What to use? and Why?

[VacationLand]

So I walk into "the tackle box" and go down the mile long isle of lures, bait, salmon eggs, hooks, spinners, shiners, sinkers every package has a guy with a [PoorWordUsage] white whale of a fish on it saying how "his lure is the best" and then I go cross eyed and the room starts to spin because I just want to go fishing with my daughter...

someone please tell me what to use on what fish and why...

Most of my fishing is in fresh waterlakes with bass, trout, way to many pickeral and way way to many sunfish. Their are lots of coves and shaded areas as well as 40 foot spots in the middle of the lake.

Thanks

VacationLand

"all the help in the world cant help the helpless"

[nofishfisherman]

There are many, many, many, many baits out there and the first qeustion you need to ask yourself in order to weed through them all is "what type of fish do you want to catch?".

If you want bass then there are some basic lures we can point you towards that will get you started.

If you want sunfish then there are some basic things we can point you toward.

If you want those pickeral or trout then we can help you there as well.

Do you want to use live bait or do you prefer to just use artifical baits?

Fishing can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. If you are just looking to get out and catch a few fish with your daughter I'm sure there are some very simple set ups that we can point you towards that will do the trick.

So, let us know what fish you fancy and we'll do what we can to help get you started with basic baits and where are good places to find the fish your lake.

[pushbutton]

not to be not specific, but have found that every lake i fish is different. even similar type lakes. so the simple advice is to try everything and hope what works wasnt just dumb luck, and will work the next time. a little more serious though, maybe concentrate on one or two lakes. get to know them and this may shed light on different situations in the future. with what you described above go out to a weedline at 11 to 15 feet and fish with some sort if live bait rig- lets say a lindy beeded and bladed snell, and i would think you would catch bass, pannies, and pickeral all at the same time with the same set up. if you just want panfish get rid of the color and vibration. if you want more bass and northern up size the bait. if you want the trout find that 40 ft hole.

[Neighbor_guy]

When in doubt...

A 1/8oz pink or red jig head and a 2" white or yellow curltail grub will take care of all your needs. Panfish, bass, trout, walleye's, pike, they will all take a jig and grub.

A bigger head will go deeper, a bigger grub will catch bigger fish.

[VacationLand]

Well this is all great. Lets pretend I dont know anything about fishing... I have a couple of poles, a couple of hooks and a rusty tackle box my father gave me ten years ago. So far we are pretty succesful with worms and baubors. its all blue gill sunfish from the shore but now we want to get a little more serious. An angler I am not, but I would like to reel in a few bass and trout. Something we can bring home to throw on the grill from time to time. I have a boat and am able to "go where the fish are"

That being said. I want to catch some trout. What do I put on the line? (i heard that snap wivels suck. is that true?)

I want to catch bass. what should I do...

Thanks for all the input! this is great stuff!

[LwnmwnMan2]

VacationLand -

I'm sure you've already seen this, but if you scroll down a little more in the forums, you'll see specific categories for Trout, Bass, Sunfish, etc.

I'm sure if you posted there, you'd have guys that are intune with that specific fish and would be able to give you better tips.

There's probably guys that read only that part of the forums and don't even come up to the Equipment part. Have you tried posting some of these questions there?

[shizzy]

VacationLand -

I'm sure you've already seen this, but if you scroll down a little more in the forums, you'll see specific categories for Trout, Bass, Sunfish, etc.

I'm sure if you posted there, you'd have guys that are intune with that specific fish and would be able to give you better tips.

There's probably guys that read only that part of the forums and don't even come up to the Equipment part. Have you tried posting some of these questions there?

X2!!!

thats just what I did when I got back in to fishing after 15 years and found this site.