Philthefish

Elton, I use a level-wind equipped reel for coaching, and have no trouble casting long distances (180 yards plus), and more importantly, showing others how to cast without having to worry about line-lay and overruns. When coaching in St Augustine, Florida a couple of years ago for members of the Florida Surf Anglers, their President, George Pope "Gowge" measured my cast using an Abu 6500c on a Conoflex Phantom 45XL rod and 5oz lead while on Vilano beach at over 200 yards see http://floridasurffishing.net/forum/dcboard.php There is almost no strength involved, it is pure technique, and is easily taught. Dennis Darkin taught me, now I teach others. Philthefish.

There are two acids; n-butyric and iso-butyric acid. The latter is the ingredient in male dogs urine that makes the next lift its leg. Put it on a few trees and it has a pack of foxhounds going round in circles! These acids are part of a group calles volatile fatty acids, known in the lab I work in as "sweaty cheesy feet concentrate",they are a pollutant, tested for by the E.A., and it is probably not a good idea to introduce this stuff into waters. And don't take it indoors, as a carp rod through the mincer is not a pretty sight! Philthefish

I Used several makes of circle hooks on the last couple of trips to Florida, including the Daiichi "Bleeding bait" circle hooks. I was shown the best way to use them, and they are not intended for use with U.K.methods like threading worms etc., they are at their best fishing live baits like pilchards pinfish and blue runners. The hook should be mounted so it turns freely on a loop of monofil, so the hook is presented in the bait at exactly the right angle, no matter which way the bait swims. I have tried the hooks with live sandeels of 6-7" long, and every fish was hooked in the scissors, and easy to release. Tried the same in the surf near Bude, classic surf, set up as a rotating paternoster, worked like a treat, pity the fish weren't bigger. To tie the knot I used, put a double overhand knot in your mono approx.5" from the end (i'm using 25lb fluorocarbon), tighten, then thread your circle hook so the D.O. just goes through the eye of the hook, then tie a two-turn uniknot with the free end, above the D.O., and snug the uniknot up. Now wet the knot again, and slide one knot against the other to create the loop that the circle knot can rotate round. Needs a bit of practice, but easy once you've got the hang of it. Hope this helps, I,m converted. Philthefish

--> QUOTE(Graeme B @ Dec 15 2005, 04:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Off to florida next September and hoping to get a chance for some fishing. Will be staying in Olando but willing to travel up to the spacecoast or across to Tampa/Clearwater. Really wanted to fish with a guide and have found loads on the net, but wondered if any posters had any personal recommendations for guides that you've fished with? Thanks Graeme I have fished the gulf coast and the atlantic coast of Florida, I suggest you look at the "Florida Surfcasters" website, www.floridasurffishing.net , I have some good friends among their number, and I am sure they will help out, especially on fishing the coast between Jacksonville and up to Canaveral. September can get windy, you will need a light 12-13 foot 3-5oz, 15-18lb main line/leader, bait is usually crab/shrimp/fish. Circle hooks are commonly used, and keep out of the water unless advised it is safe to wade. I've seen the size of the sharks that occasionally swim along the beach! Fish caught include whiting (not the same as ours), black drum, bluefish, crevalle jack ( a marine bulldog!), occasional stingray, redfish. Make sure you purchase a license to fish, and include the Snook stamp. Ours were checked several times in a two week trip. No license? you're under arrest! Undersize/out of season/over limit, under arrest again! Wish I was coming with you, our license is valid for a year, and costs $32 plus $2.50 snook stamp. Email me if you want more help. Philthefish

Yep, I am who you think I am! When you coming down my way for a spot of plugging/flylashing/whatever? Philthefish

Den's knot was similar to the illustrated knot, but the shock leader had a double overhand knot in it, and the finer running line was threaded through this knot, the end passing over the centre, and out of the other end of what looked like a figure-of-eight. The knot in the thin running line was then formed, and the end was then threaded back the way it came, the knot was then carefully snugged - up. Needs practice, but when done properly the two ends are parallel to the main line, and the tapered knot looks like an elongated carrot. Den showed me this knot back in around 1973, when I used to work in central London and could see him after work for a good chinwag, thats a third of a century ago. Frightening!!! philthefish

If you want the capability to delicately roll-cast to 40 feet, and cast the whole line with the minimum of false casts, then I recommend the Lee Wulff Triangle Taper. My TT6/7 floater is now 12 years old, and with a little replacticiser I am sure it is going to reach its 15th birthday. I also have or have had in the past a Cortland 444f,and 333f, an Aircel Ultra 2 specialist,Ultra 3 specialiist, several Masterline floaters and sinkers, a Shakespeare Worcestershire fast sink, and the TT is still my No. 1. Expensive, yes, but looked after just goes on and on...... Philthefish

Yep, either method works...I have to wear glasses these days, but not a hearing aid (yet) Philthefish Also thank you to all for the warm welcome...much appreciated. Philthefish

The Bruce and Walker "Spindrift" Bass rod was designed by Brian Harris, the old editor of "Angling" magazine, and has a full cork covered reverse-taper butt, and appeared slightly before the "Clive Gammon" Bass , a fast-taper rod produced by Davenport and Fordham, although both rods were of the same era, when Bass could be caught regularly from such marks as Fairlight, Peacehaven, Seaford, etc. Brian retired a while ago, and fly-fishes for salmonids, and is a split-cane affictionado. Hope this helps, Philthefish

There are some other reasons not yet mentioned that can cause the unexplainable snap-off / crack - off. The commonest I have found is due to following "expert advice" in certain publications. Lets use logic to solve the crack-off problem. Todays surf rods are anglings equivalent of the formula 1/2/3 racing cars. The cars are designed to be as light as possible with a low frontal cross-section to enable rapid accelleration and a high maximum speed. Now lets look at the rods that I see on the beach. These are commonly fitted with rings that weigh as much as 20% of the tip section, whipped on with yards of unneccesary underwhipping, and smothered with several layers of hefty epoxy resin, and to add to this, the recommendation then adds "put a diamite tip ring on, it won't wear out". So what we have is a modern lightweight fine-tipped carbonfibre blank, loaded with something like 50 grams of excess weight. Try a cast, and the tip will overshoot past straight as the lead goes past, and pull a short extra length of line off the reel. This extra line has no-where to go, as the lead is now decellerating, this is a MAJOR cause of the otherwise unexplainable crack-off. If you need proof, tape a tip ring next to the existing tip ring (but out of the way) on your favourite modern lightweight beachcaster and try a cast. I have used single-leg fly and spinning rings for over 25 years on surf rods, and now mainly use zircon rings with Superbraid (don't let anyone say it won't cast, just learn to use it) on just about every rod I build/rebuild. Yes, they will bend more easily if dropped than the out of the ark rings, I just bend 'em back! The OOTA ring centres usually crack, despite shock liners. Test by running a sharp blade round a suspect ring. A "TIC" means its cracked. Hope this is understandable. Philthefish

The answers to your crackoff problem has produced a lot of discussion on whether the reel is to blame. No-one has yet to mention the possibility that the casting technique itself is to blame. In my experience as a casting instructor (over 30 years), the major cause of crack-offs occurring while casting is trying to cast with the lead/bait travelling OUTSIDE the arc described by the tip of the rod. Quite a difficult thing to explain in words why this happens, the actual result of this is that the weight & bait is trying to fly around the outside of the rod tip, and is pulling along the length of the LINE, and not pulling at 90 degrees to the rod and holding the rod under compression during the cast. The force being generated under these conditions is centrifugal force, and at the most extreme, rod compression disappears as the lead/bait flies outwards, the usual result of this being either a scorched thumb, the shock leader snapping (it is why some are using 80lb. leader!), or both. Most anglers use strength to make up for lack of technique. Timing and technique will leave the brute strength and ignorance method standing. Truth sometimes hurts, my mission is to help anglers, if any want help, I can do so, just ask. Philthefish