Introduction/questions

[Little Terp]

First let me start by introducing myself. My name is Tim aka "Little Terp". I was bitten pretty good by the offshore bug a few years ago and fish North of the DMZ with two good freinds of mine. I have been a member of this board a while but have made very few comments or posts since joining. Was not real comfortable with my lack of knowledge. I have learned alot just taking in all the great info shared here and from my two fishing partners. With that having been said I do have a few questions. Again, Please excuse my rookieness!!

1. How do you prefer to rig your wind-on leaders for pitch baits and what are the connections?
2. If you where going to splice line onto a reel what knot would you use, 50lb. to 50lb (triple fishermens)? Lost a lot of line on newly spooled Shimano 30W LRSA and did not want to completely respool if it was not necessary.
3. I am not clear on the dropback process for a white. If you see him coming or moving to a different bait at what point do you drop back/freespool bait after he has attack it or just before he attacks it? It all happens so fast.

Again thanks for all of the great info shared here.

[WAHOONBOX]

DUDE....NO QUESTION IS TO TRITE OR TO WRONG....MANY ON HERE WILL HELP!!!


AND I GIVE YOU MY WOR=D THAT I'LL GET BACK ON THIS SET OF QUESTIONS AND TRY TO HELP...THIS IS A BIG WEEK FOR ME WITH THE BARTA TOURNY AND I GO FOR BILLFISH TOMORROW AS WELL....I'M SCERTAIN MANY GUYS WILL JOIN IN SO BE PATIENT CAUSE MNMANY ARE FISHING HARD RIGHT NOW


I WILL RETURN!

ROCK ON!
BOX

[LadyAngler]

Welcome to the board Little Terp! You'll find that this is a very welcoming community, w/lots of awesome fishermen to help newbies (hell I'm definitely one). As for North of DMZ, what area do you fish? and out of what dock?

[Bite Me]

Welcome aboard,

My necked baits generally have a 30 +/- foot leader of 80 Lb. mono attached to the mainline then the bait is on a 8 to 10 foot leader generally Floro with a crimped loop then connected to the leader via a snap. The 30 foot leader is attached to the mainline with a short double line on the main, yes I still use a Bimini and if you are not that daring use a Spider hitch. I don't think that a double overhand holds up too well on lines of 30 pounds or less, then a No Name not to the leader. For snaps I use the Sea Striker Stainless 100# attached with a uni although some prefer crimp.They have a very low profile for a 100 pound snap and hold up well with a fresh water flush at the end of the day.
For the circle hook rigs, I just tie the hook directly to the leader as the hooks are easily reloaded with pre rigged baits. Once again, some prefer premaking rigs that can easily be attched via a snap.
For a pitch bait, one strickly reserved for that purpose, I would put a 10 foot leader with a snap that is unied direct to the single mainline. If you are pitching that bad boy the name of the game is getting that bait out of the pit and into his mouth asap. The Bimini, Spiders, whatever, then the no name to the leader as in a dragged bait can only complicate things when you are trying to get it through the guides and in front of the fish in short order.
Releases are scored when a crew member just touches leader or leader, snap, knot touches rod tip.
Try a few things that you can tie in your sleep and that will clear your guides and not break.........that will be your comfort level.

If I were inclined to attach two lines of similar weight, I would use a blood knot although many prefer a uni to uni connection. Don't know if I would donk around with it though. You go through all the time and trouble to hook up then blow it because an "extra" knot got in the way. Just re-spool and find confidence that you don't need to worry about your knots.

As far as free spooling to a white, you figure it out, you let me know.

This is only my two cents and there are many here that will no doubt have "better" ways of doing things
We all become better fishermen by throwing out ideas, getting our jimmies jumped on and learning as we go.
Personally, I'm waring a cup.

[Glenn W]

3. I am not clear on the dropback process for a white. If you see him coming or moving to a different bait at what point do you drop back/freespool bait after he has attack it or just before he attacks it? It all happens so fast..

Thanks to you, I had that same ole nightmare over and over again last night. I have spent the last eleven months in therapy and was finally able to get a full night's sleep again , and then you had to go and post this--- for shame, for shame.
Every day is different--- even when they are chewing. Some days they are aggressive as all get out , light up like an Xmas tree and just keep coming and coming to the bait. The longer it takes the madder he gets and when he does eat it, it's ussually pretty obvious and much easier. Other days they are finicky and just make a swat or two and if they feel anything at all they will drop the bait and be gone.
By far, the best success rate is when you ( or the Capt) see's the fish before he hits or starts swatting at the baits. Hold the rod in your hand, in freespool and consentrate for the slightest tick. Have you ever caught a Sheepshead?--- that's the tick I mean. and that's when you spoon feed him Let's say the fish comes up on the right flat and you are on his butt, holding rod ready to spoon feed him. If all goes as ussual, he will wait for you to get your rod all the way out of the holder, disengage the cliicker and then attack the left flat, or even worse the right short, When the White bite is hot in a tourny, no rod holders at all, every man is holding a rod. Can you imagine how tiring it is holding a rod for 6 hours?
Other dropback times are when you have a miss, can't see him but you know he is still around.

Honey------!!!!!, do we have any more happy pills? I'm having one of those anxiety attacks again.

[Bert Rodgers]

Thanks to you, I had that same ole nightmare over and over again last night. I have spent the last eleven months in therapy and was finally able to get a full night's sleep again , and then you had to go and post this--- for shame, for shame.
Every day is different--- even when they are chewing. Some days they are aggressive as all get out , light up like an Xmas tree and just keep coming and coming to the bait. The longer it takes the madder he gets and when he does eat it, it's ussually pretty obvious and much easier. Other days they are finicky and just make a swat or two and if they feel anything at all they will drop the bait and be gone.
By far, the best success rate is when you ( or the Capt) see's the fish before he hits or starts swatting at the baits. Hold the rod in your hand, in freespool and consentrate for the slightest tick. Have you ever caught a Sheepshead?--- that's the tick I mean. and that's when you spoon feed him Let's say the fish comes up on the right flat and you are on his butt, holding rod ready to spoon feed him. If all goes as ussual, he will wait for you to get your rod all the way out of the holder, disengage the cliicker and then attack the left flat, or even worse the right short, When the White bite is hot in a tourny, no rod holders at all, every man is holding a rod. Can you imagine how tiring it is holding a rod for 6 hours?
Other dropback times are when you have a miss, can't see him but you know he is still around.

Honey------!!!!!, do we have any more happy pills? I'm having one of those anxiety attacks again.

But then again when 3 guys have a rod ready to spoon feed the long pin pops
and the line comes tight "FISH ON" Rodney Rodholder strikes again!


Bert

[Little Terp]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful replies. Lady Angler, I fish offshore out of Chincoteague VA. We fish the Washington canyon and the inshore lumps.
In the Chesapeake Bay I like to fish the shallow water for specks and rock out of Crisfield, MD.