It looks like you are using an ad blocker. That's okay. Who doesn't? But without advertising revenue, we can't keep making this site awesome. Click the link below for instructions on disabling adblock.
Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post.
Register to become a member today!
mmccarthy14i have 8 on my rod lmfao. Maybe I should step up my game. I just feel like the higher the test the easier the fish can see it.
i mean it all really depends on the presentation, water clarity, and area of the lake youre in. I have 6 lb fluoro on my dropshot rod, and 50 lb braid on my pitching/flipping rod. the 50 lb braid is definitely easier to see, but when youre in thick vegetation and/or murky water its not as big of a factor because its harder for the fish to see. or for instance youre fishing with a reaction type bait (ie a spinnerbait, chatterbait etc) the fish are more reacting to the flash or vibration, not so much hitting it because it looks like food so line type doesnt matter as much.
mmccarthy14lol k dood good job letting it go! Fr33kin idiot!!!!!!!! but why did u have 55lb test on a bass rod dude haha
This was actually my rod for jig and pigging, I put a spinnerbait on it because fuck it and thats what the bass want this type of year. I think the 35+ mph winds yesterday helped me out too, still cant believe it
mmccarthy14i have 8 on my rod lmfao. Maybe I should step up my game. I just feel like the higher the test the easier the fish can see it.
The 15# braid I have on my finesse rod is the same diameter as 4# mono.
50# braid is about the same as 12-15# mono.
So yes and no. Fish can't really discern below about the 6lb range or so anyways. Also the bigger the bait the less they're apt to see the line.
I still have 6lb yo-zuri for my really light spinning/drop shot/ Ned rig rod tho. It has it's place for sure but when it comes to single hooks braid is king.
alright fish heads, i got a question. went and fished the local honey hole today, every time i go there i always get over 10 fish all decent size its awesome, but thats not the point! i took a few pics and looking back now i noticed something...
this one has spikes on the back and longer fins
while this one has no spikes and rounder fins
anyone know what this means? is it the sex of the fish? or could it be the age even? not sure how i haven't noticed this before but I'm just curious and can't find anything about it
seanwhitealright fish heads, i got a question. went and fished the local honey hole today, every time i go there i always get over 10 fish all decent size its awesome, but thats not the point! i took a few pics and looking back now i noticed something...
this one has spikes on the back and longer fins
while this one has no spikes and rounder fins
anyone know what this means? is it the sex of the fish? or could it be the age even? not sure how i haven't noticed this before but I'm just curious and can't find anything about it
To ne it just looks like the dorsal fin (spikes) are layed down in the one picture. As for the fin shape its just genetics and no 2 fish will be exactly the same
yeah some bass will have their fins down, some will be spiked up like that. some will be bigger than others like fred bear said none are exactly the same. Nice bass though man! Any bigggggins in there you know of?
Fred_BearTo ne it just looks like the dorsal fin (spikes) are layed down in the one picture. As for the fin shape its just genetics and no 2 fish will be exactly the same
hmmm interesting, thanks for the reply guys! i feel like i catch a lot more fish without spikes than ones that do but who knows. something I'm gonna be looking for in the future, i wanna get as many pics as possible of fish i get this year and get a little montage going at the end
.frenchyyeah some bass will have their fins down, some will be spiked up like that. some will be bigger than others like fred bear said none are exactly the same. Nice bass though man! Any bigggggins in there you know of?
my biggest there is around 3-4 pounds id say, iv talked to people who have said they've seen some around 7-8 which wouldn't surprise me because its a big lake. i wanna get a boat out there so bad but its in a private neighbor hood with a security guard so sometimes it turns into a stealth mission going there. pain in the ass but its always worth it!
nice bass huck. just dinks lately for me, saw some 4-5 pounders today on beds on my lake, not even interest by them, both male and females were on them it seemed, once they lay the eggs im gonna slam the female and show yall how big this toad is
Went out Thursday for like 2 hours with light tackle and caught every freakin' dink in the pond I was on. It was an awesome afternoon. Caught the biggest crappie I've ever seen and a bunch of fat perch too. No big bass tho.
Went out Friday and couldn't catch a whiff all day. Well, one bite that was so big it broke me off, but that doesn't count for shit. I'll go back in a few weeks when the spawn is over.
Saturday same. Not even a fish fart detected.
Sunday the sun came out and the fatties were sunning themselves in the shallows and slurping panfish all over. It was *this* close to being frog O'clock. It was glorious and totally redeemed the other shitty days.
seanwhitemy biggest there is around 3-4 pounds id say, iv talked to people who have said they've seen some around 7-8 which wouldn't surprise me because its a big lake. i wanna get a boat out there so bad but its in a private neighbor hood with a security guard so sometimes it turns into a stealth mission going there. pain in the ass but its always worth it!
finally got caught there and made the naughty list... guard took down my info let me go and gave me a verbal warning that said if this becomes a repetitive issue then cops will be involved.
pisses me off how most ponds around my area you either have to pay to get in or they are private ponds for the people who live there, even though most people will never fish them a day in their life. over this shit
almost caught a snake bite yesterday, turned around and this big mother fucker a few feet away from me and i had no idea. my beautifully drawn arrows are at its head and tail definitely got my heart going
seanwhitefinally got caught there and made the naughty list... guard took down my info let me go and gave me a verbal warning that said if this becomes a repetitive issue then cops will be involved.
pisses me off how most ponds around my area you either have to pay to get in or they are private ponds for the people who live there, even though most people will never fish them a day in their life. over this shit
Been a while since I've participated in this forum but getting excited for some action this year.
Nothing to share now except for a PSA; if any of you guys have friends that work at bike shops, I would get in touch and find out what deals they can get you that end on May 10th.
That's all I'm going to post here, feel free to pm me for clarification as long as it doesn't end up being disseminated publicly.
I keep thinking about entering a tourney but it would have to be a kayak tournament. I still only borrow my buddy's boat but he is going for Quabbin tags so that means it can ONLY be used for Quabbin.
I feel like I'd get smoked not having electronics or a livewell otherwise.
yeah he told me i really need to join a bass club since i got no boat, you can always do the same Huck and fish from back of the boat, thats how mike iaconelli started his career, he won a bass boat being a co-angler and his uncle had to come and tow the boat back for him lolll
lol at dingo in NSG saying bass fishing is either "trolling" from a bass boat (who the fck does that??) or sitting on the edge of a lake with a 30rack.... lol I don't do either of those
Huck_NorrisI'd love to do that but honestly don't even know where to start or how any of it works.
there are literally bass clubs all over the place dude and a ton in MA, you'd probably fish my home lake congamond too. since you dont have a bass boat you'd be a co-angler in tournaments and can still win money or even a boat to start your career if you actually want to get into tournament fishing
.frenchythere are literally bass clubs all over the place dude and a ton in MA, you'd probably fish my home lake congamond too. since you dont have a bass boat you'd be a co-angler in tournaments and can still win money or even a boat to start your career if you actually want to get into tournament fishing
That's funny. North pond on the Cong is a nice spot. Def pulled some meat outta that place before.
I will have to look into it. Maybe I'll be ready for that next year or I can talk my boat buddy into it before he seals the boat
Fred_BearIm buying a new spinning rod looking for 7 - 7'2, medium, fast or ef In the 120-150 range. Some one tell me to get one of the following:
Fenwick elite tech
abu garcia ike
daiwa tatula
Shimano crucial
St croix rage
Or convince me of something else
Of the given options, I'd go Crucial. The green/cork new models are really nice. Their MXFs are pretty sick- but I feel like they're more expensive than the range listed- like $180ish iirc? Honestly though, if you're looking for a nice rod my best advice is to save up and get a 13 Envy. They are right around $225-250, which I know is absolutely a ton to spend on a rod- That said, if you are looking to invest in a really nice rod you'll have forever, I feel a $100-$150 rod generally does not give a very good return for the money. It kind of just scratches the surface in terms of what you'll want back out of it, and you'll probably sell it sooner than later. I know because I did the same thing- dicked around with "expensive-side entry level" rods and was never really satisfied by any of them.
I had one of the all-black Crucial in MHXF that was too stiff through the tip and I couldn't stand the EVA grips personally. They deformed under load and it did not jive with my grip in a fight. The newer ones are nicer but still- I feel you get far more component wise with the Envys and especially in a spinning package. I've also had a 13 Omen Green which was much of the same as the crucial- too broomsticky- and a smattering of rods available for $80-150 off teh rack at DSG... None of them really had it all. Sparks of brilliance here and there but nothing blew my skirt up for the amount of cash I had into them.
Then came the Envy. I got a MLXF spinning rod and let me tell you- lightyears ahead of other rods in the price range. The blanks have such a nice progressive flex to them that they really handle baits throughout their full weight ratings just fucking magnificently, no chucking shit into the water 5 feet in front of you lol... Just a nice tip that loads quickly and lots of backbone, crisp and sensitive as hell and light as a feather. They also have titanium recoil guides- which are the lightest, most durable and most sensitive you can even buy. Normally you don't see recoils until you get up to NRX etc. level- and those are double the money of an Envy. They have sexy details like molded grips, carbon fiber-like handle wraps and great fit up. They are incredibly comfortable and well balanced, and I've yet to handle an Envy I didn't fucking love. They look, act and feel like a rod that is twice the price. I know this because I also own an NRX(got it used), and honestly when that breaks I am turning in the Wildcard warranty for a brad new one, selling it BNIP and buying 2 Envys. No joke. They are 90+% of the rod for less than 50% of the price. Now I have a HXF Envy casting rod too and it's every bit as amazing as their spinning rods- just a constant joy to use and to own. As crazy as it is to say, the Envys are a relative bargain for what they are. They blew the $180 Crucials out of the water for me. It wasn't even close.
So yeah, sorry for the rant but If you're at the point where you want something NICE, don't go 75% of the way. You will probably regret it down the road. That's not to say that you won't enjoy a rod in the $150 range at all, there are plenty of good options- I'm just saying with a little more patience you really can have it all.
Huck_NorrisOf the given options, I'd go Crucial. The green/cork new models are really nice. Their MXFs are pretty sick- but I feel like they're more expensive than the range listed- like $180ish iirc? Honestly though, if you're looking for a nice rod my best advice is to save up and get a 13 Envy. They are right around $225-250, which I know is absolutely a ton to spend on a rod- That said, if you are looking to invest in a really nice rod you'll have forever, I feel a $100-$150 rod generally does not give a very good return for the money. It kind of just scratches the surface in terms of what you'll want back out of it, and you'll probably sell it sooner than later. I know because I did the same thing- dicked around with "expensive-side entry level" rods and was never really satisfied by any of them.
I had one of the all-black Crucial in MHXF that was too stiff through the tip and I couldn't stand the EVA grips personally. They deformed under load and it did not jive with my grip in a fight. The newer ones are nicer but still- I feel you get far more component wise with the Envys and especially in a spinning package. I've also had a 13 Omen Green which was much of the same as the crucial- too broomsticky- and a smattering of rods available for $80-150 off teh rack at DSG... None of them really had it all. Sparks of brilliance here and there but nothing blew my skirt up for the amount of cash I had into them.
Then came the Envy. I got a MLXF spinning rod and let me tell you- lightyears ahead of other rods in the price range. The blanks have such a nice progressive flex to them that they really handle baits throughout their full weight ratings just fucking magnificently, no chucking shit into the water 5 feet in front of you lol... Just a nice tip that loads quickly and lots of backbone, crisp and sensitive as hell and light as a feather. They also have titanium recoil guides- which are the lightest, most durable and most sensitive you can even buy. Normally you don't see recoils until you get up to NRX etc. level- and those are double the money of an Envy. They have sexy details like molded grips, carbon fiber-like handle wraps and great fit up. They are incredibly comfortable and well balanced, and I've yet to handle an Envy I didn't fucking love. They look, act and feel like a rod that is twice the price. I know this because I also own an NRX(got it used), and honestly when that breaks I am turning in the Wildcard warranty for a brad new one, selling it BNIP and buying 2 Envys. No joke. They are 90+% of the rod for less than 50% of the price. Now I have a HXF Envy casting rod too and it's every bit as amazing as their spinning rods- just a constant joy to use and to own. As crazy as it is to say, the Envys are a relative bargain for what they are. They blew the $180 Crucials out of the water for me. It wasn't even close.
So yeah, sorry for the rant but If you're at the point where you want something NICE, don't go 75% of the way. You will probably regret it down the road. That's not to say that you won't enjoy a rod in the $150 range at all, there are plenty of good options- I'm just saying with a little more patience you really can have it all.
Just my .02
Fuck this is gonna be hard to respond to in mobile haha.
Ya i know i said 150 but i still listed several rods over that haha. I held the new crucials yesterday and holy sexy. I love shimanos rods (best bang for your buck imo) but seriously fuck them for switching to 1 year warranty. A lifetime warranty is a huge deciding factor for me.
Ive never tried a 13 rod, but for some reason ive always had a generally negative attitude towards them. It might be because the 2 biggest douchebag fishermen i know are "sponsored" by them. But i also just dont get the half cork half eva grips, and i dont find the reel seats all that comfy compared to others. I also have never seen an envy at a store around here to even look at.
After using my friends gloomis rods i will never in my life buy one. So far overpriced, shitty plastic reel seats, and they dont even tell you what kind of graphite is used in the blanks.... id take my $150 elite tech and crucial over my friends imx rods any day. And although not as overpriced as gloomis, st croix is kinda the same way as well.
I also wonder at what point is all the ultra fancy components uneeded? Like at what point will you feel every single bite and get everything you need out of a rod instead of spending an extra $50-100? Will you catch the same amount of fish over your lifetime if you used a $100 rod vs a $650 megabass rod? I just dont know but i get curious and wary seeing the majority of pro bass fishermen use $120 - 180 rods. If you have the capability to get the top of the line rods for that brand why the hell wouldnt you? Maybe its all a marketing thing idk, but if thise rods are good enough to put thousands of dollars on the line with do i really need anything more? I just have a hard time justifying $200 + on a fishing rod.
Also cabelas doesnt carry the envy and id prefer to purchase it there, i have over $100 in cabelas bucks for spending so much money there. But i also just sold a trolling motor for 225 so maybe ill treat myself....
I hope that doesnt come across as criticizing your expense rod purchases because i really am not meaning it to. For all i know its totally worth spending that much ( as long as its not a gloomis).
Fred_BearFuck this is gonna be hard to respond to in mobile haha.
Ya i know i said 150 but i still listed several rods over that haha. I held the new crucials yesterday and holy sexy. I love shimanos rods (best bang for your buck imo) but seriously fuck them for switching to 1 year warranty. A lifetime warranty is a huge deciding factor for me.
Ive never tried a 13 rod, but for some reason ive always had a generally negative attitude towards them. It might be because the 2 biggest douchebag fishermen i know are "sponsored" by them. But i also just dont get the half cork half eva grips, and i dont find the reel seats all that comfy compared to others. I also have never seen an envy at a store around here to even look at.
After using my friends gloomis rods i will never in my life buy one. So far overpriced, shitty plastic reel seats, and they dont even tell you what kind of graphite is used in the blanks.... id take my $150 elite tech and crucial over my friends imx rods any day. And although not as overpriced as gloomis, st croix is kinda the same way as well.
I also wonder at what point is all the ultra fancy components uneeded? Like at what point will you feel every single bite and get everything you need out of a rod instead of spending an extra $50-100? Will you catch the same amount of fish over your lifetime if you used a $100 rod vs a $650 megabass rod? I just dont know but i get curious and wary seeing the majority of pro bass fishermen use $120 - 180 rods. If you have the capability to get the top of the line rods for that brand why the hell wouldnt you? Maybe its all a marketing thing idk, but if thise rods are good enough to put thousands of dollars on the line with do i really need anything more? I just have a hard time justifying $200 + on a fishing rod.
Also cabelas doesnt carry the envy and id prefer to purchase it there, i have over $100 in cabelas bucks for spending so much money there. But i also just sold a trolling motor for 225 so maybe ill treat myself....
I hope that doesnt come across as criticizing your expense rod purchases because i really am not meaning it to. For all i know its totally worth spending that much ( as long as its not a gloomis).
Oh no, not at all. I totally understand how crazy it is that we're discussing $200 fishing rods.
Ah, that sucks having a negative association like that but I know those feels. I also think the IMX and pretty much any Loomis rod besides the NRX was kind of crap- and even the NRX is insanely overpriced for what it is. I only got mine because it was for a killer deal used AND came with the Wildcard so I'd be able to flip a brand new one down the road someday and make money/up my gear after fishing a sick rod for a while. Pure investment so yes I totally feel you on that one.
As far as the fancy components, some of it is total bullshit cosmetics stuff for sure but some of it is super legit and that's why I am so gay for the Envys. I don't give a fuck what kind of hook keeper something has, nor do I really care about a lot of the pretty shit companies are doing nowadays. Guides though, make a HUGE difference. The lighter the guide the more rearward the balance can be in the rod, as it will have less tip weight. The better the balance point is for your desired grip, the ore effortless your casting and action imparted will be, and if you fish a lot that does make a big difference. A properly balanced rod is a mind blower. Also in the case of recoils (my fave) they are all titanium, so the amount of feeling they transmit is easily felt over many others- a tangible amount of sensitivity increase for sure.
IMO the money you're talking about is already big money for a rod IMO and "normal people" will already think you're fucking crazy. I was simply speaking of the point of diminishing returns. For me that was smack dab at $250, and solely for Envys because of their exact mix of components. At $150 I didn't feel I was getting $150's worth of rod and that included the cheaper 13s. At $250 with an Envy though, I felt as though I was fishing a rod that was far more expensive, and spending more would get me 0 added value. It didn't fall short in any area, and actually continues to impress me every time I use it. THAT is worth it to me. I hope that makes a little more sense. When I got a middle of the road rod I felt like I was making a compromise when I fished it, and I didn't like having spent what I thought was a lot of money and not being satisfied with the performance, whereas the more expensive rod I somehow still felt as though I was getting a crazy deal because every aspect of it just oozed with the form and function I was looking for- or even exceeded it.
So yes and no. Yes it's insane to blow big $$ on gear in any sport... But if you're going to do it because that's what matters to you, definitely get exactly what you want whether it's an Envy or ON3Ps. If you're down to spend $180 on a rod, $225 shouldn't sound insane if it gives you a lot more. Also 13 has a great warranty dept, and I've had awesome experiences every time I've called. I dunno, everybody is different but man, I sure did blow a bunch of money and time before I found my comfort zone.
So anyways, happy shopping man! It's the most nerve wracking thing ever buying a rod because it is what it is and there's no changing it. Reels you can change bearings, spools, etc and cast a damn Zebco over the moon... Rods you either bought the right one or you didn't. It's stressful and exciting all at the same time haha- first world problems. Gotta love 'em!
Huck_NorrisOh no, not at all. I totally understand how crazy it is that we're discussing $200 fishing rods.
Ah, that sucks having a negative association like that but I know those feels. I also think the IMX and pretty much any Loomis rod besides the NRX was kind of crap- and even the NRX is insanely overpriced for what it is. I only got mine because it was for a killer deal used AND came with the Wildcard so I'd be able to flip a brand new one down the road someday and make money/up my gear after fishing a sick rod for a while. Pure investment so yes I totally feel you on that one.
As far as the fancy components, some of it is total bullshit cosmetics stuff for sure but some of it is super legit and that's why I am so gay for the Envys. I don't give a fuck what kind of hook keeper something has, nor do I really care about a lot of the pretty shit companies are doing nowadays. Guides though, make a HUGE difference. The lighter the guide the more rearward the balance can be in the rod, as it will have less tip weight. The better the balance point is for your desired grip, the ore effortless your casting and action imparted will be, and if you fish a lot that does make a big difference. A properly balanced rod is a mind blower. Also in the case of recoils (my fave) they are all titanium, so the amount of feeling they transmit is easily felt over many others- a tangible amount of sensitivity increase for sure.
IMO the money you're talking about is already big money for a rod IMO and "normal people" will already think you're fucking crazy. I was simply speaking of the point of diminishing returns. For me that was smack dab at $250, and solely for Envys because of their exact mix of components. At $150 I didn't feel I was getting $150's worth of rod and that included the cheaper 13s. At $250 with an Envy though, I felt as though I was fishing a rod that was far more expensive, and spending more would get me 0 added value. It didn't fall short in any area, and actually continues to impress me every time I use it. THAT is worth it to me. I hope that makes a little more sense. When I got a middle of the road rod I felt like I was making a compromise when I fished it, and I didn't like having spent what I thought was a lot of money and not being satisfied with the performance, whereas the more expensive rod I somehow still felt as though I was getting a crazy deal because every aspect of it just oozed with the form and function I was looking for- or even exceeded it.
So yes and no. Yes it's insane to blow big $$ on gear in any sport... But if you're going to do it because that's what matters to you, definitely get exactly what you want whether it's an Envy or ON3Ps. If you're down to spend $180 on a rod, $225 shouldn't sound insane if it gives you a lot more. Also 13 has a great warranty dept, and I've had awesome experiences every time I've called. I dunno, everybody is different but man, I sure did blow a bunch of money and time before I found my comfort zone.
So anyways, happy shopping man! It's the most nerve wracking thing ever buying a rod because it is what it is and there's no changing it. Reels you can change bearings, spools, etc and cast a damn Zebco over the moon... Rods you either bought the right one or you didn't. It's stressful and exciting all at the same time haha- first world problems. Gotta love 'em!
Im just really hesitant about the envy because i cant physically hold one since no stores around ne have them and im picky about my reel seats. Im not really thrilled about the omen reel seat/grips so that makes me nervous since they look similar.
Ive decided im willing to spend a little more on this rod since im gonna use it for spybaiting and everything i read says dont cheap out on a rod for that technique. One im thinking hard about is the fenwick aetos, it has titanium guides and a super minimal reel seat dropping even more weight. I agree about the balance of the rod being inportant, fishing a tournament for 8 hours tour arms can get pretty damn tired.
Cabelas didnt have nuch if a selection for high end rods. It was either the aetos or a st croix or gloomis and to be honest the aetos felt a hell of a lot better than the st croix legend tournament rods.
Idk what im gonna do. Guess i might have to make a little drive somewhere to check out more rods
4 pounds 2oz today on a bed, took 45 minutes to get and 5 lure choices... man I had to work hard lol. caught with 4lb test on ultra light because i was bored lol
Today was opener for fishing in mn. Was kinda slow fish were all over the place... it was kinda right inbetween primetime prespawn and spawn. Caught a 4 pounder but she was full of eggs and ready to go so i just put her back tight away no pics.
But i saw this toothy monster just chillin in the shallows. Set my jig right on his nose and he smacked it right away. Was interesting landing him alone without a net haha
I apologize for blinding you with my white as fuck arm. Hasnt really been sunny around these parts much
