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skunked4life
09-25-2012, 06:56 AM
So I have been itchin' to get back in the water since my last surf barrage. I get a PM from Luckycraft420 to meet up. Sure. Let's go!

09/22/2012
I get up super early (4:00) and think that if I go back to sleep, I will miss meeting up with Luckycraft420 whom I told to meet me at 6:00 a.m. Instead of hitting the snooze button, I head on out to the island.

Against many suggestions from these boards, I bought a cheapy baitcaster for my first casting outfit. It was an Abu Black Max that I paired with a Pinnacle rod given to me by a friend. I liked the reel and got alot of practice in with it, but no catching.

Still trying to catch my first fish on a baitcaster, I cast out several times and no takers. After about 45 minutes, LC420 texts me that he is on his way. HEad on out to meet him.

Hit the surf at around 6:20 a.m. This part of the report will be short since LC420 already kind of summed it up on his post. Lot's of dinks and medium sized BSP on sandworms and gulp shrip, but the big boys did not want to play. Felt like a total loser since I was supposed to show my new friend a good BSP spot. This was the FIRST time meeting up with a fellow FNN member with the same first name as me!

09/23/2012
Discouraged by the previous day, I head out to the same locale and toss out the Gulp products again on the spinning outfit. Lot's of medium sized perch but no bigguns.

This day, instead of bringing out my cheapy baitcasting outfit, I decide to break out the big guns. Last week, I bought a Chronarch 200e7 and paired it with a convergence rod. Tied on the LC and I was blown away at how much farther I could cast this thing that my Black Max! I had gone against the advice to use mono or flouro and was using braid. No significant bird's nests, so I think that I am okay. Back to the fishing....On the first cast, I was still thinking about how far I cast this thing that I was spooked at the hard hit on the LC....FISH ON!!!!
37253
My FIRST cast on the FIRST time using my CHronarch and my FIRST fish on the LC!!! So stoked!
My next cast.....bendo,thump, zzz:
37254
A little bigger than the first one (about 13 inches I think).

09/24/2012
Was yesterday a fluke? Let's see....
I go out at sunrise. I cast out my spinning gear with a new penny gulp and on the FIRST cast...
37255
Okay, time to put the LC and casting outfit in action. I love how far I can cast this thing!!! BAM...hit another one:
37256
This one was only about 12 inches but really fat around.
Then the fog rolls in. What?!? where is this coming from? I can still see in front of me so I will continue. I cast out in fron tof me and mid air...THUD....SNAP....what?!?! I hear a squawk and feel my line snap. Did I hit a bird? I couldn't see that far out because of the fog. What the hell? I lost my LC!!! Time to go home. Spent the rest of the day driving around tackle stores to buy more LC's.

Sorry to Luckycraft420 for not being able to show you the 12 inchers the day before. But now you know the spot. Go get 'em.

As for me, I am now officially hooked on baitcasting and the LC.

LuckyCraft420
09-25-2012, 08:26 AM
Had a good time, and should be out there at 6am this Saturday. Both my LCs I've lost we're due to the line getting jammed in the bait caster. I've been looking forward to throwing LCs on my new long spinning set up, haha. Keep up the slaying!

Btw, angler center in Costa Mesa has the cheapest LCs I've been able to find. Most are $16-18

skunked4life
09-25-2012, 08:34 AM
Had a good time, and should be out there at 6am this Saturday. Both my LCs I've lost we're due to the line getting jammed in the bait caster. I've been looking forward to throwing LCs on my new long spinning set up, haha. Keep up the slaying!

Btw, angler center in Costa Mesa has the cheapest LCs I've been able to find. Most are $16-18

Thanks for the tip! I found out the hard way. I bought two LC's (at a place that I won't mention) for $22 and then went to Angler's Center in the afternoon and bought 2 more for $19. Oh well.

I will be there on Saturday at 6. Text/PM me if you want to meet up!

murrieta angler
09-25-2012, 04:10 PM
Nice job getting the perch and EXCELLENT JOB MEETING FOLKS FROM THE SITE...:Big Grin:
People that's what it's all about...:Wink:
Thanks for the report and pics,
Robert
<><

bassfishing24/7
09-25-2012, 04:56 PM
Nice job On the perchin skunked! Ive seen Lc's at walmart for $14.99!

DockRat
09-25-2012, 06:58 PM
Only 12" you said ?
That is a big BSP. Thnx for the report.
DR

bachiboy
09-25-2012, 07:15 PM
Nice work on the perch. One tip...and I'm not familiar with what drag washers are in the Chronarch, but if they are the regular stock drag washers that I had in my Curado, upgrade them to Carbontex drags. You'll be a lot happier in the long run. My stock drags got smoked after one big leo. :Wink:

Don

skunked4life
09-25-2012, 08:46 PM
Thanks to everyone for reading and leaving your encouraging comments!

Bachi, i will look into the washers. Are they difficult to upgrade?

LuckyCraft420
09-25-2012, 10:33 PM
Nice job On the perchin skunked! Ive seen Lc's at walmart for $14.99!

They have a very small selection, and they don't carry any SP110's flash minnows.

bachiboy
09-26-2012, 10:45 AM
Thanks to everyone for reading and leaving your encouraging comments!

Bachi, i will look into the washers. Are they difficult to upgrade?

Not too bad. There was a website with step by step instructions for the upgrade on the Curado. The hardest thing was to get the main gear off. There was a bit of a burr on the main shaft that required me to force/pry off the gear.
http://www.tackletour.com/articlereelmaintenanceshimanocurado.html

If you wait till they're melted on like I did, it's a lot harder to get the old drags off. I fried them after the hour plus fight on the leo. I had to scrape them off the gear. Once you get used to taking the reel apart, the gear gets easier to take off and the maintenance becomes second nature. Takes a couple of times to get familiar with the parts and placement.

SP Dan
09-27-2012, 12:15 AM
Hi ya skunked4life,

An excellent report sir!
It's really a cool feeling one gets when they finally find the correct rod/reel combination set up.
The set up that gives you the confidence to go into battle mode, it allows you to feel prepared to cast to the sweet spots and to set the hook on the enemy, knowing that your gear wont fail you at the critical moment! That's a good feeling indeed! :Wink:

It's been a pleasure to read your fishing reports and to read your words of excitement as you have evolved in the sport that we all luv so much! "Friends, fun and fishing".........It doesn't get much better than that!....Fisherman57 has probably been smiling down on you....for sure!
You are doing a great job out there rippin' their lips! :Thumbs Up:

Thanx for the fun read with pic's! :Cool:

SP Dan <"))><

skunked4life
09-27-2012, 08:57 AM
Hi ya skunked4life,

An excellent report sir!
It's really a cool feeling one gets when they finally find the correct rod/reel combination set up.
The set up that gives you the confidence to go into battle mode, it allows you to feel prepared to cast to the sweet spots and to set the hook on the enemy, knowing that your gear wont fail you at the critical moment! That's a good feeling indeed! :Wink:

It's been a pleasure to read your fishing reports and to read your words of excitement as you have evolved in the sport that we all luv so much! "Friends, fun and fishing".........It doesn't get much better than that!....Fisherman57 has probably been smiling down on you....for sure!
You are doing a great job out there rippin' their lips! :Thumbs Up:

Thanx for the fun read with pic's! :Cool:

SP Dan <"))><

Thank you! I am having a great time! This site has givin me alot of ammunition to go out and get 'er dun right.

As to the correct rod/reel, well, as you should know, one is never completely satisfied with their set-ups. My next goal is a good rod to pair the chronarch with. Then I have the perfect spinning and perfect casting set-ups.

"Friends, fun and fishing..." Well, I have been taking out my little boy, mom and dad and brother. As to friends, it would be nice if there were more people out there on the site to meet up with. I guess that is what the H4G event will be all about. Look forward to seeing all of you out there to enrich my fishing and social life some more!