2 questions about bass fishing

Question
Hi, I am 17 years old and I have just joined the bass fishing team at my highschool.  My first question is what type of line I should use for my spinning reel? Im going to need it for this December at lake Hartwell if you dont know where that is, it's in Anderson, SC.  The other question is What is the deal with Coffee scented tube baits?  Is it like an attractant or what?     Thanks  

Answer
Tompkins; Since you seem to be new to fishing I would suggest that you start with monofilament line on your spinning reel.  Buy a good brand of line but don't spend a lot of money on going with the higher priced special lines.  I have used monofilament line for over fifty years and have had very little trouble with it.  I would say begin with eight pound line unless you plan on using very light lures, (under 1/4 ounce)Then I would suggest six pound.

Next putting the line on the reel correctly is very important.  Open the bail of your reel and then begin by feeding the line down through the guides from the tip toward the reel.  Next tie an overhand knot in the end of the line and trim it off as close as possible with scissors or nail clipper.  Take the end with the knot in it and make an overhand knot around the main part of the line and pull it tight leaving a loop large enough to go over the spool.  Put the loop as far toward the back of the spool as possible and pull the loop tight.  Lay the spool that the line is wound on from the factory flat on the floor. Hold the rod tip slightly above horizontal.  Take the line between the first guide and the reel and hold it with your left hand index finger and thumb.(If you are left handed use the right hand to hold the line.#  Begin cranking the reel to close the bail then crank line onto the reel for about 15-20 cranks keeping tension on the line with the non cranking hand. Never let line go onto a spinning reel without tension on it.  After those 15-20 cranks release the line from your left hand and lower the rod tip to about half way to the floor.  look at the line between the tip and the floor.  If it tends to curl or twist reach down and turn the factory spool over and repeat the process.  If the line remains straight continue cranking the line onto the reel. Remember to keep tension on the line. If when you lower the rod tip the line curls worse than before turn the factory spool over and continue cranking on line.  If you do this you should not have a great deal of trouble with twist in your line.  #more later#  Fill the reel spool to within about one eighth of an inch from the lip of the spool.  Overfilling the spool will cause line to peel off in clumps and result in a mess.  Don't forget to keep some tension on the line at all times while reeling in.
This holds true when you are retrieving very light lures or when cranking fast.  ALWAYS KEEP SOME TENSION ON THE LINE WHILE REELING IN.  A big fish will provide tension making it possible not to have to add tension.

No matter what you do a spinning line will eventually get some twists in it after so many casts.  A good way of getting rid of these twists is to take everything off your line and I mean everything no swivels or clips etc.  Now let the line out behind the boat as you travel at medium speed.  A couple of minutes of this will remove almost all of the twists so you can now tie on your lure again.  If you do not have a boat try walking through some grass as in lawn grass and letting your line trail out as in the water.  Walk around for a few minutes with the line being pulled through the grass and the twists will be pulled out.

This may be more than you asked but I always try to include these instructions when I get a question about a spinning outfit because if followed it will make fishing so much more fun and not frustrating.

If you are using a closed face spinning reel try these same tactics but closed face reels will never give the ease of casting that an open face reel will.  I also suggest using a rod of at least 6  feet or longer.

Now to your question about coffee scented lures.  Yes this is likely an attractant.  How good it is I do not know never having used it.  I have used some other things from time to time such as anise, laundry soap, perfume and some others.  I can't say any of them were very good although coffee might be.  Perhaps I will give it a try.

I hope this has answered your question.  Thank you for calling on me to answer your question.

I am
Jack L. Gaither     #JackfromSeminole)
Lake Seminole, Georgia