I took this from some posts I made on a few different fishing forums with some basic guidelines to learning to cast with a baitcaster. I am actually just getting lazy and running out of material. This recycling is a common thing for me since my friends say I rcycle jokes... As long as I find myself funny... I hate you all...
I got my buddy using a baitcaster this past weekend.
What I told him to do was tighten all of the brakes first as well as the cast control knob (the knob right under the handle).
Second, I told him to press the release button, and the line should not move (assuming a lure is tied on).
Slowly, loosen the cast control knob until the line starts to come out and the lure drops slowly to the floor. The knob should be loose enough that when the lure hits the floor, the spool does not do a full turn. Once you get the knob tightened to this point, it is set for the weight of lure you are using. You can loosen it further once you are more comfortable with casting and want the spool to spin more freely/quickly.
Now try some casts with all of the brakes on. When casting, your thumb must serve to slow the spool down and to stop the spool from spinning as the lure stop moving (i.e. - it hits the water/ground). Keep practicing until you are comfortable then reduce the brakes.
Repeat the previous step until you are comfortable with the timing of thumbing the spool and the distance you get.
The trick is to understand that the lure can only pull line out so fast. If the spool is spinning too quickly, and the line is not being pulled fast enough, then the line will tangle, resulting in the birdsnest. The brakes, your thumb, the spool tension knob all serve to control the rotation of the spool. You must learn to use all of these tools to control the rotation. Once you do, you will have accuracy and distance in your casts.
I have mine set so that I can launch the lure with only having to thumb the spool at the end of the cast and not during. Your comfort level may vary.
One thing I didn't mention because I was not sure what type of braking system you have and how it is adjusted is regarding centrifugal brakes. If you manually set the brakes, make sure that they are set up so the brakes apply pressure in a balanced fashion around the spool.
Typically there are 6 pins. With all 6 pins on, they apply braking pressure evenly. The rudimentary diagram below depicts 6 pins engaged.
\ /
- o -
/ \
With 2 pins on, the pressure will depend on which 2 you engage. In this situation you would engage 2 pins opposite to each other such as below.
\
o
\
With 3 pins on, you would engage the following pins (This is the configuration that ----- described).
\
o -
/
And so forth. This is to make sure that the balance is even on the spool as it spins. If the balance is off, this could affect the rotation of the spool, negatively affecting spool speed and casting distance.
If your brake controls are external (dials) then you don't have to worry about this.
Do what ----- said and cast in a park for some time to practice. Instead of a weight (because if that thing comes off it is like a bullet, lol), what I did was remove the hooks on a relatively heavier lure that I did not use as much and therefore did not care about the finish on it, and casted with that thing. You get a feel also for how the air resitance of a lure can affect the cast and how you may have to compensate with a baitcaster.
and finally, regarding the actual backswing with the rod...
The cast with a baitcaster is a whole different thing than on a spinning reel. With a spinning reel, you can simply cock back, let the rod load up (bend) and then sling shot it forward. This is not so with a baitcaster. If you do this with a baitcaster, what happens is that the rod loads, but as the lure slingshots forward, all tension on the line is lost. As the lure moves forward through the air, the line becomes taut again and the lure suddenly jerks the spool into motion. When this happens, the energy of the slingshot is lost in overcoming the inertia required to start the spool spinning. The lure then slows down almost immediately after the spool starts going at top speed, resulting in a backlash. This is true when pitching (underhand casting) as well, and probably more easily observed. If you pitch your lure on slack line, it will go as far as it can before the spool starts spinning then the lure will fall flat right there. If you keep taut line, the lure will fly further.
The trick I found to casting relatively consistently is to let around 6" of line plus the lure dangle from the tip of the rod. If you point the tip of the rod directly away from you, you should be holding the rod and reel so that the open face of the reel (spool side) is sideways, your hand should be palm down with your thumb directly out to the side. More than anything, this allows your wrist a greater range of motion as you bring the rod back and then follow through.
There is not as much of a snap in the wrist as much as a smooth follow through as you bring the casting hand back, bend the wrist (like a free throw in basketball), then initiate the cast by rotating your forearm forward at the elbow, then following through forward with your wrist (again, just as you would a free throw in basketball). What this motion does is make sure that the lure travels like a pendulum, using centrifugal motion to keep the lure pulling consistently on the line, and the line taut. You then release your thumb (you should have pressed the butten and been thumbing the spool during all of this) just before the end of your casting motion. This initiates the rotation of the spool to accelerate in sync with the acceleration of the lure, and avoids the loss of energy caused by the slack line using the slingshot effect.
The trick to remember is to try and keep the line taut at all times during the cast. At least that is what has worked for me. I hope that helped, although it may have just confused. Please let me know and I can try to explain it more clearly.
I hope this helped someone... anyone?
27 January 2011
25 January 2011
Bacon Wrapped Sole
So, those who know me know that I love cook nearly as much as I love to fish. Like so many other things in my life, I don't like to follow recipes when I cook. However, that does not mean that others do not either.
With that said, I will combine two of my favourite things and begin sharing some of my fish recipes.
The first...
Bacon wrapped sole in a lemon mayonnaise sauce
serves:4 (who am I kidding? I don't know exact numbers since I don't actually use recipes generally. So take these values with a grain of salt - but don't add that salt to the recipe unless I call for it)
12 small sole fillets
12 slices of bacon
zest from 2 lemons
dill
pepper
12 toothpicks
oil
lemon mayonnaise sauce:
5 tablespoons of mayonnaise
lemon juice from 1 lemon
dill
salt
pepper
With that said, I will combine two of my favourite things and begin sharing some of my fish recipes.
The first...
Bacon wrapped sole in a lemon mayonnaise sauce
serves:4 (who am I kidding? I don't know exact numbers since I don't actually use recipes generally. So take these values with a grain of salt - but don't add that salt to the recipe unless I call for it)
12 small sole fillets
12 slices of bacon
zest from 2 lemons
dill
pepper
12 toothpicks
oil
lemon mayonnaise sauce:
5 tablespoons of mayonnaise
lemon juice from 1 lemon
dill
salt
pepper
- Halve each fillet lengthwise and set aside.
- Lay a strip of bacon and lay out the 2 halves of sole along the length of bacon.
- Sprinkle the sole with dill, lemon zest and pepper.
- Roll the bacon and sole tightly and fix in place with toothpick by skewering the roll through the centre.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees Celsius.
- Heat oil over medium high heat.
- Sear bacon and sole rolls on all sides.
- Once seared, stand the roll on its side before transferring to the oven for 5 - 10 minutes.
- While the fish is finishing cooking inthe oven, mix the mayonnaise, dill, lemon juice and some salt and pepper to taste.
- Plate fish and drizzle mayonnaise over fish.
- Serve and enjoy!
23 January 2011
Fishing Reel Science - Gearing up
Fishing reel gear ratios are a mystery to many. Actually, the benefits and downfalls of different ratios are what many people do not understand. Different gear ratios on baitcasting reels and other reels have an impact on which applications for which they are ideal. Below is an explanation of the different gear ratios, benefits and weaknesses and applications.
High Power Low Gear Ratios
These ratios are usually found in the 5.0:1 range. What this means is that for every 1 turn of the handle, the spool turns 5 times. Ratios in this range are characterized by low inches retrieved per handle turn, and high power. These ratios are ideal for baits with high resistance such as deep crankbaits and large bladed spinerbaits. The reason for this is that the gears are usually oversized, which increases the leverage of the handle, making it easier to turnthe handle, even when pulling high drag baits.
High Speed Ratios
These ratios are the opposite of the low gear ratios in that these gears provide maximum spool rotations per handle rotation, and the largest number of inches retrieved per handle turn. These gears are excellent choices for lipless crankbaits and, soft plastics and jigs. For finesse presentations, the high speed ratio allows the angler to retrieve their lures more quickly to rapidly fire out subsequent casts.
6.3:1
This is the average ratio available in today's reels. It provides a nice balance between power and speed is a great all around reel. It can be used for basically all applications, but is not likely the best for any.
Now that the advantages and disadvantages have been outlined, consider them when buying your next reel. However, personal preference trumps any of these because what I consider right may not be what is right for you. Only you can determine that.
High Power Low Gear Ratios
These ratios are usually found in the 5.0:1 range. What this means is that for every 1 turn of the handle, the spool turns 5 times. Ratios in this range are characterized by low inches retrieved per handle turn, and high power. These ratios are ideal for baits with high resistance such as deep crankbaits and large bladed spinerbaits. The reason for this is that the gears are usually oversized, which increases the leverage of the handle, making it easier to turnthe handle, even when pulling high drag baits.
High Speed Ratios
These ratios are the opposite of the low gear ratios in that these gears provide maximum spool rotations per handle rotation, and the largest number of inches retrieved per handle turn. These gears are excellent choices for lipless crankbaits and, soft plastics and jigs. For finesse presentations, the high speed ratio allows the angler to retrieve their lures more quickly to rapidly fire out subsequent casts.
6.3:1
This is the average ratio available in today's reels. It provides a nice balance between power and speed is a great all around reel. It can be used for basically all applications, but is not likely the best for any.
Now that the advantages and disadvantages have been outlined, consider them when buying your next reel. However, personal preference trumps any of these because what I consider right may not be what is right for you. Only you can determine that.
21 January 2011
2011 A Short Look Into the Near Future
It is the year 2011.
We have had Smoke on the Water for nearly 2 years now.
The United States have elected a black president.
Skinny jeans are still in; I am married.
Justin Bieber is a pop music icon; Men should not purchase anything Lu Lu Lemon for themselves. Ever.
Although some things change (which are for better and which are for worse is debatable), others remain the same (again some good, some bad). With the onset of a new year, we make resolutions to better ourselves by enforcing the good from the past year and changing the bad.
With a new year comes a new soft water fishing season. And, the same hold for the new fishing season. If one wishes to become a better angler, one must constantly evolve. I don't want to be Betamax; I want to be VHS! If I were an HD format, I would choose to be Blu-Ray. If I were one of the Jacksons, I would choose Michael... waitaminute...
The point is to continue to learn and to evolve. George Bernard Shaw stated,
All evolution in thought and conduct must at first appear as heresy and misconduct.
I do not know who George Bernard Shaw is/was; in fact, I simply Googled, "famous evolutino quotes" and found a website full of them, and I happened to like this quote. And yes, I did actually spell "evolution" as "evolutino". But, I cannot say that I disagree with this statement, especially pertaining to fishing.
Sir would consider it heresy to not use the tried and true. To stray from the familiar is scary for him, and not something he does readily. And, I cannot blame him. "If it ain't broke, buy more of the same lures" is his philosophy, and it has worked. I, however, relish trying new things. This is due to the fact that I am a fishing information whore (as stated in a previous blog), and I am compelled to try all the new things I read about. I want to be able to adapt to the situation as necessary, and I am simply outfitting myself with the tools to do so.
Therefore, I have set the following goals for myself this upcoming fishing season (kind of like new year's resolutions for fishing):
This will be The Year of the Soft Plastic.
For countless anglers, soft plastics are their go-to lures. Often I read that anglers will throw soft plastics in 80-90% of fishing situations. I, on the other hand, use soft plastics perhaps 10% of the time. Why is this? Well, when Sir and I began fishing, we started with the tried and true holy trinity: hook, weight and live worms. And we caught fish. However, one summer, this would change when Sir caught his first big bass using one of our uncle's crankbaits. And the rest, is history.
We became addicted to chasing bigger fish with lures, not content to simply catch panfish on worm and hook. It would seem that moving into soft plastics would be a more logical progression from live bait, but we did a complete 180. Since then, we have had enough success on hard plastic lures and spinnerbaits to not even consider soft plastics for anything other than trailers.
But something inside of me has changed. I am not as concerned simply with catching fish. I know I can do that. I am not great at it; but I know I can do it with any of my confidence lures. I want to be able to cintinue to find and catch fish when the other lures don't work. I don't want to be movies pre-Avatar. I want to be needlessly made 3-dimensional.
So, in order to add additional tools to my tacklebox, I have decided to make this The Year of the Soft Plastic. How will I do that? Here's how; I will follow these rules when I fish this year:
Thou Shalt Keep a Fishing Log
One of the things that I have read about successful anglers is how they meticulously keep records of the fish they caught, the lures and presentation used, and the conditions used. The purpose of this log is, over time, to be able to develop patterns for fish that will help you in the future when you encounter various fishing conditions. By identifying the weather, the structure, the cover, the time of day, the presentation and lure, the angler creates a data point. Once additional points are collected, they can be entered into a database, analyzed, and a pattern can be observed. Then, when an angler is faced with specific conditions in the future, they can refer to the data points to provide some insight as to the best way to start and have a successful outing.
With that said, I will keep a log of my fishing outings this year on this blog. I will include various details that should allow me to be able to apply my experience to my future outings.
Don`t Gimme No Lip
Finally, lipless crankbaits. Two years ago, I bought a bunch of these lures and did not have much success with them and quickly resorted to my confidence lures. This year, I am planning on learning to fish these lures properly; to learn the various retrieves that will make these lures successful; and the conditions for which lipless crankbaits are ideal. I will crank without lip.
This year, when I reach for a crankbait, I don`t want no lip for my first crankbait out of the box.
I know this seems to run counter to The Year of the Soft Plastic, but it is not. In the other 50% of the time when I do not have to use soft plastics, I can use crankbaits, and I plan on making lipless crankbaits my first choice every time.
And there you have it, these are my goals for the 2011 season. If anyone is reading this, you will be witness to the evolution of PainInTheBass.
We have had Smoke on the Water for nearly 2 years now.
The United States have elected a black president.
Skinny jeans are still in; I am married.
Justin Bieber is a pop music icon; Men should not purchase anything Lu Lu Lemon for themselves. Ever.
Although some things change (which are for better and which are for worse is debatable), others remain the same (again some good, some bad). With the onset of a new year, we make resolutions to better ourselves by enforcing the good from the past year and changing the bad.
With a new year comes a new soft water fishing season. And, the same hold for the new fishing season. If one wishes to become a better angler, one must constantly evolve. I don't want to be Betamax; I want to be VHS! If I were an HD format, I would choose to be Blu-Ray. If I were one of the Jacksons, I would choose Michael... waitaminute...
All evolution in thought and conduct must at first appear as heresy and misconduct.
I do not know who George Bernard Shaw is/was; in fact, I simply Googled, "famous evolutino quotes" and found a website full of them, and I happened to like this quote. And yes, I did actually spell "evolution" as "evolutino". But, I cannot say that I disagree with this statement, especially pertaining to fishing.
Sir would consider it heresy to not use the tried and true. To stray from the familiar is scary for him, and not something he does readily. And, I cannot blame him. "If it ain't broke, buy more of the same lures" is his philosophy, and it has worked. I, however, relish trying new things. This is due to the fact that I am a fishing information whore (as stated in a previous blog), and I am compelled to try all the new things I read about. I want to be able to adapt to the situation as necessary, and I am simply outfitting myself with the tools to do so.
Therefore, I have set the following goals for myself this upcoming fishing season (kind of like new year's resolutions for fishing):
This will be The Year of the Soft Plastic.
For countless anglers, soft plastics are their go-to lures. Often I read that anglers will throw soft plastics in 80-90% of fishing situations. I, on the other hand, use soft plastics perhaps 10% of the time. Why is this? Well, when Sir and I began fishing, we started with the tried and true holy trinity: hook, weight and live worms. And we caught fish. However, one summer, this would change when Sir caught his first big bass using one of our uncle's crankbaits. And the rest, is history.
We became addicted to chasing bigger fish with lures, not content to simply catch panfish on worm and hook. It would seem that moving into soft plastics would be a more logical progression from live bait, but we did a complete 180. Since then, we have had enough success on hard plastic lures and spinnerbaits to not even consider soft plastics for anything other than trailers.
But something inside of me has changed. I am not as concerned simply with catching fish. I know I can do that. I am not great at it; but I know I can do it with any of my confidence lures. I want to be able to cintinue to find and catch fish when the other lures don't work. I don't want to be movies pre-Avatar. I want to be needlessly made 3-dimensional.
So, in order to add additional tools to my tacklebox, I have decided to make this The Year of the Soft Plastic. How will I do that? Here's how; I will follow these rules when I fish this year:
- I will use soft plastics for at least 50% of a fishing outing provided that the soft plastics I have are appropriate for the targetted species. By this I mean that if I am fishing for pike before the bass season opens, I may not be able to throw soft plastics because most of my soft plastics are geared towards bass, which may not e in season (i.e. June). However, if I have soft bodied jerkbaits and swimbaits, Ican throw those as they can be used for targetting both pike and bass.
- I will start off each outing using soft plastics of some sort subject to the limitations identified in Rule /1.
- Bass jigs will fall into the soft plastic category for the purposes of this 2011 goal since I have used bass jigs as much as I have used soft plastics.
- Where a hard bait is working, I will attempt to find a soft plastic corollary.
Thou Shalt Keep a Fishing Log
One of the things that I have read about successful anglers is how they meticulously keep records of the fish they caught, the lures and presentation used, and the conditions used. The purpose of this log is, over time, to be able to develop patterns for fish that will help you in the future when you encounter various fishing conditions. By identifying the weather, the structure, the cover, the time of day, the presentation and lure, the angler creates a data point. Once additional points are collected, they can be entered into a database, analyzed, and a pattern can be observed. Then, when an angler is faced with specific conditions in the future, they can refer to the data points to provide some insight as to the best way to start and have a successful outing.
With that said, I will keep a log of my fishing outings this year on this blog. I will include various details that should allow me to be able to apply my experience to my future outings.
Don`t Gimme No Lip
Finally, lipless crankbaits. Two years ago, I bought a bunch of these lures and did not have much success with them and quickly resorted to my confidence lures. This year, I am planning on learning to fish these lures properly; to learn the various retrieves that will make these lures successful; and the conditions for which lipless crankbaits are ideal. I will crank without lip.
This year, when I reach for a crankbait, I don`t want no lip for my first crankbait out of the box.
I know this seems to run counter to The Year of the Soft Plastic, but it is not. In the other 50% of the time when I do not have to use soft plastics, I can use crankbaits, and I plan on making lipless crankbaits my first choice every time.
And there you have it, these are my goals for the 2011 season. If anyone is reading this, you will be witness to the evolution of PainInTheBass.
20 January 2011
Rod Ratings 101 - A Crash Course in Fishing Rod Specification Nomenclature
I am a fishing information slut. I absolutely love to go online and to learn as much as I can about the sport I love. I visit message boards; read articles; blog. I can't get enough.
Why don't you just get out there and fish if you love it that much?
Good question. The problem is, I live in Canada. And as many know, Canada is a land of 4 seasons, and those 4 seasons are not equal. We are known as the great white north for a reason - winter. For those who do not partake in ice fishing (which although scratching that itch to a degree, it just isn't as satisfyingto me), that leaves us with April -November/December/January dependingo n when the ice begins forming. For all but the most hardy or hardcore, this range is more along the lines of May - September. Alas, here in Ontario, we have fishing seasons,which, depending on the species, can limit your window even further.
You are just making up excuses!
Yes! Because in the end, I am simply a fishing knowledge slut. I love to learn about fishing. I love to read about new techniques; new gear; new lures. I got into rod building, reel modding and luremaking because of this desire. Knowledge is power, as they say. For me, it is not power I crave (nor adventure, for a Jedi am I), it is just the ability to become a better (read: more flexible) angler.
So, in my reading, I have come across one thing in particular which frustrates me to no end - misinterpretation of fishing rod ratings. You know: medium power, fast action etc. Well, I am here to provide a little clarification for you.
Rod ratings are generally described by 3 items:
Rod length is probably the most self explanatory of the three items. It literally is the length of the rod. Now, some builders will list the rod length in feet and inches in the model number, where others will list the rod length strictly in inches. Sight unseen, it is important to know which convention is used by the manufacturer.
example:
MBR782
This is a G. Loomis rod who identify the length in inches. Therefore, this rod is 78", or 6' 6" long.
PC70MHM
Conversely, this is a St. Croix rod, who identify the length in feet and inches. This rod is 7'0" long.
Rod Power
Rod power refers to the stoutness of a rod. Or, in other words, it is the ability of the rod to resist bending. The heavier the power, the more resistant (or stiff) the rod is. The following are the typical power ratings for fishing rods:
When selecting the power, the species, cover fished and lure weight range should all be considered.
Some manufacturers will identify the power with a number code, whereas others may identify the power using an acronym or actual terminology. One should identify what nomenclature is used, and what, if codes are used, the code translates to.
example:
MBR782
This is a G. Loomis rod who identify the power using a number code. In G. Loomis nomenclature for this series of rods, the 2 refers to a medium power. A 4 would identify a heavy powered rod.
PC70MHM
Conversely, this is a St. Croix rod, who identify the power using acronyms. The MH identifies Medium Heavy. L would identify Light action, etc.
Rod Action
Rod action is by far, the most confusing rod characteristic. Often, consumers become confused with the action of a rod, often using power to describe action. Action is defined in the following terms:
It is the use of the terms slow, moderate, fast etc. that cause the confusion. To be precise, these terms refer to the taper of the rod. The speed of the taper describes the angle of the taper, or, in other words, how quickly the rod diameter increases from tip to butt. The speed of the taper relates to how far down from the tip of the rod that the rod bends. And extra-fast rod's bend is closest to the tip and a slow rod's bend is furthest. If desired, you can look at it this way: When you set the hook, how quickly before you get into the hooksetting power of the rod? Because a fast rod bends more closely to the tip than a moderate rod, when setting a hook with a fast rod, you will get to the power (to the point where the rod does not bend easily anymore) more quickly or faster than a moderate rod. Moderate rods have the same relationship to Slow or parabolic rods, and so forth.
Certain rods are more suited to specific lures and/or techniques for various reasons. I will provide a few examples of general action types for some techniques/baits:
Moderate:
Fast rods are typically more sensitive than moderate rods due to less energy (transferred through the line)being converted into movement. Further, these are often favoured for heavier gauge, single hooked baits because the faster action allows the angler to get to the power more quickly in order to drive the thicker hooks through the fish's mouth.
When selecting the technique, and lure should all be considered. However, angler preference will trump any of these.
Some manufacturers will identify the action with an acronym or actual terminology. Others choose to imply the action by identifying the preferred technique. One may always put a flex in the rod to identify this where action is in doubt. To test the action, lay the tip of the rod on the floor,increasing pressure on the rod in order to fully flex the rod easily. Do not put too much pressure on the rod for fear of damaging the rod.
example:
MBR782
This is a G. Loomis rod who identify the action in the technique/application. This mag bass blank is a fast action rod series.
PC70MHM
Conversely, this is a St. Croix rod, who identify the action by an acronym. This rod is rated M for Moderate.
Well, that sums it up. If you got to the end, I hope you found this read educational. I cannot be entertaining all of the time.
Why don't you just get out there and fish if you love it that much?
Good question. The problem is, I live in Canada. And as many know, Canada is a land of 4 seasons, and those 4 seasons are not equal. We are known as the great white north for a reason - winter. For those who do not partake in ice fishing (which although scratching that itch to a degree, it just isn't as satisfyingto me), that leaves us with April -November/December/January dependingo n when the ice begins forming. For all but the most hardy or hardcore, this range is more along the lines of May - September. Alas, here in Ontario, we have fishing seasons,which, depending on the species, can limit your window even further.
You are just making up excuses!
Yes! Because in the end, I am simply a fishing knowledge slut. I love to learn about fishing. I love to read about new techniques; new gear; new lures. I got into rod building, reel modding and luremaking because of this desire. Knowledge is power, as they say. For me, it is not power I crave (nor adventure, for a Jedi am I), it is just the ability to become a better (read: more flexible) angler.
 |
| Adventure, excitement, a Jedi craves not these things... |
Rod ratings are generally described by 3 items:
- Rod Length
- Rod Power
- Rod Action
Rod length is probably the most self explanatory of the three items. It literally is the length of the rod. Now, some builders will list the rod length in feet and inches in the model number, where others will list the rod length strictly in inches. Sight unseen, it is important to know which convention is used by the manufacturer.
example:
MBR782
This is a G. Loomis rod who identify the length in inches. Therefore, this rod is 78", or 6' 6" long.
PC70MHM
Conversely, this is a St. Croix rod, who identify the length in feet and inches. This rod is 7'0" long.
Rod Power
Rod power refers to the stoutness of a rod. Or, in other words, it is the ability of the rod to resist bending. The heavier the power, the more resistant (or stiff) the rod is. The following are the typical power ratings for fishing rods:
- ultra-light
- light
- medium-light
- medium
- medium-heavy
- heavy
- extra-heavy
When selecting the power, the species, cover fished and lure weight range should all be considered.
Some manufacturers will identify the power with a number code, whereas others may identify the power using an acronym or actual terminology. One should identify what nomenclature is used, and what, if codes are used, the code translates to.
example:
MBR782
This is a G. Loomis rod who identify the power using a number code. In G. Loomis nomenclature for this series of rods, the 2 refers to a medium power. A 4 would identify a heavy powered rod.
PC70MHM
Conversely, this is a St. Croix rod, who identify the power using acronyms. The MH identifies Medium Heavy. L would identify Light action, etc.
Rod Action
Rod action is by far, the most confusing rod characteristic. Often, consumers become confused with the action of a rod, often using power to describe action. Action is defined in the following terms:
- Parabolic/Slow
- Moderate/Medium
- Moderate-Fast
- Fast
- Extra-Fast
Certain rods are more suited to specific lures and/or techniques for various reasons. I will provide a few examples of general action types for some techniques/baits:
Moderate:
- crankbaits
- treble hook equipped baits
- spinnerbaits
- jigs
- soft plastics
- bottom contact baits
Fast rods are typically more sensitive than moderate rods due to less energy (transferred through the line)being converted into movement. Further, these are often favoured for heavier gauge, single hooked baits because the faster action allows the angler to get to the power more quickly in order to drive the thicker hooks through the fish's mouth.
When selecting the technique, and lure should all be considered. However, angler preference will trump any of these.
Some manufacturers will identify the action with an acronym or actual terminology. Others choose to imply the action by identifying the preferred technique. One may always put a flex in the rod to identify this where action is in doubt. To test the action, lay the tip of the rod on the floor,increasing pressure on the rod in order to fully flex the rod easily. Do not put too much pressure on the rod for fear of damaging the rod.
example:
MBR782
This is a G. Loomis rod who identify the action in the technique/application. This mag bass blank is a fast action rod series.
PC70MHM
Conversely, this is a St. Croix rod, who identify the action by an acronym. This rod is rated M for Moderate.
Well, that sums it up. If you got to the end, I hope you found this read educational. I cannot be entertaining all of the time.
19 January 2011
2010 Grand Slam Challenge Review
So, in one of my first posts, I introduced the Smoke on the Water Grand Slam Challenge where if anyone of the BASStards who are taking part successfully catch and verify a 4 lb bass, a 5 lb walleye, a 10 lb pike and a musky of any size, they are entitled to any fishing related item up to $100. Anything above $100 is paid for by the winner.
In 2009, only 2 qualifiers were caught - Sir caught a 4 lb bass on 2 separate occasions, and Duk caught a 5 lb walleye.
This past year, Knot'Yo caught his 12.12 lb pike (he won't let me leave out the .12); Kakka caughta 10.10 lb pike (if I do it for Knot'Yo, I gotta do it for Kakka); and I caught a musky and a 4 lb bass (unofficially).
So far, there are no categories for which all of the competitors have qualified. As such, the categories will remain the same for 2011.
So who is in for the 2011 Grand Slam Challenge? Please submit your entry by commenting below. This forum shall be the official entry.
In 2009, only 2 qualifiers were caught - Sir caught a 4 lb bass on 2 separate occasions, and Duk caught a 5 lb walleye.
This past year, Knot'Yo caught his 12.12 lb pike (he won't let me leave out the .12); Kakka caughta 10.10 lb pike (if I do it for Knot'Yo, I gotta do it for Kakka); and I caught a musky and a 4 lb bass (unofficially).
So far, there are no categories for which all of the competitors have qualified. As such, the categories will remain the same for 2011.
So who is in for the 2011 Grand Slam Challenge? Please submit your entry by commenting below. This forum shall be the official entry.
18 January 2011
Honeymoon
Musky Hunter and I were married November 19, 2010. However, wedidnot go on our honeymoon until December 13, 2010 in order to give us some time to wrap up loose ends with respect to the wedding; and becauseI had to write my Professional Practice Exam.
Anyhow, after my exam, we took off for warm, sunny Florida! (Orlando, more specifically).Well, one out of two ain't bad. We definitely had sun as the skies were gorgeous. However, the temperatures did not co-operate as the day we arrived, the temperature was below 10 Celsius. Over the next few evenings, the temperatures would drop to below freezing before rising and hovering to just above freezing duringthe days.
However, Musky would not let the weather take the Happy out of the Happiest Place on Earth - Hogwart's!
Actually, the first theme park we went to while in Florida was Universal Studios Island of Adventure becauseMusky just had to go to the Harry Potter land. On our way to Harry Potter land, we got to pass through many other magical places such as Seuss Landing;
And even, Jurassic Park!
These other areas were sparsely populated, likely due to the cold, or so we thought... Maybe it was because of him...
Maybe it was just me...
And then we arrive and see the real reason...
This was the lineup to get a wand at Olivander's. And yes, I had to stand in that line.
I had to say that all of the theme areas in Universal were super well done and really immersive. I was very entertained. I was also very cold. As I said earlier, the temperature hovered just above freezing all day.
Over the next couple of days, we went to Epcot, which had sections displaying different parts of the world in addition to educational type rides.
Of all of the theme parks we went to, Epcot was my favourite due to the interesting rides. Yes, I am a supernerd. And if you are reading this nerd's blog, then what does that make you?
We also went to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas.
This was a special evening event to celebrate Christmas, complete with a parade and fireworks! Musky loved this evening. It was definitely memorable.
As the week passed,the temperature rose until on Friday, we got to do something I wanted...
(This is a fishing blog afterall...)
Part of the reason I agreed to Orlando and the Magic Kingdom was that I knew we could fish there. And fish there we did. We hired Captain Dean Puller of GatorBass to take us bass fishing.
He took us to Lake Conway in the heart of downtown Orlando, and got us fishing. We started out using small swimbaits and flukes, which landed us a few largies.
After the bite slowed down, Captain Dean switched us over to live bait - which he caught right there in front of us. He would troll into the shallows, looking for schools of shiners. After locating these schools, he would take his bait net and throw it out, trapping bunches of minnows. We would then drift out and then he would take a scoop and toss it out behind the boat. And you would not believe the bass breaking the surface and smashing these shiners. Whenever we would spot a bass, we would cast into the general direction and hold on. Basically, once the line became taught, signifying that a bass had taken the bait, we would let the bass run a little before reeling in and setting the hook. Then, provided we timed it right, it was fish on!
Anyhow, my favourite part came when I landed this guy...
Don't be fooled by the giant behind him. This bass was long and big. Captain Dean estimated 4 lbs, which would have made it a qualifier had I actually weighed it, and was a PB for me. Take a look at it's gut (not mine).
These fish were feeding well.
In a matter of 4 hours, we landed over 20 bass, which is great for us considering it was December. Musky and I both had a great time, and we owed to to Captain Dean. If you are ever in the Orlando/Kissimee area and want to go bass fishing, give him a call and he will put you on fish. In fact, he guarantees fish or your money back! This promise is so good, that we are going with Captain Dean again when we head down to Orlando for my brother's bachelor party.
Stay tuned for that report.
Anyhow, after my exam, we took off for warm, sunny Florida! (Orlando, more specifically).Well, one out of two ain't bad. We definitely had sun as the skies were gorgeous. However, the temperatures did not co-operate as the day we arrived, the temperature was below 10 Celsius. Over the next few evenings, the temperatures would drop to below freezing before rising and hovering to just above freezing duringthe days.
However, Musky would not let the weather take the Happy out of the Happiest Place on Earth - Hogwart's!
A comic book city;
And then we arrive and see the real reason...
I had to say that all of the theme areas in Universal were super well done and really immersive. I was very entertained. I was also very cold. As I said earlier, the temperature hovered just above freezing all day.
Over the next couple of days, we went to Epcot, which had sections displaying different parts of the world in addition to educational type rides.
We also went to the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas.
As the week passed,the temperature rose until on Friday, we got to do something I wanted...
(This is a fishing blog afterall...)
Part of the reason I agreed to Orlando and the Magic Kingdom was that I knew we could fish there. And fish there we did. We hired Captain Dean Puller of GatorBass to take us bass fishing.
He took us to Lake Conway in the heart of downtown Orlando, and got us fishing. We started out using small swimbaits and flukes, which landed us a few largies.
In a matter of 4 hours, we landed over 20 bass, which is great for us considering it was December. Musky and I both had a great time, and we owed to to Captain Dean. If you are ever in the Orlando/Kissimee area and want to go bass fishing, give him a call and he will put you on fish. In fact, he guarantees fish or your money back! This promise is so good, that we are going with Captain Dean again when we head down to Orlando for my brother's bachelor party.
Stay tuned for that report.
New Toy!
This evening, I completed a transaction that saw me procure a used Team Daiw Zillion 6.3:1 from one of the online forums of which I am a member for a price significantly below MSRP. Albeit, the reel is not new, and is not in new condition. However, the reel appears to be mechanically, in good condition, and in good enough physical condition for me to be extremely happy with the price. The reel is renowned for being a workhorse, and I am already sure that I will love using this reel.
Now, I must decide which reel will be used for which application(s)...
I also have my round Abu Garcia c3 4600 which has been modded to a c6 (6 bearings) which is my dedicated deep crankbait reel due to its fantastic casting distance, huge line capacity, and powerful, low gear ratio.
So many decisions, so little time.
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| TD Zillion HA - Jigs? Spinnerbaits/Lipless Crankbaits? |
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| TD Sol - Finesse Bass Baits |
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| TD Viento - Worms? Soft Plastics? |
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| 2 TD Fuegos - Jigs? Spinnerbaits/Lipless Crankbaits? Soft Plastics? |
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| TD Advantage HSTA - Jigs? Spinnerbaits/Lipless Crankbaits? |
So many decisions, so little time.
16 January 2011
I'll Pre-Cut You!
Hey all,
Just a note that this blog is not fishing (NF) related, and as a result, I will break my rule of not using real names.
So, I'll Pre-Cut You! is my wife's sister. Her real name is Arlene Paculan and she is a musician, actor performer, and has been performing at various venues in the Greater Toronto Area for a while. You can check her MySpace site out here. She has very eclectic influences and you can hear that in her music.
Well, last year she had approached me to play some back up for her. I had been jonesing to perform, and decided to help her out. This turned into a regular gig for me, and a great way to get my performance fix. You can see some of Arlene's performances (with and without me) here.
Anyhow, check her site out. She is super talented, and worth the time!
I have added a permanent link to her MySpace site in the links section.
Just a note that this blog is not fishing (NF) related, and as a result, I will break my rule of not using real names.
So, I'll Pre-Cut You! is my wife's sister. Her real name is Arlene Paculan and she is a musician, actor performer, and has been performing at various venues in the Greater Toronto Area for a while. You can check her MySpace site out here. She has very eclectic influences and you can hear that in her music.
Well, last year she had approached me to play some back up for her. I had been jonesing to perform, and decided to help her out. This turned into a regular gig for me, and a great way to get my performance fix. You can see some of Arlene's performances (with and without me) here.
Anyhow, check her site out. She is super talented, and worth the time!
I have added a permanent link to her MySpace site in the links section.
14 January 2011
My Bachelor Party - Day 2/3
So, the first night, Tight Moves is up late, pounding drinks back because that is what he expects at a bachelor party - and rightfully so. However, the rest of us take it a little easier, preparing to be up early the next morning. Upon convincing him that the next night would be a 'Big Night' (not that it took really any convincing - Tight has this way of convincing himself of ideas by a series of asking and answering his own questions), he hits the sack. I did remind him that he was my first mate, and that he didn't want to disappoint me on my bachelor party... Or so I thought... 6:00 am
Me - Hey! Get up! We're going fishing now!
Tight - Go without me. Pick me up when you come back in.
Me - What?!
So, with that, I set out to explore a brand new remote lake, 8 hours North of civilization - alone. However, at least my best man and cousin would remain close all day - not that I would need it in the end.
Emmanuel and Pele were up when I was, as were Mek Mek and Sir. Mek Mek and Sir would hangclose to me throughout the day while Emmanuel and Pele had their own plan...
Their plan was as follows:
Anyhow, back to the fishing; it started to rain overnight, and continued on right throughout the day. It was cold and rainy. However, the fishing was not too bad. Sir was able to land a nice 7 lb pike, as well as a smattering of other smaller pike. In a sheltered cove, I was able to elicit a lot of topwater strikes on my new Norman Top Dollar walking bait, which combines a water spitting attraction with a walk the dog action. (That is one catchy fucking slogan). However, I was unable to hook up until I switched to an inline spinner (one of my homemade jobs). Moving on, I found a small island close to shore where the lake opened up and the current funneled into this shallow saddle. So, I anchored here and gave it a shot. Casting inline spinners towards and parallel to shore, I was able to land a few small pike and a decent smallmouth bass. Not bad for a team of one.
That's what I thought until we ran into Knot'Yo and Kakka who showed us what 'doing well' really means.
Knot'Yo and Kakka caught these two monsters, along with a host of other in the 5 to 10 lb range in this one large bay at the South of the Lake! Using silver and blue husky jerks, they caught their personal best pike, and Grand Slam qualifiers!
Catching those gators made them good and hungry, so in we all went for as fresh a fish fry as they come! On my way in, I pass a boat with 3 anglers in it. They wave, and I assume they were waving to someone else since no one had 3 in their boat aside from Spam, and I know what that boat looks like. I get back to the cottage and have a fun time docking by myself when the boat of three pull up and Pele, Emmanuel and Tight Moves are in the boat! Bastard jumped ship and joined Team Italia!
After lunch I had a nice nap. It was so nice that I slept almost until it got dark! No worries since the bite definitely tapered off and little success was had afterwards.
That night was not the 'big night' that Tight had hyped it up to be. In fact, it was rather relaxed as it got really cold, and the night sky really cleared up, revealing a night sky dotted by thousands of stars.
Fishing was much of the same thenext day, although tougher. A smattering of pike were caught throughout the day, but nothing of significance - especially when compared to the 10 and 12 lbers caught the day before. Camo did manage to catch his only fish of the weekend - a sucker, leaving Tight as the only one who got skunked. Shoulda'a just woke up that first morning. As seen on this blog, karma is a fishing bitch...
On the last day, only Spam, Sir, Knot'Yo and I head out for a last minute chance at a giant. The morning was cold and crisp. It was sunny and cloud free. A high pressure system had moved in, and expectedly, we caught nothing that last morning.
We packed it in and headed home later that morning. The drive home felt shorter than the drive up. Perhaps we all slept more, tired from a great fishing weekend. Perhaps sleeping was better than being awake for Mek Mek's first time driving with a trailered boat.
Whatever the case, the weekend was great, and was exactly what I would have wanted, and got for my bachelor party. Thanks to my brother, Sir, for planning this thing. Thanks to all of my groomsmen for standing with me on my wedding day, ad being there to back me up on all the days leading up to it. Thanks to the rest of my friends who thought enough of me (or fishing) to spend a weekend with us up North.
Me - Hey! Get up! We're going fishing now!
Tight - Go without me. Pick me up when you come back in.
Me - What?!
So, with that, I set out to explore a brand new remote lake, 8 hours North of civilization - alone. However, at least my best man and cousin would remain close all day - not that I would need it in the end.
Emmanuel and Pele were up when I was, as were Mek Mek and Sir. Mek Mek and Sir would hangclose to me throughout the day while Emmanuel and Pele had their own plan...
Their plan was as follows:
- Fish for one hour.
- Go back to the cottage for a coffee.
- Fish for one hour.
- Go back to the cottage for a coffee.
- Fish for one hour.
- Go back to thecottage to eat.
- Repeat in the afternoon.
Anyhow, back to the fishing; it started to rain overnight, and continued on right throughout the day. It was cold and rainy. However, the fishing was not too bad. Sir was able to land a nice 7 lb pike, as well as a smattering of other smaller pike. In a sheltered cove, I was able to elicit a lot of topwater strikes on my new Norman Top Dollar walking bait, which combines a water spitting attraction with a walk the dog action. (That is one catchy fucking slogan). However, I was unable to hook up until I switched to an inline spinner (one of my homemade jobs). Moving on, I found a small island close to shore where the lake opened up and the current funneled into this shallow saddle. So, I anchored here and gave it a shot. Casting inline spinners towards and parallel to shore, I was able to land a few small pike and a decent smallmouth bass. Not bad for a team of one.
That's what I thought until we ran into Knot'Yo and Kakka who showed us what 'doing well' really means.
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| 10.10 lb Kakka |
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| Knot'Yo 12.12 lb pike, HIS 12.12 lb pike... |
Catching those gators made them good and hungry, so in we all went for as fresh a fish fry as they come! On my way in, I pass a boat with 3 anglers in it. They wave, and I assume they were waving to someone else since no one had 3 in their boat aside from Spam, and I know what that boat looks like. I get back to the cottage and have a fun time docking by myself when the boat of three pull up and Pele, Emmanuel and Tight Moves are in the boat! Bastard jumped ship and joined Team Italia!
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| Fried fish + fried potatoes = heaven (via coronary) |
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| Tight looking for something vegetarian friendly... |
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| Yep, I still cooked on my bachelor party... |
That night was not the 'big night' that Tight had hyped it up to be. In fact, it was rather relaxed as it got really cold, and the night sky really cleared up, revealing a night sky dotted by thousands of stars.
Fishing was much of the same thenext day, although tougher. A smattering of pike were caught throughout the day, but nothing of significance - especially when compared to the 10 and 12 lbers caught the day before. Camo did manage to catch his only fish of the weekend - a sucker, leaving Tight as the only one who got skunked. Shoulda'a just woke up that first morning. As seen on this blog, karma is a fishing bitch...
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| Knot'Yo - nothing left to prove |
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| Spam - my boat's wake will sink your puny boat... |
We packed it in and headed home later that morning. The drive home felt shorter than the drive up. Perhaps we all slept more, tired from a great fishing weekend. Perhaps sleeping was better than being awake for Mek Mek's first time driving with a trailered boat.
Whatever the case, the weekend was great, and was exactly what I would have wanted, and got for my bachelor party. Thanks to my brother, Sir, for planning this thing. Thanks to all of my groomsmen for standing with me on my wedding day, ad being there to back me up on all the days leading up to it. Thanks to the rest of my friends who thought enough of me (or fishing) to spend a weekend with us up North.
10 January 2011
My Bachelor Party - Part 1
So, I got married in November. And you know what that means...
BACHELOR PARTY!
Knowing me, there is no doubt as to what kind of bachelor party would be perfect. Vegas? Nah. Strippers? Nah. Booze? Yah. Fishing? Absolutely!
So, with that decided, Sir went about organizing my bachelor party. More about that in a minute.
With 2 non anglers and 2 infrequent anglers, I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to finish and give the custom rods to my groomsmen. So, I finished the rods for Sir, Knot'Yo, Spam, Mek Mek and Kato. Tuna and Sk8er could not come, so their rods would take a back seat. I was hoping that each rod would bust their cherry this weekend, which would be fitting.
Accompanying me on my bachelor party were Sir, Spam, Knot'Yo, Kakka, CamoToe, Mek Mek, Pele, Tight Moves, Emmanuel, and Kato. We went to Horseshoe Island Camp on Mistinikon Lake located near Matachewan, Ontario, about 8 hours north of Toronto. The drive felt shorter than it was due to the great conversations in the car, and the naps.
After about 8 hours, we arrive at the launch where a barge would take us to the island, and our cottages. The lake is very scenic with limited access, and very few cottages on its shores. It was definitely breath-taking; dare I say it, "majestic'...
We had 2 cottages, with Spam, Knot'Yo, Kakka, CamoToe and Kato in one cottage and Sir, Mek Mek, Emmanuel, Pele, Tight and myself in the other.
Included with the cottages was a boat rental for every 2 people. Because Spam had moved to San Fran, Sir and I agreed that he would use SotW for this weekend. In that boat, he would be joined by CamoToe and Kato. Kakka and Knot'Yo would be in the other. Sir and Mek Mek, and Emmanuel and Pele were partnered; leaving Tight with me. Had I known that this would mean I would fish alone, I may have picked another partner.
So, we were in Northern Ontario fishing heaven, ready to fish. Unfortunately, it appeared that the Gods of Fishing did not open up the skies to shine their light on us. However, open up the skies they did. Leading into this weekend, the temperature dropped to temperatures hovering above zero, accompanied by sporadic rain and heavy winds. As a result, the fishing was tough, and only a few were caught on the first day. I caught one smallie trolling a jointed shad rap, but nothing else. Mek Mek was able to bust that rod's cherry with his first pike. It would not be the only thing he busted that weekend. However, Kakka and Knot'Yo had much better luck, which would be a theme for the weekend. Knot'Yo also busted his rod's cherry.
That first evening, we retired to our cottages where we would have some nice meals and some drinks. After dinner, we sat outside enjoying the northern night sky. With so little light pollution from big cities, the number of stars that you can see if astounding, and something I recommend to anyone. If you get a chance, go for it.
Day 2 is next...
BACHELOR PARTY!
Knowing me, there is no doubt as to what kind of bachelor party would be perfect. Vegas? Nah. Strippers? Nah. Booze? Yah. Fishing? Absolutely!
So, with that decided, Sir went about organizing my bachelor party. More about that in a minute.
With 2 non anglers and 2 infrequent anglers, I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity to finish and give the custom rods to my groomsmen. So, I finished the rods for Sir, Knot'Yo, Spam, Mek Mek and Kato. Tuna and Sk8er could not come, so their rods would take a back seat. I was hoping that each rod would bust their cherry this weekend, which would be fitting.
Accompanying me on my bachelor party were Sir, Spam, Knot'Yo, Kakka, CamoToe, Mek Mek, Pele, Tight Moves, Emmanuel, and Kato. We went to Horseshoe Island Camp on Mistinikon Lake located near Matachewan, Ontario, about 8 hours north of Toronto. The drive felt shorter than it was due to the great conversations in the car, and the naps.
After about 8 hours, we arrive at the launch where a barge would take us to the island, and our cottages. The lake is very scenic with limited access, and very few cottages on its shores. It was definitely breath-taking; dare I say it, "majestic'...
So, we were in Northern Ontario fishing heaven, ready to fish. Unfortunately, it appeared that the Gods of Fishing did not open up the skies to shine their light on us. However, open up the skies they did. Leading into this weekend, the temperature dropped to temperatures hovering above zero, accompanied by sporadic rain and heavy winds. As a result, the fishing was tough, and only a few were caught on the first day. I caught one smallie trolling a jointed shad rap, but nothing else. Mek Mek was able to bust that rod's cherry with his first pike. It would not be the only thing he busted that weekend. However, Kakka and Knot'Yo had much better luck, which would be a theme for the weekend. Knot'Yo also busted his rod's cherry.
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| Kakka with his and Knot'Yo's catch for the first night |
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| Knot'Yo's Kakka... |
Day 2 is next...
09 January 2011
West Lake Part 2
Well, we had so much luck on our first trip to West Lake, Sir and I decide to return with some reinforcements. This time, we brought with us Kakka, Lightning, The Hobo, TheFaja, Ninang, and another new angling buddy - The Hairdresser. The Hairdresser got his nickname for obivous reasons.
Prior to this trip, Pink decided to rank some of the BASStards in order of angling proficiency. According to Pink, Kakka wasnumber1(contrary to his name), followed by herself, then me, then Sir. Sir decided to man up for this trip and prove his fiance wrong! We stayed at a small cottage complex on the east side of West Lake.
On the first day, the conditions were tough, with blue skies andhigh winds. In other words: tough. We fished hard during the day, and despite the tough conditions, I managed a couple of rock bass on a new technique - swim jigs. I fished white swim jigs with white and smoke paddletailshad trailers with some success. You fish em like spinnerbaits, which made for a relatively simple learning curve. In the evening, we found a small bay which we drifted into, fan casting. This proved to be effective as we located and began catching numbers of largemouth bass and pike before it got dark and we headed in.
In my last post, I wrote about how I was building rods for my groomsmen. Well, Sir Fusses' rod was nearly complete. So, he asked me to finish his rod so that he could bring the rod on this trip to give it a whirl. Well, on the first dayt, he didn't use it. And how many fish did he catch? Zero. Karma? For not using the rod he asked me to finish so that he could use? Perhaps. Whatever it was, he did nothing to change Pink's ratings.
Well, the next day, after I guilted him, he finally tried the new rod and really liked the action. But still no fish. So, he offered the rod for Kakka to try. And guess what Pink's #1 angler does...
He popped Sir's rod's cherry - adding credence to Pink's standings. However, now shamed, Sir set out to defend his honour.
He went on to nail around 10 fish on the new rod. Sounds like karma to me. Anyhow, he got rid of the skunk in a big way, and put some doubt into Pink's rankings.
Here are a few more pictures from that weekend.
Prior to this trip, Pink decided to rank some of the BASStards in order of angling proficiency. According to Pink, Kakka wasnumber1(contrary to his name), followed by herself, then me, then Sir. Sir decided to man up for this trip and prove his fiance wrong! We stayed at a small cottage complex on the east side of West Lake.
On the first day, the conditions were tough, with blue skies andhigh winds. In other words: tough. We fished hard during the day, and despite the tough conditions, I managed a couple of rock bass on a new technique - swim jigs. I fished white swim jigs with white and smoke paddletailshad trailers with some success. You fish em like spinnerbaits, which made for a relatively simple learning curve. In the evening, we found a small bay which we drifted into, fan casting. This proved to be effective as we located and began catching numbers of largemouth bass and pike before it got dark and we headed in.
Well, the next day, after I guilted him, he finally tried the new rod and really liked the action. But still no fish. So, he offered the rod for Kakka to try. And guess what Pink's #1 angler does...
Here are a few more pictures from that weekend.
Pain In The Bass Custom Rods
So, I proposed to Musky Hunter in February of 2010, and married her in November of the same year. My groomsmen were; Sir (best man), Spam, Knot'Yo, my cousins Mek Mek and Sk8r Boi, and two of my other friends, Tuna and Kato.
Now, although Mek Mek and Sk8r Boi have fished with Sir and myself, they are not avid anglers. Meanwhile, Tuna and Kato have never fished in their lives. Despite this, I decided to venture into the realm of rod building, and build my groomsmen custom rods!
So, this was just an introduction into my rod building which will be written about in the future.
Now, although Mek Mek and Sk8r Boi have fished with Sir and myself, they are not avid anglers. Meanwhile, Tuna and Kato have never fished in their lives. Despite this, I decided to venture into the realm of rod building, and build my groomsmen custom rods!
So, this was just an introduction into my rod building which will be written about in the future.
07 January 2011
Lower Buckhorn 2010
So, we had such a good time at the cottage on Lower Buckhorn that we decided to go back.
This time, we were with Musky, Sir, Pink, Knot'Yo, Cut You, The GodFaja, The GodFaja's girlfriend - Ninang, Duk, and Duk's girlfriend - The Hobo.
If we could describe the weekin one word it would be rainy.
There was rain nearly everyday, which limited the fishingenjoyment. However, this did not stop us from some memorable fishing. Musky Hunter outfished Sir and myself combined on one outing. She also had a musky to the boat - using a senko no less. Sir also had a musky on,but not landed. I, on the other hand, actually landed a musky.
I caught this little guy on my new favourite crankbait - Koppers Live Target Bluegill - cranked over a drop off. Here are some other pictures.
This time, we were with Musky, Sir, Pink, Knot'Yo, Cut You, The GodFaja, The GodFaja's girlfriend - Ninang, Duk, and Duk's girlfriend - The Hobo.
If we could describe the weekin one word it would be rainy.
There was rain nearly everyday, which limited the fishingenjoyment. However, this did not stop us from some memorable fishing. Musky Hunter outfished Sir and myself combined on one outing. She also had a musky to the boat - using a senko no less. Sir also had a musky on,but not landed. I, on the other hand, actually landed a musky.
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| I didn't say it was a big one.. |
Guys Fishing Weekend June 2010 - WestLake
So, with the black cloud thatwas Ahmic hanging over me, I was determined to find a place that would bring us the glory of fish, and rid us of the stench of skunk. So I connect to the internet andGoogle directs me to West Lake.
We book at West Lake Willows and head out for redemption. With Windsor chirping in my ear everyday leading up to weekend, I issue a challenge - longest average of 6 fish per boat. Each boat is loaded with 3 anglers - Myself, Sir and Knot'Yoin my boat and Windsor, Emmanuel and Tight Moves in the other.
Sir and I arrive Friday afternoon, shortly after Windsor and Emmanuel, who now have a head start on us. SO, we immediately head out after unpacking and get our lines wet. It doesn't take long before we are into some fish - bass and pike. In 2 hours of fishing that first afternoon, Sir and I land about 15 fish - mixed bag of bass and pike. However, the competition has not started yet, and this catch does not count. However, more importantly, we find the pattern which sets us up for the entire weekend - white spinnerbaits.
We park ourselves on top of a huge weedbed off of the Sandbanks, and fan cast white spinnerbaits above the weeds as we drift over them - reeling in just fast enough to tick the tops of the weeds. This pattern ends up being an extremely effective pattern for the entire weekend. SIr ends up discovering a secondary pattern of soft bodied swimbaits, also proving to be sucessful. Because we are so successful, I begin to experiment, and end up catching fish on some gulp alive minnows on a shakey head.
All in all, we end up boating over 120 fish over the weekend - silencing Windsor... at least for now.
Unfortunately, I only have 1 pic from that weekend.
We book at West Lake Willows and head out for redemption. With Windsor chirping in my ear everyday leading up to weekend, I issue a challenge - longest average of 6 fish per boat. Each boat is loaded with 3 anglers - Myself, Sir and Knot'Yoin my boat and Windsor, Emmanuel and Tight Moves in the other.
Sir and I arrive Friday afternoon, shortly after Windsor and Emmanuel, who now have a head start on us. SO, we immediately head out after unpacking and get our lines wet. It doesn't take long before we are into some fish - bass and pike. In 2 hours of fishing that first afternoon, Sir and I land about 15 fish - mixed bag of bass and pike. However, the competition has not started yet, and this catch does not count. However, more importantly, we find the pattern which sets us up for the entire weekend - white spinnerbaits.
We park ourselves on top of a huge weedbed off of the Sandbanks, and fan cast white spinnerbaits above the weeds as we drift over them - reeling in just fast enough to tick the tops of the weeds. This pattern ends up being an extremely effective pattern for the entire weekend. SIr ends up discovering a secondary pattern of soft bodied swimbaits, also proving to be sucessful. Because we are so successful, I begin to experiment, and end up catching fish on some gulp alive minnows on a shakey head.
All in all, we end up boating over 120 fish over the weekend - silencing Windsor... at least for now.
Unfortunately, I only have 1 pic from that weekend.
Guys Fishing Weekend Fall 2009 - Ahmic Lake
This fishing trip was set up in the fall of 2009. We found a cottage on Ahmic Lake in the Muskoka Region, and went up with high expectations of trophy pike and bass. With me on this journey was Sir, Spam, Knot'Yo, Emmanuel, and two others who I will call Windsor and Blindside.
What was going to be the weekend of fish became the weekend of poker. It is a good thing that we brought food because we would not have been able to feed ourselves!
I don't know if any pictures were taken and i don't care as this was a weekend I want to forget, although I fear I may not be able to. And to be sure of that, Windsor reminded me as often as he could. "We used to go up North where we would catch 100 fish in 2 hours...", "Back in Windsor, we would never get skunked..."
Read on and see how I showed him...
What was going to be the weekend of fish became the weekend of poker. It is a good thing that we brought food because we would not have been able to feed ourselves!
I don't know if any pictures were taken and i don't care as this was a weekend I want to forget, although I fear I may not be able to. And to be sure of that, Windsor reminded me as often as he could. "We used to go up North where we would catch 100 fish in 2 hours...", "Back in Windsor, we would never get skunked..."
Read on and see how I showed him...
Ice Fishing
So, cabin fever was killing us. We were glued to WFN, watching other people fish, wiching we were the ones fishing when one of our friends asks, "What better way to get your fishing fix than to go fishing?" To which I reply, "What'chu talkin' 'bout Willis?! It's winter. How we gunna fish?" As he takes a sip from his drink and puts the glass down, I hear the clink of the ice on the glass and realize just what Willis was talkin' 'bout.
So, with that, we set out to Cook's Bay in Lake Simcoe for some winter fishing. (I know, I know - I should have known better with my track record there...). On this hunt would be the usual suspects: Myself, Sir, Duk, Knot'Yo, Spam, and three others - The GodFaja, Camo-Toe, Just Cuz. Just Cuz is named such because he is just Camo'Toe's Cuz.
We get out there and they truck us to the party hut in this:
If you have ever met us, you will know that we are big boys, which made for a fun drive lol. Anyhow, we get set up and lines in the water and wait. And we wait. And then wait somemore.
Absolutely nothing bit. Eight lines. Zero fish. Eventually, we lost patience and played outside in the snow.
On the upside, we had a killer snowball fight.
So, with that, we set out to Cook's Bay in Lake Simcoe for some winter fishing. (I know, I know - I should have known better with my track record there...). On this hunt would be the usual suspects: Myself, Sir, Duk, Knot'Yo, Spam, and three others - The GodFaja, Camo-Toe, Just Cuz. Just Cuz is named such because he is just Camo'Toe's Cuz.
 |
| from left to right: The GodFaja, Duk, Just Cuz, Knot'Yo, CamoToe, Spam |
Absolutely nothing bit. Eight lines. Zero fish. Eventually, we lost patience and played outside in the snow.
On the upside, we had a killer snowball fight.
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