Fall carp

[igquick]

I'm pretty sure I made a post a while back talking about how I lost a Carp using an ice fishing rod strapped with 6 lb test line, in which the fish managed to run into a snag, and SNAP THE LINE. Well I managed to buy this new fishing line below:

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This caught my eye in the store because for one, it was 20 freakin bucks which to me is very expensive, the name spiderwire is very catchy in my opinion, and it is 20 lb test line with a diameter of a supposedly 6 lb test line. So I thought replacing my fishing line from my ice fishing rod would be genius!

The line is EXTREMELY HARD TO CUT and TrouttierBassier recommended I rather use Powerpro but I didn't see it last time I was at Wal-Mart (but they currently have it now).

So anyways I made some new hair rigs, fixed three fishing rods, and set out to Kelley Point Park and hiked my way around the Columbia Slough to find a fishing spot. Once I got settled, I casted three hair rigs:
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...and was able to catch 6 bullhead catfish in around 1 hour and a half of fishing. Catching bullhead is not too bad for a fishing session but my goal was to land the big fish. It was kind of hard avoiding these little buggers, so I went out on a limb and used this rig instead:
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I managed to land 6 Carp in the next hour and a half:

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The averaged weight of Carp was probably around 9 lbs.

A lady randomly showed up to my swim and asked me if she could fish next to me, which reminded me of a funny occurrence that happened when I found fishing again. I know I probably told this story in the beginning of this blog, but I remember two people trying to bully me out of a fishing spot. Keep in mind there was probably about 75 yards of free fishing space, yet they had to fish right next to me. So I got really hostile and kicked them out of my spot. For one, I would never try to kick another fishermen out of their spot. One of the most important quotes I learned this year is to "Treat people the way you want to be treated". Try it one week, or a month, or a year; you might find yourself out of the social awkwardness that most people have.

So I'm really happy that the fellow fisherman lady asked really politely. She said she was there for the catfish and I told her where I kept catching them, I told her that the worm would probably work significantly more better than my hair rigged bread bait since the catfish in the Columbia Slough love worms, I let her borrow one of my rod holders, and I let her keep one of my fishing bells which takes out the middle man of second guessing whether or not the current is making the rod move or if it is a fish. The way I use the bell is that you could fix it to where it would only ring if there was a bite, and not the current. If you set up the bell on a rod after you cast, just wait 10 seconds for the bell to be noiseless, but if it isn't, just move the bell down the rod, until it is able to be noiseless. So the bell would only ring if a fish where to take a bite, not if the current moved the tip of the rod, and I hope this makes sense so far. Anyways I also gave some helpful hints that her fishing rod was too big, there was not enough line in her reel, that she should buy this and that, and I taught her to be very careful about the spines on the bullhead. It might sound like I'm invading but in the end, she was able to catch numerous amounts of catfish and she said it was her most successful day of fishing.

So the moral of the story for today is, "Treat others the way you would want to be treated" because you never know that the random act of kindness could lead you into your most successful fishing day.

 

[Raincatcher]

It's always a great day when you are catching and helping someone else to catch also. Even better when you are the teacher with a successful student. My Mother taught me "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Both phrases are good to live by.

 

[halibuthitman]

Good Job, nice move with the whole slice of bread... big bait... big fish-

 

[eugene1]

sounds like you took the high road and made it a good day for both of you. Nice!

You might want to put a small plastic bead in between your lead and the swivel, it'll help protect the knot from getting worn but the weight.

Best,

 

[igquick]

@Raincatcher I like that quote better than mine lol, it sounds more archaic and fancy

@halibuthitman I never thought about it that way

@Eugene You're right, I need to purchase some beads

 

[bass]

Great post Igquick, but after reading another thread I think the common wisdom is that should have told her off, pulled out your piece and fire a few warning shots over her head

Just kidding of course, it always feels good when you can be helpful to someone. I really like the idea of how you set up your bell. I own a couple but have never used them. I will definitely remember that tip!

 

[igquick]

Thanks....she actually might have had a gun on her too haha

 

[DrTheopolis]

she actually might have had a gun on her too haha

In St Johns? Nah, not a chance. St Johns is a gun-free-zone.

About this time last year I was hiking around Kelley Point (mushroom hunting maybe? I don't remember -- when I'm hanging out Up North I like to hike and bike KPP). There was a group of 3 guys C&R sturgeon fishing in the Willy, maybe 300 yards from the mouth/wingdam, and they had one of the most monstrous bullheads I've ever seen on the bank.

OK, that was my great insight into fishing at KPP. I know the C&R sturgeon bankies can do quite well there. Lawn chairs, a little BBQ, a cooler of beer and food... good urban fishing.

 

[igquick]

good, because I don't feel like getting shot while I'm fishing lol

There are tons of bullheads at Kelley Point

 

[Rain]

How are you liking the spiderwire? does it tangle easy? i've always wondered if it was good.
i had some 10lb Powerpro (2lb mono diameter) on my UL spinning setup and i had problems with the line getting tangled easily. I'm sure i put it on correctly and there wasn't any line twist. Once that stuff starts to knot, it is very unforgiving. I got tried of it so i took it off and put on some P-Line Floroclear which i have not been very impressed with. Probably going to change i to something else. Maybe my powerpro tangled so much because it was so small in diameter. The larger stuff is probably more stiff and easier to work with.

 

[igquick]

the spiderwire doesn't tangle at all....it's like working with a slightly thicker thread. Right now Im running the 20 lb test that has a diameter of 6 lb line on an ice fishing rod. For some odd freakin reason I've caught carp on all my fishing rods this fall EXCEPT my ice fishing rod so I'm starting to second guess the amount of mystical fishing power that whole ice fishing setup has.

maybe it's tangling because you put it on a reel fit for 10 lb line not 2 lb line? I could imagine a reel setup for 2 lb line like my ice fishing reel would work better? or maybe you didn't have the line extremely tight when you filled up the reel? either way I'll try the larger stuff like you said and give it a try since the mystical power of the spiderwire isn't working, ill report about it once I try it out.

I forgot to mention about another negative about the spiderwire. ITS ALMOST INDESTRUCTABLE! The first time I tried to cut some of it off with my nail cutters, it WOULDN'T WORK. I wooped out the scissors, and I had to pull the line REALLY tight before cutting it. Even the crappy scissor I had was too dull for the line. I even tried cutting it with larger nail cutters and it sucked. I'm thinking of buying one of those professional cutters that are made just for cutting fishing line.

 

[Rain]

maybe it's tangling because you put it on a reel fit for 10 lb line not 2 lb line? I could imagine a reel setup for 2 lb line like my ice fishing reel would work better? or maybe you didn't have the line extremely tight when you filled up the reel?

I forgot to mention about another negative about the spiderwire. ITS ALMOST INDESTRUCTABLE!

Its was a relatively small reel (shimano sedona 1000FD) designed for 2-6 lb line. The powerpro was just so limp like it had no backbone to it. Unlike mono that has a strong memory and tends to keep its straightness. The powerpro has basically no elasticity to it so its never really tight on the reel unless you reel in something heavy. I put the 10lb powerpro on to help me pull out of snags because i was losing too many spinners and lures on the weeds with 4lb mono.
I had the exact same problem when trying to cut the powerpro. Fingernail clippers did not work. I had to use some sharp scissors. Another thing i didn't like about the powerpro is that my favorite knot (improved clinch knot) apparently isn't good enough for braid so i had to use something stronger like a palomar knot.
I might try braid again but not on my UL reel/rod. The next stuff i buy will go on a medium-heavy reel/rod.

 

[igquick]

cool, same here I'll try some heavy power pro. It's funny how they are both hard to cut, I guess they are doing their job as braided line right lol?

 

[PTownAngler]

I just bought some 15lb Power Pro Spectra Braid thats the same diameter as 4lb mono and some 12lb Tuf Line Dura-Cast Braid thats about the same as 4lb (little smaller). I've heard the Tuf Line works really well on spinning reels. Bought that for my Steelhead Rod. Got the 15lb for a pole I'm gonna turn into my new Carp pole. I'm excited to see how it works. After using my Ultralight Trout rod though with 4lb Flo on it. I dont like the feel of the 4lb when casting, the diameter is so small. The 6lb just seems a little easier to work with. Im gonna have to get me some 20 or 25lb braid to get the thickness. I've heard a couple pro's say the diameter means more than the lb rating when your choosing your line. Even if you dont need 15lb line its better to get 25lb line thats the same as 8lb mono instead of using 8-12lb for mono or flo for whatever fishing your doing. It doesn't matter that you have 20lb line fishing for 2-5lb fish. If its the same exact size as 6lb mono so why not, usually the only thing holding you back from going up is line space on your reel. At least thats what the pro's say. Of course there are those instances where flo is better because the stretch and all that but we won't get into that.

 

[igquick]

Well sweet tell me how well those lines work for yah....yea i read that my ice fishing pole can take an arbitrary amount of line in yards for 6 lb test line...so when i put that say 160 yards amount of line from the 20 lb spiderwire with 6 lb diameter, to the ice fishing reel, it couldnt fit the certain amount of yardeage the reel specified....so the line is probably more like an 8 lb diameter...