Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum
Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: frenchy on December 08, 2006, 11:58:30 AM
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There is not a lot of reports around, so here is a little one.
As the Vedder did not seem to be in good shape I decided to give a try to another flow, mainly to, finally, try the centrepin :o.
I arrived to see that the river changed a lot since my last visit... Cool, let's go for some exploring. As I start walking, I am really pleased to see that there is not a single human trace in the snow... Salmon season is over, freezers are full and the river is now the birds playground. They are everywhere (I wish I know there names), from the tiny little one that swims in the river to the big bald eagles (I count 26 of them in the trees, without moving), eating the dead, or almost dead, chums.
Even if I know there are probably no steely in the river, I decide to fish like if I was hunting the sea run rainbow... Fish fast, precise, move a lot... Really the way I like to fish. Thanks to the training sessions near the house, I have not too much difficulties to send my float wherever I want. After a dozen of casts, the float goes down and I have my first "centrepin fish", a nice little Dolly (Funny, it is also the first species I caught with my baitcasting setup). Even with this small fish I can see the difference between the baitcatser and the cp, I have a direct contact with the fish, I like it. I continue to move, taking the time to look at the numerous animals traces in the snow. I cross a "bear highway" (a dozen of tracks) it is perhaps the same animal that did all these traces, but it is still impressive... I continue to fish and soon have a second bite, a coho jack in really good shape for the season. It is a hatchery, but I decide to let him go. I soon connect with a more serious fighter... what is it? I will never know, but it did not fight like a chum... I was not really comfortable fighting this guy with the centerpin. I wanted, at the same time, to control the spool with the hand placed above the reel and to move this same hand upper on the cork to have more strength to fight the fish... I guess I need to train a bit more...
A very good and quiet day to be on the river. I wish all the year would be a transitional period... lot of wildlife, some fish, and very few humans...
If you have any tip concerning the fight with a centrepin, they are more than welcome.
Cheers
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Nice report Frenchy. :) I am glad you had such a relaxing time and was able to play a couple fish. I might get a centerpin sooner or later. ;D ;D
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I might get a centerpin sooner or later. Grin Grin
Hey Bigsteel,hope you join in the darkside soon ;)
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Picked up a pin this season, love it, can't get nearly the same control with a levelwind.
I'm a noob with the pin as well, the first few fish fought on it were chums, I'm right handed for fihsing, so I had my left hand high on the cork, and used my right hand on the bottom side of the reel, below the reel seat on the rim of the reel. I found this most comfortable since it is similar to how I hold the rod with a mooching rig. Apply pressure with your left hand on the lower rim of the spool to slow the fish.
I could be talking out of my my friend here, but it works for me ;)
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Ok here is some background on me. I am right handed (dominant hand). SO i cast and fight fish with my right hand and reel with my left on all of my setups except my Centrepin. On that rod, i cast faceing the river, with my left hand above the reel my left arm across my body. Slow swing controlling the spool with my pinky finger of my left hand. OR i cast with my right hand holding the rod below the reel, with my index finger controlling the spool. I switch it up as each arm gets fatigued.
As for battling, i tend to hold the rod with my left hand above the reel, like the first casting description above. I will then add pressure by using my right hand above, near the top of the cork, alternating between applying pressure and reeling in line. If the fish is ripping out line i'll palm it with my right hand. Really i just switch it up alot and do whatever works.
Nice report. Good to hear the rivers are free of heavy pressure.
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Ok, sounds good, I will try to palm the reel next time,
Thanks
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Hype...99% hype...that's all I'm saying :-*
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Loooks like you got a hit X!! Are you gonna set the hook? ;D ;D I was going to try Freaks last week, but I was having to much fun with my LEVELWIND!!!! Anyhow, I don't think I will take Freak up on his offer, you guys have no idea what he means by "nice"!!! Yikes, not a pretty picture!! ;D ;D ;D
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Center pins are the only way to drift fish, hands down, no other questons asked.
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callcutta ;D
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I don't own a levelwind. I'm hoping for an Islander this Xmas so i have a bigger setup to fish larger rivers like the Vedder.
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Nice report Frenchy...
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I HAVENT FISHING WITH NE OF MY BEAK CASTERS FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS EXCEPT FOR THE SOCKEYE FOOD FISHERY IN THE SUMMER !
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dreat report frenchy, those little birds that you see on the side of the river, are called american dippers, you could watch them all day. there pretty cool. just on the note of your post it seems more guys are interested in talikg about someone joining the dark side. advice for them go to general disscusion, dont ruin someones post and moment to shine becuase they had a good day on they flow , he asked for advice.
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I was not really comfortable fighting this guy with the centerpin. I wanted, at the same time, to control the spool with the hand placed above the reel and to move this same hand upper on the cork to have more strength to fight the fish...
Frenchy, you said you picked up An Islander and a Rainshadow ISA1355
setup...You will become more comfortable with time fighting fish on the pin....That reel is right handed I think isn't it...? I fish with my left hand just above the spool...my fingers can then control the spool, with casting I can just stop the spool with one finger or adjust it's speed with a little applied friction, but when the fish is on, my hand basically stays in the same place, it just kinda wraps around the spool right above the reel...I don't move my hand away from the reel at all, I just drive the butt of the rod into my gut to achieve more leverage on the fish. I think it might depend on how much rod is below the reel. Sometimes setups can be a little short here, and it makes it difficult to achieve this leverage. At the same time when a fish is really movin' I have the rod just in my hands with my right hand on the lower cork and my left still at the reel but also acting as a pivot point. This way I can adjust the angle of the rod to the fish when fighting it...Sideways, higher up, etc, etc...Then when I need to reel up on the fish, I just plant that butt end into my gut again or against my sternum and reel up with my right hand. It's just going to take some time and experience. You'll get used to it...
Like I said, nice report...
Congrats on the fish...
Rib
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Level winds are the way to go over any reel! i say this because, can you cast a spoon or spinners and retrieve properly with a CP? NO! Can you bottom bounce with a CP for sockeye or springs? NO! Centerpins also cost way to much over BC'S The only advantage the centerpin has over the baitcaster is you don't get thum burn from trying to slow or stop a fish from running! No compairison! Just my opinion from being an avid baitcaster!
C.K.
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you are right, these american dippers are pretty cool. I often watch them.
You can use the islander with both hands. I reel wit my left. I am still not very comfortable with my hand that close to the bottom of the rod. I am sure it will come.
Thanks for the help
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Ribwarts advice is bang on. The only time you need anything more than the top hand fingers to supply the drag to your reel is if you're playing a really big spring in faster water. I even use my pin for bottom bouncing the Fraser about half the time I fish there (if fish are around) because it's so much more fun to play them and you can control the fish a whole lot better. If the fish is 30 lb+ then sometimes you have to palm them as well to slow them down. The only drawback as far as I'm concerned about using a pin on the Fraser is the slower retrieve which translates into fewer casts.
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Funny how X knocks it but I do recall that a few months ago he was excited about landing a chum with it. X...don't knock it till you've used it longer than a a couple months. You just flat out gave up and didn't really figure out how to comfortably use a centerpin. I will still use my baitcaster but not my first choice.
I forgot all about this thread..Damn, I've been missing out....Here's all I have to say on the subject...Yes, I had one,(centerpin).. yes I would still own one if I didn't have a buggered up wrist...and finally Yes, it's a total kick in the my friend to use one...but is it better? No...I think whatever anyone uses on here is what they think is the best and everyone has their own opinion on that...I honestly think your skill level has much more to do with how you fish then your equipment...That said can you tell me a guy like Bill Herzog would be a better fisherman with a C.P. then his levelwinds or spinning gear? I listened to him tonight on B.C. outdoors and what struck home was how he talked about using whatever gear you have to, to catch fish. He said he doesn't use spoons as much as you'd expect...If the water was a big flat, yeah he'd use a spoon...If its colored with vis. less then two feet, he'd never use one and would use bait.. If a fish was hanging under some branches he'd use a pink worm maybe...now he's becoming a nut for using a fly rod...and on and on...I think you can't limit yourself by saying the C.P. is the end all and do all of drift fishing....I'm amazed at how you all laugh at the guys you see using spinning gear on the Vedder, yet down south on Oregon rivers where 10- 20 steelhead days are common that's all you'll see....Does that make spinning reels better??? Hell no, it's what circumstances dictate....What is B.S. is that when anyone questions the holy grail of fishing on here they get reamed for daring to do so....You use what you choose....My gear rod now is a lamiglass cert. pro with a curado 300 dvs. I can use that set up to throw spoons, jigs, roe sacks, shrimp..damn near anything..and it casts like butter and drifts just like my C.P. did when I used it in my alley.. ;) I think I will use it this year...but I know most of my steelhead fishing will be done with a fly rod...a 10' 9wt. sage xp and an Abel super 8 reel...I've got some new tricks to throw at them this time around and my confidence is high...But that doesn't mean fly fishing is the only way to really "get in touch" with the fish...It's simply the way that gives me the most pleasure...and after all isn't that what it's REALLY all about???
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Nice Report, glad to see you can appreciate the small things like the birds and animal tracks while you are on the water. This will keep you on the right track when the fishing is slow.
As far as Pin vs Level wind goes they are both good reels for float fishing.
I think it is best to wait untill you are "worthy" before you start fishing with a pin. I have not bought my first pin yet because the pin-reel is the mark of an expert and I am not there yet.
I always laugh when I see new-intermidiate anglers with 1000 dollar rigs, in my opinion the right to use a pin should be earned with at least 20 years of expirience in river fishing under your belt.
That said more power to all those who want to chuck pins, I will just wait untill I think my skills are up to expert level before I buy myself one.
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There should be laws saying:
1. You are only allowed to fly fish if you can identify, using the latin name, the species of insects that are hatching.
2 Only people wearing a suit and a tie are allowed to fish for noble species like Atlantic salmon or steelhead
3 Noble species like Atlantic salmon and steelhead may only be targetted using a two handed rod in bamboo, a dry line and a surface fly
4 Trolling is only allowed while sailing
5 If you do not respect these laws, your right hand will be cut using a blunted knife
Give me a break, go fishing and enjoy it ;D
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You left out fishing line should be made of horse tail only. Hooks made of bones.
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Folks, I just deleted a bunch of posts in this thread, and some other threads. The jokes are going a bit over board lately. Please consider other non/participating members when posting the material and photos.
Thanks.
Rod, the prude.
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Golfman is going to be very sad.. he spent alot of time posing for those pic's Rod !! Geesh have a heart man
;D
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I am...prude indeed...how anyone can think Ricks old raisin butt is provocative??? YUK...