well is your ugly stiick a light action, medium what. I like medium action rods because it can go from stream to river. My dda likes light before of the feeling you get the tip bends so far and its easier ot notice a fish on the hook. I haven't been fishing in a while, probably like 4 lb. or something would work, brand brands really don't matter unless someone's like in a fishing tournament. I don't really get into it, I just pick some off the shelf and away I go. Od though that yours didn't have line on it, mine did when I got it, though it was  only a $30 rod, but its served me well

Ah cool. I've been to Cabela's but not that many times. Is it an open or closed reel? I like the open reels because I feel it flows more easily when you cast the line. They don't all have a trigger built in like mine, but you don't necessarily need that, just grab some line, open the bale and put the line against the rubberish felt kind of stuff the rod's near end is made from, then cast and let go your finger from the line and its just like button casting with closed reels but the line doesn't get all caught up on stuff. My dad rigged it up with this archery deal so I could tell when to stop reeling or I'd bring the hook all the way in to the smallest islet. But you can do the same thing with a light sinker, just clamp it loose on the line and move it right up against the islet when the line is reeled in, but not too far, the problem is sometimes the line can go through that islet and then you have a job fixing that.

no reason you can't string it yourself, it does take a bit of creativity and a bit of McGeiver spirit to pull it off but its not impossible.

You use something like a pencil or a metal rod there might be a hole in the middle of the spool, if not, make one, its just paper and the spindle is hollow in the middle. Then you start wrapping around the reel until that spool is full, using another hand or some thing to keep the spool of line feeding, I just use a drill when I need more line, press the trigger a little, drill is between my knees I'm usually doing this on the floor since its easier. When the reel is full, cut the remaining line from the spool and store that in your tackle box.Then, but only do this if you have a hook available to you. Next you find the line on the reel and start pulling it. Put your reel on dragless I think its called whatever, there a lever on it somewhere that just lets it free spin, now what you need to do is get the line through all the islets on the rod, the closest to the reel are bigger, down to the tip of the rod they get progressively smaller. Pull the line through allowing the reel to free run itself, you will most likely have to use teeth to help you on the smaller ones. Now, once you have the line through all the islets, you need to hold that with one hand, get a hook, and make sure you get hooks with leaders or you will definitely not be able to do this yourself. Put the line you have in your one hand through the loop of the hook's leader line, let it down all the way to the base of the hook, but don't let go. This is tricky stuff and takes patience to do, but it is possible with enough determination. Now you need enough line to loop around that leader line 3 to 5 times, you probably want to put your reel back into normal mode before it runs out a huge chunk of your line. You can loosen the drag though to make it a little easier if you need more line. Once its wrapped around 3 to 5 times, you need to pull it through what you just did and tie it off with a double knot, again teeth help big time, use your tongue to help keep the line straight. This is hard to describe, this last step where you make the double knot, its easier just to do it. get someone who knows how to fish maybe help you the first time stringing up the rod so you can feel it, don't get just anybody because they'll undoubtedly screw it up big time then the rod won't work right, probably tangles of line etc. they wont' spool the reel the right way probably either.

I'd then take a sinker, the lightest one that will not pass through the smallest islet, pull the line with the hook on it, again having the reel in normal operation though loosining the drag to make it a little easier to run line, don't loosen it too much though or you have the same thing as the reel in draggless. With the sinker clamped loosely to the line, let it go about 2 feet, then you move the sinker close to the first islet, then you clamp it down as tight as needed, using pliers if needed, probably wisest to use them. Get a multitool with pliers, its indispensible.

If at any time you need to cut line, a couple ways to do it. Use that multitool if it has scissors or a knife then use two teeth like top and bottom to hold the line steady, left hand to hold the line at the other, then bring the knife straight down cleanly and the line will be cut at that that point. Another way is to use a lighter. Don't do this one if you think you might burn burn yourself. I like this one because it cleanly burns through the line, and I get to play with fire for a second . First, feel the hole where the flame comes out of the lighter, imagine a line coming from that hole, its straight. Now, flick the wheel and let your finger slide down to the lever thingy that keeps the gas going and the flame stays lit. You either pass the flame over the line, or you get it close enough, then you light it, either way it will cut the line quite effectively and leave a bit of line on both sides that's a little more stuff, from the burning, which can be helpful. Then, you just take the finger from the lighter and the flame goes out. If you have a butane lighter, same principal except you just push the button instead of flicking the wheel and keeping hold of the button at the end. Get a multitool that's designed for fishing though as it will have everything you need and more. Get tackle, bass can respond to spinners quite well, get lures that are designed for bass fishing. Put them in special places in your tackle box so that you will know what is where. Organizing your tackle box is important. Get one that has like 2 or 3 tiers, and then a just straight storage in the bottom. Down there you would probably put line, a stringer etc.

Learn what bass like. They respond to cast and reel a lot. Spinners make them chase after their quite food, end quite. They like to do that. If you're using worms or something, maybe power bait, then keep it moving, not too fast, but not too slow, move the rod tip to move the line in the water. Keep tension on your line so you can feel when a fish bites. This means mostly keeping the rod tip up, not 90 degrees up, maybe around the 45 ish mark, But until there is tension on the line, but not so much tension its stuff. Oh, and if you needed to adjust the drag to tie the hook, remember to set it baack to something reasonable or the first fish that gets on your hook will run out a huge chunk of line and reeling will not do anything it will just make it worse. Drag should not be too tight, or too loose.

Try different ways of casting and remember what works for a specific location or a specific type of fish. If you're not catching anything i.e. you don't feel nibbles, etc. you  need to wonder why. You cannot fish with the same tactics all the time, that won't net you anything but frustration. Just experiment If you're with people like friends or family, and they're catching fish but you aren't, ask them what kind of bait they're using, or what they're doing differently than you. You probably do want to go fishing with other people because it can help if you're not as compitant at tying hooks on, you will lose them, that's guaranteed, the question is, when.

There are different ways to cast, I don't know like official terms or anything but I can describe them. One way is to just pull the rod kind of up like a baseball bat, and cast, as the reel is moving across your body and down. Do not make sudden, jerky moves with your rod, or your line will become entangled with it, or even entangled with other parts of your line. This also can be fixed by you, but it takes patience. Fishing is relaxing, and to fish well you need plenty of patience. I am generally not a patient person, I will get angry if something isn't workig for me, but some reason, fishing bring the calm, patient part of me out. Uh, off on a tangent again... Second cast is over head. Again, having people with you is key if you get snagged in a tree, or cross your line with other person, i.e. someone across the bank of the stream or river from you. That's kind of awkward and you will probably need help from both sides to sort that. People are generally cool about it, but don't go crossing lines with people too often. If you're doing that, then cast for less distance. Smooth, fluid action on your arm, releasing of the line and follow through will net you an amazing cast with the most istance. Jerky, sudden, large movements of the rod will get you snagger, or the hook will come around and get itself wrapped in the line that's further down the rod. The hook will have a burr on it so the fish can't easily escape, do not get your hand, your clothing, or anything else but bait and fish on the damn thing because its a bitch. IF you get your finger in past that burr, you will need to cut the thing out of you and its a painful thing to have to go through, I've done it, there is no way to get the hook out of you if you are past that burr because it goes the other way but to just cut it out. You won't have this happen to you if you use fluidity of movement. remember, there is a line, and a hook swinging from that rod at all times. Know where it is if possible, keep it away from yourself and other people.

If you fish from a boat, make damn sure you keep that line away... a friggin way from that boat motor, prop. outdrive, whatever you wanna call it because that is bad news pal. It is imperitive that you do this and pay attention at all times that your line is away from the motor, even if its off. You don't generall fish from a running boat motor but that doesn't matter, the line will wrap itself in the prop, the shaft of the gearbox in the outdrive, or whatever, and will cause massive issues when the motor is started. Some boats have a trolling motor in front that's electric, and a motor in back, keep the line away from either one. Fish from the side, cast upstream and reel in as the line comes past your or towards you again. You can fish from the back of a boat as well but when you reel in, make sure you pull the rod to the opposite side of the prop, motor, and outdrive as you can. Honestly the danger is more if you fish from the side and the line moves downstream and gets caught. Remember there is nearly always a current where you are fishing, find ti, finger in the water and you can tell where its going, cast upstream not down. If you do this, then the line will drift in the current and that's exactly what you want it to do.

OK well this post is rambly enough, let me know if you need anything else on this fishing deal.