Last time in Branson I drift fly fished with Jim of riverrun fly outfit. Caught several as Jim knew the river well. turns out he and BIL jim were in Nam together so they pretty much chatted as I fished. BIL had back problems at the time so he pretty much went along to keep me company. I wanted him to learn to catch trout. IIRC the Mo record there was 4.5# on a 2# spinning rig at Rockaway. Guy ran up and down the beach trying to keep it on the hook. People getting out of the way, offereing drinks etc and cheering him on. Lake record was 7#(?) in Ar.
so waht ya doin today?
- Thread starter fiver
- Start date
fiver
Well-Known Member
shimano used to be the top dog of fishing reel manufacturing.
about 2 years back they just said screw it and went cheap, they also quit sponsoring tournaments and the like.
I don't know what they are doing over on the bike side of things now, but when their reels were the bomb they were using the bike engineering for bearings, gears, and the like, that's what made them so good.
if I was gonna buy an expensive reel now days Lew's and Okuma would be up on my list.
HH would be on my perusal list too.
about 2 years back they just said screw it and went cheap, they also quit sponsoring tournaments and the like.
I don't know what they are doing over on the bike side of things now, but when their reels were the bomb they were using the bike engineering for bearings, gears, and the like, that's what made them so good.
if I was gonna buy an expensive reel now days Lew's and Okuma would be up on my list.
HH would be on my perusal list too.
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
A very fine day trip today! Given all of the political weirdness currently under way, we elected to head out to Bombay Beach along the Salton Sea's east shore. CHAZ/CHOP and its art forms are deeply-shaded by the stuff in Bombay Beach. Google "Bombay Beach art" for a sampling online of what is offered to the onlooker. Though we didn't head to other nearby Imperial County art enclaves (Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, The Slabs), Bombay Beach didn't disappoint. Some serious drugs were involved in creating these productions, I imagine.
That mission accomplished, we headed to the Cal-DFW Wister Wildlife Unit to see some critters. Our last few trips here were not real productive in that department, but today was EXCELLENT. Doves were THICK--hundreds of mourning doves and white-winged turtledoves all over the Unit and the surrounding farmlands. Whitewing doves love heat, and that part was up to standards--106*-111* the entire time we were in the Valley. Par for the course in late June, though we had 40%-70% cloud cover throughout the day. "Mare's tails and mackeral's scales......" Yeah, storms from the Gulf of California will arrive soon.
We drove around and through Wister circuitously, and saw several dozen burrowing owls along the irrigation canal banks that the dirt roads run parallel with. These guys were VERY SCARCE for several trips, it was good to see them back in good numbers.
We ambled over to the farmlands, and a lot of changes have been wrought this Spring. When I was a kid in the 1960s, milo and kaffir maize was the primary crop grown here, and as you might expect the doves were thicker than Louisiana mosquitoes. Over the years, the grains disappeared and alfalfa ruled the earth until recently. Maybe it was over-produced, dunno. There is little money in it for the past few years, and quite a few of the flood-irrigated alfalfa fields we have fished next to are now growing rice, wheat, or barley. Several 1/4 square mile fields are planted in date palms, also. I have never seen dates being grown this far south in the Valleys--this was an Indio-Coachella crop for most of my life. Short palms 8'-12' tall were producing LOTS of date clusters. I hope the growers do well with them.
By about 4:30 P.M. we started ambling toward home via dirt roads that followed the base of the Chocolate Mountains, the old bombing range that Navy pilots used during WWII and up until very recently. There are still DANGER--BOMBING RANGE/UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE signs all over the fences that have seen better days that surround the Range. Crews are still busy removing whatever ordnance might still be present after 70+ years of aerial war training. I think the rationale here is to allow people in to prospect for gold in this area that has been closed to the public since 1942. Some prospectors have jumped the gun just a bit--we saw 3 gates that had been cut open with recent tire tracks into the Range area.
There are hot springs along the mountain edge, and small islands of habitation every few miles. The Coachella Canal (irrigation project) parallels the road, so water is always there for the critters, and the irrigation District has built cisterns and guzzlers along the canal right-of-way for the Gambel's quail, doves, bighorn sheep, and mule deer that live here. We saw at least a dozen family groups of quail running across the road, those little chicks are beyond cuteness and their tiny legs are just a blur. Doves were flitting around in good numbers as well; most of this area away from the settlements is legal to hunt within, as is Wister. Things are shaping up nicely for bird season.
A good day, and we got home just after dark. Those clouds we had all day said "Weather coming", though.
That mission accomplished, we headed to the Cal-DFW Wister Wildlife Unit to see some critters. Our last few trips here were not real productive in that department, but today was EXCELLENT. Doves were THICK--hundreds of mourning doves and white-winged turtledoves all over the Unit and the surrounding farmlands. Whitewing doves love heat, and that part was up to standards--106*-111* the entire time we were in the Valley. Par for the course in late June, though we had 40%-70% cloud cover throughout the day. "Mare's tails and mackeral's scales......" Yeah, storms from the Gulf of California will arrive soon.
We drove around and through Wister circuitously, and saw several dozen burrowing owls along the irrigation canal banks that the dirt roads run parallel with. These guys were VERY SCARCE for several trips, it was good to see them back in good numbers.
We ambled over to the farmlands, and a lot of changes have been wrought this Spring. When I was a kid in the 1960s, milo and kaffir maize was the primary crop grown here, and as you might expect the doves were thicker than Louisiana mosquitoes. Over the years, the grains disappeared and alfalfa ruled the earth until recently. Maybe it was over-produced, dunno. There is little money in it for the past few years, and quite a few of the flood-irrigated alfalfa fields we have fished next to are now growing rice, wheat, or barley. Several 1/4 square mile fields are planted in date palms, also. I have never seen dates being grown this far south in the Valleys--this was an Indio-Coachella crop for most of my life. Short palms 8'-12' tall were producing LOTS of date clusters. I hope the growers do well with them.
By about 4:30 P.M. we started ambling toward home via dirt roads that followed the base of the Chocolate Mountains, the old bombing range that Navy pilots used during WWII and up until very recently. There are still DANGER--BOMBING RANGE/UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE signs all over the fences that have seen better days that surround the Range. Crews are still busy removing whatever ordnance might still be present after 70+ years of aerial war training. I think the rationale here is to allow people in to prospect for gold in this area that has been closed to the public since 1942. Some prospectors have jumped the gun just a bit--we saw 3 gates that had been cut open with recent tire tracks into the Range area.
There are hot springs along the mountain edge, and small islands of habitation every few miles. The Coachella Canal (irrigation project) parallels the road, so water is always there for the critters, and the irrigation District has built cisterns and guzzlers along the canal right-of-way for the Gambel's quail, doves, bighorn sheep, and mule deer that live here. We saw at least a dozen family groups of quail running across the road, those little chicks are beyond cuteness and their tiny legs are just a blur. Doves were flitting around in good numbers as well; most of this area away from the settlements is legal to hunt within, as is Wister. Things are shaping up nicely for bird season.
A good day, and we got home just after dark. Those clouds we had all day said "Weather coming", though.
Winelover
North Central Arkansas
Have two different sizes of the Penn Battle II.............4000 on my light Striper rod and a larger 6000 on my heavy Ugly Stick. The 4000, I purchased from Amazon Deal of the Day for $66.99 in May of 2017. Currently, sells for $109. The 6000 is selling for $192 but I know I didn't pay half that. It was purchased a year or so, before the 4000.
Reels are like firearms. You can get by with a Charter Arms or Rossi but for a little more you can get a Smith or Ruger, that will last a lifetime. I won't buy anymore open face spinning reel with a composite body.................get a heavy fish on and they flex. More and more, manufacturers are getting away from the metal bodies.
Reels are like firearms. You can get by with a Charter Arms or Rossi but for a little more you can get a Smith or Ruger, that will last a lifetime. I won't buy anymore open face spinning reel with a composite body.................get a heavy fish on and they flex. More and more, manufacturers are getting away from the metal bodies.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
You guys have me way outcast..
My fly fishing rig is my late Grandpas Hardy Marquis on an old bamboo rod with the name wore off of.
Then for my other fishing its a set of Zebco 202 setup and two 404's on ugly sticks. Also an 80's Team Diawa bait caster.(Think I have used that one about 10 times during my "had to have a boat" phase..)
Don't think I have a reel newer then 35 years old among the lot. And I am sure that the hardy is at least 50 years old, and been rebuilt twice. once when I first got it gave to me in 79. Last time (2011) I had it fully professional restored. Cost me like 80 bucks. Just cannot see a point in going fly fishing without PaPAWs reel.
Oh I almost forgot my favorite, a Ronco pocket fisherman.
I believe it may be time to replace one of the 202's and also a 404. Reals,Rods and all.With some similar closed faced spin casters.
My fly fishing rig is my late Grandpas Hardy Marquis on an old bamboo rod with the name wore off of.
Then for my other fishing its a set of Zebco 202 setup and two 404's on ugly sticks. Also an 80's Team Diawa bait caster.(Think I have used that one about 10 times during my "had to have a boat" phase..)
Don't think I have a reel newer then 35 years old among the lot. And I am sure that the hardy is at least 50 years old, and been rebuilt twice. once when I first got it gave to me in 79. Last time (2011) I had it fully professional restored. Cost me like 80 bucks. Just cannot see a point in going fly fishing without PaPAWs reel.
Oh I almost forgot my favorite, a Ronco pocket fisherman.
I believe it may be time to replace one of the 202's and also a 404. Reals,Rods and all.With some similar closed faced spin casters.
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I don't fish for the bigger species much, heaviest outfit is a 6' medium action casting rod mounted with an old shimano baitcaster that hasn't been used in years. My most used outfits are an U/L and Light action rods, both spoiled with 4lb mono. I just don't fish much anymore except taking the grandkids to an old quarry that's loaded with Big green sunfish and smaller bass
CZ93X62
Official forum enigma
My "skirted spool" (I think that's what the tackle enthusiasts now call 'spinning') reels are Daiwa and Shimano of varying eras. None are very new. These range from ultralight freshwater to manage-a-yellowtail saltwater rigs. The freshwater baitcasters are......old, and of unknown parentage. They get trolling duty due to far better drag systems. The saltwater baitcasters (locally known as "conventional reels", for some reason) are all Penn-made. A Model 65 Long Beach from the late 50s that survived the Salton Sea years with my Dad and went on to the Pacific--two Model 350s from the early 1970s with the cool helical-bar level wind--and a 5 year old Penn Torque 35 with the composite housing. The first three are "trucks" with 3:1 gearing, the Torque is a 6:1 ratio retrieve. I favor Penn reels when they can be found.
Mitty38
Well-Known Member
Do way more creek and night time catfish fishing then any other at this time in my life.
So trying to figure out a good replacement for my 404 and 202 and to also get my son a couple night time rigs set up.
If it lasts half as long as my Zebco 202's and 404's did,I will probable not live long enough to know it. The newer 202's look like total junk. Have not looked at a newer 404 yet.
So trying to figure out a good replacement for my 404 and 202 and to also get my son a couple night time rigs set up.
If it lasts half as long as my Zebco 202's and 404's did,I will probable not live long enough to know it. The newer 202's look like total junk. Have not looked at a newer 404 yet.
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oscarflytyer
Well-Known Member
Got to talk to the kid (youngest son of 5) tonight before he ships to Iraq tomo. Two of his older brothers were over for dinner, so was a nice family 'gathering.'
GSPguy
Member
My hunting buddy is coming over and bringing his young GSP for some socializing and little training. We introduced her to the shotgun last weekend. That went much better than I expected due to her being very timid. Hopefully having her spend time around my pups will help her get a little more bold.
Glaciers
Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
You guys might remember trying to tease Ian on Father's Day when he was starving in the hospital, I made this statement about my day and chastised the cruelty you folks displayed.
Well, Father's Day it rained about 2 to 3 inches road turned to crap and it was blowing, raining, so dark my outside lights came on its usually not that dark around here till September. Needless to say I cancelled the BBQ.
Well today it's beautiful!!! So we are going to have the shoot and BBQ today. Going to be a good time.
Well, Father's Day it rained about 2 to 3 inches road turned to crap and it was blowing, raining, so dark my outside lights came on its usually not that dark around here till September. Needless to say I cancelled the BBQ.
Well today it's beautiful!!! So we are going to have the shoot and BBQ today. Going to be a good time.
