Setting up for freshies?

[Steve]

Ok, I took the plunge and bought a couple little rigs for the freshies. I seeme to have forgotten that there are fish in the ponds and rivers.
So without breaking the bank, and knowing rigs will be lost, what's good?
What are the basics for a freshie box?
Need some spinners, cranks, worms, etc.....
Right?

The plan is to start with the local lakes, fairly large, bout a mile long and 300 yards wide.
Dunno' what is in there....

[fish-aholic]

Depends on what you actually want to fish for and where you want to fish for them from. And without breaking the bank???? Then I would suggest some spinners, a couple shallow crankbaits, worms, grubs and tubes. Make sure you have some topwater, there is nothing more exciting than watching a bass shred a topwater at dusk or dawn. Don't forget hooks (I typically keep 1/0 hooks in the bottom of my box) assorted split shot sinkers, bobbers and bell sinkers up to 1oz. I keep ultralite and med action rods handy whenever I'm fishing freshwater. Ultralite I spool with 4lb test Med Action I spool with 8lb or 12lb depending on what I'm fishing for with it. If I'm casting artificials, I'll use 8lb if I'm bottom fishing, jigging or drifting a minnow I'll use 12lb test.

[chomper]

You gonna use your yak Steve Sounds like that lake deserves a good troll..... 8)

One of my favorite freshwater baits is the ol nightcrawler. Not worms , nightcrawlers. Their free lately.... I was taught by a ol timer around here, to take a needle and inflate the nightcrawler about 2x normal size. Then drag it across the bottom slowly.... or minnows on a free run live line stlye....always catch somthing that way... :mrgreen:

[mdram]

small jig heads, 1/16, 1/8 oz for crappy and blue gill.
maybe some buzzbaits, jitterbugs, poppers
oh the list is endless, lol

[Steve]

Thanks guys, yeah, I will toss my yak in and work where I can't reach from shore. There is an island in the middle I can kick back on. I know another way to get nighties, two copper spikes on a damp night, drive 'em in the ground, attach 120 volt and they start wiggling out of the ground en masse. Wonder if that still works with all the new-fangled circuit breakers installed?
Alright, I' head to BPS and hit their sale bins, lots of Rapalas, Mepps, etc for a buck or two.

[mdram]

[quote user="Steve" post="5257"]Thanks guys, yeah, I will toss my yak in and work where I can't reach from shore. There is an island in the middle I can kick back on. I know another way to get nighties, two copper spikes on a damp night, drive 'em in the ground, attach 120 volt and they start wiggling out of the ground en masse. Wonder if that still works with all the new-fangled circuit breakers installed?
Alright, I' head to BPS and hit their sale bins, lots of Rapalas, Mepps, etc for a buck or two.[/quote]

ive done that elec thing for crawlers too, lol. fun isnt it!

[Steve]

Last I saw it done was my grandfather saying "watch this", way too long ago.
It works good on getting kids out of bed for school too.
Harharharhar, kidding.....
Seriously, cattle prods are easier to use on the kids than running all those wires....

[Randy Stinchcomb]

my $.02.....most of the freshwater Bass I've caught over the years were on "purple worms" rigged Carolina style and 3/8 oz brown & black pig 'n jigs

[Steve]

Ok, so what do Bass taste like in the saltwater arena?

[Randy Stinchcomb]

got me, all* the Bass I've caught wether it be fresh or tidal waters were released

* except one citation largemouth caught at Liberty resvor in 1980

also of note, I've caught alot of tidal Bass on the Potomac river, near DC. all on "fire tiger" crank baits and I would not ever eat anything outta' that river

[ocsnapper]

It's been a while for me to say but just some good eating(white, flaky, juicy and good to eat and catch)To say it taste like something is hard to say..........It would be like telling someone what fish does a rock taste like. just one of those fish that has a taste of there own.

[mdram]

i dont think ive kepy any freshwater fish since i was a kid. and then it was very few.

[trowpa]

OK - I'm a big fan of finding what works for you, your local waters and your fishing style - then keeping the number of lures/rigs to a minimum - learning how to use them effectively. Keeps you more mobile if you're fishing the shore, and keeps your wallet fatter. So here is what works for me..

Fly fishing (trout): I've been able to narrow down to about a dozen or so flies that cover every type of trout fishing I do. Of those dozen - mostly stick to the following 6: Dry: Adams, light cahill Nymph: an unamed patttern i designed myself made of Mink ;) and a woolybugger fished as a nymph (dead drift) Streamer: My own variation of a black nosed dace and a mickey finn

Spinning (bass mostly): This is where mostly ignore the "bass crowd" I don't mess with the huge amounts of crankbaits, spinner baits, worms, etc etc etc. I use 75% spinnners (Rooster tails, Thomas, mepps) 25% rapalas. I find I can *almost* always catch fish with the right size/color spinner or rapala.

Bait fishing: I haven't done that in a few years - but I used to use minows (Fatheads or shiners) and power bait (If I used nightcrawlers, I had to deal with too many panfish, turtles, etc). FOr Catfish, nothing beats rancid chicken livers - get them free from your local butcher/grocer - and let them sit in the sun all day - then hold your nose as you bait your hook. Use a freshwater variation of a fishfinder rig) - throw it out in a catfish loooking spot on the river, sit back and have a beer

[Steve]

Ahhhh, catfishing.....
I remember long ago catfishing at night. Quiet river with a little fire going and a cooler of beer.
I'll head to BPS Monday, got lots of good stuff on sale including the canvas arm chairs for 5 bucks.

[esoxangler]

Steve,

I'm a big bait/big fish guy. Something that nobody throws is a double tandem muskie bucktail, Mepps marabou is the best. These babies are 8 1/2" long. Bass will hammer them!!!!

Fin-s-fish. Get the 5 1/4" size. Use a 5/0 ewg gammie hook. Do not overlook the 7" size

Topwater frogs

Senkos in the 5" size. You can either wacky worm them or texas righ them on those 5/0 ewg's

Buzzbaits

spinnerbaits, 1/2 ounce or bigger