Linda Mar / Friday / 07.21.06

I got to LM at 5:30PM - met Colm at the Parking lot - he just got back  (on his zodiac) and had a nice King on board. He caught it on the mooch in front of the Pacifica Pier. I got so excited, I launched and met Ben/Guitarzan at the North Point......forgetting to wear my wetsuit Ben decided to go for Lings at Pedro Point and I paddled/ trolled an apex towards the Pier. Nothing bothered my apex so I decided to troll a magnum rapala CD14 along the shoreline - from the pier towards Mori Point. ZZZZZZZZZZZT - My reel screams and my rod bends towards the water line - HULI KA (FISH ON)  I thought it was a major snag until I saw the rod pump a few times. I picked up the rod and felt a head shake and my line went slack....I'm thinking I lost it until the slack line straightened out and my reel went screaming again and then POP  It broke me off  I'm pretty sure it was a striper - and a big one. Somewhere out there is a striper hating life....as he his swimming around with a big rapala stuck on his lips......

I paddled South and met Ben... we stuck around the nipple until sun set - enjoyed the view and went in around 8:30PM.

Ben at Pedro Point.....

i think that photo of ben should replace our official "MOOCH" logo on our sweatshirts

i think that photo of ben should replace our official "MOOCH" logo on our sweatshirts

aint gonna happen partner 


....besides, my "modeling contract" with Bill / NCKA will only expire if and when hobits rule the world

Frodo lives!

Mooch--Equipment failures really suck. I hope you've figured out what happened so it dosn't happen again. I lost a big fish last year and I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I have a big scar in my brain. We never saw it and it got down in the kelp. I'm taking the blame for not releasing some tension. The same big jam knot on my swivel that I had been using for days untied itself. I've been to that place every year since about '95 and this year I'm not going this year. That's how messed up I am. Tim

After every snag or decent fish usually a ling I re-tie my knot at the base of the jig or hook.  I feel with all the rocks and debree, along with the jerking motion of a big fish the line is going to get stressed.  I don't know how many times I checked my line after landing a ling and bam, it seems to come apart or break way to easy.  After every snag I release I always check my line and replace almonst two feet of it. If you don't see a mark or fray it may be hidden there somewhere.

Jason

Tim - it was actually my fault for not checking my line for cuts and abrasion's....I usually have 3 rods for fishing the salt. One strictly for rockfishing, one for trolling and one for salmon mooching.

That day, I had my rockfishing rod with me and I pretty sure my line was frayed somewhere further up. I usually check for cuts on the top 5 feet on mono so I'm pretty sure the cut was further up  Yet, another lesson learned 

Did the mono leader fail, or the spectra, or did you have mono mainline? what test leader/mainline?

J

J- the top shot mono failed - just before my uni to uni knot - my leader was 20# P-Line / mono and it was backed up with 20# Power Pro / braided line.

I now switched to 25# Trilene big game / mono....

Interestingly enough, I found this:

http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2005/Projects/J1105.pdf

J- the top shot mono failed - just before my uni to uni knot - my leader was 20# P-Line / mono and it was backed up with 20# Power Pro / braided line.

I now switched to 25# Trilene big game / mono....

Interestingly enough, I found this:

http://www.usc.edu/CSSF/History/2005/Projects/J1105.pdf

alright dude, i clicked that link and just want to say one thing, dont ever bring this up if were ever at a club talkin to the ladies,    interesting though!  i've had alot of luck with p-line but i've also lost some big fish after the line was one month old.  i recently switched back to berk big game.  i've had really good results with this line over the last 4 years.  my leaders are either seagar or maxima though. 

i clicked that link and just want to say one thing, dont ever bring this up if were ever at a club talkin to the ladies

Thanks for that valuable advise JTF AKA Jack Tripper.....you complete me 

I think I should come clean because I might be the only person on this site who does this.  I use Mono main line and mono leader.  I have not lost a fish due to broken line in 9 years.  Rockaway beach. Landed a 17 lb striper and then followed it with another monster that broke on beach just past the trench.  I am still bummed out about that one.

I usually use 25 main line on all my rockcod gear with 20 leader.  I guess I am old school.

For Elk I am going to switch to 25 pound spectra main line with a 25 mono leader, probably big game.

Jason