Bottom fishing tuesday 7/2

[Gerry Zagorski]

Albright knot is good for joining the braid to your top shot
http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/

Also keep in mind it's a good idea to put some mono backing on the spool under the braid for 2 reasons.

1) Some braids tend to slip on the spool if not backed with mono.
2) Unless your are fishing in the deep, you are only going to need 200 or so feet of braid and it will be expensive to fill the entire reel with it because of the smaller diameter. Fill the reel with mono first then top it off with braid.

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by PocketFisherman

I find it ridiculous to hear someone say that braid needs to be cut instead of broken out of the bottom when a rig gets stuck.

If you are bottom fishing, spool with 40lb braid with 20' of 40 or 50lb mono topshot. Tie the topshot to the swivel of whatever rig you are using.

Bring a piece of broom stick or wooden dowl and wrap the braid around it several times to pull out of the bottom when you get stuck. If you are of normal strength it is done very easily. If you are a sissy ask the mate to help.

I've never cut braid because it was stuck nor have I ever seen anyone that I fish with do so. Again, just ridiculous and anyone that does so should educate themselves on the proper use of the line.

Thats what guys were doing.. We were bringing it up with the rigs that were tied to it still on the bottom..
Why 20 feet of mono, I would think 10 would be plenty, no?

In any case, I have observed that only deep water presents a problem in me getting numbers.. I do fine in shallower water, my son too..You must remember that this 200 +fow thing i summer is new to me.. We used to ling fish in much shallower water than that, and thats what I got used to.. It was nothing to fill a bucket or two up any time I went, .. In the 80's I do not remember ever ling fishing in water that deep.. Ling were spring fall winter, except for a few that were taken while sea bass/porgie/black fishing here and there in summer.. The few boats that did that type of fishing back then in summer were always lightly attended when fluke were around anyway.. Everyone wanted the fluke, not ling and sea bass.. Times have changed, and I need to realize that if I bottom fish in summer, I WILL be spending time fishing in deep water,, The days of drifting the rocks off Deal and Elberon for sea bass in 60-70 FOW during summer might be a thing of the past.Probably not keeper sea bass there to support all the people that want them these days.. Lots of tiny ones. The pressure on bottom fish has increased 10 fold it seems since the days of no limits on fluke... It has changed the way we fish, and I need to change as well, or just not go when the boats need to fish in the Mud Hole for ling...bob

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Albright knot is good for joining the braid to your top shot
http://www.animatedknots.com/albright/

Also keep in mind it's a good idea to put some mono backing on the spool under the braid for 2 reasons.

1) Some braids tend to slip on the spool if not backed with mono.
2) Unless your are fishing in the deep, you are only going to need 200 or so feet of braid and it will be expensive to fill the entire reel with it because of the smaller diameter. Fill the reel with mono first then top it off with braid.

Understood.. thats what I did on my sweet water jigging rods.. just have to get around to doing it to my bottom fishing sticks..
I can't find that stuff anywhere in this area, thats another problem.. this is fresh water only, and getting salt water gear is tough... I will have to find it online... bob

[Ol Pedro]

I'm with Jerry . I like a 20' top shot of 30 lb. mono. I just tie a dropper loop for the sinker another a couple of inches up and loop to loop for the hook/leader . The Albrite gives you better feel and goes through the guides easily . You can break out by sleeving your line or the dowel wrap mentioned earlier . The possible reason that you are getting hung up in braid left on the bottom is people are tying braid straight to their Mono rigs and they are of higher poundage . Also some people don't dispose of Braid and mono correctly . It should always go in the trash . when thrown over the side it sinks to the structure and gets hung up in it . Braid lasts a lot longer than mono.

[tautog]

Half of why I use braid is that it is so much easier to break off in deeper water. Last time I broke off 30ln mono in 250 feet it was so stretchy and so hard to break that my shoulder was messed up for a month.

[waynedane]

Whatever braid you want to use, just go with 5 lb test lighter leader material and should never have to cut braid... Just saying.

[jmurr711]

reason i go 20 feet is due to abrasion resisitance when fishing sticky stuf ya may have to cut off a foot ro 2 here n there

[PocketFisherman]

20' is nice in that you get abrasion resistance and can break off a few rigs without having to replace the topshot. A little stretch is also good in the event you pickup a nice cod or pollock. Lastly, you'll have a few turns of the mono around the spool when lifting fish into the boat and lastly lastly you're more likely to have mono to braid tangles or mono to mono tangles if other anglers are rig similarly.

[PocketFisherman]

20' is nice in that you get abrasion resistance and can break off a few rigs without having to replace the topshot. A little stretch is also good in the event you pickup a nice cod or pollock. Lastly, you'll have a few turns of the mono around the spool when lifting fish into the boat and lastly lastly you're more likely to have mono to braid tangles or mono to mono tangles if other anglers are rig similarly.

[vinntastic]

Get A Couple Bags Of Gulp And Dont Leave Home Without It