a fish’s mouth). Then get whatever worms or lunch meat, tie on a hook (with a palomar knot of course), put the bobber 12”-24” above the hook, clamp a split shot or two in between the bobber and hook, and see what bites. A nightcrawler or a piece of a nighcrawler under a bobber will get about any carniverous lake fish in the US.If it’s night fishin, you can try removing the bobber and letting some worms/meat sit on the bottom for catfish. If there’s common carp in there, get some treble hooks and some dough bait for carp or get some fresh Wonder Bread, take like 1/3 a slice, remove the crust, and mold the bread over the treble hook into a ball. Sweet corn kernels on a regular hook work for carp too.
>>2721807>>2721808If you do carp, 10lb-12lb mono and a M or MH rod is good, but it’s going to be harder to cast small stuff for panfish.I like braided line a lot too, it’s stronger for a given thickness. 15lb braid feels like using 6lb monofilament line. If I just want to test out a pond for whatever, little bluegill smaller than my palm up to 10lb carp and catfish, a 6’-7’ medium weight rod, a 20/2000-35/3500 size reel (varies by brand, but if you read the line recommendations, it will tell you like Mono: 6lb-180yds/ 8lb-150yds/ 10lb/120yds) and then stick some 10lb or 15lb moss green PowerPro braided line on there.
>>2721806I apologize. Have a free one
>>2721788Damn that a sad looking ass.
>>2721810Skid, save us from this blasphemy
>>2721814Skid is more interested in the doggo
>>2721808>>2721809Thanks for the tips man, this is all really helpful. I'm going to take this info and do some shopping at my local tackle shop this weekend and hopefully get some good fishing done this upcoming season.
>>2721822Oh yea the local tackle shop might cost an extra dollar or two over Wally World but they will set you up right for your area. Those guys know how to fish your area better than any of us in other parts of the world.
I've never caught anything on a texas rig from the bank. Tips?
>>2721818I still want her to peg me though >>2721814You want naked guys with fish? I could post a single picture of a naked guy with a fish and suggest it be the new OP and derail the next 3 threadsAgain>>2721466Look up the orvis guide to fly casting there is a lot of good stuff there. Dont forget to practice accuracy, too, put down a hoolahoop or 3 at different distances and cast at them>>2721497Stud smallie>>2721564>>2721556It's always full size friday when you're a fag like me>pic>>272175020 pound mono leader and a big paddle tail and send it
>>2721844F u c k
Also I tested out the FRVShe works
>>2721844>You want naked guys with fish? I could post a single picture of a naked guy with a fish and suggest it be the new OP and derail the next 3 threads>AgainYes please.
>>2721810You could make a man gay or a lesbian straight with the shit you post.
Completely new to fishing. I dont want to do that boring sinker and bobber stuff, i want to try lure fishing. Is it okay to use any rod with a lure? I have an old rod that my dad doesnt use anymore. Also what kind of lure is good for catching fish in Colorado lakes
>>2721788>>2721818>>2721810make this the next op pls bepisalso go fishing
>>2721889h*ck
Is Matt still around?
I bought a fuckload of old reels.
>>2721895What are you going to do with so many reels?
>>2721788Hello I bought my first fishing pole.I successfully put the line on. Then to store it I hooked it on one of the eye holes. But how do you keep it from getting loose?
Fishing from inflatable kayak, yay or nay?
>>2721952Maybe if you are fishing in a pond
>>2721844>derail the next 3 threads>AgainGood times. I got me a temp ban from that one.
>>2721881A pack of white marabou jigs will get it done in Colorado. Every Walmart sells them under the Beetle Bou branding, and they are pretty damn good. Super sharp hooks, but they tend to fall apart after a few fish. Dirt cheap, too. Like 3 bucks for a 10 pack. I prefer the all-white ones but they have limited casting range because they are so light, the red head ones cast a lot better and work just about as good. Cast them as far as you can, then twitch them in slowly near the bottom. The feather tail flows really well when twitched. They work great for trout, all varieties of panfish, bass, and pike. Never found them to work great on walleye for whatever reason. You can put a split shot a foot or two in front of them for better range and fasting sinking.Kastmasters are another great option especially for trout. The smaller size ones retrieved slowly and steadily absolutely slaughter rainbows, and you can fish them deeper for browns and lakers as well if you let them sink, put on a split shot, and use a more intermittent retrieve. They cast a hell of a lot further than light marabous for when that matters.Regarding the rod, it does matter. A heavy fiberglass rod is a nightmare when casting lighter lures, and has no sensitivity. Meanwhile an ultralight doesn't have nearly the backbone to handle heavy lures. For Colorado I like a nice 7 foot light fast action. There just isn't much reason to use anything heavier around here unless you are fishing weedy ponds for bass or going for big pike or lakers. Most rods will list what weight lures they are built to cast near the handle.
I'm going fishing today but I'm waiting for the coffee to do the needful sirs. The worst thing is having to shit when you get there.
what lures should I get for bass fishing in texas?
Do I need a metal leader for pike?
>>2722022You can get all kinds of stuff. Anything will work. Get a mix of hard plastics and soft plastics, topwater and sinking baits.>>2722029Yes, absolutely. Sometimes, people like to buy very heavy mono instead. IIRC, the mono you need is 80 lb.
>>2721895my geezer fishing buddy (everyone should have one) gave me a box of old fishing gear, some of it is going straight to the dump but there are a couple things I'm going to salvage. >>2722011Or piss when you're in the canoe/kayak on a lake with nothing but lakehouses.
>>2722042Brother I don't think he's talking about piss
I wish I had a cat to take fishing.
anyone got a good hoper dropper leader formula for a 3 wt line?
I took my daiwa BG to the river the other day, and I let the damn thing get dunked for a few moments, I'm pretty sure I got some sand into the anti reverse switch as well. How worried should I be? What should my next step be here? I took the spool off and wiped down all that I could when I got home, but it's still making me nervous. I'm still pretty new to this, so any advice is appreciated.
>>2722099You're gonna need to learn how to deconstruct and reconstruct the reel and clean the whole thing.
>>2721838Texas rig sucks for fishing open water. It’s best used for picking apart cover or structure that you believe will be holding fish. Chucking it near a submerged log, near the edge of a dock, in thick vegetation.
>>2722086I can give you the one I use on my 2 wt>two feet of 15 pound mono>a foot of 10 pound>two feet of 8 pound >hopper>water depth of 4 or 6 pound>nymphI tie it short and heavy to conserve all the power the 2 weight has, and to I'll improve accuracy. I'm not worried about slapping the water with a hopper dropper rig cause hoppers dont exactly land softly to start with and sometimes that slap makes every fish in a hole charge whatever made it, it's cool to watch 2 or 3 fish race eachother for your fly. Also your 3 weight line might be stiffer than my 2 weight line, so you might wind up making the two feet of 15 a foot each of 20 and 15 or 17 and 15 it depends on what balances best with your line. >>2722099Look up a youtube tutorial on disassembly and reassembly and follow along. The 1500 to the 5000 should all didmsassemble the same so any tutorial should work. >>2721838>>2722116+1 Texas rigs are not for covering water they're for knocking on the fish's front door. Also try varying your retrieve. Try swimming it, try dragging it as painfully slow as you can, try hopping it, try popping it, try snapping it, try a burn and drop, try 3 twitches and a pause, try 7 twitches and a pause (it has to be a prime number) try cutting your lure down to make it smaller, just try everything you can think of. And dont grow roots, if you've been fishing one tree for 10 minutes without a bite it's time to move to the next one. If you're fishing weeds make a cast or two at any given pocket then move on, theres not a catchable fish there.
I've grown to resent trout. Those gay little freaks aren't even native to where I live. But they are stocked anyways and thus on my bucket list. However they are put all the way out into bumbfuck nowhere, whilst still somehow on private land. Talking where do you even park like wth? Alternatively you need some kind of state park pass, to which I say, "that's gay". Can't even eat them because all the water here is so polluted. Even in the state parks the water is comically polluted. I'm on the verge of writing a poem over my frustration with these salmonids. Instead of going on a goose chase to get one trout maybe, I could sit at a park I already know and catch five different species. Also I could even get a new species all together. But no, these fishy cock pinches are my white whale.
>>2722127>Texas rigs are not for covering waterWhat's best for covering water?
>>2721969Thank you for the detailed response anon! I will attempt to catch trout in the coming weeks. Hopefully i can make you anons proud
>>2722147One last noobie question, the lake im planning on fishing at doesnt get stocked until the last week of may, i plan on going late april/early may. Does the time of stocking matter or will i still be able to catch fish?
>>2722134You could try another state. I'm curious, where do you live?>>2722112>>2722099Yep, you'll need to take it apart. I did something similar too, but it was not too hard to follow the tutorial and felt kind of good to learn something new. I slipped and smashed my reel in the dirt yesterday, but nothing got inside and feels smooth. The reel arm is bent, so I'm just going to replace that, as it is hard to bend back in place. One tip you should follow is to not operate the reel until fully assembled. This causes problems.>>2722066The first guy was talking about shitting and how inconvenient it is to shit at the lake. The other anon chimed in saying it also sucks when you need to take a piss in a small, slow-moving boat that is prone to tipping over while you are surrounded by houses. The second anon was basically saying, "You think shitting in a pit is bad? Well, get a load of this..."
>>2722154Delaware, the lovely state of "Lets go Brandon". Northern part even, I don't like saltwater fishing either. I'm in a devious hell made by people long before me. I can't get out. There are chemical plants a fart's distance from a fishing pond for kids. This is some Simpson's Springfield shit. It's like a shitty Florida.
>>2722146swimbaits, crankbaits, jerk baits, spinners, spoons, any 'moving' baitonce you find a piece of structure that has an agressive fish slow down and throw the texas rig or similar finesse presentation
my rod went in the wooder today. had it laying in the kayak with a double dropshot dangling in the wooder while I fished my other rod. thought I knocked it in, luckily managed to quickly grab it before it sank, laid it back in the kayak, and it started moving. had a crappie on it. he almost stole my rod. gonna have to take it apart and clean/relube ffs. caught a lot of fish today though. tiny little perch colored yo-zuri l-minnow has been tearing it up lately. those things have a really wide wobble even when barely retrieving them.
white perch and white bass fight so good. probably my favorite fish to catch. even the tiny dinks fight like a 10" bluegill.
>>2721788>Need help freshwater fishing for panfish. Grew up saltwater fishing from a boat. Trying to fish some lakes and ponds around the county for panfish. Been out 4 times with my son and nary a bite. In central FL btw. Also, how do you reel in through the brush on the bank? Do you just feel fast and try to skim the surface?
>>2721900Fish the ones I was after, sell the ones I can clean up that are halfway decent, pitch the ones that are broken or worthless.There are a lot in there that were nothing special at the time but blows modern crap out of the water quality wise.
I wasn't understanding what the salesman was saying, but it clicked with me eventually. If I want to fish streamers, I simply cut off the last foot of my leader. And when I want to go back to nymphs, I tie on 5X or 6X tippet. Might I find 6X to be too light? Is 6X going to be perfect for dry flies when I get around to those? What do you fly anglers usually fish?Skid, what pound Trilene do you tie on for tippet?
>>2722238P.S. I ordered a Daiwa Presso 4 piece rod through this store, but they haven't gotten it in. I like the idea of having a pack rod while wading trout streams and for pan fishing in general. The store has Fenwicks and St. Croixs. I'm thinking of getting a better bass rod (I have two Ugly Stiks and a $90 Abu Garcia baitcaster combo) or buying just a 2 piece UL/L rod. What's the best way to spend my money? I have plenty of money to spend but don't want to be stupid and reckless.P.P.S. That Abu Garcia baitcaster sucks. I can throw anything much further on my spinning rods, but I must admit that baitcasters are kind of relaxing. If I buy a better baitcaster, can I expect to throw stuff further?
(PNW) Going surf fishing tomorrow. Mainly snaring Dungeness crabs but I'm gonna try for surf perch too. Any tips or preferred methods??
>>2722255Those Berkley gulp sandworms in the camo color, 2 inch. Can put them on a high-low rig with a 3oz. Sinker and plunk it out there or fish them on a Carolina rig with less weight. Need to cast out to the trough past the first line of breakers. They will tap at it constantly, you gotta wait for an aggressive series of taps and set the hook. Recommend waders.
>>2722238I use everything from 4lb to 14lb on my normal setups and my pike leaders are 30 pound wire.6x is tiny5x will do everything you need in the #16-#22 range, most of my leaders are no lighter than 6 or 8 pound test and iij only drop down to 4 if I physically cant fit 6lb through the eye of the hookGenerally I use relatively heavy tippett because when I snag I can usually get the fly back.
>>2722038>Yes, absolutely. Sometimes, people like to buy very heavy mono instead. IIRC, the mono you need is 80 lb.Jesus that's heavy. I'll just stick to wire leaders, they're nice anyways because they have a clip that makes changing hooks/lures easy (you only have to tie on the leader itself).Sadly I haven't been able to get a pike to bite yet. I don't really know much about where and when to use different kinds of lures. I'm fishing on river banks for the most part.
>>272231380 lb mono leader is much more reasonable than wire leader. It is cheaper, easily replaceable.
>>2722337I'm not worried much about the price (I can get a pack of 10 steel wire leaders with built in barrel swivels for less than $3). I actually don't think I've ever even seen 80lb mono for sale near here but then again I never thought to look for it.I'm mainly just concerned with ease of use (I'm not very good at tying knots) and effectiveness. I'd definitely consider using a mono (or fluorocarbon? I've read those are used for leaders pretty often because they're nearly invisible) leader if it would help me catch more fish though - I am worried that the steel one is too visible and that's why I only ever catch shitty little catfish.
>>2722341I think you have bigger problem if you are not even confidence with tying basic knots for fishing. It shouldn't be that hard. Cheap wire leaders will come with cheap "clips" as well, which will just make you lose more expensive lures.
>>2722341Learning knots is easy. Trust me. I learned the palomar knot my first day fishing. It works really well for most things. I used to be intimidated by knots, but that first day, I found that the palomar knot is so easy to tie. The only time I use a clip is if I'm using a swivel. Watch YouTube tutorials and download an app for fishing knots.
>>2721788Im wanting to get into fishing, I havent been fishing since I was probably around 10 and that was 20 years ago.Could you guys rec me some shit to get started?Or is this going to be one of those things where I need to come back with more info on the area I am fishing in and what I am fishing for?
>>2722345>>2722352My hands are twitchy, and I get frustrated very easily, so I tend not to practice. I am able to tie knots, it just takes me forever and they probably aren't very good (and I've never tried tying two lengths of line together).I probably should just go sit out in the garage one day with youtube on my phone and spend a while learning how to tie knots properly.
> why yes, I put "private property no fishing tresspassers will be shot" signs in public places I don't own. how could you tell?
>>2722356Yeah, it does depend what you're fishing for.
Bucket boys must have eaten all the green sunfish because that's the most common fish you catch around here and I haven't caught a single one all year, let alone seen one.
>>2722375Have you tried using a black ant fly under a split shot and a tiny bobber?
I lost a $7 lure and what hurts the most is not knowing what happened to it. I'd rather have snagged it and known. It's out there somewhere, and I don't even know where. I have legit OCD so I will run scenarios through my head for weeks to come.> A duck could be choking on it right now.> It could be somewhere in my room in plain sight.> A mexican could find it and he owes me $7.
>>2722341>10 steel wire leaders with built in barrel swivels for less than $3those will break at the snap buy good steel leaders or dont buy steel leaders. i like rio steel bite tippet because i can run it on a double uni knot and tie straight to it, or retie a new snap if mine starts to wear out.you might have to order online for heavy mono or flouro im going to be a nerd real quick and say that mono should be called nylon because flourocarbon and nylon are both monofilamentsanywho i dont think pike care, because my steel leaders still catch fish. >>2722356just google 'what fish live in [insert your state, county, and/or city]' and we can probably get you fishing.
>>2722375Shame, they are my fav sunfish.
I slipped and fell a few days ago and smashed my reel into the ground. It is a Daiwa Legalis from last year that is now priced at $65 instead of $80. The reel arm might be slightly bent, and the rotation of it is slightly off but off enough to piss me off. Will the purchase of a replacement arm be enough to fix this issue, or is it likely that some internal components are bent despite still feeling smooth? The cost of replacement is $12 plus shipping.
>>2722542the handle is is the bent part or is it the spool shaft causing the spool to wobble?
So i decided to sink a few $100 into making my own soft plastics. Got dead on plastix floating craw/tube plastisol, a handful of pigments, glitter and their "craw" scent. To start out im just doing some plaster of paris open pour molds of store bought lures, once i get the hang of it i'll invest in aluminum molds and injectors. any one here have any experience with homemade soft plastics? any tips or tricks etc?
Anybody here know much about fisheries management work? Half considering going back to school for it. I live in northern MN and there seems to be a lot of jobs available and they actually pay half decently. It was always my dream but I ended up doing something else because people always told me it was nearly impossible to actually find work in the field.
I made a prototype micro spook. It works but I think I can refine it and make it better.
>>2722341As a life long pike and musky angler I would recommend sticking with metal leaders and buying higher quality ones. Pike don't care about the leader. I've seen a new 120lb fluoro leader get bitten through and have heard about 150lb and even 200lb fluoro getting bitten off.
>>272259423 years ago, I followed a fisheries management team in Central MN for career day in 8th grade, it was pretty cool, mostly setting net traps to test farm ponds to see if they had any fish in them and going back to check them and let snapping turtles out of the traps. We were scouting farm ponds for walleye fingerling grow out operations (they want a pond with no natural fishery, so nothing competes with the baby walleye and at the end of the summer, they can collect a bunch of pounders for stocking). And the two guys I rode around with seemed to love the job, but when asking all the questions I needed to in order to get credit for career day, I found that both of them had masters degrees, that stocking work, net trapping, and electro fishing is their job only like 6 weeks a year, and the rest of the year they had a forest janny territory they had to patrol checking for licenses and duck stamps and shit, which I felt (and still feel) was lame and not for me.Oh, and at the time (spring of 2001) they were making like $45k with those Masters degrees.Of course, they would qualify for various government worker loan forgiveness things, so if you can stomach having to work as a forest janny when you aren’t doing the cool stuff you spent 7-8 years in college for, and you don’t mind making less money than a highschool educated forklift mechanic, go for it. You will spend all day outdoors most days and get a government truck and Lund Deep V
Beautiful spring day for catching running suckers
I went to the stocked trout pond to try my fly rod. It was windy and cold. I couldn't really move my upper limbs by the end of it. My strike indicator came off. I caught no fish despite trout rising all over. I even through a Panther Martin with no luck.This fly is coming undone. How do I fix it? I was set up with a 9 ft leader, I think. I'm having trouble casting it since part of it is in the water when I start casting. This is not a sensation I practiced for.
>>2722553I think it is the handle, since operation is smooth. The handle looks slightly off, and I can definitely feel it.
>>2722374>>2722520Steelhead and Salmon.
Face is sunburned to hell, but got on some perch and walleye today. Gotta tie up some more crawler rigs, I'm always giving them to my buddies cuz they don't catch anything on the store bought ones.
>>2722673soi fish
>>2722673 What do you do with them? I used to spear them in the spring then grind or pickle them to deal with the bones.
>>2722658Sounds about right from from I understand. From what I hear you either get your masters or you spend 2-4 years after your bachelors doing low level seasonal surveying work from spring-fall until you build enough experience to be considered for the higher level positions. Higher level positions seem to mostly managing surveying and studies in the summer, and working with data in the offices in the winter. I'm at the point where I care a lot more about finding work that I can enjoy as opposed to something that pays well but makes me want to off myself. Seems like DNR guys are almost always pretty happy with what they do. Pay isn't great, or even just good when you consider the schooling needed, but plenty livable and with good government benefits. I'm old and poor enough now that I get extremely cheap college, too, so no major student loan worries.I've heard from a guy in the field that a lot less college students are going into it now between less interest in fisheries in general among young people combined with nobody being willing to take out a large loan to earn $50k so it will hopefully be less competitive than it used to be. Dude also said that a lot of college grads leave the field after they learn that entry level work is less about protecting wildlife deep in the wilderness and more about wading in swamps running survey nets, checking gut contents, or doing creel surveys.
Any aus south coast fishermen in?
>>2722707you should be good with a new handle then. I just find it odd that the handle would bend before the whole thing flexed and misaligned the gears or something. take the handle off and spin the rotor and make sure everything seems balanced and no noise.
>>2722359I'd +1 the Palomer knot for just tying lures onto line, but I'd also suggest the Uni knot which can be used for any application (line to reel, line to line, and line to lure). I know there are stronger knots out there, but the difference in my opinion is marginal compared to the ease of having just 1 knot that can do anything
>>2722785I never have uni knots break and I can tie them the easiest. like they say, a knot is only as good as you can consistently tie it. some of those complex knots might be stronger, but if you don't tie them perfectly you lose the strength advantage anyways.
What method do you guys use to humanely kill the fish if you want to eat it as soon as you catch it?
>>2722796Bonk on the head to stun, then bleed them. Works especially well on trout and salmon. Doesn't work as well on tougher fish like catfish and it's hard to get a good bonk on crappie and bluegill. Stabbing the brain works better but is fussier and requires a dedicated tool. Look up ikejime.
>>2722738Smoking and ground fish burgers. Very tasty but bony. It's a very underused resource so it's nice to be able to catch a bunch without worrying about over harvest. It's also basically the only seasonal fishing right now
>>2722796Bonk. If I'm able to rinse filets I don't bother with bleeding.
Realistically, how logistically feasible would it be to fish very deep down in the ocean (lower mesopelagic zone to upper bathypelagic)?If anything, I'd probably only pull up a couple of lanternfish, but even that would be exciting.I already have a location in mind, and getting a boat there would be no issue. It seems risky to have a thin line dropping down that far, so I'd probably go with some kind of rope with a bit of line as a leader at the end. There's no way you would feel the pull of a fish at that distance, so it would have to be more of a wait and check operation.
>>2722858That sounds crazy but also awesome if you could pull it off
>>2722858You might need a winch to haul up that much rope
>>2722858You'll probably never get the hooks down there before shallow water fish pick the bait clean. When you retrieve the line the hooks will be filled with seaweed, medical waste and dead bodies according to Jacques Cousteau.
>>2722519a bass took my gold spoon a couple weeks ago
>>2722673cute/10
>>2722658>We were scouting farm ponds for walleye fingerling grow out operations (they want a pond with no natural fishery, so nothing competes with the baby walleye and at the end of the summer, they can collect a bunch of pounders for stocking). This doesn't make sense to me. Why go out in the middle of nowhere to a place that you don't fully understand to raise walleye? Are they going to cone out everyday to throw pellets? If that is the case, why not just build a pond near the DNR office?
Incredible fun
>>2722858It's called deep dropping, top of the line gear doesn't even get you that far down, you need electronic reels, super heavy weights and a suitable boat with a captain who knows what he's doing. It's far from trivial
>>2722796Bonk on the head (or suffocation when it's a bunch of bluegill) but have always been curious about cutting off tail or cutting gills. Seems slower but theoretically gets more blood out.
>>2722932what's that?
To the anons last thread who said spawning bass are hard to catch: you guys are wrong. I forgot to post that. Pre-spawn, spawn, and post-spawn bass are ridiculously fucking easy to catch and it's not even funny. >>2722022Swimbaits only. Not those stupid paddle tails.
>>2722255Update: The surf was shit. Probably the specific beach I went to. Still practicing reading the surf, but even I could tell most of the beach was shallow with no holes. Tide was pretty strong too. Cut my losses and went to a pier. Snagged a keeper red rock crab first reel in, but slipped out of the snare before I could get it. Seemed promising but afterward the most I would snare was purple sea urchins. Then the crab snare itself got snared into some rocks. Tried my hardest to retrieve it, but the crimp failed and just reeled in the part you tie onto the main line. At least I didn't have to cut the line, would have been a horrible start to earth day
>>2723048>Swimbaits onlyreccs?
>>2722906>If that is the case, why not just build a pond near the DNR office?Ponds are expensive, and the need for stocker walleyes would make it unfeasable for the state to try and own all their grow-out ponds when they can lease them for pennies from a farmer. We surveyed probably 200 acres worth of pounds that day. The goal is for the natural aquatic insect population to grow the walleyes from fry to a certain length and then they flush bait into the ponds later once the fingerlings have put on some size, and periodically throughout the summer. Then they seine net them out for stocking in the early fall, and the farmers will either ice fish out the ones they missed before the pond freezes solid if they want to rent out the same pond to the DNR next year, or if they'd rather grow out the walleyes for a bit, they'll put an aerator in the pond to prevent winter kill and fish for them over the next couple of years. Because while the DNR will seine net out the vast majority of them, the ones that dodge the net are still dozens to hundreds of fish in a 10 acre pond.
Skid, I learned the blood knot. It's much easier than the double uni. Just for a survey, how many wraps do you guys do for a uni knot? And is there a preferred knot for connecting flies to leader? I haven't even considered tying on two flies.
most people who catch bass off beds are snagging them. countless snaggers have been exposed in history. also, it's far more impressive to catch a LEGIT 10lb bass than a bass that's 10lbs when full of eggs.
>check out fb marketplace for fishing gear>rods and reels are wide pan shots with no info of model or specs
>>2723145used gear in ANY hobby is a shitshow these days because mfers ask damn-near msrp, or the stuff is beat to shit and nobody is honest. I've only been fucked a couple of times, but that's enough to not even bother. mostly show up and it's not in the condition listed or the pictures made it look nice and it's cosmetically bad in person. it's a shame really.
>>2723124>a preferred knot for connecting flies to leaderI either use a regular clinch knot for speed or I'll do a no slip mono loop (kreh loop?) For streamers Also good job learning the blood knot though I fear you may have messed up, blood knots should have two tags, not one.
Do people bring more than one rod fishing because they dont want to change the lures?
Finally got /out/ for a few hours this weekend to fish my local lake. PA fish and boat just stocked the lake a few weeks ago with rainbows. Can't seem to catch anything. I've tried live baits (redworm, night crawlers, and meal worms, powerbait, even trout magnets, varied presentations, top and bottom rigs, and I still haven't had any luck aside from a few bluegills. Any recommendations on what I can try different?
I have a problem, I have a 1000 fx fc clam reel and sometimes when I cast, the braid line tangles up on cast and i have to slowly detangled it.I have another reel that doesn't do this.
>>2721788signing up for a mackerel tournament. Any ideas for team name?
>>2723124the amount of wraps for a uni depends on how thick the material is. thicker=less thinner=more. I really like the davy and double davy knot for tying flies on if I'm fishing freshwater. it's really fast and saves on tippet.
>>2723227Only when I’m in my boat, because that’s where I store my rods anyways.
>>2723275King Oscars Poppers
>>2723077If there’s a lot of vegetation a Magdraft freestyle on an owner beast is an easy soft swimbait to fish on, and it’s doesn’t really need a dedicated swimbait rod. S waver 168 is a good one too, but learning the cadence on glidebaits takes some practice.
>>2723272that's why I don't use braid, it happens sometimes, especialyl on windy days of if you fling it with too much force and it comes off too fast.
>>2723172Shit. You're right. I'm going to fix that for the future.>>2723293I'm always tying 6-7 wraps, whether it is 6 lb or 40 lb. Last week, I saw a guy saying 4 wraps,and he seemed to be a bass fisherman. Everyone says what you say, except that guy, but I don't know how many wraps to do for each situation.
So there's no affordable way to get into fishing say?
>>2723343>telescopic cane pole from walmart, $15>spool of 6lb mono, $2>aberdeen hook assortment, $5>splitshot assortment, $5>tiny bobbers, $2Have fun anon post sunfish for us >>2723332It happens
>>2723347This. Everyone starts like this, and everyone eventually comes back to this. There's something innately comfortable and nice about simple bobber fishing.If I could only fish with a single rod for the rest of my life, it'd be a cane pole.
>>2723343shakespeare micro series spinning rodshimano fx reellinetacklethat's literally it. very cheap
>>2721788Yeah well first off a lot of you are a bunch of dumb fucking losers in the first place you've like a child's fucking mentality when it comes to women. You honestly want a freaking barbie girl who fucking can't even bait her own fucking hooks, and when you take her out to eat all she does is order a damn salad. All I can say if you kids one day might fucking realize that people can change things happen in life and sets people back. Just remember your hot ass bitch could end up as a land whale in a mobile scooter from a accident. And like the real piece of shit you're you'd leave her.At least my wife and have a fun time together. I'm glad you're in great shape what more sad is seeing fat people out living people who aren't fat.One thing you'll fucking learn to is life is shit so we don't give a fuck. It's not to say it doesn't get annoying listening to a bunch of kids run their mouths online with childish insults that are older the the 80s.
>>2723347>>2723358Appreciate brotha. See you at the pond.https://youtu.be/qk9ouSPnVdI?si=iFcw8wr-5JuMP6c1
>>2723239Boy do i know this feeling, keep at it and maybe do nofap.
>>2723434I got a telescoping spinning rod, it came with a spool and a couple of hooks so no spool but I know I'll need 6LB MONO for future reference.Bronze Aberdeen Hooks, Reusable Split Shot, and assorted Bobbers; there's a tiny one.Pretty good haul for a quick run to the mart, Is anything missing?
>>2723466
>>2723466post dogalsp i wouldn't have gotten that specific combo just becuase ozark trail is the walmart brand, but its enough to find out if you like fishing.>>2723467all you need now is bait and a place to fish. you can buy bait or you can dig worms in the back yard.
>>2723470Sounds right. We have a fun sidequest now with the worms.
>>2722356Curly tail grubs on a jig head or a few knock off rooster tails. Good for freshwater It'll get you started and more confident. If you loose em you're out a couple bucks.Then start lookin up local species and baits/lures they like. 95% of it is just trial and error.
On one hand, I'm tired of catching almost only panfish, trout and dinks on my 8wt I coud've caught on my 5wt... but this is a really pretty crappie... and it's still better than getting skunked. Surprised I felt him strike as hard as he did on a heavier rod. Warmer days cannot come soon enough, I dont't think the bass are in prespawn in my area yet.
>>2723425Obvious Chat GPT bait, but ok.
Can someone help identify this fish? Caught below Center Hill dam in Tennessee.
>>2723048>go out today to fish>several bass I see>literally all have locked jaw syndrome and I couldn't get them to bite no matter what I threwAlrighty then. I guess I suck too. >>2723077Like the other anon said, magdraft is a good softbait that's inexpensive to start with. S-waver 168. Basically those two will get you by. Huddleston 68 is another you can throw in.
>>2723534big blueback herring?
>>2723438I’ll give nofap a try but my wife’s out of town so I’m bound to relapse. I’m going to try again with some chartreuse powerbait. A guy caught his limit as I was walking in and that’s what he was using. Lake was restocked just yesterday but didn’t have a chance to stop after work. Hopefully I can run out today
What happened here??
>>2723624Could be a few things but probably just a wind knot.
>>2723624too much line probably, considering it's below the spool also
>>2723624>>2723684I keep having issue with rats nests on this one spinning reel I have. I have respooled fresh line on and didn’t put that much on but have still been having issues with this reel. Is a spinning reel spooler the solution to my problems or is there something else I can do? I’m pretty good about pinching the line off with my finger when casting and always close the bail manually. My other spinning reel gives me no issues.
>>2723694you don't really have to spool up any special way as long as it comes off the spool fairly straight and you don't just let it flop all around when doing so. especially if it's thinner line. one of the most common reasons people have trouble with spinning reels is that they leave too much slack in the line when they reel in after casting. if it's all loose on the spool eventually it will cause problems. also make sure to not overspool. don't even go anywhere close to the lip. also, you should occasionally visually check your spool, because often times something is already going on and you can fix it before it gets bad. I always, take my hand and pull the slack out after closing the bail before I reel. it might seem like an extra step, but it will become second nature and only take a split second once it becomes a habit, and it prevents the most common way slack gets on the spool.
>>2723702and by pulling the slack out after you close the bail, I mean grabbing the line above the reel and pulling it taught. you can lift the rod tip high also to help get the slack out. often times on overhead raibow casts there is lots of slack between you and your lure, and if you just strart reeling it in with all that slack line, it will not be tight enough on the spool to stay put.
Rooster tail strapped. Going to finish my assignments and head to the trail.
>>2723534Looks like an American shad to me. Fun to catch but very bony.
>>2721788I like her butt, actually. But not her personality which chooses to dress like a whore
>>2722719Those suck for beginners. Your best bet is gonna be talking to the local tackle shop.>>2723515Throw streamers to imitate that crappie >>2723534American shad I think>>2723624Line twist be like that>>2723718Good luck
>>2723795>Throw streamers to imitate that crappieI was actually thinking about that today and got these size 6 propeller buggers. Think they might work as ok crappie imitations? Hoping all the tail fluff will help filter smaller fish at least a little with missed strikes. Also have have that popper with really bright colors for when things are warmer and sunnier. Next time I pick up flies from the tackle shop, might see if they have any big baitfish streamers to match palm sized crappie and sunfish.
I've always used ugly stik ~$50 dollar rodswhat is the difference between something like an ugly stik GX2 that retails for $50 and a $200-$400 shimano/st croix spinning rod?is there really hundreds of dollars worth of 'feel' in one of those rods?or should I put more consideration towards the ~$100 range of those rods?
>>2723813>size 6No you're gonna need something in the 2/0 to 6/0 range. >>2723820>should I put more consideration towards the ~$100 range of those rods?This
>>2723820it's like with most things... once you get to mid-tier, every advantage the more you go up in price is very very minor. the difference between lots of $100 and $200 rods are things like lighter weight guides with harder material inserts, more expensive reelseats, etc. many rods literally use the same blank for a $100-150 rod and the $200 rod. the main benefit with going up to a $100+ rod is that you get into lots of the technique specific actions. you really have to know what you want though, or you will be wasting money. when it comes to buying expensive rods, I try to snipe a sale, otherwise it's pretty painful to pay $200 for a rod if you're not a richfag.
>>2723820literally anything that is carbon/graphite blank will be more sensitive than a gx2, even without using braided line, so yes you will notice a big difference in that aspect. is that what you're after? look at the TFO Professional rods. they are essentially a versatile "general use" line instead of technique-specific. they also feel tough and are tough, which can't be said for a LOT of more expensive rods that you feel like you need to baby. I've been using one for a couple of years and love it. it's survived plenty of mishaps that probably would have broken the tips of other rods too. you don't have to spend $200 to feel a big upgrade from a gx2. that price range is more centered around people who want multiple variations of the same line so they can take like 8 rods on their boat... or someone who wants something extremely specific.
Would you guys suggest fishing for Bluegills with a 1/16oz hook or?
>>2723891You mean 1/16 weight? Yes, but you probably meant a #4 or #6 hook which in that case yes. They're practically made for bluegills. I use 1/32 and 1/16 almost exclusively for bluegill and small mouth.
I trashed my rod. I broke the gear knob out of frustration
Anybody used Fishbrain for hookups??
>>2723903>FishbrainBrother of Christ, what.
>>2723948It's an app where people can post pictures of the fish they caught and where they caught them.I find it immensely useful as a new fisherman because it lets me find spots that I know have fish in them. That way I don't have to waste my time fishing in a creek where nobody's ever caught anything, for example (though I still have out of the vain hope that maybe I can have a fishing spot that's less than 30 minutes away). Also without it I'd just have no idea where to go in general, because I don't know anybody else who fishes so I can't ask anybody where the fish are.
Prespawn largie.
>>2723959No, a quick Google search made me realize what it was. What ik trying to say is, you're Indian enough to hit up random girls on a non dating app?
>>2723891when buying jigs make sure they list not only the weight but the hook size. they can come in different variations. #6 hook is perfect for panfish in general.
>>2723903no. those women are more likely to smell like fish and have had a higher hookup ratio. too risky.
how do you feel knowing that in any lake across the united states, bass boats will have combed the entire lake before you even get there, if not that morning, the days leading up to it? fishing pressure is a real thing.
>>2723959Good spots won't be listed on any app. Go on Google maps, find water, throw a variety of baits and lures in it. This is the only way to find good spots. If it's on fishbrain it's already blown up. >>2724043I feel fine about it. Pressure is fine but bass people especially are very narrowly focused. Anyone with toys this days is basically glued to forward facing sonar and barely throw topwaters or fish margins. They don't typically troll. All lakes have fish and techniques and areas that are underused which can be your advantage if you find them out.
I always thought bobbers were for children. But I had fun catching so many bluegills with a bobber and live worms.
What's stopping me from fishing without a license?
>>2724044>Good spots won't be listed on any app. Go on Google maps, find water, throw a variety of baits and lures in it. This is the only way to find good spots. If it's on fishbrain it's already blown up.I don't really have enough free time to waste trying out every slough and creek (most of which will be lifeless from farm runoff anyways). I prefer to go places where I know there are fish, otherwise I'm just sitting there casting into empty water, and that's no fun.
>>2724174That's melanated behavior, and youd be poacher scum, and if you get caught you'll lose all your gear. >>2724182Fishing isnt about the fish>>2724043Even in the most heavily pressured waters less than half the fish are caught in a given year.
>>2724186>Fishing isnt about the fishIt is for me. There's no joy in sitting next to a bug-infested water body if there's not even a chance that I'll catch something. The act of actually catching a fish is what I like about fishing.
>>2724187Theres a difference between lifeless water and not catching fish. Learn to enjoy time on the water and center yourself and be in only the here and now, fishing your cast. Once you learn to enjoy not catching, catching is all that much sweeter. Or if you insist you only care about getting bent, go ultralight, slamming dinks is fun.
Walmart is such a good store for fishing. Inexpensive stuff and bait for beginners and intermediate.
>>2721788lovely bum.
>>2724043I don't really care. There was a bass tournament at the marina I frequently fish 3 weeks ago and 1st place got a 23 pound bag. I fished the next day and from shore I got 21 pounds for 5 fish in 3 hours. I would've gotten top 5.
>>2724191Thanks local Walmart representative.I'll make sure to pick up some creme rattletraps.Wish you niggers carried the 1/16th rapala ripping raps. Sick of ordering them online.
What weight/kind of anchor should i use on my cheap inflatable pontoon for lake fishing
>>2724043Nah, there there so many body of water in the states that are barely touched. Even the popular ones aren't really pressured if it is located in a low population density area. Only so many people with boat can "cover" a whole big ass lake. Most fishes don't get caught and many fishes being caught keep biting after being released anyway
>>2723903Downloaded simply because you mentioned.... You might be on to something....
>>2724010underratedyou sure catch something with them
>>2724188I know you're right. It's just frustrating standing there for hours without even a nibble, especially when I'm in a spot that's not particularly scenic (which unfortunately describes most local spots). If I had the ability to go fishing whenever I wanted I probably wouldn't mind so much, though. Once I get my driver's license back I'll be able to go more often and won't be as antsy to catch something. Currently I can only go with my friend or my dad (my friend seems more interested in sitting around at home than doing anything these days, and my dad doesn't really fish much anymore).On that note, I got to go today. Didn't get any bites though. I'm pretty sure there were fish around, because I saw a few splashes in the river (could have been frogs/turtles/muskrats though), and I know there WERE fish in that exact spot last fall. Sadly not even the little bullheads were interested in my minnow, if they were even there at all. I think I need to learn how to tie rigs that more complicated than "weighted hook with bait and a bobber on top."I also tried lures but they didn't work either, possibly because of how muddy the water is. Assuming it's mud and not cow shit or something more disgusting, anyway. My line is literally stained brown from a couple hours in the water.
>>272420610lb. Mushroom
>>2723962I picked up some of the bone/white Citizens for this season. My other ones are more mend it than original plastic at this point.
I caught my first fish on a fly rod today! It felt great. I waded in an urban creek near my house and caught 9 fish in total: 1 green sunfish, 6 bluegill, and 2 largemouth. My leader was messed up because of bad casts I made over the weekend. I noticed it, but I didn't change the leader, and as a result, I lost a fly and a fish. It was a good fly too, pic rel. I have another one, so all hope was not lost. I fished that white wooly bugger, a smaller black one with no mylar, and an egg. The egg sucked to fish and probably needed split shot.The bad thing today was that I saw a dead cat within throwing distance from a bridge. This was right next to an animal hospital. I think that the animal hospital improperly disposed of this cat because the owner of a cat would not throw their cat (probably dead) off a bridge after visiting the vet. Maybe, there is a world where they couldn't afford treatment and decided to kill and throw away said cat, but that's fucked up too. The animal hospital had really smelly dumpsters. The whole situation brought a bitter tinge to my otherwise sweet day.I think I need to rebuild the midsection of my leader pretty soon. It's 5X leader, and I have 5X and 4X tippet. The leader is 9 ft and from Scientific Anglers. I get the idea of tippet; that makes sense to me, but I don't know where to start with rebuilding the midsection. I'd appreciate a video tutorial and/or written guide.
>>2724240Obviously, I have to hose my waders down after wading in this creek. I had the power on the hose turned up a bit too high. How bad is that for my waders?
>fish limit includes fish that you have stored at homeHow the fuck can they enforce this? Can they just come to your house and demand to see your freezer? I'm in Canada btw so I don't have rights.
>>2723524I admit you got me on the GPTchat bot thing I don't have a clue what you're talking about so at this point I feel like a newfag.
>>2724265it's good logic considering some people probably have so much that it goes to waste(bucket boys) but they can't really enforce it.
>>2724265>>2724303The forest jannies can search your freezer without a warrant in Canada and most US states. They have way more power than a regular cop.
>>2721788She has a man ass.
>>2724240>eggThose are seasonal and species specific dont worry about eggs unless you're doing trout in fall or winter , and you only dead drift them under bobbers ("strike indicators")I'd run a heavier leader personally 2x or 3x for stripping buggers like thatRebuilding mid sections is hard to describe, it's mostly feel so you kinda just gotta take a scientific wild ass guess and send it as a beginner>>2724227I understand anonIt's hard but that frustration makes a catch pay off better. Good luck, take care, and no amount of googling or video watching can replace time on the water. I strongly suggest dink fishing until you get more confidence. >fish were here in fall but not nowFish like different waters different times of year.
>local environmental organization holds a outdoor gear sale>cop a Lamiglass X11 9' salmon/steelhead rod for $20>rod tp is broken off>missing about 11"is this fixable or should I just deal with a 8' 1" rod until i can find a replacement top half??
>>2724265yes, in canada they can search your home. If the fish in your freezer isnt identifiable or able to be counted without thawing, they'll give you a fine too.
considering buying a kayak and entering OKBT (ontario kayak bass trail)Always fished out of a 14 foot aluminum but just want some competition action and can't afford a bass boat.Anyone ever fish a kayak tournament? Advice for new kayak anglers?Are the kayak specific rods (st croix, cashion) a meme? I get that large rods / handles may be an issue but won't 6'6-6'8 rods be fine?I just want to have some competitive fun
>>2724431I don't fish tournaments but yes "kayak rods" are a meme. all they are is shorter butt section by a couple of inches. I use normal 7ft rods. granted, a 6ft6 is probably even better for the simple fact that once you land a fish you don't have as long of a rod to fumble with. also easier to reach the tip if your line gets tangled up around it or something, but either way not a big deal. I also came from jon boats and it's honestly more enjoyable most of the time because as long as you have a good kayak cart and don't make your kayak weigh 200lbs you can launch virtually anywhere. no more being limited to boat ramps. it's also WAY easier to paddle for extended periods of time than you would initially think. I stay out on average about 4 hours in a paddle kayak, often against pretty good winds and current, paddling for who knows how many miles, and I never end up sore from the paddling like you would from other physical activities. I'm sure it helps to have a good paddling kayak though. I'd imagine in a hobie or something with pedal drive you wouldn't even feel like you're doing much physical activity at all.
>>2721788Anyone fish the shad run in VA yet this year? Gonna try to get out there this weekend
>>2722588I use injection molds and DOP plastisol, my advice would be know what direction you want to take the hobby in before you invest in molds, if you see a mold you like it might be worth looking into if someone sells baits using the same mold, buy a pack or two and see how they swim, look, and the actual size, it’s hard to tell from pictures on some of the mold manufacturers websites. Also FB has a lot of groups where people are selling their used molds and equipment. For injectors I would invest in a good one with a pin lock, I use the cheap Do it mold ones and they are fine but sometimes if you press too hard the nozzle will fall out because they don’t lock. Also check out the local hobby stores for glitter, some of the stuff at the hobby store works and is way cheaper, but some will bleed and shrink. I mostly get my flake from Lureworks but I have found some cool stuff at the hobby store. Also for molds check out FatGuysFishing, they seem to be the most affordable and have a huge selection, I am not a fan of their injectors though because they are really tall
>>2724440also looks cool that if i get a pedal i can zip around but can also get into heavy vegetation/lillies that my aluminum cant and also can reverse/forward on the spot to essentially spot lock without dropping an anchor. Either way they seem fun, convenient and practical.
>>2724240That's cursed.
Love smallies
What are some good tactics to test for any life in a pond? There's a really nice pond close to me that used to be full of panfish, bass, trout, and carp. I'm pretty sure it died off a couple winters ago on top of bucket fillers and hasnt been restocked though. Doesn't help they let the water get extremely low over the winter, last time I saw only carp but now I'm not even sure they made it this year.
>>2724533Chunks of angleworm on small hooks beneath a small bobber.
Can anyone let me know if I'm doing this right? I'm gonna go and buy my first rod next month. Trout fishing. I'm panning to get the following:Daiwa Presso 6'6" Ultralight Fast Action Rodhttps://daiwa.us/products/presso-ultralight-rodsDaiwa Regal 2000 https://www.daiwa.com/us/contents/reels/regallt/index.htmlPlanning to get some PowerBait and a Kastmaster spoon to see which style of fishing I like more.
How do I stop gut hooking fish. I got two today
>>2724562Use bigger hooks
Do bluegills eat corn? If so, can I use corn from a tin instead of a cob?
>>2724593YesYes
>>2724593You can catch bluegill on anything really. I've caught them on bare hooks
>>2724593>>2724601Yeah panfish aren't picky at all. Some tend to nibble softer baits off the hook but they'll still go for it. As a kid we'd use scraps of stale bread compressed into a dough ball or corn because it was the cheapest if we didn't want to dig up some worms. I bet anything starchy you can keep on a hook would work, maybe I'll try beans next time
What are some good methods and species to target for freshwater fishing when it gets dark? I'm thinking soaking bait for catfish or spinners for bass, but I'm not convinced those fish are as active at night as people say they are
any bowfishers in the itt
>mfw my grandma starts telling me about how back in the 80s she used to see people catching burbot and just leaving them on the ice to rot and die because they only wanted to catch walleyesSometimes I kind of want to become a game warden just so I can throw the book at "people" like that.As a side note, it's ironic, because my grandma said that she and my grandpa kept a couple of burbot once (they never left them to die, just usually put them back) and they tasted virtually indistinguishable from walleye. All those people were throwing the burbot away without even realizing it was just as good as what they wanted to catch.
>>2724630I've done it some, but I'm not into it enough to put a generator on a boat and stay up all night, I just tend to find a good culvert when the carp are running if I'm not too busy with work (I generally am these last few years)
>>2724632IMO burbot are tastier than walleye. Wanton waste really grinds my gears too. I really get ticked when people who are bowfishing don't do a good job differentiating between carp and native rough fish like buffalo, especially since so much of what they shoot just ends up in a dumpster.
>>2724632I still see people do shit like that all the time. The worst I've seen are the bass boomers who will kill and toss muskies, pike, etc because they eat the fish they want to catch.
>>2724635That is so fucking stupid. If you kill a fish, eat it. Otherwise don't kill it (unless it's invasive and fucking the ecosystem).>>2724636>bass boomersI'm beginning to think there is no worse group of people than bass boomers.
>>2724636As a bass fishermen myself, I love when I hear my fellow bass fishermen tell me how x, y and z species of fish suck because they harm our bass or aren't tough fighters.Literally all of them are tougher fighters, can be caught on the same lures usually, and a lot of them actually don't do shit to disturb the bass, outside of invasive shit like snakeheads. I've heard them talk shit about striper, carp, catfish, musky, pike, trout, salmon etc. and it just dumbfounds me. Literally all of those pound for pound are harder fighters than largemouth or smallmouth. I see swimbait fishermen on social media get pissed off when they catch a trophy class trout and get mad. Like dude....I'd rather catch a trout.
Hey guys, I've been thinking about getting into tying my own flys for a while now but know next to nothing about fly fishing. I know, weird. It's an excuse to chill with my dad and smoke cigars while somewhere scenic. Does anyone have a solid recommendation for a beginner kit or something for fly tying? I've poked around a bit and haven't seen anything up my alley. Something like a small fold up case kit with an included guide on how to mimic different bugs and when/where to use the flys you're tying would be ideal.
>>2724561Perfect. I have a Presso on back-order and the same reel. I prefer Panther Martins and rooster tails to spoons. I recommend 4 lb mono, but I have been told 4 lb braid works really well too since it is so thin. I really want to try it sometime. I tried out the Fenwick Eagles, unfortunately on the shorter end, and I think both the Presso and the 2 piece St. Croix ($150) ultra-light, not the 3 piece, have good actions.
>>2724646look up youtube tutorials for like 2-3 flies you like then buy exactly enough materials to tie them. honestly though it's a pretty pain in the ass hobby to get into just casually I'd recommend just buying flies then doing literally any other hobby with the time you saved
>>2724646I don't know about how to get into tying flies, but there are some great YouTube tutorials and websites. I found a guy with both a website and a channel. His name is John Kreft. He can be found at RiverKeeper Flies and johnkreft.com.Send me your flies.
>>2724644There's no muskie fishing tournaments on TV, and there's no big huge store called "Muskellunge Pro Shop", so they must be worthless vermin. I can't imagine hating aquatic ecosystems that much, but to some particularly spongey-brained boomers the world is their playground, except they don't even want to play in it, they just want to get what they came for and go home.
>>2724651I mean people who are into specifically bass always seem to be the same people who golf. They idea of an ecosystem doesn't even enter their mind. Something like a fish they don't care about is just an inconvenience to them, a mistake that shouldn't have happened and needs to be corrected.
>>2724648I'm a crafty dude. I'd rather make something than buy it and most of my hobbies revolve around that concept. Even if I'd save time and money just buying it, there's something so much better about doing it start to finish on your own. >>2724650I will look into him. Thank you anon.
>>2724653The problem is you'll fucking never use that shit for anything else.
>>2724654That's fine. I'm mostly interested in the animal behavior aspect of fishing and hunting. Fly fishing interacts with that aspect the most out of all the types of fishing. Understanding the animal begins at the fly, specifically how to tie it. If I can grasp what makes a fish attracted to a certain fly, that's the foundation of understanding it's behavior and motivations. That's the whole reason I'm outdoors man. That's the whole reason I have the hobbies I do. A little money and storage space is a small price to pay to have a better understanding of the working pieces on an ecosystem in my mind.
>>2724656>If I can grasp what makes a fish attracted to a certain fly, that's the foundation of understanding it's behavior and motivationsFish are stupid and fly fishing is almost entirely about presentation not the fly pattern. 2 hairs or a pipe cleaner on a hook will work as good as any other pattern 99.9% of the time, all that really matters is that the fish can see it and how it's presented. The fly is just going to look like a blurry mess to the fish anyway.
>>2724660There's no reason to deter that anon. I think it is perfectly reasonable to tie flies without fishing. Before I got into fly fishing, I was fascinated by fly tying but didnt think it was right to do for reasons similar to those which you have already stated. Now, there is nothing holding me back.There are worse hobbies the anon could have. Some guys hang out at public bathrooms and suck the dicks of strange men with diseases without receiving anything in return other than a mouthful of cum. It's not for me. I don't get the appeal. Regardless of what you think of endless and thankless cocksucking, it is an inferior activity to fly tying without fly fishing.
>>2724593don't fish with corn. I know some people say to, but there is a reason it's banned in a lot of places. you know how the corn comes out in our shit? yeah... shit that big will constipate small fish.>>2724562dropshot. use very sharp and fine wire hooks like owner mosquito light because they essentially set themselves when a fish touches them as long as your line is kept tight without slack. hundreds of fish since going that route and only one fluke mishap on a catfish, pretty sure it's because it spit it out during the fight and then ate it again on very slack line when I thought the fish was gone. believe me, the dropshot is the most effective rig to avoid swallowed hooks. the fish essentially runs into a wall(the line) that has tension on both ends(the weight below, and the tight line tot he rod above) so it limits a fish being able to take something on a slack line. that's what causes gut hooks, like a fish coming up to the bait from underneath and sucking it in.>>2724638I like bass fishing just as much as any other species, but "bass fishermen" are something else man, I could go on for days about the things they do. they literally don't even like fishing unless it's for bass. they cheer for joy as they catch their umpteenth 2pounder, then hold it up close to the camera to make it look big.
you also have those guys who exclusively target catfish, and don't like fishing for anything else. they just kill and cutup any other fish species they can find to use as bait. they're also the motherfuckers that leave yards of 20+ pound mono all in the water and on the bank. it must be a thing with people who only fish for one species. they just don't give a shit about anything else, not the environment, they just seem mindless. I'll never understand how someone doesn't enjoy multi-species fishing. for me fishing is about getting outdoors and trying to catch as many different things as you can, and pbs of each. it's fun to go to new waterways without looking at the official species list and just figuring it out for yourself blind. hell, most of the places I've fished have species that aren't even officially listed. I only eat saltwater fish so most is c&r anyways.
>>2724647Awesome, thanks for the advice and confirming my selection. Excited to get some fishing in next month
Bros my Ozark broke. Should I try this hobby again?
>>2724660Is that for stock fish and natives? What about invasive species? Species specific? Time of year? I'm glad you can catch fish so easily. Some of us have deeper questions that aren't answered in any scientific literature or common knowledge that I've encountered. Experience is the only way I've found to close this gap. In a few years I'll be sure to tie a pipe cleaner to a hook and see if it compares to the work I've done with other flys, once I do have that better skill set as a fisher.
Caught my first freshwater drum yesterday. Caught on a yellow rapala at the bottom of some rapids, didn’t expect to catch him there as it was shallow water. Didn’t fight all that hard, slimy bastards just pike.
>>2724623Soaking bait works. You can also get lighted bobbers or tie a glow stick on them. Lots of people use those clamp on bells to detect bites as well. Bring a good Headlamp.
Should I be doing strip hooksets no matter what on small bass, or bass in general, when taking topwater flies/poppers? Last year, caught loads of little cruising bass doing trout sets but I noticed sometimes I'd just rip the hook out if they took really cautious or subtle bites. Saw some active ones for the first time this year but the ended up missing a really cautious bite doing a trout set and it got me thinking.
>>2724714Sure? I don’t think you need an expensive rod for any fish under 20lbs
>>2724646I'll walk you through it after i get off work In the meantime tell me your budget and what you usually fish for>>2724656>>2724660Fish dont have an uncanny valley and they can only investigate by looking or biting so some binges are out of agression or teritoriality, some are for food, and some are curiosity. They respond well to impressionistic flies for these reasons.
i'm currently relegating myself at my garage learning all the knots and assemblingi will learn and then i'll post my trophies
Why does it feel like people look down on panfishing? I know most people probably don't, but I've definitely seen some hate. I've been fishing for almost a year, and I love it. I've caught a good range of species, but chasing panfish just feels like such a thrill to me. I don't feel like it's a patience thing, I've spent hours getting skunked and still loved doing it. Plus, slapping a freshly fried bluegill on a tortilla is one of the best meals I can get. I just don't get the hate.
>>2724808$200 is typically my max to test a new hobby out. If I like it, I'm down to spend a whole lot more, especially if I can make or save money doing it. I don't target a single species and everywhere I fish has about half a dozen things I could be catching. Trout or bass are the most common stuff where I go though. You really don't have to take the time if you know of another quick resource to reference. I don't mind watching videos or reading how tos either. Like I said in my previous post, I've already done some tutorials, just nothings really clicked so far.
My first Morena (Muraenidae). I kept it, already cleaned, filleted and froze, wondering how to cook it still. Here it is a very unwanted fish, basically that's is the reason why there still are plenty and good sized, this one is small though. I catched it "robada" (stolen), it means it hooked from a body part and not from the mouth. How do you call this in your area?
>>2724847Moray eel. They're pretty interesting animals, smarter than you'd think and do cooperative hunting. Kind of like underwater cats. Kind of crazy how some are incredibly docile and will allow divers to handle them while others are very aggressive.
>>2724847>I catched it "robada" (stolen), it means it hooked from a body part and not from the mouth. >How do you call this in your area?In Dutch we call it a fish that's "vals gehaakt" ("falsely hooked" or "cheatingly hooked", depending on how you want to interpret it). I think in English it's called "foul hooking", or "body hooking" by those who don't care as much.Don't forget to tell us how it tasted, anon.
>>2724825I imagine a big part of it is that a lot of people don't like the idea of eating a fish that you can't fillet. To most people, fins and shit like that are not particularly appetizing, and eating fish that has bones in it is a pain in the ass.
>>2724831>save money doing it.You dont save money tying flies fair warningPre assembled kits blowGo to avidmax.com and get dr slick tying scissors, and whip finish toolGet some .025 lead free wireGet firehole long shank jig hooks in size 4Get 4mm slotted beads THEY HAVE TO BE SLOTTED FOR JIG HOOKSGet a Griffin ceramic bobbinGet Danville 140 denier flat waxed nylon tying thread in black, white, and any other colour you see fitGet pearl krystal flashThen get marabou, ice dub, and China saddle in matching colors. Any colour you feel good about. White, black, olive, chartreuse, pink, orange, whatever. Then you're going to tie jiggy ice buggers. They teach proportions, material handling, thread control, ribbing, counter wrapping, hackle, dubbing, whip finishing, and most importantly they catch fish and are hard to fuck up so bad they dont catch fish.You may have noticed a lack of a vise mentioned.If you're determined you can do it in a normal bench vise. If you want cheap, you can get the super AA tying vise, it's what I started on and it works. Or you can go straight to a rotary vise like the griffin spyder odyssey that I use. It's a good vise. Also if you can fish them under a bobber the same way you would a small soft plastic on a small jig. >>2724825Dont you know you're only allowed to have fun their way and no other way?>>2724805That's a hard question. I've had issues where a bass isn't big enough for a strip set and the hook doesnt seat properly, but the increased speed of a trout set will bury the hook, and I've had issues where a trout set doesnt stick big fish where the strip set would. A scissor set can often be good, too, which is when you strip and trout set at the same time. >>2724653Watch tightline productions, gunnar bremmer, the slide inn, and the feather bender too
>>2724825Honestly that's the best fish I love to eat. Once the spawn in more in swing here I'll hit my local spot and pull out an ice chest of them. Fried whole like that is amazing, and the tails are literally the best part. Once I convinced a few of my friends to try they like this, they fell in love with it. >Cane Pole.>Worms/Crickets.Favorite form of fishing anon.>>2724903I know a ton of people who will only eat fish if it's a boneless fillet or a fish stick, they get grossed out by any skin or anything. Like fuck, grow up you pussies.
>>2724825I enjoy panfishing but I toss them back. Maybe I'm just too lazy to clean a small fish >>2724914I haven't tried eating one because I'm not really convinced that the ponds I get them in are super clean.
>>2724914>I know a ton of people who will only eat fish if it's a boneless fillet or a fish stick, they get grossed out by any skin or anythingI only really like to eat boneless fillets because I am absolutely paranoid of swallowing a bone and having it stab through my esophagus and into my pancreas or some shit (this actually happened to somebody; while it actually stabbing into an internal organ is fairly rare it's surprisingly common for people to get fish bones stuck in their throats). I'll still try fish with bones in it but I probably won't enjoy the experience of eating it because I'm going to be hyperfocused on not swallowing a bone.Skin depends on the fish and how its cooked. I won't eat the skin on smoked salmon, for example, but on fried salmon it's not bad (if it comes off the fillet I'll just leave it on the plate, but if it doesn't then I'll eat it).My absolute limit for what I will not even try is anything that still has the guts in it, or still has the head attached.
>>2724912That's some great beginner advice. Thank you very much.
>>2724912>You dont save money tying flies fair warning You've said that before, but I can't believe it. I was at my local fly shop and saw some big streamers for $12. You're telling me that there are no flies that I can tie for less than store price? What about an egg or a worm?
Do you guys think UV reflective finish is a meme? I'm starting to think there's something to it.
>>2724825Funny enough I went panfishing today, tried to catch all the local species. Only ended up with Bluegill, Green, pumpkinseed, and redearMissed warmouth and longear, but I’ll target those tomorrow, got rained out today and wife needed me to pick up some ingredients for dinnerHere’s the green I caught
>>2724931Apparently some species of fish can see into the UV spectrum (like carp). So if you're targeting one of the species that is known to have UV vision then it might help.
>>2724932Forgot to mention I saw a beaver and muskrat as well. Pumpkinseed pictured.
>ask friend if he wants to go fishing tomorrow>he asks if he can bring his kid>oh uh actually wait nevermind I forgot I had to do something tomorrowThat's alright, I prefer fishing by myself anyways.
>>2724946What’s the problem?
>>2724947If I'm going fishing it's so I can either relax and enjoy some peace and quiet, or shoot the shit with my buddy (and of course hopefully catch something). There's no peace and quiet with an 8 year old around and I can't talk about anything that's not kid-friendly (or really anything complicated at all, because then I have to answer the kid's questions about it). Kids are also stupid as shit and I don't want to have to worry about him tangling my line or worse, hooking me.I don't like children and find them irritating in general.
>>2724949Nah, you get your buddy to bring his kid and then talk about drugs and sex and racist shit the whole time. Maybe offer the kid some dip too.
Y'all like streams or lakes/ponds? Reasons?
>>2724957I don't have much experience with streams. I find shore/pier fishing (fresh or salt) the most fun and relaxing since I can move around freely. I want to go striper fishing again
I found the trout. They were not biting. I somehow hooked one in the eye though. What's the odds of that? Crazy.
>>2724957Idk if this is considered retarded or not but I like streams/rivers since they're natural and most of the ponds/lakes near me are man-made. So I could fish the naturally occurring ecosystem of fish or the stocked bluegill/bass/catfish in a local farm pond. Also I bank fish so rivers/streams are easier to cover more water since I can walk up/down them indefinitely
>>2724933Yeah they do say that. Don't trust any claims made by manufacturers anymore. They got me with the banjo minnow though. That infomercial was peak marketing.
>>2724800Any good bait recommendations? I have frozen hotdogs and raw shrimp, just curious if anything else comes to mind? I prefer bait that I can just keep in the freezer indefinitely until it's needed rather than buying a container of worms every time I want to fish
Got my first crappie. Tiny but a new fish.
>>2724958Haven't ever got to do saltwater shore fishing. You typically get a lot of bites on piers or is moving necessary? Heard it takes awhile bc they're usually extremely pressured. In my area, bank fishing with streams is a good time if you can find land you aren't trespassing on.>>2724960Probably is more rewarding in the natural ecosystem as it feels like ponds are too easy sometimes. Never got to really fish a lake since I don't have the bravery yet to take my kayak out onto one of nearby ones since they always have heavy boat traffic.
>>2724965Chicken livers.
>>2724957On foot, river/stream cuz the fish are either migrating or I can keep finding new holes up or downstream. In the boat, definitely lake/reservoir because boat control in wind plus current is always a bitch and you can never relax.
>>2724968>Probably is more rewarding in the natural ecosystem as it feels like ponds are too easy sometimesYeah that's a good way of putting it. I know ponds where I can go catch as many bluegill and/or catfish as I want because they're semi-private and the structure is obvious, but I'll likely never catch anything unique/unexpected like I would in a river system>always have heavy boat trafficIf possible, try to find a lake (or time) where there's no wake and that might make it more manageable
>>2724965The shrimp are what I'd recommend. I've tried chicken liver but it's hard to keep on the hook. Worms are good for multi species. I just go out in the yard with a headlamp at night and collect em, works best if the sprinklers been running that day.
>>2724968>You typically get a lot of bites on piers or is moving necessary?Not much space or reason to move around piers. You tend to pick your spot and try your luck. It's nice if you don't mind a bunch of other people around but everyone is pretty chill usually. When I was in florida 10 years before I moved north east the fish were pretty abundant, mackerel if you were a bit lucky but plenty of grunts and such. I heard there's some areas that have really gone to shit but there's probably still good spots since there's about 1 fishing pier per 5 people in the state. I haven't really done proper surf fishing but I do enjoy the shore fishing for striper in rhode island. Usually a few other guys around but there's enough spots you can spread out and move around fine if you don't go during peak hours.
>>2724970>boat control in wind plus current is always a bitchBeen in some wide rivers that has taught me this hard lesson. >>2724972Yeah, downsizing and multi-species fishing in streams instead of trying to get something massive has made me a happier man. Might just be because I had a 4 month skunk going out every other weekend though.I've been heavily considering an overnight/late night trip so I might end up doing that. Heard catfishing is amazing at night when it gets hot during the summer.>>2724979Good to know. Maybe someday I'll work up the motivation to attempt to do a first try near salt water. Always love these threads to live vicariously through those that have a much different environment to fish in. You miss Florida or is the fishing in the northeast still good?
>>2724986>You miss Florida or is the fishing in the northeast still good?I miss living near the coast and the warm weather, Florida as a whole not really. Would like to visit the west coast and fish out of the pacific someday maybe even Hawaii or somewhere in latin america.
>>2724992>I miss living near the coast and the warm weatherI didn't know how awful cold weather fishing was to my destroyed zoomer brain until I experienced it this past winter. I'm guessing ice fishing doesn't appeal to you?>Would like to visit the west coast and fish out of the pacific someday maybe even Hawaii or somewhere in latin america.Same here, man. The warm parts of Asia/Australia would probably be fun too for the differences in species. Coastal fishing in general just seems like a blast no matter where though.
Why would the trout follow my lure but not bite? Also some just ran away from the lure. Then they just sat there and did nothing. I tried a bunch of things too.
>>2725003>I'm guessing ice fishing doesn't appeal to you?Nah, I actually grew up in the north and did it a few times as a kid and teen but I never liked it. Being on a frozen lake sucks and I don't find the fishing engaging at all. Plus the winters lately have been just kind of pissy wet and inconsistent so I wouldn't trust the lake near me anyway.
>>2725008>Being on a frozen lake sucks and I don't find the fishing engaging at all.This has always been my impression of what it would be like. Guess you gotta be like those crazy dudes dropping cabins on the ice to be able to actually enjoy it.
>>2725013the fun part of ice fishing is doing literally anything other than fishing, mainly getting drunk with your friends in the shack, and it's still less fun than most of the other places you could be getting drunk with your friends.i like cold weather fishing, though, as long as i don't have to take my gloves off too many times, and i'm not in a boat.
>>2725025>getting drunk with your friends in the shackthey made this illegal where I live
>>2725025Makes sense why I wouldn't see it as too appealing then, even though I'm usually drunk when I fish (I'm drunk right now to even be able to post). I'm very antisocial and rarely fish with others. >i like cold weather fishing, though, as long as i don't have to take my gloves off too many times, and i'm not in a boat.I've read that it's really good for getting PRs, but I could only catch bream during the winter.
>>2724918>not eating fish with heads on.Bro, cheek meat on large fish is literally the best bite on the whole fish. get a big Californioa Sheeps head, get that puck of cheek meat after roasting it. It's better then the most succulent scallop you've ever tasted. You're missing out.
>>2725030Can I cut the cheek meet off before cooking so that I don't have to cook it in a pan full of eyeball and brain juices?
>>2725031Probably, but I don't know if it will come out the same.
>>2725033I looked it up and apparently you can fillet the cheek meat off the rest of the head. Maybe I will try that next time I catch something, if it's big enough at least. Seems like walleye cheeks are a popular food and there are lots of those around here (though I have yet to catch one because I suck)
>>2725007Fish get curious and investigate things that get their attention. Best you can do is try and trigger a curious bite. If they swim fast and close and dart away right near it, they could be seeing you and getting spooked. If your lure is big and gaudy (like a bass lure), might just not look right to them anyways.>>2724825I love panfishing, got a cheap fly rod set up just for bluegill this summer. But I hate eating around the bones, usually catch and release outside of the occasional fish fry, rather fight them than dine them.
>>2725031>he doesn't make fish head soupngmi
>>2724932That's a damn good looking fish, Anon. Good luck getting them all!
I forget if I posted my micro spook >>2724927The one fly costs 12 sure but the pack of hooks costs 6 the bucktail costs another 6 krystal flash is something like 5 more bucks, 2 or 3 for a spool of thread, 5 for a bag of feathers, and 3 more of sparkle braid. Sure you can now tie 24 decievers, but you still spent 50 bucks on flies, and you can only tie one colour unless you double back for more feathers and bucktail. It like re loading you're still going to spend the same or more but you get more out of it. Plus let's say you want to get in to dry flies, it's easy to spend 120 bucks on two good hackle capes. Then dont forget buying stuff on iij impulse and not using it enough to make back your investment.
>>2725040I was using trout magnets and rooster tails. Kinda cute that fish can be curious. Guess I'll just have to try again.
>>2725041I live in a first world country
>>2725044I dont spin fish as much anymore, but on the days I do, trout magnets work better in dirty or unclear waters in my experience. I also like kastmaster spoons if you're looking to try another lure. Usually my go to for trout with a jerk retrieve.
where the fuck are you people fishing that you can actually SEE the fish in the water?
>>2725048from the rocks
>>2725048Sometimes I can see them at a lake. But depends if it rained recently.
>>2725048Get a pair of polarized sunglasses. They aren't necessary but help a lot.
>>2725028>I've read that it's really good for getting PRsI'm in Iowa and my experience has been anything from October-ish to April-ish has been either skunk or 1 decently sized fish, usually a PB. I caught an absolute unit of a freshwater drum in November, but I had probably 10 other times I went for an hour or two and caught absolutely nothing, which is very frustrating.
>>2725031>he doesn't make scallop penis goji chang soupMassive loss ameribros.
>>2725048America
Going to Walmart to buy #6 hooks and worms.
>>2725130what worm?
>>2725148Live red worms
>>2725130Don't forget to stop and pick up condoms too
>>2725160Bass don't carry STDs or get pregnant from human cum. Why bother?
first time posting here, i didn't fish in some years and picked up one of those moving floaters, i weighted it and i put on like 3x the weight, but this shit just didn't want to go more down, it always stayed on the top of the water sidewayswhat should i have done? some stopper kind of thing between the weights and the floater? i don't know how that thing is called in english, i jsut tried to improvise with putting on more weights but it didn't change anything kek
>>2725188the floater was like 5-7gand one of those weights was 1.5g which doesn't make sense why it didnt go down with how many of them i put on
>>2725188>>2725189that's why I like the rounded floaters
>>2725188Do you have a bobber stop on the line above the bobber? If the line just runs through freely your weights just sit on the bottom and don't apply any weight to the float.
Is it bad to release saw dust into nature, or whatever it is, that meal worms are placed in?
>>2725199ooooh that's why, thank you, gotta buy it before i go out next time
What i like about fishing is that it's one of those hobbies that's inexpensive, but gets as expensive as you want it to be.
Saw these guys this morning just chilling. Are they carp? Look like monsters compared to the bass in this pond. I don't think I've ever seen someone target these, is that why they are so big or do they swim in from the river?Can I catch these of a medium heavy 7 footer with 20 lb braid and 20 lb leader?Can I put some bread on the hook and toss it on top of them? What do I do these looks huge. West Coast.
>>2725013The most fun way to icefish is hole hopping. You go out with a single rod, one bucket of gear, and an auger, cut a hole, move if you don’t get on immediately. If there’s no snow, bring ice skates, otherwise a snow machine.Since you don’t have anything to protect you from the wind, you do need to be an animal to do this regularly instead of just when the weather is as nice as possible.I’m an animal who can do this with a hoody and a wind breaker and skiing pants to about -20c. I don’t bother with real gloves, a set of nitrile gloves so that the water doesn’t stick to my hands is all I’ll wear until it gets deeply cold.Early winter is my favorite time to fish because 10cm of ice lets you access the whole lake and most of the competition stays off the lake until there’s 25cm of ice or so.
Took my 2 weight out to harass sunfish. This hybrid was my favoriteLeader was 2' 20lb, 18 inches 15lb, 2 feet 12lb, 3 feet 8lb, screaming banshee, a foot of #6, then a #12 soft hackle nymph. It was near every cast for a few hours.
>>2725244>Are they carpYes>Can I catch these of a medium heavy 7 footer with 20 lb braid and 20 lb leader?Yes>Can I put some bread on the hook and toss it on top of them?Probably, corn is good, too. I like a stout #4 bait holder or octopus hook for them.>>2725253That's how I do it.
>>2725255What knot between the leader sections? Part of what keeps me from really leaning into fly fishing is buying all the gay tapered shit if I can assemble it from my enormous collection of normal line I might be inclined to try more.
>>2725253The only downside to ice fishing is you can't do it offshore in Florida. It's objectively the most versatile way to fish wherever it's possible.
This guy ate my dry fly. >>2725272Blood knot is ideal but I used double surgeon's knots for expedience on this leader.
My reel handle broke :(
>>2725167>Bass don't carry STDsI'm sure the African who fucked a monkey and created AIDS thought the same thing
How long do creek chub last in the freezer for bait assuming I vacuum seal them whole?
>>2725316They'll stay in there forever if you don't eat them.
>>2725316start using rainbow trout as bait, creek chubs are much cooler.
>NEW!!!!>>2725386>>2725386>>2725386>>2725386
I bought an Okuma Avenger recently to get into catfishing but I fucked it up and got the regular spinning reel instead of the baitfeeder. Will this still work, or will I need the baitfeeder to do it effectively? I was hoping to deadstick the catfish rod and chase dinks nearby while I waited for bites. I opened the package before I realized my mistake so I can't send it back.
