Let's talk fishing!

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Ok, so I haven't fished in god knows how long. When I was a kid, that's all I seemed to do. Now that I'm an adult and have the funds to get back into it, I don't even know where to begin. As a young pup, it was whatever my dad had in his tackle box or whatever I could dig up.

So what are some of the things one needs to know when buying lures. I see the prices on them are substantially than when I was younger.

Are power bait worms still a thing? Do they work well?

What other types of things should one buy?
 
Freshwater and from a boat



Thanks I'll take a look

A few Mepps spinners, a couple Rapala top water bAits, and some 5-6" rubber worms (senkos) will catch most fish around here. No need to spend a fortune, although those Rapalas aren't cheap any more.
 
The fish haven't changed much since you were a kid [grin]

Although I have many more, these are what I use 95% of the time in freshwater:

Left to right: rubber worm (usually senko), Strike King Swim Jig w/ a Berkley Powerbait Chigger Craw, Rapala Crankbait (I have caught 5 species in one day on this one lure), kastmaster (multiple sizes & colors), spoon, Mepps #3 spinner.

freshlures_zpsesll2zsi.jpg


ETA: I consider this a decent selection when budget is a concern because I don't spend much on freshwater gear. I usually bring 4 freshwater rods and reels on the kayak and those don't add up to one of my saltwater reels.
 
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I like Savage Gear Armor Tube for worms. They also make some killer crank baits and jerk baits. Pretty much everything in their line up is great. A "newer" trend if you've been out of it a while is big swim baits . You'll need a swim bait rod and a good bait caster . The expression "big baits equal big fish" holds true in fresh water too.

https://www.savagegear-usa.com
 
I just started fishing with my kids (ages 6,4,4). I know nothing and we catch nothing
unless we fish the stocked pond at my g.club. It's fun though.
Our biggest challenge is finding accesible spots, that are reasonably easy for kids to fish, where we might actually catch something. It's also possible that I'm just doing it all wrong.

The lure info is very helpful.
 
I just started fishing with my kids (ages 6,4,4). I know nothing and we catch nothing
unless we fish the stocked pond at my g.club. It's fun though.
Our biggest challenge is finding accesible spots, that are reasonably easy for kids to fish, where we might actually catch something. It's also possible that I'm just doing it all wrong.

The lure info is very helpful.

For kids that young you need a bobber, crawlers and small hooks. Find a dock or area close to shore and catch sunfish ! They'll love it. At that age it's about catching anything , they won't care if it isn't a 5# LMB !
 
For kids that young you need a bobber, crawlers and small hooks. Find a dock or area close to shore and catch sunfish ! They'll love it. At that age it's about catching anything , they won't care if it isn't a 5# LMB !

hes right... My five year old can catch sunfish after sunfish and never get bored. That and snacks... Gotta have snacks for the kiddos.
 
Poke around with this depth chart and look for drop offs, ledges, points, rock piles, and weed mats at the lakes/ponds you want to fish.

http://webapp.navionics.com/

Lure-wise, everything already said will catch you fish. My personal favorite is topwater lures. Any style will work with the right action, and I like black or clear for colors.

Also, throw a hook and bobber with a night crawler or shiner and let it sit off the opposite side of the boat. Its pretty exciting when you notice your bobber is moving around...or gone.

Take your time experimenting with styles colors and techniques, and enjoy yourself.
 
Obie's been busy. You've got some good advice so far. The first thing you need to determine is where you want to (or can) fish and what you want to fish for. You'll need different equipment for stream fishing for trout than you will for lake fishing for bass or ocean fishing for stripers. There are two ways to approach anything new, and they are not mutually exclusive--find a friend who is knowledgeable and will teach you, or do lots of research (the first is usually easier). What bodies of water are in your area? Look them up on the web--you'll be surprised how much info you can find. Pick up a few fishing magazines. If you really want to get serious, join a local bass club and learn from the back of someone else's boat.
You should probably start out with a decent spinning rod and reel--plan on about $150 for the pair. If you buy too cheap, you will be replacing it soon. The lures recommended above are great; I'd add in a few spinner baits if you are going to fish for bass. Look up Texas rigging. Practice casting in your yard. Buy a 60K bassboat and you're on your way.
Narrow it down a little and we'll give suggestions.
 
hes right... My five year old can catch sunfish after sunfish and never get bored. That and snacks... Gotta have snacks for the kiddos.
And you use live bait, i.e. worms? So far we can't even find sunfish, but I assume that is due to the cold temps.
 
I just started fishing with my kids (ages 6,4,4). I know nothing and we catch nothing
unless we fish the stocked pond at my g.club. It's fun though.
Our biggest challenge is finding accesible spots, that are reasonably easy for kids to fish, where we might actually catch something. It's also possible that I'm just doing it all wrong.

The lure info is very helpful.

The west side of Dug Pond in Natick is SUPER accessable for kiddies. It's stocked with trout, too, and there are plenty of sunfish. I fish along the Natick High side of things and do pretty well.
 
I just started fishing with my kids (ages 6,4,4). I know nothing and we catch nothing
unless we fish the stocked pond at my g.club. It's fun though.
Our biggest challenge is finding accesible spots, that are reasonably easy for kids to fish, where we might actually catch something. It's also possible that I'm just doing it all wrong.

The lure info is very helpful.

You location says you are in metro-west so the first place that comes to mind is Five Mile pond which is on Boston Road across from Casa D Nannas. You can catch trout from shore and other species from shore. It is stocked with trout and there is a boat ramp. I would suggest live bait and-or power bait usually works.

Not the best area though.

Here is a listing of ponds that should help with some ideas:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/maps-destinations/state-pond-maps.html

Here is a some trout stocking information.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/hunting-fishing-wildlife-watching/fishing/trout-stocking-schedule.html

Pond maps can be found here:

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/maps-destinations/pond-maps-central-district.html


South pond in Sturbridge/Brimfield has always been a favorite. You can fish from shore on the beach or launch a boat. Power bait from shore will usually rustle up a few trout.

I hope that this helps.

Bob
 
A few Mepps spinners, a couple Rapala top water bAits, and some 5-6" rubber worms (senkos) will catch most fish around here. No need to spend a fortune, although those Rapalas aren't cheap any more.

Big bait, big fish. My minimun is 9" on rubber worms Texas style. Be ready for a fight. I buy Mann's grape with orange firetail. Catches fish all season.
 
So sorry if I'm cutting into this thread but I didn't see any other threads with any answers to my reel question. I usually fish in fresh water /fly gear. Now, it seems I have the spinning bug again ,I'm looking at low priced reels . . .pflueger president,Mitchell #308pro-c , quantam nitrous ? I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with any of these ? I do have an eagle claw 6'6" med light rod that feels very nice ,and would like to mate it with something under $70 .Ideas ?
 
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So sorry if I'm cutting into this thread but I didn't see any other threads with any answers to my reel question. I usually fish in fresh water /fly gear. Now, it seems I have the spinning bug again ,I'm looking at low priced reels . . .pflueger president,Mitchell #308pro-c , quantam nitrous ? I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with any of these ? I do have an eagle claw 6'6" med light rod that feels very nice ,and would like to mate it with something under $70 .Ideas ?

I'm an Abu Garcia fan. Check out the bargain cave at Cabela's in the back corner. I've seen some very nice reels in there for well under $70.
 
So sorry if I'm cutting into this thread but I didn't see any other threads with any answers to my reel question. I usually fish in fresh water /fly gear. Now, it seems I have the spinning bug again ,I'm looking at low priced reels . . .pflueger president,Mitchell #308pro-c , quantam nitrous ? I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with any of these ? I do have an eagle claw 6'6" med light rod that feels very nice ,and would like to mate it with something under $70 .Ideas ?
Buy what you can afford. I've caught many bass that went over 6lbs on a cheap shimano I bought a Colmans when I was a kid. It lasted years, and I bet I could dig it up and still use it.
 
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For short money, I like the Pflueger President. They can be found in most places that sell fishing gear.
 
Are power bait worms still a thing? Do they work well?
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Worms will always work! my favorite trout setup is a blown nightcrawler off the bottom... 6-10" leader tied to a swivel, on the other side of the swivel (mainline) thread your sinker.... inflate the worm with a worm blower and make sure it floats!
Floating-Worm-Rig.jpg
 
When I'm not shooting, I'm fishing! And this time of year, I hit the lake before I hit the range. When I have my kids in tow, it's a pack of live worms rigged with small hooks on a bobber. At any lake around here they can catch panfish for hours.

My most successful baits are small rapala minnows, and rubber worms (NE bass seem to really like pumpkin seed colored worms). The small rapala minnow is easy to fish, and I've caught just about every species of fish on one. The rubber worms catch bigger fish. I rig one whacky or Texas style depending on the weed cover. Cast it to a likely spot, and let it sink. Most of the time a bass will take it on the initial drop, if not, a couple jerks on the rod tip and let it sink again. If there's a bass around they can't resist.

Me yesterday from my kayak...

image.jpeg
 
So I have been out fishing a few times with my wife and kids over the last few weeks. Wtf is with all the fishing related garbage. There was so much cut line at one place today (Burges Pond, Westford) that my son got stuck in it. Very little stewardship shown for sure. It's too bad.
Btw, I still can't seem to catch anything consistently. I'm definitely losing credibility with my kids. But, it seems my wife realized that she loves fishing. Pretty cool.
Also saw a sign stating that lead weights under an ounce aren't permitted. Didn't catch the date; is this new?
 
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