Right now the Misfit Kayak Fishing Team is spread out in search of the behemoth bass that have pushed into our waters. Alan and Ian - The Jersey Boys - are fishing the back bays around Toms River. Pete was in Jamaica Bay Friday night/Saturday morning and I was going to try Montauk Point.
Pete and I have been using variations of the same lure so when I saw him take it out of the box, I reminded him to switch out the hooks with something a little beefier than the stock trebles that it comes with.
I mentioned hooks straightening in a report I did years back. It was a time when I hadn't gotten around to switching out the hooks just yet. I hooked into a very big fish out at the Point and the fight had reached the "impasse" stage: where the fish is directly below the kayak, but it's not moving. I wasn't gaining any more line and the fish wasn't taking any. That's when you have to be very patient, trust your tackle, and just let the kayak and the wave action apply the pressure. I could just "sense" however, that after about a minute of this pressure, the hooks were beginning to bend. I backed off the drag one click for piece of mind, and I thought "The only way I can still have this fish hooked is if there are two hooks in her." When it finally did come to the surface, the fish was over 40 pounds and sure enough - she was hooked in two places - lip and gill plate. Both hooks were bent almost open. I've kept the two gnarled stock hooks (pictured) in my shop ever since as a reminder.
Very often my cautionary advice falls on deaf ears, so I remind folks as well that it is ONLY when you have a trophy fish attached that you will find out precisely where the weakest point of your tackle is. So Saturday morning when Pete sent me a picture that showed what was left of the hook on his Crystal Minnow (pictured, laying on his leg) not only was I not surprised, but deep down I was also feeling a little smug that such a mistake was no longer a concern of mine, having switched out my hooks for 4x as soon as they came out of the package.
I felt a little bad for Pete, but I had felt that pain already, and had done my best to prevent the same from befalling him. Not much sympathy left.
Off to Montauk I go! It's Sunday morning, 2am to 5am, and just like during my previous trip a few days earlier, I was marking nothing in flat water during an incoming tide. So when the line came tight it caught me a little off guard. Apparently it caught the fish a little off guard as well because when I tightened up the line and began to reel it in, it initially came toward me. For that reason I underestimated its size and did not bother to redirect my kayak in its direction. Big mistake.
The fish and I became aware of one another at precisely the same instant - when I continued reeling - and it took off like a freight train! Line was screaming off of my reel and even though I knew I had a full spool of fresh braid on there, I was very doubtful that I would be able to get the kayak turned around before all of it had been removed unless it paused at least once in its run. For one hopeful moment I thought I had that opportunity: The kayak was nearly turned to the direction of the fish, I still had braid left, and it was not taking line. This is usually the beginning of the end for the fish because eventually I can catch up to it and gain back all that line. I kept the line tight but as I began to reapply pressure the fish took off again - and this time it was a whole other gear. The acceleration was so sudden and so powerful that I could feel the hook being ripped from it in more than one stage. The picture of the lure and hook below (in my hand) illustrate not only the speed and power that fish had but stand as the clearest evidence of my mishandling of it. At some point the fish was foul-hooked, as evidenced by the thick scale that remained impaled on one of the barbs. That prong, along with the other remaining prong, have been nearly straightened. The third prong of the treble is still stuck in the bass somewhere, presumably in its lip, but I can't say for sure.
What I can say for sure is that I had my drag too damn tight. And the best hooks in the world aren't going to fix that. I can also say that I probably won't be so smug next time. ??
Pete and I have been using variations of the same lure so when I saw him take it out of the box, I reminded him to switch out the hooks with something a little beefier than the stock trebles that it comes with.
I mentioned hooks straightening in a report I did years back. It was a time when I hadn't gotten around to switching out the hooks just yet. I hooked into a very big fish out at the Point and the fight had reached the "impasse" stage: where the fish is directly below the kayak, but it's not moving. I wasn't gaining any more line and the fish wasn't taking any. That's when you have to be very patient, trust your tackle, and just let the kayak and the wave action apply the pressure. I could just "sense" however, that after about a minute of this pressure, the hooks were beginning to bend. I backed off the drag one click for piece of mind, and I thought "The only way I can still have this fish hooked is if there are two hooks in her." When it finally did come to the surface, the fish was over 40 pounds and sure enough - she was hooked in two places - lip and gill plate. Both hooks were bent almost open. I've kept the two gnarled stock hooks (pictured) in my shop ever since as a reminder.
Very often my cautionary advice falls on deaf ears, so I remind folks as well that it is ONLY when you have a trophy fish attached that you will find out precisely where the weakest point of your tackle is. So Saturday morning when Pete sent me a picture that showed what was left of the hook on his Crystal Minnow (pictured, laying on his leg) not only was I not surprised, but deep down I was also feeling a little smug that such a mistake was no longer a concern of mine, having switched out my hooks for 4x as soon as they came out of the package.
I felt a little bad for Pete, but I had felt that pain already, and had done my best to prevent the same from befalling him. Not much sympathy left.
Off to Montauk I go! It's Sunday morning, 2am to 5am, and just like during my previous trip a few days earlier, I was marking nothing in flat water during an incoming tide. So when the line came tight it caught me a little off guard. Apparently it caught the fish a little off guard as well because when I tightened up the line and began to reel it in, it initially came toward me. For that reason I underestimated its size and did not bother to redirect my kayak in its direction. Big mistake.
The fish and I became aware of one another at precisely the same instant - when I continued reeling - and it took off like a freight train! Line was screaming off of my reel and even though I knew I had a full spool of fresh braid on there, I was very doubtful that I would be able to get the kayak turned around before all of it had been removed unless it paused at least once in its run. For one hopeful moment I thought I had that opportunity: The kayak was nearly turned to the direction of the fish, I still had braid left, and it was not taking line. This is usually the beginning of the end for the fish because eventually I can catch up to it and gain back all that line. I kept the line tight but as I began to reapply pressure the fish took off again - and this time it was a whole other gear. The acceleration was so sudden and so powerful that I could feel the hook being ripped from it in more than one stage. The picture of the lure and hook below (in my hand) illustrate not only the speed and power that fish had but stand as the clearest evidence of my mishandling of it. At some point the fish was foul-hooked, as evidenced by the thick scale that remained impaled on one of the barbs. That prong, along with the other remaining prong, have been nearly straightened. The third prong of the treble is still stuck in the bass somewhere, presumably in its lip, but I can't say for sure.
What I can say for sure is that I had my drag too damn tight. And the best hooks in the world aren't going to fix that. I can also say that I probably won't be so smug next time. ??
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,,,,,,,,,be safe,,,,,,
