~The Reel Doctor~

Hardcore Fishing: Bass Fishing Trick for Winter

2008-10-27T09:24:00.002-04:00

Winter time bass fishing can be a difficult and fruitless endeavor. The fish are very sluggish, and basically the feeding frenzy in the late summer and autumn is a matter of survival. Insects are long since gone by winter, and frogs and crustaceans are holed up until the weather breaks.

Several articles have been written on this subject already, and they offer excellent insight into lures and techniques, but often cold weather can make the "where" aspect more important than the "how to."

Before you run to the local Gander Mountain or Cabela's outlet, I would advise either buying a map or looking in the local White or Yellow Pages. What are you looking for?

Power plants and wastewater treatment facilities! For that matter, anyplace you can think of where there might be a warm water discharge. For example, there is a power plant on the Virginia side of the Potomac about 20-30 miles upstream from DC.

To the locals, it is a hotbed for winter bassing. If there is a sixty degree discharge into a thirty degree river, that's precisely where the fish are going to congregate.

Beyond the warmth, the draw for the bass is smaller fish. In these locations I would recommend minnows. They are going to be hard to get at the local bait shop, so I would suggest going to a pet shop for any sort of cheap feeder fish.

If this fails, lures that come closest to mimicking a minnow would be a good bet. There is nothing particularly new or innovative about this idea. It is a tried and true winter fishing technique, and if you have access to such a place, you should be successful.

Choose the right reel for the fishing job!

2008-10-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

The fishing reel is a very important piece of fishing gear and just like anything else it comes in many different styles and varieties from a wide array of manufacturers. Like other fishing tackle, fishing reels can be inexpensive or surprisingly expensive.

Having a good fishing reel is a key for successful fishing and there are a few types of reels on the market today which makes choosing one a little bit of a challenge. You can narrow this down a bit though by knowing what type of fishing your going to be doing.

If you are taking up fly fishing and there are specific reels for that style of fishing but if you will be casting then you want to choose from one of the many spinning reels available.

Fly casting reels are usually the most expensive type of reels. Since fly fishing commands a specialized set of skills the equipment used to do it is also very specialized. Fly fishing reels need to be lightweight so that you can cast and move smoothly. The fly reels usually don't have gears so when you turn the handle once the spool also turns once. These reels are narrow and dish shaped requiring a special touch.

Spinning reels come in a wide range of varieties and there is something suitable for everyone from children just beginning to learn how to cast to professional anglers. The closed face reels are easy to operate and ideal for beginners.

These have a button that you press and release to let the line out and the fishing line is kept in an enclosed case. Although the button makes them very easy to use they can be harder to clean because the debris returned with the line gets trapped inside the case and can cause problems with your drag.

Once you graduate from a beginning fishermen you'll probably want an open faced reel. These reels have the line exposed and usually have a bail that you slide over and hold down while you are casting releasing it at the last minute to let the line fly out. These come in a huge variety of styles and manufacturers and most anglers will have more than one in a fishing arsenal.

The type of fishing you are doing dictates where the reel is mounted. For fly fishing the reel actually acts as a counterweight to balance the fishing rod and his mounted below the handle. The spinning reel is mounted on top of the rod and is equipped with a drag system that adjusts the tension and keeps the line from breaking when you have a fish on.

Once you have narrowed it down to a particular fishing reel model you'll need to budget yourself a price range. Just like anything else buying the cheapest one probably won't be worth your while but if you're just starting out find the most expensive one might not be your best solution either.

Most people like to pick a mid priced reel and then graduate to more expensive ones as you get more experience. Once you have been fishing for a while you probably have a better idea of which reel is the perfect one for you.

Find out more about finding the right fishing gear by visiting http://www.fishinggeartips.com - a website that offers information on fishing including tips on fishing line, fishing rods, fishing lures and finding that perfect fishing reel.

Drift Wading Sandals from Orvis

2008-02-26T13:19:00.003-05:00

Looking for fishing sandals for the soon to begin season?

For $49.99, Orvis has an affordable solution for your warm weather wading needs. When accompanied by a pair of shorts or swimming trunks, these nice fishing sandals allow fishermen to get that much closer to hotspots without all of the hassles involved with wearing waders.

Likewise, these sandals have a couple of pluses that make them a better choice than an old pair of sneakers.

For starters, shoes are apt to get filled with small pebbles, and the only way to get rid of them is to remove the shoe every five minutes or so. Also, the sandals have a slip-resistant felt/lug sole.

The open foot/felt sole combination makes the Drift Wading Sandal a great choice for all wading conditions, whether it be slippery rocks, silt, or river gravel, and they were a welcomed addition to my gear last summer.

One particular hole on one of the local creeks is pretty wide, and there is a submerged boulder on the opposite side of the creek. I like to fish this spot with night crawlers and no weight, so many casts fell well short of my target. I can honestly say that wading into the stream allowed me to catch several nice-sized smallmouth bass, and I have the sandals to thank for my good luck!

AND after a day on the stream, they cleaned up nicely and were easily stored under the car seat.

The Orvis Drift Wading Sandal is available in men's full sizes 7-12 and are now on sale for 29.99 at www.orvis.com.

Overall I would rate this product as a keeper!

Berkley Reel Spooling Station Review

2008-02-24T19:35:00.003-05:00

Berkley Portable Line Spooling Station

I love everything about fishing…almost. One of the few exceptions is replacing old line at the beginning of the season. It would be great to have a line winder like those at Dick’s or Cabela’s…

“Would you like us to put line on your new reel?”

“SURE!!!”

Naturally, you can’t buy a new reel every spring just for the fresh line, and expensive motorized devices aren’t for everybody. Thankfully, there is a moderately priced item that will allow you to fill several reels in a matter of minutes.

For $26.99 the "Berkley Portable Line Spooling Station" will get the fishing season off to a great start, and by-and-large I am very impressed with the product. Here are some pros and cons…

PROS

The line support shaft is equipped with tensioning cones that allow for moderate pressure on the spool. Thus, the line is evenly distributed on the reel and doesn’t twist.

The spooling station is both lightweight and easy to use. Once it was assembled, I was spooling fishing line on four reels in about ten minutes.

All parts are self-contained within the frame.

It comes with a battery operated tool that strips the old line off of all types of freshwater reels.

CONS

The reel seat is too large for use with the smallest of ultralight reels. For example, my Okuma Inspira IA-10 was too small for the seat. The Berkley line winder, while lightweight, isn’t of the most solid construction. I wouldn’t let it roam freely in the back of a pickup truck on the way to the fishing hole.

OVERALL, this is a very effective and helpful tool for most anglers and is well worth the price. Putting line on a fishing reel can be a difficult one man task, and the Berkley line winder is even better than having an extra pair of hands available.

How to use a bait-casting reel!

2008-02-09T16:09:00.000-05:00

In the past, baitcasting reels were synonymous with backlashes, but magnetic brakes and clutch adjustment knobs have made the baitcaster easier to use for fishermen of all skill levels. I'm not saying that these reels are as easy to use as a spinning or spincasting reel, but the potential pros greatly outweigh the cons.

Take a look at any fishing magazine, and you'll see that the top fishermen ALL use a baitcasting reel. Why? The free-spinning spool allows for longer casts, and the direct crank-to-spool retrieve makes the "caster" a better, stronger choice for fighting large fish. Okay, they do backlash, and this can ruin a fishing trip in a split second, but there are a couple simple ways of eliminating this problem.

The first thing to do is to match the flow of the spool to the lure (or bait) that you are using. If there isn't enough tension on the spool, the reel's rpm's will be greater than than the speed of the lure as it slows toward the end of the cast. This will cause a backlash. If there is too much tension, the reel will not cast...at all!

Here's how you fix that: put the reel on a rod and and run the line through the eyelets; tie on your lure; wind the lure to within six inches of the rod tip; turn the clutch adjustment knob clockwise (it should be tight and the spool will not spin); release the spool by pushing the casting button; and, finally, turn the clutch adjustment knob counter-clockwise until the lure slowly falls toward the ground. Let's say that if you hold the rod straight out the lure should take 3-4 seconds to hit terra firma. Perfect!

Besides overcasting, there is another way of backlashing these reels. When you see that the lure is about ready to hit the water, stop the spool with your thumb. Otherwise, the lure will stop as it hits the water, but the centrifugal force being placed on the spool will cause it to spin for an instant after the lure (or weight) stops upon impact. That's a recipe for disaster. This can be a problem when night fishing because often you will not be able to see when the lure is going to hit the water. Use your best judgment and stop the spool before it's too late. One good way of doing this is to time your casts when fishing in the daytime. If you can count to three before stopping the spool in daylight, stop the spool after a three count at night. This will eliminate the necessity of sight casting your reel.

None of this was quite so simple in the old days, but baitcasting technology has come a long way. These techniques are good for heave-hoe casts, but before long you'll be comfortable enough to make short backhand or underhand flip casts. A good baitcaster is a superior piece of equipment when compared to spinning and spincasting reels, and once you have mastered the art of casting, you'll never go back to other reel types, especially when fishing for big fish in big water.

There are a lot of baitcasting reels gathering dust in corners because the fisherman is impatient or intimidated, but with a little bit of practice, these are must-have, everyday reels!

Buying fishing lures as gifts

2008-01-13T20:05:00.000-05:00

When buying fishing lures as a present, the most important thing to remember is that money talks. Have you ever seen those 1000 lure for $19.99 value packs? Believe me, there isn't anything in that bargain basement bag of tricks that will ever catch a fish. It's true that there are some endeavors in which quantity beats quality, but fishing isn't one of them. With that in mind, let's explore some possibilities in the three major fishing lure categories: spinners, jigs, and plugs.

There are several brands of spinners out there, and Panther Martin, Rooster Tail, and Mepps head the list. Panther Martin spinners all have a sonic quality in the water. This is caused by an indentation in the spoon (or spinning) part of the lure. The sound waves that are emitted draw fish of all types, and the general idea is "the bigger the pinner, the bigger the fish." Rooster Tail's "Vibric" family of spinners have the same sonic quality of the Panther Martin.

Personally, this is my favorite spinner, and often, when float fishing, the "white vibric" will catch fish when nothing else will. Mepps is the self-proclaimed "World's Greatest Lure," and they are tried and true. Personally, I would rate them a notch below the other two, but their inline spinners are very unique. The Mepps inline is a heavier, yet streamlined lure that can be casted great distances. In big, open water, this is a must.

A jig consists of a lead head/hook combination and a soft body attached to the hook. In most cases, these are designed to mimic a grub. A jig head is a jig head for the most part, but many of the online dealers offer higher quality versions than what you'd find in K-Mart. The most important thing is to match its size to the fishing conditions, and buying the ones with red hooks ia also a plus. Red hooks give the illusion of a blood trail when being retrieved. As for the body, my favorite is Berkeley Gulp. It is made entirely of organic material and adds scent and taste to the equation. Other favorites are Mister Twister and Northland. Mister Twister offers the best variety of colors, while Northland offers a line of jig bodies and heads that resemble a minnow. You can't go wrong with any of the above; they will all catch fish.

Then there is the plug category. These have a hard body, and most of them are designed to mimic a minnow when retrieved. If you go to the neighborhood Wal-Mart, two brand names will dominate the shelf space: Rapala and Rebel. Rapalas are made from high quality balsa and are the top choice of fishermen all over the world. Back in the day, Rebel made lures that would outfish a Rapala every day of the week, but the quality control has taken a hit. However, they Rebel lure designed to mimic a crayfish is one of the deadliest on the market. Every tackle box should have at least one of these lures!

Some miscellaneous plugs have been catching fish for decades, and there are some new additions that are filling creels from coast-to-coast. I'll start with Fred Arbogast's Jitterbug. These are designed for night fishing, and the large front lip makes bubbles and noise upon retrieval that make fish furious. The idea is that fish will strike this lure to kill it rather than eat it. The Jitterbug was more popular in a bygone era, but fish haven't changed that much: this lure is still very effective. Finally, there are several new, high-quality lures that look like a swimming field mouse when reeled in. Cast one of these across a farm pond, and eventually the yield will be a huge largemouth bass!

So remember, quality beats quantity every time. Remember those "bag-o-lures" I mentioned earlier? I have a number of them in the bottom of my tackle box, and the hooks are rusting on every one of them. That's pretty much everybody's tackle box. All fishermen have a half-dozen lures they return to time and again, and they are the cream of the crop. These are the lures that the fisherman on your list wants to see in his or her stocking!

Fishing Reels 101: Drag

2007-09-16T12:10:00.000-04:00

Drag: What does it mean and why is it important?
Drag refers to the amount of tension and when it comes to spinning reels, front and rear adjustments are both available. Remember, front or rear, you want the drag to be easily adjusted so it stays in place. Loose drag knobs will frustrate you and you are sure to lose your fish if it slips!

Points to remember:
~Rear drag is typically better for light line
~If you are fishing for large fish, front drag is the better choice

Remembering the Jitterbug (Hooks/Lures) and Fishing as a Youth

2007-09-10T22:39:00.000-04:00

As a young fisherman, I learned many things from older, more experienced anglers. My father was one such man, and another was Brooks Stutler. Mr. Stutler was the best smallmouth bass fisherman I have ever known, and the most memorable thing that stands out about him was his patience. There was one lure in particular that exemplified this patience: Fred Arbogast’s Jitterbug.

The Jitterbug is fished at night, and, oddly enough, it doesn’t really mimic any type of food. The ‘bug primarily antagonizes fish, and they are essentially trying to kill–not eat–the lure. We’ve all had noisy neighbors. You get the idea. Back to patience for a bit. Some nights, I remember sitting in a boat in the middle of West Virginia’s Cacapon River and making hundreds of casts with my Jitterbug, and more often than not, the results were a few near misses and a plethora of empty casts.

With the moon as our only guide, Mr. Stutler and I casted into the wee hours of the morning from his semi-v bottomed Starcraft. Generally, I tossed the lure into the trees a couple of times a night. To a large degree, the only catch would be frustration. However, when everything went right, the results were amazing. Some of the biggest smallmouth bass I’ve ever caught were on the Jitterbug.

I remember one such occasion. I was, maybe, thirteen years-old and tossed the lure from the bank into a rapid on the Cacapon. There was a tremendous strike. Ten minutes later, my old Johnson Sabra pulled a 20" smallie out of the fast moving water.

In those days, I had two or three of these lures in my tackle box , but I have gotten away from using them over the years. Mr. Stutler died twenty or more years ago, and sadly, his wife Betty passed away this past Friday. I couldn’t make it to the funeral, but I think sometime soon I’ll purchase a Jitterbug and pay homage to two dear family friends. My first catch and this article will be devoted to them.

Fast Fishing Tips: Eagle Claw Featherlight Rods

2007-09-08T23:03:00.000-04:00

Anybody who wants to experience ultralight fishing on a budget should consider the Eagle Claw Featherlight line of rods. They are relatively inexpensive—ranging from $20.99 to $27.99—and come in a wide variety of lengths: 5’, 5’6”, 6’, 6’6”, 7’6”, and 9’. The 5’ rod is one piece, and the others are two piece. All are equipped with a quality cork handle and are comfortable to use.

Personally, I have the 5’6” two piece rod, and a 6” bluegill will nearly bend the pole double, but don’t let that fool you. These rods are resilient! Some of my catches include a 16” smallmouth bass and a 17” sauger. Needless to say, when coupled with any ultralight reel, these rods make catching ANY fish fun. A friend of mine insists on using the Featherlight with a Quantum Xtralite reel. That’s about as light as it gets!

The longer rods (6’ and up) are used primarily by crappie fishermen who are looking for a little extra play from their catch. Another plus with these rods is the fact that this “play” magnifies even the lightest of strikes. If there is a fish on the other end of the line that is interested in your bait, believe me, you’ll know it. That brings up one drawback: the rod is “flimsy” to the point of making hook setting difficult. Anyway, that’s fishing; you take the good with the bad. Overall, the price is right, and you won’t have to catch a lunker to have a good fishing experience.

My Ranking: “A Good Catch”!

Baitcasting Reels: The Pros and Cons

2007-09-08T20:56:00.000-04:00

Okay, here’s the scenario. You’re at a large outdoors retailer with your fourteen year-old son, and he points at a $150 baitcaster and asks, “Dad, can I have that for Christmas?” This could evolve into your worst fishing nightmare. Imagine a beginner’s fist time out with a spinning reel and multiply it by ten. Casting reels are notorious for bird nesting; this occurs any time the line comes off of the spool faster than the lure or bait is going through the air. For the novice, this can be every other cast!

There are ways of keeping this problem in check. After putting line on the reel, place it on a rod and run the line through the eyes. Then tie a weight (1/2 oz. sinker for example) on the end of the line and let it drop. Optimally, the weight should slowly drop to the ground. If it hangs there, it won’t cast. If it freefalls, watch out for the bird’s nests! This adjustment can be made with the drag knob. Here’s another small piece of advice. STOP the lure or bait before it hits the water. That’s done by putting your thumb on the roller. Many line problems occur with overcastting, but more often than not, it’s the sudden stop that makes the mess.

It may sound like I dislike baitcasters, but this is not true. They are everyday equipment for professional fishermen, and there has to be a reason. What other type of reel will hold 140 yards of 12 lb. test and cast this heavy line half the length of a football field? None. This is because of a “free flowing” spool. On spinning and spin casting reels, the line flows off in a more awkward, sideways angle. Many baitcasters have high speed gears and have a 7:1 retrieval ratio, and the crank has a more direct link to the spool than spinning or spin casting reels. This results in optimum power for fighting big fish.

Baitcasting reels come in a wide variety of prices and quality. On the low end, there is the Cabela’s All Pro Casting Reel for $29.99, and on the high end the Shimano Calcutta runs $499.99. Reels are like anything else: you get what you pay for, and fortunately there are happy mediums. The Abu Garcia Revo SX-L runs approximately $129 and has many of the features of higher priced reels. A final consideration is reel type. There are two styles of baitcasting reels, round and low profile. The round style allows the fisherman to “palm” the reel, which is a popular technique, and the low profile is sleeker, shaped almost like an “inverted teardrop.”

Like any other piece of fishing equipment, there is a baitcaster for all levels of fishermen, and might I suggest that you give the reel many tries before depositing it in the dumpster in a fit of rage.

Quick Facts about Baitcasting Reels:
-They are not recommended for novice fisherman
-Price range is between $30-$500
-Fisherman who use bait and are trying for large fish typically opt for baitcasting reels

How to Reline Fishing Reels

2007-09-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

I have been fishing for over thirty years, and I really cannot offer much sage advice on this topic. Invariably, everything I touch eventually turns into a bird’s nest, unless a friend is there holding the spool on a pencil while it rolls off in the correct direction. As we all know, finding volunteers for this project is difficult: “Say, Frank, I bought a six pack of Bud Light. Come on over and hold my fishing line while I re-spool a half-dozen or so reels!” Yeah, right!

Well, I tried that once, and Frank was a no show. That leaves me with a spool of Stren laying flat on the floor while the line spins out of control onto my favorite spinning reel. Can anybody remember if it should come off clockwise or counter clockwise? I eventually get it loaded, but everything falls apart the first time on the creek. Within two casts, the line is tangled, and out comes the fingernail clippers. On an ultra light reel, one or two incidents can leave you with a half spool of line. After all, they only hold 60-80 yards in the first place!

Years ago, an old timer told me that you can “fix” a spool of twisted line by tying it to a tree and backing up until all of the line is off of the reel. Then you wind it back in while keeping the line relatively tight. I have done this many times over the years, too many times, and I’ve often thought there has to be another way. Well, the other day I found one.

For under $7 there is a little gizmo called the SpoolTool line spooler. It is a cheap-looking plastic implement that mounts on the rod and can be adjusted to the desired line tightness. Both large and small spools can be placed on the tool, and it successfully eliminates the need for our friend Frank and a trip to the local beer distributor. I have spooled several reels, both spinning and spincasting, and the results have been great. You may not be impressed when first seeing the SpoolTool, but results are what counts, and it delivers.

Return to Yesteryear

2007-09-04T17:49:00.000-04:00

Once upon a time, Johnson was a major player in the fishing reel market, and as a child I had all of them at one time or another: the Sabra, Century, and Citation. As a youngster, I had to have the biggest reel I could get my hands on, and, naturally, I had it spooled with a ridiculously heavy 20 lb. monofilament. It’s a wonder my Johnson Sabra would even cast such a line, but it did a great job and lasted fifteen years to boot. Of the three main reels in the Johnson lineup, the Sabra was my favorite. Most of us “older” fishermen remember the green metal cap and black plastic gear cover on these reels, as well as the bold “Made in USA” lettering proudly displayed on the back of the reel. These were, and still are, classics.

Today, I’m like everybody else. I use a high tech spinning reel with eleven ball bearings, and it’s loaded with $9 for 350 yards premium line. I’ll be honest with you for a moment. I was a better fisherman as a kid, and I had better luck with the old relics than I do today. I play around on the Internet a good bit, and one day I decided to “Google” some of my old equipment. Surprisingly, all of these vintage reels are available on E-Bay, and they are fetching a healthy price!

I set up an E-Bay account and watched people selling and bidding on old Johnson reels, and, finally, I found something that caught my eye: a Johnson Citation (circa 1970) complete with its box and papers. To my surprise, the reel had never been used! For a week, I bid against two other fishermen, but this one wasn’t going to get away. Eventually, I bid $60, and I got my prize—for about four times what it cost new. When it arrived, I was ecstatic! The only problem was that the grease had become viscous and the handle was difficult to turn. The Citation is an all-metal reel, and the gear housing can be reached by removing a couple screws. I sprayed the gears with a de-greaser and then lubricated them with Zebco reel grease. The Citation was working as it did 35 years ago!

I found an old Shakespeare Ugly Stick that I hadn’t used in twenty years and mounted the Citation on it. I’m a fisherman, not a collector, and I planned from the beginning to put the old reel to good use. The reel has gotten numerous comments from other fishermen, such as, “I haven’t seen one of those in years” and, “Wow! That thing casts really well!” That it does, and the fish don’t seem to mind being caught on an antique any more than they do the new and improved stuff. I hope to use and maintain my Citation for twenty more years and pass it down to somebody else who will take care of it. The old adage holds true: They don’t make ‘em like they used to!

How much should you spend on a fishing reel?

2007-09-01T08:23:00.000-04:00

I think a lot of this depends upon one's skills, fishing experience, and just what the desired species is. At the extreme high end, a spinning reel can cost $500 or more, and that's not money well spent while introducing a ten year-old to the sport. Basically, it's not a good investment for the best of fishermen. There are many good reels that can be purchased for under $100. Size and style depend upon the situation.

Beginning fishermen are mainly introduced to the sport with a spincasting (aka close faced) reel. The first name in introductory reels is the Zebco 33. In fact, many old timers making hundreds of casts with lures love these reels. They are easier to use, allow for quicker casting, and are less apt to tangle. The "33" runs anywhere from $18-35 (or thereabouts), and there is an improved version known as the Zebco Omega that goes for about $60. I own two Omegas, and I'll vouch for the fact that they'll cast as far as many relatively expensive spinning (open faced) reels, and with 6 ball bearings, the retrieve is very smooth.

Not every fish you catch is going to be a lunker, and ultralight fishing makes the sport fun and exciting. I have two ultralight spinning reels that I have caught bass up to 16" with. One is an Okuma Inspira IA 10, which runs in the neighborhood of $80. It has 10 ball bearings, and is both smooth and user friendly. The other is a St. Croix PS750. It has 6 bearings, but it is a very high quality reel for the $40 price. It's important to remember that ball bearings are key; the more the merrier. However, a reel with 10 or more cheap bearings may not be as good as one with 4-6 high quality bearings. A lot of people swear by Mitchell reels, but I am not a big fan. Many Mitchell's have 10 or more bearings, yet they still have a grind while retrieving that is reminiscent of reels from a bygone era.

A larger reel with more punch and good quality is the Daiwa Capricorn. Quite frankly, I love fishing with ultralights and rarely use the Capricorn, but for overall quality it is the best reel I own. This reel runs in the $80-90 range. Another quality spinning reel that I have tried is the Pflueger Premium, which costs $100. When mounted on a quality graphite rod, and of these reels will complete a combo that will give years of quality service. While $500 reels are ridiculous for most of us, it is important to also remember that you get what you pay for. Ask the counter person at your favorite sporting goods store to let you handle the reel that interests you most. Give the handle a few cranks. The smoother the better.