Bass Pro Shops   Daveys Locker Sportfishing  Newport Landing Sportfishing   The Fishing Syndicate  Carver Covers  Tight Lines Guide Service  Channel Islands Sportfishing  CCA-California  Bob Sands Fishing Tackle  
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 18 of 18

Thread: The Crow, Baseball, the Noodle & a Legal: My SWAT Mission Begins!

  1. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    109

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by skunked4life View Post
    Well, Kelly, I thought that I had a piggy back report to tack on but really no need. You pretty much covered it.

    Your first report was well written and put a great big smile on my face!

    Like I said before, hindsight is 20/20. In retrospect, looking back at those three days, you got to see the optimal tide height at to fish those holes and trenches (even though that AO is fickle as you know what) and you can plan some short sesions during the week based upon those tides. Again, it's a crapshoot out there.

    You added a legal to your count this week (catching up to me but not without a fight--no 15 woohoo!) and got to meet BBQSushi (Nate). To me, that is a pretty solid weekend.

    Can't wait for you to get your waders (soon ) so that you are a little more comfortable out there and can access different spots with a little more ease.

    See you this weekend, I hope!

    Skunked4life, aka Corporal Croaker, aka ken
    I can't wait for my waders, it's starting to feel like Christmas! Thanks again Ken and I look forward to the weekend, but I have a sneaky suspicion we will fish together before then.



    Quote Originally Posted by TUNAVIC View Post
    Cool 3 day report,that crow action was hilarious,thanks for the read!

    Cya Tuna Vic
    Thanks Tuna Vic. Those crows are as sharp as a marble, just amazing!

    Quote Originally Posted by ToadsToadsOnly View Post
    I was out there on Sat fishing the yak with my buddy Jim, I knew it was SWAT on the surf however due to the biggo swells and wind I was unable to come in close enough to say HI. I was debating on beaching my yak and fishing the shore since the fish were in so tight. Nice to see you guys are still sticking them pretty good.
    Hey Jonathon! I saw you guys and was wondering how you might be doing out there? We put the wood to them in that spot as you well know. You tore that spot up! Hope to fish the beach with you soon.

    Quote Originally Posted by murrieta angler View Post
    OUCH!!!
    It just wasn't meant to be Kelly.
    I was also there on Saturday, arrived at 4:30 for not even a single bump...
    In the future, "DO NOT BEND YOUR HOOKS BACK"...just toss it and put on a new one...
    They are there, it's just a matter of time.
    Good Luck On The Quest,
    Robert
    <><
    Thank you Robert. I was just being lazy & your advice is spot on. Thank you!

    Quote Originally Posted by basshole1 View Post
    Damn crows!!! LOL. Good thing is, you got your stuff back. Btw, cool report.
    Thanks basshole1! I could see seagulls pulling that stunt, but a crow? I will get a picture next time as the crows are always rooting around on the beach at this AO. I also think they like my black backpack for some reason?

    Quote Originally Posted by yakfish51 View Post
    I really enjoyed the report, thanks

    Tim
    Thank you very much Tim & good fishing to you!

    Quote Originally Posted by bachiboy View Post
    Great report Kelly and way to go out there man! I know that you've taken a few lumps but you've definitely laid into them a bit out there this year. This challenge always seems to add that small bit of extra pressure which makes it sting a helluva lot more when you lose those nice ones. Like kenichi said, just stay focused...it'll come. And I get a mean feelin it's comin in REAL soon! Go get em brotha...be waitin for that victory text!

    Don
    Thank you very much Don, it means a lot coming from you! I can't wait to make that victory text brother. I secretly do hope however it's not a text and were sharing the sand together pulling on giants!

    Quote Originally Posted by jerryG View Post
    I feel your pain.. I've learned some hard lessons with the stock hooks.. If your fishing an LC with the stock saltwater hooks as long as your on a noodle rod you should be fine but the freshwater hooks like the bent bronze one in the picture should ALWAYS be replaced... I even replace the hooks on the saltwater versions because I have had issues with them bending, breaking, and tearing out on big fish. If you go with too heavy of a hook it will kill the action of the lure and you won't get bit.. With the LC until you have hooked a few big fish on it you really don't realize how important it is to find the balance in your gear and knowing the limitations on how hard you can pull without straightening, breaking, or pulling the light wire hooks that are required for these baits.

    Of course with out looking at your tackle I really have no idea but I would say that noodle rod not a bad choice at all in fact you want a rod with some forgiveness. A rod with parabolic action will allow the lure to swim better and it seems to be working as you seem to be getting a lot of bites. A parabolic rod also helps absorb the shock caused by the violent head shakes that halibut are known for.. A noodle stick is not a good choice for stopping a sea bass or even a big calico from the sand but depending on the action it should be good for halibut. Just ask Toads Only he's been fishing the LC from his kayak on a noodle rod since since the beginning of the year and he's probably caught over 200 halibut so far including probably about 20 legals..

    Also braid is a personal choice and if your going to use it seems like a spinning setup is the way to go. I tried fishing braid with the LC and I stopped using it because I was pulling hooks on too many fish.. Finally one day I lost about a 15 lber in the surge and I was done with it. I went back to using mono and never looked back.. I use braid for backing and many other things as well it certainly has it's place but I consider it a poor choice for use with the LC.. As mentioned it's all personal preference. Sure if you use braid with a mono it will help absorb some of the shock but not enough in my opinion. I hate having to deal with the leader when I'm casting plus I have confidence in the fact that straight mono is more forgiving throughout. I will say that I do like fishing straight flouro in the surf. Like I said it's just my preference and to each his own..

    Don't beat yourself too much over loosing a few big fish.. Your getting bit and that's the hardest part for most.. It will all come together for you.. It's all part of the process that helps us improve upon our skills that is ultimately what makes us better anglers over time. There is no substitute for time on the water.. The more you go the more you will know..

    JerryG
    Jerry, thank you for the very insightful reply as it contains a lot of useful information...very much appreciated Jerry! I hope to put that knowledge to good use this week. Good fishing to you Jerry!

    Quote Originally Posted by SP Dan View Post
    Hey Kelly,

    Robert's advice is solid:
    "In the future, "DO NOT BEND YOUR HOOKS BACK"... just toss it away and put on a new one..."

    Bending metal back and forth does not give the hook back it's strength. Just the opposite.
    Just switch out lures and then replace hooks when not on the bite at home. I normally step up the strength of my treble hooks and they still bend and or sometimes straighten out a bit at times!

    You had some excellent flattie exposure and a lot of outstanding line action at your spot Sir! It's just a matter of time!
    Here comes the "induction Fish"!

    Thanx for the "on the edge of my seat" report with pic's!

    SP Dan <"))><
    Thank you so much Dan. I will exchange the hooks for now on & stop being lazy, I promise! Lol. I hope you're feeling better my friend and looking forward to fishing with you again real soon!

  2. #12

    Default

    Kelly that was a very exciting and frustrating read! LOL I felt your pain when I read that your hooks had bent out and broken off. AAARRRGGH! I believe your induction fish will be coming soon this month. BTW what kind of hooks are you using?

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Rat Beach
    Posts
    7,272

    Default

    Noodle sticks are great. Loosen your drag more and tire the fish out more, less bent hooks.
    Had seagulls tear my bag apart before, no crows. Great report. THNX,
    DR

  4. #14
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    109

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by DockRat View Post
    Noodle sticks are great. Loosen your drag more and tire the fish out more, less bent hooks.
    Had seagulls tear my bag apart before, no crows. Great report. THNX,
    DR
    Thanks DR! The drag is fine, it's the initial hook set & a fine line between swinging for the fences with the noodle. I'm all about letting the fish tire, more fun that way too, longer fight. 5 shorts the past 2 days with no big bites. Fishing before work 7:30-8am is when I have caught all my fish this week. Hopefully be on it again tomorrow!

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Planet Earth
    Posts
    8,586

    Red face

    Oh man, that Crow story gave me a good chuckle...

    As for the bent/broken hooks... I think we've all been there, done that...
    I only use the Owners ST41 2X nickle plated trebles on the LC's and occasionally a red one on the tail hook. A bent hook usually means that you are putting too much pressure on the fish. But you have landed a Monster Halibut much bigger than my PB, so I have no place to tell you what to do...

    Really enjoyed reading your reports! Even though I hope your mission lasts for a little while so we all can enjoy following your quest... I know that "Induction" fish is just around the corner for you...

    Keep up the good work Brother...

    I believe Don (Bachiboy) and yourself, are the only two S.W.A.T. members that became Prospects, without even meeting or fished with Lt. Bones or myself.
    You guys received high degree of recommendations... and anyone that can garner that kind confidence in my fellow Brothers, tells me a lot about their character.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    109

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Wingnut View Post
    Oh man, that Crow story gave me a good chuckle...

    As for the bent/broken hooks... I think we've all been there, done that...
    I only use the Owners ST41 2X nickle plated trebles on the LC's and occasionally a red one on the tail hook. A bent hooks usually means that you are putting too much pressure on the fish. But you have landed a Monster Halibut much bigger than my PB so I have no place to tell you what to do...

    Really enjoyed reading your reports! Even though I hope your mission last for a little while so we all can enjoy following your quest... I know that "Induction" fish is just around the corner for you...

    Keep up the good work Brother...

    I believe Don (Bachiboy) and yourself, are the only two S.W.A.T. members that became Prospects, without even meeting or fished with Lt. Bones or myself.
    You guys received high degree of recommendations... and anyone that can garner that kind confidence in my fellow Brothers, tells me a lot about their character.
    Thank you very much Arthur! All I can say is I have met quite a few S.W.A.T. members and they're all class acts and damn good fishermen. You & Lt. Bones have done a fine job assembling a great group of brothers! I look forward to meeting you both very soon. Sounds like I might need to head up North from the text I received from the Danimal last night. Great job Dan and good luck this afternoon, you're on fire brother!

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Fossilized SWAT Bones
    Posts
    4,741

    Default

    Great read and for what it's worth...I've bent my hooks back tons of times and never had a problem. Albeit the stock 36 gauge hooks are not the best to do this with. Arthur pretty much nailed it when he said you are putting too much pressure on the fish. Many a large fish has been landed on a single fly and very light tippet by fly fisherman and IGFA world line class records have been set. As far as the noodle rod it can be a good thing when it comes to shock absorption and not tearing the lure out of a soft mouth of many species especially halibut but....the noodle rod offers no leverage to drag weight the last few yards in the surf and of course a good hook set is next to impossible. For a hook to really do it's job it has to penetrate properly and you need to hang the fish in the BEND of the hook. A sharp point barely penetrating and laying on cartilage is designed to fail. If you get lucky though with a LC you are actually working with NINE sharp points. My honest opinion....You just had a bad hook set and more often there is just plain old luck involved. So...the best advice I can give you is be patient...have your drag set on the light side and hope for some luck. Luck plays a big factor in landing fish especially the larger models. I personally feel armed better with a parabolic rod that will absorb those headshakes but still has enough backbone to drive the hook to it's optimum position in the bend of the hook. My go to stick is a medium weight fast action 7'11" Shimano Crucial crank bait rod.

    Good Luck Soldier...It's only a matter of time and you have been fishing the right area!

    Mike

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    So Cal
    Posts
    109

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by bones View Post
    Great read and for what it's worth...I've bent my hooks back tons of times and never had a problem. Albeit the stock 36 gauge hooks are not the best to do this with. Arthur pretty much nailed it when he said you are putting too much pressure on the fish. Many a large fish has been landed on a single fly and very light tippet by fly fisherman and IGFA world line class records have been set. As far as the noodle rod it can be a good thing when it comes to shock absorption and not tearing the lure out of a soft mouth of many species especially halibut but....the noodle rod offers no leverage to drag weight the last few yards in the surf and of course a good hook set is next to impossible. For a hook to really do it's job it has to penetrate properly and you need to hang the fish in the BEND of the hook. A sharp point barely penetrating and laying on cartilage is designed to fail. If you get lucky though with a LC you are actually working with NINE sharp points. My honest opinion....You just had a bad hook set and more often there is just plain old luck involved. So...the best advice I can give you is be patient...have your drag set on the light side and hope for some luck. Luck plays a big factor in landing fish especially the larger models. I personally feel armed better with a parabolic rod that will absorb those headshakes but still has enough backbone to drive the hook to it's optimum position in the bend of the hook. My go to stick is a medium weight fast action 7'11" Shimano Crucial crank bait rod.

    Good Luck Soldier...It's only a matter of time and you have been fishing the right area!

    Mike
    Hi Mike & thank you for the reply. It's funny, I was just talking to Ken about bending the hooks on a LC. I fished all morning back when we were hammering the halibut with a brand new LC that Ken had generously gifted me. I remember bending the stock hooks back twice on that very fishy LC during our morning session. Well, I knew Jonathon was whacking them out on his kayak on low tide so I brought my longboard with me to give it a try on the low. I paddled out and 1st fish with that LC which I bent back the stock trebles on resulted in my 39" that's in my avatar. I did however replace those stock trebles after that long battle. The hooks took a lot of abuse on that epic day, I just got lucky! I have a new rod that has been on B/O for a month that should be arriving next week. The noodle will take a backseat when that beauty arrives.

    Thanks again Mike!

    Kelly

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •