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I’ve been fishing in rocky shallow parts of the very northern part of the Mississippi. I caught 7 or 8 smallmouth the other evening over the course of 30-45 minutes just casting plastic Ned rigs. Being rocky though, I am finding I lose a bunch of lures. Is there another way that I’d be less likely to get so many snags and fish in the same area? I am using a St Croix 6’6” Eyecon Walleye medium-light fast action rod and a Legalis LT2000 reel with 6 lbs mono. I have very little freshwater fishing experience so this is all new.
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Aug 12, 2021 03:26
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How do you reel in a fly rod? Is it just like a regular fishing pole? All the videos I see show it never really being used since it seems like you just pull all the slack line down and then cast the fly back out. What happens when you hook a fish though? Is there drag or do you just grab the line with your fingers and hope it doesn’t burn the poo poo out of your hand?
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Aug 20, 2021 04:30
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Jonny 290 posted:Speakin of which. Shoes? Thinking some low hikers would be nice on rocky/unsteady shores, but am also thinking they might get heavy as gently caress when - not if - i gotta get in water or god forbid mud. Or should i just recommission last season's sneakers or what? https://www.teva.com/men-sandals/original-universal/1004006.html I bought those for a canoe trip through the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota. I fish wearing them while I wade in the Mississippi and they are perfect for protecting my feet from the bottom of the river. They fit great and wear to form an imprint of your foot so they get super comfy. Not the most stylish things ever made but I love them.
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Aug 24, 2021 03:38
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crazypeltast52 posted:GOONFISH ICE CLASSIC (1/29-1/30/2022) Lake Minnetonka, MN Quoting this here to confirm that I will be at goonfish Lake Minnetonka. I have ordered Carhartt Yukon Extremes bibs and jacket and will pick up a cheap winter rod/reel combo before the event. Let me know what kind of line and tackle I should pick up. I've never ice fished before and am sure I need to get whatever stuff we need to catch fishes. I will also supply some beer for the event to keep us hydrated. Edit- Also vaxxed and boosted. I know covid safety precautions are always a consideration. Hekk fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Jan 5, 2022 |
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Jan 5, 2022 05:12
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crazypeltast52 posted:Reposting to make sure you all know it is this weekend: Checking in to say I will be at Goonfish this weekend. If I get murdered or fall into the lake and drown somehow, it was good knowing some of you. Watch me not be able to find the group and wind up walking around asking random fishermen if they have stairs in their house or something equally stupid. Hekk fucked around with this message at 05:33 on Jan 28, 2022 |
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Jan 28, 2022 05:29
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Valt posted:Oh I have been looking but finding a used rod that isn't a cabellas rod or something like that is difficult at best. I see orvis and sage rods for 200 or so, but thats without a reel. The Orvis store near me will give you the combo price on any weight rod/reel. They only had 5wt combos in stock but put together an 8wt for me for 20 bucks more (large arbor reel w/ 8wt was a little pricier). The only thing I didn’t get was the bag that lets you keep the reel attached. I got a rod case and a pullstring sack for the reel. They swapped out the Clearwater line(MSRP $49) for Pro Power Taper Textured (MSRP $129) for an extra $50. So Clearwater 8wt 9ft combo retails for $419. I paid $479 for all the stuff with the better line. Hekk fucked around with this message at 16:41 on Jul 6, 2022 |
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Jul 6, 2022 16:35
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Woodpile posted:Went fishing last weekend in the first time in ages. Surf fishing. The least productive fishing known to man and woman. Topsail, NC. Rough surf, high winds and I got skunked. Go to the end of the pier instead. I used to night fish their every weekend and it’d top anything I did on my boat in the inter coastal waterway. Seriously. Ten years ago there used to be a bait shop at the base of the pier. Get some baitfish or shrimp and Carolina rigs or whatever the folks there recommend you throw on the end of whatever inexpensive rod/reel setup you have and fish all night while the cool ocean breeze blows past you. Some of the best memories I have of ocean fishing were on that pier. It’s one of the longest on the east coast. You can catch everything from drum and flounder to kingfish if you get a spot at the very end of the pier. https://www.surfcityoceanpier.com/ Hekk fucked around with this message at 05:03 on Jul 13, 2022 |
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Jul 13, 2022 04:52
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LeeMajors posted:I am getting frustrated by fly fishing but I need to practice more. I'm getting really good at twisting up the end of my tippet to where it likes to tie itself in knots. Almost assuredly my technique or maybe poor fly choice? It's just a little foam popper, panfish size. Slow down your back cast. When you don't pause, it causes that snap and knots up the end of your line. It might even help if you went to a pond or lake and put the line in the water and practice roll casting first. https://midcurrent.com/techniques/fly-casting-how-to-avoid-tailing-loops/ Also, if there is an Orvis store near you they offer free fly fishing 101 and 201 classes. 101 is mostly in the parking lot working on basic casts. 201 is at a local pond catching panfish. Anything on youtube put out by Orvis seems to be pretty decent quality. I am pretty new to fly fishing too but it takes like zero practice to go out to a pond and catch a ton of panfish on a fly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHMfCJINGJM Hekk fucked around with this message at 03:38 on Aug 1, 2022 |
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Aug 1, 2022 03:24
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Valt posted:You also want to make sure you are popping to a stop. You really want to pick the line up in one quick motion stop at the top of your back cast then come forward. The whole point being that you are trying to load the rod. Pete Kutzer explains really well here. If you have line just falling behind your line speed is probably not enough. Yeah I shouldn’t have said “slow down your back cast” and instead said “lengthen the pause in your back cast”. I stood in my yard over an entire weekend and absolutely thrashed a leader and tippet before I got the timing down enough to feel comfortable. If you practice with the same length of line, the timing will always be the same. Just know that as you shorten or lengthen line that will also mean you need to hold that pause less or more. Looking over your shoulder to see the line helps give a good visual indicator too. The other big thing I found myself doing when first starting out was trying to muscle my casts. I do much better when my arm is relaxed and it’s all a kind of flicking motion. It doesn’t matter had hard I try to push or pull with my arm, I don’t cast better and just tire myself out.
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Aug 1, 2022 14:33
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DoctaFun posted:I just broke down and bought a cheap 3wt. fly rod setup to try to learn how to fly fish! I just picked up a MAXCATCH Epic rod and reel, which had decent reviews for getting started. I was about to pull the trigger on a TFO rod with Lamson liquid reel but then I just felt like for a bluegill rod do I really need anything that nice to get going? I am still pretty new to fly fishing so take my advice with a grain of salt. I caught probably two dozen bluegill and sunfish on the most beat up line and leader I'd seen on a loaner Orvis Clearwater when I was doing their fly fishing 201 class. Panfish seem to not be picky about anything so you can get away with not spending a ton on equipment. I linked some Rio stuff that isn't expensive. There is cheaper stuff out there but I don't know a ton of brands yet so I stuck with brands I know not to be trash. Cheap Rio 3wt line. https://www.amazon.com/Rio-Brands-6...ng%2C81&sr=1-25' 6x leader https://www.amazon.com/Products-Lea...ng%2C89&sr=1-22 6x tippet https://www.amazon.com/RIO-Fishing-...ng%2C102&sr=1-4 You could go up to a 5x leader and maybe get a couple of different sized tippet so you can play around with different fly sizes but honestly I don't think panfish would give a poo poo either way.
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Aug 2, 2022 03:46
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Valt posted:I pretty much exclusively use 4x tippet and leader on my rods. The only rod thats gets different is the 8wt where I use 0x and 2x. Bass and bluegill are not tippet shy and really won't care. You are right that you don't need some fancy setup to catch bluegill or bass. Take this for what you will but I bought a maxcatch reel and immediately did not like it. There was no pawl to keep the reel from just reeling in line as you are casting. Also the instant I put it in water it felt like it was full of gravel when reeling line in. My suggestion to new people is to go with a combo from one of the major manufacturers like orvis, tfo, or echo. They all make combos that are around $200 and are complete and ready to fish. I am fishing with an Orvis Clearwater 9ft 8wt and a Redington Trout Field Kit 9ft 5wt. I have 2x on the 8wt and 5x on the 5wt. I've never used 6x before but figured that was what people used on lower weight rods. I bought a spool holder of 2x-6x tippet so I can taper down to something that thin but it hasn't shipped yet.
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Aug 2, 2022 04:25
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You should share some spots with me. I am on the NW exburbs of Minneapolis and have been fishing the Mississippi and Crow rivers. I have a 5wt now and want to get into more streams but I don’t have a clue where to start outside of the lakes and access points in the Crow and Mississippi I know about.
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Aug 10, 2022 04:29
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Pron on VHS posted:Hello thread. Can you snap a photo of or describe the lures? Are you fishing from the bank? On a dock? A boat? Are you trying to target any specific fish? I ask because if you are just trying to catch whatever type of fish you can, it’d be super easy to start by targeting panfish (bluegill, sunfish, pumpkinseed, crappie, etc). Whereas if you want to catch largemouth bass or something else, you might need a more focused setup and fishing strategy. Hekk fucked around with this message at 15:25 on Aug 11, 2022 |
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Aug 11, 2022 15:22
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Sickening posted:Please join our offsite platform instead of just discussing it here. It's a bit easier to separate niche information into discord channels than trying to scan through almost 60 pages of posts here.
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Sep 3, 2022 03:51
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Anytime you get down on yourself about what a lovely fly fisher you are just hop over to your nearest pond and cast trout sized flies to catch you some panfish. Bluegill will chomp on anything and are a blast to haul in.
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Jan 4, 2023 05:52
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waffle enthusiast posted:Major League Bassball 
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Feb 1, 2023 01:33
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Charliegrs posted:Any folks here have a boat and live in an apartment? How do you do it? Do you keep it in a storage unit? Carry it on top of your truck? How big of a boat are we talking about? Like kayak or canoe? Bass boat on a trailer? 17' center console?
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May 27, 2023 01:24
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T-Square posted:Also have seen it recommended a hundred times to take a quick fly fishing lesson if you’re interested in it, and my girlfriend has mentioned she would love to get into fly fishing. I did not see anything from a cursory glance on BassProShop’s website though, do they not do anything like that anymore? I don’t think Bass Pro Shops offer fly fishing classes. At least they don’t near me. There are a couple of routes you can take to get started. 1) Look for independent fly shops around you that host classes. The two shops near me charge 75-80 bucks for theirs. 2)Look for the nearest Orvis store and sign up for fly fishing 101. This is what I did because it’s free. Just know all of their advice is based around Orvis gear. Orvis makes really good fishing equipment but their stores are like 90% upper middle class outdoorsy clothing with some fishing rods and a few flies in the corner. An independent fly shop is going to be much more focused on selling all the stuff you’ll want to use for fishing and won’t be limited to a single brand. There is a ton of fly fishing stuff that is expensive because people like it to be expensive. The returns in quality compared to price are rapidly diminishing though. It’s mostly just rich people wanting expensive handcrafted stuff that catches fish just like the mass produced versions do. Just don’t feel like you have to drop a grand or more on a setup to get out on the water. Hekk fucked around with this message at 16:12 on Jun 9, 2023 |
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Jun 9, 2023 16:06
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Yeah if you are going to splurge anywhere, spend up on your fly line. Of all your pieces of gear, it’ll have the most impact on how easy it is to put your casts where you are aiming.
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Jun 9, 2023 17:21
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waffle enthusiast posted:Having better build quality, better line, and a warranty on a rod for not that much more is pretty great actually! There is something to be said for enjoying the experience of casting a smooth fly line using a well balanced rod that seems to flex exactly how you want it to when casting. Almost like the setup becomes an extension of your arm and you are operating in perfect unison. Feeling that good about how great all of your equipment feels makes up for how many lovely outings you can have trying to catch things on a fly. It's not essential to catch fish but nice gear is more fun to use. Maybe not as fun to pay for, but what is?
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Jun 10, 2023 03:59
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COOKIE DELIGHT posted:Would anyone care to critique my first fly setup before I make the purchase? Stuff is complex. Phone posting from the road but I also fish bass on a fly in the river. With fly fishing in your price range the most important area to spend money is on a good fly line. Line > Rod > Reel is the order of importance. The only thing you need your reel to do is hold the line. 5wt is generally considered a great first setup because it’s the all arounder weight. You can fish panfish and small stuff but you can also throw medium sized flies and streamers for bigger fish. Floating line is great. That doesn’t mean always fishing topwater since you will have a leader that sinks. A sinking or sinking tip line are great in niche circumstances but you can do 90% of everything you’d normally want with a floating line. Hekk fucked around with this message at 00:15 on Jul 21, 2023 |
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Jul 20, 2023 23:42
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Losing lures in the river was what led me down the fly fishing path. I haven’t saved any money (quite the opposite) but I don’t feel bad about leaving dozens of hooks and plastic baits snagged along the bottom of the river anymore.
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Oct 26, 2023 03:00
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KingKapalone posted:I live in Minnesota but have never ice fished. My friend is getting a shelter though so I need a rod. Any go to basic recommendation? Honestly? I have 150 dollar ice fishing rods and I have the 25 dollar combo dealies. The expensive rods don’t catch more fish. You are just dropping a line into a hole in the ice right in front of you. Just pick up a couple of THESE (you can have 2 lines in the water while ice fishing) and spend your money on better line and some tackle.
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Nov 20, 2023 00:24
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KingKapalone posted:I don't even know what tackle is used. Thanks for the link. https://1source.basspro.com/news-tips/ice-fishing/7600/perch-ice-fishing-tips-and-strategies Honestly though, if your buddy has a shelter, just ask them. The important question has already been asked though. What type of beer will you bring? Since actually catching lots of fish is usually secondary to using ice fishing as an excuse to get outside during winter and do some day drinking.
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Nov 20, 2023 04:07
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KingKapalone posted:He is getting it soon so not sure if he knows much. I assume we'll be going for walleye and pike? Didn't know perch were a common target. Do you know what part of the state you plan to fish in? We did a goon ice fish meet at Lake Minnetonka a couple of years ago. I fished the whole weekend and caught half a dozen small perch and a dozen or so cold beers.
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Nov 20, 2023 06:03
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Hooplah posted:So I'm visiting Sedona, AZ this spring and I see online that Oak Creek, which runs right through town, is by all accounts one of the better trout streams in the state. Native brookies and stocked rainbows. I have zero fly experience but am interested in catching some trout. i need light and packable tackle so I can get through airports easily. Checking out people's pics/videos from the area makes the water look pretty small and tight. would tenkara be a good fit for what I'm trying to do? spinning rods are an option but probably for only certain holes. Honestly if you don’t plan on taking up fly fishing outside your visit, I’d just find the closest fly shop or guides and see what they offer for rentals. You could get your foot in the door buying all your own stuff for a couple hundred bucks but it’d just go to waste when you pack it up and never use it again. 325 for a full day of guided fly fishing with Orvis gear https://sedonaflyfishingadventures.com/book-fishing-tours-from-sedona If that’s not a route you want to take you could try Reddington Field Kits who have a really good 5wt combo that is setup for trout. Orvis has the Clearwater which is also a really good mid level entry point. You might want to step down to 4wt if the water is small. Hekk fucked around with this message at 20:59 on Dec 23, 2023 |
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Dec 23, 2023 17:56
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Discussion Quorum posted:I'm not going to say it became a "catching instead of fishing" situation, but quality over quantity ain't so bad: If you have an Orvis store nearby they do a free fly fishing 101 class. They’ll try to convince you that spending 1,200 dollars on one of their nicer rod/reel combos is a sound investment too, but the class is useful and free. Really though, for dock fishing you can just roll cast. There is no need to pull the fly up off the water and potentially snag others or get it wrapped up in the side rails. https://youtu.be/vHMfCJINGJM?si=TdLTZGQdRvz-T-bN Hekk fucked around with this message at 20:56 on Mar 11, 2024 |
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Mar 11, 2024 20:53
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You could always just do what the vast majority of the rest of us do and shore fish until water temps get high enough to not have to worry about dying from hypothermia if you fall in. If the fishing bug bites hard enough, you’ll have time and more experience to help guide your niche fishing needs purchases.
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Apr 16, 2024 21:40
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trevorreznik posted:An old friend of mine I haven't seen in a decade wants to get into fly fishing, and I'm a novice as well. He's in Atlanta, im in Chicago, and we are hoping to find a place in Kentucky between us to meet up the first week of June and try out , along with camping. Are you looking for trout streams or warm water fishing? I’d check out Nolin River near Mammoth Cave National Park. For warm water fishing check out the Green River and catch a bunch of smallies and rock bass on a fly.
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Apr 30, 2024 04:57
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Brut posted:Hey quick question, why are fishing landing nets so expensive? is there a good reliable cheap one ya'll recommend? Feels like it should be under like $10 but maybe there's some reasoning behind it If you are practicing catch and release, a cheap net can damage the fish you are landing and reduce their likelihood of survival. If you are keeping what you catch, the fish are going to be dead soon anyways and it probably doesn’t really matter. I’d just look at your local sporting goods store and see whatever they have in stock. Cabellas, Dicks, Scheels, etc.
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Apr 30, 2024 23:39
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Brut posted:
The vast majority of the information in the fishing regulations for each state are around restrictions on keeping fish caught. If you have no immediate plans to try to keep whatever you catch, you can safely ignore a lot of what’s written there. The most important information there is the fishing season for each species. If you don’t know enough about different types of freshwater fish to know how someone could tell that you are specifically targeting that species, I’d say you can get started with inexpensive rod/reel combos, a bobber, light sinker, a size 8 or 6 hook, and hotdog pieces or something to put on the end. Panfish are usually year round in every state. If you somehow hook a largemouth bass or some other more regulated species while bobber fishing, the DNR aren’t going to pop out of the bushes and tackle you or anything. Just throw them back in the water and all is good.
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May 1, 2024 18:13
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