Crawdad Cove 1-24-09

[Demolitron]

Showed up early, around 5:30 ish and put the boat in the water. After futzing around for a bit with my new auto troll software I made it out pulling a A.C Plug minnow and a castaic bait. Within minutes I had a BIG hit on the minnow and worked it, or at least tried, for a bit till it threw the hook. It was about 20 feet from the boat and I saw it rolling under the water. It was a good sized one, it fought like the 14lb'er I landed in november.

So, dissapointed, I reset and started to troll again. This time they liked the Castaic bait and hauled off with it. This one got off before I could even put up a fight. Pulling in the lure I saw that my rear hook with missing and both of the magnet hook holders had been ripped out.

By this time the sun was breaking and the birds were really working. I saw them come up with a few fish even. Looked like some shad and some trout.

I wandered off and headed around the point. Here I hooked into another big one with the minndow. Again it managed to throw the hooks! By this time I'm beside myself with frustration and nearly ready to throw up.

The wind was kicking up some good rollers and my stomach was feeling quite weak. I stuck with it for a bit and managed to pull in one little 14" pup who decided that the 9" A.C Plug looked tasty enough to try and choke down. =) Greedy little thing.

I packed up around 9:00am to go home, get some pepto, and lament.

[mad]
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[TheWhizzle]

What an action packed morning with little to show for it! That's frustrating, when you know you SHOULD be catching fish, and you just aren't. At least you know you are doing something right! To get bit is better than spending a day on the lake wondering if there are any fish left! []
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[Demolitron]

Too right! I saw someone there in a yellow yak, whas that you?

Overall it was a good day. I say that now that I'm not feeling ill anymore. While I was there is saw another boat fighting a monster, (I noticed 'cause I heard the tell-tale buzz of a drag being tested). In the end he was able to wrestle just his lure from that hungry fish.
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[Demolitron]

BTW, has anyone tried a hook sharpening tool that works well? I've been looking for some online after today.

Also, does anyone change out the factory hooks on their baits to something "better"?
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[TheWhizzle]

I like a good quality file from home depot. Something big and solid, with a nice fine grit to it. Ill sharpen my hooks before I go out, but it is nice to have a small portable hook sharpener for emergencies. The little handhelds with the two parallel cylinder files work well.
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[stripercraze]

Demolitron

Yes I change my hooks sometimes. The AC plugs are usually pretty good. I use the owner or vmc brand. I also use a larger hook up front and a smaller size on the back it seems to make the tail work better. I use a standard hook file form any sporting goods store. The biggest thing is to keep constant pressure on the fish. Just one moment of slack can give them there freedom. Also when the fish hits sometimes they pass your lure and smack it with there tail to try and kill it first. Then you need to stop trolling and work the lure manually. This will sometimes get an explosive hit. Glad to here the fishing is still going on. I got injured at work my wrist is in a brace[pirate]. No fishing for a week or so. I am going nuts! Do you know what the water temp has risen to? If if gets too high they may stop planting.

Stripercraze
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[Demolitron]

Yep, They do seem to be pretty motivated to get away. I know they seemed to charge the boat. I thought I was keeping the tension high enough but who knows, next time I'll get one in the boat for sure!

Sucks about your wrist, hopefully there will be fish left in the lake when you get better.

In case you don't have it, here is a link to the USGS Water monitors on Lake Mead. It gives water column temperature, oxygen, turbidity, conductance, pH, and fluorescence data. I don't even know how to interpret some of it.

http://nevada.usgs.gov/lmqw/LVB_profileplots.cfm

At what temperature do they stop stocking?
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[Demolitron]

Whizzle,

Thanks, I was wondering if a file would work well enough. I like that idea as I can use it for a lot of other stuff as well.
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[jakegonefishin]

Toss the factory hooks grab some gami's EWG size 1 or 2 treble hooks they will hold onto your fish better, if worried bout straightening out a hook try owners trebles they make a wide gap treble as well.
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[reellittlephish]

Sharpener.

good advice on replacing hooks. I sometimes use an Inexpensive diamond stone from Harbor Freight 2 Outlets here in town.
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[Tapajos]

Had to post on this. MOST new hooks on new baits dont need to be sharpened. As a matter of fact sharpening actualy dulls them. MOST are chemicaly sharpened to a point that can never be reached with a sharpening tool. But if your throwing things that bang the bottom or older baits, then sharpening them yourself will definatly help. I am sure theres exceptions to this somewhere out there with people putting sub par quality hooks on baits but not on anything ive seen or thrown in a while.
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