Ever since I took the 'hookless fishing' pledge last week I have
been relentlesly at work trying out various ways of attaching the bait
so that when swallowed it would be difficult to disgorge and yet would
not harm the fish. My first attempts consisted of tying a plastic bead
on the end of the leader and threading the other end through the bait.
Worked well in that the bait backed up against the bead and was held securely.
However, the only beads I had were about .025 in diameter and were too
large for the piling nibblers I was working with. I did catch one large
pile perch using the bead with mussel but it entangled in the kelp around
the piling and the bead pulled free.
This morning I was out at Gaviota just after the morning high tide
when I decided to abandon the bead alltogether and tie the bait to the
leader itself. I threaded the loop end of the leader through a whole frozen
anchovy exiting out the nose. The loose end was wrapped around the tail
several times, tied off and trimmed. The leader was attached to the swivel
of a carolina rig (half-ounce sliding egg) and underhand casted out about
10-15 yards. I let it rest on the bottom for a minute or so before beginning
a standard jerk and rest retrieve. On the third cast the bait was picked
up and the line went slack ... I opened the bail and waited. Shortly there
was some more activity on the line and it began to move away from me ...
the moment of truth was at hand ... could I actually retrieve and land
the fish even though there was no hook to rely on?
Gradually I increased pressure on the line and the fish turned towards
me. More pressure and the fish was at the top of the water still holding
onto the bait. I slacked my line and picked up my camera to get a picture
of it because I really doubted I was going to get it into the milk crate
I was using for a net.
The fish stayed quietly on the surface for several pictures and
then floated over the milkcrate as I picked up the pole again ... holding
the fish against the current allowed the milkcrate to slip under it and
I was able to lift it to the surface and then to the deck.
My first fish landed using hookless tackle! I don't think I have
ever really appreciated Thornback Rays before ... this one I was tempted
to kiss and will never, ever bad-mouth them again :) The bait was completely
swallowed and was still in the ray's stomach.
A gentle tug and the fish disgorged the bait ... the basket was
lowered over the side, upended, and the fish swam slowly away apparently
(hopefully) no worse for wear and perhaps just a bit wiser.
____________
Pierhead
Proud Supporter of UPSAC |
Hookless
Fishing ... chapter 1 :) 
pierhead
- Nov-1-05 4:15pm
