The real deal. No impostors. Spring is coming soon for you folks in the frozen north (hopefully).
So you know, let's make fun of tripfags and discuss fishing techniques, tackle, and show off our catches.
>>682583
Suburban fishin is good fishin sometimes
>>682583
boynton fag reporting in. Going woods fishing. Will report back with findings.
>>682602
ohio anon again, mentioning a thought about why baitcasters cast left. the inertia of the reel has to be overcome by the lure before it can move, unlike on a spining reel where it just pulls off the line.
>>682607
For sure. Let me know if you ever want to go fishin. I'm only like 15-20min from Boynton when I'm at home.
I think I'm just going to chill down here in Miramar this afternoon. See if any big bass come out at sunset. I have gotten some decent ones in the early morning here before.
There is also a giant peacock I have seen. Has to be at least 5lb. I would love to catch that.
>>682610
I'm a college kid who lives in tampa most of the time, but just like you weekends work for me.
I'll definitely keep an eye out. Used to live in Delray, lake Ida is prime territory for peacocks when it's warm out.
>>682612
Well shit, if you want to go somewhere tomorrow, let me know. I'm down for some real early morning since I didn't go this morning. Or just during the day. I will be lurking.
>>682608
these are the jigs im on about. my knowledge of them is to use them on rocks to immitate crawdads.
>>682583
Cant wait for May...
>>682618
Ahh, I figured ot was something like those. I honestly don't own a single one of those with the weedless part. I have never used one growing up and nobody I ever fished with used them much.
I also don't fish on the bottom much, as far as carolina and texas rigged worms. Seems like every time I do it, the rig comes up covered in weeds and muck (if it comes up at all and I don't snag it). I really need to get better at fishing on the bottom. I hear it is the way to go on those really hot days (or cold up north) when the bass go deep for more temperate water.
>>682583
I feel like I should post this too as long as I posted that pic in the OP.
Where is that anon who said something like "but that's a bowfin"?
>>682618
im sure there are other uses too but ive never used them so... not to mention i dont know any good lakes for bass in general, and given that everyone i know is either a dumb redneck who uses fishing as an excuse to get drunk or a nerdy gamer type who doesnt go out much, learning is pretty much up to trial and error, books, and looking online.
>>682620
same here.
>>682630
>trial and error
That's pretty much how I do it. I have been trying to expand a little bit lately and try some new things, but I always go back to the stand-by Mepps or Rapala if nothing else is working. The one thing I have had luck with is poppers when the condition is right. I never gave poppers much of a try until the past few months but I have caught some nice bass on them. Little shit bass don't seem fo hit floating stuff as much.
Also where do you live thay you can't find any good bass spots?
i get about just as many little shits as big bass on poppers, a black jitterbug gave me my best results for only big bass. my all time favorite lure i cant find any more though. a plastic worm thats round in profile, and coils up on the back half. lick brown with black flakes, it was my all time go-to bass lure. it was made by berkly
but i live near ravenna, ohio, if youve heard of it. the only bass spots i can think of are not accessable from shore, my trolling motor is at the bottom of a lake after i lent it to my step brother, and ive only got one paddle.
>>682653
Haha that sucks about your trolling motor. And those curly tails on those worms can be great. Was it a Power Bait? Those are Berkley. I have a few different worms like that from them but I really like the curly tail grubs. The little curly tail Gulp Minnow Grubs are decent too.
>>682608
>why baitcasters cast left
wat?
Right-Handed baitcasting reels are held in the left-hand so that the dominant hand can do the cranking. At least that has been the traditional way of going about it for quite some time. A right-handed angler would cast with their right hand, switch the rod to their left hand, and reel with the right hand. With more companies producing Left-Handed reels a lot of right-handed anglers are now using "Left-Handed" reels so they can cast and retrieve more like a spinning reel.
>the inertia of the reel has to be overcome by the lure before it can move
Now I think I follow you. The resistance of the spool (or more correctly the brakes/tensioner) are what determine how easily the spool spins and allows line to be released. Which hand retrieve isn't so important. However a common way of casting from the times before high tech braking, and which continues on today, is to to finish the cast such that the reel is sideways and the spool points toward the sky/ground (as opposed to keeping the reel oriented face up where the spool points out to the left and right). I forget the logic behind it but it does seem to help.
>>682618
>>682622
Football jigs were one of my biggest producers last year. The head makes the jig lay nice and flat to the bottom with the hook curled upward. With a crawfish trailer the little fake plastic claws stick straight up and it looks like a real crawfish in a defensive pose. Pic related was caught on a 3/8 oz Booyah Pigskin in "Nest Robber" colour with a Netbait Paca Chunk in "Peanut Butter & Jelly." I've been loving the variety of colours those Netbait trailers come in.
>>682620
>>682636
me too, was in the 50's last week, scouted out a bunch of launch sites. Yesterday 6" and it's 35
+ side is I was walking in the ocean today getting oysters
>>682696
>>682683
Do you fish them in deeper water or shallow? Any specific weather for the football jigs with a crawdad?
I might have to grab a few. Dark colors? Bright colors?
>>682696
>>682699
>>682683
its like one of those worms with a curl tail but it wasnt flat, you know? like it was a tapering round from tip to end, and the thin end hooked back up and coiled. like, imagine if you took a traditional night crawler plastic worm, and coiled the back half up. it was like that and it really had a great action.
>>682683
i learned to do it the wrong way and cant learn it again, ive tried. i cast with my right hand on the button, then as its hitting the water, i brake with my right thumb, cup the reel in my left hand, and move over to the crank. its more comfortable for me to hold it with my thumb over the top of the reel with the other fingers hooked below the rod, and then reel with the right hand. ive never had any problems having a bait move the second its in the water like this so whatever, you know?
and its not just that braking from the reel, even with that as off as i can get it it still does it, i assume because i slightly over spooled it and the line rubs against the line guide level wind thingy (pardon my technical terminology) ,aking unwanted friction.
how do you identify "okay bass are spawning here?" or "nope, theyre not here" quickly? ive never caught a spawning bass.
>mfw
>>682700
i heard to use darker colours that look just slightly different than the back drop to make it look more natural, but i dont know and have never used one.
>>682702
Bruh, they still make those worms. I have a bunch of Power Baits like that.
>>682700
Fairly shallow water but only by the nature of where I usually fish. They can certainly be fished deeper. I'd guess that fish was caught in somewhere around 4' of water. Weather that day would've started off cool since there was about a 9mph breeze with occasional gusts around double that. I can't remember if it rained at all that day but it was fairly overcast with some breaks in the cloud cover throughout the day. That was April 19th.
Pic related was caught about a month later on Raystown in PA. Looking at the weather reports I can find for that day it looks like it was maybe about 10 degrees warmer in terms of the mean temperature for the day. But also overcast and it definitely did rain that day. Seems like 30% of the time I fish Raystown a storm or at least some heavy showers are going to blow in over the mountains.
That's two-for-two in terms of mild-to-pleasant temperatures and mostly-cloudy/overcast conditions. On both days the cloud cover eventually broke so it could've been the chance of an impending rain shower that increased the bite. I guess I should start keeping better notes on this sort of thing. Especially because it seems hard to find detailed, past weather reports.
As for colours I'd say the water conditions are a pretty big factor too. The Potomac around the Mattawoman Creek and Mallows Bay is almost constantly "stained." The Nest Robber/PBJ combo I described above actually makes for a very natural looking presentation. But I also throw to either end of the spectrum; some bright/electric blue skirted jigs that I pair with "glimmer blue" trailers, and also some dark black skirted jigs (with either a little bit of chartreuse, purple or blue skirting) and I'll pair those with similar coloured trailers.
Boynton reporting in. Did pretty decent, caught 3 in about an hour and a half. Nothing stellar but I've never fished this pond so I'll take it.
>>682702
Curly-tailed worms? Like Pepsi said, Berkley/Powebait still makes them. I've always liked the Culprit Original Worm myself.
Also what you've described for your casting is the correct way (at least it sounds like to me). I prefer lefty reels myself but with my few right-hand reels I do the same thing (casting right handed, switching, reeling right handed). As for the grip that sounds right to me too. I've only seen a handful of people do the weird grip where they sort of cup the reel with their hand. That's never worked for me.
>how do you identify "okay bass are spawning here?"
Location and water temperature will help with this. Where Pepsi is you could probably already be fishing the spawn. Here in Maryland we've got at least another month or so to start thinking about spawning bass. You want the water temperatures to be upper 50's to near 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Water depth is a factor too. On average bass spawn in around 4 to 5 feet of water. On the extremes from a few inches of water upwards to 10 feet or so. So shallow, cool (but not frigid) water is what you're looking for.
In clear water you'll be able to see bass making pic related. They clear round-ish beds for spawning. Also males do the majority of the bed building so if you start catching bass with frayed, red tails they're probably male and the damage to their tail is most likely because they've been fanning out a bed nearby in preparation for spawning.
>>682726
iPhone pls... Whatever.
Caught two in a row which got my hopes high for the afternoon.
>>682728
k sending from laptop now. Here's a bit of a look at where I was fishing from the shoreline
>>682727
Worth noting is that other fish do the bed-building too. Here is a picture of a bluegill bed I managed to find online. So the floor of the waters you're fishing also need to be conducive to bed-building. Flat, solid rock isn't likely to be a spawning ground versus more silty/sandy areas. Calm, protected areas are preferable as well. If there is some nearby structure, small rocks, or vegetation that the bass can sweep a bed into they'll use it over some place more exposed to predators or rough water that could wash their bed (and the eggs they contain) away.
>>682730
Last one, shared the water with a 4' or so alligator. He's lucky I was unarmed. They don't last long around here.
>>682727
thanks for the tips for that, and after re-reading yeah im doing what you described. and if you and pepsifag are on about pic related or similar things, its not this kind of design. in this the tail is flat, it should be round and narrow
>>682736
forgot the pic
basically instead of flattening out into a curly tail, it would just continue to taper into a point that curls back up similarly
>>682736
Hmm, I'll have to rattle my brain a bit. I was starting to think a Mann's Auger Tail worm which has an auger/drill-bit type twist to it but it flattens out too. They also make the Jelly Worm which stays round right up until a flat, paddle tail but they don't curl any. I do remember a company that made more realistic coloured plastic worms and I think they had a coiled shape like you described but I'll be amazing myself if I can remember the name of them.
>>682746
it looked like if you took the worm on top here, and coiled the last third up a coil and a half, and gave it a perminent set
>>682746
>>682748
some day ill remember to add pictures
Caught a few of these all about the same size last summer on the Uwharrie River here in NC, the uwharrie is full of bass/gar/pike/catfish/chub and more, pretty great river. Empty's into Lake Tillery. Some great sized strippers in there.
Any good methods for catching pike? I can watch these things swim up river in the morning and back down in the afternoon and never catch a one.
Let me see if I have any more fish Pics in here, oh and hey Fishing & Tackle Thread, first time poster long time /out/ lurker.
>>682766
>>682751
Anyone know what I'm on about?
>>682768
The premo pike spot.
Up and down they go, when they'll bite no one knows.
Small creek flowing in is called Crow creek, supposedly a civil way cemetery up it somewhere, but it's been lost.
>>682770
Low Water Bridge
>>682583
I haven't been fishing since the digital camera age started. I wish I lived near an ocean. Then I'd probably fish a lot more. I used to fish every day, but now I know everything there is to know about the area and rising pollution levels prevents me from eating the fish now.
>>682772
Anyone else wade creeks? Lots of chain pickerel (small ones) in the creeks of the Uwharies.
>>682775
Ugh, that does not look fun.
Definitely wouldn't do it in murky water in Florida.
>>682775
>five minutes later
>>682786
First off, I hate you now.
Secondly, seeing a Timberback on the bank next to the root you grab onto to pull yourself out is worse. It's only happened once, but fuck that scared the shit out of me.
>>682775
>Pepsi senpai noticed me
I feel ya, but these creeks are great for it, worst thing is snakes as said above. It was during the summer about 6 years ago when that photo was taken, hot as balls so slipping into a deep water hole while wadding was the best.
My father knew the creek well, make me walk on the left side as a joke, he knew it got deep and muddy there.
>>682786
fuck the what????
Whats the legality of keeping maimed fish under the limit?
I'm assuming it's still absolutely illegal, but when a fish deeply swallows a lure and is badly injured by the time I get them to the boat I hate to put them back in the water just to die and not get eaten (by me).
Would most game wardens overlook this?
>>682775
do you ever wear a condom in there to keep parasites out of your tubes? it's one of my top fears
>>682766
>>682768
>>682770
>>682772
>>682775
That's a damned chunky rock bass. Some beautiful creek too. I have some family down in NC and I need to visit them this year and maybe pick up an out-of-state license so I can do some fishing while there. I always hear great things about the fishing there.
I wade a few nice stretches of the Juniata River when I'm up in PA. Usually doing the same thing you're doing and bring my light spinning tackle. Too shallow throw any of my baitcaster stuff. But small topwater lures, jig spinners and my shallowest running squarebills make for a great time. I've never caught any pickerel or pike in the Juniata but there are muskie. I've only ever had a single hit from one, which I mistook as a snag, but I've had them swim right past me chasing smaller fish while I just stood there frustrated.
The one I missed was a hybrid/tiger-muskie and looked at least 3 feet in length. I was using a flimsy little light spinning rod, 6 pound-test mono, and a jig spinner with a 5" grub and #3 blade. I'm reeling along and the line stops. I pop it a few times and it doesn't budge so I'm thinking "snag." I start wading toward the end of my line, reeling up slack, and just as I get up to where I can see my lure there is this big muskie with it in it's mouth. No sooner do I get the slack up to try and set the hook, it spits out right in front of me, turns (which allowed me to see the tiger-stripes) and swims off in a flash. I was some kind of heartbroken the rest of the day.
On the bright side one of the lakes up there did reward my efforts with a beautiful pickerel!
>>682798
Nope. As far as I know (which isn't a lot to tell the truth) there's nothing in the rural North Carolina water systems that can swim up a urethrae. Maybe something in there if you drink the water, but up your junk? Nope.
Been wading for 20 plus years, nothing wrong with muh dick yet.
Also, here's what waits for you on the banks. This is a very young one, largest I've run across had 16 rattles and a button. About 17 years old.
>>682800
That sounds like most encounters with pike I hear, they take the bait and mess with you.
I always go with the ultralight setup in the creeks, makes taking on a larger fish so much more satisfying.
Very pretty fish, I need to head north on a trip one day. All my family lives in NC though, so I'll have to make a camping trip out of it.
>>682802
Now that I look at it, that's actually a pretty old rattler. Woops
>>682798
You should see the size of my big ol' rubber... waders. I'm kinda tall.
As has already been said those parasitic fish (species of catfish actually if I remember right) are a S. American thing. About the biggest concerns in rivers up here are things like pollution, venomous snakes, and man-eating species down south like gators and invasive snakes. Farm runoff is a big thing in terms of pollution. Many states now have warnings about keeping fish from certain waters due to PCB contamination.
>>682800
you could have handled it, ive gotten 40 inch pike in on 8 pound mono with no leader bass fishing before. i was using some smaller swimbait and threw it up on a fallen tree, and just as i was passing the tip of it with the lure it got slammed by that pike.
>>682823
Oh, I know I could have. I've caught plenty of fish I was never expecting to hook into on light, sunfish/crappie-oriented tackle. So long as they don't wrap structure and shred the line on it then I'm in for a winnable session of endurance fishing!
That particular muskie was probably uncatchable though. The hook never set on my initial pops and not even when I raised my rod up high and let the tip double-over. That was the whole reason I figured it to be a snag, it never took off with the lure. When I walked up to it, before it spit the lure out, I could see how it was firmly locked in this fish's mouth. The hook and most of the soft plastic was sticking out of the mouth and the jig-head and most of the wire spinner form was locked in the teeth. Even if I'd ripped the rod hard the hook was never in it's mouth to set. Maybe if I'd waited it would've made a gulp sucked the lure in deeper but I'll never know now. I will say I was genuinely impressed it never ran even when I put all that tension on the line. It sat there like dead weight. Guess it would've been like any real baitfish, it just couldn't care less how much it struggled since it was already locked tight in its jaws. "It's game over man!"
I have high hopes for this year. For my two trips to PA in 2015 I visited a lot more of the boat launches along Raystown Lake (which the Juniata feeds into). The main lake means much bigger muskie (and bigger fish in general). In previous years I could never stray far from any of the launches but with a second deep-cycle battery on the jon boat I've been good for a few extra miles of exploration. I've also gotten lots of advice from locals, many of whom target striper specifically and won't hesitate to tell you where the largemouth, smallies, and muskie are since they don't care so much about those species.
Yeah, I think 2016 might be the year I catch my giant muskie.
Just got done cleaning catfish, we ended up with 26 today between 3 of us. My buddy caught a lake record channel cat at 8lb 4oz (previous record was 5lb 3oz).
We tried out a different lake than we normally fish in the morning, only caught 3 cats from 10am to 2pm, then we hauled out, got some food, and put in on our honey hole catfish lake around 3pm. From 3pm to 6:45pm we caught 23 channel cats. It was pretty much dark by that point and was starting to get cold so we decided to call it quits, we had plenty of fish to clean anyway.
How ultra light do you go, /lure/?
I use 0.005 transparent nylon monofilament, the kind used for sewing. It breaks at around 2-2.5lbs/0.9-1.1kg without a knot of any kind in the line and around 1-1.5lbs/0.45-0.68kg with any kind of knot tied in it. The biggest fish i've caught with it was a 15 inch bass at around 2lbs. I use mostly rooster tails, flies, or live bait with it. It is amazing for casting perfectly, but you really have to play fish or they will break the line instantly. Just fishing for wee small panfish can be really fun with this stuff.
>>682840
It was actually a local's advice that led me to the Synder's boat launch and to my best largemouth to date. Those top two long fingers across from the launch (marked on the map) develop some fantastic patches of coontail/hornwort (if I'm correct - I'm not the best identifier of aquatic plants). The topmost one is supposed to be a great spot for muskie. In the second finger I found pic related.
>>682797
completely illegal
You just have to throw it back so it can die and feed the turtles/catfish/whatever.
>find out electrical shop owner is a keen fisho and stocks a shit ton of lures not found in other shops around here
>see a 6 pack of Mepps spinner blades sitting on the shelf
Tempted to see how much he would want for them.
>>682960
Problem is I already have 2 dozen cheap spinners I never use, I just don't want to miss out on a great deal.
>>682845
Lowest line I have is 8lb Berkley Trilene, it would be a waste of time fishing any lighter in the river here.
>>682961
id pay for those cheapo spinners if i had more than 10 dollars to my name since i broke my wrist
good news! i opened up my abu again, and went over it with a fined toothed comb, and found that there were two little bits on the reel that were not properly in place from the factory. i also put a little extra lube in there, and it seems to run a lot smoother now. they were the brakes on the left side of the reel, two were loose and causing extra friction, and i was able to just pop them in to place. i see a noticable increase in how fast lures are falling on freespool.
>>683008
Good stuff. Those reels are simple enough but if something is a little out of place then it will definitely cause you some problems.
I love my Abu Garcia reels. I have 2 old 5000c reels that I use for fishing channel cats, 1 old 1500c that I use for Crappie and White bass, 1 newer Cardinal SX40 that I have on a telescoping rod with 20lb braid that I carry on motorcycle trips, and I'm currently in the market for an older used 6500c3 to pair with my Ugly Stick Tiger rod for large blue and flathead catfish.
Their baitcasters can't be beat for the price, especially if you buy slightly older, used models and repair parts are readily available. I've also been very pleased with the Cardinal spinning reel.
>>683054
im hoping it works out for me, ive never used an abu garcia reel before. ive got an ambasadeur sx 5600 i got for christmas, and pepsifag paid to have filled with #30 pound braid
>>683130
Ah, yeah that's one of their cheaper "budget" reels. Most people don't have any problems with them but they did cut some corners on design and quality control. Common points of failure seem to be the drag and level wind (line alignment) systems. If you don't notice any problems with those early on then it should be a good reel for you. What kind of fish will you be targeting when using it?
Fuck, wanted to go fishing today. Set a couple alarms early in the morning but went right back to sleep. Finally just got out of bed. I hate sleeping in so late on Sundays since I have to wake up at 4:30am on Mondays. Plus I'm supposed to do some shit around 5pm today which ruins the prime afternoon fishing hours but I might just skip that and tell them all I wanted to watch the Super Bowl instead.
>>682961
I have a handful of those cheap in-line spinners too. I bought them specifically for lakes where there is a 50/50 chance of me losing it on a snag.
>>683130
It can't be that bad. I mean, they have been selling those reels forever.
>>683154
>>683161
the only thing that really worries me is the line cutting in to the level wind eye. and i plan on it being a general bass rod for swim baits, aswell as pike/muskie, catfish, and some ocean stuff like blues, spanish makerel, flounder, drum, anything from 1 pound to whatever i think i can handle with 250 yards of 30 pound test. (meaning that id consider throwing a bucktail at a ray in the hopes of hooking up with a cobia)
>>683182
i dont think the line will cut in to the eye of the level wind, but it is in the back of my mind. if worse comes to worse ill bug one of my machinist friends to make me one out of metal, then bug him till hell do it for less than 30 bucks.
>>683182
>>683183
Yeah, you really shouldn't have an issue with it as I'm sure they designed the reel with braid in mind but even if it does wear a groove in it eventually then you should be able to get a replacement part from Abu Garcia pretty easily. Even better if you can get your machinist friend to make you one out of a hard stainless.
>>683188
yeah thats what my hope was. "oh hey there is a grouve here. let me dissassemble my reel and bug my friend"
"hey, see this plastic thing?, can you replicate it out of steel for me?"
>>682962
>doesn't enjoy fighting fish that far exceed the rating of his line
You just fish for food then?
This fish was caught on 6lbs test line.
>>683202
That had do be fun. Best I ever did was maybe a 24" channel cat on 4lb. Never weighed him though but if he was over 4lbs, it wasn't by much. But even that close to the line strength, you normally have to grab them out of the water with your hand or a net.
>>683183
I was looking at how they do it on the expensive ambassadeurs, and you could definitely order the part from Abu if you wanted to. I wonder if the metal one will fit as a direct replacement.
I wouldn't do it right away though. See if it is even an issue first. If you're just doing a lot of bass fishing, it probably won't matter.
>>683197
Did you spool it up with line yet? Curious if you did the mono backing. Looks like it would be a good idea for those reels since the spool is totally flat.
I did a mono backing on all my spinning reels. But both of my casting reels have these holes in the spool. So I threaded the braid right through two of those holes and just tied a knot. Probably not how you are supposed to do it, but it definitely won't slip that way.
>>683215
>Probably not how you are supposed to do it
If it works, who cares? Everything I run is incredibly simple compared to what you guys are doing, and it hasn't stopped me from catching anything.
>>683223
Yeah, but you know there is always one person who knows some guy who did that before and it was all wrong so he has to shit on your idea.
>>683206
>>683197
Those schematics are so confusing. But there is a website, something like ereplacementparts.com that carries all of the parts you would need. Abu Garcia's site actually directs you there, or you can order the parts from Abu itself. If you can confirm that the metal line guide from the $300+ Ambassadeurs will fit on your reel, the part only costs around $6. You could always email Abu Garcia and ask them if it is a direct replacement. I have emailed them in the past and they were pretty helpful.
Can someone suggest a good fishing kayak? Budget isnt that big and i'd like it to be shorter to carry on my little car, there's lots of places around me that are only worth fishing with a boat and I dont have the capability to haul my fishing boat everywhere.
And what would be a good fishing set up to catch dog fish(bowfin?)? And where do should I be casting for them?
Thanks
>>683202
its not that i dont like fishing with light line, its that i need to be able to wrestle fish out from under peirs. i mean ive broken 50 pound test on a cobia not getting him out of the pilons fast enough, and easily 2/3 of fish that are too big to just pull out of the water are lost on a peir, and 90% of those are lost in the last 5 minutes of the battle by wraping up in pilons or fraying line on barnacles. honestly my rod will break or hooks will straighten before i break this line.
ive gotten plenty of pike like that on 6 pound test, and ive gotten plenty of big bass on 4 pound test. in the outer banks i caught a 5 foot bull shark weighing in at 65 pounds on 17 pound test. 4 foot wide rays on 15 pound test.
but thats besides the point. its not like i can lock down this reel, its only got 12 pounds of drag, so even if i max out the drag a fish will still be stripping line unless i hand brake it. hell i use a 2 pound leader to go after 25 inch steelhead.
>>683215
yeah its spooled. i didnt do a mono backing, but it seems to be all right, and this reel's spool comes to a taper in the center, not a flat. either way it probably wont matter too much. i casted with it some and it does seem to go pretty well
>>683239
If you tied a tight knot, you will probably be ok. Especially since those hold a ton of line. That knot on the spool will be buried under a ton of tight line.
A lot of spinning reels now, they actually put sone rubber strips on the spool so the braid will grip to it and it won't slip. But I remember one time tying braid straight to a spinning reel, and when the spool was full, I tried to pull some line out with te drag set fairly light, and the line was just spinning around the whole spool. It wouldn't have been fun to try to reel in a fish like that.
>>683227
But if your rig involves less than half the hassle, and still gets the same results, he's probably the one doing it wrong.
>>683256
Which is why I use the Palomar knot
>>682851
NOVA reporting, what did you catch it on? 6 1/2 inch swim bait, with battle buddy for scale
>>683259
I use the palomar knot for most things but I still snell all my straight shank bait hooks.
>>683262
Ahh, so it's like a uni knot but around the shank of the hook.
Have you actually noticed any differences with it? I rarely use live bait anyway, and I use a jig head with most rubber baits like minnows and grubs, but I guess I could play around with it for fun if I'm using a worm or something.
>>683235
Oh I see, obstacles and shit. I hate that type of location for fishing. I lost a pike to lake weed bullshit one time.
>>683276
I have one lake I get tons of these guys in. And there are weeds along almost the whole bank. They fight hard and always try and bury themselves. I always drag the fish up with a few pounds of weeds.
>>683267
>Ahh, so it's like a uni knot but around the shank of the hook.
Yeah, it's similar. This is the method that I use, it makes a "proper snell" whereas some of the other methods of "quick snells" don't fully knot up and will possibly come loose on their own.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0rKOX6acF4
>Have you actually noticed any differences with it?
The difference comes with the hook set. A snelled hook gets pulled straight along the shank when you jerk the line whereas a traditional knot only pulls on the eye of the hook and will pull the hook in different directions depending on what angle the hook is at in comparison to the line when you go to set the hook. A snelled hook will behave in a more consistent manner than a hook tied with a traditional knot. I use snell knots on everything from big 8/0 circle hooks for catfish using a 40lb-50lb mono leader down to light wire j-hooks for rainbow trout using a 4lb mono leader.
What's your absolute #1 favorite fish to eat, and prepared in which way?
Also, have you ever caught one of them yourself?
I like pan-fried swordfish, never been on the hunt for one though, prolly never will.
>>683283
Makes sense
>>683285
Barracuda, got one in the Bahamas a year back. holy shit delicious
>>683244
yeah i tied a nice tight knot. i essentially tied a double uni, and cinched it down tight. i do that cause im still a little paranoid about being spooled, and if i get taken down to the knot i want this knot to be as strong as the other one. one thing that helps is a bit of electrical tape under the knot to keep it from moving.
>>683259
i do what is called the quick knot, or the uni knot.double uni on lighter braid (20 and under)
the quick knot is basically a hangmans noose. you go through the eye, up, wrap 7-13 times by swinging the hook around in circles, making a loop at the top. put the tag through the hole, youve got a knot. it takes under 20 seconds to completely tie and ive yet to have it break. i use the uni for heavier mono or if im paranoid (25+)
>>683306
So you did the tape too? That will be fine for sure then. I only had the braid slip one time on that one reel. No tape or anything and I'm guessing I didn't spool the line super tight.
>>683322
yeah. its all spooled up and casting nicely. i bet this thing will kill in the ocean if i save up and buy a longer heavier rod. like a 7'6'' or 8' rod rated for like 1/2 to 2 or 3 ounces.
>>683325
What rod are you running it on now? It's a Shimano something, right?
What are you thinking of running for a rod in the future?
Bass Pro had a big rod clearance right after Christmas. Their Bionic Blade rods went for pretty cheap. They are normally $70 or $80 rods and look decent. Almost grabbed one instead of that Abu Vendetta when I set up that combo. I like that Abu rod though, would definitely consider another in the future if I could find a deal on a Veritas or something.
>>683260
5" Gary Yamamoto grub on a 1/16 oz darter jig head, rigged weedless (cut a flap from just above the tail to just below the head that you can slip over the hook as a weed guard). I'm trying to remember what colour grub it was. I'm thinking it was 208 - Watermelon w/ Large Black Fleck and Small Red Fleck. It wasn't one of my usual choices for whatever reason.
Yamamoto Grubs have gotten to be a pain to find in retail stores over the years, and way more expensive. I could swear the 5" used to come in way more colours as well. Senkos took off a good while back and made Yamamoto a lot more popular than it already was. They're the first lure people think of when they hear "Yamamoto" I figure their popularity must've caused a solid price hike across all their products, but it also led retail outlets to stock the Senko baits almost exclusively.
>>683301
Careful with ciguatera poisoning though. Never heard of anyone enjoying it.
What do you guys think about this popper I made? I painted it to resemble a baby duck because the lake I frequent has a ton of ducks. Plus there arent an abundance of duck styled lures available so, why not lol.
It's made out of a broom stick I cut with a hacksaw lol. I hand sanded it and filed it into shape, and used a dremel and a drill to make the mouth and shape the back. Inside is a homemade rattle chanber I made out of a plastic tube melted closed with a soldering iron, and zinc plated bbs from my bb gun. The hardware is just regular screw eyes that I used super glue and epoxy to help stay firm, 2 split rings and some treble hooks. I dressed the rear treble by hand using feathers from a craft store haha. I also painted the middle treble red tp simulate ducks feet. Why not lol.
Not bad for a first try using scrap materials and sub-par tools. It weighs 3/4 oz and is like 2.5"-3" long.
>>683361
I love when 4chan rotates my pics for fun...
>>682583
That's a bowfin. You're supposed to kill them where I live. I've caught and killed a few.
>>683365
Heh, it's cute. If you can get that good chug off of it, you should be good. What about a little black on it if you try to do another one replicating a baby duck?
You going for bass or you trying to get some pike or musky?
I never quite understood what some of the poppers are supposed to represent, but fish still eat them up. I get a lot of bites on my Rapala firetiger popper and it doesn't really look like anything they would eat naturally.
>>683372
It is not a bowfin. It is most definitely a bullseye snakehead. And it is illegal to throw them back.
>>683372
>>683378
The fins are different, as well as the shape of the head. The top of the head on the snakeheads is real flat, if you look at pics and compare the two, you can see the difference.
As well as the color. There is nothing else that has the colors of those bullseye snakeheads. They have the black and orange eggspot by their tail, as well as these black and white diamond shapes on the sides, like 4-6 of them on each side.
>>683372
Just so you know in case you ever catch a snakehead and think it's a bowfin...
And like I said, the bullseye ones we have in Florida have a different coloring from the ones people get in the NE. When you get a bullseye, it is impossible to mistake it for anything else.
Here's another good one where you can really see the shape of the head
>>683389
How hard do they fight?
>>683372
>That's a bowfin.
>You're supposed to kill them where I live.
Weird, they're native to a lot of the US; in places where snakehead have become present DNR/Fish & Game/local-equivalent often use images like picrelated to alert folks so they don't accidentally kill off native species.
Anyway Pepsi knows what's up. I couldn't find a good picture comparing the two but Bowfin and Florida's invasive Bullseye Snakehead both share similar colouring and have the bullseye marker near the tale but they're still easily distinguishable from each other. Bullseye Snakehead still have the same tapered head, and fin shapes as most snakehead which make them easy to spot. Missing from the attached image and another tell-tale sign is that Bowfin have a shorter lower jaw than top jaw. It's the opposite for snakehead which have a longer lower jaw compared to their top jaw.
>>683397
They fight pretty good. They are real aggressive so they hit lures pretty damn hard and will run with them. They will try to wiggle into the weeds and all that stufd. When I'm fishing with lighter stuff for 2-3lb largemouth, it's always fun when I get a 20"+ snakehead.
There are some people who will fish specifically for them on the canals and stuff. Good fight, they will hit any lure in any weather, and I hear they are quite tasty.
>size 13 for reference
>>683377
No musky here really. Not the lakes I frequent anyway. Bass and pickerel mostly. Some black would've been a great idea. An air brush would really help. This was painted with model car enamel paint and a tiny brush lol.
I also made a goofy looking frog/bass looking spook thing haha. Its like 4" and weighs 1oz, so its a small size and will cast a mile. Still floats. Can't wait to see if it walks haha.
>>683406
>>683401
That last pic I posted, if you zoom in you can really see those strange black and white diamond shapes on the bullseye snakehead. Besides the different shape of the head and the fins, you can always tell by that. Seems like they come in a little different depending on the age of the fish. The one I caught a couple days ago was a smaller guy, probably around 14" and he has some of the spots, but the rest have yet to come in. This bigger guy has them all along his body. Along with those white specks all along the body.
>>683381
>>683387
Beat me to it
>>683397
If it's anything like the Northerns they fight like champs. One thing I've noticed when hooking into snakeheads up here is that there is no mistaking you've done so. When they strike it looks like somebody squeezed a sponge underwater. A lot of bubbles immediately rise up to the surface. I'm not sure if it has something to do with their "labyrinth organ", which can store air for extended periods of time, but you know when a snakehead strikes because of the bubbles.
When they're hooked they'll do one of two things:
1) They'll immediately dig down into the silt/grass/mud and hold tight. Trying to pull them up is like trying to pry a big flounder, skate or ray off the bottom. They won't budge until you make them. But once they're moving or if they don't get a chance for option 1...
2) They take off like a river smallmouth. Long charges with lots of direction changes. They'll bow their bodies left-and-right, swinging their head much like how pike or pickerel will "chug" to try and shake a lure.
They also bite and, without getting hooked, often simply refuse to let go. We've pulled Northerns into the boat that were just latched onto the jig spinners without even having the hook. Had to use pliers to open their mouths and get the wire out. It's hard not to appreciate how remarkable, and streamlined a predator they are. Luckily they're tasty so it isn't too hard convincing myself to keep them.
>>683401
These things sound a lot like roi out here in Hawai'i. We have roi eradication spearfishing contests every so often.
>>683411
That guy was a fatty. The one lake I got this guy at >>683406 has a real big one that has to be 30"+ and I have seen it in the shallow water but it gets scared as soon as I get close. You're right about how they hit lures too, super aggressive and don't let go. Every time I get them, I hook them good with the whole lure in their mouth. Pic related was a smaller guy that I caught on a Mepps on a sunny day. I could see into the water pretty well, and the lure was getting close to shore, only 8' or so from the shoreline. I watched this little snakehead come bolting out of the deeper water and just attack the lure.
In warm weather, especially when the water is calm, it seems like those snakeheads like to chill in shallow water by the weeds. You will walk by, not even see them, but they hear your footsteps and with a big splash they run off into deeper water.
They are powerful fish though. Pound for pound however, those atomic sunfish fight harder than anything I have caught. They don't get very big, but a 12" one fights like a 3lb, 18" largemouth. That's a fish that you can always tell when you hooked em.
>>683412
I was reading about a fishing competition somewhere in SW Florida where they specifically target invaisive species. Lots of those sailfin cats (plecos), oscars, mayan cichlids, and snakeheads which aren't as big of a problem there as they are in SE Florida.
I think they use a spear for the plecos. They always chill in shallow water and would be so easy to hit. I tried snagging them before, but it's hard. One nearby pond is infested with them. Pic related.
We also have peacock bass, which are technically invaisive but the population is actually encouraged to grow because they are great for sportfishing and basically live alongside with largemouth.
>>683427
Learn archery and go bow fishing for them
>>683430
I wonder if my pellet gun would get them. They literally sit right on the shore, and they don't move much. It would be really easy to get them with a net. Seriously though, when you see one, there are bound to be like 5 more right next to it. Kinda ridiculous.
>>683431
Probably not, water absorbs energy crazy fast. I've gone after frogs with a bb gun cause they poke their heads out of the water and sit on land burning wouldn't bother going after fish with it. Arrows work best because they're very slow and very heavy and can pierce the water and fish. Like a handgun fired under water only sends a bullet 9-10 feet. Things like the ar15 and ak and other pointed bullets only go 2-3 feet. And my pellet rifle doesn't even come out the back side of a squirrel. And even if you did hit it it probably wouldn't be fatal, just enough wound to tempt a snake head into a bite at best.
>>683427
Do you ever fish over on this side? I'm in the 239
picrelated
>>683438
Maybe I will try it one day. I guess the thing is once the projectile goes supersonic, the water fucks with it a lot more. The pellets from the 1000fps+ gun might shatter once they hit the water, but I have a CO2 rifle that shoots around 750fps. I think that is still subsonic. And that one has taken down raccoons and possums. I might be able to get a pleco in less than a foot of water with some pointed pellets. It would be fun to try.
>>683440
Nah, I never go over there. I want ro go further south one day and check out some stuff by Florida City, like right before you hit the keys. Or Lake Okeechobee.
Nice bass btw.
>>683444
Thanks and 10-4... I was out at Okeechobee last year for a get-together and we were out on the water but didn't do any fishing....
I'd actually like to hit some of the canals in the glades myself. I've heard that most of them are so underfished that you can easily catch over 150-200 in a day, some lunkers too. We have a spot south of Naples that I've heard has peacocks, but I haven't tried it out yet.
>>683412
>eradication spearfishing contests
damn, that sounds like a lot of fun
>>683441
The other thing is the pellets can skip off the water and hurt someone or break a window or otherwise get you in trouble. I wouldn't try in more than 6 inches of water if at all. And don't use pointy ones, get round nose- they'll have more mass up front and be more stable in water. Pointed projectiles like to tumble in water
>>683441
And 750 is super sonic but only just
>>683457
no, it's not
>In dry air at 20 °C, the speed of sound is 343.2 metres per second (1,126 ft/s).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound
Standard loads for .45 ACP normally shoot between 1000fps-1100fps and they're widely known to be sub-sonic.
>>683454
If you're worried about the pellets skipping then the depth of the water doesn't matter at all, it's the angle of the shot that would cause a projectile to skip off the surface of a body of water...
>>683448
I haven't had a ton of luck in the canals. The ones around here are far from underfished, which I think might be part of the problem. They basically all run through populated areas, at least everywhere I have gone in Broward. That's why I want to go really far south.
Most of the stuff in the Everglades I have seen so far is hard to get to by car or foot, a small aluminum boat or even kayak would be nice for that. Although with the gators I'm not crazy about a kayak.
>>683462
>>683457
You're probably mistaken for mph. I believe supersonic is somewhere around 700mph-750mph. I did the math years ago.
Maybe I will grab the 1000fps rifle then... Those ones will go supersonic with the lighter pellets, but stay subsonic with lead. Only problem is it's one shot at a time, then reload. The 750fps one is CO2 and a 12 shot clip. It's like hunting with a .22 almost. Such a blast.
>>683472
yea, the canals around here are hit or miss...
the one's in the glades def need a jonboat to get anywhere worthy of fishing...
>>683411
where was that? looks like raystown lake.
>>682796
probably a large constrictor with a small deer/ gator in its belly.
>>682975
>go on ebay
>get 30 of them for $30
Done.
![daiwa-mf100ths-megaforce-ths-baitcasting-reel-with-twitchin-bar-17[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/WBVgABt.jpg "daiwa-mf100ths-megaforce-ths-baitcasting-reel-with-twitchin-bar-17[1].jpg")
>>683008
How do you take apart a baitcaster? I have pic related and have been wanting to take it apart to find out why it's starting to click/seize when winding but after removing every screw visible and taking the handle off I still can't figure out how to take the damn thing apart.
>>683161
Do the cheapies actually swim okay?
>>683202
>doesn't enjoy fighting fish that far exceed the rating of his line
>implying
I got this 82cm/14lbs fucker on that 8lb Trilene, took a solid 15 minutes to bring it in. Most fun I've had winding a fish in ever.
>>683605
With my Abu reels, you unscrew the little screw in the pic, then pull out on that screw, and then twist the plate on the opposite side off.
If you have the reel in the pic, the side plate may not come off as easily if that knob adjusts the brakes anyway.
>>683606
They work, but the spinners don't always spin as well. Especially on slow retrieves, sometimes I have to give the rod a good rip to get the lure moving fast and that will get the blade spinning, then I can finish reeling at a decent speed.
Rooster Tails are fairly cheap though, like half the price of Mepps, and they spin well most of the time. But the $1.99 ones are much less reliable.
>>683619
Please don't try to pry it off. Read the instructions instead.
And the cheap ones can be light, but you just have to look at sizes. Lots of them are only 1/8oz which is like Mepps #1 size. Basically ultralight lures.
>>683619
I'd look on youtube to see if someone has a video on disassembling your reel before you start prying on stuff.
Who /icefish/ here?
>>683627
Looking at that pic you posted again, it might not even come off. Like I said, if it has a magnetic brake adjustment on the side, there may not be traditional brakes inside so maybe the plate isn't made to come off.
Do you have a pic of the other side of the reel and the thumb screw like I circled earlier? Because on the Abu reels, once you loosen the screw, it is on a spring or something where you have to pull on it and hold it out while you twist the sideplate 90* clockwise.
>>683633
That's cool you pulled your truck right up on the ice tho. Looks real comfy chillin in the truck just waiting form something to hit. And that perch is a fatty too.
![hqdefault[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/0uRJSyF.jpg "hqdefault[1].jpg")
>>683629
It has a traditional brake as well.
>>683633
That looks suspiciously like a Redfin.
>>683638
Hmm, from that pic it looks like the plate should come off. Loosen that little thumb screw all the way, after it is totally loose, pull back on it all the way while twisting the plate on the opposite side. It may be a little tight from never opening it, but try twisting it firmly each way until you hear a click and it will probably pop off. If it twists off like mine do, you will surely break it by trying to pry it.
>>683638
http://youtu.be/x-sjxhiAjrE
>>683644
I'll try, just hope whatever it is making it click is easily identifiable.
>>683649
Yeah just looked that up, cheers.
>>683651
Almost the same as my reels, just looks like you don't have to hold the thumb screw back when you twist. That's what confused me first time I tried to take apart mine. Even after you unscrew it all the way, the plate won't twist off unless you pull the screw out even further since it is on that spring. It's kinda weird.
How do you like the Daiwa btw? I think I've decided next casting reel I get will probably be a Daiwa and next spinning reel will be a Shimano. Unless of course I see a deal on something I can't refuse. I like trying a little of everything just to see the differences.
>>683636
Yeah it was pretty comfy... the ice was 18 inches thick and there was a small town of vehicles/shacks in the middle.
>>683639
Walleye and perch usually. I don't have a shack, but know people who do. We just drilled our holes outside the door and sat in the truck and drank beer. You pretty much got it.
>>683641
Looks similar, but it's a perch.
>>683634
Yeah the cold sucks, but you get used to it... sort of. I can't wait until it starts warming up.
>>683657
>>683659
>>683653
That's what probably stuffed me up when I tried to take it apart the first time, I'm scared of making some spring pop out that would be a real bitch to align again. It's an decent reel for a cheap one, haven't used any other Daiwa products to compare it to though. Ever thought about getting a Pfleuger spin reel? I would definitely get another if the Trion series is anything to go by.
>>683655
I'm pretty sure they are the same fish (European Perch) We just call them Redfin in 'Straya though.
>>683662
I have 2 Presidents already. They're decent. One regular and one black and red LE. The LE is one of my main reels. No complaints about it. They were highly reccommended by everybody, especially for the price.
Only Shimano I own is a cheaper Sienna. And it is actually really nice for being a $30 reel. Makes me want to grab a Sahara/Sedona. Dude who works at Bass Pro has a Symetre that he uses as his main spinning reel and he was telling me to go for one of those. I was looking at some Revo spinning reels and he said the Symetre is on par with those besides being quite a bit cheaper.
>>683662
Never heard them called that before, learn something new everyday. That one you caught looks huge!
>>683667
Never heard of the President range, they top tier? Oh stuffed up btw turns out I have an Asaro.
>>683668
I wish I caught it, my friend did when we fished the creeks in the Adelaide hills, and yeah, it's the biggest one I've ever seen. Are they an invasive species where you are as well?
>>683676
Nah, the Presidents are the next step above the Trions. Not expensive at all. Regular Presidents run about $60 and the LE Presidents around $80 (USD).
>>683676
Also those Yellow Perch aren't invaisive. They are tasty too.
>>683681
Might have to look them up, I've been wanting a heavyweight spin reel combo for a while now.
>>683683
That's what I hate, they're a Kill on sight noxious pest fish here but are incredibly rare in the river (at least in South Australia) I kinda wish we had more of them instead of bloody Carp. They are tasty as hell.
>>683688
Are those redfin like a carp?
The yellow perch aren't carp at all. They are smaller predators. Eat minnows, lures, whatever. The body shape looks a bit different too. Perch are normally skinny compared to the one in anon's pic. That one is just a fatty. They normally have a body shaped like a walleye minus the sharp teeth.
And the Presidents are decent. I only bought it after asking around online and tons of people came back saying they were the way to go in that price range. They are a really popular reel.
>>683689
>>683688
Pic related is a more standard yellow perch. Like I said, the one anon posted was a fat guy.
>>683485
That was at Mallows Bay. It's on the Maryland side of the Potomac River east and a little south of Quantico on the Virginia side. South of the Mattawoman Creek which is where the FLW launches/weighs-in when they fish the Potomac (Sweden Point Marina in Smallwood State Park at the mouth of the creek). That's also where the larger snakehead tournaments take place.
Pennsylvania initially put out notices about snakehead as a precaution but I think in the past few years they did finally confirm their presence in some of their south-eastern waters like the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. However I don't believe they are present in the Juniata River or Raystown Lake. Hopefully it stays that way.
>>683430
Worth keeping in mind that the IGFA, essentially the world authority on sportsmanlike angling and responsible for record keeping, does not recognize fish caught by means other than hook-and-line. If you shoot a would-be world record it might be recognized by various authorities local or abroad (biologists, researchers or whatever) but you won't get the claim-to-fame that is the recognition of the IGFA. That's probably not a big deal to most of us but any record-hunters should be aware.
>>683605
>>683619
>>683638
DO NOT PRY IT. To remove the one side-plate (which either has a magnetic break dial on it or conceals a centrifugal brake beneath it) you only need to undo that one screw Pepsi pointed out above. After you loosen that screw you may need to palm the side plate and try to turn it parallel to the rest of the reel usually anti-clockwise. Then it'll pop off allowing you to be able to adjust centrifugal brakes on the spool (if present) or remove the spool entirely. With the spool removed it may expose additional screws whose removal may be necessary in order to remove the opposite side-plate and expose the gearing.
This isn't your exact reel but it may shed some light on your mission:
http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=2567.0
>>683472
alligators are the most docile anti-social animals I've ever been around. This is boynton fag btw. The bigger the alligator the more afraid of you it is, and as long as you're not dangling your hands over the side like a jackass it won't mess with you. They will try to eat any and every topwater you've ever casted though. In addition they also go after hooked bass like nobodies business so reel fast if you notice an alligator eyeing your catch.
>>683689
Like everything introduced to Australia, they fuck the ecosystem up so much, Redfin Perch eat everything including their own and carry a virus that can spread to our native species so they are deemed not to be returned to the water alive. Still nowhere near as bad a European carp though, you'll catch on average 5 of them to one native fish in the Murray.
>>683692
They are tiny things, hence why we were so surprised when my mate caught that pig of a thing out of a small pond.
>>683693
Neat, that thread is a lot more informative than the video, thanks anon.
>>683697
What kind of bait/hook setup do you use to catch carp?
>>683706
Not him, but I would either do a medium sized hook with sweet corn kernels or medium treble hook with white bread (no crust) packed around the hook into a ball. Nothing too heavy as far as weights
>>683706
Literally anything goes, they don't care. I usually use a Paternoster rigged with corn Kernels if I'm targeting them but it doesn't matter, you can catch them just dangling a hook with bait in the water. They eat anything from Small lures, Shrimp, Bread, Worms, Cheese and even scented soft plastics, which is fucking annoying.
>>683712
When you say "medium treble hook", around what size are you talking about, something around a #6 or #8?
>>683714
hmm, I'll have to give it a shot sometime then. There are quite a few of them in the lakes around here, along with some monstrous smallmouth buffalo that I'd like to try and catch...
>>683714
There were some bigger carp hanging out where I was fishing yesterday and I tried dropping a Gulp grub right by them but they didn't take it. Oh well.
I keep meaning to set up a catfish and/or carp rod when I'm out bass fishing with lures. But I hate walking very far from the rods when they are out there with bait.
>>683717
For "medium", something like that. About the size of a dime/nickel across the hooks. Carp don't have very big mouths so I woun't go huge on the treble. And only reason to use the treble hook is because the bread trick won't stick well to regular hooks.
Sometimes I would mix cheese in with the bread too. Got decent results with that. They also sell treble hooks made for catfish dough baits that have these little coiled wire that looks like a spring around the shank of the hook. Could be decent for the bread.
There are also companies that make carp specific dough baits. They normally smell pretty sweet. I have used those back in the day.
>>683717
If you are targeting them specifically, buy a can of Corn Kernels, throw half the can into the water in a large area around your line and within half an hour you'll have hooked at least 3 or 4 of them. Pic related, a typical Corn session down at the nearby lake.
>>683719
I thought you guys only had a problem with Asian Carp? Don't tell me the Euro version is plaguing your waterways as well?
>>683725
>because the bread trick won't stick well to regular hooks.
PROTIP: mix sand among the bread, it helps it stick to the hook.
>>683727
Euro carp are pretty much all over the US, they've given up trying to control their populations. Asian Carp haven't made it to every waterway in the country yet so they're still trying to keep them in check.
>From the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. website
Distribution
Common carp are native to temperate portions of Europe and Asia. They were first introduced into North America in 1877. At that time they were considered so valuable that the precious brood stock was fenced and guarded. Since that time countless introductions both intentional and unintentional have allowed Cyprinus carpio to become one of the most widely distributed fish species in North America, ranging from central Canada to central Mexico, and from coast to coast. In Texas, common carp are ubiquitous.
>>683727
I see the European (common) carp most places. When I was in IL, as well is here in FL it is basically all common Yuro carp.
I know in downstate Illinois, they have problems with the Asian carp there. Those are the ones you see videos of jumping out of the water when boats go by. I think those ones are silver while the European/Common carp are gold with a little orange.
>>683730
Interesting...
As long as the white bread is fresh and moist, I never really had a problem with treble hooks. Just regular single hooks it is hard to get a good cast and keep it on unless you get it a little wet and pack it really tight.
Some of these random ponds and lakes have some huge carp I always see too. I really need to start tossing out a rod for them. Some are 24"+ and have to weigh 10lbs+.
>>683733
>>683736
God damn, these things are fucking everywhere. I'm just glad we don't have any jumping Asian Carp here.....yet.
>>683742
Yeah those are the ones making their way up the Illinois river. And from what I hear, they are real close to both the Mississippi and the Great Lakes. Once that happens, they will be everywhere. It's only a matter of time.
>>683742
holy shit that would hurt
>>683738
The problem people have with bread is just them soaking it to shit and being supised when it flies off the hook when casting, just rub it in sand, put a couple of drops of water/spit on it to make it doughy and pliable and you're golden.
>>683744
We've developed a virus that apparently only targets Carp, hopefully it works as intended then we can give it to America and Europe to cleanse the waterways.
>inb4 it mutates and starts wiping out all fish
http://www.csiro.au/en/Research/BF/Areas/Managing-the-impacts-of-invasive-species/Biological-control/Biocontrol-of-carp
>>683749
Look up videos of these things jumping into boaters, fucking hell I would sell my boat if I lived in these areas.
>>683725
I find that certain brands of bread stick better than others.
>>683451
Better practice holding your breath. I usually get em around the 30-40ft mark.
>>683738
Also, got a surf rod? Me and a friend used to just rig 1/0 hooks with bait and dangle it out in front of Carp swimming around in shallow water, Kinda cheating but still fun watching and catching them.
>>683759
Biggest is a 7' Ugly Stik. But with how shallow they swim a lot of times and how oblivious they are to people, it would probably work.
The carp yesterday did not give a shit that I was 5' away from them. It just swam around when I tried dropping the Gulp right by it. It finally scooted away when I hit it with the bait.
>>683763
>Ugly Stik
Mah nigga
Got a 6'5" and 14' surf rod, these things are unbreakable.
>>683766
I've got a 7' Ugly Stick Tiger rod that I really like and a 7' Ugly Stick GX2 rod that I wish I'd never bought.
>>683775
>that I wish I'd never bought.
Why is that?
>>683777
The action of the rod is great, pretty much perfect for fish in the 5-10lb range which is what I'm using it for but the damn line guides are VERY fragile and prone to getting bent and/or twisted. I'm rough on my fishing rods, they get thrown in the back of my truck on the way to the lake, they get stowed in the bottom of my boat, they get knocked over, they get dropped, they might even get stepped on, and none of my other rods ever have their line guides folded all the fucking way over, I've folded guides all the way over on my GX2 twice.
If they made the rod with sturdier guides then it'd be great but the way I'm using it I just don't see it lasting very long.
>>683781
Also, it's not just folding the guides over completely with that rod.. I'm constantly noticing that one or more guides end up slightly bent and/or twisted pretty much every time I go fishing. I've never seen a rod with more fragile line guides, even the cheapo rods seem to have sturdier guides.
>>683786
Well the 5 other rods on my boat that suffer through the exact same conditions & treatment don't have that issue, so yeah, I'm gonna have to say that the product doesn't meet my needs or expectations.
There's also plenty of evidence out there that the line guides are made out of an inferior metal that's way too soft considering how many people are complaining about monofilament line cutting grooves into the guides after only a few months of moderate use.
>>683336
I really like the weedless set up, the watermelon flake seems to be a hit around here. People always say it just to say it, but purple worms really do the trick. I'm usually on the natural forage bandwagon but it's something about the six-inch black with purple curly tail That gets them coming back
>>683706
Take a #2 bait holder hook and a 1/2-1 ounce weight, make a fish finder rig, bait with canned sweet corn, chum a little, wait for the bite. That's what works best for me
>>683781
Forgive me for being a nub, But i thought Ugly Stiks were made exclusively for heavy fishing, You learn something new every day.
>>683766
I own 3 of them. 5'6" ultralight with 6lb braid, 6'6" with a baitcaster, and 7' on a heavier reel with 40lb braid for the pier or catfishing.
>>683775
>>683781
I've never had a problem. I don't really abuse them, but I'm not very careful either. I have stuck rods into my cieling fan so many times on accident.
>>683883
Nah, you can get them in any size. Like I said, I have a 5'6" that I run an ultralight setup with 6lb braid on.
>>683714
>give offering to the Pelican gods
>they don't want it
Rude.
>>683888
>40lb braid
You expecting to catch a Shark? I use 30lb but I'm actively targeting pic related.
>>683890
Idk, I could run lighter. But it is a big reel for fishing off the peir. Meaning anything you catch, you have to pull like 15' out of the water. I don't use that rod very much.
I have a medium/heavy President with 30lb braid on it that I will use for heavy freshwater stuff if I'm going for big carp or catfish. Also it's braid, so it really only feels like 10lb mono. There's probably close to 200yds of line on that President.
>>683894
Just how big do the Catfish get there to warrant it? not complaining, I fish for everything with the 30lb, It's just nice to know it wont break if you get a monster by-catch.
>>683895
Idk, there are some giant carp and it's Florida so god knows what's lurking in the water. Like I said, I don't use that 40lb very much at all.
I'm comfortable with the 30lb on the President in freshwater for anything. Even my Abu spinning reel with 20lb is fine for catfish. And with those reels having the braid on them, I can still cast 1/4oz lures fine.
My main bass fishing rods, one is 10lb braid, one is 15lb, and then I have two baitcasters with 20lb which is good for tossing 1/2oz lures and ripping stubborn fish out of the weeds.
>>683406
that stuff FLA calls grass. I hate that stuff.
>>683694
Translated:
Alligators won't bother you if you're fishing from a kayak... unless you catch something.
>>683781
I actually had the bottom guide bend on a GX2 last week when I was spooling line.
>>683813
do you fill the entire hook up with corn or do you just put one kernel on it? What depth water should I be targeting them in, the shallows?
>>683938
I normally fill up the hook with a handful of kernels. And cast wherever you see the carp. I normally keep it fairly shallow for carp.
>>683941
sounds good, I'll probably try to catch some carp to use as cutbait on jug lines the next time I go fishing, it'll be something different at least.
>>683922
Sorry was uhh... Intoxicated when I posted that.
>>683945
>Intoxicated
is there any other way to post on 4chan?
>>683962
Of course. You've forgotten shitposting.
>>683895
well ive heard of 80 pound carp, and blue catsget to something around 120 pounds, regularly breaking 50 sooo...
>>683938
i fill the hook up, so that there is a kernal on the eye of the hook, then its all corn down around the bend and to the barb, some times i even push a few all the way up on to my line.
>>683978
Here in my area of TX we also have smallmouth buffalo (that get to 80+ lbs) and freshwater drum (that get to 40+ lbs) that people sometimes catch when using dough bait and targeting carp.
Can't get enough of these X-Raps lately. I decided to grab a little larger one (Size 10) for when the bigger bass are hitting. I'm tired of losing fish because of the small hooks on 7's and 8's.
Those X-Raps have a great swimming action, and the colors for that range are some of my favorites. They are all natural colors without being too bright.
Also another Yo-Zuri 3DB. The few I grabbed so far have been diving ones and this one is more of a suspending bait so I won't be so scared using it in certain ponds.
Also, Dick's has those Rapala Skitter Pops in a new color for the frog. I know other anon loves his brown frog Skitter Pop. They have a green frog now. I had it in my hand. But at $10 a lure, I'm trying to limit myself when I'm at Dick's or Bass Pro like once a week.
>>683991
we have fresh water drum here in ohio in lake erie. ive never seen one over 10 pounds cause im not on eire aside from steelhead runs though.
anyone else have lawin their state they hate?
in ohio "gamefish" cant be used as bait, meaning that i cant use bluegill as bait for bass or catfish. ive seen guys get tickets for 200 bucks for doing it.
>>684096
Well, I've never seen one that big personally, but someone caught a 31.80 lb freshwater drum on rod and reel out of a lake that's 20 minutes away from me, and the state record on a trotline is over 55 lbs.
>>684101
We can't use game fish as bait here in TX either but luckily bluegill / sunfish aren't considered game fish so there aren't any restrictions on using them as bait.
>cold enough that all the small ponds and lakes near me have vacant shorelines
>not cold enough nor is it ever for any ice to form, let alone enough to go ice fishing
>no boat to get out to deeper water
>live near the ocean but have never done saltwater fishing and from what I can tell the waters are pretty empty at this time of year
What am I missing? Is my only hope to find a small enough neighborhood pond that I can cast clear to the center? I'm pretty new to fishing, just started last summer. I can't say I've ever been this in a hurry for winter to be done.
Southeast Virginia by the way.
>>684126
Why do you feel like you have to fish the deepest part of the lake all the time? Best spot for bass is often right on the edge of weed beds.
>>684137
Well that worked great in the summer and fall. But all the lakes I've found near me are pretty much devoid of life around the banks now. My favorite one, in a city park, was teeming with fish. You could stand on a dock over the shallows and there'd be schools of bluegill, bass, some stray carp, decent sized catfish all doing their thing. Was almost like going to an aquarium. But ever since the cold came in the waters have been empty so I assumed everyone moved deeper.
>>684126
>Southeast Virginia
I thought you were describing Cape Cod for a minute
>>684137
When temp drops the fishies go deep to a more temp stabilized level. You know this, you lived in the mid-west.
Actually they do the same in the heat as well. It's why mid-summer fishing isn't as prolific as spring/fall.
>>684107
yeah. usually i use shad. i bait them in with a bright light in the water, then get them in a cast net, salt them with garlic salt and freeze them individually or in pairs (usually they're 7+ inches) , then defrost them as needed and go fishing.
>>684150
I like shad when fishing for blue catfish on a rod & reel but nothing beats a bluegill for jug, limb, and trot lines. Shad just don't stay alive long enough and you've GOT to have live bait if you're trying to catch some big flathead catfish.
>>683890
I use 50lbs micro braided kevlar for shovelheads around here. The abrasion resistance is stellar. They are like trying to reel in a wet couch with an attitude.
>>684167
I hope this can be me one day, that must have been a fight and a half for that guy.
Also, I'm sure it was delicious.
>>684155
i dont even bother trying to keep them alive, there's no point. ive also never bothered for flathead because i dont think theyre this far up in ohio, and i couldnt throw live at them anyways. i mostly go for channel cat, and get pissed off at the bullheads.
>>684183
Of the ones I've caught, the longest I've fought was about 1 hour.
Also, you don't keep those large ones, you release them. Eating them is too dangerous due to pollution. Only eat top predator fish that are under 2 feet/60cm.
>>684183
>Also, I'm sure it was delicious
Most people I know who target bigger blue and flathead catfish don't eat the really big ones. One guy I fish with a lot sometimes runs limb lines on the river and he says that he never keeps anything over 30 lbs. He considers that the cutoff for "trophy fish". He'll tag and release those fish, he said that one time he caught a big flathead that already had 2 tags on its dorsal fin from other people catching and releasing it, he added a 3rd tag. Anything under 30 lbs gets pulled into the boat and eaten eventually.
It takes decades for a catfish to get as big as the one in >>684167
Fish that size are your "brood fish", the females will release literally tens of thousands of eggs every year during spawn.
>>684196
yes, blue and flathead catfish are native to N America.
>>683967
I prefer drunken shitposing
>>684188
I love me some flathead fillets. Damn good eating.
So, I hit up a pond today, didn't catch anything.
Wasn't really expecting to.
Apex, NC temp was about 54f kinda sunny. IDK about water temp. Used Rooster tail and a splitback minnow.
I think this pond's been over fished by Mexicans and old black dudes though, judging by the mexican food wrappers and Menthol cig packs littering the shoreline.
I'm dead sure it was at one point a farm pond, but now it just kinda sits out near the gamelands, I think a tower company owns it.
I have caught just one large sunfish in it before, so maybe they are just smart fish?
>>684089
YERKBAITS, FUCK YEAH!
I need to give the X-Raps and Yo-Zuri lures a try. I bought a bunch of the Shadow Rap jerkbaits when they were on sale at Dick's on two different occasions. One sale was get one free with the purchase of any one or two Rapala baits I think it was. The other sale was buy two Shadow Raps get one free, not quite as good of a deal.
I've got the Green Frog SP7 and actually found a Fire Tiger SP7 at BPS one of my last trips there (bought the last two, one for myself and one for my pops). What I'm trying to do now is track down the JDM colours and other rare patterns. They're all over eBay but I just can't bring myself to spend $12+/ea before shipping costs. Pic Extremely Related. So much want. The "VMC SureSet" Skitter Pops also come in a couple additional colours excluded from the non-SureSet models.
>>684146
Trick is, at least targeting bass, to work the shallows late morning into the afternoon. Sometimes later into the day depending on how the sun is hitting the water. You want to fish shallow places where the sun has been beating down on them. Particularly places with lots of structure that can hold heat. Rocky shorelines are worthwhile for this reason. It's kind of like heating stones in your camp fire so you can use them for heat while you sleep. Except the camp fire is the sun so it takes a while longer before they heat up.
>>684196
>>684202
But they are invasive to certain parts of N. America. Here in Maryland the DNR is pretty concerned about the blues and flatheads. More so than the snakeheads I believe. Those blues get huge and eat everything.
>>684143
>>684146
Yeah I guess. I normally fish smaller lakes where I can at least cast to a drop-off or something. But I do wish I had a boat some days, especially for those hot summer days.
Also, I think some fish may be spawning now around here. I have been seeing the traditional carp tails flopping around, and there is lots of movement in the water but not many bites.
>>684231
>Those blues get huge and eat everything.
Yeah, they're pretty gluttonous. Lots of people have reported catching a big blue that has eaten so much that fish tails are hanging out of its mouth because it's eaten so much that it can't fit any more into its stomach, but it still hit their bait trying to eat even more. Once they go into a feeding frenzy they'll eat anything and everything that they can catch, then sometimes throw up from being too full and immediately continue searching for prey right afterwards..
>>684227
>mexican food wrappers and Menthol cig packs littering the shoreline
I'd wanna kill. I can't stand litter and laziness.
>>684234
I keep meaning to ask you, is every lake/pond surrounded by chain-link down there? I've noticed it in a bunch of your pics.
What's it there for?
>>684227
>menthol cigs and Tecate cans
PepsiFag wuz there
>>684254
Ugh, no kidding. I was fishing the tailrace below the spillway of a large lake's dam with a couple of friends once and there was just trash and shit left behind by other fishermen EVERYWHERE.. Plastic bags, cigarette butts, fast food wrappers, plastic bottles, beer cans, etc, etc, etc. There were like 4-5 Great Blue Herons hanging out trying to grab fish that were stunned from being shot out of the spillway. One of them got his feet tangled up in a big wad of discarded fishing line and tried in vain to untangle himself for 10 minutes or so until he just few off with like 15 feet of tangled line streaming behind him. My friend said something to the effect of, "you know, we humans can be real pieces of shit sometimes"...
