Fish Chris

I hear you guys. I actually use 3 different knots, depending on the situation, an improved clinch, a bloof knot, and a palomar knot. I consider my knot tying abilities to be just so-so. But what I'm GREAT at, is being able to tell at a glance, if the knot I just tied was a perfect knot, or needs to be retied. Often, I will have to re-tie a knot, once, or even twice. But if I ever tie one that doesn't cinch down cleanly, smoothly, and easily, it will never touch the water. I'll retie it 9 freaking X's, if that's what it takes until I get a sweet one All that, plus I typically run a fairly light drag. Works for me Fish

I hear you guys. I actually use 3 different knots, depending on the situation, an improved clinch, a bloof knot, and a palomar knot. I consider my knot tying abilities to be just so-so. But what I'm GREAT at, is being able to tell at a glance, if the knot I just tied was a perfect knot, or needs to be retied. Often, I will have to re-tie a knot, once, or even twice. But if I ever tie one that doesn't cinch down cleanly, smoothly, and easily, it will never touch the water. I'll retie it 9 freaking X's, if that's what it takes until I get a sweet one All that, plus I typically run a fairly light drag. Works for me Fish

I hear you guys. I actually use 3 different knots, depending on the situation, an improved clinch, a bloof knot, and a palomar knot. I consider my knot tying abilities to be just so-so. But what I'm GREAT at, is being able to tell at a glance, if the knot I just tied was a perfect knot, or needs to be retied. Often, I will have to re-tie a knot, once, or even twice. But if I ever tie one that doesn't cinch down cleanly, smoothly, and easily, it will never touch the water. I'll retie it 9 freaking X's, if that's what it takes until I get a sweet one All that, plus I typically run a fairly light drag. Works for me Fish

Hopefully, it's not you ! I have a good buddy who wants to be a pro bass fisherman so bad, he can taste it ! He has a good job.... So that has allowed him a $50K bass boat, and all the best tackle a person could ever want, or need. He has also spent a LOT of time on the water, and knows where the fish stack up. And he seems to be able to make them bite pretty darn well too. His only problem ? He breaks off more fish in an active trip, than I have probably broke off in my life ! {maybe a slight exageration} But seriously, I used to break off a few per year, when using mono. But for the last 15 years, using nothing but braid, I might have broke off 10 fish... total. And that was usually from something goofy, like a nick in my leader, or the fish wrapping me around something. My buddy is a skinny guy, and he can't seem to help, but swing for the fences with every hookset. Now, I know with crappy, stretchy mono, a guy has to swing harder but apparently, my buddy is still able to swing just too freaking hard even when using stretchy, forgiving mono ! Needless to say, he does even worse with braid. I keep telling him that if he just can't control himself, on the hard hooksets, then he needs to run a really light drag. But he just keeps breaking them off. A few more, just last week Your thoughts ? Fish

Hopefully, it's not you ! I have a good buddy who wants to be a pro bass fisherman so bad, he can taste it ! He has a good job.... So that has allowed him a $50K bass boat, and all the best tackle a person could ever want, or need. He has also spent a LOT of time on the water, and knows where the fish stack up. And he seems to be able to make them bite pretty darn well too. His only problem ? He breaks off more fish in an active trip, than I have probably broke off in my life ! {maybe a slight exageration} But seriously, I used to break off a few per year, when using mono. But for the last 15 years, using nothing but braid, I might have broke off 10 fish... total. And that was usually from something goofy, like a nick in my leader, or the fish wrapping me around something. My buddy is a skinny guy, and he can't seem to help, but swing for the fences with every hookset. Now, I know with crappy, stretchy mono, a guy has to swing harder but apparently, my buddy is still able to swing just too freaking hard even when using stretchy, forgiving mono ! Needless to say, he does even worse with braid. I keep telling him that if he just can't control himself, on the hard hooksets, then he needs to run a really light drag. But he just keeps breaking them off. A few more, just last week Your thoughts ? Fish

Hopefully, it's not you ! I have a good buddy who wants to be a pro bass fisherman so bad, he can taste it ! He has a good job.... So that has allowed him a $50K bass boat, and all the best tackle a person could ever want, or need. He has also spent a LOT of time on the water, and knows where the fish stack up. And he seems to be able to make them bite pretty darn well too. His only problem ? He breaks off more fish in an active trip, than I have probably broke off in my life ! {maybe a slight exageration} But seriously, I used to break off a few per year, when using mono. But for the last 15 years, using nothing but braid, I might have broke off 10 fish... total. And that was usually from something goofy, like a nick in my leader, or the fish wrapping me around something. My buddy is a skinny guy, and he can't seem to help, but swing for the fences with every hookset. Now, I know with crappy, stretchy mono, a guy has to swing harder but apparently, my buddy is still able to swing just too freaking hard even when using stretchy, forgiving mono ! Needless to say, he does even worse with braid. I keep telling him that if he just can't control himself, on the hard hooksets, then he needs to run a really light drag. But he just keeps breaking them off. A few more, just last week Your thoughts ? Fish

Wow ! Great trip ! I hear those hybrids fight like nothing else ! And that's a darn nice green one too ! Sounds like a really fun trip Peace, Fish

My biggest annoyance when fishing, would have to be people. And I really don't care if they are fishing, or joy riding. I just don't want to see another human being within range of my eyesight. That just bugs and distracts the heck out of me. Next would be wind. Granted, 2 weeks ago, the wind was ripping, and the waves were pounding me into the shoreline.... But I was sticking the heck out of those big Stripers, and had the whole area to myself ! I'd take a windy day like that, any time Peace, Fish

My biggest annoyance when fishing, would have to be people. And I really don't care if they are fishing, or joy riding. I just don't want to see another human being within range of my eyesight. That just bugs and distracts the heck out of me. Next would be wind. Granted, 2 weeks ago, the wind was ripping, and the waves were pounding me into the shoreline.... But I was sticking the heck out of those big Stripers, and had the whole area to myself ! I'd take a windy day like that, any time Peace, Fish

My biggest annoyance when fishing, would have to be people. And I really don't care if they are fishing, or joy riding. I just don't want to see another human being within range of my eyesight. That just bugs and distracts the heck out of me. Next would be wind. Granted, 2 weeks ago, the wind was ripping, and the waves were pounding me into the shoreline.... But I was sticking the heck out of those big Stripers, and had the whole area to myself ! I'd take a windy day like that, any time Peace, Fish

Wow ! Did this thread ever blow up !?!? Anyway, I just hate alcohol, and I hate to be around anyone who has been drinking it. I do agree that crack or meth, would probably be more detrimental, if more people were doing it.... but the same is not true with pot, as more people ARE doing it and it still doesn't cause the problems that alcohol does. Again, I don't condone the use of pot either. But it bothers the heck out of me that alcohol is legal, and pot is not ? Who in the heck came up with that ? It also kills me to see hundreds of millions of $ being wasted on the enforcement of pot laws. Like we have hundreds of millions of $ to waste ! I wish I could say, whatever the next guy wants to do, that's fine, it doesn't effect me..... but if the next guy gets sloshing drunk, and gets behind a steering wheel, which they often do, it could very seriously effect me, or you too ! Anyway, if you enjoy using the drug called 'alcohol', their is no way I can change your mind. And their is also no way somebody could make me be okay with it. So I guess that puts us at an impasse with this subject. Carry on, Fish

Thank you Grimlin. BTW, I don't condone the use of pot, either. On the other hand, it wasn't pot that would have killed my father (if cancer didn't get him first).... and nearly killed my best, long time friend. Instead, it was the horrendous, yet legal alcohol. Fish

I don't do drugs. {alcohol, is the worst, most destructive drug on the planet} But if I were going to, I'd sooner smoke pot. Less dangerous, and destructive. The very best high I can get though, is the natural adrenalin rush of sticking a big fish ! {fresh in my mind too.... after sticking that 25 lb Striper last week, my legs were just shaking ! } Fish

Hey Burke, so that Fireline is actually braided now ? A good fishing buddy and I used to totally rip on Fireline.... about how it was stiff and crinkly, and resembled dental floss We use to call it Fired Line However, the stuff we hated was "fused" rather than "braided". If this new stuff is actually braided Spectra, I'm sure it wouldn't be bad.... certainly better than rubberband.... I'm sorry, I meant to say mono-filament. Anyway, same thing Peace, Fish

TUF-Line XP. Fish

VolFan, yes, I have definately experienced this with smaller 6 to 12 lb Stripers, in some of my other nearby waters.... I mean, like having to burn a rattletrap as fast as you possibly can ! But in this particular spot, they seem to be totally keyed in on 1 very specific thing... Split Tails. Not even other live baits seem to work well. Again, maybe at night, it will turn out to be different. Well, yes, and yes I'm using a stout spinning rod, and 50 lb braid... but this is basically the same thing I use for throwing big, heavy swimbaits for Largemouth bass. The only difference being, that I use a baitrunner type of spinning reel. The only reason for the heavier gear though, is to handle the bigger baits, and a 4oz weight. Otherwise, I feel like I could land any Striper that's swimming out there, on my micro-light. Heck, I've landed several Sturgeon in the 100 lb range on my micro-lights, so I doubt a 50 lb Striper could beat me (short of a lucky break.... on the fishes part, that is ) That said, their is one thing cool about the heavier gear though too, and that's that when you are able to put more pressure on a fish, it is able to put more pressure on you ! In other words, heavy gear allows you to really feel the true power of a big, strong sportfish..... and geez, do I love to feel the power of a big strong sportfish Peace, Fish

I use pretty much nothing but spinning reels, and nothing but braid, for everything from Bluegills to Sturgeon. (often on the same rod ) Peace, Fish

X's 10 ! I really can't think of a fishing situation in which kinky, coily, stretchy monofilament would be better than braid. The only thing I use mono for is for my leaders. Sometimes just plain old mono. Sometimes fluorocarbon. Less visible to the fish (for whatever it matters... not usually much) and more abrasion resistant over rocks, or fish teeth. But other than that, mono is pretty much worthless to me. Peace, Fish

I guess if we are not talking Latin, you can call a fish pretty much anything. We have a fish we call a Rock Bass, which is a totally different species. Very close in shape and build, to that one, but completely different coloration. Anyway, I'm a pretty decent swimmer myself.... but not with a ton of bulky cloths, and boots on... and not is 45 degree water, either ! Then again, I wear my PFD any time I'm on the water, even in the Summer. Peace, Fish

Hey JF, that's a great photo ! Cool reel. And a BIG Warmouth ! (I think that's what they call those down there) And BTW, I see both you and your son are "smart" guys who wear a PFD Me too. Peace, Fish

Much thanks guys. Hey J F, which of the new Daiwa's are you using ? I used to love my Daiwa Regal Z's...... Peace, Fish

As popular as Shimano is here, surely some of you must own both Saharas, and Stradics. I'm just curious as to how much, if any better, the Stradic is in real world fishing applications than the Sahara's. Afterall, the Stradic is about 80% more expensive. But is it really worth that much more ? I've picked both of them up in the store to play with them, and I can't feel a difference. Actually, they both feel fantastic. Your experiences please. Thank you, Fish

Right on. I really want one ! I'm looking at this one... FX701-1 7' 2-6lb, 1 piece, Fast Alps SF S-6 Straight handle or Split Grip $189 Peace, Fish

I was at the local fishing store last week, and I mentioned how much I love my little G Loomis SR720's. I own two of them. Would like to have another. They are 6ft, 1 piece, rated for 1-4 lb line. I use a 1000 series spinning reel, loaded with about 250 yards of 2/10 TUF Line Plus braid on them. Great for anything from Bluegills, to 100+ lb Sturgies I went on to tell the guy at the tackle store, "So far as I know, G Loomis is the only company to make such a rod". So then he asks me, "Have you ever looked into Phenix rods" ? Actually. no. I hadn't. So he shows me this one > http://www.phenixrods.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=11 {3rd one down on the list} and it felt freaking awesome ! But later when I went to this website, I couldn't believe they make a 6 1/2 ft, and even a 7ft, 1 piece, 1-5lb ! Put a little Shimano Stradic 1000 on any one of these and whooo hooo ! These are some very interesting little rods. I'd love to buy 1..... Peace, Fish

Well, maybe nowadays, all spinning reels have this.... But I could not use a reel which doesn't have infinite anti-reverse. I like a reel to be tight / precision / smooth..... but I don't care what brand it is, I promise I can make it sloppy and loose over time. Especially my micro-lights. And I have no idea why this is ? Every micro-light should be able to handle a few 100 lb Sturgeon, right ? Peace, Fish