Three unique things happened to me today....

 

1.

I caught my first fish with one of the lures I made this winter. I had been using plastics this spring as the water has been cold and the fish weren't biting. I hadn't been out in a over a week (poor bites) I saw that the water was seventy degrees so I chose one of the handful of lures I had made this winter and cast to the shore. He bit when it was still and ran away with a slack line. Anyway, the first fish I've ever caught on a lure I made. I'll mark that one on the calendar for sure. Here is a picture of the fish and the lure.

 

2.

I had my first backlash in two years (which is how long I've had the reel, It's a Curado DC) Surprised the heck out of me. My own fault, I pulled the trigger late and it smacked the water in front of me. It's of note as it's my first casting reel and my first backlash.

 

3.

Said lure in the picture above is now in this tree. Don't ask.... it's embarrassing. I don't know how the thing got away from me but it caught the tree and I had to break the braid after trying a long time to get it out. It must have had both hooks embedded in wood. The bad news is I lost the first lure I made that caught a fish. Good news is, tomorrow I'll make another one, a scrap of pine and ten cents in paint. Whenever I go by that tree from now on though...........Geesh.

1. Nice Bass ~ Congrats

2. Cool Lure  ~ Congrats

3. Chop that tree down ! 

A-Jay

1 minute ago, A-Jay said:

1. Nice Bass ~ Congrats

2. Cool Lure  ~ Congrats

3. Chop that tree down ! 

A-Jay

Oh ya... that would go over well!   

Awesome lure!  I just crushed a bunch of bass on a homemade swim jig last night.  Heckuva feeling when it's your own creation.

Only one  backlash in two years? 

I’ve backlashed my currado dc more then that. Loosen that puppy some. 

Also congrats on the fish on home made lure. 

50 minutes ago, Derek1 said:

I’ve backlashed my currado dc more then that. Loosen that puppy some. 

Also congrats on the fish on home made lure. 

Actually if I do it still casts the same distance. And the distance is plenty either way. I found a way, not the Shimano directions to cast, cast distance, and not backlash. I don't use my thumb... although today might have been the exception.

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

Only one  backlash in two years? 

That is impressive. The only reason I haven't made a birdnest today is because I haven't made a cast.

19 minutes ago, galyonj said:

That is impressive. The only reason I haven't made a birdnest today is because I haven't made a cast.

With the DC if I set the tension so that when I shake the pole it drops a foot or two each time that's the setting. It has to be redone for each change of lure if the are different weights. I never put my thumb on the spool. I could but don't have to.

I made a very short video showing how I learned to set my Curado DC and a few casts. I never use my thumb. I don't know if non DC reels will cast this way. I've never used one. I've always had spinning outfits. So, if yours does great. Starting my third season with this one. I've only had a nest recently when I smacked the water in front of me. It doesn't show all types of casts so take it for what it is. I do love this reel though. It's paired with a Dobyn's Champion glass rod.

 

 

I do a lot of things while fishing that I refuse to mention in a post. Lol

 

Great fish and beautiful lure.

 

2 hours ago, DanielG said:

With the DC if I set the tension so that when I shake the pole it drops a foot or two each time that's the setting. It has to be redone for each change of lure if the are different weights. I never put my thumb on the spool. I could but don't have to.

Honestly that's enough to have me rethinking my next casting reel purchase.

1 hour ago, galyonj said:

Honestly that's enough to have me rethinking my next casting reel purchase.

Well, I understand it's an acquired taste. To each his own I guess.

7 hours ago, DanielG said:

Well, I understand it's an acquired taste. To each his own I guess.

You misunderstand me. I love the idea and a DC wasn't on my list, but now it is.

Well, today I went into the shop and made a duplicate of the "Unknown Crank bait" I had lost in a tree. I do wish I had the original though as it was the first fish on a bait I made. I started at 10:30 AM and had it in the water by 3:30. With a couple of exceptions it's almost the same. I did weight it a little differently to get more of a flitter than a wobble. I had kept the original paper pattern, so the shape, albeit freehand, is the same one as the last.

 

Here's a picture of it. The complete build is available at my channel on Youtube should you care to look for it. I had time to talk about it this time as I knew where I was going with the design this time around.

 

Everything is handmade except the hooks.