Re: Action, Sound, Get Wet — May 12, 2008
Bruce/Brandon,
Thanks for sharing your secrets to success–my experience has been that the details are the key to successful catching. I guess I am surprised to hear that you do not use shock leaders at all–especially for trophy trout time. Do you prefer a particular type of line in a certain pound test and a particular knot? I have used 8# P Line copolymer line in green and Sufix Performance braided line, also in green. With both, I tie on a long flourocarbon fly shock leader usually in 17 lb test–the fly fishing leader materials are smaller diameter than the conventional shock leader material, it is more expensive because of this. Anyway, I have lost fish, usually reds, that swim down into the grass and so use shock leaders pretty much everywhere I go. I am interested if you have that experience or if you have a method for not losing fish that try to bury themselves in the grass. Thanks again for the great info–especially the two methods for topwaters depending on water conditions. The low rod position to counteract strong wave action makes me think of Cordell Broken Back Redfin–the first topwater I caught a good-sized fish on anywhere (it was a slot red in Mansfield). The fish surfaced behind the lure (orange back and belly with gold sides) and swam down a wave and nailed the lure–I was hypnotized and didn't realize it was hitting my lure which was a good thing since I surely would have pulled the lure away from the fish before he could eat it. It was a windy afternoon north of the East Cut and we had switched to broken backs. Good fishing to you all. I hope to be down there soon.
Wes Pullen
