Hi! Just want to share my first fishing experience. Drove to Castaic lagoon (lower take) earlier today with my mono reel, medium fast rod! It was incredibly windy. Hook got snagged underwater 3 times deep and hard, so had to cut line 3x. Lost 3 worms, 3 bullet sinkers, and 3 hooks! By the fourth try the reel was almost empty of monofilament. Tried to spool again right there and then, but for some reason while spooling the mono got all tangled up. Annoyed me by a bit so I cut everything lose and switched over to yellow 15 lbs braid (Love how easy it is to spool braid lol). Spooling went well but I think the yellow braid ruined my chances of getting fish (water was clear!). Around 12 noon everyone else in the lake already left for somewhere else as it was too windy and difficult to feel anything really. I left shortly after. Didn't catch a thing! Just three snags! Is this what one would consider a typical fishing day or was it just some minor bad luck? No fish, but had fun (I think the most important part of going fishing!).

 

Cheers!

You didn’t catch fish using yellow braid for the same reason you didn’t catch anything with the mono.

Will try the upper lake tomorrow with braids!

Suggest you tie on 5’ of 6-8 lb mono leader to your braid using a double uni knot ( look it up). 

what type weight. What weight is it? Hook and worm brand, color  and length ???

Tom

 

Braid: Powerpro spectra 15 lb high-vis yellow

Mono was berkley 10 lbs

Worms were yum dinger I think 4-5" in 3 different colors (white, bright orange, and natural)

Used 3/8 oz tungsten basspro bullet sinkers

Also used a red bead once

Hooks I used berkley fusion 19 EWG in size 1 and 2/0

 

Ill give a leader a try. But at this point Im not expecting to hook a fish anytime soon. Just happy to learn the micro details that goes into a successful catch. ??

 

31 minutes ago, WRB said:

Suggest you tie on 5’ of 6-8 lb mono leader to your braid using a double uni knot ( look it up). 

what type weight. What weight is it? Hook and worm brand, color  and length ???

Tom

 

Ill go try the unit knot! Thank you!

Just now, Crappiefish said:

Ill go try the unit knot! Thank you!

Uni knot. Stop by Fishing Fools in Granada Hills ask what working at Castaic.

Tom

Next time, try fishing the Yum Dingers without the extra weight. They sink on their own in a slow fall that looks like an injured or dying bait fish. Be patient, and let it fall. Keep the line with just a small amount of slack. Braid will float but won’t keep the bait from sinking. Watch the line. If a fish hits, the line will jump. You’ll also not get snagged up as easily. 

So you snagged the line 3 times and all those you have to cut the line? Usually I can brake the snagged line up to 15lb mono, unless it snagged to something that give while pulling. If you cannot use bare hands try some branch, water bottle or anything that would not damage the line( or carry 1” dowel especially when use braid)

3/8 oz is pretty heavy weight for shore fishing, how deep is your target? Try @Scott Fmentioned go weightless Texas rig is the best around rock. My main Texas rig weight is 5/32 when bank fishing, even that I don’t use around rip rap area. 

 

3 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

 

Going to follow to the letter next week! Thank you for the help!

 

-ed

8 hours ago, Bass_Fishing_Socal said:

So you snagged the line 3 times and all those you have to cut the line? Usually I can brake the snagged line up to 15lb mono, unless it snagged to something that give while pulling. If you cannot use bare hands try some branch, water bottle or anything that would not damage the line( or carry 1” dowel especially when use braid)

3/8 oz is pretty heavy weight for shore fishing, how deep is your target? Try @Scott Fmentioned go weightless Texas rig is the best around rock. My main Texas rig weight is 5/32 when bank fishing, even that I don’t use around rip rap area. 

Ill try out the weightless texas rig along with the tips above. The snags were pretty far off from shore and in each snag I spent some 5 minutes trying to losen it up walking left and right parallel to the snag but the hook refused to give way even when I pulled really hard so had to cut. In other snags a hard jerk seemed to free the line. As for the weight I was following terminal tackle recommendation of the rod (somewhere in the middle of the given range to be safe - but apparently its still too heavy). Ill try a lower weight for next week! Thank you for the advise! Much appreciated!

Do what Tom said.  Put a 6 or 8 lb 5' fluorocarbon or mono leader on your braid.  Use an 1/8 oz weight and a 1/0 or 2/0 hook with a Texas rigged green pumpkin finesse worm.  I find a triple surgeons knot easier to tie than a uni knot for the braid to leader junction.  Slow slow slow.   

Don’t cut the line. Break it at the lure. 

15 pound braid is great until you run it up against a rock or a log. Keep checking your line for frayed bits when you reel in.

Spincasters and spinnng reels are difficult to spool without line twist . Lay the spool of line  down , label up and wind it in with slight tension  . Make sure the drag is tight enough that it doesnt slip   . After you are finished spooling walk the entire spool of line off in grass then reel it back in with slight tension . This will remove any twist .

On 3/20/2021 at 3:22 PM, Crappiefish said:

Didn't catch a thing! Just three snags! Is this what one would consider a typical fishing day or was it just some minor bad luck? No fish, but had fun (I think the most important part of going fishing!).

 

Cheers!

I like the attitude. Fishing can be a great experience every time if you understand that it is not all about catching. I like to fish with people who know more than I do (which includes almost anyone). ? I try to learn something from them, and look for small ways I can improve each time I go out. This is a good site to read about the things you'd like to learn about as well. There are some good folks who like helping people improve their skills here too.