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grasscutter · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 2:22 pm Post subject: Stedman's Reef 5-26

Drifted Stedman's from 7 to12:15. Lots of dinks. Two keeper trout and one gaftop. Bite died at 11:30. Flourescent orange Cajun thunder, 2/0 treble, 25 lb. Floro leader, three red beads over the treble, live shrimp. Started at the reef and drifted 3/4 to icw. Moved up and down the reef. Wind strong but fishable. Lots of chunking today, kept the two trout...and the gafftop Embarassed

Only a half dozen boats at Hampton's today.

grasscutter · Posted: Mon May 26, 2014 4:23 pm Post subject:

Not that it matters, but it was a hot pink Cajun thunder. I've never even used orange....hmmm..maybe I should try it.

Blast-n-Cast · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 1142

Thanks for the report. How was the gafftop? My dad swears they are really good eating but I have never tried them. I caught a huge on on Sunday on live croaker.

BIG LONG · Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 10:31 am Post subject:

Fished there saturday morning. I could of filled your truck bed with rat reds. Thx for the report!
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redfin21 · Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 11:07 am Post subject:

Central Scrutinizer · Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 1:32 pm Post subject:

grasscutter · Posted: Tue May 27, 2014 6:37 pm Post subject:

To me they taste just fine fried. Slimy on the stringer and in a net...and your leader...but seem about the same as any other fish on ice. Big body...little meat...could be the way I clean them though Confused

ironmanstan · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 10:12 am Post subject:

I think I would drop that leader size down to a 14-18 lb test and the trebel down to a 6 or 8. Just saying.... but then I have always been more of a light tackle guy in the bays reefs or no reefs.
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Central Scrutinizer · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 10:26 am Post subject:

grasscutter · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 2:19 pm Post subject:

Something about a box of gafftop just doesn't sound too good. Very Happy

IMS...Thanks for the suggestion. I've been using the Mustad red round bend ultrapoint number 2 trebles and like the way the bait hangs off of them- mullet or shrimp. I used j hooks mostly in the past and made the switch to trebles a few years ago. I was using 30# or 20# floro leader and just recently switched to 25# because the 30 was stiff to tie. I have been using the heavier floro mainly for abrasion resistance. I'll give going lighter a try and see how it works for me.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 3:19 pm Post subject:

Two things: i tried Gaff top once, fried, and I know how to fry fish. To me it was dry.

Second thing, I never have figured out why some folks feel a need for treble hooks when using corks. The times that I have had my boat down there and was chunking Cajun Thunders and live shrimp I used circle hooks, and not big either. Maybe a size 1/0-2/0. Never missed a bite, just raised the rod and start reeling and the fish were hooked in the corner of the mouth every time.

Way easier on the fish, way easier to unhook and much safer with a fish flailing about in the hand!!! Shocked

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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein

ironmanstan · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 3:36 pm Post subject:

Actually I don't use trebles I prefer a kale hook if and when I use live bait, but since he is using trebels and a really heavy line I figured it would be more stealthy with the smaller hook size and a lighter set up to feel what you can't see down there. I want him to fill the box with trout and reds ....like I do. yeah right. Very Happy

Leave the gaftops for the big bait chunkers. Lighten the load abit and you will see a difference in your quality and production.
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I LIKE MINE FRIED.

grasscutter · Posted: Wed May 28, 2014 4:52 pm Post subject:

I use j hooks and kahle's fishing live on bottom, j hooks and circles off the beach, trebles, j's and circles offshore, and trebles under corks. The #2 trebles under the cork many times fall out in the boat or the net. They seem to be much less harmful than j's under the cork but that may just be my opinion. I have not tried kahle or circles under a cork. Sounds like it is worth a try though. Very Happy

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Thu May 29, 2014 7:16 am Post subject:

If you DO try a good circle hook under a cork, you will more than likely be convinced! My favorite hooks are Owner, but in the last two seasons I've been using Mustad Demon Perfect Circles as they are way cheaper and very darn sharp! http://www.mustad.no/www2010/products/product-news/demon-perfect-circle-hook-the-world%E2%80%99s-only-proportionally-correct-circle-hook-range

The toughest part will be retraining yourself to NOT set the hook when the cork goes under, just raise the rod and start reeling and the fish is there!!!! Very Happy

Stan, I totally agree about the downsizing! Definitely gets more strikes, and large hooks are unnecessary.
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Dave

"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits". Albert Einstein