..and then the Canal Gods laughed

[EricM]

Very nice trick indeed.

[NIB]

Ya it might work if u have enough line.U have to let the line get beyond the fish so any tension the fish feels is now from behind him.
Jim has talked about this technique with me a few times.I have not had the balls to try it yet.I'm a clamp down on the spool guy an hope I have em hooked in a good spot.The way i see it if they are hooked poorley u'll never get em up tide in the current anyways..
I have a few cows in the full bore 5 plus kts.Jim has way more..I have also lost some fish that made me cry..It's all part of it u take ur lumps an get out of there.Tie ur leaders short like 18 inches there are spots u will not have the room on the backcast for much longer..
I use 30 lb Fireline an 40 lb leader..

[JPowers]

Why I need a "trick"

I've caught a 40# and 44# bass in the canal by hauling only. It damn near killed me. Even fish 35-40#s are murder for me. The guys I fish with - Bruce, DJ, NIB,Keith,etc - they dont have as much trouble as me because they're bigger guys. I'm small - 150#s soakin' wet.

I've seen a few 50+ #ers and I did see Baranowski's 60#er. All I could think was....no way.... I haven't got a chance against a fish that big. The tail of a 50+# fish is friggin' enormous and scary.

So....... I've gotta trick em. A few years ago I started playing with fish in the 25-30# range to see what they would do if left to think they got free. Sure enough, they reacted as I described. I'm hoping when I hook a fish so big I can't haul that it will react the same way. Like I said..... when all else fails, whatya gonna do?
Plan B: let 'em swim...... pray.

[Flaptail]

I was fishing the canal regurlarly when most of the guys on this and the other sites were still bluegill fishing, guys like Mike P remember and a few others. It got to popular and I quit the rat scene. But then as now I never fish anything heavier than a 30 lb leader, now I use 50 braid and go no heavier. I used then a conventional and still do. This spinning thing with tree trunk rods and gorrila braid at 80 lbs plus and 80 pound leaders is not sport, it's just catching. Spinning is easy to master and helps the unmastered hand at night but real canal men use conventionals day and night. There is no equality between you and the fish, which should be a match of wit and wisdom, one on one not the one sided stand and deliver with no drag invloved or no chance that the fish might outsmart you. Get him over that piece of rope and she's done for no matter how big. The two biggest bass I ever landed weighed an even 45 lbs apiece in the canal. One on 16 lb test Ande Tournament green (which is what we all used ch#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g eels at the Mud Flats, 245 and 80) at the Mud Flats under a screaming new moon west tide and the other on a 3-1/2 oz Yellow Polaris (the original by Gibbs) on 30 big game on my ten foot conventional and a running east tide at 195.

I never did and still don't, when on occasion the urge hits me to jig there, use a jig heavier than 3-1/2 oz. I have caught many a 30 pounder on that rig and did many a dance along the rocks from pole to pole fighting bass and some bested me and sometimes I won but the thing is it was and still is carried on as fair fight. You want the best out of a running tide and a large bass than do it fairly and do it like it's supposed to be done with all the thrills, spills and drama and when you win you feel good that you were tough enough and smart enough to overcome the rockweed, kelp, lobstertraps, boulders and a 1000 other items that can snap you off in a second and when you loose tip your hat and say thanks and tell the fish to look out next time. We learned to run up the banks over the service road and up further still when hooked to a big fish to keep it off of the bottom.
There is none of that now, it's all one way.

If you want to stand in one place, chuck a 5oz jig with braid that is labeled as 80 and actually breaks at somewhere near 130-140lbs and know the outcome once hooked then do so but you might get the same thrill from freshwater tournament largemouth fishing where the fish is hooked and landed in less than ten seconds average but then again a lot of people think that is really fishing too.

[NIB]

What U didn't use linen line u sissy..
No one uses 80 it don't cast worth a crap..
There's still a skill involved.Mike P.used the same old gear.He
don't use it now.I used to yank them 6 lb LMB out of the buckbrush with 25 lb test mono..
very exciting..
Perhaps I should jig the ditch with roy's sponge bob pole..

[NIB]

Originally Posted by JPowers

Why I need a "trick"

I've caught a 40# and 44# bass in the canal by hauling only. It damn near killed me. Even fish 35-40#s are murder for me. The guys I fish with - Bruce, DJ, NIB,Keith,etc - they dont have as much trouble as me because they're bigger guys. I'm small - 150#s soakin' wet.

I've seen a few 50+ #ers and I did see Baranowski's 60#er. All I could think was....no way.... I haven't got a chance against a fish that big. The tail of a 50+# fish is friggin' enormous and scary.

So....... I've gotta trick em. A few years ago I started playing with fish in the 25-30# range to see what they would do if left to think they got free. Sure enough, they reacted as I described. I'm hoping when I hook a fish so big I can't haul that it will react the same way. Like I said..... when all else fails, whatya gonna do?
Plan B: let 'em swim...... pray.

I seen Jim pump em in don't let the little frame fool ya..
He's one of the best..
No question.

[Tagger]

I like Jim's thoughts .. I think the larger fish nose themselves against the boulders so you don't have a 50# fish, you have a 2 ton boulder. The "hooked on the bottom feeling" ..but you know your not .. No Way your lifting that fish with the rock don't matter how big you are .. broke off a few dream fish trying . I like your approach Jim .. Your smarter than the fish .. not quite there yet . 65# braid 40# leader here.. 1209

also Ditch Jigger different angle thing, can change angle of the hook in the rocks, springing the fish .

[labrax]

I have limited experience at the Canal, but I have upgraded my gear this year to a 10' Tica rod (2-8oz), a couple of used 704 reels (30lb fireline on one and 80lb Whiplash on the other). I did pick up a spool on Ande 50lb to use as leader material. Used 40lb last year.

Last year I used a older fiberglass rod (mid 60's Lamiglas) with a 6501 conventional and a Daiwa Sealine with a 6500SS both with 20-25lb mono, and a 710z with 20lb fireline. The Daiwa was rated 1-5 oz, but really 3oz is the max that you want to use with that rod. It could not handle the larger jigs that were needed when the current was ripping.

I believe your Salt Stick is limiting your ability to use the heavier jigs. It is rated to 4oz, but 3oz is probably more the actual limit of the rod as manufacturers seem to overrate their gears capabilities.

The Avenger reel is probably fine, but the 704 is a rugged reel. Might want to see if you can score a used spool and get some 50 or 65lb braid on it. Use a 40 - 50lb leader and use a quality snap on the end.

Definitely listen to what the more experienced guys say. I am a rookie at this, but did feel like I was not able to effectively fish during periods when the current was really running last year, and focused more on the near-shore areas, so that is why I got a rod that could handle the task this year.

[ThrowingTimber]

Take ditch's advise, Powers advice these are two guys know their chit and KNOW via first hand experience what they are talking about.


I run a lighter leader and I tie a semi dry knot so if I hang up I break at the knot.

Good luck, I'm horrible in the canal.. I couldnt catch a fish there with an eel hanging outta my waders..