[Uncle Russ]

I saw where Rick said on another thread that some of you unfortunate land-locked shut-ins live for fishing reports, so I thought I would contribute. I drove my wife and mother down to Rockport on Saturday to check on a couple of lots we bought. So I took along some gear to practice with while they were shuffling around bookstores etc. etc. ad nauseum.

I classify this as an offhore report because I was practicing with offshore tackle, and I actually drove out into the city park area which is a peninsula, so I was not actually on the mainland you understand.

My gear was a nine-foot "Souls 90HHS Finalist True Excaliber" (have you ever pondered on how the Japanese give something a name that sounds like it came out of a Godzilla movie, and we pay extra for it?) with a Stella 20,000 loaded up with about 375 yards of 60 pound braid, a 100 pound shock leader and I tied on a Skagit Designs Lip Slider, about a 3-ounce sinking bait. I had a pretty significant wind behind me as I let fly out into Little Bay--a perfect cast with which I was hoping to snag one of the "personal water craft" that kept shooting by. First Cast. Honest to God--if I'm lying, I'm dying, as I brought the lure in with great sweeping side motions to make it slide, suddenly the rod tip bowed over and I felt the unmistakable pull of a fish on the other end. I assume it must be a small redfish.

I'd like to tell you it pulled out a couple of hundred yards of drag (which was set at about 20 pounds) but no. It gave up the ghost pretty easily--and I pulled in one of the biggest hardheads I have ever seen. Let's just say my tackle was sufficient for the job at hand.

And now that you have read poor old Uncle Russ's report, as someone once replied to one of my other posts: "...well, that's 2 minutes your life you'll never get back."

Russ

 

[Snagged]

Russ,
Keep track of the number of exocits you catch as there is an award at the end of the year.

 

[gman]

Are you trying to scare me away from the site, I dont ever want to hear the word hard head again ...my friggin finger is still swollen and oozing blood and pus a week after getting a hardhead spine in my finger. I pulled a hard tip out yesterday. Just joy

How come you only have 375 yards on your stella, I got 500 yards of PE6 on mine. You sure do have a tackle addiction, sounds like you have some great gear...accurate reels, soul casting rod, stellas, smiths your a born again japanese angler LMAO

 

[Gunsmoke]

Uncle Russ, we just might have to change your screen name to "Capt. Hardhead".

At least that slippery, slimy, greasy, snot covered bottom feeding hardhead got hooked on some nice tackle. Those hardheads are the Cockroach's of the sea. They will out live every other species in the ocean.

Gmann,
Don't expect the pain to go away soon. When I was a kid we would catch hardheads off the dock and throw them at each other. That barb is like a nail. I would have swollen whelps all over my legs, chest and back. When it breaks off below the skin, you will get really sick. It takes up to one year for the numbness to go away.

I always hate it when somebody calls me a "Hardhead". I think of the fish, and they're trying to tell me I'm stubborn. I hate hardheads. The only thing good about them is they are an excellent live Tarpon bait. Other than that, they are just "Tourist Trout".

 

[gman]

Im glad somne will acknowledge the numbness I am feeling, no one else believes me. The point of the barb was in my finger until it came to the surface and I took it out. I had a bad fever i guess it was from that, I just want my finger back to normal and I cant even imagine kids throwing those things at each other. Tough kids man, god bless tougher than my ass

 

[Uncle Russ]

snagged: That's one and counting. Any additional catch I will filet and send on dry ice to Gunsmoke. Or maybe I will wait until I can catch a couple of dozen, leave out the dry ice, and just send it UPS ground.

gman: I was cheap and bought a 20,000 SW. The spare spool, as you probably know, is a 16,000. I got some of the jig line before 360 had it--PE-4at about 57 pounds. I got all 300 meters on the spool, saw how much room was left, and took it off and put on a filler deep down of some left-over JB 130 hollow--about 50 yards, bringing it up to about 375. I'm sure I could get 5 or 6 hundred of the stuff on the 20,000 spool.

With regard to the spines, being the world's worst tourist, I have had those "trout" spine me many times, and sorry to say, I recommend amputation. The part that's gone will feel fine.

As for being a Japanese convert, I've also got a couple of Accurate reels and Calstar rods. I just like the longer rods for casting. I will no doubt go back to Calstars or pick up a couple of OTI spinners when available after the 9 footer eats my lunch.

Russ