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Yes I have the same one Fishy posted. Works great. And you don't even notice it in your pocket.

Looks like a battery powered solder iron to me. If that will save you any money. I think we get them for $19.99 at work but I don't have a link.

I thought the Tesla lighter that was out a few years ago did a real good job of flaring the tag without a "flame".

Pacifico Beer colors.

I brought the knot 2 kinky a few years back when it was very new at the advice of the charter Master. "You won't need sleeves, I'm going to show you a couple of really good knots that the developer taught me" he said. So the first day on the ride down "hey teach us those knots for the K2K wire"...

Not really necessary. Just try to choose the closest size cooler box that will hold your fish with as little empty space left as possible. The air space is what hurts you.

Sexy stick. Congrats

Hopefully they have done something to fix that sweatshop known as Room M. Great boat. Great ride. Great layout inside and out. Would never fish it again without a reassurance I would not be in room M.

I have 3 of them all with 65# braid and on various rods. I think my favorite is a US80-tilefish though. Such a versatile outfit.

Merry Christmas David. Haven't been frequenting this board much lately.

Not to stir the pot, but I called Okuma last week for a status on that exact reel (15t in matte black - to match a rod I want to have built before I order it) and Okuma said no problem, they have it in stock.

Ridiculous prices. I like that gunmetal, hope the new one doesn't suck.

Still with that EC penis envy after all this time? Whatever happened to you must have really hurt.

Not to mention Tim has spent more days long range ON THE WATER than most people have spent pounding their keyboards on bdoutdoors. When Tim talks I listen.

I know one of the ones I look up to - wahoodad - is right handed, rod under the right arm.

Garry just because you're too much of a pussy to do it doesn't mean Tim is. If your arms and back were half as tough as your keyboard persona you'd be jackpoling supers over the rail unassisted.

He sees $$$ signs. He's also completely classless.

I’m not going to speculate or point the finger, the Coast Guard’s finger is big enough and will point in the right direction when everything is said and done. I just want to say how incredibly lucky everyone on the Prowler is that this didn’t turn out worse. That damage just above the waterline...

John Nappo is almost never at a loss for words. He's just a great guy with really great attitude. When he lost Lizzie it really took the wind out of his sails. So glad to see you are the one who took this idea and crafted such a fitting tribute Jim.

Great post Professor Wu, but I wouldn’t say Randy’s contributions and innovation have gone unnoticed... under appreciated maybe? We definitely owe him a lot.

7 year old thread. Nice work to our archaeologist. Always interesting reading this type of throwback and comparing to the latest trends.

If you would eat Oprah you'd eat anything.

Tripletail fillets lightly breaded with seasoned flour and cornmeal fried to golden perfection. Broomtail grouper or scamp grilled over mesquite coals. Flounder either stuffed with blue crab stuffing and broiled or lightly breaded and fried as above tripletail. Red Snapper - chef's choice...

There is absolutely no comparison in the boats obviously as SD is home to the finest sport fleet worldwide. Before they closed our red snapper and Amberjack seasons almost year round you could go on a 2 or 3 day trip that would give you as good or better variety as a 8 day SD trip. But those...

Not very acurate.

What Rich said, and I value Rich as a good contributor here and experienced fisherman BUT he said what the downside is with the long trips and not the plus side. Like a subliminal don't go long post. The plus side is catching what you have your heart set on - a huge yellowfin tuna. Is it...

On the Excel on a long trip (16 days) the first couple of days catch are popcicles. After that you have the choice big chill or RSW, IIRC.

Tim a few years ago I was trying to make the same decision you are and I had the exact desire you do, big tuna on a long trip. I followed the “get broken in on a shorter trip” way of thinking and took a 10 day in late Oct-early Nov. The trip was good. We caught a big variety of fish -...

Being a foreigner to the Republic of California and not having any ties to the current long range industry when I decided I wanted to give it a shot I had to get a lot of my info from online. First youtube videos. This forum. Etc. Seeing how positively Kevin interacted with people on all the YT...

Back in the mid to late 90s we used a jig that looked very similar if not identical and came with the treble hook. It was packaged by Yozuri.

Just keep adding hooks ‘til you run out of room or it looks like a squid jig. That should do it.

I hope you tossed your roaches overboard, they can leave burn marks on the deck.

Skunky? Like reefer?

I was going to say something but my roomie pretty much had it covered. Well done!

Welcome back Big Fish, and happy birthday!

There is a big world outside of California and conditions and habitat are not the same there that they are here. Just because an AR is not the right tool FOR YOU and where you chose to hunt does not mean it is not the best option for other places with different conditions. And yes I went there...

Whichever one has the fishiest most dedicated fishermen.

Hogs are a different ball game than what you are probably used to hunting, at least here they are. AR's make a perfect hog rifle especially when in a heavier caliber like a 6.8 SPC or a 7.62. Lots of stalking opportunities in lowland thickets or grain fields where hogs may be running in circles...

This thread started out making me really sad, then the injunction being upheld was a welcome surprise. Thankful for our pro 2A laws here and wish you guys luck in overthrowing the crap commie govt y'all have.

First of all congrats on two badass rods. Secondly, I like to ship that stuff ahead of time. One less thing to worry about going thru all the conveyors and TSA gorillas.

NEVERMINd i see

The 16 is typically the more popular step down size from the 20 as it isn’t so wide as the 15, but everyone has their preference I suppose.

imo if you cannot do it with a mak20 skip the 30 and go for a 50. Chances are you can do it with the mak20. The mak20sea is a very capable reel landing dozens of cows per year but the 30 is wide to the point that many don’t feel comfortable using it. Not worth the line you gain imo. This is not...

Mak 16 sea..... gas it up and go to to town.

You need to practice with something that isn’t quite so aerodynamic as a tennis ball. Something like a stalk of celery.

AHHh I remember someone posting that spro lure on here a week or so ago now. Thanks for the report.

Very helpful. Could you tell a drunk guy what a BA jig and a bbz is? I’m sure I will feel stoopit afterward.

I have heard a wooden clothespin is a comparable weight. Not sure if that is the spring type or the old school type but either one would not match the drag characteristics of a sardine imo.

For the record, I'm not much of a kidder. I wish I were, but it just isn't in me. You won't find me yanking anyone's chain...unless they are a truly close friend, and even then, I'm not very good at it. The Snipe story is true, whether you believe it or not. Lighten up Frances....

Tannerite yes

I have killed plenty in Texas but I learned a long time ago to not talk about it.

October 20 - February 3. Daily Bag 8 Possesion 3 x daily bag California Fish & Wildlife's 2018-2019 Snipe season and bag limits

Deep blue

I came back to edit my drunk post above but turns out it is one of the more sober posts in this thread. LOL

In the GOMEX which boat do you ride that affords you a good overhand cast? The new boat at Dolphin Docks? The Pelican? Or do you just underhand or sidearm it?

Ahhh yes Jacques Clouseau....

I'd really like to fish with Roy at least once. He looks like a lot of fun.

I still agree with you 100% but unless it is WFO every little advantage you can make for yourself helps. And unless you are one of the fortunate people like Soda Pop we spend more time at home thinking about how to create those advantages than we actually do on a boat reading conditions. We...

Agree with The Professor, the most successful fishermen understand the conditions and ready to change their approach to match but they still understand and apply effective rigging principles. Don’t act like you don’t Mr TFT.

Don't be embarrassed, we are here for open discussion. There were a couple of other good ones if you search Chunking. Also there was a thread about favorite cow hooks that went 7 or 8 pages and if I remember correctly there were several good pages on chunk. I was on a trip with Wahoodad about 2...

I searched and there are actually several threads. Here's one: https://www.bdoutdoors.com/forums/threads/long-range-chunking-for-tuna.646268/

There was a good thread on here about chunking a year or two ago. You should use search feature and you will probably get more info from it than a new thread will bring. Don't use a hook with a swivel attached (you will find respected fishermen on both sides of the fence on this one). You want...

Thanks for confirming Stephen. It was pretty clear to me what happened when he mentioned the witness marks, I was just trying to unfuddle someone's befuddlement. Good to know we shouldn't see these issues at the pressures most of us are capable of pulling.

If he had mushroomed the tip of the mono/fluoro and the crimp slipped it would theoretically slip until it hit the mushroom at which point the crimp would be drawn down tight against the grommet.

Good, you should be ready to toss around those 150 lb reel boxes in no time.

Ya don't see em anymore but back in the day fishing behind the shrimp boats it didn't take long to figure out the old wooden hull draggers would outdraw a steel or aluminum hull 3 or 4 to one.

Cut me some slack, it's about the only thing I can do "thinly" these days.

Do you already own Avets and like them? I have a couple of Penn Torque’s coming to start replacing my avets with.

Makaira already had the 15ii sea. I think you are talking about the 15Tii sea which is new. I have 3 JX Raptors and they are pretty versatile reels. I don’t have one of the 15Tii’s obviously so I can’t really comment on them. I used a JX raptor on my 8’ tilefish last trip to jig up a couple of...

Everything from Boston is just a little better. Especially when America's pastimes are involved.

Shouldn’t it be a Chang-taur?

Glad to see this one get brought back as I had never seen it before. Maybe the prettiest/classiest rod I have seen in your vast portfolio Jim and that is really saying a lot. Nice.

Another work of art Jim.

That is wicked. Beautiful work.

Also I have a UC70 Invictus, a UC76 Invictus, and a UC70 Gladiator. If I were picking one of the 3 for my kite rod it would be the 76 Invictus. The extra length can be handy as I think Bill noted for holding your rod tip high above the guys flylining off the back while you are in jail. Also the...

This X 1 Gazillion. You are going to drop Over 5G’s on your berth not to mention the other thousands you spend on gear, clothes, travel, vacation time, etc and let your best shot at the fish of a lifetime, a true monster freaking demon fish hellbent on wrecking your tackle and breaking your...

I don’t ship my stuff back and forth, I keep it there in SoCal at good safe location. Saves thousands in shipping charges plus the worry of having some gorilla at fedex or ups turn your factory handle into a T-bar.

Only been on a few different boats and although the food was always great what really stood out to me was how long and hard the galley guys work to keep everyone fat and happy. They are usually up before most and still up after most. The San Diego fleet and it’s customers are blessed to have the...

I have a feeling this thread might have a special guest appearance soon.

Yolo you cannot appreciate the heat until you have stayed in M. With the window open even at night it was hot as hell, and I am from Texas where 95 deg with 90% humidity is normal. Trust me. M is not the place to be. And the attendants could do nothing to fix it even though they tried. Pascuale...

Mike and Nancie snuck out and spent the weekend at their own home this past weekend which they were both very excited about but they had to report back to the home they are staying for rehab. They think Mike will pass his swallow test this week and that should get him home for good, God bless...

Pretty sure the tackle spot is determined by seniority on that trip, not deposit date. I could be misremembering it though.

First of all let me say YOU DO NOT WANT STATEROOM “M”. It is directly over the engine room and it is hot as fuck. Running, anchored, it really doesn’t matter. It is a sweatshop regardless of what you do or how many fans you run. I like the lay out of the galley better than the Excel, maybe...

Don't waste your time or money on the 30, at least in the Makaira series. A 20 is plenty fine for flylining sardines for big fish. The 30 is wider and most think it is a bit awkward.

Dude.

Yep finally getting his color back and even half a smile there.

God bless Tom. Praying for you too brother.

What does it matter? The captains and owners specifically ask you to leave all drug and drug paraphernalia at the dock. It's their house. When I am a guest in someone's house I respect their house and their rules I don't ask why.

So my phone rang last night and caller ID said "Mike Morris". I half heartedly expected it to be Nancie on Mike's phone mainly from the last few updates I have received from her I thought he must be having a real rough time. When I answered there was a faint, somewhat squeaky voice on the other...

^^^ No truer words ever spoken. And here I thought you were just full of chit dtf.

What Bill said. The rings have sharp (imo) edges from being stamped. You can clip them off if you find them with rings and fish the uni with a loop like many here do. I know Bill and Fishy do this with confidence. Better practice your uni tying and test test test (like any knot). I sent some to...

The rings are no bueno. Better to find some hooks and ring them yourself.

Had one of those last year and saw a few others. Positive my line was good.

Clean smooth break or frayed?

Mike had been released from UCLA within the last 3-5 days and was starting rehab but had a little hurdle. He has been sent back to UCLA with pneumonia. Keep up the prayers everyone.

Have thrown those off the Texas jetties quite a bit and caught everything from king mackerel to cobia to Jack crevalle. So versatile and will fly a mile. I bet the Wahoo go ape shit for them.

Big fan of the Dexters as well. Hard to beat them.

...

Don't forget Nancie in your prayers. She has stayed by Mike's side at the hospital thru all of this and sent out a steady stream of updates to friends and family. I know she has to be getting very tired as well.

If you haven't found your sea legs after the first two weeks you may never find them. Suck it up buttercup!

Mrs Morris sent great news today. Mike is out of ICU and he has his own quiet room with a door and a couch which means she can get some rest now too. Mike is slowly doing better and getting stronger. Thanks for all praying and following.

I think at this point no news is good news. Mrs Morris sent me a pic a couple days ago where Mike was stretching his legs out on a stationary bike. I jokingly asked if they had walked down the pier yet. They seem to be in good spirits but I imagine both are really tired at this point.

Also the antibody associated with organ rejection that was found in his blood appears to be all gone now so that is really big news.

Hey Soda, matter of fact I heard from Nancie tonight. She sent me a pic of Mike on his first walk today post-op. He made it 50 feet so that's pretty good! One thing I noticed is that all of the doctors and nursing staff in the pic had big smiles on their faces so that really made me feel good...

One guy from Canada (Nallie - can't remember his screen name) said he and 2 or 3 other guys split a storage locker and that made it economically feasible.

The whole magic linewinder thing is just a joke I like to barb my friend John with. There’s nothing here to be upset over, only laughs. Cheers gentlemen.

Kevin if you only knew.... John’s linewinder is indeed magical.

Magic linewinder working overtime.

A 50 on a viper would be a good matchup and he will be able to wear any tuna out with that rig.

Sounds like they are turning down the ventilator more and more and making Mike to rely on his new lungs more which is just a miracle if you ask me. The have detected an antibody which is associated with organ rejection in his blood and they will be taking steps the next few days to eliminate...

Y’all two will be probably be out there at the same time then

Mike will be alright I think if for no other reason he has Nancie (with an IE) and she loves him to death, her words not mine. He does have a long road but luckily he is in one of the 3 or 4 best places on earth to be for his situation, and has good friends like everyone here praying for him.

Over here in the gulf they would cram 80 people on a 100’ boat for 12 hours snapper fishing. Rental rods were 4/0’s with cheapass no name rods. You had a burlap sack width of area rail space. Trick was to get there early and claim the starboard or port corner depending if you were right or left...

I have a 70 invictus a 76 invictus and a 70 gladiator and I am a big ol’ boy. The gladiator is just more than even a large sized man needs. The invictus is really putting the screws to it in a way a 14 yr old cannot. I also have some 76 Vipers and while this may even be a hand full for him to...

Odd you are professor but sound advice. No 14 yr old needs anything bigger than a mak20/20visx + Viper, unless you have him on steroids and heavy weight training. Invictus is good for heavy chunk, big baits even kite. I don’t think a 14 yr old can adequately load that rod up and take advantage...

She messaged me earlier and said he was slowly coming out of sedation. That he was still using a ventilator partially but that's good because he is actually using his new lungs too. The goal for today is to start nutrition and get him sitting up. Tomorrow they hope to have him walking...

.

As long as you dump arm lengths of free line overboard regardless if your bait is swimming or not you will be fine. That was the trick for the people I saw catching.

Alcohol doesn't make everyone an asshole. Some people it actually makes them more tolerable. Some people should give it a shot.

His wife Nancie is a trooper and is a nurse herself so I think while she might be better prepared to deal with the situation than most it still must be extremely stressful emotionally. Thank you to everyone for your continued encouragement and support for Mike. The recovery is going to be a bit...

I’ll say one thing that drunk sumbitch could fish, even as F’d up as he was he stayed hooked up everytime I look around it seemed.

I was on a trip once didn’t know anyone onboard besides exchanging messages with the chartermaster. One guy brought a few cases of his favorite beer, a quite distinct beer but not common enough that someone else was likely to have broght it also. We had a resident drunk on the trip who couldn’t...

The donor is a male in his 50s who smoked but Mike is in a place where he really needs these lungs so pray that they are healthy despite the smoking.

You can but you might get tired swimming.

12 miles southwest of Galveston you would be maybe a mile or two off the beachfront and the water would be about 15 deep. Everything else is soooo believable though.

Just a brief update on Mike. He has been at the hospital for about a week now i think. They were preparing him for the transplant (getting him stronger etc) as he has been pretty weak since the pneumonia recently. He suffered a mild stroke and Is on an ECMO according to his wife but it sounds...

Mike is absolutely one of the finest people you can meet and I love him like a brother. God bless Mike, you are in good hands.

Not 6x, only 4x... I don’t think that is news to anyone but I have still not heard of anyone breaking or straightening out one of the newer dynamics.

Yellowfin tuna have to eat more than other species of tuna even, between 4-7% of their body weight every single day. That is the price they pay for being warm blooded and being more of a “quick twitch athlete” than bft and others. That has a lot to do with their voracious appetites.

Just use a marker to dye the last 10-15 feet of your spectra some neutral color

^ x2

Great right up and pics. Appreciate you time and attention to detail Mr Mayo.

I obviously live in Texas but all my gear lives in Oceanside. Sometime I have the babysitter of my gear send me a couple of reels and I send them to Basil to be filled properly. It’s just what I like to do because I know it is going to be done right and I don’t have time for mishaps. And...

Yeah I knew it was a bandit, just didn’t know they were using pseudo-squids on the CB circles. Cool setup thanks for sharing.

Would be interested to hear what kind of bait they use over there on a setup like that.

Love the CB’s only negative is finding them. On a another note how much pro spec does that reel hold?

..

^^^

I’m sure the locals would love that.

The IGFA has no interest in where you fish or keeping the Baja fishery open to the gringos. It will take a true grassroots movement with financial backing and lobbying power to accomplish that. A movement like we started here in Texas with the GCCA (now spread everywhere as the CCA) to save the...

Bring a few of the SD based boats with you or ya won’t like it too much here.

Yes it is closed now. Plan B I would imagine.

“I never really understood why the pro-reserve forces didn’t embrace sport fishers.” Because we aren’t united and vocal that’s why. They are at meetings and constantly lobbying, signing petitions and getting their propaganda on media outlets. All we do is post pictures on the internet of...

Never ever sell a gun. I’d sell my kids before I sold my guns. Okay I don’t have kids but I’d sell someone else’s.

Fish or cut bait. Looks like the lower banks or HB for cows at this point.

The only thing that is constant is change. Change with the times or get left in the wake. I’m not happy about any of this but I’m sure not going to sell my rods anytime soon.

.

No matter what you do in life success is based on your ability to adapt. Looks like it may almost be time to close one chapter and start another but let’s not write this one off just yet.

Like em grilled over mesquite coals. Like em fried with cornmeal/flour batter. Like em blackened. Hard to not like em.

Sam getting it done.

Load it in your car the night before and the baggage handlers will take care of it for you. No more worries.

It's basically devolved into a pissing match at this point. We (long range enthusiasts) will probably be one of the many losers in this spat.

Yeah tunaholics on the Indy usualy open things up on the lower banks, at least for the last few seasons it seems.

If I ever ride the RP it will be just to get to fish with Roy. He looks like a lot of fun to fish with.

I haven't spliced any yet but the 100# hollow Berkely feels like it will be easy to work with for line that is very small diameter. Given that is 16 carrier.

Dot dot dot

Electrical supply stores for contractors

This guy should just quit with all the flirting and say what he really wants.

That boat is legendary. Great job by them and the equipment.

If you are only getting one rod get the RCX76Viper John recommended above. You may be thinking 7'6" is way to long but the tip is soft, a feature you will appreciate when lobbing a bait and in bumpier seas and it doesn't give up much leverage. You will also appreciate the lifting power of this...

Did you lose reels too or just rods?

And here in the gulf we have rig donkeys too. But I'd rather catch that 80 lb YT than a 100 lb donkey. YT's are faster and smarter imo. Glad a woman caught it also.

Good luck Jim. Don't let it dampen your spirits.

They wouldn't take the spinning rod huh? Here I thought they were crackheads. They may have been fishermen afterall.

Not to rub salt in the wounds but I hope nobody else leaves anything valuable in their vehicles for even a few minutes much less overnight.... much much less one of their most prized possessions(their long range fishing rod cache)... This is like dancing with the devil. Please take note and...

That's what I heard too Jim, after the fact that is. I decided if I ever want hooks ringed again (which I do) that I would have to do it myself. Cost me over $100 and a couple of hours of vacation to learn that lesson.

I sent a well known .com hook ringing business a box of hard to get hooks and told him I was going cow tuna fishing and wanted the lightest wire most stealthy presentation rings he could put on for me. $95.00 later I get my hooks back with a large enough hunk of steel hanging from them to drag...

It looks like a couple of restraining orders may be in order.

Count me in. Heck of a reel salesman, thanks Professor.

.

And if you pull that hard you will induce a crotch break... your own! :hali_parkutuli: Great tests Garry thanks for the info. Congrats on your giant bft John.

Late to the party as usual and he doesn't look like he needs anymore endorsements but chalk up one more satisfied Big Fish Transport customer. I have made 3 trips from Texas to SD and back in the last 20 months and Mike has taken care of me and my gear like I was family. He has even bailed me...

I know of one for sure that puts out leftover dessert from the night before. It's not that big of a deal to me, just don't eat it. Of course I didn't have the munchies like that.

Some guys gotta have their greenery.

It's a factory SS-6470H in great shape. Has been on either 2 or 3 boat rides and I only used it to catch bait I think. He confirmed and confirmed it's in great shape.

I am pretty sure I have a SS 6470H at a friends in Oceanside that I would be willing to part with. Let me get ahold of him and verifyz

I have lost count of the number of times Mike has called me and said "hey there's a problem with your gear, or your reel." One time he called me and let me know two rods got rings knocked off the guides. He ran my gear around getting them fixed or fixing them himself. You really can forget all...

I never like the polycarbonate as they scratch easier. Yes they are a bit lighter but not worth it to me.

He has always handled gear receiving and meeting you at the airport and the dock on the the day the boat returns. He also cleans and services reels and he now yes he does offer insured gear storage. I have used his service multiple times and could think of no other way of doing it now. Anyone...

Nallie you are the man! One of the most enduring threads in BD history brother. Lol

Damn saltwater boats are hard enough to maintain over here and I'm positive y'alls salinity level is quite a bit higher than ours. These crews do an amazing job maintaining their equipment so that you don't hear about more problems.

AT least your roomie didn't snore.

Good luck Tom you will kick cancer's ass!

BTW I had 5 tuna and almost everyone's was small this go around. LOL

Thanks for keeping such a tight watch on me there buddy. EDIT- Is it ever too late to take the high ground? I hope not, I may have to back up to find it but all the drama doesn't help anyone.

This from a guy who who scatters his shit all over the room, takes up the entire sink with two fans dirty clothes and piles of shit, takes two showers the entire trip and wears the same clothes for four days straight, doesn't use plastic bags to store his foul filthy ass smelling clothes, bring...

Great write up Peter and I agree 100% it is the people who make the trip. I had one person onshore kept messaging me everyday wanting to know how many and how big of fish I had caught and they knew it was tough fishing. They kept saying "don't worry you will get them tomorrow, there is still...

I say this with all due respect and sincerity dtf, go forth and multiply sir.

10-4 Sorry I didn't read the quoted post. Now it makes sense. LOL

I don't know what you mean by "that know they will be fishing illegally". As someone who just got off a LR boat I can assure you that all open and closed fishing areas were closely adhered to.

Peter on a beer shift? Hell he gives all his beer away. Good luck Peter. See you guys down there.

I use the Plano case. I strap rods tip to butt with slight butt overlap. Strap them firmly. I use short sections of foam water pipe insulation from Lowe's or Home Depot to protect guides (especially the larger ones) and to prevent rods from rattling against each other. I thoroughly wrap the the...

I made my first California LR trip a couple years ago on Larry's 10 day Nov trip. He's a nice fellow and more than happy to coach. Good luck on your trip you will really have fun.

Nice fish Brian. That last one however is not a white bass. It is a hybrid. You can tell because the lines running down the sides are broken. A white bass and striper for that matter have solid unbroken lines. Also the body is a little deeper or more football shaped than a white and definitely...

You deserve to have your new thread privileges revoked.

IT's been pretty tame so far, shit is about to hit the fan. :beerbang: Enjoy!

Absolutely love it. Thanks Jim, and thanks for helping with the green Bill.

Thank you again Jim. I know anytime you are working on a rod for me that you are going to show a tremendous amount of attention to my rambling and then to the details. Thank you for being such a pleasure to work with and for being so humble.

Whatever it is it is well worth it! :food-smil

Craig's story wasn't a good story. It was an INCREDIBLE journey. I think we can all learn a lot from the rook from Nebraska. Especially how to keep a great attitude.

Hands down the most riveting, colorful, intoxicating thread I have read on these forums. You had me reliving the excitement and struggles I felt my first time. This whole board is indebted to you for your your poetic memories. And one other thing for those of us who weren't there: imagine the...

I hope you throw us some Mexican money Jim we've been waiting a long time for a good story.

Are you sure about that?

I had a really brutal trip over here in the gulf one time that made me sit out a few seasons bummed out. Over here a "long" trip is 2 or 3 days. This was a 64hr trip. The weather was so bad that the Coast Guard closed the harbor and wouldn't let any boats in or out. I should have gotten off the...

Take it from a fat guy who loves food, there is nothing wrong with the table fare on the Excel. There may have been one meal I wasn't real crazy about but that was a personal preference and not on the chef. There was plenty of variety and everything was top notch. As far as the fruit comment...

Like I said money talks.

Money talks and bullshit walks. The right palms get greased it will be just like Guadalupe. The opportunists eyes were probably opened to the possibilities from that whole matter.

Ain't no flies on any in that group. The fish. I'm talkin' bout the fish.

Hi Jennifer, nice first post. You're going to do fine and have a lot of fun. I'm assuming you will be using boat gear and that's fine too. Might want to take some fluoro in 100# & 130#. Other than that you can probably get most everything else on the boat. You're going to be hooked.

seems a bit early to jump to conclusions imo

It didn't take steady ones to draw a bite John. Bait selection is key. Know your quarry. Take your time selecting a bait. Present that bait in a stealthy natural manner. Hold on! One bait - one bite. LOL

nvm

Well professor can you share your list of cigars then? Maybe an everyday smoke and then that special stick to celebrate when you catch grandaddy long sickles. Or do you go balls to the wall every day?

The Star doesn't do a very good job with updates, very hit or miss. And facebook? Forget about it.

Knowing one of the new owners is Justin Fleck I don't think you need to worry about the service.

Always fish the largest leader you can get away with especially at night when all types of dangers lurk in the darkness to cut/fray/burn you off from your next potential cow.

If you don't mind me asking, why would you use 130# premier (basically 100# other brand) on your night time sinker outfit which is arguably the one you least need a stealthy presentation on not counting your kite rig? I mean it's night time for starters, and they aren't going to see 130#...

And Curt is colorful guy. He has a lot of great stories and advice to give. Had breakfast with him my last morning in SD and already miss that guy.

Well you have the right attitude it looks like. Just don't measure your success by if you caught a cow or not. There's so much more to it than that.

Jim, could you give us an in depth account of your rod arsenal and what specific tasks/line rating you intend to use them for. I know I read one of your accounts before but I believe your weapons cache has grown and things may have changed. Also if the sardines are not good sized like this last...

Yeah Andre these are very helpful. Thanks for the time and effort you put into them!

If you are on a private sportfisher and have control of what few lines are in the water, and have command of the boat to follow the fish as needed then yeah I would agree. But in the pandemonium of a night time long range bite, that may literally have dozens of lines going everywhere, you do...

I thought that was my knees knocking....

That's how I will catch a super cow if it ever happens. LOL

I watched closely as the Excel crew flushed one tuna gut after another and one thing stuck with me. Almost every single sardine washed out was completely pristine. Not even scales out of place. It was clear to me they slurp them down whole and there is none of the mouthing or tail grabbing or...

You are liable to ask 10 people and get 10 different answers. Read twice the thread above that Bill linked. There are pros and cons for all hooks. Take a few of 2 or 3 different kinds. You can always get more on the boat. Perhaps just as important is how you are going to attach said hook and...

Y'all need to thin the sharks out while you're down there for the rest of us. Fish 275# Sevenstrand. Take one for the team!

Bring a hook file or stone. Or both. For your large J hooks and wahoo jigs.

Good luck Jake. Don't break your shoulder this time eh?

Side arm your cast with a heavy plug in a ff color pattern so that it flies closer to the surface of the water going out. The fish will see it flying thru the air and mistake it for a flying fish. A lot of the time your plug will be slurped up by a waiting tuna as soon as it hits the surface...

You bring up a good point Rick, there are also electronic deterrents that divers wear to repel sharks. Wonder if these would be effective.

Captain here told my dad on a really large amberjack he needed to "play that fish". Dad had him on 100# line and told the captain "that's ok I'll play with him on the deck of the boat." LOL

Doesn't hurt to have a good sharp hook when chunking in case the point slides up inside. The trokar is plenty sharp enough to get thru the chunk and find paydirt.

How many are at this party now?

Right now it looks like the Patriots.

Per the recommendation of John Nappo at Trophy Tackle I used the HD's for a chunk hook with positive results. They are super sharp and are going to find their way into the fish's jaw. For the record I only caught one fish on them but one bite - one fish. Really strong hook I wasn't worried...

California Condors

Lots of great info here thanks everyone for sharing, especially Wahoodad for that really long informative post that makes you think. I was there during the shark chunks trip and caught a decent fish on one but one guy caught six or seven in the span of a couple hours. I watched him like a hawk...

Dang I wish I were number 15, slow or not.

Pretty much....

We have a huge machine shop I'm sure we already have, or I can make a reciprocating arm. Question is 80 grit? 50? 35?

Robert I've been thinking about something just along those lines. Keeping the angle and pressure the same for sach stroke may be a little tricky. I'm thinking some type of jig to guide it for repeatability.

I work in an industrial instrumentation shop in a refinery. Testing and calibrating extremely precise instruments and valves is part of my business. I can easily set up a repeatable bench test with a pneumatic piston providing accurate pull ratings. I will brainstorm and see if I can think of an...

If it was easy and everything went according to plan it wouldn't be so damn much fun!

What a kick in the nuts. Sure if they will bite 130# that's obviously great, but you have to get a bite before you can catch (or lose) a fish.

You are correct Bill it is brass. 12.6 oz and Mustad 9/0 7691

I agree Garry the JRI is a more polished product.

Simple mistake calling it a PL68 they are very similar so not the end of the world. I think most people on here know about JRI8's and probably knew what Basil meant but there may be some who didn't. But since Jerry donated the jigs and no doubt wants to spread the word about his own product it's...

Here in the gulf I never go on a tuna trip except during a new moon. Even with zero moonlight I've never been able to tell a difference catching blackfin tuna with glow vs a white or chrome jig. I would expect yft wouldn't be too different.

Andy loves him some balloon fishing. I guess I would too if I was as good at it as he him.

Great news! Hopefully you will be able to fish again soon.

I imagine no one felt as bad as the guy holding the saw. I know I'd have been sick over it.

I've never met a guy more deserving of a little help like this. John thanks for setting this up, I truly believe this treatment is going to help.

I don't know how the rooster is but the stern stateroom on the Excel wasn't bad at all. The diesels hummed me to sleep even during the daytime and I slept like Rip Van Winkle. Of course everyone else might view the noise differently.

Nallie matter of fact I will be on the 16 day Sav-On trip running the same time as David's trip in April. Nothing against the boat, crew or group we fished with, all were top notch. I really enjoyed the whole experience. Just wanted to see what the Indy is all about. Very good possibility I...

Hey John did you mean the 76 Viper? I would think the Raptor is a little light in the britches for real cow fishing no? Pretty sure this was just a slip up. I know how busy you are in that shop while you're multitasking, after all I wasted a half hour of your time amongst all the buzzing...

Give 'em hell Basil. Keep Andy in line too.

Nallie did pretty well with that Phenix Axis 4XH on my last trip. Very good advice he gives on borrowing boat eqpt, it's all in good shape they won't have junk in that environment. Plus there will be many different rods of all sizes there and most people won't mind letting you pull on one to get...

Can't go wrong having Mike help you out. He's taken care of me and my gear on two trips in the last 13 months and he is just a stand up guy all the way around. Everything will be covered from gear shipping and tracking, to checking your stuff for damage beforehand (and after the trip in my case...

Can't hVe too many hoo rigs. When the bite is hot you don't want to be re-rigging.

Don't get jealous sweetheart.

Always good to see you posting more Professor.

Don't you have some albacore spreader bars to be rigging up?

Sorry to hear about the Intrepid's misfortune. Sorry about your trip Jackie, having fished with you on that trip last year I know you would have gave the wahoo hell.

The negative impact with the fleet keeping billfish doesn't have to be real, it can be perceived and that's enough to stir up trouble for future relations. As Jeff pointed out marlin are a big source of revenue in all these Mexican tourist towns. The first time they have a bad year or go into...

Why would you want to keep one seriously? It makes us look like bad stewards of a borrowed resource if we roll thru and ice down a bunch of billfish. While a couple are supposed to be good eating why would you want to with all the other good fish, steaks, etc they feed you on these boats? Just...

Go outside in your garage, driveway, really doesn't matter, and stand up all freaking day. Keep doing it 'til you can stand up all day with few breaks. A lot of the other shit you can learn as you go but your success depends directly on how much time you spend standing at the rail.

When this guy talks slimey bastards it's usually a pretty good idea to listen. Just sayin'.

That's how they look at times here in the gulf when fishing the floaters. But here it's not sharks herding them onto the boat, it's yft. Really a blast when it turns on like that.

I had the best roommate on the whole trip. He brought Pabst Blue Ribbon for everyone, serve yourself. What a generous guy! I guess I couldn't hear your farting over your snoring but it's all good, I drank so much PBR my senses were dead. Wish I could make it again this year, already regretting it.

Been on both and the two boats are so close overall it's hard to say strictly by that. But imo the crew on the Excel was so much better than my experience with the Intrepid it isn't even close. In all fairness though we had the "A Squad" on the Excel and the "B Team" on the Intrepid. One of the...

More than likely Pacifico related.

You can't rely on internet on any boat out there if it's important enough that your business depends on it. Get a sat phone or use the boats and be done with it. Or stay at home if you can't do without.

Let me first say I really don't give a flip one way or another, it doesn't affect me and I don't have to live with the lie. Now in my opinion the only person who has anything to gain by the lie is the captain or owner or whoever told the kid it was 200#. Do you think the kid woke up that day...

I don't know about there but here the fishing (especially redfish) really kicks wide open in front of tropical weather.

Some really good advice on here. Especially the hunter's safety class. Sounds pretty dumb to even bring up but make sure of your target before you shoot! Sounds ridiculous to suggest but every year people get excited and let one fly in another hunter's direction. Very easily avoidable. As said...

Nice shot on the run. Did the ttsx pass thru the far side? Did it hit any heavy bone on the way thru?

Just saw this and have to say this saddens me. Bill you are one of the reasons I come here, and even registered in the first place. I appreciate all the personal advice and time you spent helping me to understand different aspects of the game. You are one of the true gentleman and this forum is...

A burro maybe?

Men's I believe

100 has slightly smaller diameter but 80 is much easier to work with if splicing. Ask your best friend he will know.

Freaking dinosaur.

I know it's a long shot but stranger things have happened.

Want to buy tib 50 in good working order. If you have one or know someone who wants to unload one please pm me. Thanks

I had never met Mike before my 10 day Intrepid trip last fall but he has really gone out of his way to look out for me, my gear, and do everything he can to make the whole clusterf#@€ of travelling and transporting stuff easy on me. We talk almost on a weekly basis and a lot of the time it's not...

Can't thank you enough Jim. Not just for cranking out one badass rod after another, but also for being a damn nice guy.

.

Texlee use a nicopress 17-ba crimper and some 1a sleeves. Crimp the k2k to a welded ring or swivel opposite the hook. Works great.

It's not too hard to read these forums and tell who the miserable pricks are. :)

Wrong forum

.

You will not find a better boat, captain or crew than you are going to experience on that trip. They are all top notch. The boat is so big and spacious and stable it's really incredible. Plenty of rod holders and room for tackle, no need to fight anybody over a tackle rack spot. Justin Fleck...

Maybe so Jim, I didn't fight a fish on my gladiator so I was just pulling static weight. I also have the 76Invictus and did catch a decent fish on the chunk with it. It is definately an incredible rod.

The gladiator is certainly capable as a kite rod, it's what I have for my kite rig, but it doesn't necessarily have what I'd consder a "soft tip". I might be wrong in my assessment though. Listening to what he wants I was thinking Invictus but that's just me. I'm sure Randy can steer him the...

Have Mak30's on both of mine (one UC70 & one UC76) love em both.

The various letter designations before the model number I'm assuming denotes the run or year they were made... C338-J5, S332-5, P-332.... Is there a letter designation that is preferable or any that are best to stay away from?

That's a good wahoo jig rod. Nice and stiff. Glws

Hey David I can vouche for Jake being a stand up guy. I've done business with him on a couple of rods and he even repaired one of them that was damaged thru no fault of his own. You can shop with confidence.

I can second Mike Morris. When I came back from an absolute monsoon wet dousing of a trip last November, my gear stayed at Mike's. He went thru all my reels and they were as good as if not better than factory new.

Nice wtg Tim

Hey I listen to AM radio!

You can be on fb and not air your laundry just saying. But it's nice for people who have loved ones on a trip (especially a long trip) being able to look at their fb and see how their husband or brother or son is doing and that they are having a good time. It means a lot to some people. Life...

I guess they figure if you are going to be online that it's also likely you may be checking their facebook page. I know the facebook pages get much more traffic because of the way they can be shared and broadcast, reaching thousands of potential new customers. Usually the updates are done by the...

Even if they were similar metals I don't think you would want to weld them because that kind of heat required causes metal parts to draw and bend due to rapidly heating and cooling. The last place you would want metal parts to distort is a fishing reel with close tolerances like this one.

Haha right. Story didn't add up for me either. With the impending flood we have coming down river right now I imagine the hogs might all be treading water for a few weeks. It's going to be real bad around here toward the middle of the week. Expect to see Brazoria County, TX on the news. They...

Very simple and ingenious Nallie thanks for sharing. I find it hard to believe your claims about the KY though. FYI about the caterpillars raping your cherry trees: butterflies will swoop in on the newest, greenest, tenderest leaves your tree has and lay tiny little eggs most people don't even...

Did someone say crawfish?

Great write up Jamie thank you for taking the time to type this up! Living in Texas and not having the opportunity to go pull on numerous rods before purchase I spoke with several people whom I trust on the qualities of the UC blanks. People like David Choate, John Nappo, and Randy Penny...

This guy does great work for only having one arm.

Curt W. is a great guy to fish with. Just spent 15 days with him on Excel's last trip and he had some great stories. He lost several fish last trip to various reasons so glad he got a cow.

If you want lifting power check out the UC Invictus in either 7' or 7'6". The UC rail rods are the hot ticket right now for good reason, go pull on one.

What a great trip. Although the bite wasn't that hot the whole 15 days far exceeded my expectations. Great group of guys and Wahoodad is such a helpful GENEROUS chartermaster. He really went all out, too much if you ask me. I was going to take notes and do a detailed play-by-play recap but...

This is a great opportunity for someone. I'd almost walk off my job to be able to go :cheers:

Was on the trip with Turd and he is absolutely correct. The sharks were little more than a nuisance at times and often were nowhere to be seen. The porpoises were thick and crafty and did not stop when the sun got up. It was maddening to get a hot bait in the zone just to have a porpoise pick...

Incredible fish

In Texas the whole brisket is used although they are two distinct muscles. When serving you typically ask if they want lean (the flat) or moist (the point). The point tastes way better but isn't doing any favors to your arteries.

Hey Bill sorry I missed you. It didn't take too long to load up the few fish I caught LOL I would have stuck around if I'd have known. At the airport now about to fly back home, Will be back on the grid this evening probably.

Nice

Yeah Steve K those rings that come on em stock are sketchy at best. I was warned about em too so I cut them all off as well.

Ordered mine earlier today, too bad for me they didn't come in last week as our trip leaves in the morning. Five stars for John and the crew at TFT, what a nice guy and great operation.

It's all piggy Fay, that's why we have to thin em out as much as possible.

I live between Freeport and Sargent. My family (Tischlers) are from Corpus and still have an uncle there.

Thanks Bill, I hope I find a groove because there is going to be some stiff competition at the rail on this trip. Thanks again for all the advice and patience you've shown me.

Damn I forgot B Dub was on this one also. Wish I had that much vacation left. Seriously would love to fish with him.

Me likey so far. Thanks for the tips.

I've been told more than once that the moon phase doesn't make a noticeable difference over there but here in the gulf (at least the Texas side) it ABSOLUTELY does and is always the first factor we weigh when booking a tuna trip. That being said the yft game is about 95% a nighttime activity...

Me too!

Gary he said for one fish, two weeks, in a five gallon tank to use half of a weekend feeder. He is worried if you use more that it will pollute the water too much and thinks this is a bigger threat than starving the fish. If you have other advice from a pro by all means go with what you're...

Gary my aquarium buddy asked me what size tank your betta is in. He said the delayed feeders will be enough for length of trip but more concerned about water quality depending on size of tank and setup. Was going to send you a PM but looks like you have em turned off.

Gary have you come up with a comfortable solution for your betta?

I think you took both my tongue in cheek comments a tad too serious Fishy.

If you don't drink beer just wait til those who do are overserved and soon enough you may just have the rail to yourself. Either that or you may be replacing all your spectra again.

Who would sign up for a Ballast Point trip if they didn't drink beer? Just saying. :cheers:

That ballast point cart looks hard to top. Which boat hosts this trip?

So were the other anglers chumming after that?

Nice looking stick Jake. You upgrading to a 76?

Knowledge. You cannot put a dollar figure on it and most will never value it's true worth.

I have an issue getting emails from Excel anyway as I never even received an email confirming my trip. I called Jason and he has the correct address , said it should have been sent from a third party but I never received it. Oh well, fingers crossed.

Sounds like good news and the first I'm hearing of it. I had suspected this might be the case with her being in port the day prior. Is there a certain time they start letting people check in and board? I already have a room at the dolphin but I may cancel a night of it we'll see.

Sending PM

I have RA also, just really learning how to get it under control actually so I know exactly where you are coming from. About three weeks now until my first 15 dayer so I'm hoping my hands and fingers and elbows and shoulders and every other joint I never paid attention to before this holds up...

Dude read dates before bringing them out of the graveyard please.

One thing he did in that video that I have heard you shouldn't do is apply the glue to fuzzy end. The reason being glue on the fuzz can actully make large snag to get hung in your guides.

Just one booked this year... 15 days on the Excel in 3 weeks. I could either squeeze in another trip of 3-5 days somewhere or save that vacation and roll it over next year, try to get 2 long trips in.

Wouldn't have been the giant 12" dongfish that deep sixxed it would it?

Make it happen John!

David I have a special one I'm working on called the Capt Morgan knot, I'll let ya know how it does. Or maybe y'all will be close enough to watch from that alpha spot. ;)

I remember when I tied one of those between my spectra and mono years ago. It was like having a caterpillar with an erection on your line. Even with the aftco bigfoot rollers it felt like you were hitting speed bumps in 4th gear.

Jake I guess you have a serving vise/stand/whatever you take along with you on the boat? I enjoy reading varying techniques. If necessity is the mother of invention then variety and experimentation is the father of improvement.

Those high dollar ass pliers are all a trap to get into your wallet. So many things your money would be better served on.

Ya know I'm fairly new around here but I've already noticed there may not be a single topic that everyone can agree upon across the board emphatically. It certainly isn't this topic. So while YES that was a bold statement to say every boat and experienced angler uses double satos and tac glue...

Enough knowledgeable experienced guys here with numerous cows and several over 300 use double crimps and I will trust their opinion.

I think you will find a few people still using them, and some who used to use them either doing some combination/variation of a nail/nub with tac-glue now.

Love those blanks.

Just realized I reposted the same info from a few months ago... Lol

Thanks for the info Cliff. I will be looking forward to your other results. I found myself in a bind on my last trip as someone told me to bring knot2kinky wire for wahoo leaders but not to worry with sleeves that they would show me a couple of knots they used. The first evening at sea I asked...

Called Eddie and sent my Mak20SEa in to get cleaned and serviced. What a great guy and had my real back to me in no time. Thanks Eddie.

Call Deuce Bigelow he has experience with aquatics.

I'm sure he could, he's a nice guy and will go out of his way to help a client. You should call him up. I can't promise that he doesn't suffer from the same ailment you do so your medicine might not be safe.

Call my good buddy Mike at Big Fish Transport to remind him what time my plane touches down in SD and he "says don't worry man it's on my schedule." Have him pick me up curbside at the terminal and drive me to get tackle, beer, food anything I might have forgot in Texas and check into my hotel...

Well don't overdo it next month buddy. You have one day to clean out the whole buffer zone before we get there, better have your game face on.

That's why you were stumbling and bumbling like that? I thought you just couldn't handle your 1 Pacifico a day.

Not true about the luck with circle hooks and grouper. The way we fish grouper your drag is hammered down tight from the git-go, rod on the rail... This sets the hook. No luck involved. And here in the Gulf when we are fishing oil rigs for grouper we back the boat up close to the rig, engine...

Those look great. I have some wahoo irons I really like that look just like those. :cheers:

One more thing, if you want the best chance to be the one pulling a grouper up on big boat have your bait on the bottom before anyone else. I have seen it time and time and time again that the first one in the zone is the guy eating tastey grouper fillets the next day.

Circle hooks if you are dropper fishing. The heavy weight/tight line sets the hook automatically when they come tight. I prefer a J hook when using a jig or sliding weight rig (don't know if y'all bottom fish with those over there). Match hook size to your bait but groupers have huge mouths so...

Psssst.... tell people it's a Texas tails & tops trout rod then you will still be in the saltwater category. :) Real nice work Jim!

You're one of a kind Soda.

I like the way you think Fishy.

Bill W is the clip ring something you pick up at a tackle shop or some other place?

Yeah I'm curious to know....

Really nice Gabriel. Are you taking applications for new buddies? :cheers:

I would like a 2oz jar each of the green, aqua, and orange please sir.

They look very nice. Wish I were local.

If you have an Avet mxj it shouldn't be considered for 80 or 60, maybe 30.

John spent way more of his shop time talking to a noob today than he should have, giving him advice and helping to settle of his anxiety issues. Thanks for that John you are first class.

I cannot agree with everything he said any more than I do already. Mike Morris is a top notch guy and goes out of his way (literally) again and again to help his clients out. My last trip was in November and like Eric said Mike did all of the above, along with shuttling me from the airport, to...

Have seen it once on a butterflied lane snapper my dad soaking as a cobia bait. It was a man sized hoo and yes it was a clusterfuck.

I know what ya mean Lou, I'm not even "old" and already have had what I consider a life altering health issue arise. That's why I am pushing forward with my first trips now even though I'm not in the best of health, I want to go while I still am able. Best of luck and health to all of you.

Just what the doctor ordered. :) I thank you Jake, hope your shoulder gets to feeling better!

It would seem to me that if you wanted to "boycott" the commercial longlining and gillnetting industries you would boycott the tail end of the process - ie - the finished product (the fish at the market) because let's be honest, that is the only way as a consumer your actions will have a direct...

The sight of that makes me sick to my stomach.

That is just freaking gorgeous Jim. I'd almost be afraid to leave out in the rod rack. That marbling over thread under diamonds? Damn!

Sweet color combo and excellent threadwork Tim

I'm pretty sure this guy is going to be pleased too! :cheers: Thanks again Jim you are a first rate talent and gentleman. It was a pleasure and I can't wait to bend this bad boy opposite a bmf yft.

I'm pretty sure he will be pleased!

The line can be seen as slack as well at the reel and up the rod and appears the tag end is whipping back toward the right if I remember correctly. Really a bummer moment and incredible coincidence to catch it just at that moment on film.

Living here on the Texas coast I literally grew up throwing a castnet. Menhaden, mullet, mud minnows, pin perch, piggies, all make great bait and are readily available to a net thrower. The main draw back to throwing a net is it is hard on the bait. Scales and gills get hung in the webbing and...

Curious how long Charles had that 250# yft on before he got chewed off. Also what type of hook and how he thinks he had it hooked.

I like the knot2kinky in the 40whatever I think its 44. You can use it over and over and they bite it just fine.

Jim you show off :notworthy Absolutely jaw dropping!

Echo what Bill said. Pay retail, get the discounted spectra but most importantly get the 5 YR WARRANTY! Did I mention the last mak I bought from Pelagic I got 20% off retail AND still got the warranty? You tell me what's a better deal.

I got mine from Chris at Pelagic Outfitters. I got a real nice price and a good deal on JBH.

Bump. And shocked this awesome deal & rod are still looking for a home.

Jake I just got my rod in today. Haven't got a chance to open it yet but I'm sure everything is kosher. Can't believe the bulletproof rod tube Jake mails his rods in guys. I have a twin to this rod from him and it's absolute perfection.

Bump for a really badass rod and a great builder

Here's to a great year and heavy jackpot winners. HNY BD'rs!

Bump

Well I missed that thread Basil.

Man that looks sharp Tim. Awesome threadwork

Again it didn't slip. The sleeve didn't pull down to the hook. I don't have a picture of it, perhaps I can take one later for visual purposes. Maybe I can explain it like this - The loop at the hook was shaped like a "U" prior to the pressure of a fish but after pressure was applied the end of...

Nope the crimp didn't slide, just the wire bent down snug around the hook, sort of squeezing it. The loop just elongated or stretched out, deformed. I told Larry on the trip and showed him that and how I thought a ringed hook might actually be beneficial in that circumstance. Thanks for the...

Tim I noticed on my last trip that when I used the knot2kinky (which isn't supposed to kink) that after catching a fish the loop end at the hook actually did pull down and squeeze tight around hook eye. While I wouldn't call it a "kink" and I continued fishing and landing fish with the same...

Garry I fished a 10 day in November and used the 45# K2K with #1 sleeves. I didn't go in the 3rd time either. I only used 1 sleeve to promote stealthiness. I only hooked and caught one wahoo on this setup but it was the manner in which I brought him in that makes me think you're crimp will also...

That 76 Viper is amazing. If you're on that trip and don't win one you might just find yourself buying one very soon. I love mine.

If you can't find a particular color send your ones you don't like color scheme on to Fishdoggary. Gary can make Michelangelo jealous with his skills.

So true Spanky. I think John TFT has the right frame of mind.

Thanks Justin.

I know this thread is about the andros and I'm sorry for hijacking but how does the Predator compare with the Raptor? The specs are very similar. Are they the same type/purpose rod?

How much drag do you normally fish David? If you get the chance go into CharkBait and pull on some of the new UNited Composites factory rail rods. This will give you a feel for the different models and how they differ from a regular harness rod. UC really makes some fine rail rod blanks and I...

We used Harnells here as well! Have a couple of 10 footers I wrapped for surf and jetty fishing and even a couple of my dad's old Harnell tarpon rods he wrapped and used on the piers and jetties of Padre Island and Port Aransas back in the day. Great sticks and absolutely irreplaceable.

Confession - I have taken one L.R. Trip (a 10 day on the Intrepid in November). Cow fishing wasn't even considered as it was a "variety trip". So I had 2 mak20s and a mak30 in the way taking up space. The rod storage on the Intrepid could be so much better considering how first class everything...

True scold but cow fishing only represents a portion of the fishing done from these boats. And a lot of people use 7'6" or longer for lighter classes whether fly lining or jigging.

Couldn't stand my 7'6" rods up on the Intrepid. They had to ride up front. Really nice boat but this small thing sucks. I heard the Excel you can stand up an 8 footer. I'll find out when I fish Wahoodad's trip.

the "extra" spaces are farther up front with no numbers on them. What they're saying is don't put your rods on someone else's number regardless if there's a rod there or not because they may move them there later.

I can vouch for what speyman said above as I was on the trip also. Chairs in the way of accessing your tackle every single time. And also just walking from the cabin to the rail. Excuse me. Pardon me. May I get thru please? But the same thing went for the tackle boxes with the rod holders parked...

Forgive me for asking but wouldn't it be better to go shorter instead of longer, to get the hook closer to the likely grab spot? It looks sweet though.

It's reverse psychology Dave. ;)

Is the point of a Trokar not a cutting point? That doesn't worry you guys who are fishing it?

Bill I just received the VMC dynamics I ordered off eBay and you're absolutely right the rings are crap.

On a slightly different note. What is the likelihood of you buy hooks on eBay that you get a couterfeit hook? I imagine getting a fake mutu is possible but I would think the vmc' would not offer a big enough profit margin to copy?

Glad you seem to know all the facts and what works best for everybody. You are certainly destined to make a lot of friends here.

A lot of folks on here prefer to not use a ring. These are experienced fishermen who have put in their time and come to their opinion from hours soaking bait. There's arguments to be made on both sides but just like most everything it's personal preference.

Stunning Jim. Absolute perfection.

Thanks guys I have a lot to learn.

So if using premier it's a good idea to bring some 150 as well?

http://longrangesportfishingsandiegostyle.com Jeff's books.

At the Rail by Bill Roecker is a really good book as well as Jeff's, especially for newer to the LR scene angler's.

No, 1800 during day.... Night time much shallower. Near the thermocline usually. But yes I agree either set up would be asking for a disaster on a typical LR boat.

Here's a good article focusing on Brett and the Booby Trap team with some good broadbill info in it. Some of it is specific to Texas but at the same time it says broads universally seek the same general depths to hang out. The article has some info on daytime, night time and even trolling for...

If you don't try you never will catch one so like Basil said do your thing.

When fishing swords at night you don't have to go down too deep, anywhere from a few hundred feet to the surface with big bait (preferably fresh squid) and lots of light both on the boat and on your leader. They come near the surface at night to feed so this is the reason you target them up top...

I'm not exactly sure the habits of Pacific swords but I imagine they closely resemble those of swords here in the Gulf which are very depth and bottom contour/current specific. The likelihood that you would find yourself drifting in these depths while targeting tuna or something else is pretty...

Casting length and to keep the fish off the hull.

Another beauty Jake. Bump for a good guy and great rod builder.

A friend of mine who owned a tackle shop used to long line here in the gulf years ago. They used a mustad hook similar to the 7691 but beefier and heavily offset. They were mainly after swords but from time to time they would hook a giant bft that would utterly wreck their gear. I prefer non...

Ice Man.

Yep, not going to sway opinions here. I think it has a lot to do with how and what you were brought up around. For instance, my dad taught me at a young age to respect the law, other people, nature, and firearms. I had my own rifle at a very early age and he taught me not only how to use it...

It's a perfect platform for hog hunting here in "relatively" close quarters here. You built this one right. Great components.