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Flipper
Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 347
Location: Enfield
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 Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 1:53 pm Post subject: Hopeville Pond 7-16 |
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Hit Hopeville again this weekend. Got a real late start because the family wanted to go and swim at the beach while I fished. On the water by about 8:30am and fished till 1:00pm. It was foggy at first then got nice and hot. Water temp was from 78 deg. to 80 deg.
The girls ended up staying on the boat for a while to wait for the sun. They were able to watch me land a solid 35" pike. My youngest (just turned 4) was screaming the whole time!  She kept saying,"Daddy, you caught an Alligator!"  It was pretty funny.
Dropped them off at the beach and returned to fishing. It was quiet for a while, then noticed my bobber had disappeared. I reeled up and set the hook, and I saw a huge head come out of the water. Less than a second later this pike completely cleared the water and got about a foot of air (which was alot considering it's size). That was the first time I've had one come all the way out. It jumped once more before I got it in the boat, and it measured 40"! 
This was one sickly looking fish, though. It had a number of wounds that looked like they were not healing very well, and it was really skinny. This was the oldest pike I have caught yet, but (unluckily) it swallowed the hook. That's probably why it was a jumper.
The fish did not make it, and was the third pike I have killed in my life, all this year.  For this reason, I will not be taking pics of my fish anymore unless I have somebody w/ me. The cost is too high, and especially the big ones do not last very long out of the water. All three times I have retuned them to the water still alive, but they were unable to keep from floating belly up, despite all efforts to revive them.
Anyway, both were caught w/ pike shiners on top. I also had one on that broke my main line (again  ) which ate a dead yellow perch on the bottom. Here's the pics.
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PECo
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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Great job but, man, that is one sickly looking northern pike!
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Flipper
Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 347
Location: Enfield
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, I have caught ones that were 3" shorter, but weighed more. It was old and beat up. Not sure it would have made it through the summer, but you never know. I think the one I'm looking for might be in there. Four break offs, and I gotta think they were bigger than the ones I've been catching.
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PECo
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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What the heck are they breaking off? Don't you use steel leaders?
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watthe555
Joined: 11 Jun 2011
Posts: 120
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 3:34 pm Post subject: |
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i wish i could go there to catch some pike but its far away. i might go there for two days so its worth it. those are some nice pike you caught. and that pike looks sick.
-phil |
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DirtyDawg10
Joined: 27 May 2009
Posts: 2238
Location: Granby, CT
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Nice pike!! I agree...that 40" pike doesn't look like it would have lived very long anyway. It looks like it was probably getting beat on by other pike. |
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TurtleKiss
Joined: 09 Mar 2010
Posts: 1200
Location: central CT
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| Posted: Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:48 pm Post subject: |
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You did that pike a favor. Geez.
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Kira
*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~* |
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Flipper
Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 347
Location: Enfield
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 8:38 am Post subject: |
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Phil, I switched to 50lb flourocarbon for a leader, but they are breaking off my 17 lb Trilene XT main line. I might have to make the switch to braid.
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TurtleKiss
Joined: 09 Mar 2010
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Location: central CT
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:32 am Post subject: |
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| Flipper wrote: | | Phil, I switched to 50lb flourocarbon for a leader, but they are breaking off my 17 lb Trilene XT main line. I might have to make the switch to braid. |
If you're using a leader anyway why haven't you been using braid?
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Kira
*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~* |
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icetilt
Joined: 13 Jan 2011
Posts: 34
Location: Pomfret Ct
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| Nice Pike didn't realize they had them that size in Hopeville. I will have to give it a shot as I only live about 20 minutes away. |
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Flipper
Joined: 21 May 2010
Posts: 347
Location: Enfield
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| Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 1:05 pm Post subject: |
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| TurtleKiss wrote: | | If you're using a leader anyway why haven't you been using braid? |
Don't really like braid. I like to be able to break my line at the knot if I get a snag, instead of having to cut it and loose 50 yds. I also like the stretch in mono. If I need stronger mono I usually go up a reel size so I can match the reel size to the line dia. With braid you almost need an undersized reel or a backing on it. The reels I have for pike fishing are basicly too big to use a 6lb test dia. like 30lb spiderwire (for example). Really, the versatility and stretch factor are why I still like mono. I do have other poles set up for smaller fish that I do not use a leader on. That being said, I almost have no choice, now. The next strongest line is 20lb mono and that is a little too thick for my 7' MH Ugly Sticks and the cheapo reels that I have on them.
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TurtleKiss
Joined: 09 Mar 2010
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Location: central CT
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Flipper wrote: | | TurtleKiss wrote: | | If you're using a leader anyway why haven't you been using braid? |
Don't really like braid. I like to be able to break my line at the knot if I get a snag, instead of having to cut it and loose 50 yds. I also like the stretch in mono. If I need stronger mono I usually go up a reel size so I can match the reel size to the line dia. With braid you almost need an undersized reel or a backing on it. The reels I have for pike fishing are basicly too big to use a 6lb test dia. like 30lb spiderwire (for example). Really, the versatility and stretch factor are why I still like mono. I do have other poles set up for smaller fish that I do not use a leader on. That being said, I almost have no choice, now. The next strongest line is 20lb mono and that is a little too thick for my 7' MH Ugly Sticks and the cheapo reels that I have on them. |
I never lose 50 yards when I get snagged! Usually the hook breaks or the tree falls first. If the line needs to be broken off then the weakest spot is always near the hook. Funny...the stretch factor is one of the reasons I hate mono...when a big fish makes a run on the braid it just hooks itself deeper.
FWIW, I haven't found backing to do anything, positive or negative. The braid is going to dig into itself if there's a lot of tension. I just let out my line and rewind it after a snag or a big fish. Takes a minute but no major inconvenience.
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Kira
*~ "Not everything about fishing is noble, reasonable and sane..." -Henry Middleton ~* |
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PECo
Joined: 06 Oct 2009
Posts: 5203
Location: Avon, CT
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| Posted: Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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I've had braid slip on the spool of my spinning rods when I spooled it without backing. PowerPro in particular is very slick.
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Flipper
Joined: 21 May 2010
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Location: Enfield
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:58 am Post subject: |
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Remember, I'm running my main line to a swivel and then 50lb flourocarbon. There is no weak spot. The hooks I use for pike will not bend or break under any kind of pressure I could put on them. Trying to break 30lb braid if you're snagged is usually not going to happen. That's why I would have to cut it. If you're using light wire hooks that will break, or a leader material that is lighter than the braid, then you're probably fine with getting out of a snag.
I feel like after the initial hookset, the lack of stretch in braid may pull hooks out of the fishes mouth. Obviously if the hook is burried it will stay on, but those fish that end up barely hooked may pull off without the stretch of mono. I just think mono is more forgiving, but to each his own. Like I said, I don't have much of a choice anymore. After I use it again for a while, I may like it. I think there are advantages to both.
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DickVanPike
Joined: 29 Sep 2010
Posts: 150
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| Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:31 am Post subject: |
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| Did you try giving them mouth to mouth?!? hahaha, thatd be a bad idea...Good day out Flipper, congrats! |
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