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Equipment

"Equipment" gives all bass fisherman some additional insight on types of equiptment a successful angler uses.

Equipment

Equipment is extremely important when fishing with wild shiners. Most bass fishermen have crankbait rods, flipping sticks, topwater rods and so on. The serious wild shiner fisherman has tackle just for the use of wild shiners.

The preferred hook is a Kahle hook. Based on the size of the bait a 3/0, 4/0 or 5/0 Kahle hook should be used. A Kahle hook looks unusual to the angler who has not seen one. The shape of the Kahle hook will usually cause the hook to sew its way in and out of the bass. This results in a bass being hooked extremely securely. The hook is sewed in!

The minimum is about 20 pound test. The grass, wood, various other structures, and the weight of the shiner are all factors requiring a heavy line test with abrasion resistance. Many shiner guides use 50 pound test. 30 pound test is normal. Consider in order of importance the bait, where the bait goes, and what the line goes through in determining your choice of pound test.

Hook setting techniques are important considerations when selecting a rod. A long rod is excellent. Seven feet is perfect. With the rod tip down and the line straight between the bass and the angler the seven foot rod gives the angler a tremendous amount of line pick-up. This enables the angler to remove the stretch from the line, the curve between the reel and the bass from the line, the bend from the rod. Then when the hook is set the angler feels the hook come out of the shiner and into the bass mouth. The angler wants the bass to stop his hook set. (Gosh. I want to go fishing!) A heavy action rod is a necessity. SHIMANO s Compree CPC70H is a perfect casting rod.

The line test, the rod, and fishing techniques are important in the selection of a reel. The requirements are strength, durability, a bait clicker is a must, and the ability to handle heavy line. Light saltwater reels, Musky reels, and the like are the places to look. SHIMANO s Calcutta 400 and SHIMANO s Bantam 50 are two excellent baitcasting choices. SHIMANO s BaitRunner 4500 is an excellent spinning reel choice. The BaitRunner has a dual drag system allowing the principles of a bait clicker to work.

The selection and use of the appropriate equipment is crucial. You would not go Bear hunting with a switch. Why try the same with bass? The angler s success is directionally proportional to his selection of equipment.

Hugh Crumpler