This is not really on subject but wished to share it anyway.
I just got back from a trip bass fishing in Mexico and a special impoundment in San Deigo.All these impoundments have the Northern Strain Black Bass.They were very aggressive.
The object of the trip was to fish useing only old collectable tackle.
I took my Heddon steel and split bamboo baitcasting rods,my Black Beauty fly rod and Langley fly reel,old Pflueger and heddon baitcasting reels and an assortment of old cedar plugs both surface and subsurface.Only linen line was used.No "modern"gear was included.
We hit 5 seperate impoundments in 16 days.The surface action on all 5 lakes was almost non-stop through the day.Hooked and released 100's of bass on the old gear.Every set-up was used as where all the plugs brought along.
Just to give you guys a heads-up that all this gear most assuredly still does what it was intended to do and can be used for more than a paperweight or display item.
I just had to share this with you.
Real bass fishing with collectables
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Ron Mc
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a couple of cut-and-pastes from my journal this winter, here's the first:
I have an old Tonka Prince cane rod, in 100% original condition. Its a
nice, light two-piece, seven-footer, about a 4-wt. The guides are thin
wire, small opening, made for a silk line. It will fish a T-130 sinking line
great, but a modern floating line won't shoot through the narrow guides.
So I found an old level silk line in the right weight. It took 6 weeks and a
gallon of denatured alcohol to strip the old varnish. (My family was going
to get very tired of this line laced thorugh pegs in the garage.) Then
another 6 weeks applying coats of mastic varnish, and letting it dry a
week between each coat. Then waxing and polishing. I'm using a furled
leader to add some taper to the front of the line.
And an old brass reel with a good clicker. A DAM, probably from the 30's,
if not the 20's, and a bit older than the rod. I polished it, then patinated it
with Brass Black, then lacquered it.
I had the whole thing together Saturday afternoon, and fished it for the
first time Sunday morning (we went to Saturday nite church – and prayed
up).
I was catching trout on BWO spinners, including a big one that tested the
rod and my skill at braking the old reel, by palming the spinning handle.
Taylor (my daughter) and I had a double then. The thin silk line sat on
the surface tension, and lifted from the water without leaving a ripple. I
was fishing the dries 40-50' away and nailing Guadalupe trout. What a
hoot.
And I was hooting. Some of the guys down the river must have thought I
was crazy.
I have an old Tonka Prince cane rod, in 100% original condition. Its a
nice, light two-piece, seven-footer, about a 4-wt. The guides are thin
wire, small opening, made for a silk line. It will fish a T-130 sinking line
great, but a modern floating line won't shoot through the narrow guides.
So I found an old level silk line in the right weight. It took 6 weeks and a
gallon of denatured alcohol to strip the old varnish. (My family was going
to get very tired of this line laced thorugh pegs in the garage.) Then
another 6 weeks applying coats of mastic varnish, and letting it dry a
week between each coat. Then waxing and polishing. I'm using a furled
leader to add some taper to the front of the line.
And an old brass reel with a good clicker. A DAM, probably from the 30's,
if not the 20's, and a bit older than the rod. I polished it, then patinated it
with Brass Black, then lacquered it.
I had the whole thing together Saturday afternoon, and fished it for the
first time Sunday morning (we went to Saturday nite church – and prayed
up).
I was catching trout on BWO spinners, including a big one that tested the
rod and my skill at braking the old reel, by palming the spinning handle.
Taylor (my daughter) and I had a double then. The thin silk line sat on
the surface tension, and lifted from the water without leaving a ripple. I
was fishing the dries 40-50' away and nailing Guadalupe trout. What a
hoot.
And I was hooting. Some of the guys down the river must have thought I
was crazy.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Wed May 19, 2004 9:00 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Ron Mc
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and the second:
fishing a 7' 4-wt. cane (this is a rebuilt 3/2 of unkown origin) with a
Graham & Sons (Walter Dingley) click-pawl reel pre-1925. (The patina on
the lead paint feels like silk.) 20-inch rainbow hen to break in this new
outfit:
I was at lower Rio in the close trough, about 10 yards down from the
riffle. My point fly was a tungsten head cat's whisker (no tail, just gray
chenile and olive fox fur wing) with a size 16 guad prince dropper, and a
few caddis coming off. (For some reason, tail and all, this fly does a great
swimming caddis.) She took the streamer on a dead drift. Did nothing
but shake her head until I brought her up to first sight. She first ran from
shallow to shallow and almost wrapped my feet. --You know, you're
supposed to fight on cane with the rod backwards to counter the normal
fishing set--when you put your arm across you chest to do this, it puts the
reel up by your face and in perfect position for palming and clamping the
handle-- So I turned her the first time and she raced into the current and
down river.
I'm glowing over the sound of the reel, terrified by the horsepower she is
laying on me, and working my way down over rocks that are too large to
be comfortable. She slows enough for me to stop her, and she backs up
a bit making great aerials. Then she turns into the current again and I'm
passing by my partner on the way down. I'm still liking the sound and the
feel of the spool braking on my thumb. Now I'm intent on stopping her
at the tailing pool - have to, otherwise, she's into the fast riffle and we're
going way down. I manage to stop her, clamping the spool with some
serious strain on the tippet. She charges me, does a 180 around me,
then sounds into the gravel at my feet. She makes a point of being
harder to lift this time than she was the first time. The sight of the net
gets two brave fits out of her, I lift her head and she's into the net - all
except her peduncle and tail - and my net is 17" deep. Streamer falls out
on its own, and she's tired enough to handle.
Her color was as bright as a San Juan fish - didn't look stressed at all. I
nosed her up and she swam against the current into the deep trough.
fishing a 7' 4-wt. cane (this is a rebuilt 3/2 of unkown origin) with a
Graham & Sons (Walter Dingley) click-pawl reel pre-1925. (The patina on
the lead paint feels like silk.) 20-inch rainbow hen to break in this new
outfit:
I was at lower Rio in the close trough, about 10 yards down from the
riffle. My point fly was a tungsten head cat's whisker (no tail, just gray
chenile and olive fox fur wing) with a size 16 guad prince dropper, and a
few caddis coming off. (For some reason, tail and all, this fly does a great
swimming caddis.) She took the streamer on a dead drift. Did nothing
but shake her head until I brought her up to first sight. She first ran from
shallow to shallow and almost wrapped my feet. --You know, you're
supposed to fight on cane with the rod backwards to counter the normal
fishing set--when you put your arm across you chest to do this, it puts the
reel up by your face and in perfect position for palming and clamping the
handle-- So I turned her the first time and she raced into the current and
down river.
I'm glowing over the sound of the reel, terrified by the horsepower she is
laying on me, and working my way down over rocks that are too large to
be comfortable. She slows enough for me to stop her, and she backs up
a bit making great aerials. Then she turns into the current again and I'm
passing by my partner on the way down. I'm still liking the sound and the
feel of the spool braking on my thumb. Now I'm intent on stopping her
at the tailing pool - have to, otherwise, she's into the fast riffle and we're
going way down. I manage to stop her, clamping the spool with some
serious strain on the tippet. She charges me, does a 180 around me,
then sounds into the gravel at my feet. She makes a point of being
harder to lift this time than she was the first time. The sight of the net
gets two brave fits out of her, I lift her head and she's into the net - all
except her peduncle and tail - and my net is 17" deep. Streamer falls out
on its own, and she's tired enough to handle.
Her color was as bright as a San Juan fish - didn't look stressed at all. I
nosed her up and she swam against the current into the deep trough.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Wed May 19, 2004 8:56 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Ron Mc
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last summer, I had a lot of fun with an old Heddon cane baitcaster - 20s
style, no trigger - and an Atlas Portage 80-yd. Caught several
smallmouth at the river and a 5-lb. catfish. Not linen line, but braided
Ashaway nylon. Sold that rig last month. It would throw 3/8oz. 150 ft.
Make sure you don't store wet linen line on your reels.
style, no trigger - and an Atlas Portage 80-yd. Caught several
smallmouth at the river and a 5-lb. catfish. Not linen line, but braided
Ashaway nylon. Sold that rig last month. It would throw 3/8oz. 150 ft.
Make sure you don't store wet linen line on your reels.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Wed May 19, 2004 8:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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john elder
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Ron Mc
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that's a good sandy, Paul. You know they live 3 years (?), which is why
they group so close in size. Occasionally a male will live into the 4th
year, and these are the record fish - 21" and 5.5 lbs. for Texas. (I've
caught 3 of these in my life - 19-20" - and I've been fishing them for
-ahem- years.
We have nice concentrated spawning runs of white bass in South Texas
from February through Easter (follow the redbuds and bluebonnets
north). Hit them just right - usually 24 hours after a rain - and 50+-fish
days are common. Great sport on a fly rod - they're hard to turn. I
bought my first fly rod at 16 to fish for these.
________________
Back to the topic at hand (and no offense, Paul) - wanting to fish with this
old tackle proves beyond a doubt that the fishing is more important
than the fish.
I had a nice day yesterday on a private game ranch - harvesting their
winter stocked trout (large ones, 16-18"). Also caught a half-dozen
smallmouths. Noticed that being hooked up just isn't as thrilling as it used
to be. It's the cane rods and antique reels that make it fun.
they group so close in size. Occasionally a male will live into the 4th
year, and these are the record fish - 21" and 5.5 lbs. for Texas. (I've
caught 3 of these in my life - 19-20" - and I've been fishing them for
-ahem- years.
We have nice concentrated spawning runs of white bass in South Texas
from February through Easter (follow the redbuds and bluebonnets
north). Hit them just right - usually 24 hours after a rain - and 50+-fish
days are common. Great sport on a fly rod - they're hard to turn. I
bought my first fly rod at 16 to fish for these.
________________
Back to the topic at hand (and no offense, Paul) - wanting to fish with this
old tackle proves beyond a doubt that the fishing is more important
than the fish.
I had a nice day yesterday on a private game ranch - harvesting their
winter stocked trout (large ones, 16-18"). Also caught a half-dozen
smallmouths. Noticed that being hooked up just isn't as thrilling as it used
to be. It's the cane rods and antique reels that make it fun.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Wed May 26, 2004 12:29 pm, edited 5 times in total.
You bet guys.I just got in this afternoon from more fishing.
Here's basically what I took:
Rods
1. Heddon #3315-5-M
2.Heddon #4451-5-H
3.Heddon #6755 M1-H
4.Heddon B.B. #17 8wt
5.Heddon "Musky" rod 6ft-H
Reels
1.Heddon Pal 41
2.Pflueger 1895
3.Pflueger 1893
4.Langley 130
5.Langley "Whitcap"
6.Langley 191
7.Pflueger Supreme
8.Heddon Heritage 30
Plugs
1.Heddon 200 + 210
2.Heddon 150
3.Eger Bait prop sticks
4.Assorted CCBC surface + subsurface plugs
5.Assorted SFBC plugs
6.Assorted SBBC plugs
There were over 110 differant plugs taken.To many to list.
I love top waterfishing so I concentrated on that mainly.
I would say the best set -up I enjoyed useing was the Heddon Pal 41,#4451 rod with the 200 or 210
Useing the Heddon "Musky" rod with the Supreme reel and a "sway-back" Heddon spook in black shore pattern was my 2nd favorite.
They were all fun.And very educational to use.
You guys are correct in saying it's just not about fishing but fishing with the tackle.
This has been an enjoyable and fulfilling experiance useing this old gear.
And then talking about it to boot!
Here's basically what I took:
Rods
1. Heddon #3315-5-M
2.Heddon #4451-5-H
3.Heddon #6755 M1-H
4.Heddon B.B. #17 8wt
5.Heddon "Musky" rod 6ft-H
Reels
1.Heddon Pal 41
2.Pflueger 1895
3.Pflueger 1893
4.Langley 130
5.Langley "Whitcap"
6.Langley 191
7.Pflueger Supreme
8.Heddon Heritage 30
Plugs
1.Heddon 200 + 210
2.Heddon 150
3.Eger Bait prop sticks
4.Assorted CCBC surface + subsurface plugs
5.Assorted SFBC plugs
6.Assorted SBBC plugs
There were over 110 differant plugs taken.To many to list.
I love top waterfishing so I concentrated on that mainly.
I would say the best set -up I enjoyed useing was the Heddon Pal 41,#4451 rod with the 200 or 210
Useing the Heddon "Musky" rod with the Supreme reel and a "sway-back" Heddon spook in black shore pattern was my 2nd favorite.
They were all fun.And very educational to use.
You guys are correct in saying it's just not about fishing but fishing with the tackle.
This has been an enjoyable and fulfilling experiance useing this old gear.
And then talking about it to boot!
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Shimanoman
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Ron Mc
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I just spooled up an H-I Sportcraft that I'm going to let a guy use when I
take him fishing this weekend. A LHW click-pawl, and it balances a 6'
fenwick glass rod perfectly - we're fishing a tiny creek downsteam from
10 miles of private impoundments. There was big flood there in March
and I'm expecting all the pools to hold big smallmouths.
I'm fishing a 6' banty made from a South Bend 323 with a Dingley 2-
3/4". Earl Taylor built up this rod with a beautiful Payne-style slide-down
band.
take him fishing this weekend. A LHW click-pawl, and it balances a 6'
fenwick glass rod perfectly - we're fishing a tiny creek downsteam from
10 miles of private impoundments. There was big flood there in March
and I'm expecting all the pools to hold big smallmouths.
I'm fishing a 6' banty made from a South Bend 323 with a Dingley 2-
3/4". Earl Taylor built up this rod with a beautiful Payne-style slide-down
band.