popular beliefs you don't follow
 

so i was thinking of all those widely believed and popular fishing procedures, tactics, etc. and how I just don't believe some of them.

I probably get the most flak for using left hand retrieve baitcasting reels and i'm a righty...i want my more coordinated arm for casting, working the lure, etc. why would i hold the rod in my left hand to reel with my right? sure i could force learn casting with my left and working a lure with my left...but why would i do that when i can just use a left hand retrieve reel?

on a big game trolling or shark rod/conventional reel or something i can see having a right hand retrieve... i mean if you're not casting it really or working a lure it doesn't matter.

there that's my rant, feel free to comment on it, but i'll never accept your arguments of using a right hand retrieve baitcaster if you're a righty haha.

post up your own 'against popular belief' fishing habits

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I agree 110% with you about the "lefty" baitcasters. if you crank a spinning reel with your left hand, why wouldn't you also reel a conventional with your left hand? that's probably why I have so many lefty penns, because everytime I see one for sale I cant help myself :p

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

^^^^^^Me too^^^^^^No need to switch the rod to the other hand to retrieve after every cast also.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Yeah I would have to agree also, I use my left hand with a spinning reel, and I used to use a right handed baitcaster and it just didn't feel right. So I decided to buy a left handed baitcaster and it seems to feel much better and more natural for me.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

i've got this one friend who keeps bringing bananas out on the boat

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Haha, my friends dad brought a banana on a party boat and some guys were blaming him for not catching anything so he put a sliver of peel on his diamond jig and caught bluefish on it.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

When I'm fishing for 8 to 10 hours, I find that using a baitcaster with the handle on the right side is a nice change of pace from the spinning reel with the handle on the left. I switch back and forth but in the end, go with your preference.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I'm with you all on the baitcasters, as a lefty I always found the right-handed reels more comfortable.

I never put much stock in weather patterns. Sure, fish may be more active at certain times, but just because it's cloudless and windy, doesn't mean there are no fish to catch.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I'm in with the baitcaster posse... I'm righty but only use lefty baitcasters... much more comfortable and don't have to switch hands on the cast...

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Mine is lure selection with color combinations. I believe lures are meant to catch fisherman not fish. Go to the store and you see more color combinations then you will ever be able to stock up on for all various situations. You would need a pickup truck just for lures. Now I do have a personal favorite lure that is my go to most all situations, #2 and #3 Copper Mepps spinner but when I look back at the lures when I was growing up and even the lures my father had growing up I often wonder, did no one catch fish back then? Of course they did with simpler colors and basic shapes. I feel that speed, location and presentation play more of a role then all the fancy paint jobs at ridiculous prices.

The funny thing is that my two favorite lures can't even be bought anymore. Bone white jitterbug and 6" red rapala (the ones from 30+ years ago). I retired both lures because I learned how to fish with them and don't want to lose them.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I definitly second that one L.A.! Although I would like to educate myself more on the weather patterns, and humity & baromic pressure. They've gotta have some effect, right? But I can honestly say I've landed fish in rain, sleet, and snow. Actually went out during hurricane Sandy and had success on the river. Even during crazy high flow they're still gonna eat given an opportunity.

This may not be bad weather, but extreme current.
https://youtu.be/agC44b7BPcU

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

The reason you reel a baitcaster with your dominant hand is because it's faster than your other hand. With a spinning reel retrieving is really a two handed operation.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

i had some trouble with that link but was able to find the video. here's a direct link to it https://youtu.be/agC44b7BPcU
crazy!

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

If you want those lures in the retired colors I'd suggest buying a lure kit and making copies of them. I agree with the colors, I like to have a bright color like white or chartreuse, a natural color, and a black... Beyond that I really don't care anymore. Certain days chartreuse will out fish white or whatever but you'd go crazy thinking about that. I have my work cut out finding the fish I want and following its seasonal patterns on any particular lake can't worry about throwing every color if you ask me.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I haven't bought a baitcaster just for this reason. Some day...

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Thanks acabtp! Went back & put your link in there. Here's another cool vid., hope it works. Sometimes they're in some crazy places!!

http://www.google.com/url?q=http://m...plqXTvjjsYrpRg

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Both cool vids! Here's one that really makes the point of high water fishing...
https://youtu.be/yCq6No6r3TI

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Cool thread....

I'm with you guys on the color thing....as Roland Martin says...all colors work as long as they are Green Pumpkin! I stick to that some black and something with chartreuse like a fire tiger. Toothy types love fire tiger.

Weather seems to always wrk against me...but that could be me...but I'll never admit that! I have caught just as many fish on blue bird days as any other weather conditions.

I do believe the early morning and at dawn times are better thing though.

I use the lefty bait casters....but I did find a great deal on a righty and couldn't resist. 39 bucks regularly 99...love that reel.

Spinner baits do NOT work when it's windy! Again that could also be me...can't catch a fish on one of those things to save my life.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Agreed on the time of day. Some of the areas I fish in the Adirondacks have such a predictable catch rate from early, dropping through lunch and then up to sunset I can set my watch to it. As for weather, I work during the week so can't plan my trips around barometer changes or rain so I fish when I can fish and make the best of it. Sometimes I have had killer days getting rained on, sometimes not. Get the very same conditions a few weeks later in the year and it's a different story.

Lure size - Bigger lure bigger fish.
Now I get the whole energy expenditure vs reward and completely agree that is you use a bigger lure you will weed out the smaller fish but why limit yourself. I have caught big fish on some of my smallest lures. It was all placement. I prefer to use lures sized for the line weight and rod I am using so I get the best feel so I know how to control the action and know what type of structure I am bumping. My first rod out is my 6'6" ultra light with 4-6 lbs and small lures for feel. Fun rod in a kayak.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

For one handed casting I prefer left handed baitcasters. But for other uses such as two handed casting,trolling,dead sticking,etc. it doesn't really matter to me. And some really nice reels are not available or are hard to find in left handed models so I have both right and left handed reels. As for weather I don't know how many times I canceled a planned trip because of a bad weather report and kicked myself for it. Now I usually just go and if the weather turns out bad I head in... Charlie

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Kcritch, may I suggest a white willow leaf SB when it's windy but on a wind blown shore. It may not work every time but it can be effective. Confidence is a key in whether a bait or a technique works.IMHO

PS: I'm new to the site but not new to fresh water fishing. Since retiring, we fish almost daily for the last seven seasons from March through December as long as it's not too windy and it's not raining or snowing too hard.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Thanks for mentioning the lure size thing. My experience absolutely has to make me disagree with the whole big lure big fish theory. My biggest musky at 47" came on what would be considered a kind of big bass lure a seedless frog but small for a musky lure biggest walleyes 2, 28" and biggest bass a few 21-22" all on regular sized lures 4" or so.

And with the musky it was not an accident, I was not fishing for bass. I target musky at certain times on certain lakes with smaller lures. I say it all depends on what the fish are eating. If what is predominantly available on a water body for even big predators is smaller fish then that's what they'll be used to eating. Visa versa if they're used to eating bigger meals.

Now that I have enough daylight to fish after work I can get out fishing with more favorable weather on my side. I was fishing weekends good or bad fishing forecasts. I'm sure some consistent pressure patterns will do wonders, that's what I believe is the most important factor.

If I could pick the dream time to fish it would be after 3 or more stable pressure days with a front coming in! I'm probably stuck at work most of the times that pattern happens haha

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I'll add one more thing I don't subscribe to, especially for fresh water fishing. Expensive rods and reels. My ultra light, medium and noodle rod are all Bass pro micro lite rods at around $40 each. They don't make a heavy so I have an ugly stick for that. Shimano reels, low-mid range because when you compare them to the expensive models there isn't much gained. I've had the rods bent end to end with no issues. If I break the rod no great loss. The reels are solid with a nice smooth drag. For fly fishing I buy Echo rods (100-120 range) which for the price you can't beat them and Lamson Konic reels that come with the same drag as their top of the line models.

The funny thing for me is that by keeping the cost down per rod/reel I end up buying more LOL.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Lots of good advice guys!!! i DEF AGREE WITH THE LAST TWO.
STABLE WEATHER AND MED PRICED TACKLE!!!

I'm am hard on my gear so buying top of the line stuff seems like a waste for me. Most sporting good stores have shied away from the mid grade stuff and now offer 25.00 combo's or 800,00 VS's I just don't get it??? I really don't think it makes a big difference as long as your rod has the proper action and the reel has a decent drag and fresh line!!!

The fish ain't saying I'm gonna eat that shiner cause he has a St. Croix!!!!

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

I agree but I will say the trevalla s jigging Rod is really really sensitive and lighter than light, plus I've had it bent in half with a 20 lbs cow nosed Ray landed it and also use it to detect the most subtle nibble on a wacky worm for bass. Would I buy another one? This one was a gift so I'd probably replace it if it got lost. It's better than a 40-60 dollar Rod but not by enough to spend an extra hundo on it I'd say. Nice to have though for sure! Most of my rods are bps or off of old combos haha.

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

Hey! I love my $800+ VS and my st croix rods! Lol...

And Chrisper, those trevalas are pretty sick. I landed a 110-120lb bluefin on the jig on one paired with an older 2 speed accurate boss magnum spooled with 65 lb braid. Had the rod bent like a pretzel for like 45 minutes!

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

The need for 2 spd reels ! :cool: & Roberts wrapped inshore rods :cool:

Re: popular beliefs you don't follow
 

If you want two speeds...reel faster! Haha