THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7

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Happy New Year to everyone. Here is the first sunrise of 2024. Indialantic Beach, FL View attachment 2123442View attachment 2123443View attachment 2123444View attachment 2123445
I want to cry when I see that....I miss the treasure coast so much....I graduated vero high !! I was only a few miles south of there at the "Robles Del Mar" condos on A-1-A right in the heart of all the treasure wrecks......I remember those sunrises. We surfed on Christmas morning every year....I miss that ritual. Sitting on our surfboards explaining to each other what Santa brought us.....and most Christmases surfing some good cold waves !!
 

Now it's different but still a great tropical holiday. The keys has a strange Christmas vibe. Instead of surfing now....I go fishing. Had the blessing of fishing some kids this holiday.
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Learned a nice trick.....leave the drain plug out of the live well, and don't turn on the pump.....this allows only a minimum of water in the well....the open plug allows a subtle gentle water exchange.....it was perfect for 6 baits.....none died, and I did not have to use up my battery with the pump. I fish ballyhoo, and they are by far the most delicate of baits....they die easily in most wells. 90 percent of fisherman will never live bait with ballyhoo.....it is a South Florida thing....all the ballyhoo that the entire world uses to troll with, are caught in the keys, and frozen for bait world wide. The dedicated boats in the keys all fish live ballyhoo (a luxury). So every live well in every fishing boat is no good for live ballyhoo....it takes heavy customization and fabrication on every boat to build a system that will keep these baits alive.
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So we have 2 or 3 guys down here who build these custom systems. Off shore bait solutions is our 1st choice !!


You guys should check out AllAmericanTackleCo.com that is treasurenets own, @BennyV company....benny is great and is building, well....an all American Tackle Co.!! I've had a great time wearing his awsome merchandise. The few jigs I've used have crushed it on multiple different species !! Im happy to collaborate with him and we've had a blast so far !! Can't wait for 2024 !!
 

My kid was trying to break that rod.....Penn battle combo with a 6500 series reel !! Maxed out !!
I laugh , seeing such an arc and contemplating the rods backbone quality when that heavy a fish surges.
A nervous laugh of course.

Pleased years back though to see spinning reels in your gear. Front drags too. Familiar stuff to me.( I even went high tech and graduated to a newer reel with a line roller on one.)

Usually too light a drag set deliberately due to type drags. The spool can be palmed if desired.
Brought a heavy outfit North one year and didn't use it. then had a run away I couldn't turn from cover of course.

Someone holding the rod and you the line at twenty yards or so can give a better idea of how little force is being applied with lighter gear. Mono stretch too.
When braided came out I was rolling fish over and crossing thier eyes on the hookset if I didn't tear the hook out.
Bent the spool shaft on a spinning reel fairly quick with it too. Reefing on a snag.
Got lucky straightening it enough later by eye ( and rolling it on a flat surface ) after slight adjustments to not notice binding still when reeling.
One less vote for braid.
 

I laugh , seeing such an arc and contemplating the rods backbone quality when that heavy a fish surges.
A nervous laugh of course.

Pleased years back though to see spinning reels in your gear. Front drags too. Familiar stuff to me.( I even went high tech and graduated to a newer reel with a line roller on one.)

Usually too light a drag set deliberately due to type drags. The spool can be palmed if desired.
Brought a heavy outfit North one year and didn't use it. then had a run away I couldn't turn from cover of course.

Someone holding the rod and you the line at twenty yards or so can give a better idea of how little force is being applied with lighter gear. Mono stretch too.
When braided came out I was rolling fish over and crossing thier eyes on the hookset if I didn't tear the hook out.
Bent the spool shaft on a spinning reel fairly quick with it too. Reefing on a snag.
Got lucky straightening it enough later by eye ( and rolling it on a flat surface ) after slight adjustments to not notice binding still when reeling.
One less vote for braid.
The art of palming the spool takes time to master. These nurse sharks are not like most fish....they are more of a thrashing dead weight. They give some brief but strong runs. This one was a five footer, maybe 60 pounds at most. We normally try not to catch them, but always a thrill for the boys.
 

The art of palming the spool takes time to master. These nurse sharks are not like most fish....they are more of a thrashing dead weight. They give some brief but strong runs. This one was a five footer, maybe 60 pounds at most. We normally try not to catch them, but always a thrill for the boys.
Art! Ha ha.
If I only had timing to add a little tension to a spool at the right time instead of after , I might apply better at. Like that runaway I had.
I had about fifteen yards to turn it. Failed. And had called it's chosen trees down in water destination prior!
But I didn't want to add any more resistance on my 8 pound test either so only barely rode the edge of the spool.

Friend handed me good braid while planning trip. I'd have been using that for the big one that got away but had had a fish cut it. I suspect trying to steal the lure from a hooked one.
Bump! And cut.
Friends look wasn't priceless but also not overly impressed with my skill and his braid. At least he didn't tell me I'd got my moneys worth out of it.

Had twenty pound mono on the rig I wasn't using.
Used old (near ancient at times) mono rods are cheap around the big lakes. Being thier eyes get cut /ground by braid.
My big reel is an old Heddon. Must be alright as I used to take them apart to clean and inspect and oil.
Grease some but cold weather just oil.

Salmon snagging being illegal now lead to my acquiring a Johnny Walker fiberglass rod.
A stout rod. Not quite a broomstick. It'll lob a heavy lure.
Tossed a Bass a Reno (sp.) and cranked in a couple pound bass like an insult.
Trolled with it for "big" game here and of course intimidated them all into avoiding it.
The biggest fish want ultralight or at least light gear to make it sporting.
Oh I've played that game too.
 

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