Over the years spent on the water, one of the biggest mistakes I commonly see is the attempted use of unbalanced tackle.
Matched tackle is a basic element of fishing. Whether you are fishing the lower Potomac, an Eastern Shore farm pond or an Anne Arundel County brackish inlet for a bragging-sized bass, it is crucial that you are armed with the proper rod, reel, line size and lure for each situation.
More times than not you should be thinking relatively heavy tackle. Notice what successful local bass guides, such as Ken Penrod, Bob Denyer and Duke Nohe use -- much heavier tackle than the average angler totes out to his favorite fishing hole. This is because trophy bass most often are found in heavy cover calling for heavy-duty tackle.
For general worm fishing situations, I have found that a lightweight rod with a heavy action, a lot of backbone and a little bit of tip action is just the ticket.
For me, a 6 1/2 -foot casting or pitching-type rod is about right. Bigger anglers might be more comfortable with a 7-footer. This outfit also will throw plugs to your satisfaction.
The right casting reel for taking a big bass out of heavy cover is a crucial choice that often is overlooked.
Last year I sprang for a Quantum US600 bait-casting reel with a 5.1:1 gear ratio and matched it with a Quantum Tour Edition 6 1/2 -foot fast taper rod as my all-round large mouth rig and it was perfect.
I also use a similar rig consisting of a Diawa TD PI reel and Fenwich rod. With a higher speed 6:1 gear ratio, I think you sacrifice a lot of pulling power in favor of retrieval speed.
I almost never drop below 17-pound test mono on these big bass rigs and will go as heavy as 25-pound test in extra-heavy cover.
On the other hand, if you are planning on pulling a trophy smallmouth from the upper reaches of the Potomac or the Susquehanna river the equipment list is drastically different. Here, you will be fishing a lot of shallow, often clear, water with 4- to 10-pound test mono and small jigs, spinners and worms.
Light line -- say, up to 12-pound test -- means using spinning tackle. Here, I go for a 6 1/2 - to 7-foot graphite rod with a medium action and a soft tip. A comparable-sized reel is just the ticket.
Before choosing a rod and reel, match them up and test the balance of the outfit. A mismatched rod and reel will be readily apparent to even the novice angler.
Local fishing events
The Pasadena Chapter of the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen's Association will meet at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Anchor Inn, located on Water Oak Point Road, off of Fort Smallwood Road. For meeting details call Bill Mullinix at (410) 437-1909.
The MSSA's Annapolis Chapter will meet at the Liberty Yacht Club in Annapolis at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 15.
* Pasadena Sportfishing's third fishing and boating flea market is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 18-19 at the Orchard Beach Fire Hall on Solley Road, just off Fort Smallwood Road. Admission is $1.