QuestionThe only fishing that I have done, was thirty years ago, catching Norfolk Spot and White Perch on the Chesapeake Bay. That fishing required nothing more then baiting the hook, throwing the line in and pulling in fish. I am 62 and retired, living in DeLand FL. I want to use my runabout for catching Crappe, Bass and any other edible fish on the lakes all around me. I do not know: best time of day, correct bait, weight of line, best type rod and reel, whether to troll or sit still. Basically I am in the area of knowledge below a novice. Have 15' Triumph boat with 40hp Mercury outboard and an electric troll motor. Have a couple boxes of various tackle from my father, but I don't know the names of the stuff. Also he left a rod with a Zebco style reel and some 8lb line. Thanks in advance for any help that you may render, in terms of knowledge to help me get started.
AnswerSteven; Welcome to a new adventure in life. I have been fishing since I can remember. I started fishing a tiny creek in central Illinois for catfish and sunfish about 66 years ago. Back then it was just about like you describe. Put on a bait toss it in the water and wait for a bite. Sometimes they bit sometimes they didn't. I became hooked, however and have loved fishing ever since. I will be 73 years old in a few days.
You live in a great place for fishing. Let me get my atlas and look at just exactly where you are. I have been through Deland but didn't remember just where it was located. Just to the northwest of you is the Ocala National Forrest which has probably hundreds of lakes and streams. There are many campgrounds usually with ramps. Most of the lakes in central Florida are very different from the lakes up here but the fish don't know where they are in comparison to other lakes so fishing for them is not a great deal different in many ways. Most of these lakes are relatively shallow with perhaps an average of only a few feet but with holes that may be much deeper. Usually the lakes are surrounded with one of two things. Either grass beds many of which cover much of the lake and cyprus trees in the water. Usually there is not a whole lot of structure native to these lakes. That is the bottom is usually sand and relatively smooth. There are very few places where the water changes depth rapidly except around some sink holes.
Lets begin by talking about Crappie. One thing about these tasty morsils is that they eat minnows allmost exclusevily. Once in a while you might catch one on a worm or a cricket that is very much out of their usual fare. Small minnows or minnow immitations is the best bet. When fishing for Crappie the first and easiest way of finding them is to see a bunch of boats all gathered up in a small area. See if you can find a place in that area and anchor. Please be courteous and the other fishermen will likely let you in. If you come flying up and try to push your way in it is highly unlikely the other fishermen will be friendly. I have seen both kinds of situations and I am certain the best way is to move in quietly not too close to the others and strike up a conversation.
Often they will tell you what they are doing and help you get some fish too. All this is, of course, common sense that all fishermen should have but still some don't.
Start with a small thin wire gold hook about an inch from bend to eye. The thin hook will not kill the minnow like a heavy hook and will bend to free you from hangups. Use a small split shot just big enough to take the minnow down and keep him from swimming up to the surface. A small bobber on the line which you can slide up and down the line. I like a pencil shape or the little foam ones with a plastic pin in the end to hold the line but can be slipped by hand.
If you can see how deep the others are fishing start at that depth. Crappie are a school fish and they gather at a certain depth on a given day at a given time. They may be 18inches deep one day and 18ft. the next.
If you are not lucky enough to see boats catching crappie then you have to find them. Crappie like brushpiles and in many places landowners along the lake put brush piles out in front of their docks to draw crappie close enough for dock fishing. The piles can be spotted sometimes visually in clear water or if not by use of a depth sounder/fish finder. A school of crappie on a fishfinder often looks like the shape of a christmas tree. Sometimes it is only possible to find these brushpiles by trying fishing around in front of docks until you find one. Try various depth in two foot intervals from 18inches to the bottom giving perhaps 3-5 minutes to each depth. After trying this at one place try another dock. On occasion crappie will wander away from the brush cover into open water. If you can't find any in the brush try trolling. One of the best ways of doing this is to let the wind drift your boat but use the trolling motor to keep the boat sidewise to the wind. Put out several lines (depends on law how many). In this case small jigs with a minnow hooked through the lips as well as small plastic crappie lures. Set each line to run at a different depth by adjusting the weight and length of line. A short line runs shallower than a long line. If there is not suffecient wind to keep you moving try two lines directly off the stern near the motor and two more on longer rods or poles on the side. Then use the trolling motor to slowly move the boat along. If you get a crappie bite put out a marker and check which line caught the fish and then take in your lines, make a circle back to your course and anchor as near where you caught the fish by using the marker and length of line as a guide.
Fish all around the boat with minnows and or jigs until you catch fish or are sure this was just a chance bite.
While I have not fished for crappie in the cyprus trees my late Wife's grandfather used to do it a lot on a lake near Gainsville. He became known as the crappie man of that lake for years.
While there are better times in the year to catch crappie they can be caught year around if you can find them. In the summer you may have to fish at night to catch them. Many people have floating lights they hang over the side of a boat or from a dock and catch crappie all night long summer and winter. Of course, you realize that doesen't mean "every night".
Brim or (bluegill) and Shellcrackers or (Redear sunfish) are favorites in Florida in the spring and summer. Brim like crickets and shellcrackers like worms. In the spring both spawn in shallow watter all over Florida. They are easy to catch, put up a good scrap on light tackle and are very tasty to eat. Catches in the 100s used to be very common but I believe Florida now limits to 75. Check local laws to make sure. A good way to find these scrappers is to slowly go along a weed bed dipping a worm and a cricket in holes in the weeds in two feet or less of water. If they are there they will almost always bite. You just have to find where they are. Sometimes you can see them swimming around shallow nests or beds in the sand the males have made for the females to lay eggs. They will bite fast and furiously when a bait of the right kind is tossed into the bedding area. But a brim will seldom eat a worm and a shellcracker will seldom eat a cricket so you should have both and try both in any nesting area. Leave a few in each area for seed.
Catfish; Florida is famous for it's catfish and most every lake or pond or stream has them. They are mostly bottom feeders with a couple exceptions and will eat most anything they can find. Chicken livers, worms, shrimp,cheese ballls and hundreds of mixups made by catfishermen some of which are available in bait shops.
They, of course, eat other fish so minnows and cut bait are good baits. As far as I know the only one of these scaleless critters that eats live bait almost exclusevely is the flathead found in some of the larger rivers. They eat brim and shellcracker and in some areas are virtually wiping out these fisheries so if you catch one eat him don't turn him loose. Incidently even the very big ones 40lbs or so are very edible.
Bass; I have left this one for last but it certainly is not least. It is my favorite fish of this area. I like them because they take artificial lures readily. I seldom use live bait for them although you can and in some places in central Florida guides will use nothing else in those cases where they guarantee a ten pounder or you don't pay them. They us shiners a foot long. I would rather fish with artificials and never catch a ten pounder myself. And I haven't. I caught one slightly over 9lbs one night followed by one slightly under 9lbs a few minutes later. I have caught many 5-8lb bass here on Seminole in the past 12 years.
You mentioned that you have a Zebco reel. I assume if it was your father's it is probably a closed face reel. This reel is fine for crappie, brim and shellcrackers but likely not a good choice for bass in Florida where anytime you may hook the bass of a lifetime. Let me suggest that you get a 7foot spinning rod of good quality but not necessarily expensive. There are many good rods on the market for under $25. Go to a privately owned bait and tackle shop and ask about his rods. He may want a few $more than Walmart or Kmart but he probably will give you good advice while the man or woman at the marts knows nothing about what they sell usually.
Get an open face reel (the kind that hangs on the bottom of the rod). Again get a good quality reel not more than around $40. If possible get one with two spools that are easily changed. The Mitchell 300XL is a good example. Load one spool with 8# line taking care to follow the instructions. I usually buy a spool of cheap 10lb line and fill the spool about 1/3 full with that and tie it off well. I then put on the good line making sure that it fills the spool to within about 1/8in. from the top. More and it will spill over and less will not cast well. I might as well go on about line for a minute. Buy the best Monofiliment you can find to start with. The braided lines are for more experienced fishermen. You can change to that later if you wish. I still ule Mono on most of my reels.
As you use the outfit over time you will find two things happening. One, the line will not be filling the spool all the way to the 1/8inch mark as a result of break offs. Two the line will begin to have twists in it forming loops on the reel and bird's nests. There are sollutions for this so don't give up as so many people do and go back to the closed face reel. To take the twists out quickly and easily each day you head out to go fishing take everything off the end of your line including any swivils etc. As you slowly motor across the lake let out your line behind the boat. Make sure no other boats are around to run over your line. Allow the line to trail for several minutes then reel it in under pressur of your fingers holding the line a foot or so in front of the reel. Keep the rod tip up so the water pressure continues to untwist the line. I very seldom get a bird's nest anymore after learning this.
If the line has broken off several times, which it should be, that is, you should break off about 8feet of line each time you fish a day with it to remove any nicked or damaged part. After a few times it will be 50 feet shorter than when you started, and will not be casting as well.
To fix this trail out all the line (not the cheap backing) and cut it off the reel spool. Careful to tie it to something so you don't lose that expensive line over the side. Take your spool of good line out of your tackle box and measure over the other side of the boat about the amount you figure has been lost. Cut it off the line spool and tie it to the reel spool.
(There are a thousand ways to tie a line to the reel spool. I do it simply by tieing an overhand knot in the end of the line cutting it off as close to the knot as possible, putting the end around the spool with the bail open. Tie an overhand knot around the main line and pulling it tight so that the knot in the end is tight against the backing line. I then reel this on the spool just as I did before with the line trailing. When you reach the end tie it using a barrell knot with the ends clipped off very close then reel in the rest of the line from the water as before.
This can only be done about two times because the knot may be to near the surface and cause bad casts. When this happens replace the whole line.
Once you have the Rod, Reel and line ready lures are the next line of business.
Bass lures fall into about six general classes. Topwaters, floating diving (jerk baits) Crankbaits, Spinnerbaits, Spoons,
Jigs and soft plastics. OK that's 7.
Each of these types or classes has its specific use. Some of your father's old lures maybe should be checked for value as collectors items before you use them. Some might be quite valuable. For instance I have an old South Bend Bass O'reno that is over 100 years old. I do not use it anymore for fear of losing it. I do not know just what it is worth but I know collectors pay good money for old lures.
Let's take a look at each class and see how and where it is best used.
Topwaters; These lures float and are designed to create a fuss on the water's surface. Some have carved out noses to make a popping water spitting splash when given a sharp jerk of the rod tip. Some have propellers on one or both ends and when jerked the propellers make a noise and splash. Some have smooth noses and if jerked lightly simply jump to one side. When jerked again they jump to the other side. When repeatedly lightly jerked and then quicklly given slack line they jerk or walk from side to side moving foreward only slightly. This is called "Wallking the Dog" and is a very good action for very large fish. Still other topwaters have a sort of double scoop on top of their head which when reeled at a steady pace make a "plop,plop,plop" sound like somthing swimming on top of the water. It was this lure in a magnum size that I caught the 9+ and 9- pounders that night.
There are all kinds of variations to these lures but the main idea is to make the fish think that something is in trouble or swimming on the surface that might be good to eat and they do eat them. This is my favorite fishing.
Next comes the floater/divers. These usually shaped like minnows 3to 9 inches long have a diving bill under the chin. this is a small bill that makes them dive a foot or so under the surface. These can be jerked to immitate a wounded minnow or they can be trolled, or simply reeled in.
They come in many sizes and shapes and some are made of soft plastic.
Something to remember when fishing any topwater lure. WHEN YOU SEE OR HEAR A STRIKE, Wait until you feel the fish before setting the hook. Many fishermaen have given up on using topwaters because of missing too many. This is because they get too anxious and strike at the sound or sight of the the strike thus pulling the lure away from the fish. WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL THE FISH BEFORE STRIKING
Then come the "Crankbaits". These are usually shorter than the floater/divers and have a larger bill that makes them dive to several feet and wiggle. Some are designed to have a fast tight wiggle and others to have a wider slower wiggle. Both are made to be cast into brush and other cover and slowly cranked out with the reel. The previous two classes mostly used rod tip motion for action. Crankbaits will come through some quite thick brush and treetops if reeled slowly. The bill tips them over the brush or limbs without hanging. Not that they never hang thoulgh. They are painted hundreds of different colors to immitate anything from a crawfish to a rainbow trout. They catch fish. Some are still made of wood but most are hard plastic. Some have rattles in them some do not. They are good for slow trolling. Too fast and they roll and twist your line.
There is a subclass of crankbaits which are used in a different way. These are the lipless crankbaits. The first of these was the Heddon Sonic made in the 50s and 60s. If you have one of these check its value before using it. Now there are many of these "vibrating" baits such as the Spots, Rattletraps,Rattllin' Rap and many more. They vibrate at hight speed when reeled rapidly but can be used in many other ways such as yo-yoing them in deeper water or reeled a few feet and then stop allowing them to fall. They are also a good fast trolling bait. They will not roll of spin like many lures being trolled.
Next the "Spinnerbaits"
Basically consisting of three subclasses.
1. Inline spinners
2. "safetypin spinners"
3."Surface spinners" (buzzbaits)
Inline spinners date back to sometime in late 17th century Europe used primarily for trout. They came to America for the same use but eventually someone started using them on panfish and bass. They have a problem of twisting line badly unless some sort of keel is used. The one that I use doesn't have a keel but a pork or plastic frog trailer keeps it from spinning. Even a ballbearing swivil will not keep line from twisting if some sort of trailer is used. Many of the newer ones such as the Mepps uses a feather trailer others use bucktail or plastic.
American engiuenity discovered that by bending the wire on which the spinner runs and putting on a weight and hook the twist could be remove. Thus came the "safetypin
Spinner". It looks sort of like an open safety pin with blade or blades on one arm and a hook with a skirt on the other arm and the line tied between them. Whatever the case the darned thing catches fish and lots of them even though I have no idea of what it looks like that a bass would want to eat. I use them a lot. They can be worked through quite thick cover, are easy to cast and can be worked shallow, mid depth or bounced on bottom. They come over logs and bursh easily but rocks are tough on them. If You are careful you can run them just above rocks and catch some good fish. These are good for many species in different sizes from tiny ones for trout and panfish to ones with blades 5inches long for giant muskies.
Buzzbaits; These are special safety pin spinneres having a large propeller instead of a regular blade. When reeled they run on the surface and the propeller makes a buzzing sound which attracts bass. It often has a trailer or plastic from on it's hook. It is a great bait in the evening and early morning but many use it all day long with successd. Varring the speed often calls strikes from less active fish. It is good in heavy weed cover as it goes over most of it. Like the spoon I will mention later, it is an exciting
lure to use. Wait until you feel the fish as with any topwater lure.
Spoons. My first spoon was a Johnson Silver minnow and I still have one. This is a brand name and there are dozens of other brands but I have never had one that works as well the way I use it than the Johnson Silver minnow. I put a pork frog or plastic frog on the hook make sure the weed guard is set and cast it back as far into the pads or gook as I can. Holding my rod as high as possible to keep the line out of the pads I make the spoon jump and flip back across the pads. I have seen the pads or weeds moving from 30 ft away haeading toward the JSM. Often I jerk too soon and miss him but I have learned just as with a topwater to wait until I can feel the fish before setting the hook. Talk about exciting fishing, when a big bass explodes on that JSM your heart nearly chokes you. Using a straight pork trailer instead of a frog the JSM makes a good trolling lure and if you watch the speed it will not roll or twist but simply wobble along with its trailer twiching. It is made in several sizes for smaller fish like crappie or large for pike, sallmon, lake trout or muskie.
There are many other spoons but except for those especially made for jigging in deep water their use is similar. Those made for jigging are designed to wobble and flash as they fall and are used to jig for fish in deep water usualy in cold or hot weather months. I haven't done this much and I doubt they would be of much use in the shallow lakes of central Florida.
Plastics; Back in 1959 I was fishing a small lake in northern Minnesota with brothers-in-law from both sides. We were catching bass like crazy on nightcrawlers. When we ran low on these worms one of the brothers-in-law said "I think it is time to try my big red worm".
He pulled from his tackle box a package with a bright red worm rigged with two imbedded hooks and a spinner. He tied it
on his line and immediately hooked a bass.
He only had one of these big red worms and when we tried to buy one at the bait shop they did not know what we were talking about. When Paul showed them his lure they said they would try to order some.
I don't know if they did or not. I believe that was the same year someone showed up with annother new lure "Floating Rapala" from Sweeden.
Of course today worms are a stand by in anybodys tackle box who fishes for bass.
Today there are hundreds if not thousands of plastic immitations of allmose anything that crawls or swims or flies and many that must have come from a distant planet.
Most of these are flipped, pitched, tossed or cast into some sort of cover where a bass might be hiding and often the bass grabs it and is caught. There are so many ways of rigging different ones of these that it would take the rest of the night to discuss them. One thing for sure if you put a hook in one of these things and toss it in water with a hungry bass you will have a bass for your skillet.
Take some of the smaller ones to eat and leave the big ones for seed. If you catch a trophy and want to have the real fish mounted that's OK. Better though more costly take a few pictures. Measure carefully from noze to tail tip and around the thickest part and then turn her loose.She has good genes to have gotten that big.
Jigs.Once used in salt water jigs are now used by many bass fishermen as well as crappie and many other species. Some have feathers some bucktail, some plastic skirts. Most are fished by hopping them along the bottom.. Some are weedless and can be fished in brushpiles and not too thick weeds. They come in many colors and shapes for different applications. Far too many to to into here. Toss them under docks and bounce them out. Drop them to the bottom and yo-yo them. Cast them out and reel them slowly in with jerks. About any way you fish them they will catch crappie or bass.
Well there you have it. Go out on one of the lakes around home there and start trying this or that. Whatch what others are catching and how they are doing it.
If you act decent and ask most fishermen will be glad to give you some pointers. Don't expect them to tell you exactly where their honey hole is but short of that ask for help and most will gladly oblidge. Don't come flllying up and bump his boat as ol' Nate did . I'll tell you the story sometime if you like.
I hope this is of some help. If there are more specifics you would like to ask call on me again at "All Experts" or directly via e-mail.
I am Jack L. Gaither
Lake Seminole, Georgia
[email protected]
PS Please forgive my spelling. No spell check on this site.
