HOPPY4

Phone, Like Scott I am not sure, but I have practiced this for many years and it has been more of a benifit than a henderance. I am not one of those guys that go down the shoreline and look to see what someone else is fishing with. I do not need to keep up with the Jones's as they say. I will compliment a fellow angler on the looks of their gear and the quality of a fish. I tell others that I didn't come by my set-up overnight and it is what I feel is the best that I could afford at the time. How it looks and is presented on the shoreline is a matter of opinion. By the way Phone, why did you or have you completely moved away from the CAG???? PM me if it is a touchey subject!!!!!!!! HOPPY4

Having everything looking neat and tidy is pleasing to the eyes, but having the end tackle correct is the most important thing. I am always carring too much gear around and it can be a Pain. According to the two gentlemen from Delaware, I need 30 minutes to set-up and another to pack-up. I will take that as I like being able to go directly to the items I am looking for and not be searching through everything. Placing each rod in it's carrier sleeve takes time, but I know they are protected. You invest in your equipment and should take care of it. The idea that having the rods, reels, alarms and your hangers/swinger all aligned is nice, but not a requirement to catch fish. It just make passers by take an intrest. The other alglers around you will make comments as well, but the talk is going to be there if you do or don't. Tackle Tart is a name that doesn't fit me, but I do Love our Sport and having others want to know what each piece of equipment is for makes it more enjoyable! HOPPY4

Great reading! Thank You!!!!!!!! HOPPY4

Budgie, I to want to Wish You a Very HAPPY B'Day! Whatever age you may be, it is a Good one and you are indeed a Good Friend that I am Happy to have!!! All the Best Bro and Many, Many MORE! HOPPY4

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is being brought from another forum, but I think it is a way to get a Good Discussion going. The question was brought forward as a S & G type of question. It is a Valid Question to us as we spend quite alot of money on our gear. Now they have brought this particular reel out and I am wondering who are the purchasers? My vote went to Van Staal as they were to me a fine piece of equipment that I could not see the use versus the exspendeture equation being equal. Opinions are requested!!! The ZEEBAAS ZX-S is the New face and it has a US Pricetage of $1,200.00 to $1,500.00 depending on the vendor. http://www.tackledirect.com/zeebaas-zx-ser...anual-bail.html HOPPY4

OK Budgie, Don't have the young lads Cringing in their boots! I must say that it is a Worth While topic one way or the other! HOPPY4

Indeed!!!!!! That is a Great Read and Video! Well DONE! HOPPY4

Newt, I to ask that same question! Although we are not in England, it would seem strange to me that a Pocket Knife was justification for a Fine or Imprisonment! What is the LAW on this subject? HOPPY4

I to say that in moderation a Beer while on the shoreline or in the boat is OK! I clarify this by saying that the operator of the boat or vehicle that is providing the transport should not be Drinking! Designated Driver/Operator is restricted form use! Time is a factor that must be considered as well. If the session is an Overnighters, then a couple of Beers is acceptable. If this is a Day session, then 1-2 Beers will be acceptable during the time. As to Over Doing IT, Anything done to the point that you are unable to function is WRONG! Legally Drunk or have an Alcohol Level that is considered Drunk, is Justification for a Citation! You are responsible for your actions wherever you are and while fishing, you may be endangering your life and that of the fish as well! JMHO!!!!!!!!!!! HOPPY4

Well Done, Great fishing by all Hands! HOPPY4

JanO, Those are some Beautiful photos and the itch for me to return to Europe is that much Greater! I am still trying to return to Europe and have the oppertunity to fish your waters the next time I am there. Great Fishing is to be Had and I want to get in on the Action!!!! Thank You for the photos and I too look forward to your article! HOPPY4

I LOVE to Fish and that is any type of fishing! I will go to Great Lenghts to spend time on the water, but I still draw the line! I am what is considered an All-Around Angler and the times on the shoreline or boat are horded like they were Diamond & Gold pieces of jewelery. As to spending night after night on the water and not coming home for weeks at a time, "Those are FEW" and far between. I will plan for at least 2 trips a year that will take me away from home and are spent FISHING! This is what works for me! I am forced to mostly fish on Saturday and will return that same evening. I will reluctantly go out on a Sunday if the oppertunuity is not there on Saturday. These are my limitations and I must live with them! HOPPY4

A Young Man Worthy of RESPECT! Well Done Clay!!!! James H. Hopkins (HOPPY4)

Having grown up in a household that fished was indeed a Blessing for me. My mother and father fished along with most of my immediate relatives! This in itself was almost made a tradition within the Hopkins family that I continued. Today, with the children as it may, all grown up is much different. I spend most of my time alone or with other mates. I still Enjoy the oppertunity to fish with my aunt who is 79yr. young and remains an avid fisherwoman. I can now look forward to sharing what was taught to me to my Grand-kids. Sharing my knowledge with others while on the shoreline is always a Pleasure that I relish! I Happily give small tackle to someone who doesn't have sufficient hooks or lead when they break-off. I also explain to them why I use the methods that I employ. This gives me a feeling of Joy to Share this small bit of what was given to me by my family members and others that I have learned from. Seeing these anglers catch fish after they have made these changes is a Rush for me and this Helps to further the SPORT of Fishing. Now that Colder weather has set in, fewer people are on the shoreline, but I am still Enjoying what was Given to me by my Teachers. The Family and I say Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPPY4

I know that numerous bites are received in the Early Morning hours on many venues, but I still pull my lines in if I am going to sleep! If I am napping along side of the rods, I will cover up to prevent the dew from collecting directly on my clothing. At this point I am normally sitting and my clothing are the same that I had on earlier. If and when I do decide to sleep while out, I will keep my thermal underware on as a minimum during Very Cold periods. If it is Cold Enough to wear them during the day, then keeping them on at night in a shelter should not be a problem. In most Bivvies, you will not have a Heater that will warm it to the point of sweating. On your cot/bed, you should have a layer between it and the Sleeping bag. This will Help Insulate you from the cooler air from below. The sleeping bag itself will maintain the heat that your body makes, but you may also need a Thin covering to Help this when in extreem situations. This my opinion and also what works for me! HOPPY4

Budgie makes a Valid Point AGAIN! The Diameter of the 50lb. PP is such that the mono equivlent is not comparable! I have and will continue to use Braid as my primary mainline in 99% of my fishing applications. I have found it to be Dependable and in the Long Run Less Exspensive! The Pros: Lower Dianmeter for Break Strength, Higher Sensetivity and No Stretch! Cons: Higher Initial Cost, Less Abbaision Resistance to Sharpe Objects when under tentsion and Tangle Knots are sometime IMPOSSIBLE to get out! (I have found that the method mentioned earlier to place the line on the reel Helps to prevent initial Wind Knots. Yet after using for a while, you should Redo or run the line through your fingers as you retreive the lure. These tricks will Help to eliminate Wind Knots and make the Lure fishing more Enjoyable!) While I am Carp, Catfish or Saltwater fishing, I have not had problems with the Braided line forming Windknots. I do also use Braid on Baitcaster reels for Catfishing and some Saltwater applications and know that Birds Nest can occaisionally occure. Then a BIG Dose of Patience is NECESSARY! Having an Educated Thumb and setting the correct amount of Internal Drag to match your weight will Help to Prevent these. All this said, you will Be More than HAPPY after you start to use Braid and calulate the cost afterwards! Here in the USA, BASS Anglers are also using Florocarbon lines. This is the New Trend as such and has some merit as well. It is not as Thick as Regular Mono and is Virtually CLEAR under water. More Abbraision Resistant than Braid, but not as Strong in Tensil Strength when pulled directly. A consideration when a Leader is used for Toothee Critters like Pike and Zander! JMHO!!!!!! HOPPY4

Budgie, You and me both on the Getting Up AGAIN! I Think that playing fish at distance with the rods that I use is Better for control when you have the Rodtip HIGH! I have on many occaisions moved my position to one side or the other so that the angle was different, but the rodtip remains High if at all possible. Once the fish is at the net, I still maintain a Verticle rodtip! This will allow my arm to assist the rod as the fish make sudden lunges to throw the hook. I also try to choose a swim that will allow me to have this frredom, but do know that this is not always possible. A Horizontal rodtip can and is another way to play the fish when necessary! As most of my fishing is alone, needing to work with just 2 hands is a necessity. You use what works at the time and I do also AGREE that going from one to the other will make the Hookset loose and the possibility of loosing the fish HIGHER! JMHO!! HOPPY4

Great Read and Beautiful photos! Thanks!!! HOPPY4

Budgie, You must have known that I would be reading this one!!!!!!!!!! I do appreciate the thought and Hope to find something over here that I can use. By the way, the CAGs CCC (Carp Anglers Group Carp Classic) will start tomorrow afternoon. This will be the first time that it will be held in Washington D.C. and we look forward to the competition. I Wish that the 2 of you could have come over for this one for shure!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPPY4

Newt, It was the LUCK of the Draw and I do mean DRAW!!!!!!!! By the way, did you receive the PM that I sent? Give me a quick shout if you did not. HOPPY4

Budgie, You know exactly where it came from!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, there was a chart up a while back that gave the percentage of Commons/Mirrors/Leather Breakdown. Would happen to have a copy still? Thanks Bro! HOPPY4

That was Exciting I BET!!!!!!!!!!!! Great Fishing! HOPPY4

On Saturday, I was caught between what I Wanted to Do and what was Happening Outside with the weather! I found myself at the entrance of the Gated portion of Haines Point at 7 AM. I waited for 30 minutes or so and the authorities finally arrived. The Calamity then continued as the officer could not open the gate. Between the four of us, it was not happening and I just shook my head and walked away. I asked the officer about my Parking over by the bridges in Lot #3 of the Jefferson Memorial overflow and was told that this was OK! The reason that this is Important is that I received a Parking Ticket in July for being in the Lot before 8 AM! $50.00 later and I am still ANGRY about this as I have Parked there for the past year and half without incident previously. Now on to fishing!!!! The place that I most Enjoy during the summer months for Carp fishing on the Potomac was my venue. It was raining at a constant rate by now and the Brolley was the first thing out. As this was not the most Enjoyable weather for most Runners and Walkers, I placed my rods directly on the railing with the Buzz bars wrapped around it. The number of Runners and Walkers was more than exspected on this stormy Sept. Saturday to say the least. By 8: 40 AM, I had 2 rods in the water and was making the final preparations for the last. I had noticed that the first and second rods were indicating nibbles as the fish were eating the chum on the feeders, but No Takes. Bait was a boillie/corn mix and nibbles were all that I was was receiving. The third rod was basicly the same with a Range-Cube for hook bait. At about 9:50AM, the middle rod bents with a screem of the alarm and the fish headed for the bridge colum. After a bit of guidance, the fish was at the net and I was VERY Happy with the sight. This was my First Mirror or Mirrorest Carp since I returned from europe. I was able to request the assistance of a passer-by to take the photo before releasing it back. There were 5 other fish caught during the day to 18lb. and a continuing Down Pour. It is said in Germany that " If you only fish when the Sun is Shinning, then you will not fish Very often" and I learned to use the time when it is available. Crazy Maybe, but as long as it is not Thunder Storming, I will PLAY!!! HOPPY4

Lutra, Great Fishing and CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPPY4

Five B, I didn't take his comments as raciallly biased and do understand the need for it! We have simular problems here in the USA and it is immediately recognized when you go to an area. It is not just the fact that he was the only one there, but the fact that the other anglers were in mass. These anglers are primarily fishing for food to maintain and supplement their diets. They are not fishing to have fun and do not consider the tangles as something to worry about. They have their rights as well and although we do not see it in the same light as they do, They are Fishing! I try to be as patient as I can with them, but it is HARD! I find myself attempting to Teach Casting techniques and also other fishing MANNERs when surrounded by others. Sometimes it Works and Most of the time it doesn't! At this point I find somewhere else to go as the frustration set in. JMHO!!!!! HOPPY4