Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Heddon Timber Rattler Minnow

I was thinking it was a name of snake species.
I read an interesting article today.

Heddon Timber Rattler story by Tom Jacomet.

-------------------------------------

We have had heavy rain since last night, though today is a holiday. 
Coupled with a bad back of mine, I stayed home almost all day long.

In the afternoon, I exchanged some lures in my fishing tackle boxes. 
I like this wooden lure, Heddon Timber Rattler Minnow, to fish on topwater. 
I don't like let it dive into underwater, so I attached a small spinner on the tail before.
I'd like to go with one next time.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Lost a camere, but recovered

It was my unlucky day, but I could minimize the damage.

I went fishing from early in the morning, and I broke the tailgate hatch of my car by my mistake. I put a magnet light on it when I prepared my fishing tackle, and I closed the gate as it was. One of the lift support shock popped out of the socket, so I had to have a hard time to keep the gate open. Anyway, I fished in the first pond and got skunked.

Then, I went to another pond and kept fishing. I could caught a bass (not so big), but when I tried to take a picture of it, it went away from my hand. Maybe it was when I dropped my camera in the water, but I didn't notice it. I fished for about one and half hours, and on the way back from fishing I found I lost my camera.

As soon as I got home, I went to my car dealer and had them fix the tailgate. Then, I went back again and started making a recovery tool for my camera. I opened my saltwater fishing tackle box, and took a sinker, old braided line, and old large treble hook. I connected them to make a gaffing tool.

 
In the afternoon, I visited the second pond again and followed the same course as the morning on my floating tube. I kept gazing into the bottom of the water all the way, and finally I could find it! I got the special tool from my wader pocket and tried picking up the camera several time. Fortunately, it was a fine calm day and I managed to gaff the strap of the camera! I slowly retrieved the line and could recover it. It is a waterproof camera, but was in the water for hours, so I cautiously turned it on. Yes, it worked fine. I got extremely tired and am now suffering backache, but am very happy not to lose anything.



Today's tackle: ABU 5000 DL, Fenwick SP634 (custom), Stren 14lb (Low-Vis Green), ABU FIVE, Daiko Prestige PBC-56L, Stren 14lb (Low-Vis Green), Original Zara Spook, Lucky 13, Chugger Spook, Meadow Mouse, Hedd Hunter Minnow (w/prop), Pico Pop, etc.
BF=2/4

Monday, April 21, 2014

Easier ways to tune a Powerpak

Yesterday I went to a fishing tackle shop to pick up some more floats for my Powerpak lures, as I came up with a few easier ways to tune the lures using them. 

 
 Idea A:
 (1) make a double line with a bimini twist or spider hitch.
 (2) pass the double line (both lines) through the eye of the float.
 (3) then tie the swivel.


Idea B:
 (1) pass the line through the float and tie the swivel.
(2) pass the reminder of the line through the float again from the other side.
 (3) then knot the reminder on the main line.

In either way, you can attach a float just before you cast the Powerpak. I'd like to try both ideas when I go fishing next time.

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Let's start off with a Pico Pop

Last night, I decided I would take my favorite tackle for a switch, and exchanged lines.
I got up 03:00 at 03:00 a.m. and went out for fishing. I was already on the water at 04:40, and started fishing at first light.

For about one hour, I got no bites, saw no fish, and felt no reactions at all from any aquatic animals. The water surface was still and calm, and I was thinking this pond has no lives.

Then, in a shallow area, someone suddenly knocked my fin under the water.
I was awesomely surprised, but when I looked in the water, my eyes met a big female bass. I thought she was protecting her bed against an enemy floating on the water using a strange tube, so I said, "I'm sorry. Have a good spawning!" and I hurries off there.

About half an hour later, I decided to cast a Pico Pop, one of my favorite lures.
All in all, this lure is a go-to guy. I cast it just near a fallen tree, gave it a few dog-walk actions, and then the water surface blew up. I set a hook hard twice, and enjoyed the fight with the fish. It was not a huge fish, but definitely the first fish I caught this year. Size doesn't matter at all.


 
Today's tackle: ABU Record 5000 (BLK), Phillipson Challenger (9055 rebuilt), Stren 14lb (Clear/Blue Fluorescent), Pico Pop, Heddon Zara Spook, Original Zara Spook, Lucky 13, Magnum Torpedo, Chugger Spook, Gilmore Hoodler, Cotton Cordell Red Fin, etc. 
  BF=1/3

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Tuning a Powerpak

Hooks of Powerpak lures often catch lines while the built-in spring works. I don't like it, and was thinking how to tune it. I happened to think of a small float, which may give more buoyancy to lines (and to the swivel connected) and, as a result, let the lines far from the hooks.

When I went fishing last time, I tested this tuned Powerpak. My idea worked fine as I planned, and it became much easier to fish with. Give it a try!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Took a farm-pond tour


A friend of mine visited from far to go out for fishing together. Isn't it a pleasure, too?


We hopped from pond to pond, and fished a total of 6-7 of them. 
Unfortunately, fish were still very slow, and we both were got skunked.
Anyway, seasons change and life goes on. It must be a pleasure, isn't it? 


Today's tackle: ABU 5000 DL, Fenwick SP634 (custom), Stren 14lb (Low-Vis Green), ABU FIVE, Mr Don Dog Figher (custom), Stren 14lb (Low-Vis Green), Heddon Zara Spook (NLT), Original Zara Spook, Lucky 13, Chugger Spook, Gilmore Hoodler, Griner Banana, etc.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Full bloom

I always start fishing before cherry blossoms bloom.
Now, those around my place are in full bloom.
I wanted to go fishing during this weekend, but cold weather is holding on here.
I'm now obliged to be home.



These are Garcia Mouse lures. 
I like to go fishing with one of them and making it a mascot.
I don't cast them very often, but last year I caught so many fish with one of them that the eye painting of it went off before I knew it (the right one in the picture). 


I decided to repair it using some glue and gouache.
Mixing gouaches to match the original colors was difficult, but once it was finished, stamping to paint eyes was a very easy job. The mouse came to life again and went back to his room in my tackle box.