Just came in from Bass Pro Shops – announcement for Friday January 28, 2022!
Also, just ordered the BPS Micro Lite Glass Casting Rod. It’s fiberglass, meant to cast ultralight lures, and looks like it will pair well with a Bait Finesse Systems reel!
And, it is a two-piece rod making for ease or portability when making the commute to the day job!
Forgot I had the inline spinner lure making kit. It was gathering dust in the closet.
Luckily, I remembered it was there after ordering another Kastking Zephyr BFS Reel… this one has a reel clicker like the Shimano Scorpion 17 Reel.
In short order, made two inline spinners using 1/16oz worm weights for the body.
Tried them at a couple of ponds and had one Bass strike but did not land it. Need to use a bigger treble hook.
Made the modification, now just got a catch a fish… who knows, maybe with the new Kastking Zephyr BFS with reel clicker. Supposed to deliver tomorrow!
Planned to fish a pond located North of us, then decided last minute to go West to the city of Flower Mound to fish Heritage Park. Its pond was recently stocked with Rainbow Trout.
Trout were there but were really picky. Did manage to catch some on a Gold Super Duper and a Pat’s Near Deere fishing fly before switching to bait – Shrimp is what the trout preferred as well as bread. They were biting on Corn initially but did not want PowerBait or PowerWorms.
The little three foot Bass Pro Shop’s rod and Shimano Scorpion 17 BFS reel casted nicely. But, no long casts were needed. Trout were lurking right below us near the pier!
Limited out with five trout; really small ones. No worries was a fun time.
#baitfinesse #bfsfishing #troutfishing
Rod and Reel Used!
Found this fishing rod at the local Cabelas. It’s a Bass Pro Shop Graphite Series Rod that is 3 feet long and rated for 1/8 oz to 1/2 oz lures. Since the two companies merged, I often find both brands at Cabelas and vice versa for Bass Pro Shop.
Had several Christmas Gift Cards burning a hole in my wallet, and since I bought a new BFS reel – the Shimano Scorpion 17 BFS XG, a new fishing rod was definitely in the near future.
I was debating about getting a 4-1/2 to 6 foot rod, but the ones I wanted were one-piece rods. I was hoping for a two-piece that I could break down easily as well as put together quickly.
While browsing around, I found this 3 foot rod that fit the bill. In short order, i bought it, took a few casts and could tell I made the right choice!
But, just in case, the next morning I did a quick test to see if I could cast at least 12 yards with it. I can cast 12 yard and then some with it.
Took it fishing to a recently stocked pond, and was able to cast without issue light lures as well as a rig using two split-shot. I did limit out on small trout but as it turned out, the trout were near the pier… right below me.
No need to cast far this round but good to know that I will be able to whenever needed!
#bfsfishing #baitfinesse #ultralightfishing
Bass Pro Shops Graphite Series 3′ Casting Rod – GRS30MT
The Bass Pro Shops Graphite Series Casting Rod measures in at a mere 3′ in length making it an excellent rod for pitching lures under docks, working areas with thick brush, kayak fishing, and ice fishing!
Live stream update from the Team! Still trying to catch a fish on the new Shimano Scorpion 17 BFS Reel mounted on the Daiwa Minicast Rod. The combo is casting light lures with ease… and I have my thumb educated where I am not backlashing. Now just gotta catch a fish!
#shimano #bfsfishing #mikelewispark
First time fishing the Shimano 17 Scorpion BFS Reel mounted on the Daiwa Minicast Rod!
After a backlash on the first cast, followed by several overruns, and then adjusting the spool tension and brakes, able to let it rip and cast in the dark without a backlash.
Liking casting 1/16oz Rooster Tails in the dark without a backlash!
Did not catch a fish but did learn the feel of the rod and reel combo and trained the thumb to cast confidently in the dark.
Next step… catch a fish!
PS. The 5ft rod breaks down into 5 pieces making it easier to “store” in the backpack I take to the day job!
New reel arrived. Going to open it and check it out! The Shimano Curado BFS reels were out of stock. Saw a review by RxAngler for the Shimano Scorpion. Liked It! See video at the end of this post.
Noticed the Shimano Reel 17 Scorpion BFS XG Right was in stock on Amazon. Had gift cards from Christmas, in short order… ordered one.
Plan to fish it sooner than later. Do check back on follow-up fishing videos!
Fished the local pond with the Kastking Zephyr BFS reel on a Shakespeare Microcast Rod and 1/16oz Roostertail. Switched the 10lbs braided line that had a 2lbs mono equivalent diameter for 4lbs mono… no more line slipping under the spool!
Caught two bass and found a lure someone lost… not bad, left with more lures than I had at the start. Not the norm for yours truly!
PS. Shimano BFS reel delivers today… check back for an unboxing post!
A quick product review of the Okuma Rockaway Surf Rod – specifically, the 12′ Medium Heavy Spinning Rod that is rated for 1-4oz weights.
Check out the video, and if you are interested in one, see more at Amazon and our COAF Field Team Amazon Page!
OKUMA RA-S-1202MH Rockaway Surf
TBT to warmer days. This one has me taking a swim to recover my @GoFish Cam that was snagged to some line while fishing Denison Dam one Summer! Glad I got it back!
Received a three month subscription to the Mystery Tackle Box! First box delivered. Let’s open it up and see what is inside! I chose the Panfish and Trout package as the last time I had a subscription there were some great lures that I consider perfect for BFS ultralight fishing!
May be of interest to some… Trout Fishing Strategy 1,2,3 – Spinning Gear. Targets trout but it can easily be modified for other fish and methods. Check it out!
This time it is the first fish of the year for yours truly; a Bass that went for a Yakima Rooster Tail inline spinner while BFS fishing with the Kastking Zephyr! Tried a Rapala jerk bait but did not catch a fish this round with it. Switched to the inline spinner, caught two Bass and lost another one.
Fun stuff fishing with a BFS reel aka ultralight baitcasting. Do check out the video, and do give BFS a try and let us know how it worked for you!
Warm temps had us setting out the kayaks for a go at the Striped Bass at Lake Texoma. Our Texoma Licences were good till 12/31/21 and the Annual COE Permit was good to go till August 2022.
Foggy trip up the road from Allen but things cleared and we put in at East Burns Run with the plan to dead drift flukes and shad for the Striped Bass.
Water was chilly, wind was not too bad at all, and waves were not an issue. The only issue we had were no Stripers.
Not wanting to closeout 2021 on a strikeout headed to Denison Dam to fish the tailrace. Fishing Buddy hooked up with one Striped Bass and yours truly although did not catch a fish, did get some video footage of what was lurking below.
What a difference a day makes,… or in this case months. Earlier in the year, we fished Denison Dam and put in the GoFish Cam. There were fish everywhere… this round, saw two fish only – looked like Carp or Buffalo.
Here’s to 2022 and more fishing fun and more “Learn to Fish by our Trials and Errors”!
Happy New Year to you and yours!
Decided to run down the road to the local pond (Bethany Lakes) and see what was biting. Brought the KastKing Zephyr BFS Reel and Ultralight Lures and left the fly rod at home. Plan was to fish Roostertails but switched to a Mepps Inline Spinner since the Trout seemed to be interested in them – specifically, a copper bladed Mepps Inline Spinner. Trout were following the spinner but not striking which was promising given they ignored gold, silver, and black.
For fun and games, fished only the copper bladed Mepps Inline Spinner to see how many fish I could catch. Worked the banks of two of the four ponds at Bethany Lakes… “Main Pond” and “Back Pond”. Caught a number of fish – Bass and Bluegill.
Check out the video, and do guess how many I caught…?
bfsfishing #kastkingzephyr #pondfishing
Planned to fish the Lower Illinois River in Oklahoma by the Power Plant. When we arrived, we noted the river was high and the current was strong. They were generating power, so we went to our backup plan… fishing for trout at a place we never been to before… Marval RV Resort.
Since it is further downriver, we hoped the current would be slower and wadeable. It was still flowing fast and wading would be a hazard other than protected areas near the bank.
No worries… learned a few things about the area, caught a fish or two as well as one trout by our Fishing Buddy.
Check out the video as we fish a new place by trial and error!
Fished Bethany Lakes Friday morning for a chance at the trout. Trout were there actively feeding. Bait seemed to be catching them fished under a float. The winner hands down was a homemade dough bait that one fisherman was using. Yours truly caught three trout fly fishing, caught three Bass as well but his mojo was off losing a lot more trout that stuck the fishing fly. Did notice the trout wanted movement. Did get strikes using a Black Midge, Rainbow Warrior, and a Griffith’s Gnat. As the morning progressed, noticed it was best to recast if no strike after counting to 10 when fishing dry flies. There were a number of Bass near the pier with three caught using a White Producer – fishing fly we bought at Scotty’s One Stop on a trip to the Blue River in Oklahoma. Fun stuff!
See our suggested fishing flies at our COAF Field Team Shop.
The Team is on a roll with answering questions about the gear we use. In this round, we listed the kayak fishing gear that we like to use. Included in the list are gloves, rod holders, kayak anchors, and lures. Do check it out – Kayak Fishing Suggestions.
YouTube Shorts video of yours truly cooking the trout we caught this last trip. Decided to season with just Slap Ya Mama Seasoning. Cook ten minutes on high heat each side. When done, use a fork to scrape the meat of the bones. Tasty!
Used only one seasoning – Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning available at Walmart Online.
Slap Ya Mama’s hot mix of spicy seasonings is sure to set your mouth on fire, delivering an intense blast of delicious cajun.All Natural – This product is natural, MSG-free, and kosher.Versatile and Easy to Use – Can be used as a brush for grilling, smoking or frying. Add cajun flavor to jambalaya, gumbo, etouffee, shrimp, and crab. Even add some spice to your Bloody Mary or beer.Authentic Louisiana Flavor – The blend has that true cajun flavor that everyone loves, which Slap Ya Mama is famous for all over the world.From our family to yours: Slap Ya Mama has been crafting high-quality condiments and recipes from the Ville Platte, Louisiana line of Cajun for decades.
Slap Ya Mama
Checked out the local pond yesterday; noticed the trout were active, feeding on something hatching. Turned out Murphy’s Law of Fishing 101 was in effect… specifically, the one lure, bait, or fishing fly they are biting on is the one you do not have!
