Posted by Travis on 2002 PM:

confused

A couple of obseravations gents:

Line makers must love SOME people on this board. Members being in a quandry about line choice or the search for a new line that will shortcut the fishing learning curve has to be second only to Senko posts in numbers here...

Why is that...?

please educate me as to why line choice is so confusing and by switching to another line that nothing short of ending up in a nest on your reel allows you to cast...will put more fish in the boat. How is that new line helping your understanding of F+L+P= happy angler ?

Fishing reports: I am guilty of often shaking my head as I read how someone had a very good outing on X lake, fishing at Y depth and giving details second only to a tv fishing show , without the shameless plugs. and THEN More often than not ....what color were you using(usually the first question)....? you were using a tube, what BRAND, what kind of line ? What rod and reel were you using ? I just don't get the line of questioning that follows these otherwise very good posts by the person that was ON THE WATER.

Something that made me ask the above was the day I had today.

I got up before the sun, was on a local flow by sun up because I had to be home by a certain time in late morning. Was all decked and stacked, ready for action, the best rod ,reel and line combo and neo hippers that my old money can buy for the task at hand. A river I know inside and out. Roughly 3 hours later....smallmouths, walleyes and 1 pike nearing 41ish and something else that I had no idea what it was that I didn't want on my line(turtle I assume)....fish total 16( I didn't count rough fish). I get back home to recharge my batteries, fire up the blender, answer some emails and make a couple of calls.

Late afternoon I am due at my moms camp on another local river(well known in my area for HUGE walleyes by those in the know) for dinner and of course the water looks inviting as I sit there and wait. The river out front is as flat as a pancake running at less than 2 feet deep but I know there is "good" water up arounf the bend. I don't have a rod with me, I do have my warm water vest in the back of the truck...so I still have baits. I contemplate. Mom what time are we eating...? I am off with my step dads rod and reel that is at least as old as I am and wouldn't wish it on an enemy and was spooled with line that had never seen the light of day since they began camping in a house on wheels they call a camper. I have always fished up rather than down from their locale but was feeling adventurous...I went down. First curve hole, just a tad shallow for mr. big. Second hole: fishable but ehhhh. how far am I from camp ? Third hole: clouded up a bit, actually see current moving, looks like soft bottom and see some carp moving on far side, may have some big toothies in it but am working against the clock and my hunger. Nothing yet worth a cast in my opinion. Hole 4: nowhere near the road, rock bottom, nothing that is really special except those two things but has that "look": worth a try. Fish total 9 smallmoths(between 12 and 1 that was 18 if an inch) and more(4 of them) BIG! rock bass than I have seen in the last 5 years in just under an hour and made it back for dinner with 20 minutes to spare. Fishing with a crappy spinning rod(metal guides, CHEAPO composite etc) and reel, a tube that I had recieved yesterday in the mail which sells for an obscene lowly $ figure and line that was , well junk. I took advantage of an oppurtunity that I hadn't expected and found some new water. The fish were a bonus for the "finding" and the solitude as I heard tractor trailors on 88 east/west in the far distance with at least 10 corn fields between us made it worth the price of admission.

Ride home: I am thinking as I drive along as I normally do. As those close to me know within ear shot of this post will tell you. I will be the first to admit when I don't know squat about something...what I will say is that knowing where fish live, why, when and being able to read water is worth more than all of the "right" tackle in the world and can't be purchased.

ps: the questions I asked before todays happenings would have been asked anyway at some point(probably in winter) but today nudged me to it.

T

Posted by Bigredfishing on 2002 PM:

you gave up what river it was, with the I- 88 bit - and that river does have some monster walleyes(see pic below)

The reason people ask those questions is because they want to know. Sometimes color is the key,and lure brand ect. can make the difference. Granted, most of the time, it makes little difference. I dont see a problem with asking, i am more than happy to tell, i am not into secret stuff(except for one little spot.........LOL!)

And about fishing line, it really depends on preference. I know i have tried everything out there, and i know what works for me, and that is what i feel is best. Other people love line that i think is garbage and that i have had nothing but problems with. They fish a little differently than i do, and have different line prefences. That is what fishing is all about. I will still tote my fav. lines, because i think they are the best, because i have confidence in them.

BTW, good fishing!
Lance

Posted by Travis on 2002 PM:

I didn't give up anything and assure you that eye' wasn't taken where I am speaking of with my "bit". Betchya. So I am sure our eyes are still safe. How do I know this ? because like the river that I have mentioned on here at great length(in the archives), you have to be 1/2 billy goat to fish both of them that I fished today and aren't even floatable much of the year. Not an easy proposition to the masses.

beauty of an eye by the way and thanks for your explanation.

T

Posted by NO LUCK on 2002 AM:

Talk about confused...I read this post 5 times and now you got me confused...

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Posted by Bassin Dude on 2002 AM:

Travis,

Having "known" you online for a few years, I know that your polysyllabic "question" was actually rhetorical in nature in that you know the answers to your own query. I suspect that you're hoping for some dialog to help illuminate some of the points that you made in the past - for example, you often said the following and you stated it again - to quote you: "...what I will say is that knowing where fish live, why, when and being able to read water is worth more than all of the "right" tackle in the world and can't be purchased..."

With that said, I will talk as though I'm answering you directly even though I know you know this.

In my opinion, to become a top-notch fisherman - one who consistently catches big fish on any type of water, that person has to LEARN all about the biology of the quarry, the biology of the different types of lakes, reservoirs and flows and how it applies to the fish that their targeting. They must learn about weather and how it affects their fish. Then, this potential Bill Dance has to learn to cast accurately. Then, finally they can learn about how to work their lures of which they probably have way too many (like me).

It is my belief that 99% of all fisherman are too wrapped up worrying about the best line, the best color lure the best brand tube the best scent (don't even get me going there). Also, I think that many fisherman spend too much time hopping from lake to lake searching for their fish bonanza when in fact they should stay with one body of water, learn it inside and out then apply the lessons learned on that lake to other lakes that they may fish in the future. Time on the water is important - a lot of time on the same body of water is very important.

I know I left much out and my writing is a bit choppy. I'm rushing a bit to get off to work... hopefully others can add to my points and touch on those I neglected.

__________________
Tony

"As my own fishing seasons wind down to a precious few, it's nice to know I'll be there, be there as long as I can. As long as I can bait a hook and make a cast, as long as I am living, I intend to be fishing."

-Ron Schara

Posted by Paul Mattie on 2002 AM:

T-

Line is a particulary sensitive issue with novices and yes I can remember that phase. I was stuck using stren cause all my buddies used it.....it caused me no end of difficulties. Was it the rod, reel, line or me........probably all of the above. The line is the easiest thing to change. Can't change everything so the line gets changed.

My progression over the years has been stren, berk xl, silver thread and now tectan.....I wouldn't hesitate to go back to ST and did try Pline florocarbon and true fluros as well. I do have one or 2 lines specialty lines I use for buzzbaits and power pro for heavy veggies.

After 30+ years of fishing I don't think about all those little things that make line act properly on a spinning reel or even give much consideration to the reel at all anymore. In another thread Stradic vs Sustain I realized I have enough confidence in the Stradic (gained in salt and fresh) that for ME the upgrade was not worth the money. I am sure when these guys that have only been fishing for a few years will realize which is the best line for them and the reel goes somewhere out of the front part of their brain these questions won't dominate any longer.

Paul

Posted by mikeD in NYC on 2002 AM:

travis

interesting thread you've started...i'll try my best to give you the perspective of a 2nd season bass fisherman(me)... first off, i think one point you've missed is that there are fisherman with radically different levels of experience here... personally, i still haven't found the one brand of line that i am comfortable and confident in, so any posts regarding the subject are helpful to me...i often bring only 2 setups with me and am looking for a line that i can build confidence in...one that has the proper sensitivity for me, with line strength, abrasion resistance and of course one that won't knot up on me... once i've found this ideal "general" line for me, then i will move my line search to other types and brands as my knowledge and # of setups expand... right now i am using excalibur silver thread 8lb. which may be my general line of choice after a few more outings...i'm just not sure yet.

i tend to agree with your pov that line choice, lure color, rod and reel choice are secondary to learning where the fish live and what their habits are at a particular time... but this does not make the prior useless information...possibly to you and some of the more experienced anglers, yes...but to most of the members I tend to think these discussions are valuable and interesting...heck, any discussions regarding bass fishing are relevant here, especially since there are so many novice and intermediate anglers here.... with that said, i welcome more in-depth posts regarding bass biology and hope this thread stimulates more coversation on the topic.... the thing is, a lot of anglers here are still working there way to the level you are at, so the discussions tend to be more basic... as the angler learns, his/her contributions will be more detailed.

you also have to remember that some people just want to CONTRIBUTE to the forum, but might not have enough experience to satisfy the elder anglers... they just want to be a part of NYBASS.... mr. jig said it well:

"Folks participate in these boards for different reasons.
Some enjoy teaching.
Others are hungry for knowledge.
Many seek to expand their social circle."

this is so true... i know that i am trying hard to learn as much as i can, but of course my reports are from the POV of a 2nd year bass fisherman and may not quench the thirst of some members...that's why most of my posts have to deal with points 2 and 3... with special emphasis on #3...i try to create humor and nurture the comraderie aspect of the site because to me that is a huge reason for the success of this place....on occasions, i will stick my neck out with a theory or an idea that may be beyond my education on a subject, but until i become more confident and have more experience, my posts will involve the things i am interested in now: my outings with friends from NYBASS, sharing laughs and pictures of big fish and of course the more basic stuff like rods, reels, line and baits....why do i contribute this stuff?...because i want to participate in NYBASS!

i hope i cleared up some of the confusion...thanks for starting the thread.

__________________
Mike D in NYC
Webmaster NYBI
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check out your NYBASS buddies at: NYBASS_ILLUSTRATED
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Posted by Bigredfishing on 2002 AM:

Thanks for the compliments on the eye, maybe i had the wrong river but,....
ok , so maybe i missed the point of the whole thing, but travis, there are only two rivers that you could be talking about, and I took a 50/50 guess. Prolly is the other, with the hiking bit. I have hiked both extensivly(surprising cause im fat, huh?) No worries
Lance
PS: maybe we can hook up and do some fishing, i will be residing in cobleskill for the rest of the year - let me know.

Posted by Scott C on 2002 AM:

Here is my .02

Question. Is any experienced fisherman still fishing with the same equiptment they used when they first started fishing ?
My answer. Highly unlikely.

Why ?
They become more serious about their passion and want to increase the satisfaction it gives them.
One of the ways to do this is to use equiptment that feels comfortable and can be relied on. During this process they do some research, they ask knowledgable fisherman to share their experiences, and they try new things until they find what feels right for them. NYBASS is a great place to do this given the amount of knowledgable fisherman that frequent the site.

It helps us all to pass on knowledge. It saves some of us aggravation and money during the process making the learning experience that much more enjoyable. I think we all want to be smarter fisherman and have smarter fisherman to share our waters with.

Would you use this at your next TX ?

quote:

a crappy spinning rod(metal guides, CHEAPO composite etc) and reel, a tube that I had recieved yesterday in the mail which sells for an obscene lowly $ figure and line that was , well junk.

__________________
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Spawn till you die
ESBA

Posted by paridiseblue on 2002 AM:

trav,

good post. i am guilty as charged i just posted a line article yesterday. but i feel for the right reasons.

true a line won't help you catch fish if your fishing in a spot deviod of fish. but confidence will help you find fish when the fishing is sub par

i don't fish national tours, pay much attention to lures, lines, and other gimics i see in magazines and tv shows. but if a member of this board finds something intresting that catches fish i would wholehardly give it a try.

it took me a full year after reading about the senko in other boards before i bought some. i should have been fishing them since 99.

having confidence in yourself and your equipment will make you a better fisherman, thats been posted here a lot. if i find something that could help people, i definitly will post it.

AS FOR YOUR FINAL QUOTE. what I will say is that knowing where fish live, why, when and being able to read water is worth more than all of the "right" tackle in the world and can't be purchased.
THATS IS WHATS KNOWN AS A CATCH-22. I could take you to places that are loaded with fish that for some reason or another like a certain bait. in a perfect world you could have everything, the spot, the bait, a little luck, and the knowledge. some do!!

__________________
1989 ranger boat and trailer $5500. tackle $4000 relationship counsling $125. boatload of bass....... PRICELESS

Posted by theole34 on 2002 AM:

on a recent float trip the guide had some "boat gear" spooled up, and ready to go. i used it out of necessity at times on the trip. it was not comfortable, was really noisy, and the guides were all mashed up. the line was old, and beaten, kinked etc, but.. i needed the gear for quick changes in environment.

i caught many fish on that gear, and had fun. it was not comfortable though.

i like certain lines, reels, and rods. i am kind of set on my equipment, and would only change if i felt more comfort, or a new use for diff gear.

i now spend less time worrying about waht to use, and more time on where to use it.

travis - you are a mentally antagonistic young man (very atypical for a marine - lol ), and i like it. i have noticed over the last few years that your rants spark new thoughts in peoples heads, and i like that too. your delivery is one of a kind... well.. on a close plane with dick's. keep sparking the fire.

i still like to know what guys are using, and where, and how. some of these variables give me ideas. it is an exposure thing.

robbie

__________________
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We're talking about "Spring" fishing...... right?

Posted by NO LUCK on 2002 PM:

I like to get replies when I post...That's one reason I'm here. If you cut out the question's that you asked (lure, color, line etc) This would be one lame ass board... I like to get to know other member's. And response's, no matter how insignificant they are, keeps this place what it is...Matt

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Posted by Rob J in WNY on 2002 PM:

I'm not confused at all.

Tight Lines...

__________________

"Have Smallies - will travel!"
Bass Fishing in WNY - A Personal View
> email - RobJinWNY@hotmail.com

Posted by JPBass on 2002 PM:

Re: confused

quote:

Originally posted by Travis
A couple of obseravations gents:

Line makers must love SOME people on this board

T

Myself included I'm sure.

The hopeful result of my search will be to find a line as subtle as mono with the low stretch of a flouro......No luck yet (Yozuri hybrid is as close as I've come).

The details of my search involve ignoring most manufactuarers lb. test ratings as they are grossly inacurate (with the exception of Tectan). I compare the line diameter to the ACTUAL breaking point at the knot. This is achieved useing either a scale or actual weights to test the REAL breaking point.

Can a better mousetrap be built? I don't know. But in today's hi-tech world I feel the need to explore.

__________________

http://www.renegadebassmasters.com

Posted by earthworm77 on 2002 PM:

Trav, it is all preference and confidence. I'm sure I can string up my penis and catch a few fish. It is all a matter of preference. I think that generally guys are looking for the advantage in choosing better products.

__________________
www.micromunchtackle.com

Posted by Scott C on 2002 PM:

quote:

I'm sure I can string up my penis and catch a few fish.

I am speechless.

__________________
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Spawn till you die
ESBA

Posted by mikeD in NYC on 2002 PM:

earthy, that's a video!... we can do a knock-off of "The Perfect Storm", sell it in porn shops and call it "The Perfect Pole"

Posted by Bassin Dude on 2002 PM:

quote:

Originally posted by earthworm77
...I'm sure I can string up my penis and catch a few fish...

Be careful, bluegill love small baits...

(sorry Earthworm... I couldn't resist)

Posted by Rob J in WNY on 2002 PM:

BWAHAHAHA!

quote:

Originally posted by earthworm77
I'm sure I can string up my penis and catch a few fish.

Better ask Kinzo first, bud.

Tight Lines...

__________________

"Have Smallies - will travel!"
Bass Fishing in WNY - A Personal View
> email - RobJinWNY@hotmail.com

Posted by earthworm77 on 2002 PM:

No problem Tony, I am totally confortable with...uhh....myself!

__________________
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Posted by Bigredfishing on 2002 PM:

guys, i have to add this joke in, it just fits right in

I have a small penis, so what!?

I used to be ashamed of my 3"

Then i found out women like it that wide........

Posted by Northbass on 2002 PM:

Earthy Diggler! LOL! How do I make my unit 7 inches??

... cut it in half!!!!

__________________
Eastern Suffolk Bass Anglers ... Micro-Munch Tackle

Posted by Fishingelbow on 2002 PM:

Earthworms fishing gear

Now we know where the "micromunchtackle" name came from!!!

Posted by bobn on 2002 PM:

i think what guys are looking for when they ask a question are a fishing veterans point of view--no matter how many times you have heard the question you will hear it again--as long as new people with less experience come on board the same questions are going to be asked over and over again--who better to ask than the fishing vets on this board-i guess patience is a virtue-remember, many newer anglers will never have the time or opportunity to spend on the water that some of us have-they are looking for the short cut that experienced people can give them regarding equipment and places to go etc and etc--bobn

Posted by Travis on 2002 AM:

500 and some odd views and 19ish respond.... I would like some of those that lurk to come on out of the shadows but I doubt it will happen. I will take that as a compliment that I and some of you made them think a bit., which may be a stretch on my part but I can hope. Am going to be gone the majority of the next 2 days and will catch back up with this when it heads towards the weeds....should be interesting. Appreciate the feedback.

regards, Trav

Posted by earthworm77 on 2002 AM:

Trav, you know that is the deal though. We always had about 30 or 40 guys who respond. The other guys don't feel the need. They just feed off of what the regulars say. For whatever reason.

__________________
www.micromunchtackle.com

Posted by Scott C on 2002 AM:

quote:

they are looking for the short cut that experienced people can give them regarding equipment and places to go etc and etc

I am in the 39th year of my short cut....but there will always be someone that is more experienced.

__________________
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Spawn till you die
ESBA

Posted by Bass Rat on 2002 AM:

quote:

Originally posted by earthworm77
I'm sure I can string up my penis and catch a few fish. It is all a matter of preference. I think that generally guys are looking for the advantage in choosing better products.

EW, You better take that bad bot crappy fishin

__________________
Is it Spring Yet?

Posted by mr jig on 2002 AM:

Trav's excellent point.

As anglers we are easily distracted by the inconsequential.

Fine points of tackle selection are of great importance in fishing but not in catching.
Brand preferences,"new" techniques the properties of the latest miracle line etc etc are all legitimate areas of discussion because it's fun!
Tackle nicities are very important to the pleasure of fishing but have very little to do with catching fish.

Some years ago a friend of mine flew to Colo. to hunt trophy mule deer.
His very expensive lovingly tuned rifle with it's meticulously prepared handloads ....didn't make it.
Rather than give up his first evenings hunt he borrowed the ranchers behind the door vermin gun and of course in a short while, had the best trophy of the trip.
His equipment was marginal but adequate.
His tag filled, my friend hunted the balance of the trip sans rifle and said "bang" to several bucks better than those taken by other members of the group.

Trav just replayed that scenario on his river.
Trav is an avid tackle tinkerer with strong preferences in his gear.
His experience simply demonstrated to him once again that there is no substitute for a fundamental understang of the quarry be it a walleye or an old mule deer.

Biology 90% Tackle 10%

Having said that, he and i enjoy talking tackle as well as anyone, and as our readership here knows, we have come to many similar preferences and conclusions.
Tackle today is so very much better than it was in my early adulthood that i can only marvel.
Any angler today can afford gear far better than i could have dreamed of when i saved over a months pay ($54) for an Alcedo Micron reel.
As gear has improved and even good stuff become reatively inexpensive, the
value of tackle to performance has been greatly reduced.
So fabulous are the choices, and so affluent have we become, that tackle has become an end in itself.

For all this wealth in tools and toys however ,few choose to invest in the study necessary to anticipate where our quarry will be and how we need approach it.
Without a doubt we would all profit more from discussions of forage bases and seasonal influences.... but my experience suggests that those subjects will never dominate.
No doubt this fact favors the resource, and we should perhaps be grateful!!!
dick

Posted by Scott C on 2002 AM:

Well said Mr. Jig

Trav- your style to invoke thought is slightly unconventional but because of it I think we can all learn from what has been discussed in this post.

Sans penis

SC

__________________
Why are a wise man and a wise guy opposites?

Spawn till you die
ESBA

Posted by Mark G on 2002 AM:

First off, let me say that this is an excellent thread. I really appreciate everyone's comments and have started thinking about a lot of things. I fall into the category that Mike D does. I'm a relative newbie to bass fishing, with a season and a half under my belt. I don't know how much I can add that more experienced anglers will appreciate, but I think Travis' post and the thoughtful replies do merit a response. Hopefully I can provide more than just effort in my reply...

First, I think the most important point from this discussion is that it is true that the most important thing you can do to catch more fish is find where they are. You can't catch fish that aren't there, and I think on most bodies of water, fish hold is certain places for certain reasons. It's an example of the 80/20 rule found in many things. In this case, 80% of the fish are in 20% of the water. The first thing you need to do is find the fish. There are some exceptions, like the pelagic theory EW mentioned in another forum. If a lake has no cover, or not enough of it, the fish will roam. But even then they are usually trailing baitfish, so there is a reason for their behavior. OK, so we all know and agree with this right? How does this play into Travis' original question? Well, I thought about Tony's (BassinDude) response that indicated that the question(s) was(were) more rhetorical in nature, and Travis really knew the answer. To quote Tony,

quote:

I suspect that you're hoping for some dialog to help illuminate some of the points that you made in the past...

I started thinking about this yesterday and came up with the question, do I really give the concept of fish location and understanding (biology of bass collectively, I guess) enough time and energy? Do I apply enough resources(time, energy, focus, AND money) to bass biology as opposed to bass tackle? I came up with the fact that I spend a lot more money, time and energy figuring out what line, lures, reels, rods, etc. to buy and spend more money buying that stuff than I do learning about fish and how to find them. If locating fish is 80% of the equation (or as much as 90% as dick stated) shouldn't I spend 80%-90% of my resources on it? Well, not exactly, but my perspective was certainly a bit out of whack. I thought about this while driving to Sports Authority yesterday. I had intended to pick up some gear (line was one thing on my list). When I got there I thought of Travis' post and instead of buying a new spool of line I hadn't tried, I went up to Barnes and Noble and bought a book on bass fishing. I still spend closer to 80% of my resources on tackle and 20% on books and and other things that will help me understand and locate fish, but this post helped tip that scale back towards a more reasonable balance. For one day at least. I think that was one of Travis' original points. For that, I thank you Travis, and everyone else who contributed. Some good was done here. At least in my humble opinion. I think I knew Travis' point before the thread, but the discussion of it helped me focus it and actually change my decision in this case.

The second point I learned from this thread was mostly from Mike D's post. Why do people around here obsess about line, lures, etc.? Should I spend 80% of my time, energy and money on finding fish and 20% on tackle? Should 80% of my posts be about how I found fish on a particular body of water and why I thought they were there? I was a biology major in college and studied ecology. I'm sure I would have something to offer. But I don't think it's that cut and dry. I started thinking about why I come to this board every day, and why I post. I came up with a few things. One, I'm here to learn. I love bass fishing (and fishing in general) and have learned so much from the generous people here. But there is more to it than that. Mike rightly pointed out that this place is a mix of anglers of vastly different skills and experiences. Mr. Jig's three reasons for participating ring true to me too. I enjoy teaching, and like to help those who I can. Perhaps it's with spots that I fish, or techniques or equipment I use. I have little to offer the Earthworm's and Paul Mattie's of the world in the ways of fishing. Sure, perhaps I'll mention something in passing that will help them, but they have fished more and caught more than I have and it will be some time before I catch up. There are people I can teach though. Many people here are novices and have questions about line, lures, etc. Those are questions some of us eager beaver advanced beginners can help out with. Since we are so entusiastic, I think there are so many threads about what we know, be it the Shimano Stradic or Berkeley Fireline. Finally on this point, the third item, the social circle, is rapidly becoming my favorite reason to be a member. I owe my introduction to many of the people on the board to Jeff the Senko Baron. He was nice enough to meet me, share a couple of his spots with me, and plan and execute an event at Wampus that allowed me to meet many other fine people, like Mike D. Thanks to him and everyone else (Rob J, who I haven't met, but who is always there with a helpful tip or a pat on the back) who makes this site a social endevor, and a great one at that. No Luck(Matt) is right. Responses are always nice, especially to your posts, and make this place what it is.

Third, I agree with the idea of comfort as a powerful fishing ally. Scott C and others brought up the point that the right equipment brings satisfaction and increases the pleasure we derive from fishing. I totally agree. When I first started saltwater fishing (surf casting) my friend and I used cheap rod/reel combos. The reels were plastic and the rods were 8-ft with who knows what kind of line. What did we experience? Well, first of all the line/rod was not designed to handle to torque of casting even a 1oz lure. We snapped off countless baits in frustration. Second, we couldn't cast far enough to get to the fish in many cases. When they were in the wash we could catch them. If not we were skunked. When I went on vacation this year I bought a real surf outfit. 11' fiber rod ($60) with a nice reel ($80) and better line. The second day I was there I was able to hook and land a 20lb striper. The rod had the power to handle the runs the fish threw at me and the reel had a drag system that sang throughout the short tussle. I never would have landed that fish on one of those cheap rods. Or maybe I would have been able to, but my chances of losing the fish would have been higher and the fight wouldn't have been as fun. Something about that stout rod, strong line and fluid drag made me feel prepared for this fish. A fish that was almost three times bigger than anything I have ever caught. Who can put a price on catching the biggest fish of your life, even if it was only a 20lb. striper? I'm going out to Montauk for Labor day, and thanks to Scott, Matt (No Luck), JPSurf, ADKBass and tho other guys who have been helping me out in the salt forums (we need more people over there) I'm going to spend good money for Power Pro line, which is expensive, but offers tremendous strength. As the salt guys say, "You never know when you're going to hook up with a forty pounder." I'll feel better when I'm fishing knowing that I have a setup that gives me a great shot at landing a monster bass if I am lucky enough to hook up with one.

Finally I think lines, reels, etc. do help with the confidence factor. Paradiseblue mentioned this, as did others. Confidence can't be underrated as a fishing tool. When I believe in a location or technique, I stick with it. That persistence can put fish in the boat.

OK, so I've said a mouthful or two. I hope I wasn't too verbose...

Mark

Posted by carpeacrpium on 2002 AM:

I agree that knowing the water and the habits of your quarry are far more important than the lure or tackle you use. The hard part is finding the fish. Once you locate them any number of lures and techniques will usually work. I know a guy who catches nice bass on a spool of stren original, a hook and a dipnet that he uses to catch baitfish.

But how many of us would enjoy fishing the way he does? Sometimes we suffer from severe ends-means confusion and devote 90% of our energy to finding that perfect lure or perfect line or the most refined tackle, all of which might constitute about 10% of the reason we catch fish. But if you enjoy the search more power to you.

Personally, I love finding a new lure or technique that works even when my older bag of tricks work just as well. All part of the fun. I'm not about to run out and drop $500 on a Shimano Stella but nice tackle certainly makes fishing more enjoyable for me.

Fishing is suppose to be fun, right? Whether your idea of fun is a handline and livebait or only the most expensive and refined outfit, that's fine. Fish and let fish.