bachiboy
11-15-2012, 05:27 PM
So, work has slowed down a bit and I’ve been making some late morning trips to the surf (after I drop off my kid at school) to pass the time. I’ve gotten into the habit of working an area with the LC and backtracking with the dropshot. I’ve had some moderate success but still haven’t gotten a legal since just before HG4. Just when things were starting to look up, the water temps drop dramatically and things are looking slim again. Oh well, I’m still gonna get out there and give it a go.
THE TIP
A couple weeks ago, I was watching a fishing show which featured a walleye tournament. One of the guys was trolling plugs and, to keep the junk off his lures, put a Carolina Keeper (small rubber bead usually used for Carolina rigging or bobber stops) a couple of feet above his lures. The weeds and other crap that collected on the line was somewhat prevented from sliding down to the lure. I thought this might translate to what we’ve been doing in the surf with the LC. Here's a link to the product...
http://www.sportchalet.com/product/fishing/general+fishing+accessories/terminal+tackle/301664_0450490.do?search=endeca&keyword=carolina+keeper&sortby=ourPicks&page=1
First trip didn’t yield any results or conclusions cuz fishing stunk and weeds were very minimal, but the second trip I got to see how well this worked. I put the c-keeper about a foot and a half above the LC. If you put it too far from the LC, it’s too hard to cast with that much line hanging down. The A.O. I was fishing had a spot with a high vantage point so that I could see the effects. The water was VERY clear so I could see what was happening. The eel grass that hung on the line slid down and stopped at the c-keeper, allowing the LC to keep its normal action. Sometimes the weeds would just slide off and never get to the LC, but other times it just stuck to the c-keeper and never worked it’s way down. Now this isn’t a cure-all to salad, but it does help give that LC a better chance to work, every few casts. You’re still gonna get crap on the LC but it might buy a few cranks for the LC to work as well. The keeper didn’t seem to effect the LC motion, so the next question was, “what’s it going to do the fishes’ reaction?” Well, while casting from a high vantage point, about 10 yards in front of me, I see a pancake dart and miss the LC.:Shocked: Gave it a little peck, but never committed fully. I throw out a couple more times for nothing. On the third cast following that, I threw 10 yards left and he makes another move on it...never touching the thing, but I could see him go after it. The very next cast after that, I get his ***:Twisted: ...about 17” and he inhaled the LC this time. So, I guess he didn’t give a dang about the keeper cuz he went for the LC three different times.:Cool:
Here’s the first victim
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/1st_victim.jpg
The next day, I went to a different location, again with a spot that has a high vantage point. I ended up having another successful test...unfortunately not on a flattie though. I could see the LC coming in and it got chased by a decent sized BSP. I threw out again and I could see the eel grass hang on the c-keeper. Then a nice BSP came up and grabbed the LC right in front of me. He turned out to be a little over 13”. I think if I didn’t have that keeper on, the eel grass woulda slid right down to my LC and screwed up that bite. Actually saw quite a few times when the salad got stopped from sliding down to the LC during the retrieve. I’d say it’s been a fairly successful test over the last couple of days.
My second test victim
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/2nd_victim.jpg
and his friend...
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/perch.jpg
THE NEW PB
Today, I went for another quick late-morning hit. While fishing from the same spot that I got the first test victim, I take a good hit right in front of me. He starts taking a little drag, but I could feel a fair amount of weight and he starts making his way around some rocks in front of me and dogging. I’m thinking this might be a nice flattie, but to my surprise I get this...:Shocked:
Taped out at around 18”. I tried to get a head and tail shot to show the measurements better but he kept flopping around too much and I wanted to get him back in the water. He barely stayed still for this shot. Didn’t realize I didn’t get his tail in there. Shoulda fired off some more shots. :Embarrassed: Call it 17" if it you're doubting. I put the tape measurement flat behind him when I did the initial measurement.:Wink:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/sandy.jpg
I’ve caught quite a few nicer turd rollers in my life, but I consider anything caught in the surf since I’ve been using the LC and dropshotting (without the bait and wait game), PBs.
On the bad side of things, I ended up losing the LC that I got this guy on. I made a boneheaded mistake when I backlashed and tried to undo it while the lure was in the water. The slack line wrapped around some rocks and cut when I tried to get it free...BONEHEAD!:Angry: I shoulda reeled over the birdsnest and casted across the shoreline to work the backlash free.:Rolls Eyes: That makes it somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 or 16 LCs lost for the year...I’ve lost count and don’t want to know. It’s starting to piss me off.:LOL:
Hope the C-keeper tip helps you guys out there....
Don
Some bonus shots over the last month...
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt1.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt2.jpg
My buddy Nate (BBQSUSHI) and the first flattie he ever got to photograph. He had a couple before, but they always fell back into the surge before we could capture the evidence. :LOL:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/nate.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/nates_release.jpg
No report complete without a Colonel Croaker shot:Wink:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/YFC-1.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt3.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt4.jpg
First kelpfish I've got from the surf...ever. These guys got a mean bite. Even after I got the hook out, he would NOT let go on the fluke. Took quite a bit of yankin before I got it lose.
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/kelpfish.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt5.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt6.jpg
Been seeing a lot of bird action in the surf over the last month or so
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/birds-1.jpg
Guess there's a lot of this in the water. This picture makes it look like an anchovy but it had a small mouth and looked like a baby smelt up close. Snagged him on my LC.
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/bait.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt7.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt8.jpg
This guy had me fooled. After all the shorts I've gotten lately, I thought for sure he was gonna make the cut. Came up just short. Damn kids trying to get into the club with a fake I.D.! :LOL:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Flat_21.jpg
THE TIP
A couple weeks ago, I was watching a fishing show which featured a walleye tournament. One of the guys was trolling plugs and, to keep the junk off his lures, put a Carolina Keeper (small rubber bead usually used for Carolina rigging or bobber stops) a couple of feet above his lures. The weeds and other crap that collected on the line was somewhat prevented from sliding down to the lure. I thought this might translate to what we’ve been doing in the surf with the LC. Here's a link to the product...
http://www.sportchalet.com/product/fishing/general+fishing+accessories/terminal+tackle/301664_0450490.do?search=endeca&keyword=carolina+keeper&sortby=ourPicks&page=1
First trip didn’t yield any results or conclusions cuz fishing stunk and weeds were very minimal, but the second trip I got to see how well this worked. I put the c-keeper about a foot and a half above the LC. If you put it too far from the LC, it’s too hard to cast with that much line hanging down. The A.O. I was fishing had a spot with a high vantage point so that I could see the effects. The water was VERY clear so I could see what was happening. The eel grass that hung on the line slid down and stopped at the c-keeper, allowing the LC to keep its normal action. Sometimes the weeds would just slide off and never get to the LC, but other times it just stuck to the c-keeper and never worked it’s way down. Now this isn’t a cure-all to salad, but it does help give that LC a better chance to work, every few casts. You’re still gonna get crap on the LC but it might buy a few cranks for the LC to work as well. The keeper didn’t seem to effect the LC motion, so the next question was, “what’s it going to do the fishes’ reaction?” Well, while casting from a high vantage point, about 10 yards in front of me, I see a pancake dart and miss the LC.:Shocked: Gave it a little peck, but never committed fully. I throw out a couple more times for nothing. On the third cast following that, I threw 10 yards left and he makes another move on it...never touching the thing, but I could see him go after it. The very next cast after that, I get his ***:Twisted: ...about 17” and he inhaled the LC this time. So, I guess he didn’t give a dang about the keeper cuz he went for the LC three different times.:Cool:
Here’s the first victim
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/1st_victim.jpg
The next day, I went to a different location, again with a spot that has a high vantage point. I ended up having another successful test...unfortunately not on a flattie though. I could see the LC coming in and it got chased by a decent sized BSP. I threw out again and I could see the eel grass hang on the c-keeper. Then a nice BSP came up and grabbed the LC right in front of me. He turned out to be a little over 13”. I think if I didn’t have that keeper on, the eel grass woulda slid right down to my LC and screwed up that bite. Actually saw quite a few times when the salad got stopped from sliding down to the LC during the retrieve. I’d say it’s been a fairly successful test over the last couple of days.
My second test victim
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/2nd_victim.jpg
and his friend...
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/perch.jpg
THE NEW PB
Today, I went for another quick late-morning hit. While fishing from the same spot that I got the first test victim, I take a good hit right in front of me. He starts taking a little drag, but I could feel a fair amount of weight and he starts making his way around some rocks in front of me and dogging. I’m thinking this might be a nice flattie, but to my surprise I get this...:Shocked:
Taped out at around 18”. I tried to get a head and tail shot to show the measurements better but he kept flopping around too much and I wanted to get him back in the water. He barely stayed still for this shot. Didn’t realize I didn’t get his tail in there. Shoulda fired off some more shots. :Embarrassed: Call it 17" if it you're doubting. I put the tape measurement flat behind him when I did the initial measurement.:Wink:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/sandy.jpg
I’ve caught quite a few nicer turd rollers in my life, but I consider anything caught in the surf since I’ve been using the LC and dropshotting (without the bait and wait game), PBs.
On the bad side of things, I ended up losing the LC that I got this guy on. I made a boneheaded mistake when I backlashed and tried to undo it while the lure was in the water. The slack line wrapped around some rocks and cut when I tried to get it free...BONEHEAD!:Angry: I shoulda reeled over the birdsnest and casted across the shoreline to work the backlash free.:Rolls Eyes: That makes it somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 or 16 LCs lost for the year...I’ve lost count and don’t want to know. It’s starting to piss me off.:LOL:
Hope the C-keeper tip helps you guys out there....
Don
Some bonus shots over the last month...
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt1.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt2.jpg
My buddy Nate (BBQSUSHI) and the first flattie he ever got to photograph. He had a couple before, but they always fell back into the surge before we could capture the evidence. :LOL:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/nate.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/nates_release.jpg
No report complete without a Colonel Croaker shot:Wink:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/YFC-1.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt3.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt4.jpg
First kelpfish I've got from the surf...ever. These guys got a mean bite. Even after I got the hook out, he would NOT let go on the fluke. Took quite a bit of yankin before I got it lose.
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/kelpfish.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt5.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt6.jpg
Been seeing a lot of bird action in the surf over the last month or so
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/birds-1.jpg
Guess there's a lot of this in the water. This picture makes it look like an anchovy but it had a small mouth and looked like a baby smelt up close. Snagged him on my LC.
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/bait.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt7.jpg
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/butt8.jpg
This guy had me fooled. After all the shorts I've gotten lately, I thought for sure he was gonna make the cut. Came up just short. Damn kids trying to get into the club with a fake I.D.! :LOL:
http://i1175.photobucket.com/albums/r627/bachidym/Flat_21.jpg