strugling still - Page 2

bassfix7 · 05-31-10, 02:43 AM

when i first started bass fishin, maybe a month ago, i just loved it. i was out at an irrigation district resivoir. id been there a time or two. using nightcrawlers to catch trout i quickly be came discouraged couse the trout tend to swallow the hook realy hard making it impossible to save the fish. i mean the fish give me somthing so important to the way i feel about life that i have an un wavering respect for the life of the fish i catch. i dont feel good about harvesting more than ill eat in a week. so tired of killing trout i decided to try a texas rig my step dad tought me a year ealier. in a takle box filled with stealhead stuff my parents gave me as a b-day present they threw in some bulletweights, a pack of doublebend hooks, and some tequila sunrise worms. i put it together, got out in my float tube, worked the worm(clumsy as hell) and produced a catch. i couldnt beleive it. once i hooked a bass, bass got their hooks into me. i love bass fishin.
so ive been on a search for the right gear, techniques, knowledge and so on since. ive looked intoalot of higher end gear and i know i definantly dont need to and probably shouldnt spend like that, especialy when theres alot of value brand equipment that would suit my expierince just fine. but honestly i feel like geting some real nice gear and learning the truest form of the techniques i use and gaining a verry intimate knowledge aboout this fish is a mannor of showing them the respect i beleive they deserve. i probably couldnt spend enough to match what they give me.
you have all given me some realy great advice since ive been coming here and it feels nice to talk to others in the know, it takes alot of the lost feeling out of all this.
so to begin on my path of procuring my equipment ive decided to purchase a 7'3" carrot stix mh/f, LTX casting rod with an abu garcia revo sx casting reel wound with p-line halo flourcarb. its my first major fishing purchase goal. not such a big deal to others but im super stoked. even if im disapointed in the equipment i think the experience around it all has been just what i needed. refreshing.
so if anyone would like to comment on this combo, pros or cons, id like to hear it all. thanx again to every one. bassfix7

Jrob78 · 05-31-10, 03:30 AM

I think purchasing a good rod and a good reel is a very wise decision. In my opinion buying cheap baitcasters ends up being more expensive in the long run. The Revo should give you many years of service where a lesser reel might have to be replaced after a season of fishing. You are only as good as your equipment allows you to be. The confidence you will gain by spending a little more on a good rod and reel will make you a better fisherman.

I've never owned a Carrot Stix rod. They have a reputation for being light and sensitive. Hopefully you won't have to find out about their customer service.

Nothing wrong at all with using fluoro however it isn't going to be the most manageable line. It generally has more memory than mono and if you aren't careful tying knots you will burn it and it will break. I recommend starting off with a mono or a copoly like P-Line CX. It should be easier to work with. KVD Line and Lure is also very helpful in reducing memory.

Another thing that will help you is making sure you buy good hooks. A good strong hook that stays sharp will make a huge difference in you hook up ratio. I use Gamakatsu hooks, a lot of people also like Owner and Mustad hooks.

BassFeverJohn · 05-31-10, 06:38 AM

If I had the money I would be doing just what you are doing. As a photographer I can tell you that equipment matters. Always get the best you can afford. For me at this time it is a budget caster combo, but in the future, nearer rather than far I hope, I am going to have a C-Stix and a nice reel myself.

I say go for it!

walkeraviator · 05-31-10, 07:09 AM

I think differently I guess... I know you get what you pay for, but i also believe you get out what you put in... I have NEVER spent big money on a reel or rod, so i am in the what you would call "budget reel" world... but i do regular maintenance, and my gear takes care of me... i have been using some cheap MAXXAR reels for 15 years now with the only hiccup being me putting one together wrong once...

Its like buying a gun... even a hi-point will go bang every time if you clean it and take care of it, and even the highest end Sigs will crap out if you abuse them... I wish someone in teh fishing world would make a Glock style reel... something you can purposely abuse the crap out of, and it still works....

BassFeverJohn · 05-31-10, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkeraviator

I wish someone in teh fishing world would make a Glock style reel... something you can purposely abuse the crap out of, and it still works....

I'd buy that!

bamabassman · 05-31-10, 10:10 AM

ok, i am gonna give you my opion on gear for fishing. i have some fairly inexpensive gear compared to others here. i have 4 OLD reels all garcias. 1 is going in the shop pretty soon to be overhauled. now these old reels are what used to be very expensive back in the day. magI, magII, 321plus mag,and an ultra mag reel, and flipping buttons are on the ultra and 321 reels. these were the first generation mag force reels and were not cheap for the time. BUT i also have 3 other garcias that were recently bought, 1 silver max garcia and 2 pro max's by garcia. all were bought at wally world along with the rods. lighting rods and abu garcia tourny rods. a VERY DEAR FRIEND gave me a couple of others rods, 1 i absolutly LOVE to death. it is a trigger stick designed by jimmy houston. the other rod i am having trouble deciding on which reel to put with it, so i swap it out every so often.
i guess my point is you can get a really decent combo for under $200.00 bucks. now you are asking why i don't get the more expensive stuff, simple...no money to buy em,lol. YES if i could i would buy the best there is out there. but i can't. but i am saving for 1 combo i have been wanting for quite some time. yes it is a garcia reel and a specially made rod. hand made rod at that. but i am looking at around 500 bucks for this combo and there are things i need more than that right now. i have had NO problem with the gear i have gotten from wally world so far. so don't just think if it comes from wally world it is a cheap knock off ok?

walkeraviator · 05-31-10, 11:55 AM

I have a hand me down Abu 321... i hate it...lol

for me it is hard to spend $500 on a rod/reel combo, because my Gun problem is worse than my fishin problem... if i had $500 to spend on something, it would go bang...

BassFeverJohn · 05-31-10, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkeraviator

I have a hand me down Abu 321... i hate it...lol

for me it is hard to spend $500 on a rod/reel combo, because my Gun problem is worse than my fishin problem... if i had $500 to spend on something, it would go bang...

Same here, except it would go click...

Jrob78 · 05-31-10, 01:12 PM

I certainly wouldn't advocate taking out a second mortgage to buy fishing gear. I would recommend buying the best gear you can afford though. I've fished with high end reels and cheap Pinnacle reels, there is a huge difference. I fish custom rods because I build my own. I will continue to use the best gear I can afford because it is more pleasant to fish with. Absolutely necessary? Probably not.

bamabassman · 05-31-10, 01:53 PM

walker.umm would you be interestedin selling that 321? if so, pm me pal.

walkeraviator · 05-31-10, 02:50 PM

cant sell...still has sentimental value even though it wont cast a 5 pound brick farther than 3 ft with all teh brakes at zero...

bamabassman · 05-31-10, 06:34 PM

i understand. but if and when oyu are ready. hit me up.

05-31-10, 06:38 AM	#28
BassFeverJohn BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Middleburg, Flawda Posts: 548	If I had the money I would be doing just what you are doing. As a photographer I can tell you that equipment matters. Always get the best you can afford. For me at this time it is a budget caster combo, but in the future, nearer rather than far I hope, I am going to have a C-Stix and a nice reel myself. I say go for it! __________________ Ish?

05-31-10, 10:10 AM	#31
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	ok, i am gonna give you my opion on gear for fishing. i have some fairly inexpensive gear compared to others here. i have 4 OLD reels all garcias. 1 is going in the shop pretty soon to be overhauled. now these old reels are what used to be very expensive back in the day. magI, magII, 321plus mag,and an ultra mag reel, and flipping buttons are on the ultra and 321 reels. these were the first generation mag force reels and were not cheap for the time. BUT i also have 3 other garcias that were recently bought, 1 silver max garcia and 2 pro max's by garcia. all were bought at wally world along with the rods. lighting rods and abu garcia tourny rods. a VERY DEAR FRIEND gave me a couple of others rods, 1 i absolutly LOVE to death. it is a trigger stick designed by jimmy houston. the other rod i am having trouble deciding on which reel to put with it, so i swap it out every so often. i guess my point is you can get a really decent combo for under $200.00 bucks. now you are asking why i don't get the more expensive stuff, simple...no money to buy em,lol. YES if i could i would buy the best there is out there. but i can't. but i am saving for 1 combo i have been wanting for quite some time. yes it is a garcia reel and a specially made rod. hand made rod at that. but i am looking at around 500 bucks for this combo and there are things i need more than that right now. i have had NO problem with the gear i have gotten from wally world so far. so don't just think if it comes from wally world it is a cheap knock off ok? __________________ so many lures, so little time.

05-31-10, 01:12 PM	#34
Jrob78 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 4,671	I certainly wouldn't advocate taking out a second mortgage to buy fishing gear. I would recommend buying the best gear you can afford though. I've fished with high end reels and cheap Pinnacle reels, there is a huge difference. I fish custom rods because I build my own. I will continue to use the best gear I can afford because it is more pleasant to fish with. Absolutely necessary? Probably not. Last edited by Jrob78; 05-31-10 at 07:00 PM.

05-31-10, 01:53 PM	#35
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	walker.umm would you be interestedin selling that 321? if so, pm me pal. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

05-31-10, 06:34 PM	#37
bamabassman BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: cedar bluff, alabama Posts: 15,292	i understand. but if and when oyu are ready. hit me up. __________________ so many lures, so little time.

05-31-10, 02:43 AM	#26
bassfix7 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 17	when i first started bass fishin, maybe a month ago, i just loved it. i was out at an irrigation district resivoir. id been there a time or two. using nightcrawlers to catch trout i quickly be came discouraged couse the trout tend to swallow the hook realy hard making it impossible to save the fish. i mean the fish give me somthing so important to the way i feel about life that i have an un wavering respect for the life of the fish i catch. i dont feel good about harvesting more than ill eat in a week. so tired of killing trout i decided to try a texas rig my step dad tought me a year ealier. in a takle box filled with stealhead stuff my parents gave me as a b-day present they threw in some bulletweights, a pack of doublebend hooks, and some tequila sunrise worms. i put it together, got out in my float tube, worked the worm(clumsy as hell) and produced a catch. i couldnt beleive it. once i hooked a bass, bass got their hooks into me. i love bass fishin. so ive been on a search for the right gear, techniques, knowledge and so on since. ive looked intoalot of higher end gear and i know i definantly dont need to and probably shouldnt spend like that, especialy when theres alot of value brand equipment that would suit my expierince just fine. but honestly i feel like geting some real nice gear and learning the truest form of the techniques i use and gaining a verry intimate knowledge aboout this fish is a mannor of showing them the respect i beleive they deserve. i probably couldnt spend enough to match what they give me. you have all given me some realy great advice since ive been coming here and it feels nice to talk to others in the know, it takes alot of the lost feeling out of all this. so to begin on my path of procuring my equipment ive decided to purchase a 7'3" carrot stix mh/f, LTX casting rod with an abu garcia revo sx casting reel wound with p-line halo flourcarb. its my first major fishing purchase goal. not such a big deal to others but im super stoked. even if im disapointed in the equipment i think the experience around it all has been just what i needed. refreshing. so if anyone would like to comment on this combo, pros or cons, id like to hear it all. thanx again to every one. bassfix7

05-31-10, 03:30 AM	#27
Jrob78 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 4,671	I think purchasing a good rod and a good reel is a very wise decision. In my opinion buying cheap baitcasters ends up being more expensive in the long run. The Revo should give you many years of service where a lesser reel might have to be replaced after a season of fishing. You are only as good as your equipment allows you to be. The confidence you will gain by spending a little more on a good rod and reel will make you a better fisherman. I've never owned a Carrot Stix rod. They have a reputation for being light and sensitive. Hopefully you won't have to find out about their customer service. Nothing wrong at all with using fluoro however it isn't going to be the most manageable line. It generally has more memory than mono and if you aren't careful tying knots you will burn it and it will break. I recommend starting off with a mono or a copoly like P-Line CX. It should be easier to work with. KVD Line and Lure is also very helpful in reducing memory. Another thing that will help you is making sure you buy good hooks. A good strong hook that stays sharp will make a huge difference in you hook up ratio. I use Gamakatsu hooks, a lot of people also like Owner and Mustad hooks.

05-31-10, 07:09 AM	#29
walkeraviator BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,119	I think differently I guess... I know you get what you pay for, but i also believe you get out what you put in... I have NEVER spent big money on a reel or rod, so i am in the what you would call "budget reel" world... but i do regular maintenance, and my gear takes care of me... i have been using some cheap MAXXAR reels for 15 years now with the only hiccup being me putting one together wrong once... Its like buying a gun... even a hi-point will go bang every time if you clean it and take care of it, and even the highest end Sigs will crap out if you abuse them... I wish someone in teh fishing world would make a Glock style reel... something you can purposely abuse the crap out of, and it still works....

05-31-10, 11:55 AM	#32
walkeraviator BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,119	I have a hand me down Abu 321... i hate it...lol for me it is hard to spend $500 on a rod/reel combo, because my Gun problem is worse than my fishin problem... if i had $500 to spend on something, it would go bang...

05-31-10, 02:50 PM	#36
walkeraviator BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 1,119	cant sell...still has sentimental value even though it wont cast a 5 pound brick farther than 3 ft with all teh brakes at zero...

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