Getting Organized and Outfitted

Been accumulating tackle and such for my new hobby......crappie fishing. Last hobby (surf fishing) taught me that an unorganized fisherman wastes more than he uses.


She insisted that I take her to BassPro Shop. She wants to explore the cypress forests.


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While there......I got a Soft plastic lure dispenser ($20) rolled up for stowing.

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Hung up for choosing (picture is sideways sorry) easy to root through as different design types can go in separate sleeves.

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Then for jig head storage ($20) a nice fly fishing case.

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Have some unpainted jig heads coming and plan to powder paint them. Also ordered jig heads with no collar to begin tying my own. Even though I have everything needed to pour jigs, for what I can buy them for it is a step I can afford to skip. Focus on learning to fashion feathers and such.


Crankbaits look interesting to me. Having four tackle trays for lures not so much. So I learned that securing the hooks together reduces chances of entanglement. It works good, too. Found large pack small rubber bands for $2 at horse tack shop. Reach in grab or pour out and sort through.


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Now I need the weather to cooperate a little so I can test my rod holder system.

Looks like it's time to go fishing!

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Originally Posted by Micanopy

Then for jig head storage ($20) a nice fly fishing case.

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Your socks don't match.

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Originally Posted by deathb4disco

Your socks don't match.

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Keeps my feet from looking infected.

Keep her fishing, and tell her to forget about boys. Will be watching for posts of her catches.

Bud, respectfully speaking, you need at least 9 more of those roll ups completely Full of Crappie tackle or your just a tourist.........LOL

Welcome to the Addiction..............learn to make excuses to everybody too...........If it's a beautiful day, I lie to everyone and go fishing.

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Originally Posted by rojoguio

Bud, respectfully speaking, you need at least 9 more of those roll ups completely Full of Crappie tackle or your just a tourist.........LOL

Welcome to the Addiction..............learn to make excuses to everybody too...........If it's a beautiful day, I lie to everyone and go fishing.

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The men that are into surf fishing all talk about distance. So in starting my pursuit of that sport, I figured I needed distance too, and spent time and money attaining more and more of it. When I cast 705 feet I figured that would be enough distance, and it was.

In this sport everyone talks about patterns. Different.

So in my research reading ..... some say presentation matters most, then color and shape. That means the fish have to like the action. Even if the jig is a color they want, if the action is not attractive, then switching colors is truly a waste. Well that’s what I got so far.

So I hear your plaintiff wail warning of the trap of crappie tackle addiction, and I am gonna try to stick with learning what works using just this stuff, before I set off trying to buy some magic. Thanks for that. I too feel it can be important to feel somewhat guilty and ashamed for gluttony.




I also read some advice that said use just one jig until you learn more. Liked that. So I decided to develop a one jig system that i could manage by myself. The concept is simple. Spinning reel has high vis mono 12lb test yellow, with a cork screw swivel tide to end. Then my pretied jigs have a small tiny little loop knot at the jig, and a large loop at the other end of the leader. To attach leader simply fish loop through cork screw swivel and on. Comes off just as easy and no damages, so if being replaced, that jig and leader can go back on the wrap where the new one once was.

Made up three Lindy rolls of leaders. Used a loop tying tool that can be found for three big bucks almost anywhere. Yup I figured out how utilize a simple tool to fashion the King Sling Loop Knots, which is one of the strongest loop knots ever invented. Very fast way to tie the entire leader actually. If you wanted to see a video of me doing it I might could manage.

Anyways while pulling jigs, weights can be added by clipping onto the swivel- to hang below - and not interfere with the leader. Easy depth adjustment using the changing of just one single aspect. Weight. Learning about how weight affects the presentation will teach me good things I suspect. I do not see how attempting to accurately measure lots of line out the back would work for me. Thinking adding weight could be easier for me learn. Easier to learn and bring that knowledge to the front of the boat for pushing.


The site’s search feature works but everything is kind of helter skelter. Are there like books or dvds that everyone agrees are worth buying ?

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Originally Posted by Micanopy

When I cast 705 feet I figured that would be enough distance

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?! Tell me more. Sorry for off-topic.

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Originally Posted by s_v

?! Tell me more. Sorry for off-topic.

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That’s surf casting distance.

Yes sir. A small gaggle of hairy legged men standing in a turf farm seeing who can cast his pole the furthest. I threw using bad gear and placed third in the 150 gram division. We used aerodynamic sinkers and bait casting reels tricked out to spin like crazy. New guys to that sport all think that if they buy one of them special rods they will cast that far, too. Wrong. The skill set of the man wielding the rod matters most, then the rod, then line diameter, then sinker shape and size, and finally the reel. The reel is really just along for the ride. Tommy Farmer is America’s best and I watched him set two new records, each over 800 feet. That was enough for me and I turned away from tournaments and just fished. My baited rigs were 200 yards off the sand though and that was because I wanted distance. It came down to being able to perform the swing properly.

No interest in the tool ?

Thanks. Just curious. I surf fish, too. My typical lures are 20-30 g irons and pencils, I can put them beyond 120 m. Cool to read about >200 m!

And I’m happy casting a 1/43oz jig 40’ up under a tree and having is sucked up on impact with the water. To each his own. Gear could cost the same either way. You’re deep into it, enjoy the ride.

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So in my research reading ..... some say presentation matters most, then color and shape. That means the fish have to like the action.

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This is the Wisdom of the Sages. Personally Presentation is most important, I can use 3-4 different go-to color combinations at the same place and catch the same fish. Next is size, and lastly - profile. I have not found a way to teach presentation successfully but it really matters.

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Originally Posted by s_v

Thanks. Just curious. I surf fish, too. My typical lures are 20-30 g irons and pencils, I can put them beyond 120 m. Cool to read about >200 m!

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Yards not M. Very few can manage to put it all together and get extreme distances. A laser range finder can disappoint so many big casters. LOL

As far as throwing lures...... I travelled hours down mountain roads, through remote jungle terrain, to an exotic locale in Mexico to go surf fishing. We rode 4 wheelers to access remote beaches that were empty of people and had so many turtle nests that you couldn’t avoid stepping on them. We cast Roberts Rangers, GT IceCream, and so many others trying to catch rooster fish. We managed a few but that week was said to have been a tough one. I was pitching about 150 yards at best. Toss as hard as possible, then came the crank like a crazy man stuff. That wore me out after a couple of hours. The man who organized the trip was a feller what called himself High Plains Drifter. Great guy. You can still find his forum contributions regarding casting lures for distance. The place we went is still being operated. Western coast of Mexico, we landed at Puerta Vuearta and went South about three hours. The lady of the house fixed chicken lunch and dinner.

California is totally different from the East coast obviously. We get a lot of sharks and table fish, but we do have tarpon for a month or so. I landed one 100 pounds (est) and it took me an hour and a half to beach him. Of course it was one of the hottest days of the year. Did so many things but now I wamt to try something else.

I used to bait fish for pompanyo with:

13 foot Florida Surf Caster rod rung with Fuji LowRiders
Akios long cast spinning rod
30lb 8 strand braid main line
100 lb 4 strand braid shock leader
5 ounce UK Hooks sinkers
150 lb main rig body
15 lb mono leader
Gemini Solo Splashdown clip
2/0 Owner Mosquito circles

Four sometimes six rods spiked. I made a killer six wheel cart with balloon tires to carry about 150 pounds of junk, including chairs and umbrellas. No one could walk past me without commenting. I made most everything I needed as there is no industry aimed at surf fishing. Taught a friend how to make sinkers and got him pointed in the right direction, now he has his own business making them. On YouTube he is The Sinker Guy and has some pretty cool videos. He attended one of my seminars and wants to have me do some stuff on video to show folks.

I plan to use some of what I learned in the pursuit of table fish at the beach, as I chase after crappie and bass. Shame that almost none of the gear will translate over as that would make me feel better about having a garage full of junk.

We can talk about surf fishing whenever you want, just let me know. I imagine you are pretty accomplished if you can pitch lures at that distance.

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Originally Posted by rojoguio

This is the Wisdom of the Sages. Personally Presentation is most important, I can use 3-4 different go-to color combinations at the same place and catch the same fish. Next is size, and lastly - profile. I have not found a way to teach presentation successfully but it really matters.

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A lot for me to learn for sure. I am curious though about why what works great one day doesn’t work at all on another day. Certainly the baitfish don’t change shapes, sizes, abilities to swim or colors, so why would we need to change our mimicry?


Presentation can be comprised of many things, but speed is probably the biggest of them. What are some of the other aspects of presentation that you take i to consideration when you are in hot pursuit and they don’t seem to be willing ?

Looks like these crappie are a fickle lot.

let me have jig or 2 when the fish are biting and watch how disorganized your box will look when it is all said and done :Rofl

Looks like you’re loading for bear! Good job and good luck. Pans and crappie are so much fun to chase and catch on the right gear!
Bob

When the waters are warm a slow sink is preferred by me. I lower 2ft, pause, lower 2ft, pause, etc allowing the most aggressive fish to rise to my jig. Keeps from dragging a hooked fish through the rest of the bunch. Cold water, micro sized jigs, I use a big split 4-5ft above my 1/32 oz presentation and pull it away slowly but quickly drop my tip to the water on the fall. For some reason it makes them bite. May do it for 4-5 minutes between bites. Everyone of the crappie are hooked center of bottom jaw lip, but caught is caught. Who doesn't prefer a solid hook in the roof of the mouth but when cold they just suck it in and hold it. A new angler with little crappie catching experience misses more bites than they set the hook on. Mainly because lack of development of "The Force". You just know to set the hook, you just know, you feel it within. Can't teach that.

Got away from work and hooked up the boat at 230pm. Short drive to ramp and launched. Made adjustments to fishfinder unit as I drove around some. Rigged up four rods and started pulling jigs out the back of the boat, In about an hour came-


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I circled back around and passed back through the same area and nothing. Then later-


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Finished before 500 pm and headed home to be there to meet her coming home from working all day. It was a fabulous day on the water and I saw eagles and such. Took this shot for you-



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Learned that controlling the boat in wind requires constant attention. Anytime I left the TM to do something the boat would head off in some crazy direction. Fished four rods out the back. Tested my sinker system and the interchangeable leaders. Workable at this point. I think I can build a system that will work for me.

The serious looking fishermen were all leaving when I arrived. I just had to go.

Here is my sinker for pushing lures. I pretie leaders that have loops on the end and they slip on and off quickly and easily, even with old eyes. The loop just slides down cork screw.

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Jesse with Elite Rodholders made me a set of four Heavy Duty Crappie Pro units in 24” size. The build itself is both clever and simple. His welds are very well formed and these look like they will outlast me.

I used a heavy and dense plastic to mount to the boat, and then fashioned the bases to that. This will allow me to make continuous adjustments and flex the units firmly without wallering out the screws holding everything down to the aluminum boat floor. Mounting bases directly to the floor probably would work, but I feel the plastic is the way to go. Always room to mount other stuff as well.

I looked at all the rod holder designs out there to be seen and decided that I didn’t like T bars. I see how they can be effective, but I wanted singles. I went with four because not sure how things will go when I deploy. Can always add more holders if it turns out to be something I’m good at. When the 13 foot rods are in the holders, there is 11 feet in between the rod tips.

I was able to sit in the seat and bring the rod butts back to me, then bend down to water. I was also able to get the rod butts to almost meet for when I practice feeling for nibbles -two rods one hand resting atop fashion. Of course they lay down on the deck with just a quick easy pull. I was surprised to see how much force they can resist. Even a really large fish would succumb. Something might eventually break, but it wouldn’t be the holder.

I can post pictures later if anyone is interested.

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All you need now is the "slime on the deck"! Looks great.