Sandy Pond and practice with new equipment.

[RonPaulFan]

Location and link:

Sandy Pond http://m.google.com/u/m/xiipu0

I often go to Sandy Pond because it is very close for practice to see how my many different rods perform with different lure weights and even lines. That way I'm ready and productive when I go on fishing trips to the reservoirs.

I just bought a lot of those lightweight lures: Blue Fox, Panther Martin, Mepps, Cyclone and a lot more of that sort. I don't have experience with them, so I was practicing to see what equipment casts them best.

After a while of not casting far even with a lightweight spinning rod, I got line twist from not using a swivel on some that seem to spin on the line. I cut off the worst and found my swivels and put on a large heavy spoon just to cast far and have the swivel and greater load remove remaining line twist.

First cast with the large spoon caught the little fish in the picture, but I switched back to the tiny lures for practice.

The tiny lures didn't catch fish, but I wasn't getting distance on my casts.

I can get much greater distance fly fishing, but I put all that and my fly tying away a few years ago and bought a large variety of lures and spinning and casting rods and reels from ultra lightweight to extra heavy and even surf casting equipment (that I can't cast well yet) to learn new fishing skills and be able to fish anywhere.

I've been getting big fish at the reservoirs with big lures and swim bait probably because I've practiced and developed skills with them at the close by pond. I'm going to try even larger swim bait.

But, I want to see what I can do with these lightweight lures without going to my fly fishing equipment. I wonder if it's technique or equipment that needs to be different to cast those lightweight lures far. Advice is invited.

I notice the excellent quality pictures of the TyeDyeTwins and that they often use the small lures for very productive fishing. That's what inspired me to buy and learn how to cast the lightweight lures even though I've been catching big fish with big lures. I realize sometimes they won't bite that and I should have the versatility to switch to what is working.

Perhaps the answer for the lightweight lures is I need to add a water weighted float onto my line for more weight to cast when using lightweight lures. I've done that before, but I like the extra feel I can get with a tight line to the lure that I get with the larger and heavier lures that cast far without that. I also don't like the splash and wake a water weighted float makes, but those who use them seem to catch fish just fine. I would just prefer to cast without them.

I sometimes practice at Willow Pond just east of Jordan River just north of I-215. I would post the Google Map link, but it has a problem and shows a location in Australia.

Ronald
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[FishingLunatic]

Yeah dude it was crazy watching u cast so far! I'm so mad right now that I couldn't find my tackle box and I'm also surprised I caught 2 fish at that pond cause I usually never catch any there and hardly ever go there haha.
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[RonPaulFan]

Great to meet you there FishingLunatic!

We should go on a real fishing trip sometime soon while we still have such comfortable weather.

You caught more fish then me. Good job!

That spoon was working and also got a bite that got away while I tightened my drag, but I was more focused on learning to cast the lightweight lures.

Someone caught a three foot catfish there last week.

Picture of Sandy Pond at the link.
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[FishingLunatic]

Yeah man it was awesome meeting u! I needa get some money and new stuff so I can go. And pshhh...2 Fish aint nothing. I always catch tons more fish than that at real mountain lakes and places where I can fish on the bottom without getting tons of moss. I think I have a new bait in my arsenal for trout now as well. They were hittin it and it wasn't staying on but if it's frozen better next time, I bet it'll work great!
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[FishSlayer2112]

Drop the dink slimmer, and the lure. Get some bait, head next door and catch something that'll pull some drag!
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[TyeDyeTwins]

Here is what I do. This may or may not help.........................

I use a medium action rod (ugly stick) with 8lb or 6lb mono line depending on what I am fishing for. Usually I have the 8lb on and I have never had a fish break me off due to the pound test I am using.

So in summary my random angler theroy is that the flex is needed in the rod to deliver the line. Too much flex and there is not enough backbone to propel the line.Too much backbone and it won't flex enough to propel the lure.

The lighter the pound test the line is the further the line will travel too. That is a given. By the way 4lb mono can sometimes break if you cast too hard.

For the sandy pond I think in most cases the 6lb mono is a better bet. Although if the brood stockers (big trout) come this fall then you may want the 8lb mono line.

Then there is the reel. I use a spinning reel. On a spin caster reel the line comes off the spool widely and gets "filtered" into the eyelets. So there is resistance there that interferes with the line delivery.

Baitcasters are different but I cannot speak too much about them as I dont own one. Well yet anyway.

Oh yeah and thank god the trout are back at the sandy pond!
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[RonPaulFan]

Thanks, TyeDyeTwins!

I'll try that out possibly on a weekday evening since it's so close and I have the gear.

I have 2, 4 and 6 pound test for lighter line and I have even lighter rods to try, but they are high modulus carbon fiber. I might even try the two pound test just to see how much further I can cast.

I also have high quality casting rods including ultralight ones that I haven't tried yet, but I only have ordinary quality bait casting reels. I might get high quality ones once I learn more about them. But, I was thinking spinning reels and rods cast further, so I haven't got into the bait casting type. Now, I don't know.

I tried one of the ordinary quality bait casting reels with 15 pound test fluorocarbon and have since heard that it is too stiff for them to perform well. Perhaps I need to try again, but with an ultra light rod and low pound test supple line.

Your pictures are amazing! The resolution is high, colors are bright, contrast is excellent and you get the scene just right in all the ways.

I've been using the camera in my tablet. On my Mantua Reservoir post, the pictures were posted minutes after taking them. I suppose there must be a good way to do that with a high quality camera.

I might be getting a camera that uses WiFi or the portable hotspot that is a feature of this Motorola Xoom on Verizon 4G Wireless. I'm looking at some that are action cameras. Two of them are for underwater photography.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/201...cam-series

With a camera like that, you would get action video of you catching the fish.

It would be great to put one on a radio control boat and see a video of underwater wirelessly on my tablet while casting and retrieving past it to see how fish react to my lures and presentations and to be able to tune my presentation to what gets their interest with clues on what to try to get strike responses.

My surf casting rod could hold it high up in the air for area action shots.

Another camera I like is the Casio high speed that really captures action well. It would need to be adapted to WiFi if possible and it's bigger and heavier and would be heavier still with an underwater enclosure. Perhaps that use isn't practical and I should compromise picture quality and capabilities with one of the action cameras or get both as they are different for different uses.

I should schedule some of my vacation time for more fishing!

I'm tempted to do that before the cold weather, but I see you are looking forward to ice fishing. I did that only once.

The picture is my catch at Willow Pond. Am I looking proud because of the very large goldfish or the lovely lady standing next to me? Unfortunately, she was catch and release, too. Yet another personal challenge.

Ronald
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