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Hi! I've got my pen and paper!!!!

THIS IS LONG BUT PLEASE READ YOU REALLY COULD MAKE A CHANGE FOR SOMEONE WHO LIKE'S FISHING JUST LIKE YOU...THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

I've been fishing since I was small. The thing is all these years have passed and I feel like a beginner still. When I started my pops started as well he was learning (fishing was just quality time for us). We always used live bait (shrimp, shiners, wigglers, and night crawlers) we found some okay spots but at times we'd spend all day (and I mean all day 5am -6pm) and come home with no fish to no more than 5 (seriously no lie)

Now I go fishing on my own cause I do love the sport and the taste of fish...and at times I go with my brother in-laws (I'm not married just in a long term relationship I'm not that old yet...and if u have some relationship advice I’d take that too I know some of you fish to get out away from the wife I know my pops did) But anyways my brother in laws have taught me a lil about fishing (about leaders and different stories) and I, I can just show them my old spots where fish are and they come along and catch the fish and I’m like what the....

Well I have a summer job and I have free time so I’ve been looking up tips and info and have gathered up a lot. I even have made my own log with tips and spots and lure info to keep track of what bait works and what color.... and how to tie knots

But I want to use lures, and jigs, spinner baits, crank baits, fake worms.... etc fist off I know these names from reading stories and message boards.... I’m even thinking about buying the banjo minnow (does that really work)

That’s why say I feel like a beginner I know nothing about choosing a reel (my reel that I had when I was small that’s what I’m using now and its done doesn’t even crank) I just learned u have to service it. And I know nothing about the ratio for reels what that mean (6:12:1...etc. you know what I mean)

I want to know what each lure, spinner bait; you know all these things on the market do and how to use them. I tired them a few times but I cant get them to work right...I see them rolling around in circles and it just makes my impatient...I’m use to just sitting in the hot sun baking will little fish rob my bait until I finally hook em and he's so small then every 6 or 7 fish I finally get one that I can fry and eat....

I looking towards putting my money in 2 nice reels a bait caster and a spinning reel and getting a tackle box with the best products.... I want to be able to spend 10 hours catching more fish and get to a point where I can catch and release knowing when I’m hungry or when season is in I can catch em' anytime so I'll put this big fella back. Please help me so I can teach my youngster to fish and love it instead of saying I don’t want to we don’t catch fish and its hot out there (I’m a football player and am use to the Florida sun and heat so I sound like a wimp when it comes to little nibbling fish) I want to be a fisherman and pass it on down ...so I need the 411 on everything and anything....

You know what is a drop shot?
What is a crank bait, spinner bait, rattler, snokes,? How do u use em? What’s the best line how do I rig em' up?

I'M 20 NOW AND AM IN COLLEGE AND WANT TO BE AN EXPERT ON FISHING CAUSE WHEN I GET DONE W/ SCHOOL I WANT TO GET ME A BOAT AND FISH FISH FISH....

Fisherkidd 09,
First, you have come to the right place for information, our dedicated pro staff will try to answer all your questions. I am considered by some to be a crankbait specialist, so I'll start there. First, you need a good baitcast reel, doesn't make a lot of difference what brand as long as it's an established quality brand. I use Garcia-Ambasssadeur mostly, but whatever you choose will be fine. Next, match the reel with a quality 6'6" graphite or fiberglass rod. I use 12# Stren line 80 % of the time.
Many crankbaits have a code on the box that lets you know how deep the lure will run, a Timber Tiger DC3 will run down to 3 feet, A Rapala D6 will run six feet etc. You will want baits that will cover from minus one foot of water to about fifteen feet and one for each two feet in between. The major depths are one foot-three foot-six foot-eight foot-eleven foot and 15 foot. If not coded, you can generally tell how deep the lure will run by the length of the diving bill, longer bills dive deeper. Wooden baits will dive deeper than plastic most times. Good colors include, Tennessee shad, bluegill, fire tiger and bone. These will cover most water color situations. Try to pick a lure that runs about a foot deeper than the water you are fishing. Crankbaits are contact baits, they need to either be hitting bottom or bouncing off some type of structure to be effective most times. Make long casts and keep a slow to medium retrieve. Most times when a bait makes circles as you mentioned, it's because it's being over-fished, this includes spinnerbaits as well. Slow and steady works well.
Don't get caught up in buying infommercial baits off t.v. By brand name baits from a local shop. Good brands include, Poe's, Storm, Norman, Mann's Rapala, Worden's and Bomber.
Fish some type of cover, rocks, wood, fallen trees, stumps, brush-whatever you can find that different from all the other water in your area, in your case, probably weeds or grass.
Contact Dan Galusha, the Illinois pro staff for tips on tube-worm and jig fishing, he's an expert.
Check out our tips pages, articles and the members section to sdee who's good at what. Good luck, hopefully others will add their expertise. Johnnie

There are many things to go about when fishing. Water temp., water clarity, weather, etc. Although there are many elements to go about, always try your soft plastics. Soft plastics are easier for beginners to fish. Spinnerbaits are also easy for beginners to catch fish on. But the best piece of advice that I can give you is to fish alot and never get frustrated and give up. It is easy to just give up alot of times. Just try your best to put a good pattern together and never stop fishing. The more you fish the better you will get. I began fishing about 4 years ago and i was terrible. Now I am calling 4 pounders babies at times when I go fishing. Past two times I went fishing, caught 20 bass and then caught about 10 bass that filled up me and my buddies 5 fish 14" limit at our PFA. Just never give up. Find a confidence bait that you can always go to. Then when you know they will bite a certain bait, try fishing other baits and if no bites occur, go back to your confidence bait. Fish more and fish more often.

I love your youthful exuberance, but I encourage you to take small bites at first, not the whole bannana. The advice you've already gotten is first rate, so you've got a good start. I agree that soft plastics are probably where to start, it was for me. Then each year I would concentrate on one or two baits, sort of building up to the numbers of things you need to know. It took me a year to learn how to use a jig properly. And I still rely on plastics and jigs, going to cranks and spinners as secondary lures. I would suggest you subscribe to Bassmaster Mag. It will give you a knowledge base from which to build from, but don't fall into the trap that if you read it it's always gonna work, like I said it's just a base to work from. And lastly if there is one in your area, join a bass club, esp one that rotates partners. You'll learn alot from guys with one yr. experience all the way up to 35-40 years of exp. Take care and good luck, Carl.

i am a MASTER at cathing crappie but im tring to learn how to catch bass. i bought a 40$ open face reel/combo and this is my first push botton type pole i prefer spincast so if enyone knows any tips for me let me know plese and thank you