strugling still

[bassfix7]

i lack the basic knowledge of equipment. what to use and why. from baits and lures to rods and reels. would anyone be so kind as to suggest some material, vidio or books, that could get me started on the right track. i think the most current would most helpful. im realy strugling not knowing where to start and all. live ina small town and the internet is my best resorce for info. if anyone could direct me to some website based info i would be in debt to you, this site is a real great site however most of the info isnt basic enough for me to understand. i dont have anyone to teach me, so i need to get in touch with information my self, hopfully learn this on my own.

[walkeraviator]

Youtube is LOADED ith beginner information... But a good place to start is simply ask a LOT of question son this forum... most of us are more than willing to help newbs, because we were all new at some time too...

So first tell us about where you will be fishing... bank? from a boat? river? lake? you getthe idea...

[BigBassin144]

Yep, youtube has a ton of videos on stuff like this. Watching some fishing shows that actually teach you stuff like Bill Dance, etc will help. Also asking questions (but using the search button first) on the forum about specific technique will get you some great responses. There are also tons of articles floating around the web from a few different sites. BPS's online library has some good beginner articles.

Here's a quick Rod Selection Guide I wrote to give SUGGESTIONS on what rods work good for what techniques. Remember nothing is set in stone, and while it may help to have 8 or 9 rods and reels, it isn't necessary. You can fish with one rod if that's all you have, but I'd recommend having at least a couple if you can't afford more.

One more thing. Find a fishing buddy who knows what they're doing and learn from them. Videos, articles, and forums may help, but nothing beats time on the water, especially if it's with someone who knows what they're doing.

BB

[cassidyta]

BassFix,

Like several others have mentioned, the search feature will be your friend. Additionally, if you could post them as individual questions, then we are more capable of responding. Realize that like most things, there are hundreds of different answers to the same question.

I think you need to pick one technique. I would suggest drop shot or senko. Work on mastering it before expanding your horizons.

[Jrob78]

Bass Resource has tons of articles for the beginner and the advanced angler.

http://www.bassresource.com/fish/bas..._articles.html

[bigbasser]

Another way to learn is to join a bassfishing club, it will give a living libary on info. bigbasser

[bamabassman]

ALL THESE ARE great WAYS TO LEARN PAL. BUT YOU CAN FIND THEM here AS WELL AS OYU WERE TOLD. TAKE YOUR TIME THOUGH, DON'T GO AND jump INTO IT OK? ASK SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND WE WILL TRY TO HELP YOU OUT IN EVERY WAY WE CAN.

[bassfix7]

thanks evryone. the rod selection guid was especialy helpful. ive been trying to find maby three rods to start with. i like soft plastics, easy to work with and ive used crankbaits trollin for lake trout on the bear lake in southern idaho so id like to use them for bass here in north idaho. jigs and jigs with trailers also seem like a prety good all around lure when you might be lookin to switch off from soft plastics. theese techniques just seemed to be the best place to start, what would you say? i just need to learn under what conditions to use what. ive got two small resevoirs to fish and a large large resevior. the dwarshak res. ive got watterskeeter pontoon float tube to use and a small boat of my step dads 10 or 12 ft. but we dont get together to much. i got good direction from here. i ate it up like fudge brownies. thank you all.

[bassfix7]

also i wounder when to use my bait caster and when to use a spinning reel.

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

BassFix,

Like several others have mentioned, the search feature will be your friend. Additionally, if you could post them as individual questions, then we are more capable of responding. Realize that like most things, there are hundreds of different answers to the same question.

I think you need to pick one technique. I would suggest drop shot or senko. Work on mastering it before expanding your horizons.

Ditto! I could not agree more! Try staying with one technique, build your confidence in it, than do the same with an other! I suggest starting with senkos! They're fish catchers (numbers, and quality), and flat out fun to fish! One of my areas of expertise, and I could give you some info on fishing them if you'd like!

Next, I would start with a spinnerbait! Another fish catcher, and numbers baits, and will also catch some good fish! Another one of strong holds, I also got some info if you'd like!

Also, most importantly of all, they're both VERY versatile baits!
~~~~~~
Regarding what you said about jigs:

You could try them, but it took me a long time to build confidence it them. For me, they either eat them up, or don't touch 'em!

Originally Posted by bassfix7

also i wounder when to use my bait caster and when to use a spinning reel.

Use your spinning rig when you're castling light lures, less than 1/4oz (for worms, with a weight less than 3/16th) - not including senkos, they're EASY to cast on a baitcaster weightless.

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by cassidyta

BassFix,

I think you need to pick one technique. I would suggest drop shot or senko. Work on mastering it before expanding your horizons.

This is a great suggestion cass. It would help to pick probably one or two techniques to get really good at. One that's harder for people to learn, but one I suggest after I learned it last year, is jig fishing.

Originally Posted by bassfix7

thanks evryone. the rod selection guid was especialy helpful. ive been trying to find maby three rods to start with. i like soft plastics, easy to work with and ive used crankbaits trollin for lake trout on the bear lake in southern idaho so id like to use them for bass here in north idaho. jigs and jigs with trailers also seem like a prety good all around lure

Ok, some of the most versatile rods out there are going to be 6'6"-7' MH power, Fast action rods.

I think a 7' MH and a shorter rod 6'6"-6'9" M baitcasting setups, and a 7' M spinning setup will help you cover most situations.

Originally Posted by bassfix7

also i wounder when to use my bait caster and when to use a spinning reel.

I don't know how long you've been fishing baitcasters, but now that I've gotten better and are decent at casting them, I use mine for pretty much anything I can cast on it, with a couple exceptions.

I fish a wacky rigged senko on a spinning rod. It is heavy enough to cast on a BC, but it is easy to tear the plastic off during a cast. With a spinning rod, you can get a nice easy sidearm "lob".

I also fish dropshots on a spinning rod. Again, I find them easier to cast on a spinning rod, even if it is heavy enough to throw on a baitcaster.

Shaky heads get thrown on both. Crankbaits under 1/4 oz, very small spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, and a very small jigs get thrown on a 7' M F spinning rod.

BB

[walkeraviator]

If I had to choose 3 Rods...

6'6" M/Fast baitcaster with 6:1 ish ratio
7'0" MH/Fast Baitcaster w/ 6:1
7'0" MH/Fast Spinning rig

just my opinion, but there it is...
And since you have experience with crankbaits, i would stick to using them, spinner baits and soft plastics(specifically texas-rig) til you get those down pretty good, then start adding different style soft plastic presentations, and other lure options as well...

It is my opinion that learning crankbaits, spinners, and t-rigs are the easiest presentations to master. With crankaits its all about lure selection and where to put it, but the retrieve is pretty straight forward. Same with spinner baits. And with T-Rig just simply get used to dragging it across teh bottom slowly and in time you have all the little nuances involved down without even trying...

I am just now learning to Jig fish and llet me tell you... it is not easy and quite frustrating... every time i go fishing i give the JIg a chance, for at least teh last year... have caught maybe 3 small fish doing this...but i aint given up yet...

[Jim80]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

also i wounder when to use my bait caster and when to use a spinning reel.

If you can't throw on a caster without birds nesting it then it go's to the spinning reel other wise there is no good reason not to use a baitcaster


jim

[bassfix7]

great stuff. this has been alot of my trouble, getting my rod and reel selection down.ive bought 4 or 5 rods trying to figure somthing out. mostly light action. did get a 7' berkly amp series after pineing for some high end rods. so far so glad. my first was a 6'uglystick and to impress my step dad i bought a shimono cruxis bait caster. also verry in expensive but it has served me well. been fishin with it alot and have become prety adept withit, thanks to kevin and his backlash trick.
im verry surprised to read what i have about the jigs. i thought they would be a more versitile presentation. so i wounder if anyone would put me intouch with information about what kind of lure to use under what conditions.
this right here feels like what ive been looking for, rod selection reel selection and lure selection. seems id have a great start on starting out. thanks again everyone.

[walkeraviator]

Ill tell you this... i got my start bass fishin with my Dads knowledge and gear and he bought me my own gear as christmas presents when iw as younger... so i learned to fish crankbaits, spinnerbaits, T-Rigs, and all surface baitsm on 5'6" pistol grip medium action rods with 6.3:1 Abu Garcia MAXXAR baitcasters... had 3 identical setups...

Now that I buy my own stuff i tend to stick with 6'6" MH rods, but never buy reels costing more than $80 and never get any ratio other than 6:1 area ratio.

so dont feel you have to spend a lot to catch a lot...

And dont get us wrong.. Jigs are super versatile... just harder to master... its more an artform than a skill...

To get mor in depth on answers.... what type of water do you fish??? rivers? large impoundments? natural lakes up north? clear or stained or muddy water???

There are a lot of things that can determine what you should be using to catch fish...


so for starters where do you live and where do you fish??

[Bassboss]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

great stuff. this has been alot of my trouble, getting my rod and reel selection down.ive bought 4 or 5 rods trying to figure somthing out. mostly light action. did get a 7' berkly amp series after pineing for some high end rods. so far so glad. my first was a 6'uglystick and to impress my step dad i bought a shimono cruxis bait caster. also verry in expensive but it has served me well. been fishin with it alot and have become prety adept withit, thanks to kevin and his backlash trick.

That's good to know! How ever I would strongly suggest investing in a different casting ROD. Your ugly stick will be ok for fishing pretty much anything but soft plastics. Number one, the rod is fiberglass and has very very little sensitivity, you're going to want a sensitive rod to feel bites. Get a decent graphite rod, if you like the amp, I say get a 7', or 6'6" (depending on what you're using to go fishing, if a truck, than a 7 footer, if not, a 6'6"). Both MH Fast action rods. Number two, you're gonna want a longer rod to get better hook sets.

Originally Posted by bassfix7

im verry surprised to read what i have about the jigs. i thought they would be a more versitile presentation. so i wounder if anyone would put me intouch with information about what kind of lure to use under what conditions.
this right here feels like what ive been looking for, rod selection reel selection and lure selection. seems id have a great start on starting out. thanks again everyone.

This is more of a learned thing, it becomes a gut feeling. But their are
certain guide lines.

~~~~~~~~

Cloudy/rainy conditions:

Top water baits are generally the best now. Fish are most of the time gonna be shallow feeding on bait fish. You don't have to fish super close to the cover now, I've caught fish on cloudy days where the only fish I caught were on sandy bottom, and no cover anywhere close. So fish every where!

Sunny:

Most of the time fish will be tight to cover where ever it's coolest this time of year. Try slower presentations like worms, senkos, and jigs.

Top water frogs over thick cover like pads, and matted grass are also really good right now.

How ever that's not saying they're wont be deeper, you're just gonna have to try different things for your self until you find what they want and where (also know as a pattern).


Hope that helps so.

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

i lack the basic knowledge of equipment. what to use and why. from baits and lures to rods and reels. would anyone be so kind as to suggest some material, vidio or books, that could get me started on the right track. i think the most current would most helpful. im realy strugling not knowing where to start and all. live ina small town and the internet is my best resorce for info. if anyone could direct me to some website based info i would be in debt to you, this site is a real great site however most of the info isnt basic enough for me to understand. i dont have anyone to teach me, so i need to get in touch with information my self, hopfully learn this on my own.

Don't feel bad bro, I've been fishing for years and I still feel like a noob. IMO reading, here, and other sites is the best thing you can do. Ask questions, even if you think they are dumb, and watch videos on youtube and other sites. I know I am just echoing others here, but it really is the best advice.

Oh yeah, and practice, practice, practice. This game is just like any other. It's pretty easy to catch a few big bass and then get a big head. If you get to feeling like you know it all, step back, slap yourself and take a reality check. I am in a real slump right now, just after some very productive bassing. I got a big gourd over it, and I am learning my lesson now.


Good luck buddy!

[bassfix7]

as far as rods are going im thinking about an e21 carrotstix. i like the reveiws about sensitivity however ive read alot complaints about breaking. the are split preaty even so i think its luck of the draw with the company if you get a strong one or a weak one. would any one say the warenty makes the carrotstick a good rod to try? i would like to hear any suggestions about rods with exceptional sensitivity. and strength.

[walkeraviator]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

as far as rods are going im thinking about an e21 carrotstix. i like the reveiws about sensitivity however ive read alot complaints about breaking. the are split preaty even so i think its luck of the draw with the company if you get a strong one or a weak one. would any one say the warenty makes the carrotstick a good rod to try? i would like to hear any suggestions about rods with exceptional sensitivity. and strength.

you should include a budget to shoot for. Because I know a few rods i want that are over $300 that would make great all around multi use rods...

[BassFeverJohn]

Originally Posted by walkeraviator

you should include a budget to shoot for. Because I know a few rods i want that are over $300 that would make great all around multi use rods...

Dang, I love fishing, and I am pretty serious about it, but I don't think I could ever be that serious.

[Jrob78]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

as far as rods are going im thinking about an e21 carrotstix. i like the reveiws about sensitivity however ive read alot complaints about breaking. the are split preaty even so i think its luck of the draw with the company if you get a strong one or a weak one. would any one say the warenty makes the carrotstick a good rod to try? i would like to hear any suggestions about rods with exceptional sensitivity. and strength.

A lot of Carrot Stix owners are very happy, many are not. I've never owned one personally. I do know that my $150 won't go to a rod company where "luck of the draw" is the best you can hope for.

There are many good rods in the sub Carrot Stix price range. If you like the color check out the Lamiglas Excel.

[Jim80]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

as far as rods are going im thinking about an e21 carrotstix. i like the reveiws about sensitivity however ive read alot complaints about breaking. the are split preaty even so i think its luck of the draw with the company if you get a strong one or a weak one. would any one say the warenty makes the carrotstick a good rod to try? i would like to hear any suggestions about rods with exceptional sensitivity. and strength.

I love my carrot stick by far the best rod I own and i only hope never to have to deal with their customer service


jim

[BigBassin144]

Originally Posted by bassfix7

as far as rods are going im thinking about an e21 carrotstix. i like the reveiws about sensitivity however ive read alot complaints about breaking. the are split preaty even so i think its luck of the draw with the company if you get a strong one or a weak one. would any one say the warenty makes the carrotstick a good rod to try? i would like to hear any suggestions about rods with exceptional sensitivity. and strength.

E21's customer service is one of the worst in the fishing industry. Honestly I would never buy one for a few reasons. While they are fairly light, sensitivity was average for a rod in that price range. Second, I've seen some busted ones in person, including one that had broken into about four pieces. There are plenty of great choices in that price range. Tacklewarehouse has 15% off almost everything this weekend. Also I'd watch eBay for used G Loomis IMX rods. You can get get good deals on them. I got one for over $120 off retail.

BB

[Backwater Charlie]

You're a beginner, right? Don't bother buying a $150 rod right off the bat. Heck, for all we know you may end up hating Bass fishing! Most of us love it but some just never get accustomed to it. There's $150 gone, and when re-sold you'd be lucky to get 3/4 of that out of it!

Don't worry about every type of lures. Buy a few packs of 5" Green Pumpkin color Yamamoto Senko's and learn to "Texas-rig" them. Texas-rig them with a 3/0 EWG hook made by Eagle Claw or Gamakatsu. Twitch 'em, make 'em shake, fish them close to the bottom, fish 'em close to the top. No wrong way to fish a Senko.

If you're having trouble casting weight-less Senko's on your baitcaster, keep practicing or do it with your Spinning reel.

[BigBassin144]

BWC makes a good point,but I'm pretty sure you'll love bass fishing.

Just like cars, resale values of rods vary by brand. Some rods you'd be lucky to get 2/3 of retail. However, buying a used G Loomis like I said you can almost be sure you'll get most o your money back if you decide to sell it. A couple factors make Loomis rods a good choice for this. For one, they don't change much, or at all, from year to year. Second, if you buy used, you don't have to take the original price loss from new retail price. I've actually heard of guys buying used IMX or GLX rods and making money on them a few months or a year or so later.

BB