Thread: Longlining Questions?

Thanks Stump Hunter I did manage to get it going...

From my first weekend longlining 2 weeks ago I have since switched all my reels to spinning reels. When jigging deep brush and tightlining we usually use the little uncle bucks baitcasting reels, these reels are not made for casting, obviously, but I thought they may would work longlining. It was nice being able to pull the line out and knowing exactly how many pulls you pulled out so you can revert back later, but I switched the rest of them out for spinning reels. I didn't like the time it took to pull all the line out and waiting for it to get tangled up. If you had some regular bait casting reels that you could throw jigs with I think they would work, I have never tried it but I don't believe I could throw a 1/32 or 1/16 ounce jig head on one of my regular bait casting rods.

Originally Posted by BOCOON

I First want to say by far the best thread I have ever read on cdc.....BAR NONE.....Could be because I find myself in the exact state the S-town is in.........great support from everyone....I must admit I have been a sleeper here for a while but this brought me out the bushes.....LOL!!! I too would like to fish more tourneys and as stated most are won pulling.........Another reason for my interest is UNIL RECENT it dosen't seem to rain like it use too and the lakes stay clear....thus in my opinion making it tougher to catch fish tightlining....... dunno just something else to throw out there what do you all think??

That's the main reason I am learning how to longline, from the tournaments I have fished it seems to be working this time of year, the last one I fished everyone was trolling except for 3 boats and those 3 boats were the last 3 boats......and I was one of them...lol. I am not afraid to try something different especially when you take a butt whoopin like we did! I have always been a tightliner and jigger, but I have come convinced that as others have said the longlining is a better technique for possibly finding the bigger more aggressive fish in open water than tightlining. Especially when the fish seem to be constantly moving like they have been this year with the weather the way it has been. It really depends on alot of factors, like the lake you are fishing, but I just think longlining is something else I need to add to the arsenial to be able to do now and in the future.

For the exact same reasoning, I converted. I have had some success one pole jigging in tournaments, but day in and day out, 8 poles will out fish one. I went from one pole jigging to long lining, had some success doing that as well. There's only a few lakes that I have fished where long lining is king, Monroe in Florida, Greenwood and Clarkshill in South Carolina. Tight lining is the preferred method most all other places. Don't get me wrong, any tournament can be won using any of the before mentioned methods, along with many others not mentioned. It's all about finding the right kind of fish. Gabowman nailed it earlier in this thread when he stated, it's not about how many, it's about catching 7 fish the right size. I have a hard time with that mentality, being I'm a crappie fisherman foremost, I want to fish where the action is the best, not necessarily where a few big ones live. I was at my most successful time fishing tournaments when you could weigh more fish in. I pride myself in my ability to find fish, I don't like being limited to just 7. Pretty much all tournaments have gone to 7 to 10 fish now. At 10, you can get by having 1, maybe 2 smaller fish along with 8 or 9 good ones. At 7, you must have all good ones to win.

I sho am glad the limit was 7(or was it 5?) at the Greenwood Crappiefest cause that's all we had.

Originally Posted by SeaRay

I sho am glad the limit was 7(or was it 5?) at the Greenwood Crappiefest cause that's all we had.

I think it was 5, Mr. Ray!

Originally Posted by Inkdabber

For the exact same reasoning, I converted. I have had some success one pole jigging in tournaments, but day in and day out, 8 poles will out fish one. I went from one pole jigging to long lining, had some success doing that as well. There's only a few lakes that I have fished where long lining is king, Monroe in Florida, Greenwood and Clarkshill in South Carolina. Tight lining is the preferred method most all other places. Don't get me wrong, any tournament can be won using any of the before mentioned methods, along with many others not mentioned. It's all about finding the right kind of fish. Gabowman nailed it earlier in this thread when he stated, it's not about how many, it's about catching 7 fish the right size. I have a hard time with that mentality, being I'm a crappie fisherman foremost, I want to fish where the action is the best, not necessarily where a few big ones live. I was at my most successful time fishing tournaments when you could weigh more fish in. I pride myself in my ability to find fish, I don't like being limited to just 7. Pretty much all tournaments have gone to 7 to 10 fish now. At 10, you can get by having 1, maybe 2 smaller fish along with 8 or 9 good ones. At 7, you must have all good ones to win.

I agree it is taking I am trying to convert myself into fishing for just 7 or 10 fish. I know for years I always thought we could fish the way we usually do (except for moving on when in little fish) and just weigh in our top fish and we would be alright. We did alright doing this last year in our club tournaments, but I am starting to believe you just have to go fishing for 10 fish, I am going to give this a try this weekend in our club tournament. You definately have to do that against the big boys! We have always tried to get 10 in the boat any keeper size to start the day in a tournament then go hunting for big ones. When you think about it those 10 don't do you any good so what is the point, I think it is just a mental thing that you feel better because you got 10 in the boat. This Saturday I believe I have made up my mind to go to a area that has produce few fish, but they have all been hogs when we catch one. I am going to try my best just to ride it out and hope we can catch 10 by the end of the day. It is really more of a mental thing than anything. You have to be able to wait them out even when they aren't biting especially when you know they are there. Up unitl last year we had always just fished for fish and to catch as many as we could, but the tournament bug kind of hit me last year and I am trying to change that approach. Even though we aren't experience at it we are probably going to be longlining as well!

It's just like deer hunting IMO. You can hunt certain stands for years and never kill a big buck, only see does and small bucks, you have to be willing to move regardless of the steady presence of deer. Big bucks are going to be a little harder to kill, except during the rut when they are going to be where the does are no matter what. Big fish are the same way, there are not as many of them so your gonna have to search for them a little harder and be willing to leave a cove full of 1lb fish, except during the spawn when they are also predictable and will head to the hill. Anybody can kill a doe and anyone can catch a crappie, but not everyone kills a state record book buck or catches a 3lb fish. I have done neither so I guess I need to tighten up...........I came close a few times but that mythical record book buck and bucket mouth slab still have my number.