Getting Organized and Outfitted

[s_v]

Thanks. Just curious. I surf fish, too. My typical lures are 20-30 g irons and pencils, I can put them beyond 120 m. Cool to read about >200 m!

[skeetbum]

And I’m happy casting a 1/43oz jig 40’ up under a tree and having is sucked up on impact with the water. To each his own. Gear could cost the same either way. You’re deep into it, enjoy the ride.

[Rojo]

So in my research reading ..... some say presentation matters most, then color and shape. That means the fish have to like the action.

This is the Wisdom of the Sages. Personally Presentation is most important, I can use 3-4 different go-to color combinations at the same place and catch the same fish. Next is size, and lastly - profile. I have not found a way to teach presentation successfully but it really matters.

[Micanopy]

Thanks. Just curious. I surf fish, too. My typical lures are 20-30 g irons and pencils, I can put them beyond 120 m. Cool to read about >200 m!

Yards not M. Very few can manage to put it all together and get extreme distances. A laser range finder can disappoint so many big casters. LOL

As far as throwing lures...... I travelled hours down mountain roads, through remote jungle terrain, to an exotic locale in Mexico to go surf fishing. We rode 4 wheelers to access remote beaches that were empty of people and had so many turtle nests that you couldn’t avoid stepping on them. We cast Roberts Rangers, GT IceCream, and so many others trying to catch rooster fish. We managed a few but that week was said to have been a tough one. I was pitching about 150 yards at best. Toss as hard as possible, then came the crank like a crazy man stuff. That wore me out after a couple of hours. The man who organized the trip was a feller what called himself High Plains Drifter. Great guy. You can still find his forum contributions regarding casting lures for distance. The place we went is still being operated. Western coast of Mexico, we landed at Puerta Vuearta and went South about three hours. The lady of the house fixed chicken lunch and dinner.

California is totally different from the East coast obviously. We get a lot of sharks and table fish, but we do have tarpon for a month or so. I landed one 100 pounds (est) and it took me an hour and a half to beach him. Of course it was one of the hottest days of the year. Did so many things but now I wamt to try something else.

I used to bait fish for pompanyo with:

13 foot Florida Surf Caster rod rung with Fuji LowRiders
Akios long cast spinning rod
30lb 8 strand braid main line
100 lb 4 strand braid shock leader
5 ounce UK Hooks sinkers
150 lb main rig body
15 lb mono leader
Gemini Solo Splashdown clip
2/0 Owner Mosquito circles

Four sometimes six rods spiked. I made a killer six wheel cart with balloon tires to carry about 150 pounds of junk, including chairs and umbrellas. No one could walk past me without commenting. I made most everything I needed as there is no industry aimed at surf fishing. Taught a friend how to make sinkers and got him pointed in the right direction, now he has his own business making them. On YouTube he is The Sinker Guy and has some pretty cool videos. He attended one of my seminars and wants to have me do some stuff on video to show folks.

I plan to use some of what I learned in the pursuit of table fish at the beach, as I chase after crappie and bass. Shame that almost none of the gear will translate over as that would make me feel better about having a garage full of junk.

We can talk about surf fishing whenever you want, just let me know. I imagine you are pretty accomplished if you can pitch lures at that distance.

[Micanopy]

This is the Wisdom of the Sages. Personally Presentation is most important, I can use 3-4 different go-to color combinations at the same place and catch the same fish. Next is size, and lastly - profile. I have not found a way to teach presentation successfully but it really matters.

A lot for me to learn for sure. I am curious though about why what works great one day doesn’t work at all on another day. Certainly the baitfish don’t change shapes, sizes, abilities to swim or colors, so why would we need to change our mimicry?


Presentation can be comprised of many things, but speed is probably the biggest of them. What are some of the other aspects of presentation that you take i to consideration when you are in hot pursuit and they don’t seem to be willing ?

Looks like these crappie are a fickle lot.

[Ketchn]

let me have jig or 2 when the fish are biting and watch how disorganized your box will look when it is all said and done

[BobC]

Looks like you’re loading for bear! Good job and good luck. Pans and crappie are so much fun to chase and catch on the right gear!
Bob

[Rojo]

When the waters are warm a slow sink is preferred by me. I lower 2ft, pause, lower 2ft, pause, etc allowing the most aggressive fish to rise to my jig. Keeps from dragging a hooked fish through the rest of the bunch. Cold water, micro sized jigs, I use a big split 4-5ft above my 1/32 oz presentation and pull it away slowly but quickly drop my tip to the water on the fall. For some reason it makes them bite. May do it for 4-5 minutes between bites. Everyone of the crappie are hooked center of bottom jaw lip, but caught is caught. Who doesn't prefer a solid hook in the roof of the mouth but when cold they just suck it in and hold it. A new angler with little crappie catching experience misses more bites than they set the hook on. Mainly because lack of development of "The Force". You just know to set the hook, you just know, you feel it within. Can't teach that.

[Micanopy]

Got away from work and hooked up the boat at 230pm. Short drive to ramp and launched. Made adjustments to fishfinder unit as I drove around some. Rigged up four rods and started pulling jigs out the back of the boat, In about an hour came-




I circled back around and passed back through the same area and nothing. Then later-





Finished before 500 pm and headed home to be there to meet her coming home from working all day. It was a fabulous day on the water and I saw eagles and such. Took this shot for you-






Learned that controlling the boat in wind requires constant attention. Anytime I left the TM to do something the boat would head off in some crazy direction. Fished four rods out the back. Tested my sinker system and the interchangeable leaders. Workable at this point. I think I can build a system that will work for me.

The serious looking fishermen were all leaving when I arrived. I just had to go.

[Micanopy]

Here is my sinker for pushing lures. I pretie leaders that have loops on the end and they slip on and off quickly and easily, even with old eyes. The loop just slides down cork screw.