Whoopee! Whaahoo! Happy Fourth to All! < It is fun to celebrate, this is a one of the better reasons to celebrate >
This morning started out with a nice early sunrise shower. It came on suddenly and what woke me was the sound of the water dripping off the roof. Hey, it's raining! Since we are 'officially' into our Monsoon season, it is compelling evidence to confirm that fact. Besides when it comes at the appropriate amounts and rate, it is all good. Given our current drought conditions, this helps to keep things reasonable. Hopefully, we will get a suitable amount for this season.
Yesterday morning I also got an early start. I decided to re-examine and re-assess a couple of my lesser quality reels. I wanted to determine just why I had labeled them as such and also figure out the significance of the lower quality as it applied to my fishing experience. Let me say up front that it was a fun time out at the river catching all those various species of fish. Now that I've figured out the successful bait pattern and size. So it was really the actual utility and experience that I was prepared to asses.
There actually may be something to these larger diameter spools for the spinning reels. I purchased one as part of a combination when I was seeking out an Ice fishing rig. Yeah, ironic for down here in SE AZ. It has a larger diameter arbor that has a shallow width.
It is claimed the larger diameter produces larger coils which lead to smoother casts and less twisting. I found that the larger diameter was helpful with minimizing the twisting. While I didn't have so many stored loops, I did find that the line was more than happy to come off the spool so it was important to keep tension on the line during the retrieve. This is not much difference than other spinning reels. The casting went reasonably well as long as you didn't try to drive it too hard. If you tried to cast it too enthusiastically the line would slap on the pole and spoil the cast.
So overall I'm not that convinced that the larger spool makes that much of a difference. At this time I'm more than happy with the current configuration using the really light superlines.
The small spincast reel was a walk down memory lane. I started fishing using a spincast reel. Caught many using them. However, when you've experienced improved casting of other reels it is hard to go back. Fortunately angling the river doesn't require long distance casting, it just requires a delicate touch along with accuracy.
So in retrospect it was really fun and a bit quirky. The eagerness of the fish to cooperate made it easy to overlook the quirky operations of these two rigs. I'm happy to say that it is good to have alternatives. Still nice to have quality equipment to use.
I did manage to catch more catfish and LMBs this time out. Although those green sunfish are always good on the line too. On my previous trip there I managed to catch a catfish that had a previous hook in it. Yes, I caught him again and returned him back to the water for another go. Given the early amounts of rain, there was a touch more water in the river but not that much more.
Hopefully, the schedule will allow for another visit soon.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Smooth and Easy
You know it is bad when your reel winds in and sounds like a coffee mill in action. Yes, I've been struggling with most of my bait casters as they all have significant use on them. Unfortunately I've not managed to service the bearings adequately, till this evening! Let me back up a bit and explain.
Over the past couple of weeks I've been trying to find a suitable way to lubricate the bearings. While I'm able to get to all the bearings I've not been able to properly clean and re-pack them in grease. I've been researching all the information posted on line, specifically the fantastic amount of information at Tackletour.com. Their articles are all crafted well with good photos to complement the helpful information. Through reading all the various articles I've known just how to complete the bearing service. Now I just needed the tools.
As previously stated accessing the bearings was not all that difficult. Fairly straightforward. Interesting it is very similar across all the bait cast reels that I own. My challenge was to get the retaining clip off the individual bearings so I could remove the side cover and expose the actual bearings for cleaning and re-lubricating. Always that one thing. My research revealed that most are able to be removed using a needle. Unfortunately all the needles I tried were not sufficiently sharp or small enough to disengage the clips.
Recently my lovely wonderful wife reorganized our linen closet where we also stored all sorts of care products. In doing so she located my tube of professional grade dental probes. Aaah, now there is a sharp point! Also suitably stout for the task at hand. Yes, it was. Using the dental probes I was able to easily remove the retaining clip followed by the bearing side shield. This allowed me to properly clean out the bearings and the rest of the assembly of debris and old lubricant. Yes, the lighter fluid did have a difficult time cutting through the very old residual lubricant. Fortunately, some aggressive swirling helped to get the solvent to do its thing. After the bearings were cleared off it was a simple matter of packing the bearings back with Tetra lube. < we shall see just how well that works and for how long >
I progressed through all the bearings and serviced each with a good cleaning and re-lubricated. After buttoning them all back into the appropriate position I took the reel to the yard for a few casts. Previously it was quite the accomplishment to make it all the way to the hedge. My second cast almost easily cleared the top of the hedge towards the neighbor's yard. I had to deliberately stop it short by clamping down on the spool. Impressive casting with very little input effort.
I may eventually change over to the Lucas Oil Red & tacky #2 which I use for a number of other applications. That has slightly more viscosity over the tetra lube. All in good time as there are other reels to address too. Gotta get them ready for some bigger fish action.
My initial impressions are positive. I've got to put it through the paces before making another assessment. Hopefully that opportunity will come soon enough.
Over the past couple of weeks I've been trying to find a suitable way to lubricate the bearings. While I'm able to get to all the bearings I've not been able to properly clean and re-pack them in grease. I've been researching all the information posted on line, specifically the fantastic amount of information at Tackletour.com. Their articles are all crafted well with good photos to complement the helpful information. Through reading all the various articles I've known just how to complete the bearing service. Now I just needed the tools.
As previously stated accessing the bearings was not all that difficult. Fairly straightforward. Interesting it is very similar across all the bait cast reels that I own. My challenge was to get the retaining clip off the individual bearings so I could remove the side cover and expose the actual bearings for cleaning and re-lubricating. Always that one thing. My research revealed that most are able to be removed using a needle. Unfortunately all the needles I tried were not sufficiently sharp or small enough to disengage the clips.
Recently my lovely wonderful wife reorganized our linen closet where we also stored all sorts of care products. In doing so she located my tube of professional grade dental probes. Aaah, now there is a sharp point! Also suitably stout for the task at hand. Yes, it was. Using the dental probes I was able to easily remove the retaining clip followed by the bearing side shield. This allowed me to properly clean out the bearings and the rest of the assembly of debris and old lubricant. Yes, the lighter fluid did have a difficult time cutting through the very old residual lubricant. Fortunately, some aggressive swirling helped to get the solvent to do its thing. After the bearings were cleared off it was a simple matter of packing the bearings back with Tetra lube. < we shall see just how well that works and for how long >
I progressed through all the bearings and serviced each with a good cleaning and re-lubricated. After buttoning them all back into the appropriate position I took the reel to the yard for a few casts. Previously it was quite the accomplishment to make it all the way to the hedge. My second cast almost easily cleared the top of the hedge towards the neighbor's yard. I had to deliberately stop it short by clamping down on the spool. Impressive casting with very little input effort.
I may eventually change over to the Lucas Oil Red & tacky #2 which I use for a number of other applications. That has slightly more viscosity over the tetra lube. All in good time as there are other reels to address too. Gotta get them ready for some bigger fish action.
My initial impressions are positive. I've got to put it through the paces before making another assessment. Hopefully that opportunity will come soon enough.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Nice and easy
Well, it all appears to work. I just have to keep things nice and easy. I managed to connect with two LMBs within 30 minutes. So not too shabby for very bright blue bird skies and low 90s with winds at 15+ mph.
When the first one hit, it was clearly an ambush attack. The bait had just bounced around a standing cattail reed and then stopped hard. I thought the bait had connected with the reed and the hook might have embedded into it. I gave the line a little twang to confirm that I had tensioned on the reed when the line moved out towards deeper water. As I hauled back I could feel the lower drag setting peel out when loading on the fish. The other thing I noticed was that while I was cranking on the handle the spool was not turning at all. Ok at this lower level of drag there is limited aggressiveness available. That is ok as I could clearly see this fish was hooked nicely in the corner of the mouth with the hook in the pocket. So just take it easy and enjoy the moment. It turned out to be a few moments as this one was not in a hurry to comply. It was a healthy almost 13 inch LMB that had been eating well. It did have a very nice location. Interesting enough it was in less than 12 inches of water.
The second LMB came about 30 yards down the shore. Again with the lack of visible structure available to the fish, I resorted to placing the bait as close to the weed ring as possible for the maximum amount of time. So keeping the retrieve parallel was the key. There was no interest in the retrieve until the bait closed within 2 meters. At just over a meter the bait was again stopped and moved out laterally to deeper water. This was not a gentle take more like a smash and dash. Once again the lower drag setting kicked in so while I could attempt to seat the hook the tension the fish was exerting was far greater than my input so just enjoy the ride. This one made very concerted efforts to really work out the drag on my reel. The several short runs pulled out quite a bit of line. Sort of like the bone fish runs on the TV programs only limited in scope. I would say equal in thrill and enjoyment factor.
Now here is the interesting part. I thought the casting quality would improve by using the lighter line. Not so much. My max distance appears to have been reached. The amount of casting effort is reduced greatly . So while it is easier to cast using the lighter line, I'm not getting any noticeably farther. I will say having the more supple line is nice. Still had some minor spool over runs but that was reasonably corrected by adjusting the magnetic brake to a higher level. Of course casting in the wind is always great fun...
So the first experience with the lighter line on the bait caster is positive. We shall see how the next session goes.
When the first one hit, it was clearly an ambush attack. The bait had just bounced around a standing cattail reed and then stopped hard. I thought the bait had connected with the reed and the hook might have embedded into it. I gave the line a little twang to confirm that I had tensioned on the reed when the line moved out towards deeper water. As I hauled back I could feel the lower drag setting peel out when loading on the fish. The other thing I noticed was that while I was cranking on the handle the spool was not turning at all. Ok at this lower level of drag there is limited aggressiveness available. That is ok as I could clearly see this fish was hooked nicely in the corner of the mouth with the hook in the pocket. So just take it easy and enjoy the moment. It turned out to be a few moments as this one was not in a hurry to comply. It was a healthy almost 13 inch LMB that had been eating well. It did have a very nice location. Interesting enough it was in less than 12 inches of water.
The second LMB came about 30 yards down the shore. Again with the lack of visible structure available to the fish, I resorted to placing the bait as close to the weed ring as possible for the maximum amount of time. So keeping the retrieve parallel was the key. There was no interest in the retrieve until the bait closed within 2 meters. At just over a meter the bait was again stopped and moved out laterally to deeper water. This was not a gentle take more like a smash and dash. Once again the lower drag setting kicked in so while I could attempt to seat the hook the tension the fish was exerting was far greater than my input so just enjoy the ride. This one made very concerted efforts to really work out the drag on my reel. The several short runs pulled out quite a bit of line. Sort of like the bone fish runs on the TV programs only limited in scope. I would say equal in thrill and enjoyment factor.
Now here is the interesting part. I thought the casting quality would improve by using the lighter line. Not so much. My max distance appears to have been reached. The amount of casting effort is reduced greatly . So while it is easier to cast using the lighter line, I'm not getting any noticeably farther. I will say having the more supple line is nice. Still had some minor spool over runs but that was reasonably corrected by adjusting the magnetic brake to a higher level. Of course casting in the wind is always great fun...
So the first experience with the lighter line on the bait caster is positive. We shall see how the next session goes.
On the Lighter Side
Well the temperatures are well into the 90s and getting close to 100 on occasions. Fortunately the smoke has cleared up a bit and we have right at 30 miles visibility. We are normally much clearer and can enjoy the more distant vistas.
I've been in the experimentation mode as of late. Mostly using creature baits as those tend to draw more attention than the simple worm. It seems the compact size has something to do with it too. I'm guessing that it more convenient to chow down on for the fish. It does also confirm that the lighter weight the bait is, the more interest is generated.
My intention is to try 6 lb mono on a bait cast reel. Given all the memory and looping of the mono-filament being spooled on the bait caster should not be such an issue. We'll see in short order. I'm hoping that I've amassed enough skill to diligently operate this setup without too much fussing about.
The initial impressions were promising. I drew down the well used 10 lb mono that was currently on the spool to about the 1/3 to 1/2 point. Clipped it and attached the 6 lb mono and proceeded to fill the spool back up. Amazing just how much of the smaller diameter line will fit on that. It almost exhausted my supply. I'll eventually need to stock up on some of that bulk spooled 6 lb test line. Might even get lucky for one of those father's day bargains. Ya never know...
The warmer weather, school summer release, summer time activities, have all contributed to increased activities at the pond. Now with the pending closure of the National Forests, might even see more folks out there. With that fishing as slowed down a bit. Still getting the occasional LMB but the predictability is challenging. The pond is drawing down quite a bit due to lack of rain. So the pond has limited visual structure for the fish to associate to. The only green vegetation is a small concentration of algae and some sparse weeds. The cattails appear to have suffered greatly from that killing frost back in late January of this year. Having been to the other lakes in the area and viewed the effects there, the cattails all had a distinct line where there was a frost kill and the new growth below was working its way up. At our pond the cattails are all brown right to the roots. None of them are showing any signs of any green content. You would think that even after all this time some parts of the plant would have survived. The brown stalks are all that are standing there as the water line continues to recede.
The water has been quite turbid lately. There are areas near the center of the pond that are less dense. I'm guessing that it is all due to the wind churn. We've had our share of wind power this whole season. That dry hot blowing about that continues to evaporate even more moisture from the area. The stained water has made for some really exciting fishing. Many of the bites have been right along the shore. Recently I had two notable incidents. It is so thick that you can't see the bait when it is submerged beyond 1 inch. I had made a parallel cast and was retrieving it slowly. Just as I was making my final movement before lifting the bait out of the water there was a very light tap. I hesitated to see if there would be a follow on. After a two second pause the follow on came only this time with a bit more emphasis. It also followed with a protracted take which gave me the opportunity to respond. It was wild to tension up on less than 2 meters of deployed line. Fortunately the drag was there to save the day. Once I got connected the fish was rather upset and peeled off line in a brutish manor. I'm guessing the extra effort was due to the proximity of the shore line. It took off straight away for the deeper water. The aggressive behavior surprised me.
The other incident occurred yesterday when I had a similar retrieve that was just about to reach the weed ring. I paused for just a touch before starting to lift the bait. The weed rig exploded as the bass apparently was right there in the weeds and simply rolled on the bait. The pole loaded up but the second roll by the fish was enough to throw the hook. So I never really got the hook into it. However that was sure exciting and fun to experience.
So we'll give this lighter bait casting setup a go to see how it runs. I'm looking forward to casting it about to get a feel for it. I'm thinking it might be just the way to go when using mono.
I've been in the experimentation mode as of late. Mostly using creature baits as those tend to draw more attention than the simple worm. It seems the compact size has something to do with it too. I'm guessing that it more convenient to chow down on for the fish. It does also confirm that the lighter weight the bait is, the more interest is generated.
My intention is to try 6 lb mono on a bait cast reel. Given all the memory and looping of the mono-filament being spooled on the bait caster should not be such an issue. We'll see in short order. I'm hoping that I've amassed enough skill to diligently operate this setup without too much fussing about.
The initial impressions were promising. I drew down the well used 10 lb mono that was currently on the spool to about the 1/3 to 1/2 point. Clipped it and attached the 6 lb mono and proceeded to fill the spool back up. Amazing just how much of the smaller diameter line will fit on that. It almost exhausted my supply. I'll eventually need to stock up on some of that bulk spooled 6 lb test line. Might even get lucky for one of those father's day bargains. Ya never know...
The warmer weather, school summer release, summer time activities, have all contributed to increased activities at the pond. Now with the pending closure of the National Forests, might even see more folks out there. With that fishing as slowed down a bit. Still getting the occasional LMB but the predictability is challenging. The pond is drawing down quite a bit due to lack of rain. So the pond has limited visual structure for the fish to associate to. The only green vegetation is a small concentration of algae and some sparse weeds. The cattails appear to have suffered greatly from that killing frost back in late January of this year. Having been to the other lakes in the area and viewed the effects there, the cattails all had a distinct line where there was a frost kill and the new growth below was working its way up. At our pond the cattails are all brown right to the roots. None of them are showing any signs of any green content. You would think that even after all this time some parts of the plant would have survived. The brown stalks are all that are standing there as the water line continues to recede.
The water has been quite turbid lately. There are areas near the center of the pond that are less dense. I'm guessing that it is all due to the wind churn. We've had our share of wind power this whole season. That dry hot blowing about that continues to evaporate even more moisture from the area. The stained water has made for some really exciting fishing. Many of the bites have been right along the shore. Recently I had two notable incidents. It is so thick that you can't see the bait when it is submerged beyond 1 inch. I had made a parallel cast and was retrieving it slowly. Just as I was making my final movement before lifting the bait out of the water there was a very light tap. I hesitated to see if there would be a follow on. After a two second pause the follow on came only this time with a bit more emphasis. It also followed with a protracted take which gave me the opportunity to respond. It was wild to tension up on less than 2 meters of deployed line. Fortunately the drag was there to save the day. Once I got connected the fish was rather upset and peeled off line in a brutish manor. I'm guessing the extra effort was due to the proximity of the shore line. It took off straight away for the deeper water. The aggressive behavior surprised me.
The other incident occurred yesterday when I had a similar retrieve that was just about to reach the weed ring. I paused for just a touch before starting to lift the bait. The weed rig exploded as the bass apparently was right there in the weeds and simply rolled on the bait. The pole loaded up but the second roll by the fish was enough to throw the hook. So I never really got the hook into it. However that was sure exciting and fun to experience.
So we'll give this lighter bait casting setup a go to see how it runs. I'm looking forward to casting it about to get a feel for it. I'm thinking it might be just the way to go when using mono.
Monday, May 30, 2011
New and Old Memories
Memorial Day Weekend, the traditional start to the summer season. Yup, graduations, temperatures over 90, hot winds, and really bright flat sunlight. It is all part of the season. During my jaunts out and about the past few days, I've had the opportunity to reflect on times past. More specifically family and friends that have passed. The memories and emotions are still vivid. I miss each one dearly and think about them often.
There is that saying, "Live, Love, and Eat". I'm trying to make sure I do each of those in suitable quantities. A reaffirmation of those things important. Love those that you are with!
I'm fortunate that during this past week full of activities, we've had some great recovery from those that I love. Injuries are healing and general good health is returning. It did get exciting at times. I believe everyone is all the better for the experiences.
I did manage to find some time to get out to the pond. The weather has been quite the challenge in that with all the wildfires about SE AZ the wind is relentless. It has made fishing that much more interesting too. I'm ever learning about the characteristics of bait cast reels. Each one of them has a unique personality and can be challenging manipulating them in high winds. I'm learning, grumbling at times as I'm clearing the spool over runs. Fortunately the effort put forth has returned some benefit to me. I've been grateful for the entertainment and enjoyment in catching so many LMBs lately.
Just in the past 7 days, I've managed several 4 LMB days. Some where I've actually caught more that that too. Given my limited time, generally less than 2 hours at a time, this is turning out to be a good catch rate for me. It is nice to have discovered local fishing spots that only require a few minutes transit time to reach. Prior to these discoveries, the nearest local fishing was an easy hour or more away.
The little shorty poles have really proven to be of great utility. They transport well and handle equally well. During this past week with all the fish brought in to shore the poles have been a joy to use. Even with the larger, 17 inch LMBs, the fishing rigs dealt with the surges. The short poles are also key to bait presentation too. I believe with the shorter pole I'm not working the bait too aggressively and presenting in a more advantageous and alluring fashion. It seems to be working as I'm catching more fish now than when I was younger. I attribute that to much improved technique and knowledge. Interesting enough the baits I'm using are still similar to those that I used in my youth.
There is an observation of note. I've deliberately calibrated the drag on my reels to be much more conservative. As of late the drag is set much lower that I've used in the past. This combined with the less aggressive hook set technique has resulted in more fish brought to shore. Also I've not experienced a gut hooked fish in quite some time since adapting to these newer techniques. Better for both fish and me as the catch and release goes much smoother.
I've also gone to using a much more compact bait too. I'm finding that the combination of a compact and light weight bait produces much more interest and resulting in more fish brought to the shore.
Now while talking about shores, I found some time this afternoon in the schedule to allow for some exploration. There has been some mention regarding fishing down at the San Pedro River. Since living here for just over 20 years, I've spent many hours down at the San Pedro enjoying the environment. I've never really tried to fish it. Until this afternoon. I regret waiting so long. I've really missed out. I made the stroll through the arid watershed leading to the green belt that makes up the surroundings of the San Pedro. In retrospect, it is much better to make the beeline towards the green belt and then walk the remainder of the distance in the shade of those old growth trees. It actually seemed shorter in distance too.
I first had a go at one of the ponds down in the river bed. The pond appeared to be thriving but the water looked not like water but just shallow mud. The water was so muddy that there was no visibility. As soon as the bait was lowered in the water there was no seeing it. Again in retrospect I should have used a vibration bait, to make some noise to attract some interest. I cast for a good part of 20 minutes with no interest. I started with a typical fan cast pattern with some additional emphasis on some targets of interest where there could be some potential holding locations. Nothing...
Ok so that was not that fun. Time for a change. Since the remainder of the open fishing areas on the lake perimeter were all taken up with others, so I decided this was reason enough to go and explore the river. I was expecting a protracted amount of waking through the undergrowth and I was pleasantly surprised. There were nicely worn paths through all the high grass, a good thing as I was keeping my eye open for critters on the path. A short stroll and I was already there at the first pool in the river. A very surprising change, as the water was reasonably clear. Clearer than my regular fishing pond. The distance across was roughly 8 ~ 10 meters or so. Casting the very light weight bait was right at the limit of decent accuracy. This was important as the pockets were were the fish were holding. The middle of the water was pretty shallow. It was only deep on the opposite shore. Even with that I'm estimating that the depth of the water was less than 0.5 meters.
There were several suspended fish visible in the far edges of the undercut bank that was lined by overhanging branches.
Casting to them was not productive other than to confirm that they were alive. As soon as the bait hit the water there was a massive wake from the departure of the fish. Surprising enough shortly after the visible fish departure, I did manage to get slight tug on the bait. Unfortunately the tug didn't transpire into a hookup. It was encouraging.
It didn't take all day before I got several other tugs on the bait. All the takes were very light and representative of small fish. It took about 20 more minutes before I managed to find a substantial tug that was protracted and provided me an opportunity to tension up. Amazing that the strike was similar to all other LMBs. I reeled down and tensioned with the small pole loading up nicely. I managed to crank up and notice that the spool was not rolling. It was stationary. Oooh, either the drag was too loose, or there was a substantial load on the other end. Yes there was! Turned out to be a rather robust 12 inch LMB with a large belly! Some good girth to that fish. I had to lift it out of the water almost a full meter as I was high on a sand bank. By the time I got my thumb on the lower jaw, the hook just lifted right out. Oooh if I had not maintained tension the hook would have just popped right out.
About another 20 minutes later I managed to get hooked up with another LMB. In similar fashion the take was light and progressively aggressive. I had to hold patiently till my opportunity to tension up on it. This was a small aggressive young fish. The little fish was right at about 8 inches. So proof there are LMBs in the San Pedro. Another accessible fishery within 30 minutes transit time to the trail head. Yeaaah!
Maybe next time I'll even try out the spinner bait that I carried all the way there and back...
Cheers!
There is that saying, "Live, Love, and Eat". I'm trying to make sure I do each of those in suitable quantities. A reaffirmation of those things important. Love those that you are with!
I'm fortunate that during this past week full of activities, we've had some great recovery from those that I love. Injuries are healing and general good health is returning. It did get exciting at times. I believe everyone is all the better for the experiences.
I did manage to find some time to get out to the pond. The weather has been quite the challenge in that with all the wildfires about SE AZ the wind is relentless. It has made fishing that much more interesting too. I'm ever learning about the characteristics of bait cast reels. Each one of them has a unique personality and can be challenging manipulating them in high winds. I'm learning, grumbling at times as I'm clearing the spool over runs. Fortunately the effort put forth has returned some benefit to me. I've been grateful for the entertainment and enjoyment in catching so many LMBs lately.
Just in the past 7 days, I've managed several 4 LMB days. Some where I've actually caught more that that too. Given my limited time, generally less than 2 hours at a time, this is turning out to be a good catch rate for me. It is nice to have discovered local fishing spots that only require a few minutes transit time to reach. Prior to these discoveries, the nearest local fishing was an easy hour or more away.
The little shorty poles have really proven to be of great utility. They transport well and handle equally well. During this past week with all the fish brought in to shore the poles have been a joy to use. Even with the larger, 17 inch LMBs, the fishing rigs dealt with the surges. The short poles are also key to bait presentation too. I believe with the shorter pole I'm not working the bait too aggressively and presenting in a more advantageous and alluring fashion. It seems to be working as I'm catching more fish now than when I was younger. I attribute that to much improved technique and knowledge. Interesting enough the baits I'm using are still similar to those that I used in my youth.
There is an observation of note. I've deliberately calibrated the drag on my reels to be much more conservative. As of late the drag is set much lower that I've used in the past. This combined with the less aggressive hook set technique has resulted in more fish brought to shore. Also I've not experienced a gut hooked fish in quite some time since adapting to these newer techniques. Better for both fish and me as the catch and release goes much smoother.
I've also gone to using a much more compact bait too. I'm finding that the combination of a compact and light weight bait produces much more interest and resulting in more fish brought to the shore.
Now while talking about shores, I found some time this afternoon in the schedule to allow for some exploration. There has been some mention regarding fishing down at the San Pedro River. Since living here for just over 20 years, I've spent many hours down at the San Pedro enjoying the environment. I've never really tried to fish it. Until this afternoon. I regret waiting so long. I've really missed out. I made the stroll through the arid watershed leading to the green belt that makes up the surroundings of the San Pedro. In retrospect, it is much better to make the beeline towards the green belt and then walk the remainder of the distance in the shade of those old growth trees. It actually seemed shorter in distance too.
I first had a go at one of the ponds down in the river bed. The pond appeared to be thriving but the water looked not like water but just shallow mud. The water was so muddy that there was no visibility. As soon as the bait was lowered in the water there was no seeing it. Again in retrospect I should have used a vibration bait, to make some noise to attract some interest. I cast for a good part of 20 minutes with no interest. I started with a typical fan cast pattern with some additional emphasis on some targets of interest where there could be some potential holding locations. Nothing...
Ok so that was not that fun. Time for a change. Since the remainder of the open fishing areas on the lake perimeter were all taken up with others, so I decided this was reason enough to go and explore the river. I was expecting a protracted amount of waking through the undergrowth and I was pleasantly surprised. There were nicely worn paths through all the high grass, a good thing as I was keeping my eye open for critters on the path. A short stroll and I was already there at the first pool in the river. A very surprising change, as the water was reasonably clear. Clearer than my regular fishing pond. The distance across was roughly 8 ~ 10 meters or so. Casting the very light weight bait was right at the limit of decent accuracy. This was important as the pockets were were the fish were holding. The middle of the water was pretty shallow. It was only deep on the opposite shore. Even with that I'm estimating that the depth of the water was less than 0.5 meters.
There were several suspended fish visible in the far edges of the undercut bank that was lined by overhanging branches.
Casting to them was not productive other than to confirm that they were alive. As soon as the bait hit the water there was a massive wake from the departure of the fish. Surprising enough shortly after the visible fish departure, I did manage to get slight tug on the bait. Unfortunately the tug didn't transpire into a hookup. It was encouraging.
It didn't take all day before I got several other tugs on the bait. All the takes were very light and representative of small fish. It took about 20 more minutes before I managed to find a substantial tug that was protracted and provided me an opportunity to tension up. Amazing that the strike was similar to all other LMBs. I reeled down and tensioned with the small pole loading up nicely. I managed to crank up and notice that the spool was not rolling. It was stationary. Oooh, either the drag was too loose, or there was a substantial load on the other end. Yes there was! Turned out to be a rather robust 12 inch LMB with a large belly! Some good girth to that fish. I had to lift it out of the water almost a full meter as I was high on a sand bank. By the time I got my thumb on the lower jaw, the hook just lifted right out. Oooh if I had not maintained tension the hook would have just popped right out.
About another 20 minutes later I managed to get hooked up with another LMB. In similar fashion the take was light and progressively aggressive. I had to hold patiently till my opportunity to tension up on it. This was a small aggressive young fish. The little fish was right at about 8 inches. So proof there are LMBs in the San Pedro. Another accessible fishery within 30 minutes transit time to the trail head. Yeaaah!
Maybe next time I'll even try out the spinner bait that I carried all the way there and back...
Cheers!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Wow, what's new!
It has been some time since my last entry. A lot has happened. I'll have a go at addressing the issues in a chronological form. My previous post mentioned the arrival of the new short poles along with a featherweight fly rod. I can positively attest to the how well each of them have performed! Each of them has simply exceeded my expectations!
I've been able to catch a 17 inch LMB on each of the shorty poles since receiving them. The fly rod has connected with countless sunfish using flys of my own construct. Wow! It is truly all good!
Also since that time I've had an opportunity to get in a steel match too. I've not shot a handgun match since OCT of last year. I was concerned I might have to take in some remedial training to refresh myself on what to do. I was gratified that my performance on the range was not below my expectations. It was good to be out there and enjoy some of the shooting challenges. Yes, there were many presented and all were managed by staying true to the fundamentals, proper sight picture and smooth trigger manipulation. One by one each of the steel targets were provided the proper attention.
I did have a real zen moment on the final stage. The final three targets were all knock downs on the far right side of the range. Just prior to engaging those were an array of targets at the far end of the range. Since I was having such a good time on this stage there was an opportunity to get aggressive on the last three. I committed myself to engaging those three in a panning motion with no pausing between targets. Amazingly the bravado payed off as all three shots broke at the right time and all three targets fell. I realized my success not from seeing the targets but from the comments of my fellow shooters. I sure wish I could have been a spectator on that. Interesting how that distortion factor kicks in when you're in the zone. I didn't perceive that final finale as being that interesting, I was just intending to shoot it smooth. Better lucky than good.
Ok back to the fishing. The new poles are really interesting. One is quite sensitive and has a heavy action. This allows for a really good feel of the bait and how it is being worked. You can feel most of the objects that the bait touches. The other pole is a fiberglass pole and has a much lighter action. I've since reassessed my impressions of both.
I've proven to myself that I really enjoy using both types of poles. I thought the ceramic line guides would make a difference in casting qualities over the basic stainless guides. So far casting with both types of poles is equal in distance and accuracy. The principle difference is the timing of the cast. On the lighter action the timing requires a much earlier release to get the bait to the intended target. While the heavy action pole the timing is on the other end of the spectrum.
I've been fortunate to have brought in 17 inch LMBs with each setup. This evening the fishing was spectacular. I had about two hours where I caught and released 7 LMBs. Wow! It seems that I was presenting the soft plastic crawfish bait well. They ranged from 14 inches up to 17 inch.
It was a first for this kid on the pond as most of the time I don't get that many strikes much less complete hookups and releases. I suspect there are two factors involved. The time of day as I didn't get out there until 1730 so I believe this time of day was an advantage. The other was that I decided to try a much lighter setup using the bait caster. I used the light action pole that had 10 lb mono, with a 1/16 oz texas rigged crawdad bait. I suspect working that lighter weight allowed for a more fluid motion on the bait as it moved through the area.
The first strike was quite intense as the fish hit it as soon as it entered the water. The strike caught me completely off guard. I was perfectly content in watching the line pay out even after the bait hit the water. Aaaah gee, that is not a natural bait entry, perhaps some attention should be applied!! The lighter action pole basically doubled over and the reel struggled to turn the spool as the drag was exceeded on several occasions. I worked that area a bit after that fish with no additional interest. So onward about the perimeter.
That ended up to be a good decision. The lighter bait was limiting my casting distance but I found that by changing the friction brake and adjusting the magnetic brake to the proper proportions I was able to maximize my casting distance without the dreaded over runs. I might just be getting the hang of these bait casting reels.
I also continue to confirm the adaptation of the new method of just reeling down and tension up to bring in the fish. By eliminating the fishing show hook set things have been quite positive in bringing them in all the way for a comfortable release.
Along those lines of a more gradual approach, I'm finding that my drag does not have to be set quite so high either. While it does slip, I'm still able to maintain adequate tension without allowing the fish or me to dislodge the hook. In retrospect I may have been too aggressive in trying to retrieve the fish. That may have been the reason so many have come off. This evening they all peeled out drag and I did not have any of them prematurely disconnect.
So given the new information I'm going to switch over the faster action pole to a lighter weight to see if that works with the lighter colored crawdad bait. I'm so happy those crawdad baits work so well as they are some of the most affordable baits at the store, right at about 10 cents each. By the way all seven LMBs this evening were caught using the same bait. The only degredation is right where the hook point is embedded. That area shows some slight tearing. I'm no where near needing to change that bait due to wear and tear! Lovely! Similarly the light gauge hooks are holding up just fine since changing over to the new tension method. Far fewer bent hooks or snags too! So far it is all good!
At this time the only slight concern I've identified is that the casting pole, the heavy action one, does not appear to have much support in the lower handle. During a retrieve of a heavy fish I could feel the play in the handle where center stub ended. It confirmed my suspicion that the stub does not protrude very far into the handle. I hope I'm wrong on this but my intention is to use it so we shall see how well it holds up.
I'm looking forward to more time out trying new things with those creature baits. Lighter does appear to have an advantage in getting more strikes. It is hard to argue with something that is successful.
Be well!
I've been able to catch a 17 inch LMB on each of the shorty poles since receiving them. The fly rod has connected with countless sunfish using flys of my own construct. Wow! It is truly all good!
Also since that time I've had an opportunity to get in a steel match too. I've not shot a handgun match since OCT of last year. I was concerned I might have to take in some remedial training to refresh myself on what to do. I was gratified that my performance on the range was not below my expectations. It was good to be out there and enjoy some of the shooting challenges. Yes, there were many presented and all were managed by staying true to the fundamentals, proper sight picture and smooth trigger manipulation. One by one each of the steel targets were provided the proper attention.
I did have a real zen moment on the final stage. The final three targets were all knock downs on the far right side of the range. Just prior to engaging those were an array of targets at the far end of the range. Since I was having such a good time on this stage there was an opportunity to get aggressive on the last three. I committed myself to engaging those three in a panning motion with no pausing between targets. Amazingly the bravado payed off as all three shots broke at the right time and all three targets fell. I realized my success not from seeing the targets but from the comments of my fellow shooters. I sure wish I could have been a spectator on that. Interesting how that distortion factor kicks in when you're in the zone. I didn't perceive that final finale as being that interesting, I was just intending to shoot it smooth. Better lucky than good.
Ok back to the fishing. The new poles are really interesting. One is quite sensitive and has a heavy action. This allows for a really good feel of the bait and how it is being worked. You can feel most of the objects that the bait touches. The other pole is a fiberglass pole and has a much lighter action. I've since reassessed my impressions of both.
I've proven to myself that I really enjoy using both types of poles. I thought the ceramic line guides would make a difference in casting qualities over the basic stainless guides. So far casting with both types of poles is equal in distance and accuracy. The principle difference is the timing of the cast. On the lighter action the timing requires a much earlier release to get the bait to the intended target. While the heavy action pole the timing is on the other end of the spectrum.
I've been fortunate to have brought in 17 inch LMBs with each setup. This evening the fishing was spectacular. I had about two hours where I caught and released 7 LMBs. Wow! It seems that I was presenting the soft plastic crawfish bait well. They ranged from 14 inches up to 17 inch.
It was a first for this kid on the pond as most of the time I don't get that many strikes much less complete hookups and releases. I suspect there are two factors involved. The time of day as I didn't get out there until 1730 so I believe this time of day was an advantage. The other was that I decided to try a much lighter setup using the bait caster. I used the light action pole that had 10 lb mono, with a 1/16 oz texas rigged crawdad bait. I suspect working that lighter weight allowed for a more fluid motion on the bait as it moved through the area.
The first strike was quite intense as the fish hit it as soon as it entered the water. The strike caught me completely off guard. I was perfectly content in watching the line pay out even after the bait hit the water. Aaaah gee, that is not a natural bait entry, perhaps some attention should be applied!! The lighter action pole basically doubled over and the reel struggled to turn the spool as the drag was exceeded on several occasions. I worked that area a bit after that fish with no additional interest. So onward about the perimeter.
That ended up to be a good decision. The lighter bait was limiting my casting distance but I found that by changing the friction brake and adjusting the magnetic brake to the proper proportions I was able to maximize my casting distance without the dreaded over runs. I might just be getting the hang of these bait casting reels.
I also continue to confirm the adaptation of the new method of just reeling down and tension up to bring in the fish. By eliminating the fishing show hook set things have been quite positive in bringing them in all the way for a comfortable release.
Along those lines of a more gradual approach, I'm finding that my drag does not have to be set quite so high either. While it does slip, I'm still able to maintain adequate tension without allowing the fish or me to dislodge the hook. In retrospect I may have been too aggressive in trying to retrieve the fish. That may have been the reason so many have come off. This evening they all peeled out drag and I did not have any of them prematurely disconnect.
So given the new information I'm going to switch over the faster action pole to a lighter weight to see if that works with the lighter colored crawdad bait. I'm so happy those crawdad baits work so well as they are some of the most affordable baits at the store, right at about 10 cents each. By the way all seven LMBs this evening were caught using the same bait. The only degredation is right where the hook point is embedded. That area shows some slight tearing. I'm no where near needing to change that bait due to wear and tear! Lovely! Similarly the light gauge hooks are holding up just fine since changing over to the new tension method. Far fewer bent hooks or snags too! So far it is all good!
At this time the only slight concern I've identified is that the casting pole, the heavy action one, does not appear to have much support in the lower handle. During a retrieve of a heavy fish I could feel the play in the handle where center stub ended. It confirmed my suspicion that the stub does not protrude very far into the handle. I hope I'm wrong on this but my intention is to use it so we shall see how well it holds up.
I'm looking forward to more time out trying new things with those creature baits. Lighter does appear to have an advantage in getting more strikes. It is hard to argue with something that is successful.
Be well!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Goody, goody, new fishing poles are in!
Howdy All,
Just got my order in from Edge Angling. They appear to be the purveyor of all angling oddities for folks like me that seek out unique tackle. Basically they had all the weird poles that this kid wants. You'd be amazed just how hard it is to find these specific pole configurations and in stock. All is in order and I'm quite satisfied with the purchase. It will be more fun when I get that first hookup on each pole.
The only unexpected point was the additional shipping fee for the fly rod. Apparently it was over their 40 inch mark and under $100 so it qualified for the additional fee. In the end it still was an equitable exchange as I got a very nice shipping tube to stow it in when in transit. No need to purchase a rod case for it.
Just a couple of notable points. First was the Eagle Claw fly rod, this is their feather weight unit that handles a 3/4 weight fly. It has a ruler marked on the pole to measure with. That is handy dandy! The fiberglass construction is very interesting on the action. I'm looking forward to playing with it. It is very different from my current Eagle Claw fly rod which is graphite. This new pole has a simulated rosewood reel seat too! All kidding aside the hardware on the reel seat is quite nicely machined and the cork handle is turned down nicely for that western style grip. It even has a hook keeper integrated!
The action of the whole pole appears to be quite nice. I'm excited to put it through the paces with some of the bull bluegills. The over all shorter pole makes for a handy unit. It stows nicely too in the back seat as it is not in danger of having either end caught by the door.
The new Daiwa casting pole is a quality product. I've been using the spinning version of the pole with good results so I have high hopes for the casting pole. It is more robust than the shorty pole from bass pro. The handle is more comfortable too as it is a slightly larger diameter.
The less aggressive hook set technique appears to be working well as the similar technique is used with fly fishing, basically just apply tension by reeling up the line and maintaining an arc in the pole. I got a success in using this on the refurbished bait caster rig. I re-lubricated one of my bait cast reels. During the reassembly process I didn't quite get the spring washers oriented correctly so the drag tension was not very adjustable. A quick reference to the exploded diagram showed the error of my way.
I only had a few minutes to hit the pond this afternoon. So I only grabbed for the texas rigged brush hog. I tossed that a few times with no interest generated. I figured my time was short so I'd better start heading back towards the truck. I made my way a few meters down the short and sent out a cast towards pond center. I'm thinking, that wasn't such a smart thing to do as they probably are out shallow near the weeds. I hauled the bait back in and sent it out parallel to the shoreline with about 3 meter offset. I got about two winds into the retrieve when I got that lovely tap followed by some slack. I gently brought in the slack and watched the line tension up quickly as I was being assisted by the fish. So with that I just sped up the retrieve and arched laterally and held it there. I was gratified with a heavy loading on the pole and the sound of the drag slipping line out. Oh this could be a good one. There were several surges and head shakes but no acrobatics. I worked it in gently as there was no reason to be bullish. The LMB was a healthy 15 incher hooked nicely in the corner of the mouth. The fun part was the hook lifted right out without fuss either. That make for a quicker release.
The interesting part of the pond experience was the lack of visual contact with the fish. The 20 + Mph winds might have something to do with it but it seems that all the fish have moved off the shore line by about a meter or so making it difficult to see any of them.
We shall see if the equipment investment is up to expectations...
Just got my order in from Edge Angling. They appear to be the purveyor of all angling oddities for folks like me that seek out unique tackle. Basically they had all the weird poles that this kid wants. You'd be amazed just how hard it is to find these specific pole configurations and in stock. All is in order and I'm quite satisfied with the purchase. It will be more fun when I get that first hookup on each pole.
The only unexpected point was the additional shipping fee for the fly rod. Apparently it was over their 40 inch mark and under $100 so it qualified for the additional fee. In the end it still was an equitable exchange as I got a very nice shipping tube to stow it in when in transit. No need to purchase a rod case for it.
Just a couple of notable points. First was the Eagle Claw fly rod, this is their feather weight unit that handles a 3/4 weight fly. It has a ruler marked on the pole to measure with. That is handy dandy! The fiberglass construction is very interesting on the action. I'm looking forward to playing with it. It is very different from my current Eagle Claw fly rod which is graphite. This new pole has a simulated rosewood reel seat too! All kidding aside the hardware on the reel seat is quite nicely machined and the cork handle is turned down nicely for that western style grip. It even has a hook keeper integrated!
The action of the whole pole appears to be quite nice. I'm excited to put it through the paces with some of the bull bluegills. The over all shorter pole makes for a handy unit. It stows nicely too in the back seat as it is not in danger of having either end caught by the door.
The new Daiwa casting pole is a quality product. I've been using the spinning version of the pole with good results so I have high hopes for the casting pole. It is more robust than the shorty pole from bass pro. The handle is more comfortable too as it is a slightly larger diameter.
The less aggressive hook set technique appears to be working well as the similar technique is used with fly fishing, basically just apply tension by reeling up the line and maintaining an arc in the pole. I got a success in using this on the refurbished bait caster rig. I re-lubricated one of my bait cast reels. During the reassembly process I didn't quite get the spring washers oriented correctly so the drag tension was not very adjustable. A quick reference to the exploded diagram showed the error of my way.
I only had a few minutes to hit the pond this afternoon. So I only grabbed for the texas rigged brush hog. I tossed that a few times with no interest generated. I figured my time was short so I'd better start heading back towards the truck. I made my way a few meters down the short and sent out a cast towards pond center. I'm thinking, that wasn't such a smart thing to do as they probably are out shallow near the weeds. I hauled the bait back in and sent it out parallel to the shoreline with about 3 meter offset. I got about two winds into the retrieve when I got that lovely tap followed by some slack. I gently brought in the slack and watched the line tension up quickly as I was being assisted by the fish. So with that I just sped up the retrieve and arched laterally and held it there. I was gratified with a heavy loading on the pole and the sound of the drag slipping line out. Oh this could be a good one. There were several surges and head shakes but no acrobatics. I worked it in gently as there was no reason to be bullish. The LMB was a healthy 15 incher hooked nicely in the corner of the mouth. The fun part was the hook lifted right out without fuss either. That make for a quicker release.
The interesting part of the pond experience was the lack of visual contact with the fish. The 20 + Mph winds might have something to do with it but it seems that all the fish have moved off the shore line by about a meter or so making it difficult to see any of them.
We shall see if the equipment investment is up to expectations...
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