Just got back in from the suds. I lost a scud needle, a crippled herring, a hopkins no-eql, a $7 jig and my damn pole i just got cracked!!! It was a sweet night none the less got around 12 bass from 30-36 inches, and a bunch of blues. The blues chowed through my eels, went through 7 in about 45 minutes.All the fish i brought in were taken on eels. I then started throwing chunks of bunka, no hits, got bored and just threw it all in for chum. Then proceded to lose a couple lures to rocks. Through on the hopkins, 1st cast massive fish took it(almost exactly at slack tide) It ran for about 3 minutes. Really nice fish had to be at least 30 if not larger. My hearts pumping like crazy , got the fish in a lil then, she shook the hook!!!!:af: :af: Bye bye fishy!! Next cast i hang up the hopkins and crack my rod trying to free it:af: :af: :af: . Time to go home. Now i gotta score a new rod tomorrow:mad: :mad: , and another hopkins. I smell my first 30lb coming my way tomorrow night!!:cool:

If you're going to surfcast a lot your next rod should have some kind of replacement warranty -
Cheap rods make for expensive nights...

Boy, This thread shows just how addicted some of us really are to this.
Still sounds like a great night to me. :cheers:

at a slack tide? crazy alberto is going to be happy that you lost a massive fish at a slack tide. it proves his theory correct, tyler.

Originally posted by cheferson
Next cast i hang up the hopkins and crack my rod trying to free it:af: :af: :af: . did you try to free it by yanking with your rod? seen it happen too many times by newbies. live and learn...... :rolleyes:

Yep, all hyed up after the cow shook my lure, yanked it and ceeerrrackkk!!!:af: :af: :af: Whats the best way to free a lure? WHat rods have warrantys? It was an ugly stick , they do right? But i have no receipt? Gonna get me a 30 tonight or wed morning on my friends boat.;)

Yeah notoro i was thinking about his article all night.

schweet...:D

You cracked an ugly stick? You must have been wailing on the thing or perhaps it was already cracked.

If I hang up, I'll try to pull a bit at a few different angles and if that doesn't work I'll tighten the drag, hold the line and pull straight back until the plug is free or the line snaps.

Most nicer rods and customs have a warranty, at least on the blanks. If less expensive rods work for you there's nothing wrong with buying a new one here and there. The customs are more of an investment, a rod you'll have for a long time.

-spence

point straight at the snag, DO NOT put a bend in the rod. Either walk it back till the line breaks or wrap it around a stick/dowel and pull the line.

Didnt really even pull that hard , not any harder then ussal at least. It broke right where the two [ieces go together. The outer casing split and is cracked down about 3-4 inches.

So i dont wanna try to shake it free?? Everytime you pull it straight back you always lose your lure. Not good when its a $22 habs needle.

I wouldn't shake, but try to pull at an angle. A lot of times it feels like it's really stuck, but it's just in the weed. I've been amazed at how hard I've pulled (straight back!) and when I thought the line was going to snap the plug came free.

-spence

Originally posted by cheferson
So i dont wanna try to shake it free?? Everytime you pull it straight back you always lose your lure. Not good when its a $22 habs needle. you are in the wrong sport if you are worried about losing a $22 lure. it comes with the territory. stripers like rocks, rocks like plugs. use your hands or wrap the line around a hard object and pull back on the line. you can try from different angles if straight back doesn't free the plug.

which would have been easier on the wallet, replacing the hopkins or replacing the hopkins AND the rod?

Good point tlapinski

thats just if I want to break off a snagged lure, I would try getting my plug back first, with a little shakin and tuggin

Restocked the hopkins and scored 17 eels. Just got back in crap night from 12-330am 7 bluefish, from 330-630 am about 5 bass around 26 inches all on eels. Then as soon as the sun came up ,massive pods of blues pop all around me, feeding on huge schools of 1 inch minnows. Caught a bunch on the hopkins till i got sick of them. Dont understand why the bass were in thick sundaynight and friday night but not lastnight, even with all the bait.

Bring it back to where you bought it receipt or not see what they say. Ugly Sticks should not crack like that.

Ugly sticks have a great cust. service/warrenty...
I learned not to lob 1 lb grunts on a 7ft ugly when light tackle sharkin on a beach in the bahamas... cast the top half right off, got a new one no ??? asked...
best low $$ rod out there, but I'll stick with my 1201M right now :D :D :D :smash:

Chef when I hang up I shake it, if its still hung up I walk as far as I can to change the angle of the plug on the rock and shake agian, then I grab my spool and walk straight back... 90% of the time I get my plug back because I am pulling from another angle...

If you dont loose plugs your not fishing hard enough:D:

Originally posted by Eben
Chef when I hang up I shake it, if its still hung up I walk as far as I can to change the angle of the plug on the rock and shake agian, then I grab my spool and walk straight back... 90% of the time I get my plug back because I am pulling from another angle...
Is that what you were doing the other night? I though you were just taking a little personal moment :blush: Thank goodness it was all foggy :hidin:

-spence

Thats what i do eben.Lost another hopkins last night. Saltheart i bought it used and have no reciept, warranty needs original receipt:af: . Still havent slept yet, gonna have a lil grub, go get 7 more eels, sleep around 4pm, get up 12am fish gansett till 4am, drive to newport to fish on my friends boat till 11am , quick 3 hour nap , then off to work at 4pm.

Lost another hopkins at sunset during a bluefish blitz, also totally busted my rod. Went to wallyworld to get a new one , but they didnt have another 8ft H action rod. So i got a 9 ft MH action ugly stik, is this a good replacement? I ussally throw eels and plugs around 1-3.5 ounces. Figured if not ill just return it. Also sence ive been fishing off a boat more i wanted to get a boat rod, i got a 6.5 ft MH action ugly stik, is this any good for da boat?