Posts Tagged ‘tackle’

A drop-shot rig is a hook tied directly to the line (from four inches to four-foot above the sinker) with a sinker also tied to the line, below the hook.

To create a Drop-Shot Rig:

Pass a look of monofilament line through the eye of the hook. The tail of the line (the part that is not attached to the reel) is where you will put your weight.

Tie a Palomar knot to secure the hook and leave the tag end (the tail of the line that is not attached to the reel) about four or five feet long. Now take the tag end and go back through the hook eye from the point side toward the back. When you hang the weight, the hook will be at a 90-degree angle to the line with the hook point up.

Last is the weight and how far up the line the hook should be. Here’s where you’ll have to decide based on how high above the hump or sunken island the fish are holding. You’ll just have to experiment to see what the fish want, but 18″ to 24″ is a good place to start.

Every so often I run across a trout fishing idea and think “WHY have I NEVER heard of that?! That sounds like a fantastic idea!” This is one of those ideas.

Before I discovered a worm threader, I hadn’t been a big fan of using night crawlers as trout bait. No, it has nothing to do with being squeamish (I’m not) or the fact that you get dirt under your fingernails trying to get the worms out of the container. It was that I never seemed to catch anything with a worm; it’s a waste of bait as the worm gets soggy or eaten (with no fish on the hook), and left over night crawlers aren’t even great for my garden.

A gang hook set up is a one-up on a worm threader. The worm is presented in a more “natural” fashion and you get the advantage of two hooks instead of one.

I haven’t tried this set up yet (it’s still too hot for good trout fishing around here!) so, I want somebody to go out and test this one for me and then let me know.

What are gang hooks?

Gang hooks are a series of two or more single hooks tied in a straight line on a piece of monofilament leader.

What are the advantages to using a gang hook?

• The worm will be stretched along the line, in a more natural position than wadded up in a “worm ball” around a single or treble hook.
• You’ve got two hooks instead of one.
• You can use smaller hooks which will better fit in a smaller fish’s mouth.

How do I create a gang hook?

Using a snell knot tie a single, size 10 hook to a leader, leaving at least a 12″ tag end. Tie a second hook about 2- to 3-inches below the first (depending on the length of your worm) and clip the tag end.

If you want to, you can add the hooks to the leader directly below each other (with no space in between) to create a longer line of gang hooks. If your worm isn’t long enough to finish out the line of gang hooks, make a small ball of Powerbait to cover any remaining hooks.

Attach your gang hook to a swivel (I like two slip weights above the swivel) and you’re good to go. You can use this set up with or without weights and also with a bobber.

Gang hooks are best used in shallow areas with debris, including fallen trees and water plants. Gang hooks are less likely to catch or snag on the debris, due to its unique hook presentation.

Readers Weigh In:

• Have you ever fished a worm on a gang hook? How did it go?
• What is your favorite worm presentation?

Nothing is more frustrating than a day of fishing when the fish just aren’t biting. Then, you finally get a “strike” and as you’re reeling in you realize that it’s not a fish on your hook, it’s a snarl of used fishing line.

Gross!

If you must change out your line on the lakeshore, DON’T put it in the lake!

Ideally, there will be PVC receptacles from the Monofilament Recycling Project, sponsored by Berkley, for used fishing line that you can use, but again, push the line in deep! The fishing line poses a serious threat to fish, birds, and wildlife.

If there aren’t any recepticals (they’re getting to be pretty common here in Arizona at least) then push the fishing line way down deep in a trashcan. Line is lightweight and will float out of trashcans on a breeze. Of, even better, take it with you and recycle it later.

If you cut off line at the lake shore, throw it away properly, not just “away.”

Developed in the 1930s, monofilament fishing line is made from a single, continuous strand of nylon. Discarded monofilament is believed to last 600 years in the marine environment.

Special thanks to reader Paul Coomer for this tip.

Readers Weigh In:

• How do you dispose of fishing line (and trash) lake side?
• Have you ever seen wildlife snarled in fishing line? What did you do?

What is A “Polite” Tip?

I’m a big fan of enjoying all Mother Nature and our public lands have to offer. But anybody who knows me (or reads the blogs regularly) knows I have no patience with people who don’t take care of the Great Outdoors. That’s why I regularly post articles in my “Polite” series. These tips and articles are designed to give you easy-to-follow rules that protect the great outdoors for you, me, and future generations.

If you’ve ever gone walking down the fishing aisle of any sporting goods store, you’re sure to be AMAZED at the variety of fishing poles and reels available. To make life easier, I thought I should probably explain about the three (FOUR!) main types of reels.

• Spin cast
• Spinning
• Baitcasting
• Fly (I’m not even going to get into fly fishing in this article, just know that they are wildly different!)

You’ll want to match your pole, reel, and tackle to the type of fishing that you’ll be doing. But, for the beginner, it’s easiest to just find a rod-reel combo that works for you and then get comfortable with it!

Spin Cast Reels

Also known as a closed-face reel, spin cast reels are the best choice for beginning fishermen due to their ease of use. To this day, this is the type of reel I use. It is PERFECT for kids and novice anglers since it is easy to use and hard to screw up!

Spin cast reels are typically inexpensive. Another plus if you’re just getting started fishing!

A spin cast reel sits on top of the fishing rod.

Using A Spin Cast Reel

Spin cast reels combine spinning and casting. The spool of line remains stationary until you use a thumb button to cast. When you release the button, your bait or lure propel your line.

Pros of a Spin Cast Reel

• They can be inexpensive
• Easy to use
• Not a lot that can go wrong with them
• Are usually easy to cast

Cons of a Spin Cast Reel

• Aren’t high-capacity so don’t hold a lot of line
• Are typically only good for light to medium weight line (small to medium sized fish)
• Drag systems aren’t always reliable

Spinning Reels

Also known as an open-faced reel, spinning reels come in a variety of sizes and can be used for a variety of fish species, from small panfish to large saltwater predators.

The reel is mounted under the rod.

Using A Spinning Reel

A spinning reel has a fixed spool which doesn’t turn during the cast or retrieve.  Instead, line is retrieved through a pickup mechanism called a bail, which turns around the spool as you turn the reel’s handle.

Pros of a Spinning Reel

• Variable-sized spool that can accommodate varying amounts of line
• From or rear drag systems (helps to keep the fish from breaking the line)
• Good at casting light lures
• Lures can be cast accurately (if you know how!)

Cons of a Spinning Reel

• If you’re not careful, you can get the line completely tangles
• Not (usually) a good choice for beginners to kids
• Since the reel mounts under the rod, you might have to “relearn” how to cast
• Can be expensive

Baitcasting Reels

Baitcasting reels are among the most specialized type of reels. They are best used with heavier lures than can be fished with a spinning reel. Baitcasting reels sit atop the fishing rod and come in a wide variety of sizes. They can be used to catch fish ranging in size from a pound or two to hundreds or thousands of pounds.

Not for the beginner, a baitcasting reel is used when fishing heavy cover. This type of reel is not meant to be used with light lures! A baitcasting reel has more uses than the others, but also requires more coordination to use.

Using a Baitcasting Reel

Baitcasting reels work with the weight of the bait or lure as it pulls on the line and turns the spool to release more line; the heavier the lure, the longer the cast.

The baitcaster reel mounts to the top of the rod. The line comes off these reels from the top, so it doesn’t twist, however, the angler’s thumb is used to help control the speed the line unwinds off the reel when casting. However, that can make it difficult to cast. Because, if you forget to put your thumb down over the line on the reel, or don’t use enough pressure, the reel spins faster than the line can go through the guides, so it creates a big mess of snarled, tangled line called a backlash.

Pros of a Baitcasting Reel

• You can cast with pin-point accuracy (after you learn how!)
• Can handle heavy tackle and line
• Perfect for catching big fish

Cons of a Baitcasting Reel

• Difficult to learn to use
• Expensive
• Can make a huge mess of your line if used incorrectly
• Not good for fishing lightweight tackle or for small fish

When you’re in the market for a new reel, be sure it will incorporate with your fishing pole. Not all reels can be used on all poles; the styles need to match. Also keep in mind the type of fishing you’re likely to be doing before buying a reel: size of fish, line diameter, tackle weight.

Also make sure you get a reel that matches your dominant hand. Not all reels are reversible for right- or left-handed anglers!

My biggest suggestion with buying any type of fishing gear is to always start out in a moderate price range. I also recommending going to a good tackle shop and talk to an expert: explain the type of fishing you want to do and listen to their advice!

Readers Weigh In:

• What type of reel do you use?
• Do you have any horror stories of tangled line or the one that got away?

I’ve decided that since I’ve talked about the anatomy of a fish HOOK it was high time I discussed the anatomy of a fishing POLE.

There are literally hundreds of fishing poles to choose from. There are everything from ice fishing to fly; kiddie poles to high-dollar deep sea poles. But no matter what, all fishing poles are made of the same four parts:

Rod

The rod itself can be made out of a variety of materials including bamboo, graphite, carbon, fiberglass, plastic, or a composite material. Of course, all rods come in different lengths and diameters depending on what type of fishing, the angler’s preference, and what species of fish you’re after.

A rod that is all of a piece (that doesn’t break down for easy transport) have a much different feel than a multi-piece rod. But frankly, a single-piece rod is pretty difficult to transport! Two piece rods are joined together by a ferrule and if engineered well, won’t give up much in the way of having a natural feel to it.

Fishing rods are sorted by the rod’s action, as well as its power. Power refers to how much force is needed to make the rod flex. Action is determined by where the rod flexes.

Guides

The guides are where the fishing line is threaded through. The guide has two main parts: the foot, which contacts the fishing pole, and the loop which sticks out from the rod. The guides of a rod are either metal or ceramic and are attached along the rod in a variety of locations.

With a multi-section rod, it’s important to have the guides lined up so your line will flow from the reel through the guides properly and without catching. Depending on the style of rod and its length, the placement and size of the guides will vary.

While you’re fishing, be sure to check the alignment of the guides often. A fighting fish can actually twist the two sections of rod so the guides no longer line up!

Reel Seat

The reel seat on a fishing pole is located above the base and is where the reel is attached to the rod. What reel you use, will determine what the reel seat will look like. Since there are three standard reels, there are three standard reel seats: fly, casting and spinning.

Handle

The handle of a fishing pole is what you hold onto while fishing. The type of rod will determine what the handle looks like. Spinning and fly rods have a thinner and more streamlined handle, compared to a rod used for casting.

The majority of handles are manufactured out of foam or cork.

When you’re using a fishing pole, you want to be very careful with the rod tip. It’s easy to step on, break off, or otherwise damage. The other part that should be checked regularly are the guides as they can become loose and detach from the rod shaft.

Readers Weigh In:

• What is your favorite style of fishing rod?
• Do you have a favorite brand or style?