| Tim, There's all kinds of new gear that has come out since you were fishing last.
But, before I go into some recommendations, remember that the most important
piece of fishing gear that you could have hasn't changed in a millenia or
longer. Don't forget to use that big slug of gray matter between your ears
for more than an ear spacer! :) Rational thought process, experience and
observation are some of the best tools that you can have while fishing, and
none of these work without you thinking about what's going on around you. Now, as far as new gear, there are two thoughts. One is "go cheap and I can
get more" and the other is, "spend more and in the long run, spend less". I
fall into the latter catagory, believing that getting fewer items, but
quality ones pays in the long run, heck it pays in the short run. That being said, the Shimano Curado is a great value in a baitcast reel. At
$119, it's not cheap, but I abuse the heck out of them and they still work
flawlessly. I find them to be a great value. The Shimano Sahara 1500 or
2500 is a great spinning reel at $79. The St. Croix Premier and Avid series of rods are also great value, good
quality rods. Secret Weapon Lure Co. has come up with an innovative spinnerbait that
offers you the ability to change the blade configuration to match the
conditions at the time (remember me telling you about "thinking while
fishing?"). Buying two different lure kits will give you over 40
combinations of spinnerbaits, without having to carry a lot of extra lures.
I like and use them exclusively when spinnerbait fishing, finding them very
productive. Senko soft plastic "stickbaits" are very productive lures. There are many
good, similar lures made by other companies that will give you a better cost
per lure, such as Driftwood Lure Co. and Lunker City. Dropshotting is a very effective method at times, and it's something that
you should read about and try under tough conditions. Is it the "End All
Method"? No, but it can be an effective technique when bass are suspended
off the bottom and need a lure shaken in their face in order to entice them
to strike. Electronics have made giant strides. There are underwater cameras widely in
use now. Are they needed to catch fish? No! Where they are nice is to
determine exactly what species is hanging on a particular structure. Or, as
an educational aid to help figure out "what's down there holding fish". The
big problem is that you have to be stationary or very slow moving in order
to use them effectively, and even then, usability is going to be determined
in part by water depth and clarity. Locators now offer more features, power,
color and higher resolution for less money than top of the line units only a
couple years old, and now you can get them with an integrated GPS unit.
Depending on the water you're fishing, and whether you're shorebound or a
boat owner, these can be very nice to own. Good sources of information are here and at http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
.. The membership in both locations will give you good advice. Where are you located? |
