Author Topic: A learning experience (Read 247209 times)

smiley6996 · « **Reply #40 on:** February 05, 2015, 01:24:30 PM »

Quote from: Zak-e-Boy on February 05, 2015, 12:39:47 PM

Anyone interested to know which hooks I am talking about, see the attached pic. There are two lots of Bandit Hooks out there, the ones in the light blue packaging with what appears to be Jap/Chinese writing on are the ones I prefer to use on some of my spoons.
Maybe it's just the packaging ?

I also use the same hooks on some of my lures they also have a nice big eye on them

Zak-e-Boy · « **Reply #41 on:** February 05, 2015, 01:45:44 PM »

If the bigger barb just gets 1 or 2 more fish to stick you're winning. In 1947 a Mr Charles Mathieson of Jhb designed a spoon that slid away from the hook after a hookup which meant the weight of the spoon was shifted away from the hook resulting in less tearing being caused by the head shakes. The heavier the spoon the more likely tearing will take place during head shakes. In the Eastern Cape there is a plug manufacturer who designs his plugs to slide up the leader after a hookup thereby removing the weight of the plug from the hook which in turn results in less tearing taking place during the early part of the fight when the fish is jumping and shaking it's head and therefore fewer fish are lost. Hope all that makes some sense, but again each anglers has his own ideas and knows what works for him.

Steenie · « **Reply #42 on:** February 05, 2015, 02:01:51 PM »

Quote from: Zak-e-Boy on February 05, 2015, 01:45:44 PM

If the bigger barb just gets 1 or 2 more fish to stick you're winning. In 1947 a Mr Charles Mathieson of Jhb designed a spoon that slid away from the hook after a hookup which meant the weight of the spoon was shifted away from the hook resulting in less tearing being caused by the head shakes. The heavier the spoon the more likely tearing will take place during head shakes. In the Eastern Cape there is a plug manufacturer who designs his plugs to slide up the leader after a hookup thereby removing the weight of the plug from the hook which in turn results in less tearing taking place during the early part of the fight when the fish is jumping and shaking it's head and therefore fewer fish are lost. Hope all that makes some sense, but again each anglers has his own ideas and knows what works for him.

Very interesting info! You are absolutely right. On those Vidal ledges you need to force the fish really hard to keep it clear from the rocks, so if the hook is not perfectly set, or busy tearing, you will loose the fish!

BAUMANNATOR · « **Reply #43 on:** February 05, 2015, 03:44:39 PM »

The use of slideing plugs is also very common on the lower south coast for exactly that reason...weighted plug moves away from the mouth resulting in less leverage for hook to come free. The gent whose product you are referring too is a legend and one of the most well known figures at Mazeppa with regards garrick. He too is one of the legends of catching cob on artificials.
On the note of hooks, I have successfully experimented with an idea brought forward by a well known 'rooster' fisherman in the states, by cutting one of the hooks of a treble and flattening the other two. This results in more effective hooksets and as it is flat turns more often than not into the corner of the mouth. Still not the equal of a single as far as holding, but more hook-ups and is easier to remove than a treble.

Zak-e-Boy · « **Reply #44 on:** February 05, 2015, 04:35:51 PM »

Bau, Malcolm's nephew is married to my daughter.

Steenie · « **Reply #45 on:** February 05, 2015, 05:56:56 PM »

I just shined up the chase no 5 spoon after its heavy work load of yesterday. Smoothed the surface with steelwool and then polished it with Mothers white metal polish. Shiny as a mirror again! And it gives a polished coating that lasts for a few outings. As long as I can see my face reflection in the spoon I am happy. I have tried the back of a knife, nail varnish bottle etc. but this Mothers polish is the best in my book.

Steenie · « **Reply #46 on:** February 05, 2015, 08:36:36 PM »

Quote from: BAUMANNATOR on February 05, 2015, 03:44:39 PM

The use of slideing plugs is also very common on the lower south coast for exactly that reason...weighted plug moves away from the mouth resulting in less leverage for hook to come free. The gent whose product you are referring too is a legend and one of the most well known figures at Mazeppa with regards garrick. He too is one of the legends of catching cob on artificials.
On the note of hooks, I have successfully experimented with an idea brought forward by a well known 'rooster' fisherman in the states, by cutting one of the hooks of a treble and flattening the other two. This results in more effective hooksets and as it is flat turns more often than not into the corner of the mouth. Still not the equal of a single as far as holding, but more hook-ups and is easier to remove than a treble.

Hi, can you please post a pic of this?

Zak-e-Boy · « **Reply #47 on:** February 05, 2015, 09:05:44 PM »

Herewith a 1.75 oz sliding plug.

Steenie · « **Reply #48 on:** February 13, 2015, 07:54:05 AM »

On Wednesday I went to Basil Manning to take the 25 lbs Gosen PE2.0 braid off that I have been spinning with for the last 8 months on my Stradic 5000. It gave me really good service over many many spinning sessions, both of the bricks and beaches. They re-filled the reel with Gosen Jigging braid, the PE1.5 25 lbs one. I bought a spool last year in Cape Town for a huge special. I used it for the last two mornings and must say that its castability is simply phenomenal. I also love the way it knots when tying on the fluorocarbon leader. Drag in the water is less and I can feel the action of the spoons better. I was quite nervous about the switch, due to the thinner diameter that I am not used to. But I think I am really going to enjoy spinning with this braid.

BAUMANNATOR · « **Reply #49 on:** February 13, 2015, 10:16:11 AM »

How much did you get on, if I may ask?

Steenie · « **Reply #50 on:** February 13, 2015, 11:33:38 AM »

Quote from: BAUMANNATOR on February 13, 2015, 10:16:11 AM

How much did you get on, if I may ask?

300 m with some braid backing underneath so that spool is filled to its maximum.

Steenie · « **Reply #51 on:** February 15, 2015, 05:02:31 PM »

Spinning Cape Vidal tomorrow morning early. Eish, its going to be a tough session. Big swell and SW wind, but I only get the pleasure to go there once, or if really luckly, twice a month. Even a wave garrick will make it worthwhile. So we shall see.

Steenie · « **Reply #52 on:** February 16, 2015, 10:30:31 AM »

Yebo yes! Got this 54 cm fork length Geet at Vidal this morning on a chase no. 5 spoon in near unfishable swell and SW wind. It revved me properly on the ledges in the strong sea, but the Assassin Sierra and my new PE1.5 Gosen jigging braid on Stradic 5000 reel were up for the challenge! The backbone of this rod to keep you out of trouble in strong shorebreaks is just phenomenal. Safely tagged and released this beautiful fish.

BAUMANNATOR · « **Reply #53 on:** February 16, 2015, 03:59:23 PM »

Well done

the sea is really angry today with quite a rip. I see Carll posted that the sierra dead lifts 5 kg's....quite a feat for a rod with that casting rateing. Wouldn't dare do that with my Amia (kob special). Man I'm jealous.

Steenie · « **Reply #54 on:** February 16, 2015, 04:11:09 PM »

Quote from: BAUMANNATOR on February 16, 2015, 03:59:23 PM

Well done the sea is really angry today with quite a rip. I see Carll posted that the sierra dead lifts 5 kg's....quite a feat for a rod with that casting rateing. Wouldn't dare do that with my Amia (kob special). Man I'm jealous.

Thank you. The Sierra is a beast of a rod, in theory and in practice! This rod, and the PE1.5 braid allowed me to get long enough casts in this morning to still get the spoon into the strike zone, despite the very strong cross wind and big swell. And once the fish is on, the Sierra's pulling power comes to the fore in difficult to fish situations where there is big waves, strong side currents and nasty rock ledges! I just fished the chase spoon a bit slower than usual so that it runs ever so slightly deeper below the surface in the very windy conditions.

BAUMANNATOR · « **Reply #55 on:** February 16, 2015, 04:21:42 PM »

Steenie, does that chase spoon wobble at low speed retrieve?.

Steenie · « **Reply #56 on:** February 16, 2015, 04:49:53 PM »

Quote from: BAUMANNATOR on February 16, 2015, 04:21:42 PM

Steenie, does that chase spoon wobble at low speed retrieve?.

Very much so!! Its got a deadly wobbling action at slower speed, and it holds good action up to fast retrieve speeds. The last three outings to Vidal so far this year I have retrieved it really quickly and it has not disappointed yet. Three needle-scale queenfish, two bus garfish, a greenspot kingie, bus wave Garrick and this morning's Geet. I will never go to Vidal again without it, the fish there seems to love it!

Steenie · « **Reply #57 on:** February 16, 2015, 04:52:07 PM »

Now that I learned how to fish this spoon I cannot wait for some Natal Snoek to appear, or this coming winter's Garrick. Garrick will simply love this spoon.

Steenie · « **Reply #58 on:** February 18, 2015, 04:08:24 PM »

Got this Eastern Little Tuna (Bonito) early this morning. Tried various spoons, and got some bumps without connecting. I then switched to the chase no. 2 spoon, which got a longer profile than the chase no. 5 bullet, and connected on the first cast. Fast retrieve with spoon skidding on the surface. Damn strong fish in deep water from the shore!

Steenie · « **Reply #59 on:** February 18, 2015, 04:10:11 PM »

Sorry for the upside down photo! No clue why it did that!