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I'm new to fishing and I must say it is incredibly confusing... A year ago I bought a ugly stick spinning combo, used it once and had problems. I had a major tangle so I decided to just cut everything and I couldn't figure out how to get it to reel in the line.
A year later I take it out of the garage and check it out and figured I needed to put it under the line guide before putting it through the guide holes.[mad]
But when I first got the rod the worker at the store put the line on and when you grabbed it with your index finger and opened the bale it felt very very strong and needed no effort to hold it. Now when I do that it feels EXTREMELY limp, almost like a long piece of hair.
I can't even cast this thing...I can maybe throw it out 15 feet with a soft rubber and today I bought a decent weight and I was still throwing it out the same distance.
Then it's like am I even putting the hook in the lure the correct way?!
Fishing is driving me nuts, any help I would appreciate it. I would like to enjoy it one day.
*edit*
I just read something on this forum about cheap lines having memory? Could this be the cause of my problems since it has been on the reel for over a year?
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Yes it could be the cheap line. Also it can be how much line is on the reel too. If you want to stay with mono it should be changed regularly. Especially if it has been sitting on the reel for a while. I use Berkeley xl lines. They are strong and work great.
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Sounds like your using a bait caster.Why not try a spinning reel to start with. It will be a lot easier to use and you won't be frustrated about fishing. You won't have to adjust the brake to change lures. Goggle weightless worming to learn how to setup a hook on a worm.
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[quote gdn443]Sounds like your using a bait caster.Why not try a spinning reel to start with. It will be a lot easier to use and you won't be frustrated about fishing. You won't have to adjust the brake to change lures. Goggle weightless worming to learn how to setup a hook on a worm.[/quote]
I have two Shakespeare Ugly Stick Premium Spinning Combo. I will check out weightless worming later today, thanks.
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[quote albinotrout]Yes it could be the cheap line. Also it can be how much line is on the reel too. If you want to stay with mono it should be changed regularly. Especially if it has been sitting on the reel for a while. I use Berkeley xl lines. They are strong and work great.[/quote]
I guess I will be changing the lines this weekend. I think I will get the shop to do it before I try it myself.
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GDN I just did a google search and found a site with some pictures and same thing when I was looking at a video for a texas knot; both have rather large hooks, is this recommended? I bought a Shakespeare kit and I feel like the hooks are a little bit bigger than bottle cap size. Would you recommend I upgrade?
I don't know anything about fishing and I just want to catch something to get the wheels in motion.
I will post pictures up later this morning of what I'm using.
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When you take the reel to the tackle shop to get spooled, watch how they do it. (hopefully, they do it right) Pay attention to how they tie the line on the spool, and the steps they take to do so. Free lessons. [  ]
Next, don't forget youtube. You can search videos all day long that will give you a video tutorial on just about anything you can think of. [  ]
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Here are some images of the hook and lure I'm using. Also an image of how the line looks being pulled off the reel. I also attempted to do a Texas rig, but I don't think my hook is big enough since I couldn't put it in the base of the tail like I saw in the video I watched. I realize I have the hook in backwards after re-watching the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwTwpge-hec
I plan on fishing on a lake, do I really need to do a Texas rig or does it really matter?
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Yes, I use #4 wide gap hooks. These aren't live bait hooks.
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The hooks I use for a Texas rig are 2/0 offset worm hooks. They work a little better then the Hook you're showing.
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Thanks guys!
Today I replaced my line, I got some curtail grubs *love the weight* and some 1" offset hooks.
It now casts beautifully and the Texas rig is a breeze.
I can't wait to go to the lake this weekend and give it a shot! I feel very comfortable with my rod now and I can't wait to read more in-depth, but I'm just glad I got the wheels turning.
Thanks again!
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Glad to help, report back on how you did.[cool]
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That was a perfect video to show you how to rig up a worm. 5" senco type worm and a #4 wide gap hook with no weight will produce bass. Watermelon color seems to work every where. Just let it sink on it's own to the bottom. Give a couple of twitches, then retrieve to throw in another area. Good luck. White grubs with a small weight. (texas rig) work great as well. Remember switch out your style and baits to see what they want that day.
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I had a good time at the lake, but I didn't catch any fish.
Only one fish took the hook on my wife's line and it pulled like crazy for a long time and it got away.
Fish were biting at the lure like crazy and some really hard, but they would never get hooked! Is there something I'm not doing right? This feels stupid to ask, but should I reel in as soon as I feel a bite or wait for the line to be pulled off the reel?
Would it be better if after a cast I set the drag to be really light so the fish doesn't feel the line? when the fish would bite a lot of times the tip of the rod would bend a good bit, but they would just stop when I reeled in or they wouldn't bite that long.
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I just glanced over this website...
http://www.fishinfo.com/fishing-articles..._572.shtml
I guess my drag wasn't strong enough?
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When the rod is bouncing like that they are taking the bait. Yo need to pick up the rod and with a quick jerking motion set the hook and then get ready to reel it in. If you set the drag too tight the line can break. The drag helps to fight the fish without the line breaking. You want it set to where you can pull line out without too much effort.
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When you rig your rubber worm, try pushing the point of the hook ever so slightly out of the worm on the other side, so just a tad of it is exposed. When you set the hook, it will already be on the way out, and you'll have a defined path for the hook to travel. If you bury the barb of the hook into the worm and leave it (which in some instances you might have to if fishing really heavy weeds or something) there is a chance that setting the hook will just thread it farther into the worm, never exposing it to the fishes mouth.
I actually rig my worms like I just mentioned, with a little bit of the barb hanging out, all while insuring my worm is rigged nice and strait. I also use the offset worm hook noted above.
Also, some of those bites may have been panfish, FYI. They can hit hard for their size, and they are good for snatching off the tail of a worm. They are a pain in the butt, and are too small to get the hook. If you find yourself getting the tails bit off, or alot of missed strikes, switch up to a beetlespin lure. I like the Berkely power bait jig bodies. You'll catch the little buggers then.
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Thanks, I will try some hard lures. I tried different positions of the hook in the lure like closer to the tail etc, but I never did try exposing the hook a little.
It drives me crazy when I feel nothing but biting and I can't get a single hook. I went this morning and tried to jerk it and reel in, but no luck.
I had a massive fight, but I should have known it was to good to be true when the line wasn't being pulled off the reel...I don't know how it happened because at times it felt like it was pulling the boat...but in the end I had my line tangled in someones line they must have cut free and left it in the lake...I ended up trying to collect as much as possible.
Still had a great day on the lake since I got to see three osprey, two bald eagles, and a great blue heron...but no fish.
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I caught a 7" White Perch today when I was calling it quits. I didn't have a smooth catch and release, so I'm a bit upset about that. I really hate the size 6 hooks I got because they are bent at the hook end and it was really hard to get out.
I get a TON of "hits" on the lures, but nothing like I felt when the white perch got hooked.
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Sounds like you used circle hooks. Those are good for cats but not perch.
Here are a couple of pics of hooks. These are general use type hooks and work well for most applications.
The first is eagle claw 085F classic nickel
The second eagle claw 186 bait holder hook.
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