Help a beginning shore-basser stock the box... for $100

[Ground Pounder]

Greetings folks,

I'm a beginning basser from Southeast Michigan, and new to bassfishin.com. I've been an occasional fanny-fisher my whole life - mainly using the "bait it, chuck it, and see what happens" strategy for crappie with the kids on nice days, and cats on the Detroit River over some brews with the boys on summer nights. But sure enough, after netting a 2 lb. largemouth in my local reservoir a couple weeks ago on a simple spinning rig and worm jig, I'm hooked!

(no pun intended)

After spending the last couple weeks pouring over all of the info here at bassfishin.com and numerous other sites, I'm ready to plunk down a few bucks for some proper tools. But, as you can imagine, my eyes go spinning like a slot maching when I look at all the goodies available. So, I figured this might be a good place to get some recommendations first.

If you were helping a shore-basser stock a bass-box, with $100 to spend, what would you recommend?

Okay, loaded question without more information, right? So here's a little more insight into my fishing situation:

Location : I'm in Garden City, MI, a western suburb of Detroit. The majority of my bass-fishing time will be spent on Newburgh Lake, a local reservoir of the middle Rouge river. I'd guess that about 75% of my bassin' time will be in this water, with occasional trips planned through the rest of the summer and fall to Kent Lake and Portage Lake.

Conditions: I am, for the time being, land-locked. I don’t have access to a boat, and while the future may hold some possibilities, I wouldn’t count on getting off shore until next spring, at the earliest. So let’s assume 100% of my fishing will be done from shore on the lakes linked above.

Time of Day: The majority of my fishing time will be after work in the evening, between 7pm and 10pm on Newburgh lake, except those Saturday trips to Kent or Portage, which are expected to be from 6am ‘til whenever they can pry me off the lake.

Gear: Okay, here's a tough one - I don't own a bait casting outfit. While that’ll change soon (as I keep my eyes on the local classifieds and garage sales), I want to fish now. So here’s what I’m currently working with:

- Rods (all spinning): Shimano FXS-66MB2, 6’6”, 6-14lb, Medium-Fast / Shakespeare Ugly Stick SPL 1100 6’6”, 6-15lb, Medium / Shakespeare Ugly Stick SPL 1101 5’6”, 4-10lb, Light / Shakespeare Alpha XT SAS 2502, 5’0”, 2-6 lb, Ultra-light.
- Reels (all spinning): Shimano R4000 (10 lb mono) / Shimano FX200 (6lb mono) / Shakespeare Excursion EX235A (8 lb flouro) / Zebco 50 Classic (8 lb mono).

Goals: Okay, of course the first goal is to catch fish! But I also want to work on mastering some different things – techniques, presentations, heck, even knot tying. I’m a pretty persistent guy, so a trip that yields no fish isn’t going to bum me out, especially if I’m learning something.

I think that pretty much covers it (if there’s something I’m not considering, please let me know!). Any input you folks can give is greatly appreciated, and please feel free to contribute any and all ideas for resources, tools, tips, etc. that my lure-crazy brain isn't thinking about!

Thanks,

GP

[Rebbasser]

Welcome to the forum and the crazy world of bass fishing!

You are going to get a LOT of recommendations, but you can get rigged up without breaking the bank(please don't let my wife see that).

There are a few "essentials" that IMO every bass fisherman HAS to have. In no particular order:

A lipless crankbait like a Rat-L-Trap, chrome with a blue back

A topwater bait like a Rebel Pop-R and an Heddon Tiny Torpedo

A tandem shad colored spinnerbait. Tandem means it has 2 different blades, usually a Colorado(round) blade in front of a willow leaf blade.

2 medium running crankbaits-6 to 10 feet deep-like a Bandit or Bomber in some shad color-Pearl/black back, sexy shad, threadfin shad, etc. and in a crawfish color-brown/red.

Soft plastics: There is every color/style/size you can think of out there, so don't get caught up in that. You will, but right now 3 colors will cover most your needs: Watermelon, watermelon red, and green pumpkin. Those are the basic colors I don't go out without.

Styles? I'd recommend 2. A 6" curl or ribbon tail worm and a stickbait like a Senko. I fish those 2 styles most of the time.

Don't forget hooks and sinkers. While I fish Senko type baits with no weight I do use them on plastic worms. 3/0 and 4/0 extra wide gap(EWG) hooks and 1/8, 3/8 and 1/4 oz bullet weights will allow you to fish all depths.

That will give you a start. Don't get all hung up on specifics, just go with the basics from now and work up from there. It gets addictive, believe me!

[Ground Pounder]

Thanks for the recommendations Rebasser! I hear the fishin' in Texas is second to none - looking forward to getting down to Houston just after winter next year on my annual journey to my parent-company. Maybe I'll rendevous with a few pieces of water in my free time.

I went to K-mart tonight and saw a bargain bin of fishing tackle that was marked down to $1.00 each. All of the hard-baits were in opened-and-retaped packages, so def. returns, but the hooks and softies were still sealed and in-tact. After sifting through, I basically bought the whole bin:

1 Heddon Zara 'Puppy' (silver w/ black back, white eyes)
1 Rebel Pop-R (silver w/ black back, yellow eyes / red mouth)
1 South Bend lipless crankbait, chrome w/ blue back
1 South Bend lipless crankbait, chrome w/ black back
1 South Bend medium crankbait, green w/ black back / orange belly
1 South Bend medium crankbait, chrome w/ black back
1 South Bend deep crankbait, chrome w/ orange back & belly
1 South Bend deep crankbait, chrome w/ white back & belly (red eye)
1 Z-man Chatterbait, white w/ trailer
2 packs of Matuzo 5/0 EWG J-bend worm hooks
3 packs of Matuzo 1/0 EWG J-bend worm hooks
1 pack Zoom 6" lizard (pumpkin chartreuse, 9 pcs.)
1 pack Zoom U-Tale (june bug, 20 pcs.)
1 pack Yum Dinger, 4" (watermelon seed, 15 pk.)
1 pack Yum 3" walleye grub (firetiger, 25 pk.)
1 pack Yum 3" walleye grub (chart silver, 25 pk.)

But that's not the best part...

When I get to the regester to pay, everything rings up as $1.00, with an 83% discount - for a total of $0.17 each! I was stoked! I ran back and grabbed the rest of the random bobbers, steel leaders, and even some pre-pack redworms that were still left in the bin. All-in-all, I spent just over $2.00 for a motherload of goodies.

Time to hit the rocks running this weekend!

[Rebbasser]

You got a good start and a good buy, buddy! There are 2 other essentials I think you need that will come in real handy: line clippers. i.e. fingernail clippers to cut mono and save your teeth, and a pair of needlenose pliers. I NEVER hit the water without at least one of each.

that Zara Puppy is a fantastic bait, especially in that color!

[Ground Pounder]

Thanks again, Rebasser. I've got the clippers and the hemos next to my leatherman and my pocket knife at all times when I'm on the water.

Any suggestions on the tandem spinner? I see that Booyah's got a 3/16th oz. that they carry at K-mart for about $5, but I'm not opposed to hitting a local sporting goods for a better selection.

*Edit - I'm also wondering what type of presentation I should go for with a spinner - will a spinning outfit be adequate for both top-water streaking and vertical action? I think I remember reading somewhere about line twists being a common problem fishing top-water spinning outfits with a direct tie, and at the same time folks seem to be opposed to using a swivel on a top-water lure.

** Double-Edit - by "spinning outfit", I meant my reel-rod, not the lure.

[keithdog]

Welcome aboard! Looks like Reb has you heading into the right dirrection. He definately knows his stuff. I live a little west of you over here in Indiana. I have my best luck on plastics with colors in the darker ranges, such as black, black/blue, junebug and so forth. A senko type worm is a must for shore anglers. I do very well with a black/red blended color Tiki Stick. As for fishing top water baits, I will tie dirrectly to the split ring if the bait has one. Otherwise I use a simple clip. Not a snap swivel clip, just a plain clip. Never had any issues with using them and they allow the topwater to have more action. Or you could install split rings on your topwater lures that are missing them. Quality spinnerbaits are available from many manufacturers. Booya, Terminator, Strike King, War Eagle are just a few of whats out there. The important thing is to pay attention to the quality of build. Be sure to buy spinnerbaits that have a ballbearing blade swivel! Cheeper spinnerbaits don't use this type of blade swivel and won't give your spinnerbait the best blade action. I find the 3/8 oz size to be about the best overall size for our area. The past couple years I started using the Strike King KVD spinnerbaits and they are fantastic. I've been using the bluegill colored version and it really works great im my area where bluegills are the main forage base for bass. I see you purchased a Chatterbait. Be sure to get out and start using that in early spring right after ice out. It's a killer bait at that time of year!!! Another lure I would want if I were you is a floating stickbait like the Rattlin Rouge. Worked slowly with a twitch twitch retrieve across the surface can be explosive.

[Ebbetsguy]

Every thing that Rebbasser said but he forgot GET A JITTERBUG for top water5/8 ounce

[Rebbasser]

I'm also wondering what type of presentation I should go for with a spinner - will a spinning outfit be adequate for both top-water streaking and vertical action? I think I remember reading somewhere about line twists being a common problem fishing top-water spinning outfits with a direct tie, and at the same time folks seem to be opposed to using a swivel on a top-water lure.

Yep, a spinning rod will work fine. As far as line twist-Kevin has a great video on spooling line on a spinning reel that works extremely well-that can be for future reference. Meantime, there is a way to eliminate the line twist on the rods you already have spooled. Take the rod outside, make sure nothing is tied to the end of the line, open the bail, grab the end and start walking. When you get a pretty good amount of line off the reel wind it back on passing the line between your fingers to keep it tight on the spool. As it comes through your fingers it will untwist.

Most lures when working right-as in no treble hook snagged on the line during the retrieve-will not cause much line twist. Another way to keep it from happening is to close the bail by hand rather than by cranking it closed. Not sure why, but it does help.

The only lure that really does cause line twist is a spoon. For those I just put a barrel swivel on the split ring on the spoon and tie to the swivel.

If you want to use a swivel to make changing lures easier use a locking swivel-they don't come open so you don't lose your lure. Learned that one the hard way many years ago.

I prefer to tie directly. I use a Palomar knot-very strong and extremely easy to tie. If you are not familiar with it just do a search for it and there are a number of places that show how to tie it.

[walkeraviator]

Agree with all the above recommendations. I would add teh colors Keith talked about to your soft plastics. at least one dark color to add to the watermelon and green pumpkin like colors.

Get EWG hooks in 2/0 -5/0 sizes
Lead bullet sinkers from 1/4- 5/8 ounces
4 and 7 inch powerworms
4 and 7 inch zoom trick worms
5 inch Yum Dingers
Shaky head jigs from 1/8-5/8 ounces (consider a few football head sahped ones if you fish rocks a lot..
4 inch shaky worms
Reaction innovation smallie beavers

all soft plastics in green pumpkin, watermelon, watermelon red flake, and black blue flake...

[Vegasspider]

This is why I like this board. Look how much work you guys put into helping this guy out. Way too go guys. Keep up the good vibs we all could use some kindness now a days....

[bamabassman]

htis has been covered VERY NICELY. great job gang. i agree with vegass....you guys are the BEST!

[keithdog]

Originally Posted by Ebbetsguy

Every thing that Rebbasser said but he forgot GET A JITTERBUG for top water5/8 ounce

Your right Eb. And a yellow one at that, weedless style. Just ask Kevin!

[Cavs1123]

I totally agree with what everyone has said

[bassinbob]

Me too cavs. I would get a couple of buzzbaits to add to that list.

[Jim80]

Buzzbaits and maybe a top water frog or two would be all i would add to the list . By the way welcome to the site man .


Jim

[Tavery5]

I may have missed it, so I will add a bag of pearl white zoom superflukes into the equation. They have been a go to bait of mine for a while, and they work in allot of different situations.

[MallenManson]

Looks like you're makin some headway, Pounder.
Rebbasser hit the nail pretty much on the head, but like Ebbets said, gotta have a Jitterbug in your box!
Not familiar with the lipless cranks you bought, but I was gonna suggest the Spro Aruku Shad in the 5/8 oz version. Caught a mess of fish on em this year, mostly in the green shiner version, and they cast a mile which definitely helps when you're land-locked. Also go with the lightest line you can, but heavy enough to land the fish. I'm a big fan of Berkley Trilene XT (a lot f people here aren't) in 8# test. Really a good casting line.
You might wanna look into a pair of hip boots, if they can get you closer to the deeper water.
Keep your eye on the Monkey Talk forum, since we all love to post info on sales.
Don't forget to hit the fishing department whenever you hit a department store. I've picked up a lot of non advertised sale items that way

[Rebbasser]

Yeah, I do believe Ground Pounder has met the monkey

[islandbass]

I think the lure recommendations are very good and I don't think I could add to it. From one ground pounder to another I think it would be better for you to share with you things that you might find helpful that aren't lure related.

Mental Concepts and Perceptions

Grass Isn’t Always Greener
Being shore bound is NOT a handicap - What I mean by this is don't let the thought of, "Gosh, if I had a boat I'd be better." While it might be helpful to have a boat, it doesn't make you immune from getting skunked. Shore bound anglers also have the advantage of not having to pay extra $$ or possess the worries for boat maintenance, fees, and all the other hassles that come along. Not that these costs are a bad thing. I will get a boat some day. My main point here is don’t waste any mental energy on such thoughts. Instead direct your mental energies to your fishing efforts.

Lures
Lures that work on a boat will work from the shore. I don't know why some shore bound folks make a distinction on this. Fish don't know and don't care if you're fishing from the shore or a boat. Don’t fall for this one.



Gear – Rods and Reel Types

Fortunately, many of the basic techniques for bass fishing can be covered with three to four rods.

A medium powered rod can handle many of the lures that have treble hooks and the lighter wire Texas and Wacky Rigs. Medium to small crankbaits, topwaters and jerkbaits for the lures with treble hooks, senkos and wacky rigs for lures with single hooks, and deeper drop shotting come to mind here.

A medium heavy powered rod can handle the heavier single hook lures and applications, such as jigs, larger Texas rigs, Carolina rigs, and spinner baits and buzz baits. It could also handle any of the single hook lures mentioned for the medium powered rod.

A medium light powered rod can handle the finesse applications. It could also handle the smaller crankbaits and topwaters.

A heavy powered rod can handle the heavy cover.

As you can see, there is a little cross over with the rods and this is a good thing. You might also notice that I didn’t recommend neither spinning nor casting reels for these rods. For some applications either reel type will do equally well. It is at the extremes where one reel type will shine over the other. For example, I am most likely not going to use a spinning rig if I am fishing weeds or lily pads, nor would I try tossing a 1/16th oz inline spinner with my baitcasting set up. The main point I want to make here is that I see both reel types as tools and while one might be a better choice than the other at the extremes, there are quite a few things both can do equally well. The final decision is up to the angler.

Lastly, the rod actions for most bass rods tend to be fast to extra fast. Just do a quick search on this to get more information about rod action(s).

So how do I carry these rods and still adhere to my minimalist approach? I’ll cover this further down.

On The Lake

Mobility
It helps to be more mobile than cumbersome. I take a minimalist approach taking only what I need (or think I need) for that day. I prefer to use "soft" bags like a backpack and a shoulder bag to carry my Plano boxes. I will then load these boxes with the plastic Plano boxes with the things I will use that day.


This is the Backpack I use. It was designed for fishing by Flambeau and came with a plastic box. It cost $15 at Wal-Mart.

The advantage of using soft bags over hard tackle boxes is that they offer you flexibility. If I know I am fishing a shallow and weed-laden lake, chance are that I am not going to bring my box of 8-12’ diving crankbaits.

I have my smaller Bass Masters bag which I store my plastics, in their original containers. I also have a smaller CD pouch that holds my drop shot stuff. Because I tend to drop shot frequently, I find it to more efficient to keep the associated lures, weights, and hooks for this technique apart from the rest for quick and easy access.

In addition, I carry on me what I call my “magic” bag on me. This is simply a small bag that I put a few soft plastics in so that if I have to change out a lure, I can do so immediately as opposed to wasting time going back to my back pack that could be 50ft away or more or on my back.

After getting sick and tired of being sick and tired of carrying my rods among my fingers, I decided to do something to address this inconvenience. I created what I call my rod quiver. It allows me to hold three rods with one hand.







The other benefit the quiver gives me is that it keeps my rods and reels off of the ground, away from dirt and sand and potential scratches. It can stand upright on its own or rest on my bag. Depending on the shape you choose you can configure the quiver to hold more rods. For example a trapezoid or pentagon shape could hold four or five rods respectively. I chose a triangle shape to accommodate three rods because for me, it was the most practical number. I noticed that when I brought more rods, a few of them just never got used.

Last Thoughts

1) When you scope out an area to fish, try a lure or technique and work it well. Cover the area completely. If what you’re using doesn't produce, don't hesitate to try something else, whether it is a different size or color, or altogether a different lure type or technique. Being willing to change it up and being willing to move to another spot are two things worth instilling into your mindset sooner than later.


2) As you gain experience and learn more about your lakes, you will develop a intuitive or “gut” feeling. Learn to trust and go with it. I regret that I can’t explain in any other way because I am unable to put it into words.

3) Try to learn at least one thing new every time you go out. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about catching a fish. For example, I remember the first time I yanked on braid while attempting to free a snagged lure. As I pulled the line taut I soon learned that braid can cut through skin like a hot knife does through butter. As a result, I bring a small wooden dowel with me to wrap the braid around a few times before I yank. Better the dowel than my skin. Another is when freeing snagged lures; I work only with the line. I completely remove the rod and reel from the lure freeing equation. Doing leaves completely eliminates the potential for rod breakage or reel damage.

Good luck and note that this is just my take based on what I have learned as a shorebound angler. I can tell you that there will probably be days where you might go home skunked and perhaps more often than you would like. However, chalk that up to paying your dues and putting your time in, and not an excuse to sulk. Also, whether successful or not, I go through what I did and ask if there is something I could have done better for the next time. It will add to your tenacity and resolve for when the grinding gets tough and make you a better angler.

Those fish better watch out when you do get your boat.

-ib

[Ground Pounder]

This board is the best - thanks so much to everyone for the help! I've stocked the box with all the goodies I'm allowed for now (I think the Mrs. is gonna' shoot me if she finds the receipts).

Islandbass, thanks for taking the time to put together such a comprehensive post, with some awesome recommendations. I'll be busy this morning streamlining my gear for sure. I've also got an idea for my own type of rod quiver using an old camera tripod and some clips from a broken pool cue wall hanger I've got in the basement. I was also really insipired by the point about getting that "gut" feeling about my local lake. I started researching my nearby resevoir last night, and found out a lot of really interesting information (which I'll likely start a post about in the lakes forum).

Good stuff guys, I really appreciate it - now I've gotta' get off my butt and put it to use!

GP

[bamabassman]

ground pounder.....welcome to the world of being bait monkey fodder pal. hahaha, hope oyu got an out house or shop cuz the wife is gonna put oyu a cot out there fer a while. hahahaha. but hey, it ain't bad out there with the monkey.

[nofearengineer]

Originally Posted by MallenManson

You might wanna look into a pair of hip boots, if they can get you closer to the deeper water.

If you stay with this forum long, you'll have another good use for those hip boots.

By the way, from the way you SCORED on those items ($0.17 each? OMG!), it sounds like we might want to be asking you for shopping advice!

Welcome to the forum, Groundpounder!