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Post by katfish on Mar 23, 2011 21:24:08 GMT -5
I use dacron braid. I don't reccommend it for most people. I fill spools with 30# test Prestige from Cabelas.
I use dacron because it is a natural fiber and sinks. The braid has low stretch.
It is difficult to maintain so I don't reccomend it for others unless they plan on fishing just the way I do for flathead.
I don't use a leader and snell hooks directly to the braid.
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Post by katfish on Mar 19, 2011 8:59:33 GMT -5
Sean
You can really appreciate sinker slides when fishing rivers.
Different areas may require different sized sinkers and changing is a snap.
I use them on the James and although I doubt the big sinkers would deter the blue cats there, I do believe the sliders keep the big fish from using the weights for levearge to pop a hook out.
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Post by katfish on Mar 19, 2011 8:56:00 GMT -5
Jon boats are a practical solution for flathead fishermen. Stable and roomy equal safe and comfortable.
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Post by katfish on Mar 19, 2011 8:51:57 GMT -5
Gary
I layed an eyeball on Dillon yesterday and I can't see the lake or the river getting fishable by Wed. In fact it might even be dangerous attempting to net shad at the spillway.
Salt Fork may be your best bet to even get a few channel cats although it is a bit muddy still. If you know any farm ponds with cats that might be the best bet.
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Post by katfish on Mar 19, 2011 8:46:53 GMT -5
I have fished a variety of gear for flathead over the years. One thing I have found is that long rods are not an advantage for flathead. A big fish will use the leverage on a long rod to beat you to death. If you argue that longer rods aid in casting, then I will point out that casting large live baits with heavy sinkers is a short range affair. I want lively large baits and long casts injure or kill large baits. Spinning reels don't have the tough gears and drags necessary for good control of mature flathead. For several years Don Wise and I used baitrunners as second rigs for flathead. If we caught fish on the levelwinds we figured lobbing baits back out on baitrunners was better than casting with levelwinds or having no baits at all set out. We caught several big flats on the baitrunners. My best one on a lobbed bait was a 61 pound cat. There is good reason that most catmen prefer levelwinds for big flathead. Your experience and confidence in spinning gear may make that choice a better one for you to fish with. I consider all spinning gear as light tackle. When flathead fishing with light tackle you must stay very patient and focussed when playing the big fish. If you lose big fish to snags or just wearing hooks loose you can expect absolutely no pity from other flathead fishermen
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Post by katfish on Mar 15, 2011 15:26:16 GMT -5
Lines with superior abrasion resistance (harder lines) do exist. The trade off is they are stiffer, have more memory, and will backlash more easily. www.tackletour.com/reviewsufixtrit.htmlfishing.about.com/od/fishingtackle/l/aatplinetough.htmThe most popular lines strive for the best balance most anlers desire. If your reel spool has plenty of capacity, there are no advantages to downsizing line size. If line capacity is a problem then superbraids are the solution. This is just my thinking now. Mono line degrades with oxidation (exposure to air) and it gets weaker with exposure to sunlight. Each time you fish you will cause some abrasion as your line rubs bottom or even as it comes through guides. Each time you stretch mono (like catching a big fish or hanging it up) it loses some of its elasticity (gets weaker) Your line may be 40 pound test when new but after fishing it is only as strong as the weakest point. Unless you respool every trip you can never be sure you have 40 pound breaking strength. Your abrasion problem is minor compared to us hard heads that fish with dacron braid ;D
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Post by katfish on Mar 13, 2011 22:57:27 GMT -5
For flathead? ? I always worry an Abu might get touched and get in gear and the flathead will own it
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Post by katfish on Mar 13, 2011 22:52:14 GMT -5
I normally only fish blues in winter on the James river. It seems their skin is very tender and the net often scratches them. If we get then from deep water we will burp them with a piece of PVC so they can get back to nuetral bouyancy. If catmen don't vent fish from deep water they often flounder on top trying to get back to the depths. Expanded air bladders can keep them from working their gills and they die if not vented. Then a couple of quick photos and put them back in the water and hold their tails till they kick free. For flathead I wet my sling then quickly put the fish in weigh slings and weigh them. This supports the fishes weight and they are calmer when being weighed. You can use your landing net if you don't have a sling. In warmer weather watch your flathead. When they start turning yellow it is a sign they are getting hot and need oxygen. Always keep fish wet. Put them back into the water and hold their tail till they kick free. About half the flathead swim away slowly but they are OK. The large flathead are used to moving slowly and don't get in a hurry even when leaving. Don't lift by the gills. I've caught a few large flathead with broken jawbones. Not sure if they escaped limblines with the injury or were held by the jawbone for pix and thrashed and broke the jaw. Make all attempts to remove hooks. On big fish you can reach into the mouth and reach anywhere the hooks go. Remove any other hooks that a fish may have in them. We all know the hooks will rust out but it is much easier on the fish to have them removed. When you hold large fish for pictures support their weight as much as possible. Return your fish as soon as possible to the water.
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 23:57:31 GMT -5
Here is my pop can alarm system. It is more effective if you put rocks under the can so it makes more noise when it flips off with a bite. Caution: pull the tabs off the can and only make a single loop with your line. I showed the alarm to one guy who set it up after drinking a pop. When I retrieved my rod from the lake I found the line wrapped around the tab. This pic was back when I was trying to teach a coon to fish. It didn't work out the little buggers kept eating the baits instead of putting them on hooks ;D
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 23:20:49 GMT -5
I keep seeing cheap little reels with light and sound bite alarms on them.
Since the quality reel manufacturers won't incorporate these systems on big levelwinds, I have been waiting for someone to invent a similar alarm system that attaches to levelwinds.
If a man could make one to attach to an Abu 6500, he would soon make enough money to tool up and make alarm systems for most major levelwind reels.
I have experimented for years trying to make clickers louder or setting reels on tamborines to increase the clicker sound. When it is raining or there are lots of locusts it is difficult to hear my clickers.
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 23:12:59 GMT -5
Sean Not much about catching flatheads is simple ;D When using big baits you should keep taking back slack like Ducky said. The baits constantly fighting the sinker is a good thing because hunting flathead will investigate the vibrations. I usually keep mending the lines on big baits to keep them from wandering to submerged timber. If the process gets really old I may put a flat rock over a piece of line to the side of the rod. A flathead will pull the line free but the baitfish will continue to struggle without pulling it out. I imagine you could experiment with putting a rubber band on the line looped around an eye on the rod but that could also be a recipe for disaster. Probably better to get a downrigger release from Cabelas and adjust the tension so the baitfish can't pull free. I have a few lever drag reels and I can adjust the drag incrementally to make it harder for the baits to take line. I am very careful when I do this because a fast running flathead can drag a rod in. You can tighten the cast control on levelwinds after the bait is set but this often doesn't help enough to keep big baits from taking line. The only thing I can reccomend on floats is to experiment with paternoster rigs till you get something that works. I've studied the idea and worry there are to many complex connections which could lead to lost fish. Anyone that knows me knows that it must be really simple for me
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 22:55:39 GMT -5
I don't keep a bait tank because I can usually obtain fresh baits or at least dip them out of Chads tank ;D
I just wanted to make a suggestion. If you plan on keeping shad there are a couple of things to think about.
You should use a round tank because shad are constantly in motion and wear their noses out in square tanks. Round is better for any bait tanks that hold baits for a long time.
If you keep shad make a catch basin under one of the sprays equipped with scotch brite pads. This homade filter will remove any scales the shad lose. Without it the shad breathe scales into their gills and damage them.
Water conditioning should be added but if you don't have it a tablespoon of epson salt in the water will help toughen your baits so they don't loose scales so easily.
A few crawdads in the tank will help keep the water cleaner and reduce the workload for your filter. They eat the fish poop.
I'm waiting till I can make an effortless foolproof bait tank.Something like a stock tank with a windmill pump to renew the water. I've looked around for a spring that runs year round but haven't found anything close to me.
I had an artesian well by my old house but the water had so many minerals it killed the fish. I thought I had the perfect deal with endless supply of cool water but the fish didn't survive in it.
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 22:42:14 GMT -5
1 for me and 1 for you?
Or are they both for me?
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 2:04:42 GMT -5
I don't understand this post. Jim does this mean you have some of those rods and you intend to surprise me by making presents of them? You shouldn't have
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Post by katfish on Mar 12, 2011 2:01:46 GMT -5
Welcome Charles!!
These guys should help you catch flathead. Those fish are something else!
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