..and then the Canal Gods laughed

[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..

[Mike P]

It seems to me that even in the past, plenty of guys didn't believe in a fair fight That was especially true in the days of $3.25/lb with no closed season You had $100 worth of fish on the end of the line, when $100 was worth $100, you didn't want to level the playing field

Remember when many of the then-gods used rigs like Harnell or "5M" meatsticks and Squidders loaded with 45 or 50# Dacron? That was as thick, if not thicker, than today's 80# superbraid.

And for every guy like Flap or Ski who ran 16# tournament Ande on the flats, there were guys running 30# mono on Mitchell 388s. Some guys even threw eels on Squidders and Abu 7000s with heavy mono--up to 40 or 50# test. I know--I tangled with quite a few over the years

I kind of split the difference with 20# pink Ande.

There are places where you just can't fight fair--like around the bridges. You need to stop and turn a fish. They get around those pilings, they're gone. Mono or braid--doesn't matter. Barnacles cut any line.

To tell you the truth, I'm still a conventional guy at heart. I like using my Newells for jigging. I use the "new gear" in a few places for specific reasons---casting distance, drag performance (yes, it's true--not a single conventional in my collection has the drag and cranking power of my Saltiga 6000-Z spinning reel), and the fact that the All Star 1209 fishes much better as a spinning rod. I use it in places where I have to stop a fish in its tracks.

As I've gotten older, I tend to use spinning gear more and more for throwing plugs. For the plain and simple fact that it's easier. 30-50# braid helps me match most conventionals for distance. Accuracy suffers a little bit, but with practice you can come close. If you like a fair fight, spinning gear and 30# Stealth is a more sporting outfit than a Newell 229 and 25# mono. Trust me--the mono's stronger, and more forgiving because 100 yards of mono will stretch anywhere from 15-25 yards before it breaks

[zimmy]

5 string- even after you get your gear in order, expect to get beat sometimes. I have posted this so don't mean to repeat myself...but I got beat at a spot on the canal by getting cut off after turning the fish. I also lost an other fish on the same rig in a different state but under similar conditions. So I upgraded to an all-star 1209, abu 7000cl with 80lb whiplash w/ 50lb mono leader. Again last fall same spot in the canal, same week, same tide another real good fish hooked. Had it on for what felt like forever, finally got it turned and thought I had it beat. Felt the rubbing and bang its off. I almost lost my mind. I have talked to a bunch of people and a couple guys suggested what J Powers said about giving slack. If I get the opportunity again and have the guts to do it I might try it. Point is I guess no matter how prepared you are they are gonna beat you sometimes under canal conditions. Best you can do is be as prepared as possible.