New to freshwater fishing

[fishinjacket]

Been living in the area for a while, and I recently got a pair of kayaks for the wife and I. She has never caught a fish in her life, and I grew up fishing saltwater, particularly offshore trolling for pelagics off of Ponce Inlet. Looking for as much information and how-to as I can to get into freshwater fishing and get my wife bit by the fishing bug. Looking forward to learning as much as I can and possibly meeting up and fishing with some members.

[zbmw]

The quickest catch is going to be bream with some crickets. Find foliage that is under the water and throw a panfish hook on with a cricket. A few small pebble sized weights and a bobber will have these guys going crazy. Because they flock to structure-- the fish can be plentiful in one spot. Adjust your bobber height to make sure your hook doesn't get tangled in any obstructions and have your weights a few inches of of the hook. Wait for the bobber to go all the way under. NOTE-I have caught a 4-5lb bass on crickets with a panfish hook that straightened out and dropped the fish the second i got it in the boat. This goes to show that most fish will bite a cricket. The only thing you may encounter problematic is losing your crickets quickly because the smaller fish are taking your bait. If there is smaller fish- go deeper in the water column to get your bait away from them and to something with a big enough mouth to swallow the thing. Because you have the kayaks- it may not be the easiest thing to continually re-bait hooks with jumping critters so it may be a good idea to use small rooster tails or other small jigs to have a chance at both crappie and bream.

I have only recently been able to get back to the lake but I used to fish it all the time with my father. Since I have returned to the lake I have only been using plastic worms texas rigged. By far the best fishing I've seen in a while off this lake. Bass are plentiful right now. Fish rock walls 10-15ft deep and look for banks with pionts, structure, and underwater rocks for the fish to sit under. I have cause fish off most underwater rock formations we have seen in the 3 times we have been out this year so it is promising. It will take time to learn the lake but it is doable. Hope this helps and good luck!

[Bob Smith (Porko)]

ZBMW, you just tickled my funny bone! Fishinjacket recently acquired a couple of yaks and his wife now has the fishing bug. Now you make a fine suggestion when it comes to catching fish for the sake of catching fish, using crickets. The funny thought comes into play when I think of the reaction MOST women have with a loose cricket. Then thinking of that situation in a kayak, even worse if several of them manage to escape that little cage and get out in the yak with her sitting in it! That would be a scene worth capturing on video and sending to America's Funniest Home Videos!

[zbmw]

I had ran it over in my head and giggled a bit as well, but I've seen my share of good ol' girls that know how to bait a hook as well or better than me. I didn't want to discount the possibility..

But I do pray there is a video if it goes down!