Phone

27, What sort of line on your reel. If you have the good fortune of having a floating line, are fishing rather close in, just pop a bit of anything you have confidence the fish will take onto your hook and "let 'er fly". If you have a mono line and don't really know if it floats or not - try this. I used to run it through a ChapStik. Now you have a floating mono line. (not sure about braids myself)) ChapStick comes off pretty easily and quickly and does not foul the water or your line when washed with dish soap. If you think you want to use this technique all the time use a candle and candle wax. Say you don't want to be to fiddly and want to fish a chunk of worm (or anything) on the top. Easy, just put a piece of cork or piece of styrofoam cup over the hook eye. Just be sure the "j" of the hook is verticle in the water. Surely someone had abandond a styrofoam cup and you should pick up the trash anyway. Now the hard part. My all time favorite floating bait is marshmallow but lot of stuff floats. In the beginning KISS is important. You'll learn the "tricky" stuff as you go along. Phone

All, Maybe a silver lining. Certainly you can expect a "pending low pressure" system. I've found fishing right before a dramatic drop to generally be good fortune. Phone

BUDGIE, I know very little about the ethology of Walleye Sander vitreus and even less about their "cousins" - Zander Sander lucioperca. I saw once you make mention they weren't the "exact" same fish (in the same manner I just did). Until then I thought that Zander and Walleye were indeed the same fish. As you say, it won't matter that much if the environment is different. I did read a bit (mostly to get a "laymans" feel for the "differences" rather than the similarities). This is a thread I started for which I can't contribute very much. At least you "course fishermen" are familiar with Zander. I am "0" and "0" really. Ask me about carp. Phone (I know enough to tell Dales to use lobs and bottom bouncers though)

Dales, Here's the guy you want. http://allenshillside.com/ Phone

All, An effective walleye (zander) technique that I don’t see discussed on AN is the “bottom bouncer”. The first thing you will have to do is search “ http://www.cabelas.com/bottom-bouncers-walking-sinkers.shtml ” since I am not an accomplished computer guy. For that matter, I am not an accomplished walleye guy either. I walleye fish under the direction of a top rated and successful guide twice a year. Very simple in design, a bottom-bouncer is made of stiff wire shaped like a "7" with a weight formed onto the vertical leg about halfway up. The leg is normally 12ish inches long, which keeps a casted rig 6 to 12 inches off the bottom. Shorter or longer is for discussion but rarely longer. Amount of weight often varies also. The leader for the rig or lure attaches to a swivel at the tip of the "7." This is a cast and retrieve rig, not a stationary rig. Although I don’t see why you couldn’t fish live bait stationary from a bottom bouncer if you wanted to. I would, or could, get pretty twisted but for sure you can control the depth near the bottom. The rod and reel combination I can suggest is a 7 foot medium rod that has plenty of backbone for handling snags and up to four ounces of weight, and a fast tip for finesse hook sets and for fighting large fish. I spool with new 12 lb line before going. I’m not sure if your casting rods are built like your carp rods but slow tip rods would be a tough combination (it seems to me). Ohh, I use size, #6,#4, and #2 octopus style hooks, with #4 most often because that’s what I’m told to use. For bait I almost always use lob worms (they're "best"). A lure or spinner is equally acceptable. In fact, a couple years ago I used a top water lure pinned to the bottom bouncer with about a 4 ft. leader to fish mid water in 20 ft. of water (make sense?). When using lobs the “hooklength has 5 or six tiny beads and a spinner blade. I looked in my stuff. Sorry, I can’t find one to tell you exactly. A most important omission but I don’t seem to have any to “break down”. I remember they are not, not, very long. Also, the spinner is for NOISE. At least that is what I am lead to believe and I do not know better. Well, good luck lads, I’m off carp fishing. Any questions I’ll try. Remember, I am NOT a zander expert. Phone

Anderoo, Yes, I'll get my stuff together and start a thread. Problem is, I am by no means an accomplished zander fisherman. I always use a professional guide. (In another thread I mentioned I only go twice a year to Chamberland SD). I fill my license using one "style" and then try to fill his license lure fishing. Dales, Lobs are FREE. You just have to go and pick them up from the yard in the evening. Maybe artifical or Berkley Gulp might work? Phone

Andy, The tank in the picture, is that artifical grass? No way! If you even get close it will be an accomplishment. That is a dandy looking tank. Phone (Can't say as I've seen any artifical that would even come close over here, but then I'm not a "tank" guy either. Just a looker.)

Thanks, guys, So, in the context of this discussion it is really only the "pleasure" kayak anglers who would or could be rebellious. The charter captian would or could answer for the boat and his customers (and probably already has to in some fashion). It just seems to me the imput from the "skilled experts" on the charter boats might be meaningful in some way although I don't know what that might be. Jaffa in his kayak cannot possibly be a huge influance or very knowledgable. That is a question. Phone

Dales, Anderoo, Using lobs and using them correctly are two entirely different things. They have to be fished as a lure or spinner bait on a BOTTOM BOUNCER. The length of the bottom bouncer and retrieval speed, should be the discussion. Not if it will work. It will not fail. Phone

BUDGIE, I'm all for it, just haven't seen it. At least that it was brought to my attention. I like the idea. Phone

BUDGIE, See, that is a prejudice on my part. I bet of the 100 or so reels I have I don't have braid of any sort on two. I'm afraid I just don't like braid and have no legitimate reason not to. I've really never given braid a real chance (and don't intend to). I do have half a dozen or more rolls laying around. Anything from 6 to 90 lb tensile strength. Red? Phone

Sean, Ohh yeah! A spod rod, not a feeder rod. Sorry. Blame it on being a Yank. Phone

All, I have to ask what will be a stupid question. Never-the-less are "anglers" in the context sporting anglers using charters and personal craft or are "anglers" commercial operators harvesting fish? Phone

Dales, I'm tellin' you for the 8 thousandth time. For Zander use lob worms (nightcrawlers) on a bottom bouncer. FAILPROOF! Is that not a common practice in the UK?? Phone

Denis, You can't offend ole Phone. And, seriously, they are a 'first' choice in the US. Now, having said that. A "feeder" rod is the one you use to bait up a swim with - right? Often around a "marker float". Then you "fish" with your carp rod. A feeder rod doesn't even have a hook assembly attached. Phone

Denis, HUGE tradeoff and one I don't recommend. If you must, consider surf casting rods. Phone

Newt, While it's not germaine to Mark's problem, the same is true with spincast reels. In fact, it may just be me but braid in general and spincast reels just don't "go together". Phone

Argue all you want. However, you'd be hard-pressed to find documented proof that men are superior to women as drivers. But gender certainly impacts car insurance rates. I have (had) a house full of both. All the evidence from my checking account points to young males having riskier driving habits than young females. Try adding a 16 year old boy to your insurance then add a girl. You'll think they made a mistake. I believe that may be changing in the 21st century. Anyone added one of each recently?? However, I too am prejudice, having been the worlds greatest driver. I don't trust women drivers. That is until now. I am an "old" man. No longer worth a tinkers dam at driving. Watch out for women and old people!!!!!!!!!!! Phone

Ken, You say, "Oh and contrary to popular belief, swivels don't swivel to prevent line twist". Phone says, "the swivel is to allow the line to untwist during line retrieval, preventing undesirable tangling". You'll have to explain the purpose of a swivel on another thread. I believe, no matter how efficient, they are intended to prevent line twist. (I just tried your experment with a size 16 stainless steel ball bearing swivel and a salt shaker. After I added a bit of cooking oil it worked just fine. I just held it up, I didn't tape it up (wife's home). The mystery presented by Mark is that he feels the problem is in the last six feet or so of line. The bail roller would jam line on the spool as well. (that's a question?). Another thought. One that I am very good at although I'm not sure it is possible with braid. If you have a tiny crack in an eye on the rod and it is shaving line. The line that gets shaved almost certainly looks twisted and "kinked". It's not, it's shaved. Phone

Mark, I agree with the supposition you haven't given us enough facts. To me, what I envision is that you are altering - - - by turning the ends in opposite directions, so that parts previously in the same straight line and plane are now in a spiral or kink (twisted). One other way would be to stretch the line so that litterally one side is actually and in fact longer than the other side. I doubt there is a fishing line manufacturered in the last 25 years that does this (stretch unequally) So - somehow the end at the terminal is turning while the reel end is remaining stationary (very likely - but how?). I notice you are fishing a river. Are you using a float fixed and it is spinning slowly? Is your bait propeller shaped? Remember the swivels will not be (as) effective on the "short" end of the axis if there is insufficient weight to hold the line straight in the first place. For sure, SOMETHING is spinning. And it is likely at the terminal end. We need more facts, I am somewhat speculating. Phone Edit: don't forget, if the distance from your swivel is quite long then the terminal end can be rotating in a rather large circle. It is hard for a swivel to "keep up". Like a big gear turning once and causing the little gear to turn 100 times. You get the idea. Still ??

All, I'm back. We had a execptional session. Well, execptional for me. First, found a parking spot 20 yards from the swim (hard to do on this venue on a holiday). Second, I caught 3 and my pal 4. I had the big fish of the day. Carp of about 30+, a carp of 20+ and a huge Smallmouth Buffalo of maybe 45+ (sadly on carp bait - I like to 'target' buffs when I catch them.). Wide open swim and all came on 12lb Berkley Big Game mono, 7 1/2 UglyStik rod and Zebco spincast reel. We both ran 3 rods each. Bait was a variety of hook baits - I believe (?) my carp came on sweecorn and the buff on a Wheaties and creamstyle corn doughball. The real challange is to control the fish before you run out of line using a spincast reel. Don't use a net or camera. All released at waters edge. My pal's fish were equally fun, all carp in the 25 - 30 lb range (OK, maybe knock 5 lbs off the weight range - just to be safe). We gave one to a pot fisherman (not uncommon at this venue). My pal says he caught 5 but one was a "long release" of about 10 yards. Argued all the way home and he IS NOT getting credit for that fish - it got off, plain and simple. Phone

Emma two, No, now you've made it clear as mud. Why isn't the device in your first link a "cage feeder" rather than a "method feeder"? Goin' fishin' now. Phone

Cory, It is a conumdrum, that I don't let this thread die or that the next generation is on the cusp of enlightenment. Phone

All, Spent the afternoon looking at "old haunts" along the Missouri River. It has been flooding since April, maybe May. It's a long story but the short story is one of water control and heavy snow melt and rain way up stream. The government has had to release water at a rate of 147,000 cubic feet per second - yes, that's not a typo - per second!! And, that's just the "extra" water being put into the river. The usual flow is 86,340 cubic feet per second. Worst since 1912. Anyway, neither of us (an old pal and I) wet a line. Still couldn't get to the "fishable" areas. Mostly 3 - 4 ft of mud. Locals predict not next year, but the year after before repairs can be completed for anything but boat access. The old "stretches" have changed dramatically anyway. Will be years before sufficient watercraft is available to predict the shoals of fish. It is nearly impossible to plumb the Missouri River. Flow in "normal" times is 5.6 mph. We will have to rely on modern electronics and word of mouth I guess. Tomorrow, (today for the UK - 9/5) we are going to a large lake for a proper carp session. (BTW, a proper carp session is 4 - 6 hrs.). Will let you know. Phone Edit: FYI 9/5 is a National holiday in the US.

Andy, Ohh 'ell, of course you are right. I am wrong. Just assumed it was a new offering on AN. Phone