These days, if you know what you're after, eBay ftw. Don't know about there, but here in UK fishing tackle shops have been closing down all over the nation for a few years as a result of cheap internet deals.
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Get Baked and Go Fishing
- Thread starter sprout420
- Start date
These days, if you know what you're after, eBay ftw. Don't know about there, but here in UK fishing tackle shops have been closing down all over the nation for a few years as a result of cheap internet deals.
for the best value...w/ out goin "cheap"...but cheap enuf...id suggest a shakesphere rod and a mitchell reel.
avail at most walmarts...any cheaper than that and you wont be happy
I love my Abu Garcia reels. 
A
arcticsun
mitchell reels is good value for money, i prefer shimano they have excellent durability and design. the gt-r series is the best in its price range, the cheap but not too cheap range. most importantly when i buy spinning reels, i make sure that both the original reel and the replacement reel is in aluminum coating which helps the line fly easier. and i like the break in the back for easier acces, not in the front where the line is.
berkley or fenwick are good reasonably priced rods.
i got a berkley lightning rod 2-12g, 10,6' with a shimano gtr1000 reel for my light spinning gear. the berkley rod has a fantastic tip action with the lighter lures, i super-reccomend it! its cheap aswell, matches the action of much more expencive rods.
and a fenwick black nite hawk 5-35g, 13,6' with a shimano gt-r 1500 reel for the larger spinning gear. sea trout and such.
fly fishing, got a cheap abu garcia set, fly season is short here, and the big fish are carnivores which bite better on lures imo.
berkley or fenwick are good reasonably priced rods.
i got a berkley lightning rod 2-12g, 10,6' with a shimano gtr1000 reel for my light spinning gear. the berkley rod has a fantastic tip action with the lighter lures, i super-reccomend it! its cheap aswell, matches the action of much more expencive rods.
and a fenwick black nite hawk 5-35g, 13,6' with a shimano gt-r 1500 reel for the larger spinning gear. sea trout and such.
fly fishing, got a cheap abu garcia set, fly season is short here, and the big fish are carnivores which bite better on lures imo.
EvilRaven1031
Member
hey guys, just dropping my opinion on you. Growler, dont overlook your local bait shop. They might not be the cheapest, but chances are that for that little extra you pay you can score some great information on your local scene. ie what lakes are hot, what lures are working well, which batch of minnows are the freshest...etc.
as far as gear.....in growlers situation i think theres only one way to go with a rod. A shakespeare ugly stik. they come with a 5 year warranty and aside from that ive personally run one over with a truck. we used it to catch some catfish about 15 minutes later. reels are a bit trickier. I think you really need to check out a cabelas or a bass pro near you. this will give you the option to turn some handles and let you feel how heavy they are and all that good stuff.
Most importantly. whatever you get you need to make sure that the rod/reel combo is balanced. thats just gonna make it more comfortable to cast all day. To do this you mount the reel on the rod and try to balance it. You place one finger at the point where the rod blank meets the (foam, cork etc) handle. it doesnt have to be exact....but it shouldnt be one sided either.
if any of this confused you, just post your questions and ill try to help ya out.
as far as gear.....in growlers situation i think theres only one way to go with a rod. A shakespeare ugly stik. they come with a 5 year warranty and aside from that ive personally run one over with a truck. we used it to catch some catfish about 15 minutes later. reels are a bit trickier. I think you really need to check out a cabelas or a bass pro near you. this will give you the option to turn some handles and let you feel how heavy they are and all that good stuff.
Most importantly. whatever you get you need to make sure that the rod/reel combo is balanced. thats just gonna make it more comfortable to cast all day. To do this you mount the reel on the rod and try to balance it. You place one finger at the point where the rod blank meets the (foam, cork etc) handle. it doesnt have to be exact....but it shouldnt be one sided either.
if any of this confused you, just post your questions and ill try to help ya out.
midwestganja
Member
Local bait shops the only way to go, first of all you're supporting the poor guy who spends his whole day waiting for a few sales to put dinner on the table. I got friends who have run bait shops in the past and its not easy, they work long days just to get a few sales of minnows/worms/leeches/tackle/etc. Support your local boys for ONE.
Second, like EvilRaven said they usually got good infos. Not always, but some know their shit and will give you good advice.
Pz
Second, like EvilRaven said they usually got good infos. Not always, but some know their shit and will give you good advice.
Pz
midwestganja
Member
My setups
My setups
Ok.. thought i'd throw this out there.. super stoned, a tad bit bored... and I love fishing.. so
Here's what I run for my different species of fish:
Channel Catfish - 6'6" Berkley Lightning Rod + Shimano Sedona(cant recall the model), it is rigged with 20lb Power Pro, depends where im fishing and what style, but generally slip bobbers off a huge ledge, or regular ole egg sinkers with a 6/0-7/0 Circle hook. Let em take the bait, and set the hook themselves, no need to set it with a circle hook, let the hook do the work for you. Just keep your pole secure.
Flathead & Blue Catfish - 7'3" Shimano Compre + Abu Garcia 6600 - the rod is actually for walleye trolling but I use it for both, just dont do alot of walleye trolling, more jiggin. Anyway, That's my main rig for flatties, then i'll use an ultralight to catch some white perch for bait, with tiny ass tube jigs or jig and crawler, usually they are 4-5" long. Then I take those bad boy sand rig them onto a nice size Khale hook or circle hook, rig em live through the tail or through the lips. Drop them bad boys down 40ft and hold onto your pole. (Caught some 50-60lb'rs last year, what a fuckin blast) For Blues I use cutbait, mostly cut shad, cut carp, cut bluegill/sunfish, cut crappie, pretty much try to match the hatch. If you know there is Shad in a lake, use shad, if you know theres tons of carp or bluegill, then use those.
Walleye - I use about the same rod/reel combo here as channel cats, the combo works great for both species, ultra sensitivity and a great drag. Most of the rigs I use for walleye are oldschool Jigs me and my uncle have been painting and using for 15+ years. Basic jig and crawler, drifting ledges and points, he calls alot of the shots on the walleye. But i've definitely got into alot myself when he wasnt around. Depends what time of year you fish, too. In the spring, spawn time comes around theres nothing like hitting the dam of your favorite like with some bigass rapalas and hook into a big momma 8-12lb walleye. These are the best fish to eat ever, IMO.
Striped Bass/White Bass/Hybrid Bass - By far my favorite fishing. There is no other freshwater fish that I have found that can fight like a Hybrid Bass, or as we call them, wipers. A cross between a Striped Bass and a White Bass, and they do not reproduce whatsoever, they are completely sterile. However, the thrill of catching these beasts is one you will never forget. There are many times I went out and caught 2-3 of them in a day, but I will never ever forget the time we were out in the middle of their "fake" spawn, and we caught literally hundreds and hundreds of 4-10lb wipers. It was a fishing experience of a lifetime. If you dont know how a wiper fights, imagine a big ass catfish times 10. They are insane fighters. My largest wiper was on 8lb test line and it was a 13lb 7oz wiper, I fought it for 35mins, a little ass fish like that with guts like a 100lb fish.
Aight enough bloggin for now
puff time.
My setups
Ok.. thought i'd throw this out there.. super stoned, a tad bit bored... and I love fishing.. so
Here's what I run for my different species of fish:
Channel Catfish - 6'6" Berkley Lightning Rod + Shimano Sedona(cant recall the model), it is rigged with 20lb Power Pro, depends where im fishing and what style, but generally slip bobbers off a huge ledge, or regular ole egg sinkers with a 6/0-7/0 Circle hook. Let em take the bait, and set the hook themselves, no need to set it with a circle hook, let the hook do the work for you. Just keep your pole secure.
Flathead & Blue Catfish - 7'3" Shimano Compre + Abu Garcia 6600 - the rod is actually for walleye trolling but I use it for both, just dont do alot of walleye trolling, more jiggin. Anyway, That's my main rig for flatties, then i'll use an ultralight to catch some white perch for bait, with tiny ass tube jigs or jig and crawler, usually they are 4-5" long. Then I take those bad boy sand rig them onto a nice size Khale hook or circle hook, rig em live through the tail or through the lips. Drop them bad boys down 40ft and hold onto your pole. (Caught some 50-60lb'rs last year, what a fuckin blast) For Blues I use cutbait, mostly cut shad, cut carp, cut bluegill/sunfish, cut crappie, pretty much try to match the hatch. If you know there is Shad in a lake, use shad, if you know theres tons of carp or bluegill, then use those.
Walleye - I use about the same rod/reel combo here as channel cats, the combo works great for both species, ultra sensitivity and a great drag. Most of the rigs I use for walleye are oldschool Jigs me and my uncle have been painting and using for 15+ years. Basic jig and crawler, drifting ledges and points, he calls alot of the shots on the walleye. But i've definitely got into alot myself when he wasnt around. Depends what time of year you fish, too. In the spring, spawn time comes around theres nothing like hitting the dam of your favorite like with some bigass rapalas and hook into a big momma 8-12lb walleye. These are the best fish to eat ever, IMO.
Striped Bass/White Bass/Hybrid Bass - By far my favorite fishing. There is no other freshwater fish that I have found that can fight like a Hybrid Bass, or as we call them, wipers. A cross between a Striped Bass and a White Bass, and they do not reproduce whatsoever, they are completely sterile. However, the thrill of catching these beasts is one you will never forget. There are many times I went out and caught 2-3 of them in a day, but I will never ever forget the time we were out in the middle of their "fake" spawn, and we caught literally hundreds and hundreds of 4-10lb wipers. It was a fishing experience of a lifetime. If you dont know how a wiper fights, imagine a big ass catfish times 10. They are insane fighters. My largest wiper was on 8lb test line and it was a 13lb 7oz wiper, I fought it for 35mins, a little ass fish like that with guts like a 100lb fish.
Aight enough bloggin for now
puff time.
wow guys, thanks for all the great info. I stopped by my local shop and they had a few really good looking rod reel combos.
Any thoughts on bait for bass? Soft baits/plastic, lures, what does everyone use? Ive been looking around at a few fishing forums but all the info they give is for people in the game already, not someone just starting out.
Any thoughts on bait for bass? Soft baits/plastic, lures, what does everyone use? Ive been looking around at a few fishing forums but all the info they give is for people in the game already, not someone just starting out.
thank god someone brought this thread back,its almost time to get back out there i might even go out next week but ,anyhow i got a whole new setup for christmas a quantum tournament grade 7 ft med action a shimano syncopate reel not the best setup but what i could afford ,and sunday i am goin to bass proshop and im gonna get a baitcasting setup cause there havin a big sale.anyone gone fishin latley ?
Orange Crush
Member
Could use some sort of Jig for Bass. Haven't been fishing for a while, always fun
even if you don't catch anything. Bass are usually found in the Coves, Eagle Lake
Has some big Bass, spent some vacation time out there in the Fall, Nothing like
Camping out in the woods with a freshly caught Fish dinner. Good times too far inbetween.
even if you don't catch anything. Bass are usually found in the Coves, Eagle Lake
Has some big Bass, spent some vacation time out there in the Fall, Nothing like
Camping out in the woods with a freshly caught Fish dinner. Good times too far inbetween.
1ManGrow
Active member
Lets get this going again..
Went out saltwater fishing yesterday..Was very nice...Here are a couple pics..
Copper
Old Party Spot(Not Anymore)
My View While Fishing ( Sunshine Skyway )
And The Catch ( Going To Do A Fish Fry Tonight) Yummm
4 Speckled Trout
2 Snapper
1 Sheepshead..
Will taste good tonight..
Went out saltwater fishing yesterday..Was very nice...Here are a couple pics..
Copper
Old Party Spot(Not Anymore)
My View While Fishing ( Sunshine Skyway )
And The Catch ( Going To Do A Fish Fry Tonight) Yummm
4 Speckled Trout
2 Snapper
1 Sheepshead..
Will taste good tonight..
C
cellardweller
walleye season ended @ midnight last night.
from now til the May opener it'll be perch & crappie
from now til the May opener it'll be perch & crappie
Any Ice Fisherman?
Nothin like goin out the first time. It's slippery, cold, windy, cold, windy and then there's that sound. If you've ever been ice fishing...you know the sound. The one you can hear starting at the other side of the lake and rip toward you like lightning. It's scary the first few times you hear or feel it
Used to go while I lived in Colorado. Cousins would take me every weekend the ice was frozen...
Gettin up at 3am to drive a couple hours into the mountains, getting there and starting to get into your gear, and the sun starts rising. It's extremely beautiful. You get this feeling like "Why don't I wake up here everyday?"
Personally I love to smoke while fishing. I'm an extremely 'active' person, not like outdoors active runner whatever, I mean I can't sit still... Smoking calms me down, get's me more focused on the fish.
Smoking on the middle of a gigantic ice and snow 'field' is amazing. It's just about the most perfect place to smoke. The pinnacle of relaxation. You just exhale, look around and realize just how lucky you are to be there, and how lucky you are that you dond't have to leave for hours and hours. It's just...bliss...
On Eleven Mile reservoir, the wind blows so hard that people can't leave boats in the water after like 12pm... but when it's iced over with a fresh layer of powder snow, the wind blows and actually creates little twisters of snow... pretty damn cool. This reservoir also has a lot of undertows in it, so when it's frozen, you can actually see where they are... the ice that freezes over them kind of spikes up in 2-3 foot tall blocks....so it kind of looks like a path with a spikey ice railing... hard to describe
Actually, I found a picture of it...
Sorry, it's huge :/
P.S. This is just our 'Salmon and Pike' reservoir... it's not quite as pretty as the other lakes... some of the lakes we went to... I would have kicked my grandmother in the shins just for a camera to take a picture or two... amazing landscapes..
Nothin like goin out the first time. It's slippery, cold, windy, cold, windy and then there's that sound. If you've ever been ice fishing...you know the sound. The one you can hear starting at the other side of the lake and rip toward you like lightning. It's scary the first few times you hear or feel it
Used to go while I lived in Colorado. Cousins would take me every weekend the ice was frozen...
Gettin up at 3am to drive a couple hours into the mountains, getting there and starting to get into your gear, and the sun starts rising. It's extremely beautiful. You get this feeling like "Why don't I wake up here everyday?"
Personally I love to smoke while fishing. I'm an extremely 'active' person, not like outdoors active runner whatever, I mean I can't sit still... Smoking calms me down, get's me more focused on the fish.
Smoking on the middle of a gigantic ice and snow 'field' is amazing. It's just about the most perfect place to smoke. The pinnacle of relaxation. You just exhale, look around and realize just how lucky you are to be there, and how lucky you are that you dond't have to leave for hours and hours. It's just...bliss...
On Eleven Mile reservoir, the wind blows so hard that people can't leave boats in the water after like 12pm... but when it's iced over with a fresh layer of powder snow, the wind blows and actually creates little twisters of snow... pretty damn cool. This reservoir also has a lot of undertows in it, so when it's frozen, you can actually see where they are... the ice that freezes over them kind of spikes up in 2-3 foot tall blocks....so it kind of looks like a path with a spikey ice railing... hard to describe
Actually, I found a picture of it...
Sorry, it's huge :/
P.S. This is just our 'Salmon and Pike' reservoir... it's not quite as pretty as the other lakes... some of the lakes we went to... I would have kicked my grandmother in the shins just for a camera to take a picture or two... amazing landscapes..
