Beginners Kit

[Gringo Pescador]

OK, I know this information is all probably laying around in one forum or another but I admit, I am a little lazy and hoping to maybe help others as well as myself by putting it all in one spot.

I was born a worm fisherman. Trout, carp, bluegill, bullheads etc. As a teenager I taught myself spinners for trout and bait for channel cats as well as dabbling a little with fly fishing. As an adult I added Salmon, Stergeon, and a couple Walleye outings to the mix.

What I really know nothing about is bass, and I want to change that this year.

I have a canoe, and bought a little pontoon off Craigslist last fall, so those are what I will be fishing from.

So, what I am asking for is to help build me a beginners kit. If it is possible I would like to try and keep it to $200.00 or less.

This is what I am thinking for my starter kit.

*Rod & baitcaster reel - keep in mind, I have never thrown a baitcaster before.
*Line
*A Book - Something explaining behavior, what to use when, and maybe pictures of different setups (Carolina? Texas?).
*And like 5 different lures - spinner? crank? topwater? swimbait?, etc.

And since I learn better by doing, I am always looking for teachers.

[gpc]

Oh man Gringo, you know my bass knowledge is limited at best, but I still hit up the bass a few times a year. Just about every time I target these guys I stick to the basics. Plastics are probally what I use the most. Just some curly tail grubs in all diffrent colors and worms. Then get some salamanders, craws and frogs. Just for when you are fishing a lake that you know holds this type of bait so you can "match the hatch"


Get some bullet weights, (all diffrent sizes) 1/0, 2/0, and 3/0 hooks, and a bunch of diffent sizes of jig heads, diffrent colors too if. But I always just use plain lead.


Get some Rapala original floating plus this will also kill them. Plus when worked right these can also be used as top water plugs. I also like the plugs made by Bomber and hot lips work well too.

I hate braided line but in certain situations its a must, make sure the pole you have the braid on has stainless guides, otherwise the braid will rip it to bits. And with braid get some flourocarbon leader. Other wise get some trielene XT in 10lb test.

But when all else fails the good ol' fashon worm and bobber will always put you on some bass

[kzoo]

You can still use spincasts for bass fishing, hell you can use a cane pole if you want to lol, actually people in Florida still use can poles catching big bass with golden shinners. The applications will be limited if your fishing heavy vegetation.

If your planning of fishing for largemouth I would suggest the following five lures.

Plastics - worms, try using senkos they are a do nothing lure that kills the bass.
Spinnerbaits - for active fish.
Crankbaits - for active or for a reactive fish
jig-n-pig - for the bigger bass bite
top waters - some sort of pop-r.

The thing with bass fishing there are so many different ways of catching them, but you need to figure out what to use at what time and where.

I would honestly stick with a senko or some sort of plastic, just keep it simple and build confidence in a lure first then broaden your horizon.

[kzoo]

If you're serious about getting a baitcaster rig, I prefer shimanos, but if the budget is limited try looking at Bass pro, they have combos for reasonable price.

For line, try using 12lb mono.

Where are you planning on fishing? If you fish Green lake, I can show you some tips, there are bass at Green lake.

[dilbert]

This is the best rigging guide I have seen for soft plastics.
Yamamoto Rigging Instructions
Go to pages 19, 20, & 21

[dilbert]

Books...

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/Forum/vi ... .php?t=330

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/Forum/vi ... .php?t=330

[The Quadfather]

Great photo articles Dilbert, I cut/pasted those things myself.

[Anonymous]

Hook up with a bass guy. I think it is so much easier to learn when your around other fisherman and pick up what they are doing. Here (this thread) is a good start. Now, take the info. from this site and find someone to show you.
Like Kzoo said, start simple, gain some confidence and expand from there. I would recommend fishing during a quality fishing day on a good lake. Eliminate factors for failure. I say this because bass fisherman can become very discouraged if they don't catch anything for awhile. Expecially if your just starting out. Senkos, or Tiki Sticks are great for starters and you can't go wrong with a Spinnerbait. Use the Rigging Instructions above to figure out how to tie them and hit the water.


dilbert - that is the best rigging guide. I have it as one of my favorites. Good call. Study it Gringo.



fishnislife

[Gringo Pescador]

Awsome! Notes taken and the homework begins!

kzoo - I will be using my spincaster until I can decide on a baitcaster setup, I figured since I have never used one I would like to learn that too. Plus I got a little salary bump lately and want to get a new toy before it gets dissolved into the daily bills. I have been looking at the Bass Pro combos I have just hesitated since at this point they all look the same to me so I am afraid I would basically be ordering blind.
My weekday evening lakes are Greenlake, Bitter, Ballinger, Washington. Weekenders are seeplakes, Fish lake and wherever else I might end up. Any tips are welcome!

Dilbert - great rigging guide, that is exactly what I need!

I will definately be hitting folks up for outings because it is not the "no catching" that is fustrating to me (otherwise I would have given up a long time ago) it is the question "are there just no fish or am I doing something completely wrong?" that will drive me nuts.

Thanks all!

[danielt]

I have been looking at the Bass Pro combos I have just hesitated since at this point they all look the same to me so I am afraid I would basically be ordering blind.

If you've never used a baitcaster the best way to learn is with a top of the line product. Only downside is that can run $200 by itself. BPS is all the same. If its the $40 or the $100 you are getting a very similar product. If you do go with a BPS reel then spend low. You will probably want to upgrade after a year anyways. If you just shell out the $200 for a shimano curado it will last you 10+ years. On that note....Id invest more money into the rod than the reel to begin with.

$200 rod with $40 reel = lightweight better sensitivity and still manage to use the reel with practice.
$200 reel with $40 rod = heavy to cast, cant feel much bottom and made with bad components.

[Nik]

the BPS Extreme combos are a pretty good starting combo. They're reasonably priced ($130, $100 on sale sometimes), come in every possible combination you could want (3 different gear ratios, right or left hand retrieve, wide spool, etc.), and the BPS Extreme rods are actually pretty good rods. Get good at baitcasters with the Extreme reel then throw a Curado on the rod once you feel comfortable or when the reel wears out in 2-3 seasons. They also have a ton of different Extreme rods so you can get pretty much exactly what you want. The BPS reels have externally adjustable brakes, and you can crank that thing all the way to 10 and probably not have to even put your thumb on the spool when casting if you get your tension right. The Shimano reels are internal, and although they do an awesome job of making it accessible, it is definitely a more involved process to adjust than an external, and you're probably going to be adjusting the brake a ton at first as you fine tune the reel then back down the brake as you get better and better.

Also BPS offers a Shimano Citica/BPS Extreme combo that would make a pretty sweet first baitcaster setup, keeping in mind the Citica also has an internal braking system, but overall is a superior reel to the BPS Extreme.

[fishnislife]

With the HUGE sale that Bass Pro Shops is putting on until April 4, now is the time to buy. Look at the prices they have going right now. Some great stuff on sale. Just in time for spring.



fishnislife

[JWerner]

The thought of'where do I begin' can be overwhelming. If youhave not used a baitcaster, I 'd bag that idea and go with spinning gear. You can get good, used poles on westernbass.com classifieds. If you're patient, some good deals will come around. I would not go out and get books. You have Internet - use it instead. Better info is On-Line than in books. BassFan.com has good info. As far as lures - I'd recommend tubes, 4" worms, Senkos and Berkley Chigger Craws. A great jig head to use for the craws and worms is made by Omega. You will not find it locally, but can by doing an Internet search. I would also recommend a suspending hard jerk bait. LuckyCraft makes a few good ones as does Ima. They are pricey though, so begging with Rapala would be good. If you like that method/style of fishin, then maybe upgrade to LuckyCraft or Ima. A shallow and med. diving crank is good too. I am partial to Jackall Aragon cranks. They are ajointed bait of good quality and not many folks around here use them. Good Luck

[Nik]

If you have not used a baitcaster, I 'd bag that idea and go with spinning gear.

If everyone followed your advice then no one would ever buy a baitcaster. If you want to fish for bass you're going to have a much better time using a baitcaster. Bass fishing involves hundreds of casts per day, probably over 1,000 some days. Try that with a spinning rod and your finger will be raw where the line rubs over it on every cast. It actually starts to hurt eventually, especially if you're throwing heavy lures like crankbaits. Also pitching with a spinning rod accurately and quietly is next to impossible, and once you get proficient with a baitcaster i would bet this will become one of your favorite methods of fishing.

Trust me, if you want to bass fish, a baitcaster is the way to go. Even if you disagree with everything i said above, the one thing that you simply cannot argue with is that not only do baitcasters themselves simply look cooler, but you yourself will look cooler using them, and that's really what it's all about, is it not?

i do agree with the no books though. the internet is a nearly endless resource, and time on the water is better than anything, especially if you're with someone who knows something. not to mention the money you spend on a book can buy more tackle instead. you can't catch a bass with a book last time i checked.

[bpm2000]

try that with a spinning rod and your finger will be raw where the line rubs over it on every cast. It actually starts to hurt eventually, especially if you're throwing heavy lures like crankbaits. Also pitching with a spinning rod accurately and quietly is next to impossible.

while i do agree that you should get a baitcaster, the info above is just wrong wrong wrong.

[T Dot]

If you have not used a baitcaster, I 'd bag that idea and go with spinning gear.

If everyone followed your advice then no one would ever buy a baitcaster. If you want to fish for bass you're going to have a much better time using a baitcaster. Bass fishing involves hundreds of casts per day, probably over 1,000 some days. Try that with a spinning rod and your finger will be raw where the line rubs over it on every cast. It actually starts to hurt eventually, especially if you're throwing heavy lures like crankbaits. Also pitching with a spinning rod accurately and quietly is next to impossible, and once you get proficient with a baitcaster i would bet this will become one of your favorite methods of fishing.

Trust me, if you want to bass fish, a baitcaster is the way to go. Even if you disagree with everything i said above, the one thing that you simply cannot argue with is that not only do baitcasters themselves simply look cooler, but you yourself will look cooler using them, and that's really what it's all about, is it not?

i do agree with the no books though. the internet is a nearly endless resource, and time on the water is better than anything, especially if you're with someone who knows something. not to mention the money you spend on a book can buy more tackle instead. you can't catch a bass with a book last time i checked.

honestly i agree with jwerner. you have to remember he is a novice wanting to a little bit of everything. its like learning to drive, most people do it in an automatic, but there are a rare few who jump straight into manuals. once you perfect your skills in an auto [spinning], move onto a manual [baitcaster]. you will learn so much more using a spinning setup and actually fishing, rather than jumping into a baitcaster and fixing birds nests.

you can do anything with both reels, but its much easier to be self taught with a spinning setup.

i would suggest a shimano setup, everything i own is shimano. you can pickup a decent shimano setup for around $150, which will include a rod and reel. most reels come with a spare spool, so you will have line for all applications.

one of my last setups was just that - under $150 total. i used it for everything you named.

:king:

i think i have 2 reels left from that setup, they come with very little line and less than a year old. together the shimano sedonas retail for $100, ill give it to you for $50, which will include 2 reels, and 4 spools [very little line]. so let me know.

[HillbillyGeek]

I use both baitcasting (AKA level-wind) and spinning reels. They both have advantages and disadvantages, but I think spinning rigs have the most advantages for a beginner. They are much more versatile and forgiving -- not to mention cheaper. A good baitcasting reel will set you back at least $70, but there are many good spinning reels on the market for less than $40. Most of them also come with an extra spool that is quick and easy to switch.

Baitcasting reels do look cooler though...

[Nik]

try that with a spinning rod and your finger will be raw where the line rubs over it on every cast. It actually starts to hurt eventually, especially if you're throwing heavy lures like crankbaits. Also pitching with a spinning rod accurately and quietly is next to impossible.

while i do agree that you should get a baitcaster, the info above is just wrong wrong wrong.

Are you going to explain to the topic starter why i am wrong and why you still think he or she should get a baitcaster, or did you just post to tell me i'm wrong? that's not really helping anyone at all.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

The most effective "beginner's kit" I have used for bass is a container of nightcrawlers (or smaller garden worms) and a basic spinning set up.

If you don't care to use live worms, 3-inch grubs in brown/copper colors (Texas rigged) have been money for me on Lake WA and Lake Samm. All fishing from shore.

[JWerner]

"Trust me, if you want to bass fish, a baitcaster is the way to go. Even if you disagree with everything i said above, the one thing that you simply cannot argue with is that not only do baitcasters themselves simply look cooler, but you yourself will look cooler using them, and that's really what it's all about, is it not?"


Now that's funny....... I think you will have a more enjoyable time with spinning gear. Trying to learn on a baitcaster while throwing low weight baits is a sure fire way to create headaches. If you are worried about your finger after reading Niks post, get a Shimano Spirex. They run about $50.00. This leaves you a good chunk of change to purchase a good good quality pole.