I want to dispel the myths

[skeetbum]

About really light line. I mean under 4lb test. For the last 6 weeks or so I have been having the best time fishing in years. Having read so many of Alphahawks posts of him bank fishing with 2lb test line, I had to give it a try. And I'm so glad I did. Some days the bite slows down and I have long professed to go smaller and slow down and if there's a bite to be had, you may find it. It worked for my Granddaughter and I last Sunday when we doubled our catch (from 16 to 35 fish ) with some real good fish in that last couple of hours. We started out throwing 1/32 jigs with Bobby Garland Baby Shad and Panfish Assassin bodies. Ended the day with 1/64 with a #8 sickle hook and an Itty Bitty Swimmer, also from Bobby Garland. The line I'm using is 2lb Stren Crappie and Nanofil 2lb. I use a 4' leader of 4lb clear Stren for abrasion resistance, The Nanofil has no abrasion resistance to speak of, but is super sensitive and casts like nothing I have ever used before. If you have never tried anything small like this I urge you to try it. I've landed 3 1/2lb cats and landed a 2 1/2lb LMB today, so it's no slouch for strength. The pic below is a 1lb 10oz crappie that I caught today. I want you to notice how far down the fish took that tiny jig. It wasn't coming out without my help. The bigger jigs in the pic are 1/32 with a #6 sickle hook, and the smaller ones are 1/64 with a #8 sickle. And yes, I can cast them. Not super far but enough to get things done. You'll lose a few fish, as I did today when they wrap a branch or piece of concrete, but the reward is large, at least it is for me. Hope you give it a shot one day soon.......Skeet.

[Redge]

How deep is the average depth, your catching fish at Skeetbum?

[Alphahawk]

Good read.....beautiful fish! Glad you are enjoying UL angling. I have not been on any bluegill yet due to the floods and water temps. But I have been catching tons of white bass and a lot of smallmouth....some at the 21 inch mark.....on the 2# test and 1/64 ounce jigs. Many ask me why I don't fish with bigger gear...to get bigger fish. Well for 21 years I fished the Red Sea and Persian Gulf. I caught all the big fish one could ever hope to catch in a lifetime...even the vaunted "GT's".....Giant Trevally. While I enjoyed it, and am glad I got to experience it all.......if I had to pick I would choose an UL rod with 2# test line and hunt bluegills.....and other panfish. It is just a lot of fun fishing with UL gear.

Regards

[crappie wrangler]

I use 2# line pretty regular myself but mostly vertical jigging. My fishing buddy laughed at me when I pulled out a rod with 2# line but after 30 fish or so he quit laughing Just have to be sure to use a net.

[Eagle 1]

Ditto , Would not get in a boat without light tackle . Never owned a jig smaller than 1/16 till two yrs. ago . As far as strength and sport enjoyment ,nothing compares . Would not eat one but sure enjoyed landing this dude on my pflueger President (6920) and 4 lb. test stren .

[Yaker]

Good read,it may be just what I needed to take me to the dark side.While a use UL for just about every species,4lb test has been my lightest line.

[Clint]

My four ultra-light outfits are fitted with 2lb test on three and 1lb on the other. Stren Gold for the 2# and Ande 1# on the last. My PB crappie (2-1/4#) came on the 1#. Nuff said.

[deathb4disco]

I cut my teeth reading the writings of the late, great Charlie Brewer. He was a light tackle pioneer and mostly used 4-6# line -- for bass. For the last twenty-five years, I have been studying and fishing a lot of Euro float methods. For those guys, 4# line is heavy. On another board, there's a float guy I respect a lot who uses 3# line for everything up to 20# carp.

Light line works. As Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear ..."

[skeetbum]

Redge - deeper than average for around here. Structure is the key. Crappie like to be around something a lot, wood, brush docks and so on. If I find deeper water near something they can get around I'll most times get a few

Eagle1 - I use the same reel on one of my rods, the 6920, and love it. Smooth is the word for both drag and operation. What rod is that you're using? I have 2- 5'ul and 2- 5'6"light and I'm looking for a ul in about 7' that won't cost me the farm. All I look at are too heavy or parabolic, bending in front of the handle like the Eagle Claw rods, and I just don't care for that.

DBD, I've read some Charlie Brewer myself. He's a wealth for guys like us. We had a writer for the Orlando Sentinal name of Charlie Waterman that was way above average til his passing a few years back. Looked forward to little in the paper other than him.

[deathb4disco]

DBD, I've read some Charlie Brewer myself. He's a wealth for guys like us. We had a writer for the Orlando Sentinal name of Charlie Waterman that was way above average til his passing a few years back. Looked forward to little in the paper other than him.

I remember CW. He was a great fly fisherman, too.