kdiaz+FollowDad's Secret to Landing Big Fish Every TimeNothing beats the way my dad taught me to fish—simple and effective. If you’re just starting out or want to go back to basics, here’s what I recommend: 1️⃣ Bait: Use Canadian nightcrawlers (green ones if you can find them). Thread 'em Texas-rig style with no weight. 2️⃣ Location: Cast near grass, docks, or low branches. Let it sink naturally. 3️⃣ Setup: Loose drag, rod holder if you got one, and keep an eye on the line—when it tightens and moves, you're in for a ride. If you're feeling adventurous, a silver/red topwater popper is my go-to lure. The splash and strike? Unreal. What’s your favorite old school tip that still delivers? #fishing #FishingTips #BassFishing384Share
dsmith+Followwhat helped me break past the fly fishing plateauWhen I first started, I was all about dries—elk hair caddis, size after size. Fun? Yes. Consistent? Not really. 6 months in, my catch rate dipped and I knew I had to change it up. A guy in a local forum said, “90% of fish feed subsurface.” That stuck. I picked up nymphing and it changed everything. 1️⃣ Start with Prince Nymphs or Copper Johns on top, Zebra Midges on the bottom. 2️⃣ Learn to mend and roll cast properly—presentation is everything. 3️⃣ Use fluoro tippet for better sink and invisibility. Now I fish confidently across CA, OR, ID, and more—catching everything from trout to 5lb carp on a 5wt. Nymphing isn’t just productive—it’s addictive. What technique unlocked the next level for you? #fishing #flyfishing #fishingtips #nymphing111Share
kdiaz+Followtexas-rigged flukes are my go-to lureBeen throwing the weightless Texas-rigged Super Fluke for years—it’s hands-down one of my favorite ways to fish. Watching that strike just under the surface is such a thrill. One trip on the Roanoke River, we were pulling in stripers almost every cast. For stained water, I always reach for a bubblegum Zoom Trick Worm—rigged the same way. That color just works. Anyone else a fan of flukes or trick worms? What’s your go-to setup for stained water? #fishing #bassfishing #fishingtips #texasrig481Share
fisherchad+Followwhy most anglers struggle with summer bassHad a buddy ask me yesterday what techniques I rely on when summer heat hits and bass get finicky. Got me thinking about my most consistent producers over the years. Here's the thing about summer bass - post-spawn they split into two groups: shallow cover huggers (mostly males) and deep structure females. Understanding this changes everything. My go-to tactics: 1️⃣ Early morning topwater - Dawn to 9am is magic hour. Buzztoads tight to cover, ploppers in open water. Even big females move shallow during low light. 2️⃣ Sinking stick baits - Deadstick heavy salt baits under docks. Cast, let it fall on slack line, watch for that subtle line movement when they suck it in. 3️⃣ Deep diving crankbaits - Bang bottom structure with baits diving 2+ feet deeper than water depth. Crash sandy/rocky bottoms, run just above weedy ones. 4️⃣ Spinnerbaits - Perfect search lures for covering water. Add trailer hooks when they're short striking - ups my catch rate dramatically. 5️⃣ Punching rigs - Flip through matted weeds where bass hide from sun. Reaction strikes are instant when your bait crashes through. What's your summer bass secret weapon? Anyone else notice that shallow/deep split? #fishing #SummerFishing #BassFishing #FishingTips14410Share
fisherchad+FollowMy best topwater bass explosion happened at 9pmNothing beats watching a bass absolutely demolish your lure on the surface. Had my biggest topwater strike last month fishing a moonlit evening - completely changed how I approach these baits. Here's what I've learned about topwater bass fishing: 1️⃣ Timing isn't just dawn - Evening and even nighttime can be incredible, especially under moonlight. Cloudy days work all day long. 2️⃣ Patience is everything - Wait 10-60 seconds after casting a frog before retrieving. Bass often hit while it's sitting still. 3️⃣ Don't jump the gun - Hardest part is NOT setting the hook when you see the swirl. Wait until you actually feel the strike or you'll yank it away. 4️⃣ Classic lures still work - Zara Spooks, Jitter Bugs, Hula Poppers. When modern stuff fails, go old school. Setup: 6'6" medium rod, braid for frogs, mono for everything else (it floats better). What's your best topwater memory? #fishing #TopwaterBass #fishingtips #SummerFishing 311Share
fisherchad+FollowIf your knot’s solid, you don’t need gear crutchesStop relying on snaps and swivels! Double uni knots slide through guides like butter, Palomar knots never fail on terminal tackle. My setup: braid mainline with mono backer, 6-10' leader. Just grabbed Yo Zuri super fluro after losing a PB to abrasion last week (double uni held though! 😅). Check your line constantly for nicks, especially around knots. That's where most breaks happen. Proper knots > extra hardware every time. #fishing #fishingtips #fishingknots150Share
kdiaz+FollowCheap fly reels: not all budget gear is equalOwn several basic cast disc reels (mostly Okuma-made) that have lasted thousands of hours in freshwater. Solid workhorses. Tried a loaded MaxCatch eco reel last fall - caught 1000+ fish on it but already seeing wear. Doubt it'll survive its first year or first fly line change. Not even close to those $60-70 reels I already had. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. Anyone else notice huge quality differences even within "budget" fly gear? #fishing #flyfishing #fishinggear #fishingtips262Share
kdiaz+FollowTwo fly fishing tips that 5x'd my catch rateSomeone asked what advice made fly fishing finally click for me. Here's what changed everything: 1️⃣ Master nymph presentation - Find that sweet spot between natural drift near the bottom and good strike detection. Whether you use indicators or tight-line techniques, effective nymphing means you'll always catch fish even when surface action is dead. 2️⃣ Read water based on temperature - Trout behavior changes with seasons. Warmer months? They're feeding in shallow whitewater. Colder months? Focus on deeper runs and pools. Being selective about where you fish is huge. These two skills literally increased my success rate 5x. The difference between randomly casting and actually understanding what you're doing is night and day. What breakthrough tip changed your fly fishing game? #fishing #FlyFishing #FishingTips300Share
kdiaz+FollowI catch more fish with $35 Walmart gearInternet's gonna hate this but here goes - fishing gear all does the same thing. That $35 Walmart combo works just as well as your premium setup. See those guys at every dock slaying fish with cheap gear? They're proof expensive doesn't equal better. Fish don't care about your brand flex. My recommendation: any medium-light rod ($15-100), cheap Chinese reel from Amazon (3000 size), decent 6-10lb mono, basic lures and hooks. Total cost under $200. Went out last weekend with no-name Chinese gear and filled the boat. Fish didn't ask to see my receipt or check if my rod was "premium sensitive." Maybe we just buy fancy gear to impress each other? #fishing #fishingtips #budgetangler #tightlines #bassfishing #warehousewisdom357Share
fisherchad+FollowStop losing fish with these knot hacksJust watched a guy lose a nice bass yesterday because his snap swivel failed. Got me thinking about how many anglers rely on hardware instead of proper knots. Here's what works for me: double uni for braid to mono connections (slides through guides like butter), Palomar for terminal tackle (never fails). My setup is braid mainline with mono backer, then 6-10' leader. Actually just bought Yo Zuri super fluro after losing a PB to leader abrasion last week. The double uni held though! 😅 Always check for line nicks - that's where most breaks happen. What knots do you swear by? Any hardware failures cost you fish? #fishing #FishingTips #KnotSkills 331Share
