The one that didn't get away...

[alm21]

Picked up this very nice hen today. Shortly after, I had a hook up that ran downstream on me and then broke off one hook and straighten a second hook on the treble on my lure. Never saw the fish... wish I did though!

Oh, BTW, I want to "thank" the dip-s**t at Sportsman Warehouse that spooled my line in the wrong direction last night. It was a pleasant surprise when I arrived on the river this morning (when no one was there). I had to unspool 200yds and respool before I could fish and by then, the crowd arrived. I would have been much more pissed had I not catched anything because the fish were rolling nice as I was dealing with that mess. The lesson... always check the other guy's work (my bad I guess).

 

[waco]

thats a nice fish!!!

 

[alm21]

thats a nice fish!!!

Got some fat skeins out of her!

 

[fishingfreak]

Beauty! Nice Job Man! I hate when you pay for spooling the wrong way and it messes up your morning. You were patient and the fish God's answered!

FF

 

[alm21]

Beauty! Nice Job Man! I hate when you pay for spooling the wrong way and it messes up your morning. You were patient and the fish God's answered!

FF

Funny you say that. As I was unspooling the line to my leader spool by hand, I would hear a fish jump and automatically look up and mess up what I was doing. So I had to tell myself to focus and burn through it by not having to check out each fish that rolled. It wasn't easy but I jammed it out like a one-man pit crew.

 

[BobbiDollPDX]

I spent $30 at Sportsman's and got my own line spooler. Awesome! Especially once I figured out how to use the hand held "unspooling" tool.

 

[Troutski]

Nice job

Nice job

Congrats on the fish...nice looking reel: an angler with discriminating taste:clap:.

Chuck

 

[chrisohm]

I have had that issue with other people spooling my lines before. I talked to some old timers and they taught me a few tricks with a couple telephone books and something for weight. It has worked every time since then and I never have a problem, even when I use braided(add more weight). As for the fish, right on man!!!!

 

[bigdog]

Good job man, looks like you are doing pretty good out there this year.

So Chrisohm you going to share with the class what you have learned with the phone books?:lol:

 

[chrisohm]

Sandwich your line between 2 phone books, not the spool, just the line. The higher the test the more weight you will need, example: brick, cinder block, bench weights. The higher the test the larger the weight because you need the right tension to avoid line slip. Place the weight on top of the phone book. Tie line to reel and tape if needed. Start reeling. This may take longer than a motorized gadget but I never get tangles, twists or "nests" with my line. Braided does require larger weight than mono because it has no stretch. Try to match your weight to the test strength, if it doesn't feel right (tension) add just a bit more weight. Just one easy way at home to do it.

 

[bigdog]

The class thanks you for sharing, now children this is your homework for the week so go out there and spool up some reels :lol: Ok so really thank you for sharing that I'm sure there a plenty of people out there that will be happy to learn and use something like this in the future.

CJ

 

[chrisohm]

CJ,

You are so welcome! I know you needed this just make sure the kids get it figured out or else we serve burnt fish sticks all week long....no pudding either.

 

[Thuggin4Life]

Nice fish. Too bad about the retard at sportsmans. I always spool my own either with a buddy and a pencil or i do it myself the same way by pinching the rod in my lap with my leg or setting it on the floor and using a foot and using one hand to reel and one hand to slow the line spool. gonna use the phone book trick for know on thanks.

 

[chrisohm]

For sure! I had another setup like what you described and it worked but not like this did! I can just sit and watch my favorite show, set the rod down, get a new beer and go right back to reeling. The only reel I have a problem with is my trout reel that was done by a dude in OC's Fishermans. I hate that reel more, every time I use it...

 

[rippin fish lips]

nice catch!

 

[alm21]

Thanks all. Great ideas, doing it myself (spooling) sounds like the plan moving forward using these tips. The egg skeins were really nice. I took the opportunity to try the Shur-Cure wet cure. I was also told to use water from the river in which intend to fish the eggs so I brought a piece of the Sandy home with me. The eggs are cured up and I think I may give them a try for some winter steelhead, can't wait!

BTW, I was out there Saturay and it was slow... for me at least. Some guys in a drift boat caught two natives but aside from that I didn't witness any hook ups besides the sucker fish I foul hooked. It actually gave me a fun little fight.