File: GgYOj0yXsAA4RxU.jpg (154 KB)

154 KB JPG

I want to start kayak fishing in the ocean but don't want to go out on my own to start. and all my friends are poor. it's over before it began

>>2855137
I have been ocean kayak fishing for 5 years and went out with friends 0 times.

>>2855140
I'm retarded and afraid. considering paying a guide I found in San Diego; it's like $250 for the day

>>2855141
I suppose. Even with a guide, the more of the basic you manage to learn by yourself, the more you can get out of a guide session. Just start fucking around in a calm harbor and san diego got plenty of them. There is couple of SD kayak fb groups that you can join and find someone to go with for free

>>2855137
> he has friends
lol lmao. the whole point of kayak fishing is peace and quiet

>>2855155
>>2855141
Plus socal one of the fairest weather place as well. Water temp is above 60 F most of the years. Wind is under 10 mph in most days. Plenty of days with swell under 3-4 ft.

File: BFg Guy.jpg (88.6 KB)

88.6 KB JPG

>>2855132

File: yeeee.jpg (127.2 KB)

127.2 KB JPG

20'' and 27'' pikes, perch of negligible size. everybody had eggs. pike many perch in tummy.

>>2855191
i would have released the 20" pike, it's still relatively small for a pike, the 27" one is pretty good tho, there's probably 4lb of meat on that
the perch can be pan fried and served as an appetizer

I haven't fished in a while but I tried the last few weeks and it's been terrible so far, haven't even gotten a bite and I forgot to get beer last time.

Interesting time fishing today. I drove an hour-and-a-half to a trout stream. It's one of the closest spots, and i know it fairly well. I had surgery on my toe last week, and it's kind of infected. I still went out, though. But my boots were tight af. I made sure yo wet them beforehand, but I ended up taking my wool socks off and just going with my thin liner. Even though it was a few degrees above freezing, I stayed perfectly warm. Anyway, because of the foot problem, I fished a piece of water I always skip and caught two rainbows, thus completing my challenge of one fish per month. I think I caught one rainbow in the same spot, but I'm not sure if I snagged the fish or not. I was using a new-to-me Panther Martin color: white. After a few casts, and no contact with rocks or trees or ground, some paint chipped off, which bugs me.
When I left that run, I saw a hunter who was going in, and he told me that he was going way back into the woods. I couldn't hear him well, so I thought I heard him say he was going to cross a lake. He said I didn't have to worry about messing up his hunt. Anyway, I walk past his stand, and he is making bird calls at me (he's hunting deer, though), and I'm oblivious. I leave after a wave and make it home for Christmas dinner.
Winter isn't very productive, but I got out, stayed comfortable, and achieved my goal.

File: 1764565217588.jpg (1.1 MB)

1.1 MB JPG

>>2855307

Going fishing tomorrow at an extremely murky lake. Not "visibility about 2 feet" murky I'm talking "looks like chocolate milk" murky. What lures should I try? I have a few rat-l-traps and dark crayfish, as well as curly grubs that look like the white bass that inhabit the lake. Mainly going for white, largemouth, and smallmouth bass. Also I live in the SW so temps have been pretty high for december (highs in the mid to high 70s and lows in the mid 50s) so hopefully I wont be plagued by the usual winter fishing problems

>>2855313
silver spinners
a bronze/gold/painted one won't be shiny enough, and spinners make noise, so it's probably the best option

File: IMG_2676.jpg (67.5 KB)

67.5 KB JPG

Been testing bottom bouncing on a small lipless crank and had great success catching winter trout in rivers with this technique.
It got me started down a rabbit hole researching lipless cranks. Now I want to get my hands on an Xcalibur XRK50.

File: 20251211_204003.jpg (4.2 MB)

4.2 MB JPG

I forget if i posted about it but i put flags on my jaw jacker rods.
>>2855191
Nice fish
>>2855273
Yeah ive barely managed to get out at all this December and the few times i have were rough.
>>2855307
White is my favorite lure colour, sucks the paint quit that fast. Congrats on the luck!
>>2855313
>>2855326
Yeah im gonna say spinners too, and basically anything else loud that either rattles or thumps.
>>2855354
Ive only caught fish on lipless cranks fishing them vertical through the ice.

>>2855360
>his flag isn't red white and blue
fucking commies

>>2855313
black spinnerbait with massive single colorado blade

File: 1763190257588.jpg (658.4 KB)

658.4 KB JPG

I went out for an hour this afternoon and caught 5 fish on the river with my fly rod. River fishing has been a challenge for me and is a rarity, so this was fun. It is on my list as something to do more often. I was targeting carp and buffalo, following a friend's tip, but I didn't catch any. Instead, I caught 1 chub, 2 crappie, and 2 white bass. Can anyone help me identify the chub?

So fly fishing is just normal fishing but you have to whip the line a 10 times before casting? What's the point?

>>2855547
you're not supposed to whip it that much, and the point if being able to use lure that have very little weight, so you can't throw it on a normal set up, you need a setup that throw the line itself instead
so different kind of lures, including floating ones to target surface feeders among other things

>>2855547
you cast the line, not the lure
don't need to whip the shit around more than like twice unless you are trying to get some crazy distance which isn't necessary

>>2855547
ROFL....that's movie fly fishing, not real fly fishing. You don't have to back cast at all in many situations. If I pull out the entire 30ft weighted head of my fly line, I can roll cast the entire length plus the leader, no back cast necessary. I fish mostly small creeks with heavy cover. In many situations, I couldn't do a back cast if I wanted to. That said, as the other two said, you're casting the line, not he lure because the lure doesn't have enough weight to cast on it's own.

File: IMG_4228.jpg (607.6 KB)

607.6 KB JPG

First fish of the ice season. I should have been fishing all month, but I’ve been too busy with retarded bullshit I didn’t want to do, and this was the first day I’ve actually been able to get out.

>>2855730
Nice eyeball! Is that a nano rap?

>>2855742
Yup, first time I ever tried one, and it seems to be a hot little bait.

File: IMG_20251230_182110399.jpg (4.1 MB)

4.1 MB JPG

I want to get more into fishing, and I'm getting these rods as hand-me-downs. The one on the far right is a G-Loomis rated for 10-17 lbs. The one next to it is a Zebco Pro3 with no other identifying information. Each are 5 feet long. The other two are custom made rods with no information, and are 6 feet long.
I live in Minnesota, and I'm mostly interested in crappie/panfish and walleye. Any thoughts on reels that would match well with these?

>>2855859
The 2nd from the left looks pretty thin like it would be lighter power than the other 3, but both on the left seem like they could be in a good range for those fish

As far as reels go, assuming you don't want to spend a lot of money the lower end shimano and daiwa reels are good value and work well. I can personally vouch for shimano nexave and daiwa qz both around 50 dollars. Shimano nasci is one of my favorites for around 110
Probably a 1000 size reel, but 2000,2500, or 3000 will all be fine but heavier.

>>2855859
the loomis one got an handle for spincast/baitcast type of reel
the reel seat on the custom ones is placed a bit weirdly, i'd hask the guy who had them made for what purpose he planned to use them if you can
so i'd probably use the zebco, granted that it fit the use case, the important data you want to know on these rods is the weight range of the lures it's made to throw, it's sometimes displayed on the rod in grams or ounces, but 5ft is short so it's probably on the lower end
for the reel, regardless of the rod, i'd go for the okuma alaris als-30, it's cheap and does the job well, spooled with a 10lb mono nylon line, or a 15lb one if you want to future proof targeting bigger things
you could try casting the rods with the lure you plan to use and see which one give you the best results too

I want to get a fly rod carrier, but I don't have crossbars on my vehicle. I can get crossbars from a very well-respected company for a deep discount. I'm wondering if I should get the clip-on system from this company or buy a set, after talking to a mechanic, and getting the mechanic to install the crossbars.

File: 31.jpg (119 KB)

119 KB JPG

31 inches of pike

Got a new setup for Christmas, ugly stik 6'6 with a Diwa Fuego reel. Picked up some 12lb braid and 8lb fluro for leader. I just spent 40 mins trying to tie them together with an FG Knot and got nowhere. The lines are so small and finicky I can hardly even see whats going on. Youtube makes it look so easy, but then again they're using much thicker line. Should I keep going or is there a better knot for thinner line?

>>2855893
Trust me, if you want to keep using a braid to leader setup it will serve you very well to master the FG knot. It is possible to tie it as I use PE0.6 to 4lb fluoro leader which is thinner than what you are using. The FG knot just needs a lot of practice to properly master.

I now use a much improved variant of the FG knot called the FG Ghost Knot which you can see in the YouTube video below.

https://youtu.be/LG96kcTW65o?si=Q9UU0IdVoxxzQeY0

Don't give up!

Is it true that braid has issues with knotting itself if there's the slightest bit of wind? Contemplating whether I should swap over to it from mono to get more casting distance from the pier

>>2855896
Are you using it on a spinning or baitcasting setup?

The thing I've learned with braided line on a baitcasting setup is that not all braided lines are suited for it. The ones that work well are thick, stiff, and hold their round shape better. If the braid line is too soft it will just crumple as the line gets casted through the level wind and cause all sorts of backlashes and issues.
Braided lines made from Spectra tend to be stiffer than Izanas.

The braided lines I recommend for baitcasters (size #3.0 and above):

YGK XBraid OLLTOLOS PE WX8P-1
https://xbraidygk.jp/products/olltolospe/

Power Pro Max-8
https://www.powerpro.com/content/powerpro/northamerica/us/en/homepage/powerpromax8.html

Shimano Hardbull 8+
https://fish.shimano.com/ja-JP/product/line/generalpurpose/pe/a155f00000doutoqav.html

>>2855896
You will be able to cast father with braid than mono. Braid has no memory and is lower diameter, which allows it to be cast better. Braid is more susceptible to wind knots, but it doesn't happen from the slightest bit of wind. It's more of an issue of mismanaging the line and it getting tangled around itself.

>>2855880
if your rods are 4pc i'd just buy a condura tube and put it in the trunk or backseat

File: 214.jpg (61.4 KB)

61.4 KB JPG

>>2855893
don't listen to the other guy, FG is mostly a meme, normal competent people use the alberto knot

>>2855893
also if you have a swivel in your setup you can move it between the line and the leader to avoid line to line knots

>>2855934
all this shit is way overkill, just do uni to uni and be done

>>2855942
uni to uni is great but can break under load if the size difference between the lines is too big

File: Screenshot_20251231-095320~2.png (284.2 KB)

284.2 KB PNG

Anyone have experience with a collapsible rod for camping?
The AI overlords recommended picrel to me.

>>2855957
I have a telescopic 6'6" rod that was 20 or 25 dollars at shartmart. Took the stock reel off and put an extra daiwa reel i had lying around and it was decent for heavier baits and packed down very small.
Otherwise i just took a 5 ft 2pc rod and strapped it to the back of my pack. It was small enough to not really get in the way or hang up
Something like you posted seems pretty nice. Ive been considering the presso travel rod

>>2855957
in my experience there's in practice no difference between 4pc and 2pc on modern rods
so i assume it's the same for a 5pc
for 60 i guess you can give it a try, couldn't find any fishy review with a quick 30s browsing
consider that in your camping bag you'll have to pack a reel, bunch of tools, and lures at the very least
just look at the lure weight range of the rod if it fit the kind of lure you use, their website say 1/4-3/4oz for that one

>>2855896
braid is very limp so it does get wind knots easier if you're casting into the wind and not checking regularly. usually happens if you're just whipping out high arcing casts where lots of slack mid flight. just try to cast more in a straight efficient trajectory if casting into wind.

>>2855864
Thanks brother. Gonna check those out.
>>2855871
Yeah, after doing a modicum of reading, I think I'm just gonna throw a Zebco 33 on the far right one, just to keep things simple.
Unfortunately the dude who made the custom ones is dead. I know he did a bunch of crappie fishing in the Kentucky Dam area, though. Thinking I might just put the smallest I can on one and just slightly bigger on the other.

>>2855893
The tutorial from salt strong on YouTube is what helped tying the FG click for me. If your fluoro is slipping out of the braid when you try to tighten the knot, it's because you're not making the wraps tight enough.

I just got a fishing rod for christmas and ive never fished or unhooked a fish before. Should I just go for it? Should I get some pliers to unhook the fish or is that considered a kid thing? Will a fish pound fish obliterate your hand if you stick your hand in its mouth to unhook it. I've seen some fish have like 3 rows of teeth or some shit inside their throats. Should I just go find a secluded spot and kill anything I catch? This is so stressful.

>>2855983
I use forceps, but needle nose pliers work very well too. I use them if I'm fishing with barbed hooks, because they can be a bitch to pull out sometimes. As for lipping them, it depends on the fish. Most freshwater fish in the US with the exception of esox and gar don't have much in the way of teeth. A rubber coated landing net is very helpful in general and a necessity if you're fishing catch and release.

>>2855983
>...fish obliterate your hand if you stick your hand in its mouth
depending on the fish that is very well possible. definitely worth it to look up the specific kind of fish you're angling for and how to handle them. pliers are always good, i have some 20 dollar dancos i keep on me usually.
as for if you should just go for it: how else are you gonna learn?

>>2855983
Calm down.
Yes, get needle nose pliers and/or forceps for unhooking fish.
Look up fish local to your area and learn to handle them- bluegill have spines, catfish have differebt spines, some fish have gills. Just Google "types of fish near [nearest major city]" and go from there. You can both learn to handle and target fish with minimal research.

>>2855958
I highly, highly recommend the Presso. I've owned one for nearly 2 years. I just bought the more expensive and fancy one piece Presso Airs in UL, L, and L BFS. I don't care for the BFS rod, but I love all my other ones. Get a 4 piece UL. It's great for panfish, trout, and light bass fishing.

Lads, this is not related to fishing exactly, but I just got laser eye surgery. As much as I love being able to see clearly, I hate glasses. To keep it brief, they were a barrier to me wearing polarized sunglasses with any frequency. I'm looking forward to having a great 2026 of fishing. Please send me some good vibes or prayers. Happy New Year's, everyone!

>>2855969
>Unfortunately the dude who made the custom ones is dead
well rip, the reel seat placement reminded me of these travel rods made to accommodate both fly and spin reels
>>2855983
yes get medical forceps or pliers depending on size, it might look silly doing that on a perch but it's mandatory for more dangerous fishes
some fishes have stabby or venomous spines/fins, some fishes have razor sharp gill plates, some fishes have mouths that look harmless but in reality are made to crush crab shells, so read about the fishes in your area
bring some first aid just in case, chances are you'll stab yourself with a hook anyway, happen to everyone, don't stress about it
i put my hand in a pike mouth as a young teen because i had no pliers, it was bloody but thankfully pike teeth are very sharp so i got no scar and luckily no tendon got cut
also look up your area regulations, there's capture size and quotas for some species in most places, but you're allowed to keep some to eat, if your area isn't polluted
if you have any questions just ask

File: polarized.jpg (87.7 KB)

87.7 KB JPG

>>2855990
>they were a barrier to me wearing polarized sunglasses with any frequency.
i've been completely oblivious of them for decades and learned about it only recently, i've been squinting my eyes and looking very hard at the water like my forefathers did, i have no plans on changing that
also there's some made to be clipped onto your glasses, and stuff you can attach to a cap, don't need them but it's interesting

>>2855990
Hopefully you got prk and not lasik, and don't have dry eye issues.
You could have got polarized prescription lenses for sunglasses, but the draw of the laser is strong

>>2855997
I do have prescription polarized sunglasses, but I'm paranoid about damaging my regular glasses because they need to be pretty close to perfect otherwise they'll bug the shit out of me. It's not at all reasonable, but it's how I am. Anyway, I took Accutane several years ago and had significant side effects, including dry eye and night blindness. They went away, but in June, my eyes got dry again, which my doc could see. He put me on a regimen, and now, my eyes look great. I also did PRK. Fortunately, my procedure was performed at a very highly rated research hospital in ophthamology.

>>2856006
Good luck with it all. I've wanted to do it, but can't handle the idea of elective surgery.

>>2855983
it's pretty easy to learn about the common fish species in your area from online resources and how to handle them. best thing you can do as a beginner is buy a small net, one of those with the soft rubberized mesh(trout style net) as it doesn't harm the fish and they're better because fish don't get tangled up in them nor do hooks. that way, if you are afraid to handle a fish for unhooking you can lay them in the net and do it. it's also good to have some proper pliers or forceps for small fish, or even a hookout tool to make things easier. only other thing to learn is how to deal with fish that swallow a hook and how to minimize that from happening in the first place. the biggest danger in unhooking fish isn't the fish hurting you, it's getting a hook in your finger. only really a bigger risk if using treble hook baits, and baits with more than one treble at that. tldr; having the proper tools makes it a million times easier and quicker to unhook a fish. I would warn you about catfish spines but it's really pointless because you can just lip them like a bass since they are slimey anyways, or just keep them in the net when unhooking.

>>2855958
if you don't wanna pay for the presso, the kastking zephyr is damn good for the price

Nonslip loop knot for lures or can I get away either lure fishing using a snap?

>>2856122
I use a snap most of the time. I like the decoy ex snap at the smallest size for min/ max the smallest size with the highest strength

>>2856122
That depends.
If the lure has a split ring there's no reason to use a loop knot. A snap or similar will also give the freedom of movement of a loop knot. I usually do loop knots on jigs and similar but then hard baits like crank baits, jerk baits, spoons, inline spinners, so on i use snaps or tie direct to lure-mounted split rings or swivels.

File: kid-goku-fish.png (121.8 KB)

121.8 KB PNG

Is their a trick to roasting a fish over a fire? I've always wanted to start a campfire and roast a fish on a stick like Goku does. Just looked delicious. What's the best kind of fish to roast over a fire? I couldnt really find any videos explaining the process well.

>>2856122
Attach your snap with a loop

quick question, how well does a modern flyline handle being stored in the cold? like a near freezing cellar

File: IMG_7885.jpg (232.6 KB)

232.6 KB JPG

It looks like I’m taking a shit but this snook is first one I ever caught and probably biggest fish

>He also shit all over my hands

Floridachads can’t stop winning

File: red.jpg (227.7 KB)

227.7 KB JPG

>>2856295
damn, im looking to catch my first snook.i caught a giant red fish the other month so now i've got to get a giant snook.

File: 3BAkeeETYVuqsWNsUjIjL3Poat8pZwahS64IEhL9qt0.jpg (143.1 KB)

143.1 KB JPG

>>2856287
I highly recommend that you wrap it in aluminum foil before cooking on an open fire if this is your first time doing it.
But if you insist, you can skewer the fish in a certain way, season it with salt, and stand it up next to an open fire (no direct flame) till it cooks.

File: IMG_0021.jpg (117.6 KB)

117.6 KB JPG

Is there a name for this rig I just came up with? Swivel > running ball sinker > clear float > two hooks. The idea is that you cast it out, the sinker anchors to the bottom, and the float lifts the bait ~30cm into the water. Double chance and crab-proof. I'm about to head out and test it on the bay.

how do you guys store your flylines? i've seen guys taking them off reels to store them, are they weirdos or is it better than keeping it on the reel

>>2856384
The only time I remove my fly line is if I'm swapping between floating and sinking lines or replacing it with new line entirely. I do also take my lines off once a year to clean them with a line conditioner, but it goes right back on the reel. I fish nearly year round, so they're never sitting idle for more than a month or two. I keep the last leader I used on there and extras in a leader wallet. If I'm switching leaders; going bigger, smaller or switching to an indicator leader for nymphing; I put the old/used leader in a "used" leaders pocket in my leader wallet, assuming it's still good.

>>2856336
Something about roasting fish over a fire like this looks so satisfying.

>>2856368
its a good theory but you're going to have terrible problems with tangling

>>2855983
Went fishing and didnt catch anything. Thanks for the advise everyone. I got my pliers and tongs to hold the fishe's lip while i unhook it with the pliers. Going to try again tomorrow morning. It was enjoyable to just sit there though. There were 3 other people there and we all just talked about life and they showed me how to put a weight on a line properly and gave me a bunch or worm hair. Fishing guys are so zen. Kinda get it though. Its relaxing watching the waves and watching your bobber. Again thank you guys a lot! It gave me a lot of confidence!

>>2856295
snook look fucken cool. seems like they're similar to the whole pike >>>> barracuda thing except with walleye >>>> snook. by that I mean they're not actually related genetically but it really does seem like those two shapes and functions are represented in both freshwater and saltwater in a completely convergent way.

or its just human bias of "hey dat fish kinda look like dat other fish... hmmmm"

>>2856464
in french, snooks are called "brochet de mer" which literally translate to "sea pike"

>>2856288
Is this a shitpost or is it actually something people do? Like holy shit it sounds like a genius idea and I’m wondering why I never thought of doing that
>>2856295
Nice fish anon, bout to head to FL myself and I’m hoping to maybe catch my first ever snook

I have two rods, one which is 9’ and the other 10’. If I’m looking to have one rod set out with bait while I fish lures with the other, which is better suited for which fishing style?
Assume they’re roughly identical when it comes to rod & reel qualities outside of length

>>2856368
kinda looks like a carolina rig

>>2855943
>can break under load if the size difference between the lines is too big
Any fixes for this? I'm having this exact issue whenever I get decent takes from fish. I started getting into light rock fishing, and got some pe 0.3 (0.075mm) braid as my mainline (need the ultrathin braid to cast jigs and weights in the 0.6-4 gram range effectively) tied with an improved Albright to 0.23 mm fluorocarbon. Going any thinner than that with the FC is a guaranteed break off since the area I fish is a snag factory.
I've had so many albright knots snap clean off when hooking super aggressive fish it makes me sad to leave so many of them with rigs stuck in their mouth because of the weak knots.

Getting into fishing and have no clue what I'm doing. Right now I'm focused on small jig setup on ice.

Where I'm fishing has stocked bass + trout, pickerel, and perch.

Does a 6lb fluoro line make sense here? Also I used a ball jig with a shiner because its what I had, but would a hook + sinker make more sense for a rod or is that more of a tipup setup?

When using a jigging spoon, are you supposed to add some sort of bait as well, or do you just rely solely on the spoon itself?

Are scented plastics and powerbait worth using over live bait?

Also, how long in general should I stick to a hole if I'm not catching anything? I left the first two holes after my first catches and in hindsight I probably should have stayed on them after a catch.

>>2856514
6lb should be fine for now.

A tungsten or lead jig head is a great presentation, swedish pimples and buckshot spoons are great too, and if you really want to focus on predators then hyperglides are fun, as are the smallest size of rippin rap.

Whole shiners are an option, but pinched off minnow pieces and whole wax worms are my go-to for active presentations. Usually if im using a whole live minnow its on a tipup, jaw jacker, or dead stick. Weight and hook seperate is usually a tipup/dead stick/jawjacker setup but straight jig heads work for that too.

You can jig a spoon by itsself but i usually tip it woth wax worms or minnow bits. When i do work a bare spoon it has a bead of brightly coloured resin on the hook to give the fish a smaller target they can focus on.

I don't really use soft plastics ice fishing so i cant comment on their efficacy.

Are you fishing blind or do ypu have some kind of sonar unit? When im fishing blind i burn holes like mad, ill fish a hole for -maybe- 10 minutes without a bite, probably more like 5 before i drill anotger hole. If ive got a sonar and i can see marks ill stay longer and try to catch those fish.

File: W1000-H1000-15268_image2.jpg (93.2 KB)

93.2 KB JPG

>>2856526
Heres an example of the epoxy treble hooks im talking about. You can buy pre made replacements like these ones or you can do your own with coloured uv resin.

>>2856526
thanks for the tips. Seems like I got pretty close the first time. I'll keep things the same and try waxworms the next time around. Really want to start bagging trout. Was all bass + pickerel last time.

I am fishing blind since I'm trying to keep things simple this year and not ball out on expensive gear. Using a borrowed auger when I can.

>>2856332
>>2856477
Just be careful of the gill plates they can slice your hand open if you hold them wrong

>>2856528
Yeah for trout you're going tp want to be running small stuff. Last trout i got through the ice was on a 1/16 oz tungsten ice jig with a wax worm several feet off the bottom. Make sure youre fishing structure like points, humps, and drop offs. I usually do best fishing the top of structure. For example if there is a flat at 12 feet that suddenly drops to 25 feet ill want to start at 12 feet and slowly work deeper till i find fish, moving maybe 20-30 feet between holes.

Also if you can justify the expense getting a second rod is a grat idea, drill two holes near eachother then you can use one as a dead stick and one to fish actively. Its not uncommon for a fish to come in to look at a spoon or other large/bright/eratic presentation just to see whats up then commit to the dead stick.

>>2856477
>Is this a shitpost or is it actually something people do?
it's a real thing, i do it, now to be fair you might loose a bit of finesse depending on the type of snap/lure you use but it's negligible with the right setup
>>2856497
snap clean or slip? albright can slip sometimes, i recommend the alberto for line to line, but if you have a swivel in your setup i would put the swivel between the mainline and the leader, both tied with an improved uni (pass twice in the eye) but fluoro might be more or less stiff depending on the brand, normal uni might be better in that case, or switch to mono nylon if you don't need the abrasive resistance of fluoro in your use case
but what's the strength of your mainline? i'm sure you could go for a bit bigger
also don't hesitate to have some knot autism and test/practice knots with leftover spools and weights, pour some rice in a bag to vary weights and stuff, so you can see what hold or break, and were in the knot it break so you can improve it maybe by adding/removing loops or doing differently
i also add a locking loop with the tag on knots when i can
just try things and see what work

>>2856293
I meant to reply to this but didn't post. Fly lines are just fine in extreme temps, but UV is bad.

>>2855191

Pike is disgusting, dude.

>>2856696
???
it's one of the best freshwater fishes, what the fuck are you babbling about?

>>2856697

I said what I said. Eating pike is disgusting, and those y-shaped bones suck.

>>2856698
well you have shit taste
as for the bones, just remove them?

>>2856698
>>2856696
Skill issue

Why do all this work when you could just buy a fish from the store? Surely a 7-8$ fish is a better bargain than spending hundreds of dollars on fishing rods, lures and bait.

>>2856560
Thanks for the tips. Fluorocarbon is kinda non negotiable in my case due to the amount of sharp rocks I fish in, and the sensitivity either so I can't have stretchy nylon line even though I love its versatility. After years of avoiding it, I've finally decided to put on my big boy pants and practice the FG. I did some field tests with different knots it's the only one to cast smoothly through tiny UL guide rings, and hopefully the strength lives up to its reputation on the water.

>>2856725
We do it to flex on poorfag niggas like you

>>2856725
>Tell me you've never caught a fish without telling me you've never caught a fish
Catching a fish is pure dopamine. Try it and you'll see.

>>2856725
>he thinks fishing is about fish
Everyone point and laugh

>>2856725
I fish multiple days a week. I catch fish all the time. It is only on rare occasion that I eat fish. Fishing is not about eating for the sport fisherman. For those who do fish for food, it is cheaper than any other source of food. The license is $22. Breading and seasonings are dirt cheap, so is oil, which can be reused. A setup with line can be bought for $50 in our crazy inflation economy. Packages of jigs, hooks, shot, and bobbers are going to be about $20. Then, some nightcrawlers will only cost you a few dollars, lasting weeks in the fridge, if you do not prefer to dig your own. Fishing is so cheap.

>>2856752
>>2856725
this
you can get a cheap combo, a spinner, and have it being profitable with food economies within a month or two

>>2856753
>have it being profitable with food economies within a month or two
That's if you're starting from scratch, don't know the area, etc. If you're experienced, you can get your money back much quicker.

>>2856736
>it's the only one to cast smoothly through tiny UL guide rings
the knot between the mainline and the leader should never go through the rings, of it does your leader is too long, also FG isn't good on small lines, in fact it's a meme in most use cases

>>2856736
Flourocarbon actually stretches almost as much as mono interestingly enough
>>2856771
>itt tying a new leader every 3 lure changes

>>2856725
Trout fresh caught will beat anything you can buy from the store. Also It's a hobby

>>2856772
>tying a new leader every 3 lure changes
which would be fine, i don't swap out lures that much
i use snaps anyway for most use cases

Made some tube flies and a spinner
>>2856779
I fish way too aggressively for that, between having to cut and retie to remove damaged leader portions, changing lures, and snagging bottom and losing stuff its a waste of my time to tie kn a leader shorter than 6 feet for most anything

File: IMG_20260107_191606_919.jpg (183.4 KB)

183.4 KB JPG

>>2856780
Fuck

>>2856781
When you're making the spinner what are you using for the central wire?
Are you buying it in a spool and then straightening it then twisting the ends over after attaching the weight, blade, swivel, and hook?
I wanted to make my own swiss swings, if you had any tool or supply recommendations it would be appreciated

>>2856780
unless you're targeting multiple species you're not supposed to swap out lures that fast, we're not talking about fly fishing here
2ft is enough to swap like 4-5 times assuming you're not using a snap, which is ridiculous if you plan to swap out that much

>>2856780
>I fish way too aggressively for that
bro what the fuck is that supposed to mean, i'd say spear fishing might be more your speed if i didn't knew you're literally obese

File: Spinner wire.jpg (166.8 KB)

166.8 KB JPG

>>2856790
NTA.. I buy packs of them. The ones in the pic have premade loops, but you can also get them in sections of straight spring steel wire. here are a couple zon links..
https://a.co/d/0UOzNvW
https://a.co/d/3QRKq51

>>2856790
I have .050 stainless wire i use for musky spinners and for smaller spinners i just use afw single strand stainless steel wire. I dont straighten it, it comes close enough to straight that i dont have to worry about it once its iff the coil because its very springy and the set it takes in storage is negligible over a couple inches. The .050 musky wire i have a bending tool from du-bros, but for small soinners i just use round nose needle nose and free hand it. I buy a lot of my stuff from jannsnetcraft (.com) actually just placed an order with them today.
>>2856791
Im almost always targeting multiple species, its not uncommon for me to hot multiple bodies of water, and multiple types of water (like rivers, ponds, spillwats, and reservoirs) in a single day, and when im at a hole i know has fish if im not catching them im changing lures. I also leave a lot of jig heads wedged in rocks. Usially i only lose them if my line is damaged or the lead head its self is wedged; i can usially bend hooks out and bend em back several times. I also use one leader for like a month at a time, cause why would i tie a leader on every other fishing trip when i can do it once a month and not have to think about it. I also conserve my braid because im only tying a knot in it every month or two instead of every couple days.
>>2856793
That means i put my baits in the cover, and if im in a hole that i know has fish im not going to waste half an hour showing them the wrong lure when i can figure out its the wrobg lure in a dozen casts.

Id like to spear fish, id like to try bow foshing too, i just dont have any need for a pile of dead carp and dont have "vacation in florida on an impulse" money
>>2856795
Those work too

>>2856809
> of dead carp and dont have "vacation in florida on an impulse" money
Didn't you grow up in FL? And are there no gay scholarships to Florida gay beach extravaganzas?

>>2856846
I did not grow up in florida, no. But i did get to go on annual family vacations to the outer banks of north carolina as a kid which became irregular and sporadic in my teens and now ive not been in some years. I miss trolley rigging i still have all my shit for it, even my pier gaff.

I know it is not on topic, but I posted about it before, so I think it worthwhile to update. I got PRK 8 days ago. I had a complication. My right eye got an infection. I went fairly blind in that eye due to a mass of white blood cells. One of the doctors had to scrape it off, and I later got antivirals. Now, both of my contact lens bandages are out, and I am on the path of recovery. I neglected to tell my surgeon that I am missing a chunk of my brain, which gave him a major scare when he was investigating my case. Fortunately, my abnormality is not impactful on my present condition.
I am seeing much better but far from perfect. Hopefully, my vision will be perfect in a few months. For the next year, I must wear sunglasses when outside. I treated myself to a nice pair of Costas, and while I have yet to use them on the water, I think they will be a great piece of kit. I'm debating getting some violet Bajios for added protection in low light and sight fishing, but the frames I have tried don't fit as nice.

Went fishing in the last hour of light after work yesterday. No fish, but kinda to be expected since the river was still dirty and blown out and i only had time to drag a spinner through a couple holes

File: 1727467521569240.png (71.5 KB)

71.5 KB PNG

>tfw pier fishing in south FL
>it’s 4pm on the last day of a fishing trip and haven’t caught anything since noon
>feel a sudden jerk on my rod
>reel it in thinking it’s oddly heavy
>probably snagged again on the reef but the line’s not stopping
>find out it’s a bite and the fish surfaces
>it’s a big mutton snapper or redfish (whatever inshore fish has a coffee/brown back)
>caught on a fucking size 4 kahle hook baited with squid on a fucking dropper rig made using 30 lb test mono
>just as I realize it’s the biggest fish I’ve ever hooked into, it breaks off
>the entire rig is still intact except for the dropper loop and hook it bit on
I was not expecting to catch something like that seeing as how I’ve been getting nothing but triggerfish and other small reef fish like porgys and grunts all week. It was also ridiculously close to the pier.
What would’ve been the right move there? Should I have stopped reeling it in once I saw what it was? Tightened or loosened my drag? Given it some line to fight it out until it gets tired?
The biggest thing I’ve ever caught was an 18 inch Spanish Mackerel that I reeled up with relative ease on a pier in Panama. This would have smashed that record and I’m both disappointed I fumbled what could’ve been my biggest fish yet and a great way to end my trip.

File: dropshot.jpg (87.2 KB)

87.2 KB JPG

>>2857162
>Tightened or loosened my drag?
you never want the drag too tight, that's what prevent fish from breaking your stuff by going loose when too much force is applied
>the entire rig is still intact except for the dropper loop and hook it bit on
your knot is probably what failed here
most dropshot knots are actually quite weak due to the angle at which the force is applied onto it
that's why picrel exist, also a good ol' plain sinker rig also work just as good and don't have the structural problem
and i'm pretty sure everything interesting in FL will bite onto shrimps
my biggest fish was a pike slightly above 43in, i was 10 and fishing with my uncle
>probably snagged again on the reef but the line’s not stopping
exact same thing, i thought i had snagged onto a piece of wood i was dragging untill it reached the surface and started fighting, one of the best days of my life

File: IMG_4253.jpg (2.1 MB)

2.1 MB JPG

Thank you Perch for breaking the skunk. In other news, all the lakes around me are drivable, which makes ice fishing much simpler to organize, because now I don’t need to pack a sled, just leave all my shit in the truck and move batteries and bait back and forth.

I'm about to head out fishing in a few minutes. First time in weeks. Really looking forward to it.

>>2857407
Got skunked but was only fishing briefly. Really nice to get /out/.

>>2857162
drag. I was in a similar position to you but I was fishing my normal spot for smallmouth. Just a fuckin wacky rig on a light rod, 6lb fluoro, can't remember the size of the hook i was using but it wasn't too big. Had a big ass muskie hit my worm and fought the thing for about 20min to get it into me. Just let it pull drag when it wanted and reeled when I could, eventually it gave up and let me reel it in.

What are your honest thoughts on cormorants?

>>2857606
They are not properly managed thanks to political pressure from birders.
The unmanaged cormorants have had a huge impact on the fishery especially in big city areas like Toronto. There are also other impacts to trees and private property. The government here does nothing of course because fishing or pleasing urban anglers is never a high priority for them if it is even on their radar. So far all their so-called efforts to cull the population (shaking trees) have been a total waste of taxpayers money and performative at best.
There is an open hunting season for them outside of the city but lets be real, how many hunters outside of Toronto would really want to shoot enough cormorants for it to make a dent in the population.

>>2857606
when I see one I know it's going to be a shit day

>>2857624
>>2857606
are you the same people that made this thread >>2856649

On my lunch break. Just now, I rambled about fly fishing to a guy and his girlfriend for an hour, and they were thankful. I definitely could have been more concise and responsive, however. At fly tying night a couple days ago, this woman, an acquaintance's girlfriend or sister, was seemingly hitting on me or trying to figure out if I was right for a friend of hers. Feelsgoodman.

>>2857646
>I rambled to a guy and his girlfriend for an hour
>and they were thankful
they were just polite

File: Richard Gene The Fishing Machine.jpg (58.3 KB)

58.3 KB JPG

>>2855132
Every single Richard Gene The Fishing Machine video in a nutshell:
>Well good morning folks!
>Golly bum
>That's a good un right there
>See Bersil's got nose hairs
>Let's catch another
>REMEMBER GO FISHING WHEN YOU CAN BECAUSE IT'S GOOD FER YA
and every single one of them is kino

>>2857664
Well, he kept asking questions, shook my hand a couple of times, and bought some stuff.

>>2857692
ho you're the shop guy

do you guys need permits to fish? ever had a run in with fish and game?

>>2857699
yes, never met the river janny tho
permit is overpriced here so i just take it when i plan to go in some places where there's more people

>>2857678
>no WOOOOOOO I'M TALKIN BOUT WOOOOO

Do you even watch the channel

>>2857624
>political pressure from birders
Why are birdfags such hypocritical faggots? So it's okay if fish populations are getting decimated, but God forbid someone lays a finger on the winged vermin doing all the damage?
>but muh hoomanz do damage too
Except we are fully aware of the damage we do and take active measures to preserve fisheries like size and catch limits and setting up protected sites, cormojeets just eat fish until they can't fly anymore and shit everywhere

License prices went up this year, don't know if getting anything besides a standard license is really worth it at the new prices. Using two rods at a time is like $50 extra now.

>>2857747
licence went from 112 euros to 114 in france
and there isn't enough fish stocking or maintenance program to justify that
last time i've seen water body maintenance, it's the local city hall doing it on it's own money

>>2857747
>>2857751
The problem is with government in general. It will always misuse your money. It will always try to grow larger and larger, controlling more and more.

File: livebait.png (506.7 KB)

506.7 KB PNG

>>2857678
interesting, i never tried hooking livebait like that, only ever in the lip or the dorsal fin
i always use a double hook with different size hooks for livebait too

File: Screenshot_20260115_120624_Gallery.jpg (391.3 KB)

391.3 KB JPG

Since we pike posting. I let them go most of the time cuz they're gross eating

>>2857767
I find pike to be fine table fare, but they are harder to clean than a crappie or a walleye or whatever, so if I’m going after meat, I fish for crappies mostly.

>>2857773
If Americans didn't mind bones, we'd have a much wider variety of table fare and a better situation as far as invasive species go. They're invasive for a reason, and it's usually because they are good eating.

>>2857791
>If Americans didn't mind bones
they're removable anyway, anon just have shit taste

>>2857711
I agree with everything you said but unfortunately bird watching has exploded in popularity during the pandemic and is now viewed favourably and in a positive light by the general public.
I just don't know what can be done by anglers to achieve a similar level of social acceptance.

I bought another memecaster because it was on sale. It wasnt even that good of a sale.

>>2857858
What is it? What price?

any of you do spearfishing?
been a fisherman my whole life but recently thinking about getting into it
for a beginner, should i just buy the cheapest gear available? looking online i can get a decent deal for a rail gun, line and float. the gun is about 75cm. i already have a wetsuit, find, mask, snorkel and weightbelt because i like to freedive for shellfish
assuming shorter guns are for reefs and cloudy water, right? thanks

you guys ever put a split shot on braid, does it damage the line?

>>2857919
doesn't hold very well but won't really damage the line

>>2857920
>doesn't hold very well
as in sliding or slipping away?
nothing that can't be fixed with pliers and a stopper knot right?

>>2857922
sliding
yup

>>2857922
A stopper knot will help, provided you make a very large knot from the braid itself. Stoppers for slip bobbers do not work on braid because they slide, just like the split shot. Basically, split shot for braid is a no-go because it isn't worth the trouble. Split shot sucks anyway.

>>2857904
If you're gonna go along with the spearfishing thing, please don't be one of those douchebags who intrude on anglers casting areas and spook all the fish, and have the common decency to give us space too. Stay safe anon

Has big tackle been lying to us getting us to buy all those different types of weights and jigheads and other junk that will sit in the tackle box for years?
Yesterday I started off with a dropshot rig, caught nothing but snags and no takes. Then out of nowhere I just crimped on a split shot about 3 inches above an aberdeen hook rigged up with some gulp worm and worked it along the bottom, caught significantly more fish and got reefed a lot less than with any other rig.

>>2857929
dropshotting has a specific purpose. all rigs do. most people fish them all the same though instead of using them as a nuanced technique. dropshotting is essentially for when you want to vertical jig when you're not directly above the spot. it also has far superior sensitivity and hook up ratio because of the line tension. also, you obviously don't use dropshots near snaggy areas like fallen trees or large chuck rock.

>>2857902
It was an abu garcia max stx, it was on clearance for $50.

I ordered a 7'6" heavy cabelas tournament thing on sale for $40 that will arrive eventually, and spooled it with 40lb braid. Im planning on using it in tandem with my frogging stick for flipping and maybe even a little bit of punching.
>>2857919
It wont hurt the line but it will be prone to slipping and sliding. Wrapping the braid around it once or twice will.fix the sliding but then the line can cut the split shot.

>>2855132
I'm planning on trying out tenkara when I go camping in the Monongahela this April and hunt for trout in streams. I figured I would just grab a cheap rod on amazon to try it out and see how I like it and if I enjoy it get a more expensive rod later.
Any advice? I also have no idea what type of flies to get, I've only been flyfishing twice.

>>2857957
I'm the resident tenkara expert. I have played around with a couple tenkara rods, not tons. Based on my experience and reading, I highly recommend not going with a cheap setup. If I got the cheap rod my coworker got, I would not have gotten into tenkara. I suggest getting a Dragontail Mizuchi. It's now $160, so it is kind of pricey, but it's cheaper than any respectable intro fly kit, like an Echo Lify Kit. I would then recommend getting some green level line (I like 3.0 but 3.5 is good too), some 5X and 6X tippet, a set of medium tippet rings, 1 pack of 6 inch Nite Ize gear ties, and some flies. I don't fish kebari very often, but they are attractive in the quaint, foreign, antique sense. Instead, I prefer to fish small beadhead flies, from nymphs to jig leeches and woolly buggers. Buy everything other than the rod and level line at your local fly shop. You might have to look for the gear ties at Best Buy, Walmart, etc., but my store sells them.

>>2857957
>>2857960
upsize that tippet unless youre planning on fishihg #20 and smaller midges the entire time. 3x is good down to about a #12, 4x will get you to a #20, and 5x should be comfortable down to a #26.

Make sure youre decent at casting before you're on the trout steam

If you don't know what flies to throw, small streamers and impressionistic nymphs are a great place to start just about anywhere.

>>2857964
>>2857957
Also consider looking in to the cabelas cgr and getting a short slow western fiberglass creek stick, i had a 2 weight and loved it for small creeks

File: 20260116_210541.jpg (996.7 KB)

996.7 KB JPG

I got my monthly Smitty's box yesterday!
The beginner pattern is a hot head leech. It's just a wooly bugger with a hot head bead. I've tied lots of wooly buggers, so this one will be very easy. They did include some purple marabou and chenille which I wouldn't have likely bought unless I had a pattern that called for them. So some extra color added to my collection. Included materials included: size 8 streamer hooks, black and purple marabou, black and purple chenille, chartreuse and orange hot head brass beads, some pearl crystal flash, black saddle hackle and 6/0 uni thread in black.

File: 20260116_210608.jpg (1.1 MB)

1.1 MB JPG

>>2857971
This month's intermediate pattern is Smitty's gunslinger. It's a pheasant tail nymph pattern with some modifications. I've worked with all of the materials except the thin skin they included for the wing case. But I've used similar material for the same purpose, so it should be pretty easy. Materials included: size 14 & 16 scud hooks, 8/0 uni thread in black, black nickel brass beads(2.8mm for the 14s and 2.4mm for the 16s), a pheasant tail, small copper wire, natural rabbit dubbing, thin skin and black crystal flash.

File: 20260116_214051.jpg (630.2 KB)

630.2 KB JPG

>>2857973
They also threw in a couple Griffiths gnats! This is the first time they've included a couple completed flies. I love Griffiths gnats. They're one of my go to dry flies. I've caught quite a few trout with them. So I'll happily add a couple more to my dry fly box.

File: 20260116_234616.jpg (824.9 KB)

824.9 KB JPG

>>2857971
I tied these up last night, right before going to bed. Very easy to tie. I tied two of each color marabou/chenille with each color head.
I'll tie up some of the gunslingers sometime this afternoon.

>>2857975
It's retarded that I have to solve 3 capchas on my phone for every post. I only need to solve one on my PC.

>>2857957
You can find some cheap($20is) tenkara rods on amazon. They're just fine for trying it out. Get some dragontail level line and 4x tippet. For flies, get some griffith's gnats, parachute adams and elk hair caddis for drys and pheasant tail, hare's ear and olive and/or gasolina perdigons for your nymphs.

>>2857957
>>2857978
Some extra stuff to consider. Line holders, I use them to swap between drys and nymphs. I have one with my dry fly line, 9ft level line to 2-3ft 4x tippet. My nymph line has some extra components, 8ft level line, 2ft indicator leader, tippet ring and 2-3ft 5x flouro tippet. You'd need to pick up some flouro tippet, tippet rings and indicator line for that. But it's not necessary. You can fish nymphs and drys on my dry line.

You can also get a very good Chinese made fly rod/reel combo for under $100. I bought my brother in law a SF rod/reel combo for Christmas a couple years ago. It fishes and catches just as well as my echo lift. I'm honestly quite impressed with it. It's an 8.6ft 4wt with a matching large arbor reel. I paid around $80 for it.

>>2857975
look fantastic

>>2857976
You need to post on your phone more often. It'd based on how often you post without a ban.

>>2857975
Personally i think they gave you undersized beads. They still look good though. I personally like to do two full wraps of hackle right on top of eachother right at the head of a wooly bugger to give a stout and well defined collar.

>>2857998
Yeah, I agree. Beads could have been a little bigger and some of the collars are downright ugly. They didn't give me a lot of hackle, I used 3/4 feathers on these 8 I still have 16 more hooks. I have plenty of all the other materials. After watching the video on their youtube channel, I think they were using much wider turns, 3-4 wraps. I used 5-6 even with not getting 2 around the bead.

>>2858003
If you think black wooly buggers are something you're going to tie a good number of i cant reccomend a whiting bugger pack enough.

>>2857973
The pheasant tail was garbage!!! Brittle AF! I was struggling with the first two flies and decided to try one of my other feathers, that I've used before, too see if it was just me or if it was indeed the feather. It was the feather. Good thing I have lots of pheasant tails.

>>2858007
Ordered, pretty cheap actually, thanks!

File: 20260117_233158.jpg (457.3 KB)

457.3 KB JPG

>>2857973
I was getting really frustrated with these this afternoon. It took me 3 tries on the first and 5 on the second. The pheasant tail kept breaking. I took an hour here and an hour there between the 5 attempts it took to tie the second. And it took tossing the pheasant tail they sent me and grabbing one of my own. And instantly, it became the relatively easy fly I expected it to be. The last 6 went very smoothly.

>>2858022
>The pheasant tail was garbage!!! Brittle AF!
Smitty's? More like Shitty's!

>>2858033
I've received good pheasant tails from them before. This was the first time I've received bad material from them.

>>2858023
The taper winds up looking really good imo and you get enough feathers to not worry about using one feather per fly. I like to tie them in at the head by the base of the stem, establish my collar, wrap rearword, then catch the feather and counter rib it with mono or wire.
>>2858033
>>2858022
You can sometimes save brittle feathers with conditioner- the stuff one uses on one's hair.
>>2858032
Those will fish for sure.

>>2857960
>>2857964
>>2857965
>>2857978
>>2857979
Thanks guys, I'll do some more research and post updates on what I get and how it goes. Hopefully I'll get a chance to head a little north and try it out outside of Raleigh before my trip.

>>2858061
The cgr is branded 'white river fly shop cgr" now and runs $90, the small water fly line is on sale for $15, youll get free shipping in those cause you spent over $50, and any cheap $20 amazon reel will work well enough for now. Get the 3wt or 4wt, and a line and reel that match. That combo will wind up ~135ish and be great for trout in creeks, as well as sunfish and smaller bass. Also, practicing on local warm water fish is a good idea if for no other reason than youll actually be casting. Get 3x and 4x and -maybe- 5x leaders and tippet, then stock up on flies.

>>2858047
I have a couple rooster necks that came with the initial materials kit I bought to get started tying. They're tapered as well. I've used them on the wooly buggers I've tied before. It's just a matter of finding one long enough. But that wooly bugger pack looks like that won't be an issue. And I do prefer the tapered look too. So, thanks again for pointing to them.

>You can sometimes save brittle feathers with conditioner
I'll keep that in mind for next time. I was frustrated enough with the one they sent me, that as soon as I tied one with my feather and it went super smooth, that one went in the trash. I've got a couple dozen pheasant tail feathers, so it wasn't a big deal. But if any of those turn out to be brittle, I'll give the conditioner a try. Do you just leave it on or wash it out?

>>2858089
Yeah wash itnout; wet the feather, lather with conditioner, let it sit dor a while, wash it out, pat feather dry with paper towel then allow to air dry

I currently have only a 8ft med heavy action rod with idk what line and I wanna buy another cheap rod thats 6-7ft for bass fishing. What type of rod and line should I be looking for? I am completely new and haven't a clue

>>2858131
It all depends on what kind of bass fishing you want to do, but for general advice, I suggest that you get a 6'6" Medium Berkley Lightning Rod.

>>2858132
there is different kinds? I want to cast my lure and reel it in 50+ times without it feeling clunky

>>2858133
You looking fora rod geared more towards finesse stuff or are you after something for moving baits like cranks and spinners

>>2858134
Both if possible. The 8ft rod is gonna be cast and forget carp one while the one I buy I wanna fuck around with to learn

>>2858135
Youll never get a perfect split, any given rod will be slightly better at one than the other, even if it can be pushed to serve both.
A 7 foot medium ugly stik gx2 would do well at both, be supremely durably, and slightly favor moving baits, but still be fast and sensitive enough to do stuff with texas rigs and drop shots.

A 7 foot medium lightning rod from berkley would do both and with its higher graphite content and faster action will perform better with finesse stuff, but as long as you're not reefing hook sets with crank baits you should do well enough at not pulling hooks- especially if you're keeping yoir drag a little loose.

For line, id reccomend 20lb power pro if you're setting up a spinning set up, 30lb power pro for a baitcaster. I like the high visibility line and use it either with leaders or with the last 10 feet or so coloured in woth a black sharpie. That can be a pain in the ass however and there's nothing wrong woth using the moss green- its just slightly harder to watch for twitches in your line that might give away a bite you didnt feel.

>>2858131
depending on where you are, bass can range in weight from 6 to 22lb, but in most places you will be closer to 6-8lb
anon's Berkley recommendation is good, i'd say you can even go for medium light, you will be able to do decently both styles
assuming you already have a reel, for the line go for some mono 8-10lb, preferably green
unless you're going to be fishing in a place with massive bass you don't need to bother with a bigger line or braid

>>2858131
just get something like a daiwa aird-x in medium power. AIRX661MFS or AIRX701MFS. cheap, easy to find, lightweight, durable, decently sensitive, and good for lure fishing or finesse fishing since the action isn't super fast. it's a good do it all budget rod. then buy some yo-zuri hybrid in 8lb. you can even throw a $20 shimano fx fc reel on it in 2500 size and the color matches well with the rod.

>>2858180
The Aird-X is a dogshit rod with a dogshit name. The blank feels terrible and so does the handle. The Lightning Rod is way better. I'm going to buy two of them on Wednesday. Daiwa makes great rods, but the Aird-X is terrible.

>>2858142
>>2858162
>>2858180
Thanks guys though I'm gonna disappoint. The rod/reel you've suggested is probably a million times better than what I'm gonna end up with cause I'm going to go to a store close by to buy a rod/reel there. I guess idk what I was really asking lol
>>2858134
Since that post I realized I prefer spinners

I'm taking old man with me to help pick one out from what they have available since his still big into fishing.

>>2858232
that's not true at all aside from the reelseat which iis entirely subjective. it's minimalist to enhance sensitivity on a budget blank. everything else about that rod punches above it's weight. haven't held a lightning rod but other berkley rods i've held in the budget range are pretty shit and have bad reviews. tell me what's good about the "24 ton modulus" blank on the lightning rod? that's very low end. I've stepped on an aird-x multiple times on concrete and not damaged it, beat that. at the end of the day you do you, but your opinion is contradictory to countless reputable fishermen and you probably never even bought an arid-x. you're acting like a $50 rod is supposed to be amazing? how much is berkley paying you?

>>2858241
Yeah below a certain price point all you can do is send it and make it work.

>>2858241
just don't buy a junk reel. there are $50 reels that are absolute junk and feel like slop after a few months. walmart has shimano Fx fc for $20 and sienna fg for $30. those won't have any slop in them out of the box and they don't use potmetal for the gears. avoid rod/reel combo pacakges because most of the time they give you a junk reel, unless it's daiwa or shimano... but even then a lot of times they get damaged in shipping or by children in store.

Does anyone know much about baitcaster Daiwa Tatulas? I bought a Tatula 400xs 8.1 second hand and I want to ask whether it's inshore fishable or not. I really can't find info on this specific reel.

>>2858318
Technically any reel can be run inshore with maintainance. Just because a reel isnt saltwater rated doesnt mean you cant use it in salt water, you just have to be a little more careful hosing it off, drying it, and maybe check the grease more than annually to catch corrosion before it can hurt anything.
>tl;dr send it
That said, I got a penn squall LP 400 on the off chance i ever wanted to use my muskie setup as a cobia stick

>>2858318
tatulas have no sealing of any sort, japanese specs call everything saltwater ok but taht doesn't mean much at all. so you treat it as any other baitcaster without saltwater specific sealing. you don't dunk it and you maintain/clean regularly.

>>2858332
>>2858334
appreciate it. i got it for my friend who has shit gear but mainly only uses baitcasters. i'll just have to keep on top of him maintaining it.

how would you go about removing the band on a skirt and hand tying it?

>>2858651
Cut the band, then hold the jig in a vise and send it

>>2858651
This may be more complicated than it needs to be but I'd use chenille. Put the hook in your vise, cut off the old skirt and clean. Tie in your thread and lay down an even base, tie in the chenille behind where you want the skirt, wrap thread forward to past where the skirt will be, add new skirt material and wrap the chenille to hold it in place 2 touching wraps, hold back the skirt and add one more wrap past it and tie it in with the thread and whip finish. You could probably skip the chenille and just tie it in with thread, but I'd be concerned with the thread cutting the rubber shirt material if it's wrapped too tightly.

You can also just buy replacement skirts that just slide onto the hook.

>>2858748
>You can also just buy replacement skirts that just slide onto the hook.
https://a.co/d/6wu5UH3 12 for $10

>>2858749
Ooh! here we go sets of strands with rubber rings so you can mix and match. 28 for $10 less than 50 cents each. And you could use the rubber band or tie it in yourself. And you can use them for other patterns too.
https://a.co/d/aFIgYWW

I think I might get a boat one day. A small one one. Will I want anything other than a depth finder? I can't imagine wanting to know anything other than depth and structure.

>>2858771
A GPS so you can mark good structure and spots where you've had better than average success.

you guys have experience or knowledge on the old Luxor reels?
i'm looking at old busted ones for cheap to do a restoration project, mainly models A and 1R-A that seem common

>>2858773
I thought of that one too. Is having a GPS on my boat really helpful, or are we talking about putting pins on my phone?

>>2858785
I don't have cell service in some places, so I have a Garmin inReach Mini GPS and their explore app. You could probably get away with pins in google maps if you have good coverage in the area. But it won't be as accurate as an actual GPS device.

>>2858771
take the kayak pill if you're a minimalist.
>>2858773
most fishfinder units have that built in unless it's the cheapest model where they lock you out of that feature.

>>2858263
>>2858264
I ended up getting
>Sensation Power Plus Finesse 5ft Ultra Light 2 Pc Spinning Rod
>okuma ceymar hd 1000a reel
did I do good lol

Went out ice fishing, didnt catch much, but did find this winter killed 16.5 inch shad, so that was kinda cool.
>>2858842
You did well if you intend to fish for bluegill

File: IMG_20260124_173258_161.jpg (159.1 KB)

159.1 KB JPG

>>2858867
Fuck

>>2858867
I mainly wanted BASS but yea I do regret the rod a bit but I figure I can one day get a 6-6.6ft med-light and move the reel over?

>>2858891
ultralight is good for bass considering 90% of the bass are sub 1lb. I've caught plenty of 3lb bass on ultralight. you just gotta use smaller lures

>>2858892
I second this anon. One of my favorite forms of bass fishing is ultralight. My favorite is a 1/32 oz jig with a Baby Shad Swimmr. I absolutely hammer bass with that setup. It's great for creeks and ponds. Small bodies of water are best for beginners because it's easier to figure out where the fish are.

File: IMG_20260125_070937.jpg (3.4 MB)

3.4 MB JPG

>>2858892
>>2858897
well it worked, my very first fish and it was using that ultra light

>>2858913
fishe

>>2858913
Nice :)

File: ice pick.jpg (283 KB)

283 KB JPG

Thoughts on getting this as an ikejime spike?

>>2858999
ikejime is a meme

>>2858999
too big
>>2859004
its not

>>2859039
it is
>>2858999
and you can do it with any pointy foldable knife

anyway what you want to do, depending on species, is bleeding them
and you don't need to be fancy about it, just a snip on the gills with scissors

>>2859046
I'm not too sure how to go about bleeding fish. Most vids and sources say to cut the gills on both sides but there's also another spot (on the ventral side where the gills meet or something?). I'd feel horrible fucking it up and putting a fish through all my shitty inexperienced butchering

>>2859052
one side is enough, just snip the red thing and it will bleed out
but you don't need to bleed every fish, depend on the specie and size, i don't bleed perch, i bleed pike after i get home in the sink and let it bleed while i scale it, it's not about the fish, it's about blood giving taste to the meat

I've been getting excited for spring catfish and musky. It's been a month since I caught a fish. I'm not a catfisherman, but I heard about a local spot that is known throughout multiple states for ice out catfishing. I want to drift baits with floats and relatively light rods, super active fishing. I know slow and small is the way to go in cold weather, but I think this could work. I also want to do a flathead catch and cook. It should be fun.

>>2859052
>I'd feel horrible fucking it up and putting a fish through all my shitty inexperienced butchering
Whack it in the head with an iron bar before you bleed them.

>>2859052
>>2859100
lets think about this for a minute
kill catfish
behead catfish
roundhouse kick a catfish into the concrete
slam dunk a catfish baby into the trashcan
crucify filthy catfish
defecate in a catfish's food

>>2859111
Why are dogfish guys always so violent...

>>2858913
Nice catch. Is that a popper? Must have put up a nice fight on UL

>>2859139
Dankie. Was a minnow crank and fight was decent but short as was very close to land. The bass must really love those little guys as that's my only lure getting bites.

The one popper I did buy I lost on that same day on its 2nd cast.

>>2859255
Kewl. I've never had much luck with crankbaits for some reason.

>>2859111
>>2859121
lol

Does anyone know anything about Hustler surecatch stuff? I got a hlr40 from my old man, rod is a hustler as well so looks like a combo. He claims it's good but all I can find out about it is that it's Australian. Can it handle surf fishing?

>>2859306
I would avoid salt just to be sure.

you guys ever did ligature on your rods?
if i understood well you varnish the wrapped line and then seal it with resin?
any product you can recommend for line/varnish/resin?

>>2859326
Salt sucks, but he obviously want to fish it.

File: 20250823_094325.jpg (15 KB)

15 KB JPG

>trying my luck at the harbor
>every 15 mins some guy walks up behind me
>"catch anything yet?"
>move to the jetty
>spear diver surfaces right in front of me
>"any luck out here?"
Man I need to move to some remote Atlantic island with a population of 40 I'm not built for urban fishing

File: 488045f5-f13e-4fc5-87b5-05f9eebae57a.png (445.4 KB)

445.4 KB PNG

Maybe I should catch some catfish in the winter

>>2859423
Why would this comic make you want to catch catfish? The point of fishing is the fight. It's no fun if you're date raping the fish.
I fish year round because I love fishing as much as I can. But it never occurred to me to fish in the winter because the fish bite less and fight less. I do it in spite of that.

>>2859425
I would say the point is dinner, but I fish to see them up close and to give them a lil kiss

File: IMG_2492.jpg (244.3 KB)

244.3 KB JPG

>>2859425
Got sharks?
Sharktober here in the red triangle is October through December, bit late but they’re still biting

I might go shark fishing in the SF Bay this weekend
Night time fishing just outside SF is comfy AF
City lights + water + darkness + sharks = a beautiful thing

Catch and release of course
My dad always told me never to eat fish from the bay

File: first steelhead 1-28-2026.png (2.3 MB)

2.3 MB PNG

Caught my first ever steelhead today and am still hyped about it. Now I can finally hold my head high as a Western Oregonian fly fisher.
pic related

>>2859535
Congratz, chief!

>>2859536
Thanks, it gave me quite the runaround and made me realize just how weak a 7-wt with 2x can feel!

>>2859535
Solid fish! Yeah a hot fish will give you a run for your money on 2x tippet.

Hey guys,

Looking to catch some mackerel with lures tomorrow.
Gonna go with small shrimp/maggot lures. Anyone know the best way to put the hook through the lures?

Also never caught a fish (stupid ik) but I’ve always gone to trash spots. When I feel a little tug and resistance in the line do I pull the rod up sharply to set the hook? Or does it not really matter?
:)

>>2859598
>Gonna go with small shrimp/maggot lures. Anyone know the best way to put the hook through the lures?
go only shrimp
i don't think there's a wrong way to hook a shrimp, i've seen people do everything, i guess there's better ways depending on how/were you're going to fish and the kind of hook you use
>When I feel a little tug and resistance in the line do I pull the rod up sharply to set the hook?
yes, but not too hard, also set your drag properly to prevent breaking your rod/line when you do so

>>2859604
Does the colour matter on the shrimp? Or is it “hurr durr bright thing moving fast = tasty” ?

And yeah I’m guessing for the drag you want it loose enough to easily pull out more line without much resistance? I’m pretty sure my line is braided and I use barbed hooks so hopefully it won’t matter too much.

Sorry for the question spam

Oh last thing I forgot to ask.
For drag, is it safe to say a general rule of thumb is that the bigger the fish, the more resistance in your drag you need?

I literally set it once and barely adjust it icl

>>2859608
its more a combination of rod power, line strength and aggressiveness of the fish
you can always adjust the drag on the fly and you'll get a feel for where it should be

>>2859607
>Does the colour matter on the shrimp? Or is it “hurr durr bright thing moving fast = tasty” ?
both true to an extend, you want the fish to see your lure (that's why you use dark lures in muddy waters) you want it to look like it's natural preys, and you want to have it moving at a natural pace (like jigging, you reel while jerking the line by lifting your rod to create a motion)
but some fishes will eat whatever sit at the bottom because it's still food, or won't need you to move it because it's a live shrimp that move on it's own
as for the drag you want just enough resistance for your hook to pierce the flesh of the fish, so a bit but not so much, and then you set it depending on how hard the fish can pull, you never want the fish to not be able to pull a bit, it's your security that prevent line/rod break
and depending on where you live shrimp can catch about anything, which include potentially dangerous fishes (venomous fins or similar that will stab you, mouths that can crunch your fingers while retrieving the hook, so you need pliers, sharp gill plates that will slice open your hand if you hold the wish wrong, etc...)

When looking at fly tying material, I see dry fly hackle in various forms. What do I need for wet fly or streamer hackle?
Are Metz feathers worth it any price? I noticed that neither Kelly nor Charlie Craven carry them.

>>2859732
It depends on the style of hackle you're wanting. If the pattern calls for a stiff hackle, it's the same hackle that you'd use for drys. If the recipe calls for a soft hackle, you'll want something like partridge feathers.

>Metz feathers
I've never used them. So can't say.

talk to me about seasonal crawfish colors

Anyone ever fish out of a towee? Thinking of getting one for salt water flats and rowing it on rivers

I recently bought a giant rapala lure for decoration. I'm a fly angler, so I want to make a giant fly. I'm thinking of going with a pink squirrel. I know what I will do for the hook and the bead, but I'm unsure about the body and collar. I would appreciate some suggestions.

>>2859867
>so I want to make a giant fly
make a literal squirrel, like the rat flies for surface pike fishing

>>2859867
Hmmmm.... Maybe long haired cat mixed with long hared dog for the dubbing. My cat sheds enough that I've thought about making a fly with some of it. And shed dog hair from say a german shepherd should give you the longer stiffer fibers. And some pink yarn. Stop by your local crafting store and grab some you think will be thick enough.

>>2859869
*and crystal flash and flashabou for the flash in the dubbing.

>>2859852
pls respond

>>2859852
There is no point in worrying about it. Just have a few colors and rotate through them till something hits.

>>2859852
Red is supposed to be best in spring or something

>>2859852
Muddy water -> dark color
Clear water -> natural color
Shrimple as that my friend.

>>2859869
I like the German Shepherd idea, but yarn won't work, and German Shepherd probably won't work either. This fly is going to be huge, like 40/0. Actual (typical) fly tying materials are too small and fine. For instance, for the bead, I'm thinking of taking a spherical piece of foam larger than my fist and painting it with reflective gold paint. I've already found metal for the hook.

>>2859924
Ah, I was picturing the entire fly being about the size of your fist.

https://a.co/d/jk5ok97
Check out this yarn. I'd still recommend hitting up a local craft supply store. You may see something you didn't know existed that's exactly what you need.

I still think cat and dog hair along with flashabou and crystal flash would make a good dubbing. I'm talking long fine cat hair, like maine coon. When I clean my cat's hair from my couch, I roll it between my hands almost like I'm making a yarn. If creates "noodles" as thick as my pinky finger. It weaves itself together very nicely. Combine all of that and dub that onto yarn instead of thread and it should build up nicely. And since you won't actually be fishing this, create an under body with foam and wrap around that to reduce some of the bulk building.

>>2859911
The thing you miss is that it's natural for a single species of crayfish to be any of a multitude of colors.

>>2859926
I like the foam idea, and that's a good-looking yarn. One material I was thinking of is pink insulation. I've got a dog, but she's a fluffy dog with white hair. Her hair makes a for a good woolly dubbing. I could see about looking for Maine coon hair.

>>2859931
>pink insulation
Isn't that stuff fiberglass? Fiberglass splinters fing suck!! Be sure to use gloves if you're thinking of dubbing it.

>>2859931
You could probably use deer hair instead of German Shepard if you don't have access to that. That would get you nice spiky black and tan fibers. And you can get that at your fly shop.

>>2859929
this
even regional would be somewhat helpful

>>2859937
I wouldn't be dubbing it. What I would do, with gloves, is cut a strip of insulation and glue it to the hook (or piece of foam that serves to add bulk). Then, I would use some kind of comb to make the insulation fibers stand up.
>>2859938
Deer hair is a great idea. But since I need so much, I might have to resort to shaving roadkill, like Kelly Galloup. What I could do to reduce the amount of deer hair is apply a layer of yarn to act as a base. There's no way I could dub deer hair without it being in a dubbing loop, but even then, I'm not so sure about my ability to make it look good.

I want do do some perch ice fishing up in ontario. What lures/baits do you use for perch?

What is your preferred size woolly buggers for small stream fishing? My options in the pattern I want are 8 and 10. Unfortunately, buying both isn't really possible.

>>2860052
8, works for smallies too

>>2860052
8 is what I usually use for brook trout in my area … they don’t get very big. For smallies a size 8 hook could work but I usually fish bigger flies than that even on smaller streams. I find that if you don’t want to catch a million tiny guys fishing a larger fly eliminates that annoyance.

>>2860052
What are you targeting in those streams?

>>2860104
Trout. I thought size 8 was the right size, but a friend of mine who fishes giant streamers for trout in spring creeks thought that a #8 looked too big.

>>2860115
Either will be fine, 10 will probably get you more numbers, 8 will help keep somr of the ultra dinks off

File: weee.jpg (289 KB)

289 KB JPG

productive enough day

>>2860157
pretty nice catch

File: 20251013_170804.jpg (2.5 MB)

2.5 MB JPG

Anyone ever been fishing in Japan and got recs or info to share? I'm going in September, gonna stick to the major tourist cities with a detour to the Toyama area, maybe Takayama or something. Mostly interested in freshwater but salt is fine too

>>2860052
I typically go smaller rather than larger, big fish eat tasty morsels just as much as small ones do.

>>2860169
Elephants eat peanuts but they don’t live on them. Especially in winter big fish are looking for big meals.

>>2860174
Silence, boomer.