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philaroman

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Posts posted by philaroman

    Bulgur wheat

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted · Edited by philaroman

    bulgur (aka, couscous) is par-cooked, cracked whole durum wheat.  unless it's really coarse, you don't need to cook it -- just pour boiling water over it & cover for 10-15min.  you end up w/ small particles that are fluffier / much less sticky than most other cooked small grain/corn particles...  never tried it, but the texture is probably most useful as a pack/method ingredient

    if you want wheat in your doughbait, IMO bulgur would make it too crumbly -- instead, try Cream of Wheat (Farina) either with or instead of cornmeal

    Okuma Epixor or Coronado

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    Anyone try Daiwa Opus Plus BRI? same price ballpark & looks kinda' interesting... not much info out there, but heavy/bulky seems to be the only complaint -- if that's the only thing wrong with a Chinese(?) baitrunner well under $100, that's acceptable IMO

    Fishing knots

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    Obviously, you have scratched off the blood knot for braid. Am I to surmise that the braid coating is what makes the old knots slip?

    Just the opposite: polyethylene, itself (Spectra/Dyneema) is extremely silky & slick. The coating makes it a liitle more stiff, so it handles a bit more like mono, AT FIRST -- THE COATING WILL NOT LAST! "Broken-in", well-used PowerPro is more like plain, non-coated braid which is most likely to slip through many unmodified old-school knots. You'll notice the coating will start to wear, leaving a residue on line roller & guides, every time you reel under tension; the color will fade; the line will get softer (still as strong, if not nicked... even after many years); there will be ZERO line memory (initially there's a little coiling due to the stiff coating, then none at all); it will lay on the spool & cast better, but will be more likely to wind-knot & slip through inappropriate knots... it's a gradual thing & you'll have time to adapt, but you may as well learn the best knots, ASAP!!!

    Fishing knots

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    oh, I know what a Blood Knot is -- I really like it for nylon. the first time I tied one braid-to-braid it looked so small, symmetrical, and perfect -- just beautiful... and then it slipped apart more quickly & easily than anything before or since. I've tried twice as many turns on each side; leaving longer tags & melting the ends w/ a lighter... still worthless for braid.

    Fishing knots

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted · Edited by philaroman

    Double surgeon's knot for joining two lines? Or blood knot?

    Philaroman, what is the problem with the improved clinch knot with braid? Curious.

    I was going to add a link for PowerPro braid knots but couldn't get it to work.

    Clinch, Blood and Standard Palomar (once-trough-eye) ALL SLIP!!! since I formed my opinions decades ago, coating techniques have advanced to minimize this problem, but now there are more and more "extra-slick" & non-coated braids on the market, so why take the chance? There are much better options that work great w/ ANY braid -- check the various Knot Wars & Showdowns... going strictly by memory:

    braid to eye (swivel/lure/hook): Fishin' Fool (Uni variation) WON!!! It's a simple & economical -- if you don't need a hair, why would you use anything else?

    braid to mono: Crazy Alberto (Albright variation) WON & it gives you a nice slim profile (no knots in the mono -- it's just doubled)! Uni/Uni is simpler, almost as good, but can be bulky. 3-4 turn Surgeon's is really bulky, but it's so simple that you can tie it by feel in the dark (good for Stripers on a crowded boat/jetty, where you may get beat up for turning on a light)

    Here's the PowerPro link:

    http://www.powerpro.com/publish/content/global_fish/en/us/power_pro_v2/info/using_powerpro/knots.html

    Do you see any Blood or Clinch variation being recommended by them, or ANY reputable braid manufacturer?

    Many people who "never have a problem" with a certain knot, also never set their drag anywhere near 1/2 of their line rating... that's not really a valid test of knot integrity.

    Fishing knots

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    I use the improved clinch knot for braid and, so far, haven't had any trouble with it.

    DON'T -- specifically NOT RECOMMENDED for most braids!

    Fishin' Fool (twice-through-eye Uni)

    doubled-line Uni

    twice-through-eye Palomar

    are all MUCH, MUCH better!

    Georgia waters with carp ?

    in GA

    Posted

    P.S. PA includes Carp occurance in their published sampling reports by individual body of water (some of which are quite small). I'm sure GA also samples & counts every species. If they don't publish, or don't mention carp, perhaps they should start -- the additional effort would be miniscule & "budget cuts" is not a valid excuse.

    Georgia waters with carp ?

    in GA

    Posted

    another possible approach:

    browse around other States' sites (some are quite progressive about promoting Carp as a sport fish -- e.g., PA seems fairly on the ball, TX & some Midwestern States definitely are, etc.); find the stuff they do, that you want GA to do; and forward the links to your new buddy, the Dep. Comish... i.e., shame him into action :lol:

    :carprock:

    Fishing knots

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted · Edited by philaroman

    just remember that some of those knots are OLD -- while they probably work great w/ nylon monofilament, don't expect them all to perform w/ non-stretch braid or stiff flouro... for newer base materials that have drastically different characteristics, some knots require modification & some are downright useless, no matter what you do

    Whats the worst thing thats happend to you while fishing?

    in Other Species Stories

    Posted

    I'll skip the human interactions -- mine are not too bad... let's do wildlife:

    stepped into a ground-hole wasp nest; had to get away fast as they were in attack/pursuit mode, so I couldn't deal immeditely w/ the 3 or 4 that got inside my boot; got stung 10-12 times all in one ankle; shin-to-toes swelled up like a bowling ball for about a day... oh, did I mention that this was a SOLO hike-in w/ an 80-lb backpack & no people, cars, or Benadryl within reach

    What features do you look for in a river swim?

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted · Edited by philaroman

    That boulder creates an underwater eddie. A great holding point for the big ones not interested in expending energy in the current. Takes familiarity with a swim to find a feature like that sometimes. Not always visible on the surface.

    oh, absolutely. my point was, that you couldn't discern that it was a desireable spot without trying:

    • the mega-boulder is never visible -- even at the lowest levels
    • the current is too strong to plumb effectively
    • electronics info is not available -- even jets don't dare to come up there... I've only seen 1 no-gadget old-timer serpentine his way in like he knew every pebble (with a prop, no less) & he promptly dropped a gill into "my spot", to yield a +/-40# Flathead (which is probably why smaller nuisance fish stay away)

    What features do you look for in a river swim?

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    hmmm,

    one of my best spots doesn't look "carpy" at all -- fast, deep water in the middle... turns out there's an enormous submerged boulder behind which the big girls hang out. I mean, you can get steady action in the surrounding shallows & eddies closer to the bank, but it's mostly under 10# & low teens, while the unlikely-looking spot produces mostly high teens or better.

    Bolt/Carolina

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    The issue I am having (and perhaps you could shed some light on a solution) is that my beads have a wide pass-through hole... I tried tying a bobber stop with several different materials and no matter how thick I tie the uni knot, it won't hold the 3 oz sinker.

    I suppose I should just buy smaller beads? The reason I use these is that they are wide enough to avoid all contact with the knot and JUST touch the big swivel when the sinker slams down... Of course that's using a SLIP sinker for catfishing. I had hoped to have universal gear here, but it looks like I'll need to specialize a bit.

    If you want universal, try this:

    stop knot => bead (small bore) => pass through small swivel => bead (wide bore) => tie to big swivel

    • the top bead should have the smallest possible bore/hole diameter that allows your mainline to pass freely, so you can make your stop-knot as small as possible (if your rod tip top is not too big, it also helps if the top bead is too big to pop through)
    • the bottom bead should have bore/hole diameter big enough to go over the knot without chafing
    • slide the knot as far up as you want for a running rig, or all the way down for a bolt rig
    • clip on different lead sizes/styles or a waggler-type float to the top swivel w/out cutting
    • this set-up will do anything a 3-way swivel can do, only BETTER & it's no a Death Rig

    ***NEVER buy your beads in fishing tackle (good beads are overpriced & cheap ones are crap) -- get 'em from a hobby store. Seriously, even if you just walk into a WalMart, the beads in Sewing Dept. (where guys don't go) are better, cheaper, more variety than 3 isles over in Fishing... OR, buy up some dirt-cheap bead jewelery at a fleamarket

    st croix avid 12' carp rod

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    Thank you very much for the perfect answers. As suspected, 12'MH would be most useful & versatile for my needs -- I like a longer float rod, frequently use hooks smaller than #8, and rod-weight is a minor concern. if I stalk or throw lures for an hour without good results, I'm most likely to sit & soak bait, for a while... if I do get good results, I may sit & soak feet, for a while :Old:

    grits?

    in Ontario

    Posted

    IMO, the only advantage of grits, is low cost.

    anything you can do w/ grits, you can do with a cornmeal/farina blend... possibly better -- can you get those cheap, locally?

    st croix avid 12' carp rod

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted

    Hi Standalone, thanks for your enquiry.

    The Avid Carp 12ft ACS120MHMF2 will definitely cast 1/2 oz weights (bass sinkers or bored bullets), as it was designed as an all-round Carp rod... And lots of Carp are caught by creeping up on them and precision-casting to feeding fish at close range (up to 40 yds). I'd recommend using 8-10 lb line, or a maximum of 20 lb braid, to get the maximum range out of your casts with a 1/2 oz sinker. This rod will also cast up to 4 oz specialist Carp casting weights and Carp-specific rigs, up to 125 yds plus (with good technique), so you have a lot of options available in the one rod. I even have buddies who use these rods for heavy float (bobber) fishing for Carp.

    You mentioned that this is a big (long) rod; have you considered the Avid Carp 9ft 6in ACS96MMF2? This rod handles sinker weights from 1/2 oz to 3 oz. It's lighter, shorter, and easier to handle, and casts up to 90 yds, if needed. It's also a popular rod with my buddies who cast spoons for Steelhead, Trout, and Salmon; a very versatile rod.

    Here's the link for the rods: http://stcroixrods.com/products/freshwater/avid-series-spinning/

    Let me know if you have any other questions, and I'll do my best to find you the answers.

    Since you're explaining these rods to a beginner, may I bug you with some [possibly stupid] questions?

    Avid is a bit out of my price range, but I'm tempted to take the plunge if I can get functional use out of the 12-footer as a multi-species rod... you know -- a great, versatile carp rod for most of the year that can do other things "well enough" 10-20 times/year, rather than several budget rods.

    • how would the 12' do w/ a 5000/6000-size Shimano, 15-30# braid, 10-20# flouro top-shot & 1-2 oz. paddle-tails (or other 1-3 oz. lures)... mostly for the Springtime Striper river run & VERY rare light Surf use?
    • I'm sure I could go down to a 4000-size reel for stalking & float-fishing, but how would a 4000 work for casting respectable distance -- is the 1st/stripper guide too big for that; is it 40 or 50 mm; is it same for 12' & 9'6"?
    • if I were gently lobbing baitfish under a float (short distance, VERY gently & slowly, no snap at all), how much over 4 oz. could I safely try... or, would that be rod-abuse?

    Obviously, the importance of casting distance would vary by application, but even when distance really matters, it would be secondary to the rod's other characterics -- mostly, I'm very attracted to the "glass-like" 8-25 line rating & more moderate action to protect lighter lines (I'm guessing that's the IPC advantage). I generally lean toward the longest, most moderate rods I can get away with, for ANY application & I'm willing to sacrifice accuracy & convenience to some extent (HATE short and/or Fast rods, esp. for braid)

    Any thoughts you have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    Stove !

    in Beginning Carping

    Posted · Edited by philaroman

    I was going to brag how my Swedish brass burners (Tangia/Svea) are much nicer than converted tin cans, but then I took a look on feeBay -- the darn things are now over $15/each, plus the fuel bottles that were free throw-ins are approaching $10/each. considering that what I got 10-y-a for about $12 (2 stoves, 2 bottles, delivery) is now almost $50, DAMN RIGHT I'D MAKE MY OWN!!! ...still, the brass stoves are bigger & if you stepped on one, you wouldn't be SOL.

    and don't even get me started on Ethanol -- back in the day, cheap 95% gave me fuel, disinfectant/antiseptic and libation, all in one modest flask that would not profane my baits. now, my stupid, overbearing, pedantic State will not allow anything stronger than 70% at almost 3X the price of cheap Bourbon... or, is it Uncle Sam that I should thank for treating me like a child?

    BTW, here's a neat little trick: if you use alcohol for fuel, the flames are virtually invisible in daytime, which can be annoying or even dangerous. a pinch of salt makes 'em bright orange

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