piscivorous Pike

Here is a video for a top shot for fresh water, he mentions bass. Interesting is that I tie my top shots almost identical to this. I just finished two weeks on Northern Pike, I use 10 rigged rods, all with a top shot leader. 6 feet of hollow braid with a loop, I attach to the main line loop like a fly line leader, then inside it is 4 feet of 10 foot 40# flourocarbon leader, then the serving and the remaining 6 feet exposed flouro. On the end of the flouro for line biting pike is attatched by an albright knot, 14-20 inches of titanium 60# boa wire, the U for the albright is made in the titanium. Dont need the wire for bass. and a video of bass fishing the top shot: The serving is very important, if it fails the flouro will come out of the hollow braid!!! Experience and I researched it thouroughly on the Internet. Use a tight wrap of braid and a good super glue there.

If I had discovered that protected knot first, I likely would no have made the investment. It is a salt water technique for heavy lines, it solves knot problems. I had lost several good baits on the cast when the flourocarbon let go. Basically, especially when cold the flourocarbon acts like glass and it fractured in the knot. What I am sayin is all but that one knot has a loop or two of the flourcarbon in the connection that strikes the guides either on the cast or retrieve. Better to do that on the retrieve as there is less force involved. I had tried all the Japenese knots and all the classics. It was not until I found that one that has braid wrapped before and after the connection. Those wraps cushion the flourocarbon and taper the line into the larger part of the knot. You will not run into those problems with lines and leaders of 20# or less.

Hey, am I glad I am not the only one! Heck, yes, I make my own topshots, have them on spin and cast rods. I fish pike and bass. I scaled them down. I use almost exclusively braid as a main line and then Jerry brown hollow braid and then Cabelas flourocarbon leader made by Seguar. On pike leaders I put on boa titanium leaders, boa is the only one you can tie like line, after the flourocarbon. I terminate my main line now for all things in a bimini loop! I can tie it almost as fast as a palomar, I lay out a strip on my forearm, spin in 50 turns by putting my finger in the loop. I hold the tag in my teeth, pull the main with one hand and open the loop with the fingers of the other. I get a 3-4 inch bimini loop! I use this loop for leaders, snaps, lures, hooks any type of terminal tackle. Usually, if not a leader connectin I will use a cats paw, off-shore knot with this loop to connect the what-evers. In the Jerry Brown I use 6 feet of 60 or 80 #. I use 10 feet of flourocarbon leader 40-50 or 60#, with the needles I put a 1 inch loop into the hollow braid by turning into itself, I run 4 feet of the flourcarbon with the needle up into the hollow braid, that leaves less than 2 feet of free hollow braid and 6 feet of exposed flourocarbon. I made my own clamp stands, like Blackwater tackle stands. I wrap the joined lines with10-20# braid and drop a drop of super glue on it, but it is the hollow chinese finger cuff effect that holds the two together. I run 18-20 inches of Boa titanium, 60# for toothy fish. That is the most flexible titanium. I connect the titanium to a duosnap by running it through a very small brass bead making a loop, I tie an overhand knot in the tag over the main wire pull it tight then crimp the bead. On the connection to the flourocarbon I turn the titanium into an open loop and tie an albright knot. These leaders run great on spirex 4000 spin reels and casting reals. The neat thing about the loop loop connection is I do a double run through on the connection, going through the loop twice. Sometimes called a Tanaka Loop. Before I pull it tight I take a small piece of braid an inch or two long and tie it by one over hand loop on each loop. To open the loops and change leaders I only need to snag this little tag ends with pliers or teeth and pull the loops open. Why use topshots in the first place? Flourocarbon is invisible and really does inprove catches when using braid. Tying leader knots all but one knot, has the flourocarbon on one side or the other of the braid knot. That flourocarbon clicks everytime it goes though the guides it clicks and eventually it will fail, fracturing on the knot. Loop to loop connections go through smoothly and quietly. http://gulffishing.com/spectra2mono.html will show you the flourocarbon connection where the knot is protected front and back by wraps of soft braid. This is a good connection when using flourocarbon line or light leaders, topshot is the way to go on stiffer leaders. http://www.studio-oceanmark.com/en/products/knoter/howto.html and http://www.extremelures.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=208shows a very expensive tool designed to tie that knot. I perfer the topshot and get my info and supplies from www.bhptackle.com . http://www.blackwaterinternationalinc.com/ is an other sourch and has video on making these. This weekend I am rigging for the spring bass and crappie season. I fish with eleven rigged rods, most will have braid and top shots, no pike so no titanium but flourocarbon for sure.

I use 6 Shimano spirex rear drag. The handles are doubled and balanced. The rotor is balanced. The rods all have counter weighted butts. Balance everything makes it smooth and less tiring for long hours casting. Rear drag with the fighting drag allows for quick changed of pressure while fighting the fish, and adjusting to the correct pressure for the species in mixed species water. I have many spools which you can change lines quickly with RD. RD is easier, quicker to adjust to the line change. I fish mostly braid and rarely bass, usually large trouts and Norhern Pike. Using 4000 size real is a large spool so with mono is puts less twist in the line, large is better for ultra light, small spools twist up line. I set drag by the least test weight, whether that be the rod rating or line rating. I set it with a scale with the fighting drag set at its highest setting to be 1/3 the test rating, e.g. 12# is set at 4#. I fish with the fighting drag set about 1/3 down from maximum setting. After hook set and the first run you can start to bring that drag up very easy and put pressure on the fish. My heaviest rods use 20# test, set at 6-7#s and I often use 50# braid on these. For fish with soft mouths, crappie and lake white fish and kokanee salmon, I will after setting the drag throw the fighting drag to the least setting so not to tear off lips. On the other end while fishing single hook lures for big pike they often use big hooks that are difficult to push through that big bill pike have. I set the drag max setting and after hook up immediately back off until the fish tires, then bring it back up to bring them in. An example of compatability is illustrated in water that I have fished that contained big lake trout, bull trout, and pike. Soon after hook up usuallly can tell what it is, the RD allows setting to the type of fight. That fighting drag lever allows a limitted amount of adjustment and you can tune quickly to the type of fish. I see with bass fishing one drag is about as good as another as once you set a drag with them there is not a lot of need to vary the pressure. I also notice many bass fisherman use pretty heavy line and are not too worried about line failure as much as lip failure-lol ;D When working at the limits of the line to the size of the fish then adjustability is handy. RD is convenient to switch spools and to vary drag for the conditions. That is handy if fishing multi specie water or for a large varience in the size class fof the fish. Front drag reels usually have larger surfaces on the brake pads, therefore the smaller rear drag reals suffer with the smaller pads if they are cheap reals. Always you get what you pay for. One buddy uses the symtre, has for the 15 years or so we fished together. His success influenced me to switch to the Shimano.

FishCat, it keeps sounding better all along. I was actually contemplating last night (thinking about and planning my gear aquisitions beats counting sheep! ) maybe offering to buy anyone with the older models new ones for a straight accross trade so I could build this collection with all one style. They all are very good rods, but I just think I would prefer to have them all one model. Posts like yours push me more towards writing one or two checks and getting it over with quickly and putting together a tool bag with a substantial collection of the different versions of the new HMG. I call and talk to customer service at Fenwick, Hummnbird and Shimano reels more than any other. All three of them are great to deal with, same people all the time. I know it was not the cust. service rep. that acually packed the order but it was she that fixed the snafu. I have written how I balance the rods, I am drawn to keeping the rods and reels balanced and for that reason I fish about 6 Spirex 4000 because they have balanced rotors, rear drag, coarse and fine ajustment and that balanced double handle. The $60 reel does wear out the quick fire trigger though. Shimano is wonderful, they know I can repair a reel and they just ship me the parts I have to replace with just a phone call. Very good sevice and with such a large customer base that is impressive.

Micro! THANK YOU! Experience beats opinion any day. That was a wonderful review. I too have had all three versions but not as many HMGs, only a couple of each version and you have confirmed what I suspected. To sum it up, the new version is a nice rod, good rod, but the two older models I would have prefered over this one. I have two spinning rods of the last version. The berkley guides were lighter, btw. I have said I put a lead filled copper counter weight on the butt of all my rods so that they are just a tiny bit tip heavy so as to have some feed back on the momentum of the rod. With that type of balance it is easy to feel the mass and momentum of a rod. The berkley guided rods were lighter and the rod was therefore a tad more responsive to motion because of that. Again I very much appreciate your evaluations. That is a well thought out stack of rods. You know very well the perfomance for each rod and have a good idea what you can and will throw with each. I can see we have the same philosophy, the right tool for the job. Look forward to a PM or email, my friend. I also can see you surely have your own ideas on line applications and I would love to sit down with you and discuss ideas about that too. Have you ever looked into using top shots for freshwater use?

I usually dont quibble about cost of gear, I had information that the HMG blanks were about as good as you can get regardless of price. But now I dont like the appearance of the guides and handles, I read in the thread they are ok as far as performance goes. The price is not a turn off. I never fished with the exposed butt rods and just wonder what they are like to handle. I usually am well outfitted. I take with me a underwater CCTV, Humminbird side scan (now have down looking too) Map76 GPS, and the new electric Cannon down rigger. I got more into the cost of equipment than the cost of the boat! So the rod is not that expensive by those comparison. lol

Good news! Fenwick, Pure Fishing, is sending the replacements out pronto! Today! So I can meet any fishing needs. With them. They will pick up the rods at a later different time. End of story. See, some folks are trustworthy and there are people who do the right thing. And my TU partners, thank you for the encouragement, I do enjoy the HMG perfomance and have made a decision of which you had great influence, to make as many of those different 11 rods I fish with in the boat to be HMGs. I guess I need a yard sale to sell the jointed swim baits I have on the FS forum, a downrigger, and now a bunch of rods, Oh boy, I can stock a tackle shop... if SHE finds out, and you know who I mean, I may just be livin' in the boat...

Thank you very much, your report is very incouraging. I use almost exclusively braid! That is why I like the Berkley guides best. I terminate the braid in a bimini twist loop of about three inches. I can tie those so fast you would not believe it. I use a mouth and two hand method that beats the step through it version, :-?I measure a double line on the inside of my forearm to start. Once said, with the loop I can use an off shore knot and attach a duolock snap but mostly I use a 12 foot top shot leader. An adaption from off shore gear. The leader starts with a loop like a fly line, the two join by double cross over loop to loop connection the hollow braid on the start of the leader has a loop, line turned into itself, 6 feet of hollow braid then 10 feet of flourocarbon leader, 4 of that is run up the center of the hollow braid. This is new stuff to freshwater, especially bass fisherman. More complicated than a palomar but the benefits are really worth it. I can post a how to if anyone really wants to know. : One benefit is braid to flourocarbon leader and no line to line knots to break or clang through the guides, it glides through on smooth stong connections that do not break. I am happy to hear the new handle is good to hang onto. My best pike fishing comes with falling snow, late fall or late spring, so grippy it is. I find that a plus. I always balance every rod I have with a lead filled copper pipe counter weight on the butt to help with that grip. Cold arthritic fingers and nerve damage in my neck has led to some hilarious situations as when I cast the entire rod out of my hand because I cannot hang onto it , I cant feel it in my hand! The new grip sounds better than using glue, the type that comes in a can they use on tennis rackets and ball bats-

You are a cool Dude and we had some fun today! Thanks for playin'! Now for the biggy. Do you think for the money there is better value with some other make of rod?

Its English, the comment reflects the author has yet to master the instrument of communications. If that was a put down man, it is your admission of incomprehension. I am sorry that you don't get it. The reply reflects that the majority of the post is not understood: what deductions can be made regarding the understanding of its entirety and therefore the quality of the reply? Also how do they know nothing is being pulled over them? They sent it, it was not specified on the order and other factors of interaction over the course of time between them and me, they know with whom they are dealing on a more personal level than you thought. About mistakes. This is the last in the series of misinformation on their part, they are nice people and sincere. But it is I that hold their hand. I am glad that it is Alconite, the similarity to the other Fuji guides can be confusing, glad some one knows for sure. I don't have it handy, but the guides that originally were in the HMG were superior to the Alconite, that is why Fenwick went to them, light, smooth, heat disapating, an alloy. If I went into the technical specs someone would just write they don't understand it anyway. Someone let the cat out of the bag, their official release is that it is a manufacturing change which enhances marketing and performance, something like that. Rumors are that the insert was popping out of the ring too often. So back to ceramics, tried and true.

Researching rods, I have read web aticles stating the Fenwick HMG line, a $120 rod series, of rods uses a blank as good as rods 2 and 3 times the cost, that as far as action you really cannot get a better blank. Their blank is a patent process that was originally the graphite standard of the industry, but maybe not any more. True or false? I can see how that might be, but as for my experience they seem to be falling in quality. 2-3 years ago they had real cork handles and were using on 7 foot rods 8 guides which were a Berkley guide that used a hard alloy insert, since then last year they switch back to the common Fuji ceramic guide and I can get those on discount and cheap rods. This year they have a handle that looks like pulverized cork. Yes, second choice cork pulverized imbedded in a polymer. Says it is a better grip! Hm... comparing the phenolic stock of an M16 rifle to the hand rubbed walnut of a Classic Winchester, because it is better to hang on to? There is an appreciation sportsman have for fine equipment that goes beyond utilitary uses. Maybe the HMG is no longer is a thing of pride but now a thing of good utility. What happened to class? I think with Fenwick there is not class at $120 anymore. So what does it buy? Are those features really superior? I dont know whether to be disappointed or not. I have fished a couple of their HMG spinning rods for several years and have been impressed with the rod's smooth action through out its parabolic curve, sensitivity and response. The cheapening of it may detract enough that I will cash it in for a good rod, something I can respect for its beauty of purpose. Today I am > with Fenwick. No one gives away business so you know they make money even on repair exchanges. They will replace a broken rod, send it in, and get a 45% discount. I broke two when passing by a tree I caught the tips on a branch and bent and broke the rods in two. I sent them in, anticipating the two rods I ordered in return on the exchange. Fed Ex delivered a surprise. Not only were the rods I got made with these lesser accrutrament, Fenwick sent rods that I did not even order. Something they picked out, a verified mistake that will eventually be corrrected. But alas they have to send out another delivery truck, pick it up, recieve it in good order, etc. , before they will even send to me the rods I have purchase. I can't get them to reply that they are taking care of the problem, I must assume the best, they are aware of it and the documents plainly show the mistake. Am I just sour on their incompetent service or has their idea of quality butted heads with my expectations of quality? What do you think? I fish with 11 rigged rods, 4 casting, 7 spinning, all rigged for different presentations, some are primary and others are throwbacks for missed strikes and follows. Rods, lines, reels are in each case matched to weight, drag and lure weight. I think I want a set somewhere in that 11 which are for my primary presentations, that would be 2 casting, 2 spinning. Usually for me that is a meduim and heavy rod one in each catagory. How would you answer this about rods to a guy that would carry a classic pre' 64 Winchester 70 over a stainless steel phenolic stocked Remington BDL in the woods just for a venison dinner? Thank you for your thoughts on the subject.

I cannot get 2 years form trailer tires! I put on 3,000 miles twice a year, I get about 15 to 18 k before they are not so good. My trailer as you see takes a 12 inch trailer tire. I buy the best I can get in plys from Big O or Discount. I park it with tire covers but the heat here is horrible 115 in the shade, so any local road trips bake them even worse. I change them as soon as the wear indicators say to do it or I get dry cracks with in two years. I wish I had larger hubs and could put light truck tires on it. Likely the sidewall was damaged on a gravel road somewhere. I am lucky I use the three point tie down is all I can say.

I prefer LH reel and was lucky when I decided years ago to expand my collection. I had an Abu Garcia XLT Plus LH. Those were life time warranty and had bayonet side plates and spare spools. They were costing too much to maintain and make for AG so they discontinued them. For someone who fishes a lot of different situations the spool change was great, good for me. I found them, even LH, on Ebay but had to fight for them. I ended up with two more new in the box condition, all three are made in different years but ony have slight variations. I now have a choice of 6 spools too. But for many situations there is not enough line and I prefer the round AG styles for that, so far. Have been eyeing the C4 5601 for my new trigger HMG, 7 foot for 8-20 # test. I usually fish with 11 rods, different 11 depending on the area and species, so I got a bunch of tackle. Too much in the boat, it takes the space of a second person!

I am looking for new reels, now after Christmas. I will have to look at that. My older technology reels are supposed to do that but they don't. That is a neat trick. Thank you.