Worst advice on the www today.

1st time you set the hook using a ducket rod it’s a 2 piece rod. I couldn’t imagine the quality of the reel that he’s giving away, but I’d assume it belongs in a gumball type machine for sales.

All I use are Duckett rods and have been for years. And I can use whatever I want. I did have a 40# bull red break a MH spinning rod a number of years back when I got him to the boat and he decided to run, but that's the only issue like that I have ever had.

I've probably set the hook on 1200 bass this year alone and no breakage.

So, I hate to call you out for answering objectively to a subjective suggestion, but, in short, your statement "1st time you set the hook using a ducket rod it’s a 2 piece rod." is a flat out lie unless by "ducket" you do not mean "Duckett."

Lews reels are great and all i buy anymore.

For rods, given this is a HS fishing team and cost likely matters somewhat, the Academy branded solid black rods called Tac40 are very good for the money. My good friend works for corporate and designed them and had them built. They are a replica of a VERY popular high end rod brand for 1/3 of the cost. Spool them up with Seaguar Ivizx and braided line depending on the technique.

Set the hook harder.

Okay - gonna give you that one!

I’ll say I’ve not used one since he first started pimiping those white piece of garbage out. It was all I needed.

Fish don't know the difference between cane poles spin cast or bait casters. I've caught more big bass on a zebco 33 than anything else. For salt I have use my premier bait casters. They have out lasted some high end reels.

To be fair, you and your coastal buddy could wreck an anvil...jus' sayin'

Edit - I did lol at the set the hook harder comment

Judd not everyone is petite.

Oh yeah, love catching and frying up some “ditch pickles” aka large mouth bass….

PM me sometime this winter, after gun season, about looking at some of the tackle I have inherited and need to dispose of. I'm in Palestine and already sold my 22' Deep V Offshore/Texoma boat, and we don't fish anymore, since leaving Texoma. We also chase ReSale antique furniture & all kinds of items from Dallas to Tyler & Lindale for our antique business and see lots of different things from peoples downsizing efforts. There was an auction last nite in Rusk that had lots of tools and furniture and bargain basement hunting stuff in it, but fishing tackle does not sell well until after Jan/Feb so's now is a good time to learn the ropes and who does what to get ready for the spring season.

FYI 5+years ago when we started the Resale Business after moving here , I bagged 200 bass & striper lures to sell in the shop and sold 10-20% of them .... ain't gonna do that again for sure 'cause it took me a month to bag that many lures 1 at a time.

Also a place I used to hit regularly when I was in the Lake Tawokoni Bass Club is a long time tackle repair place in Dallas who's name escape's, me over off what used to be called "Industrial, " south of all the truck docks,1 block west of the the Goodyear Tire & Rubber bldg at the RR underpass on west Inwood I think it is , and south of the Kuby's big game processor warehouse which is around the corner & 2 blocks west, on the left side of the street of the 1st east/west street at the north end of the Goodyear bldg .

If you know Jimmy Smith, from Smitty's Sporting Goods on Jefferson in Oak Cliff, is now supposed to be a striper guide on Tawakoni last I heard, tell him hello from Ron at the old long gone Schoellkopf Company in Carrollton.
Ron

Southwest I think is who you are referring too.

Yes they rebuilt a couple reels for me. Ceramic….

PM me sometime this winter, after gun season, about looking at some of the tackle I have inherited and need to dispose of. I'm in Palestine and already sold my 22' Deep V Offshore/Texoma boat, and we don't fish anymore, since leaving Texoma. We also chase ReSale antique furniture & all kinds of items from Dallas to Tyler & Lindale for our antique business and see lots of different things from peoples downsizing efforts. There was an auction last nite in Rusk that had lots of tools and furniture and bargain basement hunting stuff in it, but fishing tackle does not sell well until after Jan/Feb so's now is a good time to learn the ropes and who does what to get ready for the spring season.

FYI 5+years ago when we started the Resale Business after moving here , I bagged 200 bass & striper lures to sell in the shop and sold 10-20% of them .... ain't gonna do that again for sure 'cause it took me a month to bag that many lures 1 at a time.

Also a place I used to hit regularly when I was in the Lake Tawokoni Bass Club is a tackle repair place in Dallas who's name escape's me over off what used to be named Industrial south of all the truck docks, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber bldg at the RR underpass on west Inwood I think it is , and south of the Kuby's big game processor warehouse which is around the corner & 2 blocks west, on the left side of the street.
Ron

Southwestern Parts and Service on Mockingbird. They seem to always have a rack of rebuilds that customers forgot to comeback and get. Great way to get a higher end reel that works like new at a decent price.

When I was still teaching I helped start a team for our high school. I’ll share a few observations from that experience.

First of all as many others have said, the fact that he weighed in fish is awesome. The tournaments will get tougher as the water gets cooler so starting with some confidence going in is good.


The number one difference maker for our teams was prefishing. Unless your captain has competitively fished on all of the lakes in your division you have to find a way to get on the water at least once before tournament day. Preferably closer to the tournament to ensure you have a good understanding of water conditions.


In relation to gear, it was very common for our kids to go to academy and buy the $100 Baitcaster colors in fancy colors. But then on the water they spent half the day pulling backlashes. These kids would have been better served buying $60 Shimano spinning reels and an $50 all star rod and would have spent much more of the day with their lure in the water.

If your kiddo is truly comfortable making 1000+ casts with a Baitcaster you really need to look at the reels from Daiwa, Abu, or Shimano that start in the $150 range. Amazon Warehouse and Tackle warehouse often have feels on the mainstream reels. Learning to understand the braking system and exactly what they do will make for a better day on the water.

Final thing related to tackle would be to keep it simple. I am assuming your son didn’t catch his fish in 20’ over a brush pile using a drop shot that he saw on live scan. Like 95% of high school anglers he is beating banks and docks. He needs to think about 2 flipping baits and 2 moving baits. I’ve caught more fish on a watermelon red baby brushhog. So I have a great deal of confidence in that bait. Other options for bigger flipping baits would be a beaver style or jig. As far as moving baits, I like either a sexy Shad colored square bill crank bait or if the water is horrible a chartreuse square bill. I’ve caught more fish on the smaller 1.5 size but caught much nicer fish on the 2.5. If there is much vegetation or stick ups I run a paddle tail swim bait with a belly hook so I am not spending too much time retrieveing crank baits. Most of the tournaments don’t allow you to start fishing at first light so I wouldn’t focus too hard on top water, but if you can I like a POP R or soft plastic frog.

Hopefully his team mate will be back on the water for most of the tournaments. Encourage the boys to have a tag team approach to fishing. Guy in the front of the boat throwing a moving bait while the guy in the back flipping stick ups trying to find scraps. If one pattern sticks out go a little bigger or smaller to try to maximize their approach.

Last thing would be you don’t know cold until it’s 35 degrees on Texoma blowing 20+ miles per hour. Having warm gear will make the day much less miserable. If you have deep pockets the Bass Pro 200mph suit is the best. If you are on a budget yhe academy version with layers underneath work. Since this is the hunting forum if he has coveralls that’s might work but it won’t buck the wind as well.