3/18/07 Grant Park - Lake Michigan

jooleyen · 03-19-07, 07:24 PM

I don't know if I should be posting this...

I went to Lake Michigan to try to catch some Steelhead because our lakes are still kind of frozen and no bass to be caught.

I caught one lousy sucker on a crankbait.

Swimming Away:

12" :

This was hard to believe myself and you may think this is a lie, but I had 7 Steelhead on my line, each fighting for about 10 seconds, and EVERY SINGLE ONE came off!!! Were my hooks not sharp enough??? I tried loosening the drag, tightening it, setting the hook softer and harder. I was using a 6'6" Med Hev rod though. I've caught at least 20 fish on crankbaits with that rod and never lost a fish on this rod though!!!I've even caught fish on a 7'0" Heavy with crankbaits.

What brand/size hooks would you recommend I buy to replace medium diving crankbaits?

Thanks all.

JB · 03-19-07, 07:36 PM

mustad or many other top notch trebs can be put on the crankbait, or you can take a hook file and sharpen them easily...one thing to remember
when setting the hook on a crankbait, you take the rod with a sweeping motion and let the hooks set themselves, and then don't crank in like mad, or it can pull the hooks out of the fish, esp. a steelhead..
When you are used to setting the hook hard with plastics, its hard sometimes to get the mindset to sweep the rod and play the fish out much longer than a single hook penetration like a worm/hook.
You can get a hook file for a buck, it has a groove in it, just run each hook till it will stick into your thumb when your move it over the thumbnail..if it slides, its not sharp enough.

texasbasser · 03-19-07, 08:34 PM

nice fish, looks a bit like a carp?

jooleyen · 03-19-07, 08:53 PM

Lol Tex.

I took a video of it because I thought it was a little steelhead while it was fighting me. In the video I said it was a small carp at first, but the I realized it was a sucker.

I very lightly sweep the rod to my right side and let the fish play until I feel I'm ready to start slowly cranking.

Will sharpening my hooks be the same thing as buying new quality ones? Will they wear down quickly?

mack · 03-19-07, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasbasser

nice fish, looks a bit like a carp?

its easy to tell the difference. suckers have a mouth on the bottom of their head.

brushhog · 03-19-07, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB

mustad or many other top notch trebs can be put on the crankbait, or you can take a hook file and sharpen them easily...one thing to remember
when setting the hook on a crankbait, you take the rod with a sweeping motion and let the hooks set themselves, and then don't crank in like mad, or it can pull the hooks out of the fish, esp. a steelhead..
When you are used to setting the hook hard with plastics, its hard sometimes to get the mindset to sweep the rod and play the fish out much longer than a single hook penetration like a worm/hook.
You can get a hook file for a buck, it has a groove in it, just run each hook till it will stick into your thumb when your move it over the thumbnail..if it slides, its not sharp enough.

Nice Explanation - thanks!

texasbasser · 03-19-07, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mack

its easy to tell the difference. suckers have a mouth on the bottom of their head.

yea, i knew it wasnt a carp but i just saw a lil resemblance.

jooleyen · 03-20-07, 03:43 PM

I might go again today. I found a knife sharpening stone. (don't wanna take pictures right now. Same thing but mine looks like a plain rock.)

I can't sharpen the inside of the hook, but it really doesn't seem to matter. I just take each hook and grind it about 25 times. The hook point gets barely curved, but that's how I know the hook is sharper.

What hook file would you recommend?

P.S. - Can I still post reports about other fish here, or is this a bass only website? Again, I would be fishing for bass, but it's illegal right now and I have to wait until May.

jooleyen · 03-20-07, 09:49 PM

Thanks a bunch guys. I sharpened those hooks.

Today I lost a Steelhead because it jumped really high. I had the mechanics down, just bad luck I think.

Lost 3 other fish (probably perch or other small fish)

Landed one fat perch. (11.5")

crankybait · 03-20-07, 10:02 PM

Please tell me that is Cajun Recast on the spool?
Good fishin dude!

jooleyen · 03-21-07, 04:48 PM

Lol! Cranky.... This is honest... I was going to edit my post and write...

"Cranky, this IS Cajun Redcast."

It's #10 Redcast and I love it.

crankybait · 03-21-07, 07:45 PM

Good man, Good man. Extreme respect in my book. 10 lb Cajun is the bomb

jooleyen · 03-21-07, 07:53 PM

Yes it is.

It's great for crankin'. (My favorite technique at the moment)

I really haven't fished enough with a variety of lines yet, but I can say I like Cajun RedCast.
I thought it would be crap at first, just because it says "Shakespeare" on it, but I guess that doesn't matter.

hackattack · 03-22-07, 10:57 PM

haha it is good, never broken one off on it

InEccess · 03-23-07, 12:42 AM

Getting back to the lost fish... You said you're fishing a crankbait with a Medium/Heavy rod? While confidence is the number one thing with catching and landing fish, the rod action does help. If you had the funds just lying around, I'd suggest downgrading to a Medium or a shorter Medium/Light rod. The whippy tip helps absorb some of the thrashing the fish do, and helps keep the bass (I know you're fishing for other fish at the point, but you ARE on a bass forum and I'm only going to speak of what I know of) from throwing the lure.

Absorbtion is key when dealing with big fish and little hooks.

keithdog · 03-24-07, 08:13 PM

Hey jooleyen, I live a short distance from Michigan City Indiana and have caught a slew of steelhead. They can be tough to land as they are extremely athletic fish, often refered to as the fresh water Tarpon due to their leaping abilities. I use a 6 1/2 medium action casting rod. The extra play of the rod seems to help one play the steelhead. Stiffer rods seem to cause more lost fish. I figure with the way they jump and fight, a stiffer rod gives them more leverage to dislodge a bait. I see many old timers up there on the pier using 8 foot plus rods that are very flexable, and they almost never loose a steelhead. I believe these rods are often refered to as noodle rods. Used mostly with live bait applications. I will tell you this for sure. And I don't know why this is but...I loose more steelhead using a crankbait than I do a spoon. For some reason, when I use a spoon I rarely loose a steely. Crankbaits are a different story. I prefer a 3/4 oz spoon in solid brite orange on both sides!!!! I purchase KO Wobblers and spray paint them myself with flourescent orange on both sides. The steelhead lovem!!! Hope this helps.

Super Fluke · 03-26-07, 12:08 AM

nice fish.

jooleyen · 03-26-07, 08:16 AM

The next day I landed some of the fish. I think most of them were suckers. They have really soft small wierd mouths that are easy to lose hooks on.

I landed some 22" suckers, and realized why they fought so hard.

The 6'6" Medium rod is what is next on my list.

03-21-07, 07:45 PM	#12
crankybait BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: marlboro, nj Posts: 3,250	Good man, Good man. Extreme respect in my book. 10 lb Cajun is the bomb __________________ www.fishinfanatics.com

03-23-07, 12:42 AM	#15
InEccess BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: East of Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 227	Getting back to the lost fish... You said you're fishing a crankbait with a Medium/Heavy rod? While confidence is the number one thing with catching and landing fish, the rod action does help. If you had the funds just lying around, I'd suggest downgrading to a Medium or a shorter Medium/Light rod. The whippy tip helps absorb some of the thrashing the fish do, and helps keep the bass (I know you're fishing for other fish at the point, but you ARE on a bass forum and I'm only going to speak of what I know of) from throwing the lure. Absorbtion is key when dealing with big fish and little hooks. __________________ Bass Club '07 season Rookie of the Year runner up. '08 seasons Runner Up. Second overall.

03-26-07, 12:08 AM	#17
Super Fluke BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Jupiter Posts: 1,029	nice fish. __________________ Oregon state record smallmouth

03-19-07, 07:24 PM	#1
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	3/18/07 Grant Park - Lake Michigan I don't know if I should be posting this... I went to Lake Michigan to try to catch some Steelhead because our lakes are still kind of frozen and no bass to be caught. I caught one lousy sucker on a crankbait. Swimming Away: 12" : This was hard to believe myself and you may think this is a lie, but I had 7 Steelhead on my line, each fighting for about 10 seconds, and EVERY SINGLE ONE came off!!! Were my hooks not sharp enough??? I tried loosening the drag, tightening it, setting the hook softer and harder. I was using a 6'6" Med Hev rod though. I've caught at least 20 fish on crankbaits with that rod and never lost a fish on this rod though!!!I've even caught fish on a 7'0" Heavy with crankbaits. What brand/size hooks would you recommend I buy to replace medium diving crankbaits? Thanks all.

03-19-07, 07:36 PM	#2
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	mustad or many other top notch trebs can be put on the crankbait, or you can take a hook file and sharpen them easily...one thing to remember when setting the hook on a crankbait, you take the rod with a sweeping motion and let the hooks set themselves, and then don't crank in like mad, or it can pull the hooks out of the fish, esp. a steelhead.. When you are used to setting the hook hard with plastics, its hard sometimes to get the mindset to sweep the rod and play the fish out much longer than a single hook penetration like a worm/hook. You can get a hook file for a buck, it has a groove in it, just run each hook till it will stick into your thumb when your move it over the thumbnail..if it slides, its not sharp enough.

03-19-07, 08:34 PM	#3
texasbasser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Antonio, Tx Posts: 2,301	nice fish, looks a bit like a carp?

03-19-07, 08:53 PM	#4
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Lol Tex. I took a video of it because I thought it was a little steelhead while it was fighting me. In the video I said it was a small carp at first, but the I realized it was a sucker. I very lightly sweep the rod to my right side and let the fish play until I feel I'm ready to start slowly cranking. Will sharpening my hooks be the same thing as buying new quality ones? Will they wear down quickly?

03-20-07, 03:43 PM	#8
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	I might go again today. I found a knife sharpening stone. (don't wanna take pictures right now. Same thing but mine looks like a plain rock.) I can't sharpen the inside of the hook, but it really doesn't seem to matter. I just take each hook and grind it about 25 times. The hook point gets barely curved, but that's how I know the hook is sharper. What hook file would you recommend? P.S. - Can I still post reports about other fish here, or is this a bass only website? Again, I would be fishing for bass, but it's illegal right now and I have to wait until May.

03-20-07, 09:49 PM	#9
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Thanks a bunch guys. I sharpened those hooks. Today I lost a Steelhead because it jumped really high. I had the mechanics down, just bad luck I think. Lost 3 other fish (probably perch or other small fish) Landed one fat perch. (11.5")

03-20-07, 10:02 PM	#10
crankybait BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: marlboro, nj Posts: 3,250	Please tell me that is Cajun Recast on the spool? Good fishin dude! __________________ www.fishinfanatics.com

03-21-07, 04:48 PM	#11
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Lol! Cranky.... This is honest... I was going to edit my post and write... "Cranky, this IS Cajun Redcast." It's #10 Redcast and I love it.

03-21-07, 07:53 PM	#13
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	Yes it is. It's great for crankin'. (My favorite technique at the moment) I really haven't fished enough with a variety of lines yet, but I can say I like Cajun RedCast. I thought it would be crap at first, just because it says "Shakespeare" on it, but I guess that doesn't matter.

03-22-07, 10:57 PM	#14
hackattack BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Tigard, Oregon Posts: 358	haha it is good, never broken one off on it

03-24-07, 08:13 PM	#16
keithdog BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: IN Posts: 8,308	Hey jooleyen, I live a short distance from Michigan City Indiana and have caught a slew of steelhead. They can be tough to land as they are extremely athletic fish, often refered to as the fresh water Tarpon due to their leaping abilities. I use a 6 1/2 medium action casting rod. The extra play of the rod seems to help one play the steelhead. Stiffer rods seem to cause more lost fish. I figure with the way they jump and fight, a stiffer rod gives them more leverage to dislodge a bait. I see many old timers up there on the pier using 8 foot plus rods that are very flexable, and they almost never loose a steelhead. I believe these rods are often refered to as noodle rods. Used mostly with live bait applications. I will tell you this for sure. And I don't know why this is but...I loose more steelhead using a crankbait than I do a spoon. For some reason, when I use a spoon I rarely loose a steely. Crankbaits are a different story. I prefer a 3/4 oz spoon in solid brite orange on both sides!!!! I purchase KO Wobblers and spray paint them myself with flourescent orange on both sides. The steelhead lovem!!! Hope this helps.

03-26-07, 08:16 AM	#18
jooleyen BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,509	The next day I landed some of the fish. I think most of them were suckers. They have really soft small wierd mouths that are easy to lose hooks on. I landed some 22" suckers, and realized why they fought so hard. The 6'6" Medium rod is what is next on my list.

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