Who's ready to go fishing???

[Simon6101]

Had everything ready to go and get a call from the wife. NO hot water in the house. So I got to work a 12 hour shift and then go home a figuire that out. Luckily it wasn't the heater just the flex piping. $12 and back up. I will get some fishing in Monday night

 

[SigFan07]

Oh yeah! I am a Bass Master now!!! lol. I caught another bass this evening. And for the first time I caught a bass using a jig! I have been wanting very badly to catch a bass on a jig. After using plastic worms and a crankbait and getting no bites, I decided to try the jig. I had a plastic crawdad on the hook as a trailer. I tossed it into shallow area were logs lay, drug it along the bottom and noticed my line was moving. I started reeling and it headed for a limb. I kept reeling and reeled it right up to me. I had trouble getting the hook out though. I had to really pull hard to get the hook out. I was afraid I might hurt the bass more. But I pulled hard and it came out. I then grabbed it by its lip and put it back in the water and it swam off. As for handling bass on land/out of water, this was my best yet. I'm getting faster at dealing with them once they are out of water.

I think I have a good set up - my Chronarch baitcaster has ten pound mono line, my Shimano Symetre spinning reel has eight pound P-Line Floroclear on it. And my Shimano Sahara has six pound Sufix mono. I'm not sure I like the six pound Sufix mono. It casts OK but it's hard to see with the eyes when I'm setting it up. It's easy to get in a mess with that line, so far. But I'll keep using it for a month or so.

 

[HICKMAN]

Lake Monroe was like the dead sea for us today. Once it got hot out, we anchored the boat and went for a swim.

 

[SigFan07]

Is it recommended to bend those little barbs down that are on hooks? Will a barbless hook make it easier to remove the hook from the mouth? And, would bending/flattening the barb hook make it easier for the bass /fish to escape when you are reeling it in?

 

[HICKMAN]

don't mess with the hooks unless you want to lose fish

 

[kickbacked]

Oh yeah! I am a Bass Master now!!! lol. I caught another bass this evening. And for the first time I caught a bass using a jig! I have been wanting very badly to catch a bass on a jig. After using plastic worms and a crankbait and getting no bites, I decided to try the jig. I had a plastic crawdad on the hook as a trailer. I tossed it into shallow area were logs lay, drug it along the bottom and noticed my line was moving. I started reeling and it headed for a limb. I kept reeling and reeled it right up to me. I had trouble getting the hook out though. I had to really pull hard to get the hook out. I was afraid I might hurt the bass more. But I pulled hard and it came out. I then grabbed it by its lip and put it back in the water and it swam off. As for handling bass on land/out of water, this was my best yet. I'm getting faster at dealing with them once they are out of water.

I think I have a good set up - my Chronarch baitcaster has ten pound mono line, my Shimano Symetre spinning reel has eight pound P-Line Floroclear on it. And my Shimano Sahara has six pound Sufix mono. I'm not sure I like the six pound Sufix mono. It casts OK but it's hard to see with the eyes when I'm setting it up. It's easy to get in a mess with that line, so far. But I'll keep using it for a month or so.

How do you take the fish off the hook? Im just wondering why you grabbed the lip after you took the hook out.

Is it recommended to bend those little barbs down that are on hooks? Will a barbless hook make it easier to remove the hook from the mouth? And, would bending/flattening the barb hook make it easier for the bass /fish to escape when you are reeling it in?

don't mess with the hooks unless you want to lose fish

Disagree. granted its going to be easier to lose a fish with the barb down, but a lot of private places require it. If you are having trouble taking fish off the hook, yes it will make it easier and do less damage to a fish (especially if you are gut hooking) . Do a google search a lot of people fish barb down.

 

[kickbacked]

Disagree. granted its going to be easier to lose a fish with the barb down, but a lot of private places require it. If you are having trouble taking fish off the hook, yes it will make it easier and do less damage to a fish (especially if you are gut hooking) . Do a google search a lot of people fish barb down.

I should add that barb down is not the way to go for everyone. Just that if you are having issues with being late on the hook set, gut hooking, and removing a fish it would be probably be beneficial for you and the fish to bend the barb down.

 

[SigFan07]

I should add that barb down is not the way to go for everyone. Just that if you are having issues with being late on the hook set, gut hooking, and removing a fish it would be probably be beneficial for you and the fish to bend the barb down.

Thankfully I've caught all my bass (all five of them) in the mouth/jaw with plastic/fake lures.

As for my last bass - I laid it on the ground/rocks, worked the hook out, then lipped it and put it back in the water. I know, bass should not be put on the ground because of the slime coat. But I'm still learning. I'm going to purchase a nice net
to use. That way I can net them, hold them in the net with my left hand, while I get the hooks out with my right. Then release. I also need buy a hook disgorger.

 

[bwframe]

...As for my last bass - I laid it on the ground/rocks, worked the hook out, then lipped it and put it back in the water...

 

[kickbacked]

Thankfully I've caught all my bass (all five of them) in the mouth/jaw with plastic/fake lures.

As for my last bass - I laid it on the ground/rocks, worked the hook out, then lipped it and put it back in the water. I know, bass should not be put on the ground because of the slime coat. But I'm still learning. I'm going to purchase a nice net
to use. That way I can net them, hold them in the net with my left hand, while I get the hooks out with my right. Then release. I also need buy a hook disgorger.

save yourself the hassle and just lip the fish right out of the water, also you can save money on a hook remover with a pair of needle nose pliers. Although most of the time you should be able to get them out with your hand.

 

[bwframe]

save yourself the hassle and just lip the fish right out of the water, also you can save money on a hook remover with a pair of needle nose pliers. Although most of the time you should be able to get them out with your hand.

Isn't there a button you can push on a $200 reel that will do this for you?

 

[DarkRose]

I used a cheap pair of hemostats (long locking tweezers/pliers) for fish that swallow the hook (and still not good at it, thankfully very few fish swallow the hook when I catch them, lol.) Mine are Berkley branded and got them at Wal-Mart, but might be able to save a buck or so getting plain ones at any local CVS/Walgreens/etc. I will admit though, the extra dollar or two does come with the benefit of rough rubber-coated finger loops, more grip for me.

 

[columbusprepper]

Long story short

My brother got caught fishing at a river in Shelby county without a fishing license.....$150 ticket.

Please support DNR and get your license.

 

[SigFan07]

Do you have to have your fishing license on your person, like in your wallet, or is OK to have the license in your tackle box?

 

[SigFan07]

So I bought a square billed crankbait a few days ago and bought a my first topwater hardbait - a Strike King KVD Sexa Dawg Jr. We will see how many casts I get before I stag them and lose them. I really like casting plastic worms/lizards Texas style and also jigs because they don't get hung up much. Also spinner baits. If I lose those hardbaits quick them I can see myself losing interest in them real quick. I would much rather fish a bag of five dollar plastic worms/lizards or a $2.00 jig or $3.00 spinner bait than one expensive $6.00/$8.00 hardbait.

Speaking of jigs - I did go fishing this evening and used a jig. After ten or so casts my jig did get stuck and I could not work it out from shore (fishing a creek). So I pulled and pulled on the line to break the line. I have P-line Floroclear 8LB test. I had to pull really hard to break that line. I tied a palomar knot. That line was tuff and started to cut into my hands as I was pulling. Finally the line broke. Strong line.

 

[HICKMAN]

As long as you can get to it if a CO asks for it.

 

[bwframe]

Do you have to have your fishing license on your person, like in your wallet, or is OK to have the license in your tackle box?

The CO's can radio in your info to check your license status. I have watched them calling in for others and spoke with folks after the fact that said it worked for them. That said, my lifetime license was buried deep in my wallet once and they radioed in my info. Noticeable minutes later, they still had no return when I was finally able to find the license.

 

[DarkRose]

Been checked for license twice this year already, they're out and looking, especially at parks where lots of families and teenagers fish...

 

[SigFan07]

I bought myself my first top water walk the dog hardbait - a Zara Spook at Gander Mountain. I tried it this evening for the first time. I didn't catch anything but I had fun trying to get it to work correctly. I think I'm going to have fun with it the rest of the summer!

I also tried something else new to me - Storm Wild Eye Swim Shad with a big hook on top., four inch model. That thing has good weight and I could cast it far. When I reeled it in I looked down at the water and it looked like a real fish! I was impressed about how real it looked in water. Only problem though is that when I threw it near the shore in shallow water it immediately snagged onto something hard. The first time I got it free. The second time it stuck permanently and I broke the line. No big deal though - three in a pack and they were cheap. I'm going to get more of those!

I tried my new Strike King crankbait too for the first time. I'm starting to think those crankbaits are for people in boats in open water and no place for shore fishing. I really like lures that can be tossed all around like jigs and Texas weedless worms/lizards/etc... I just can't see using crankbaits for that kind of fishing. I noticed when I watch fishing tournaments on TV the big bass they go after are caught usually using soft plastics and jigs with trailer and not crankbaits. Are crankbaits over-rated? I'll still try them this summer.

I can't wait to get back to fishing and walk the dog! I think it's addicting and fun!

 

[SigFan07]

My summer bass count is up to almost fifteen. Went fishing at a small pond for the first time. It was my first time pond fishing since I was a kid. Caught two small bass. It sure was peaceful and different than fishing at the lake. Then I went to a lake and fished a new spot I've not fished at before. Threw my plastic strike king red/blue worm at some brush and no bites. Put on the trusty Yum Watermelon Seed worm and threw it a few times. Reeled in a nice sized bass.

Those Yum Watermelon Seed plastic worms are really bass catchers. Another worm I use is a blue Berkley worm with tail. But my go to worm is that Yum.