Freshwater Questions & Answers
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QUESTION	ANSWER
I would like information about the Rattlesnake Tackle Company. I believe that they are located in McDonough Georgia. That's what the package says. I am looking for the small craw dads that they sold in some of the Wal-mart or K-mart stores. I would like to buy some of these baits in bulk form. I called to McDonough Georgia and was told no such company existed. --Ron	Ron the company was purchased by Maurice Tackle who are a distributor for The Sports Authority and WalMart. You cannot buy them directly. Tight Lines!
Just found your website, "love it." I had a few questions, Lake Ronkonkoma seems to be picking up from what I saw on your website, it that right? I have not fish there in years! So my question is do you know anything about the Sayville mill pond or Carmen's Rive, also, where in Suffolk County do you recommend for carp fishing? --David from Suffolk County	David, Ronkonkoma is doing VERY well. The DEC are to be applauded for their efforts in conjunction with the Long Island BASSMASTERS Fishing Club who have placed habitat in the lake to help the bass, added walleye to help keep the perch and bluegill population down and helped keep the lake clean! Mill Pond has some nice largemouth, try the 4 inch worm in pumpkinseed or watermelon. Carmens River is excellent for carp. There are some monsters in there! Tight Lines!
On the Bill Dance fishing show he was using an in line spinner which had a silver blade followed by several what looked like 8 mm silver beads with a large white buck tail with a red streamer and treble hook. My question is where can I buy these spinner baits, he referred to them as Muskie spinners? --Frank from Arkansas	Hi Frank, Those baits are made by Strike King and you can find them in most good catalogs such as BASS Pro and Cabelas. Tight Lines!
Hi, Charles you are living my dream! If you can please give me some spots in NY METRO area that I can do some good fresh water fishing and not have to drive more then an hour or two. --Bob from Brooklyn	Hi Bob, You should look at Hempstead Lake State Park in Rockville Center. There are three lakes in a row and they are all full of fish! It is no more than 15 minutes from JFK and about 35 minutes from you. I live close by and you can often see me there! Tight Lines!
After 12 years of bass fishing with freshwater spinning gear I recently purchased my first casting rod (pistol grip) because I have areas I fish that I believe a casting rod would allow me to make a more accurate casts and a more subtle landing in the water. Choosing the rod was easy for me, however, have had no experience with casting reels I'm having a difficult time in choosing a reel. Do I go under the assumption that you only get what you pay for? Or can you give me 3 models that you would highly recommend in the $100-150 range. --Bob from Long Island	Bob you are right when you say, you get what you pay for! I suggest you get a BASSPRO Shops catalog and check out their "Tournament Series" bait casting rods and reels. The combo prices are in line with your budget. You can also visit them at www.bassproshops.com Tight Lines!
I am a keen fisherman in the UK and I regularly go Pike fishing for smaller Pike, around 10lb. I use a Deadbait and a bitealarm and get regular bites, However I can never seem to get the timing right, I can get the bites and they stay there, however, I usually strike it to early, so the hooks fly out of the mouth, or to late, so the Pike has swallowed the hooks in its throat, making it extremely difficult to remove them. I am sure it is the timing so I was wondering if you could tell me when to strike it. --Rupert Day from England	HI Rupert! As I am sure you know, I am from the UK also and I used to fish for pike all the time. Pike both here in the US and back in the UK do the same thing when they strike lures or livebait. First they hit the bait sideways! That is why you are losing fish by striking too soon. It is what happens next that you need to be aware of so that you can hook them well and get the hooks out easily. When the pike first hits the bait sideways it will continue to swim for about another 10 to 20 feet then stop. AT that time the pike will turn the bait in it's mouth and swallow it (usually head first) It is during that motionless phase when you should set the hook. But don't wait too long or the problems you have now with deep hooks will continue. I suggest you visit a local tackle store and buy yourself a "pike gag" which will help you open the pikes mouth to remove the hooks. Tight Lines!
Back in the fifties, I lived in North Dakota and Minnesota and got in a bit of Northern and Walleye fishing. There was a rig we used then that I have been trying to find for quite a while. Perhaps you may recognize it and could tell me its name and, if still available, how to get one. The rig consisted of a long stiff wire with a small oval loop on the end. The wire was pushed down the mouth of a minnow and out its anus. Then a double hook was snapped into the loop. The wire was then pulled back until the hooks rode alongside the minnow. The front of the loop had a round disc that went into the minnow's mouth to keep it from expanding while trolling. There was also a spinner on the front of the rig. --Keith	Keith, I do not believe that rig is still in use as you describe it, but there are rigs available that do a similar job, however the wire is "outside" the fish, which prolongs the life of the bait. I suggest you contact your local fishing store or check on line at some of the guide services for more information. Tight Lines!
Jorge from Brooklyn writes: Do you know the best body of water to fish for Crappie,Bluegills, Largemouth, and Smallmouth Bass, on Long Island? Also, can these fish be eaten? specifically Crappies and Bluegills. --Jorge from Brooklyn	Jorge, All the lakes you can see on a map of Long Island hold one or more of the species you mentioned. What I should point out to you is that it is not a good idea to eat ANY fish you catch in the Long Island waters and children should NEVER be exposed to the mercury content these fish have in their systems. Go catch them, have fun, but release them back alive for another day! Then go to your local fish market and pick up some fillets of trout, salmon or flounder! Tight Lines!
Where do the bass go in the winter? Do they stay in shallow water or go into the deeper water? --Brian	Brian the bass move to deeper water where the temperature is more comfortable for them. When the spring thaw begins, the fish return to the shallows to breed. Tight Lines!
I'm 36 years old and have just started taking up fishing. I love bass fishing. But since I'm a beginner, I don't know when to go, what kind of weather I should look for, what kind of water, lures, etc. Should I use a baitcasting setup or an open face setup? Do I need a big bass boat or not? Basically I just want to know how to get started in the right direction. --Kevin from Arkansas	Well Kevin, let me first say that it's never too late to start a bass fishing career! I turned professional only 5 years ago after 10 years of "practice", so don't feel too bad. The weather is a major factor. The best days for me seem to be those with overcast skies, light rain or small amounts of sunshine. Reel selection is a personal choice. If you are comfortable fishing with a baitcasting reel and have got the basic handling understood, then for most applications i.e. spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, crankbaits, jerkbaits, Carolina and Texas rigged worms and jigging, this is the reel for you. Spinning reels are in my opinion, light tackle reels for finesse presentations such as weightless worms and tiny crankbaits etc. I like to use them on calm days when the weather is warmer and the fishing gets tougher! Rod selection should be suited to your likes also. I am 6 feet tall and I came from Europe where fishing rods start at 11 feet and end at over 30 feet! I like longer rods because I feel they give me more control, but again it's a personal choice. Most rods for most applications come in the 6-foot to 7-foot range and vary in "flex" from light to medium to heavy action. Please read some of my articles and those of other more prominent writers to see exactly what I mean. The $100,000 question that you pose is a good one. A big boat, a small boat or no boat? For safety's sake, I would own a big boat if the waters I fished were large and I intended to enter fishing competitions. I would own a smaller boat if the lakes and rivers I fished were small and required little or no power to cover the area. The last alternative is of course to fish from the shoreline. If you can catch enough fish to satisfy your needs for the day and you can get close enough to them to unhook and release them, then you don't need to buy a boat at all. I personally think however, that once you start to catch bass on a regular basis, you will want to get "out there" and get closer. Welcome to the world of bass fishing. You should also advise your wife that large sums of money are going to be spent on tackle and equipment and that she will not see you too often during the fishing season! If I can give you any additional help, please feel free to contact me at Screamingreel.com. Tight Lines!
I'm wondering if you can tell me a couple of good places to fish for bass on Long Island. I usually fish in Wantagh atTwin Lakes.I catch some nice bass and pickerel there but i'm always looking for more spots. I'm also wondering how bass fishing is in the fall months? --Chris from Long Island	Well Chris, I suggest you read some of the old replies concerning fishing locations. I think I have covered most of them. As for fall fishing, Its time to bulk up the size of the offering and slow down the presentation. Big, slow moving baits will catch some lunkers this fall. Please read the articles attached to the Freshwater Angler section of Screamingreel.com site for more information. Tight Lines!
I just purchased my first baitcasting reel. It is a Shimano Curado. I have little experience with baitcasting reels as I have used spinning reels all my life. Could you please give me some pointers on the braking system and drag. It seems to be either to loose, causing it to spool over, or to tight and not getting sufficient casting. --Ed from Port Jefferson	Ed thanks for the question. Baitcasting reels have many functions within the world of angling from shoreline casting, to the mighty depths of the ocean this reel has proven itself an unbeatable tool. When we talk about bass fishing, it is the quintessential reel for 80% of your fishing needs. Your choice of reel is excellent. Shimano make without doubt some of the finest equipment on the market today. So to re-assure you, your problems are not new. First you must load the line onto the reel correctly. There are many gadgets on the market to help you, but if you don't have the money, I suggest dropping the line into the sink of water and winding it onto your reel wet. This eliminates line memory from the factory spool and "seats" the line nicely onto the spool of your reel. Next you should rig your rod and attach the lure you intend to use. Once this is completed with the lure of choice only a few inches from the top of your rod tip, press the thumb bar release on the reel and let the lure fall. If it does not move, the "star" drag is too tight" If the lure hits the floor, it is too lose. By a slow process of elimination, you have to turn the star drag until the lure pulls line from the reel very slowly, then tighten it, one click. You reel is set for the lure weight and when you cast the reel will slow down when the lure hits the water as the line is no longer being pulled by the lure. I always keep my thumb there as an added breaking system! The next important feature is the drag system. The small round dial located beside the star drag is the drag. This drag will feed line off your reel in the event that a large fish pulls your line at a greater strain than the line is shown to handle. This is very important in light line fishing which is becoming more and more popular. With the reel in a locked position, try and pull line off the reel. If you can't move it, you have the drag set too tight. If it moves easily, it's too loose! All you have to do is adjust the dial by turning it, a small amount at a time, until you meet with resistance. Having this set too loose may cause you to loose a fish on a hard strike or hook set. IF you need additional help, please let me know. Tight Lines!
I am interested in fishing the Salmon River in upstate New York this October for Salmon, a trip I also did last year. As a newcomer to Salmon fishing i was hoping for some tips. I am using a regular rod and reel (no fly fishing yet!) I am looking forward to a great trip. --A salmon enthusiast	Salmon fishing this time of year can be a very rewarding or very disappointing trip! The best methods are: Artificial "red" spawn sacks with a drop or two of Anise oil from the shore or if you like lures, try a blue and silver or green and silver spoon. For the boat fishermen, cut bait on a downrigger in 80 plus feet depths works well. For shoreline fishing I recommend light line of 10 to 17lb tests but DO NOT tie your line to the reel. These fish can strip your reel bare in under a minute and if you tie a knot, they many even take your equipment with them! Look for downed trees and rock formations where the fish will pool. Cast into these pools and tighten your line. Some people when shore line fishing, place the rod at a 45-degree angle and watch the tip. You have to pay close attention, or you may loose everything! These fish have very hard mouths and I often with set the hook three or four times during a fight to ensure the bone is penetrated. Expect to loose 50 percent or more of the fish you hook as these fish fight like no other! AS a side note, many any anglers who practice catch and release, flatten the barb on the hook to avoid damage to the mouth. For boat fishing, the line should be in the 20 to 30 LB test range. A steel leader is often a good idea as the rocks can play havoc on monofilament or braided lines. Tight Lines.

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