TR: Cape Cod

Thanks to Greg, I spent a glorious three and a bit days of fishing for
stripers at Cape Cod. It is one gorgeous place to be (unfortunately,
way too many people think the same thing) but still, it's a
wonderfully peaceful place to be. Also got to meet Greg's mom, a
wonderful lady who appears more capable and determined than many women
half her age. John, Greg's fishing buddy' also showed up so we had a
nice mini-clave going.

The first evening we went to Pleasant Bay where we made the
acquaintance of some schoolies. We both had our new CND Atlantis 11'
- 11 wt. rods to try and they are a joy, though a challenge to cast
well. Even at our modest skill level, we can bang out 110' overhead
casts. At this point, I'll have to say that the days blurred together
so I can't remember what happen on what day, so here are some
highlights in no particular order.

We were fishing Nausett beach at night, casting into the surf,
directly out into the Atlantic in all her glory. Greg hooked and
landed a very nice striper (28" IIRC) and my only regret is that, not
realizing that it was such a nice fish, I didn't run over and take a
picture.

John was tossing a big Rapala most of the time and he managed a number
of nice fish. Though he couldn't cast any farther than us,
unencumbered by a stripping basket and not vertically challenged like
me, he could wade out farther and deeper, putting his lure closer to
the fish that always seemed to be just out of range. That ability got
him some nice ones.

On Thursday, we went to Morris Island South Beach to try our luck.
Unfortunately, we had a north wind which is apparently the striper
fisherman's kiss of death -- it was tough fishing. We waded across
this large bay where the average depth was probably around 3' at high
tide. We all waded as close as possible to deeper water to try our
luck. It was a cast and move sort of deal but me being the slowest, I
trailed the rear by an ever widening distance. Greg and John are
almost across but I'm just about half way -- probably 150 yards
between us, when I hook a fish. No big deal, feels like a schoolie.
Then Ms. Monster Striper decided she had had enough of this nonsense
and proceeded to peel off the fly line and about two thirds of the
backing (I had about 250 yards on the reel). Me old ticker is going
pumpitty-pump-pump-pump, the reel handle is going
knocketty-knock-knock on my knuckles and the fish isn't stopping.
Worse, it's heading straight for John and Greg. I yell, they hear me
but can't figure out what I'm yelling about. I think the fish sees
them for it veers further into the bay. Bad news. At some point it's
gonna run out of water and turn to the open water -- in the process,
wrapping my line around Greg and John. I applied the brakes hard.

The fish stops, there's a moment of massive head thrashing that is
tangible even over the length of line and backing that's stretched
across the bay. Then nothing. I reel in forlornly not knowing where
the failure occurred. I might have lost the fly line. After what
seems to be endless reeling in, the fly line backing loop appears,
letting me know that the backing and the backing loop, nor the loop on
the line failed. Next, the leader appears, then the fly. Nothing
broke, but the Mustad 34007 2/0 SS hook bent open, allowing the fish
to pop off. Since I was tying so many flies for this trip, I opted
for the cheap 34007. Now I wonder if my choice cost me a fish of a
lifetime.

I'll let Greg fill in the rest here for as I said before -- it's a bit
of a blur . . . .



Peter

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"Peter Charles" wrote...
snip
Nothing
broke, but the Mustad 34007 2/0 SS hook bent open, allowing the fish
to pop off. Since I was tying so many flies for this trip, I opted
for the cheap 34007. Now I wonder if my choice cost me a fish of a
lifetime.

Nice TR, Peter. It sounds like chances are pretty good the bent hook saved you
the leader and fly line, rather than cost you something, but then I'm a "glass
is half full" sorta guy.
--
TL,
Tim
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

Peter Charles wrote in
:

Now I wonder if my choice cost me a fish of a
lifetime.


Bugger.

Steve ('spensive ones straighten too)

Peter Charles wrote:

The fish stops, there's a moment of massive head thrashing that is
tangible even over the length of line and backing that's stretched
across the bay. Then nothing. I reel in forlornly not knowing where
the failure occurred. I might have lost the fly line. After what
seems to be endless reeling in, the fly line backing loop appears,
letting me know that the backing and the backing loop, nor the loop on
the line failed. Next, the leader appears, then the fly. Nothing
broke, but the Mustad 34007 2/0 SS hook bent open, allowing the fish
to pop off. Since I was tying so many flies for this trip, I opted
for the cheap 34007. Now I wonder if my choice cost me a fish of a
lifetime.


Cool Story! Sometimes you just get overpowered with the rig you're
fishing. Sounds like it was a long shot to land that fish even if the
hook hadn't bent, but I'm sure you wish it hadn't. That's a fish you'll
probably remember better than if you had landed it.

Also illustrates why trying to save a few cents on a hook is false
economy, IMO.

Willi

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 18:01:23 -0600, Willi wrote:



Also illustrates why trying to save a few cents on a hook is false
economy, IMO.

Willi



I know, but think a bit about what sort of fish can bend open a heavy
guage, 2/0 sal****er, stainless steel hook, even if it is a Mustad.
My tippet was 14.75 lb. test Daiichi fluoro btw.



Peter

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Peter Charles wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 18:01:23 -0600, Willi wrote:



Also illustrates why trying to save a few cents on a hook is false
economy, IMO.

Willi




I know, but think a bit about what sort of fish can bend open a heavy
guage, 2/0 sal****er, stainless steel hook, even if it is a Mustad.
My tippet was 14.75 lb. test Daiichi fluoro btw.


A FINE fish, I'm sure. But that hook bent before a 15lb tippet broke. I
would expect a salt hook that size to be stronger than that, but then I
know **** about salt water.

Willi

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 20:02:52 -0600, Willi wrote:



I know, but think a bit about what sort of fish can bend open a heavy
guage, 2/0 sal****er, stainless steel hook, even if it is a Mustad.
My tippet was 14.75 lb. test Daiichi fluoro btw.


A FINE fish, I'm sure. But that hook bent before a 15lb tippet broke. I
would expect a salt hook that size to be stronger than that, but then I
know **** about salt water.

Willi


Leverage probably, plus the better tippet usually tests out a fair bit
stronger than their ratings.

Peter

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"Peter Charles" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 20:02:52 -0600, Willi wrote:



I know, but think a bit about what sort of fish can bend open a heavy
guage, 2/0 sal****er, stainless steel hook, even if it is a Mustad.
My tippet was 14.75 lb. test Daiichi fluoro btw.


A FINE fish, I'm sure. But that hook bent before a 15lb tippet broke. I
would expect a salt hook that size to be stronger than that, but then I
know **** about salt water.

Willi


Leverage probably, plus the better tippet usually tests out a fair bit
stronger than their ratings.

Does anyone know of any studies done on the effects of tying a fly on a
hook? I generally try to hold my hook as I'm winding anything around it,
especially when I'm wrapping tightly with thread. It seems to me that the
hook undergoes quick and repeated bending while I'm tying; very similar as
to what I do when I want to break off wire ribbing. I assume each brand
uses a different alloy and that each might be affected by that particular
type of stress (I can't remember/find what it's called).

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 20:02:52 -0600, Willi wrote:


Peter Charles wrote:

I know, but think a bit about what sort of fish can bend open a heavy
guage, 2/0 sal****er, stainless steel hook, even if it is a Mustad.
My tippet was 14.75 lb. test Daiichi fluoro btw.


A FINE fish, I'm sure. But that hook bent before a 15lb tippet broke. I
would expect a salt hook that size to be stronger than that, but then I
know **** about salt water.

I'd guess the hook was defective. One aspect of cheaper hooks is less
quality control. I have had large fish (tarpon) on Mustad 2/0 and 3/0
hooks and never had one bend, but I have broken off 16# and 20#
tippets a couple of times.
--
Charlie...

On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 05:25:19 -0400, Charlie Choc
wrote:

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 20:02:52 -0600, Willi wrote:


Peter Charles wrote:

I know, but think a bit about what sort of fish can bend open a heavy
guage, 2/0 sal****er, stainless steel hook, even if it is a Mustad.
My tippet was 14.75 lb. test Daiichi fluoro btw.


A FINE fish, I'm sure. But that hook bent before a 15lb tippet broke. I
would expect a salt hook that size to be stronger than that, but then I
know **** about salt water.

I'd guess the hook was defective. One aspect of cheaper hooks is less
quality control. I have had large fish (tarpon) on Mustad 2/0 and 3/0
hooks and never had one bend, but I have broken off 16# and 20#
tippets a couple of times.


I think it has more to do with how the hook lodges in the fish's jaw
-- a leverage issue. IOW, with the hook well seated in the jaw with
hook gape filled with "jaw", the forces tend to travel down the hook
shank into the bend but if the hookup is shallow, the forces are
directed more directly on the point so it's much easier for the hook
to open up. I know I haven't explained that well but, when Iget a bit
of time, I'm going to run a couple of tests to see if I'm right.
Might take a few pictures to make it worthwhile.

Peter

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