1st time "Pinning" report...

[I'mHooked]

Well for those that saw the other thread about the new toy being the Okuma Rage II Centre Pin Reel, I quickly decided that the new pin on the old 10½' Pfluger just wasn't going to cut it.

 

I picked up a 13' St. Croix Avid Steelhead (AVS130MLM2) rod at Burns Fishing on Monday night, as I thought I'd better just start with all the right gear from the beginning!

http://www.stcroixrods.com/product/avid-series-spinning

 

To others it may come across as a less than stellar outing, but to me it was worth it's weight in gold!

 

Decided yesterday was going to be the perfect day to hit the banks of a "rather large" river. (You know, that big one that dumps more water than the others combined into Lake O )

 

Had my Father-in law with me. We reached the parking area around 9am. After the exceptional hike to where we wanted to fish, we were at waters edge by about 9:30. Had his rod rigged up the night before, so just had to throw some roe on it (Brown roe from fish caught last year) and get him in the water. Rigged up the new set up which took another 5 minutes and got some roe on mine.

 

1st 'side cast' with the new pin and got it about 12 feet from shore in 6 feet of water. FIL says "hey, my bobber went down!" (he's 85 years old, but still does everything a 65 year old can do!) As I'm saying "set the hook" my float disappears!!! Double header, 1st drift, 1st time using centre pin!

 

He's got a small maybe 2½ pound steelhead. I grab the net with my free hand and land it for him while hanging on to my new favorite rod. After a nice aerial display about 20 feet from shore and 2-3 more minutes of give and take, trying not to horse it like the Musky from last month, the leader breaks and it's gone.

 

Well I'm pretty stoked just getting to play and experience the action of the rod and reel.

 

Using 5.6# Dai-Riki Fluro leader, it broke at the swivel knot.

 

3 hours later...after having witnessed at least 4 nice Chrome fish breaking the water...1 jumps about 15 feet in front of us just as I was setting to cast a new drift. I said "Ted watch this!" and landed the roe right in the centre of the splash rings..1, 2, fish on!! :clapping:

Checked my watch, then played the fish for 5 minutes being extra careful not to stress the leader, when...you guessed it...leader broken at the swivel AGAIN!!

 

Of course now I'm getting in a thick polish accent "Baaghh, why do you need that leader material? I've never used it in all my years! It's too light!". Well my response was "That's what all the PROS on OFC said to use! "

 

Ok, 7-8 minutes total of fishing fighting, which in itself is lots of fun, but time to land something!!

 

Another hour goes by, and I've run out small bags (clear 6' visibility!), so I hook on the last pink trout worm I had and let'er rip. 3rd drift and the float disappears. Pull back on it and nothing budges. Great, bottom again with only pink worm. Well all of a sudden the "bottom" started to run away from me. BIG FISH on!! Damn, I couldn't move this things head if my life depended on it, and knowing how much you guys NEED pictures, I felt my life DID depend on it! Gotta be carefull with this one. Swivels were changed. Fresh leader. 8 minutes later of this brute TEASING me because I couldn't do anything to get him moving a direction I wanted, it heads away from our pool and straight for open current in main channel! I've got the clicker on so FIL can hear the action. This thing is screaming and guessing about 60-70 yards out when I knew it was not going to end well. Fish takes a turn and drags main line across 6 foot high boulder at corner of inlet. Fish gone.

 

Any guesses on what the weight of an 8 minute played fish on 5.6# leader that couldn't be moved might be? Based on previous bottom bouncing outings and landing some 8-13 pounders, I'm guessing this guy had to have been in the 10-15 pound range.

 

Another fun thing to see was twice during a retrieve, I had follows by what looked to be about 24" fish right up to 1 foot depth only 2 feet from shore at our feet. Saw them about 12-15 feet out and just continued the retrieve hoping one would take, but didn't happen. Never seen fish follow roe in to shore like that. Was quite cool to see.

 

For having not landed any fish (of mine), the "in total" 15 minutes of fish fighting was worth every minute of it.

Rod worked great, reel is still a work in progress, elbow a little sore, but one heck of day still!

 

So, sorry, no fish pictures.

Edited November 3, 2011 by I'mHooked

[lookinforwalleye]

Sounds like a hoot! At least ya didn`t fall into the river like I did on my first attempt at Steelheading!!!

[BillM]

Improved clinch with flouro, even double it up sometimes. Also make sure you pull the tag end when you tighten it down.

Edited November 3, 2011 by BillM

[troutologist]

Critical to wet the line when tying fluoro, it heats up and weakens more than mono when cinching a knot.

[misfish]

WOW

 

What a report, and you got into some fish first time out.AWESOME.

 

As for leaving the clicker on,I was told not to.It will wear out.It,s mainly to hold the reel still when not in use. Am I wrong here guys?

 

 

Again,great outing.

[BillM]

A clicker isn't a drag, all you're going to do is make a lot of noise, lol.

[I'mHooked]

Sounds like a hoot! At least ya didn`t fall into the river like I did on my first attempt at Steelheading!!!

It sure was a hoot...an "on dry ground" hoot!

 

 

Improved clinch with flouro, even double it up sometimes. Also make sure you pull the tag end when you tighten it down.

Had thought up until last year they all needed to be Palomar knots, however Paul Castellano had us landing a tonne he tied up with the Improved Clinch, so I was using it yesterday as well. After the 1st one gone I doubled up through the eye before tying as well.

 

 

Critical to wet the line when tying fluoro, it heats up and weakens more than mono when cinching a knot.

I did give it a lick before tightening. Was thinking along those lines just in case.

 

 

WOW

 

What a report, and you got into some fish first time out.AWESOME.

 

As for leaving the clicker on,I was told not to.It will wear out.It,s mainly to hold the reel still when not in use. Am I wrong here guys?

 

 

Again,great outing.

Good to know about the potential wearing. Thanks Brian.

 

 

A clicker isn't a drag, all you're going to do is make a lot of noise, lol.

That's exactly the purpose it served yesterday...just to make noise so father-in-law could hear what was happening and just how hard & fast the fish was pulling.

 

 

Does Fluoro have a shelf life? I have two spools, 1 from last year and a new one. Should it be fresh every year?

Would I be wrong to try some 8# Fluoro when working the big water again?

[troutologist]

My experience is that fluoro does degrade fairly quickly especially if exposed to sunlight.

 

Always a good plan to use new line minimum every year.

 

FWIW I've always had good luck with Raven and SunLine leaders.

[davey buoy]

I heard:whistling:,that we give these fish far to much credit regarding line size. Latest word 15lb main line and a 10lb leader is just as good,and lessons your chance of loosing a fish. Actually I read that in a magazine a while back.Not sure if it works.

[BillM]

 

That's exactly the purpose it served yesterday...just to make noise so father-in-law could hear what was happening and just how hard & fast the fish was pulling.

 

 

Sweet! I'm sure he enjoyed the noise Other steelheaders will probably give you a few strange looks if they hear that. Just an FYI

 

As far as flouro goes I keep mine in the fridge. Been running the same leader spool for over a season now without issue.

[misfish]

Other steelheaders will probably give you a few strange looks if they hear that. Just an FYI

 

Bill it does save on saying FISH ON.LOL

[rocheleauc]

awesome, sounds like a good time, you'll land them next time

 

as stated earlier, improved clinch for the leader, I personally use the trilene knot and rarely have any break offs as well.

[BillM]

Bill it does save on saying FISH ON.LOL

 

No need to say that either, lol!

 

Unless you're combat fishing.

[cowanjo]

Hey craig - so reading this you were outfished by an 85 year old. I think i runined fishing for you due to the way you had to learn fight musky! Me telling you set the hook - you probably stressed the knot with your new technique. Awesome report as always.

[NAC]

Fluoro lasts a very long time when not exposed to sunlight, nothing like mono at all. If you are breaking at the knot then you aren't wetting it enough when pulling it tight. It burns easily from the knot friction and gets very brittle. If you are breaking away from the knot then it's just garbage line.

 

nice to see you got some action with the new set up.

[I'mHooked]

Hey craig - so reading this you were outfished by an 85 year old. I think i runined fishing for you due to the way you had to learn fight musky! Me telling you set the hook - you probably stressed the knot with your new technique. Awesome report as always.

Yah yah, outfished by an 85 year old! I tied his leader as well!

I was thinking that I was trying to crank on them like they were Musky (or at least that was part of my excuse)! Yes YOU ruined it for me! To pay me back we should at least get on the water again real soon!

[I'mHooked]

Fluoro lasts a very long time when not exposed to sunlight, nothing like mono at all. If you are breaking at the knot then you aren't wetting it enough when pulling it tight. It burns easily from the knot friction and gets very brittle. If you are breaking away from the knot then it's just garbage line.

 

nice to see you got some action with the new set up.

I'll keep the knot friction in mind. Might have been more friction tying it then there should have been.

Was definitely the knot breaking as there was no tag end on the swivel.

 

Thanks for the insight.