Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3818 August 16-30 | Page 30

28 August 16-30, 2019 VOL.38 • ISS. 18 with the big shiny bulgy eyes! I didn’t say don’t buy them or don’t use them, I and minor differences, weights, hook said don’t be dazzled shapes and sizes with which to contend. by them. Thousands, And then you have a rainbow of colors if not millions, to wade through too, so where do you of fish have been begin? caught on plain ol’ First things first ... do NOT be dazzled unpainted jigheads, by all the beautiful, lifelike, artsy, so those pretty ones highly detailed fish looking jigheads are gravy, not the meat. The most important thing to look for is the weight of the lead head. If it is too light, it won’t cast far. If it is too heavy, it will sink too fast in the shallow waters of the surf and simply plow through the sand. For most people the choice is a weight of between 1/2 and one ounce. Hook size is another important asset to consider. In the old days, there were good numbers of thirty, forty, and even some fifty pound fish prowling the shallows of the surf. Sadly, most of the fish you encounter nowadays are going to be under twenty pounds. Good quality Japanese styled thin high strength 2/0 - 4/0 hooks are the present go-to hooks to look for, and they tend to be a lot sharper than the hooks of yore. The one detail most people aren’t aware of is the presence of the “flare ball” on the shank portion of the jighead. For many A Flair for Hair, Part 2 B uchtail jigs are some of the oldest man made lures in the fishing world. Old, yes, but still one of the most effective. Surf fishing is a very specialized sport. There are all sorts of jig head designs to choose from in a well stocked tackle shop. There are many different designs, major FISH SNIFFER COUNTRY by Steve “Hippo”Lau Celebrating 61 years of “The Unsinkable Legend”!! 2019 Model CLEARANCE!! Boston Whaler 190 Montauk The American Premier Ultimate Line Winding System (shown with optional equipment) www.outboardmotorshop.com All Prices INCLUDE freight & prep, plus tax & license only. THE ULTIMATE LINE WINDING SYSTEM ICAST SHOW WINNER ZERO LINE TWIST! E GLS1 very fisherman knows that counter rotation is the secret to filling a spinning reel without introducing line twists. It is the fisherman’s enemy which causes un- wanted loops and tangles that decrease casting distance. Our revolutionary line winding system with its rotating carriage automatically eliminates twists by turning the line spool as the line is transferred to the spinning reel rotor spool. It works exception- ally well with both spinning and casting reels. With bushings that come with it, this tool holds flat spools, 1/4 lb. spools and 2 1/2” wide 1/2 lb spools in perfect alignment with the reel. This amazing tool won THE BEST FISHING ACCESSORY AWARD IN NEW PRODUCT CASE AT ICAST 2012 and received enormous industry praise. It is so innovative that it is patented by USPTO, Patent No: US 8,925,855. B1. Baja Beast Offshore Rod Series GOLF CLUB HANDLE! G raphite and glass reinforced blank for strength and durability. Fast tapered actions with outstanding fighting power. Tungsten Carbide tip top to stop any line grooving problems. Superior gunsmoke guides with double lock aluminum reel seat on heavy models. AFTCO rollers on trolling model. New golf grip composite material is used on handles for excellent gripping comforts. Extra long foregrip on rail rod models. Metallic thread double wrapped guides. Hand-drawn art greatly enhances eye catching in the store. 15 models to choose from. The most value-packed offshore rods on the market. DEALER INQUIRIES ARE WELCOME WWW.AMERICANPREMIERCORP.COM Tel: [phone] (510) 533–9290 3818 (800) 726–2848 1926 – 2019 Your Bay Area Dealer For 93 Years 333 Kennedy Street Oakland, CA 94606 $49,999 (including freight & prep) ’m a fanatic for fresh fishing line. Of course, your line is the link between you and that hard charging fish, so by having fresh line you your reel you automatically tip the odds of landing that big fish in your favor. While it’s wise to have your reels filled with fresh line, changing line can be a real drag. Of course, you can take your reel to the tackle shop, but you’ll have figure out their hours, drive there and pay top dollar for the line. Now you can do your line changes at home, which is what I generally do, me winding and my wife Gena holding the spool of line with a pencil through it. The system works, but I’ve long dreamed of having a simple, effective tool that would allow me to spool my reels perfectly every time without having to bug someone for help… The folks at American Premier must have read my mind because they’ve come up with a portable line winder. I’ve used it extensively and I can tell you it’s simple, effective and defi- nitely takes the hassle out of frequently changing fishing lines. The American Premier Ultimate Line Winding Packages starting at I Complete package with center console with windshield and grab rail, reversible pilot seat with storage, 60 gallon fuel tank, bow locker, forward fishbox, swim platform with ladder, 150 hp Mercury 4 stroke, galvanized trailer and much more! people, this ball at the end of the tying shank of the jighead is there to help hold a plastic bait. Yes, it can be used for that, but I like to think of it as a hair flaring assist. Jigs that have the bucktail flaring backwards may look nice in hand, but in the water, the hair lays back and looks like an underfed anchovy. But, ahhhhhhhh, have a jig that has the hair flaring 45*-60* away from the shank and you have a jig that will pulse every time you twitch your rod tip. No self-respecting striper can resist that! The sad part is that I don’t know of a manufactured jig that has the hair flaring that far out. Correct me if I’m wrong, but all the flaring jigs I have seen were all hand tied. If you take the standard banana head jig head, there will be the ball at the end of the tying shank to keep your hair from slipping off after you tie it on. The idea is to enlarge that ball by any convenient means: adding layers of nail polish, squeezing on and shaping epoxy putty, grinding and enlarging the ball in the lead mold. Then, when you tie the bucktail on, tie it tightly and butt it up against the ball so it flares. Here’s an extra tip: I thought I was doing a good job tying the hair on with size A nylon rod wrapping thread. Then someone showed me I could do better with high strength flat floss, something that fly tyers use. The difference is dramatic! System is able to accommodate all different spool sizes, the American Premier Ultimate Line Winding System utilizes high quality ball bearings and a super strong graphite frame to create an adjustable spinning axis that spins the line as you reel. This eliminates the twists and inconsistencies in tension that occur when filling your spinning reels, and the spinning axis can also be locked into place when you’re filling casting reels. Gone are the days of having your partner or child stand in front of you, holding a spool of line with a pencil. The patented design easily stores inside of rod lockers or a small tackle box, allowing anglers to apply line to their reels wherever they go. For more information about The American Premier Ultimate Line Winding System or their entire line of fine fishing products visit American Premier online at www.americanpremiercorp.com. New Easy Rider Sportfishing Departures from Berkeley Marina 3712 N ow B ookiNg SALMoN, HALiBUT, BASS LiVE BAiT TRiPS Rock & Ling Cod and Sturgeon Reservations & Information [phone] [email protected] www.neweasyrider.com