A bit more stink shook off...

[Smalliebigs]

1 hour ago, Al Agnew said:

Well, Seth, ya can't buy a rod like the one I was using on this trip  

My usual fluke rod is an old Loomis 6 ft. medium power, with an old green Shimano Curado reel, with 4-15 pound Power Pro braid.  But I had switched things up before this trip for some reason, and had put that reel on a Kistler Helium that had started out being 6' 6" medium power, but I'd broken about 4 inches off the tip of it at some point, so now it's closer to a medium heavy.  With that rod and the braid, I certainly had no trouble setting the hook through all the plastic.  In fact, on one hookset, the lack of give in the rod and lack of stretch in the line caused the rod to slip out of my hand, and I had to scramble to grab it before it went into the drink!

Al I did the same thing  with Hog Wally  on the Big River in February....I set the hook and the thing just slipped out of my hand but, somehow  caught it with the otheR hand??....and the fish hooked up luckily  enough and was a nice fish. I looked like a gaper and was laughing  and trying to hug and kiss Aaron and Mitch....I'm not sure if they saw me drop the rod and catch it???

[BronzebackWarrior]

i appreciate you detailed reports and past articles like the meramac sections. fun reads and informative