Thread: Rules for courteous newbie

I must confess to breaking some of the rules.

6# test on my mini, and 10# on my other mini. I am just addicted to light lines. :spank:

I just end up playing with my kings longer. If I can't bring it in, then it was bigger than I cared to eat, or a shark/dolphin decided thy wanted my lunch. Either way, 16# I the heaviest I will ever go--which is rare for me, and I think it is plenty enough to man handle an average king.

I got yelled at on the Pensacola pier once for landing a 22# king on 4# test. Took me 45 minutes standing in the prime corner. :boohoo: After that, I went big time and increased that reel to 6#. Now it only takes 30 minutes.

:headbang:

Oh, and I have 10# slick braid on one pole I use in harsher water conditions. But don't worry, i'm the first to cut my line if it ever offends my neighbor. :bow:

^^^ How do you get a hook set on 4lb test? I see hook pulls all the time from people using 15lb and higher. Seems like settign the hook woould break the line or the hook would never get set.

Have played with 8lb braid but never 4lb mono tip my hat! Im like you I am always courteous of my neighbors but busting a king on a "bass" rod is so so much fun!!

landed a good many on 6, and bubba, if your leader is long enough, and you feed em long enough, the fish should hook its self.

Well we spent mon and tues 7-11 trying our luck. Struck out but learned a few things and saw fish caught. We used a 25 lb wire leader about 12 inches long and gold and silver Gotchas reeling like we saw those catching. No luck. Are Spanish Mackeral leader and line shy?

Any thank yall for a nice welcome and tips. I saw how well the regulars get along on the peir. Great to be out there with my 14 yr old.

Don't use an Alabama Rig.

[quote author=Bubba link=topic=899.msg8595#msg8595 date=1334088781]
^^^ How do you get a hook set on 4lb test? I see hook pulls all the time from people using 15lb and higher. Seems like settign the hook woould break the line or the hook would never get set.
[/quote]

All about the brand of line. I pull off lite lines using Yozuri Hybrid or Vicious Pro/Ultimate.

I don't set the hook at first. I let them run and I apply drag or pressure to the reel and that is usually all it takes. Once the run stops, I then give it some reassuring tugs.

Having a long enough steel leader helps. I think the reason some people get cut off on heavier lines is because of the speed at which the fish strikes. The heavier line causes more water resistance, and the steel leader is more likely to get snipped. Lighter line generally prevents that from happening, and if you give the fish some slack at first, he'll do the rest and the leader will find its way in proper place.

I personally do not like keeping or catching large kings since they cannot be eaten safely, so if a King can bust me up on anything less than 16# with a 27# SS leader, then it was too big for me to keep anyhow.

[quote author=Royalfisher link=topic=899.msg8602#msg8602 date=1334095654]
Well we spent mon and tues 7-11 trying our luck. Struck out but learned a few things and saw fish caught. We used a 25 lb wire leader about 12 inches long and gold and silver Gotchas reeling like we saw those catching. No luck. Are Spanish Mackeral leader and line shy?

Any thank yall for a nice welcome and tips. I saw how well the regulars get along on the peir. Great to be out there with my 14 yr old.
[/quote]

Was it leaders you made yourself or ones already made? You might want to go with a smaller size like 17lb and make them a bit smaller in length. Usually about 4 inches. They have swivels at J&M that you can barely see through the hole but have about 60 breaking strength. The wire comes in a plastic pack and is in a circle. You need the swivels, the wire and a pair of cutters for the wire.You stick the wire through the hole and bend it then wrap it around and around as tight as you can then clip the tag off.

Here's a pretty good video:

^^^

Another alternative is getting 90# 7-strand wire and pulling the strands apart. You can use the individual strands to get a low 12# test wire, and since it is twisted, it appears more natural in presentation.

Also, Titanium "Tooth Proof," while expensive, works very well at reducing initial shock and cut offs as a single strand leader material.

[quote author=Royalfisher link=topic=899.msg8602#msg8602 date=1334095654]
Well we spent mon and tues 7-11 trying our luck. Struck out but learned a few things and saw fish caught. We used a 25 lb wire leader about 12 inches long and gold and silver Gotchas reeling like we saw those catching. No luck. Are Spanish Mackeral leader and line shy?

Any thank yall for a nice welcome and tips. I saw how well the regulars get along on the peir. Great to be out there with my 14 yr old.
[/quote]

If you can't catch them on a gotcha switch to a bucktail on heavy mono and just be prepared to lose some tackle. You can keep catching them when others are not by going to wire less/ lighter tackle.