Who's fishing the Bash?

[Seth]

A half or 3/4 filled spool will lead to a lot more success.

By the second morning, I'd broke off quite a bit off line. After breaking off a few more times, I ended up putting fresh line on and skipping wasn't as good, but I figured it was just due to the rough water. I guess there were a lot of little things that helped me being able to skip better the second morning.

[MOsmallies]

By the second morning, I'd broke off quite a bit off line. After breaking off a few more times, I ended up putting fresh line on and skipping wasn't as good, but I figured it was just due to the rough water. I guess there were a lot of little things that helped me being able to skip better the second morning.

Yep... If I know I'm going to be skipping and pitching almost exclusively, I will only fill my spool a little over half way. Much easier to manage and way fewer backlashes.

[Old plug]

i do not do it here on LOZ. i depend a lot on stealith. i am no wrench about that( he can sneak up on a fish in 1 ft of water) but I do well enough to suit me. I have learned you can get awful close to fish and not disturb them by being careful.  When I do go behind docks I pitch or flip. I can usually handle the fight without getting messed up in the cables I am that close. i also have arthritis. I would not last very long skipping.

Fishing around cables is a real challenge on LOZ that's for sure. There are old cables that were replaced and you do not see plus most docks have minimum of 6 like mine does. I have had fish take my lure and run. under a cable then jump and still end up tangled in the cable. It still can happen either way over or under around here.

 

[waterpossum]

Lucked out in the last hour on Sunday with an exact 3.00. Saturday we fished docks close to the 36 mile marker. When we started we were catching fish on the outside corners in 9-12' of water. All the fish were hitting just after splash down, but I held on to this technique too long. If I heard the winner right, he said his 6.88 fish came from behind a dock in 2-3' of water somewhere close to the 36 mile marker.  Sunday I adjusted fishing behind the docks in the Niangua arm with better success. I had to fight swells and cables to land the 3.00. My partner was in no position to net it so luckily I was able to get it before the cables sawed it off by laying down and reaching out with the net.

[WeekendWarrior]

Does someone know if there was a problem with the 4th place winner, they said something at ceremony but I could not here what they said? Not sure if he failed a lie detector test or if he just could not be at the ceremony?

[5bites]

The half full spool thing depends on the reel. I never personally do this but I'm very selective on my equipment for short line fishing. 

[WeekendWarrior]

For skipping I use a 7 foot heavy mbr844 with a chronarch 50 mg with 17 to 20 lb test seaguar, with the heavy line on that small reel it does not hold a lot of line and works pretty well. If I screw up a cast and get to much water on a cast I loosen the tension knob to a free spool and pull out backlash which has worked great for me, believe me I have done this MANY times. If you feel resistance just do not pull it tight, pick at the overspool until you can pull it without tightening up the backlash. Fluorocarbon line does not last long if you put a kink in the line.

[5bites]

For skipping I use a 7 foot heavy mbr844 with a chronarch 50 mg with 17 to 20 lb test seaguar, with the heavy line on that small reel it does not hold a lot of line and works pretty well. If I screw up a cast and get to much water on a cast I loosen the tension knob to a free spool and pull out backlash which has worked great for me, believe me I have done this MANY times. If you feel resistance just do not pull it tight, pick at the overspool until you can pull it without tightening up the backlash. Fluorocarbon line does not last long if you put a kink in the line.

This guy has a classic excellent choice for a skipping rod and reel. 844's are fast. As in true fast not the fast most rods are rated. The 854 is even better imo because it's even faster but the 844 is an awesome tapered and powered blank. I badly wish loomis still sold the blanks. More faster is more better for skipping, pitching and roll casting. 

 

The reel is great too. Shallow light spools start up quick and that's what you want. Not only that, they stop quick when the lure stops moving. They don't have the inertia of a heavy deep spool that keeps going after the lure stops whatever the reason may be. I prefer magnetic brakes of a Daiwa but have used and owned many shimanos and they work fantastic. It's just a preference thing. In fact I'm trying out a 13 Fishing concept a right now. It's not magnetic braking but so far I really like it and will probably buy more!

 

Anyway the half filled spool thing is a bandaid in a way to achieve a lighter spool but won't perform as well as a larger diametered shallow spool. The smaller the diameter the spool center is the worse the line memory is just for one. Imo a spool that is rated at 12lbs/120 or less is ideal. The one reel I've found that beats this is the Daiwa t3 1016 reels. They carry just a little more capacity but the fantastic braking and light weight of the spool lets it cheat the standard I use. I have several of these reels and love them. They can do everything and it's hard to find a reel like that. They have an insane amount of adjustability. 

[fishinwrench]

Hmmm.  Well as in all things fishing y'all are making this way more technical and specialized than necessary, but I understand the OCD pleasure of all that, so by all means carry on.  

[waterpossum]

Does someone know if there was a problem with the 4th place winner, they said something at ceremony but I could not here what they said? Not sure if he failed a lie detector test or if he just could not be at the ceremony?

They said he was an EMT in St. Louis and he had to get back home, but he would have to pass a polygraph before the money was allotted.