Conference wahoo::fishing

    Welcome aboard, Marty.  A quality 6' med action spinning rod with
    quality 8lb test line would be the setup I'd reccomend.  It could
    be used for bass, panfish, or trout.  Naturally there's alot of 
    questions, like: where will you be fishing? what would you like to
    fish for?  and do you want to use livebait?  I'm sure you'll get an 
    earfull of advice in here!  
    
    Also, check out notes 748 and 779 (keyword=newcomer).
    
    Have fun,  Don Mac (who is still learning too)

    Marty,
       you dont need a $20,000 bass boat or $5,000 worth of tackle to
    get in to bass fishing, all you need is the basics.  A medium action
    rod, 5'6" - 6'6" is fine, find a reel that best fits the rod and that
    you like, some true-turn hooks size 2/0, bullet weights 1/8-1/4 oz.
    and some plastic worms, 8" black, purple, motoroil or red-shad color.
    All this could set you back from $50 to $200.  Texas rig the worms,
    and cast it out along some weed beds, or on a drop off from a causeway
    Run it real slow on the bottom stopping often, keep the slack out
    of the line.  When you feel a TAP-TAP set the hook REAL HARD!!
    At first, it may take some time to tell the difference between rocks
    and weeds on the bottom and the Basses TAP but once you feel the
    real thing you'll know it from that point on.  
    	A few months ago there was a GREAT article in BASSMASTERS mag.
    called "Back to Basics" if you can get your hand on it read it,
    that article will help everyone from beginner to pro. 
    	Their are Bass in most of the waters in Mass, you should have
    know problem finding them now, they are real active.  I have been
    averaging 4-5 everytime I go out this month.
    
    GOOD LUCK
    Les
    

    Marty,
    
    I can relate - I started in less than a year ago, and now I have
    $3400 worth of equipment!! (just kidding) I first picked up a 5�'
    casting rod at Building 19 (surplus goods store), and put a closed
    face spincaster on it, but since then I moved up to a 7' Cabela's
    med action graphite spinning rod w. a Shimano MQII reel, and like
    it a LOT. 7' might be a little long for some, however, and I can
    poke my brother in the eye real easy when we're in the canoe!
    
    Anyhow, I would not necessarily suggest you start right out with
    Texas-rigged worm fishing, because it takes some getting used to.
    Besides, and this comes from others with a lot more experience then
    me, you can probably get as good or better results worm fishing
    *without* the bullet sinker, and, if you aren't fishing in weeds,
    don't bury the hook in the worm body, because it's a lot easier
    to hook the fish with the hook exposed. I know this goes against
    the conventional advice, but it seems to work easier for us beginners,
    and you can always try the other way.
    
    Also, by all means, hit the local K-mart and pick up a few top-water
    lures: Hula Poppers, Jitterbugs, Zara Spooks, and Rapalas/Rebels
    seem to be the most popular. They're the most fun if the fish
    are hitting the surface, and easier to fish than worms because the
    fish usually set the hook themselves when they strike. Besides,
    you can see what's going on because they're on top. Get at least
    a black Jitterbug, frog colored Hula Popper, a silver Rapala, and
    maybe a chartreuse or clear Spook. Those could keep you busy for
    a least one day!
    
    Ed

	< Been fishin' all my life, and I'm still a newcomer.>

Marty - 
	Looks like most of the replies so far have been from the bass fishing
ranks.  By the way, that's mostly what I do any more; however, you mentioned
the Orvis school, and that sounds like you may be more interested in trout 
fishing.  I haven't gone to the Orvis school, but I've heard they can 
certainly take you up through the pro status. They concentrate on trout 
fishing, with special emphasis on fly fishing. (At least they did in Idaho
when I wanted to take the school.)  Fly fishing has a paticular lure of 
its own and appropriate price tags to go along (like chest-high waders costing
over $200.)
	There are several questions that you need to answer for yourself before
you get started.  (By the way, expect the answers to change over time depending
on how "hooked" you get.)  Some question are:
	- How much time do you have to fish/ get ready to fish/ recover from 
	fishing (i.e. obligatory time with wife, kids, friends, job)?
	- How competetive are you by nature? 
		* Do you translate that competetiveness into your recreation 
		or do you use the recreation as a diversion?  
		* Can you sit for hours watching a "bobber" and waiting for 
		it to go out of sight and hoping that it won't?   
		* Or, do you try to out-think the fish and the last fisherman
		that came through by knowing the water, the temp, etc., etc.?
	- What is the end point of your fishing?  (Meat, recreation, something
	to brag about, develop in-depth expertise, ??????)
	- What kind of fish do you want to catch?  (Trout; Bass; don't care!!)

	My first response is to simply say that fresh water fishing is just 
like saltwater fishing.  You can fish from shore or boat, with bait or with 
lures, with heavy line/reel/rod or ultra-lite, go for the good eating or catch
and release.  If you live near fresh water that you want to fish frequently,
try to find out what kind of fish are there and start with a set-up for them.
It's probably applicable to lots of other places.  
	If you care to try again, I'm sure we'll rise to the bait again, but
maybe we'll be hungrier or more vicious.

the Texican

    I like fishing. I would much rather be fishing (or flying a kite)
    than most other things that you routinely do outside. I don't fish
    for meat, and usually throw a fish back if I am pretty sure it will
    survive. I get kidded enough that sometimes I will bring home a
    large fish just to show my SO that I really do know how to catch
    fish.
    
    I fish for the fun of fishing. I do take pride when I catch several
    and my fishing buddy or others nearby don't catch any or catch fewer.
    I like to experiment with different lures and bait, presentation,
    etc.
    
    Since I don't have a family and my SO is understanding I have a
    fairly large amount of disposable income so buying equipment isn't
    really a problem. Neither is spending the time. I've found that
    if I really want the time I can usually create chunks of it by moving
    other stuff around.
    
    Trout or bass? Either, both. I live in Jamaica Plain and the F&G
    folks stock the pond. Fishing could be just a 10 minute walk away
    and I could do it every day. I drive down to the Cape and north
    to Plum Island routinely for saltwater fishing (not so much these
    days as in the past) so going to where the fish are isn't a problem
    either.
    
    The Orvis school is primarily interested in trout and they emphasize
    fly fishing. I like the looks of fly fishing, but would have a hard
    time with chest waders, I'm pretty big (be nice now) and the last
    time I went looking for waders (for stripers and blues) I couldn't
    find anything that would fit.

    I think I am going to buy myself a graphite blank and wrap a spinning
    rod and use the old Mitchell-Garcia reel that I caught my first
    fish on (mackeral or bonita, don't remember) and head for the Pond...
    
    	Marty

Marty - 
	Sounds like you have a good idea with the graphite blank and the 
spinning reel.  That's not only an easy way to transition into freshwater
fishing, it also provides solid tools for a of variety for experimentation 
with all kinds of lures, colors, sizes, types, and styles of presentation
and retrieval.  In other notes you can find favorite lures and clues as 
to when and where to use them.  Most of which can be used with the rig you 
propose.
My current favorite lure is a Stanley Vibra-shaft spinner with large willow-
leaf blades and a chartruese and brunt-orange skirt.  It's virtually weedless, 
attracts most species of fish, and can be fished in a variety of water 
and conditions.  It's kept me from being skunked this year (except the times 
I fish with Ranger Ron.)  
	Another favorite lure is a Rapala or other bait-fish looking lure.
The problem with these are that you need clear (no-weeds or moss) water to
use efficiently.  That kind of water is difficult to find in Mass. this time
of year.  
	Worms (rubber/plastic), Gitzits, pig 'n' jig are great this time 
of year and they can be fished in any kind of water, but are particularly 
effective in heavy brush, trees, stumps, etc. where you wouldn't want to 
throw most other lures.  A handfull of worms and Gitzits with worm hooks 
and various weights, along with that spinner-bait,  can give you plenty of 
opportunity to develop presentation and patience. (Patience being the most
important.)  
	With any lure in fresh water, as in salt water, speed and variability
of retrieve, as well as, depth of the lure are all key variables.  After 
finding the right lure, and when the fishing is slow/hard, color and size
come into play, but, I think, they are of less importance.
	By the way, don't dismiss flyfishing (for all kinds of fish) if you
like the solitude of fishing and a changing and challenging situation.  I 
believe that there are wader manufacturers that will custom build waders 
for you if you're willing to go to the trouble and expense.
	Good luck with fresh water!

Texican < Who_gets_intolerably_verbose_at_times.>

  This seemed an appropriate topic for this announcement, if there is a better
place Mr. Moderator Please feel free to move it.


	BASS FISHING SEMINAR
				- Become a better Fisherman

When	Saturday  March 31, 1990  10 am & 2 pm

Where	Fishing Tackle Annex
	Hudson, Mass

Who	Mike Yellick (or however you spell his name)

What	"FREE prizes & Free gifts for everyone"

	  Mike is going to cover many aspects of bass fishing.  He is
	sponsered by Manns baits so I'd expect the prizes to be (at least
	partially) from Mann's.

	I've only seen Mike a couple times.  He seemed very knowlegable
	and entertaining.  I have it on good authority, the man knows his
	stuff.  I've been to the annual seminars that the Annex puts on a
	couple times now (won a guided trip last year).