Due to the threat of rain yesterday morning, I went solo and had a good day. 17 with 9 keepers to 8 pounds, 10 gar:8ball:, a 4 pound cat, and 3+ pound largie was the catch with planers, freelines, and cork in 8 to 25 feet of h2o. I was fishing a midlake area we passed up last tournament:frowning_face: The one that got away was the highlight.
I threw off 25-30 feet of line and attached a board then started feeding it back. 15 feet from the boat, the big herring was on top and ahead of my board. All I saw was her head. If you put 2 footballs together, you wouldnāt have been big enough to match the size of it. Well she flushed the toilet on the bait, and it was on!! 20 pound test poured off my Shimano for 30 solid seconds, but the drag still seemed a little tight. I had my finger on the star to back off and the line broke at the hook:imp: Oh well! Good news is sheās still out there:smiley: That herring was running for cover!
I recieved a text from the D.N.R. website of a 30+ taken from the dam area
Man iām glad to see Murray coming back. Gonna have to give yaāll a visit soon!
I was busy saturday morning, but went out about 6pm saturday night as wellā¦ didnāt have NEARLY that good of luck (but Iām still new to this and getting the hang of trolling for striper) but I had 3 short, 2 22-23", and a 26" fish in about 2 hours ā¦ trolling points up around ballentine cove and the other points that I donāt know the names of yet lol ā¦
Lost 2 at the boat due to fumbling lines and the net cuz I was solo
Cut bait on the bottom for a couple hours after dark and landed a couple catfish, but no striperā¦ guessing I was just not in the right spot there.
good to hear thereās fish that size out there though!!! Still waiting to tear into one of the big ones!
Question: newbie thing, but when yāall reference ācorksā howās the setup? behind the planers? or ran on freelines? and any specific float preferred or just any? thanks.
good to hear thereās fish that size out there though!!! Still waiting to tear into one of the big ones!
Question: newbie thing, but when yāall reference ācorksā howās the setup? behind the planers? or ran on freelines? and any specific float preferred or just any?
I think most people use one float while others use 2. I used to use 2 but have changed to the traditional one float in the āshotgunā position. Most use the āredi-rigā brand float. I do not like redi-rigs releases and make my own out of a huge saltwater clacking float. They are used like planers but run behind the boat. Google redi rig float and u can get an idea of what they are. Richard may even have some at lake world.
I have seen days when they will hit nothing but floats and other days it never gets touched while the planers wonāt stay in the water.
I like to run the biggest bait I have in the bait tank on the float. Its gonna be put WAY back and pretty much forgot about until it is singingā¦
This is what I use. With the 1/2oz weight on it, it stands straight up and is big enough that a big gizzard canāt take it under. I add a clip on swivel up top and planer release clip on the bottom. Let out 20-30ā of line clip on the release and send it straight back out the back of the boat whatever distance u desire.
Sure thing Pox! Bass Proās 100 MPH suit is the best when you zip it all the way and wear the hood:smiley:
Trev, that fish tore me a new one! Lol! My bad on the drag though. I estimate it to have been well over 35 pounds based on the head. Still waiting for another wall hanger.
I just need to err on the side of a too loose drag. A 22 incher pulled me around a good bit on that same rod during the tournament; so I tightened it. Turned out to be a big mistake on double football head!!
Had a drag get hot and start sticking on the 22# we caught sat on Hartwell.once I noticed what was happening I quickly hit the free spool button and thumbed it for a moment or two. Probably saved a pulled hook or busted line.
New carbon fibers were ordered last night. Canāt wait to try them out. I knew those were on there last leg (15yrs old).
All of us should always check our drags before each trip, a big fish can reek havoc when we least expect it.
When I worked/fished Clarks Hill I had all drags reworked, even newer C3ās. One lost big fish was the determining factor. Guy out of Augusta/Evans did the work.
