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jimb
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Hello

Post by jimb »

Well I just wanted to say hi. I am from the U.S.A. and while most of my experience has been with rod and reel fishing in freshwater, I also have had some experience with hand line fishing. In fact the biggest fresh water fish that I ever caught was with a handline. My saltwater experience is rather limited, and the best I have done there was with rented rod and reel. I managed to catch 3 rock bass. I figure that if I start something maybe others might write in as well.

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Peace
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Post by Peace »

Hi, glad to see someone from US with interest in handlining. I wonder how different the techniques are compared to how it is used here in Singapore. In our local waters, handlines are best coupled with 'hong kong hook' or what you would called jig heads.

Handlining gives very sensitive feel to the line and it's great when dealing with subtle bites from fishes. Handlines have limited use compared to rods and reels though, generally more suitable fishing from boat. Is it true that handlining are an effective way of catching walleyes over there?

How about showing some of your catches? ;) Here's one from me, I usually do salterwater.

Flathead from shore
Image

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jimb
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No pic sorry

Post by jimb »

I was fishing from a dock at the time. Unfortuanately, illegal, and I had to return the catch. What I was using was a free baited hook, no weight and drifted into a chummed area of bait. The fish was a carp, but a big one. They are leary of weighted lines. I've found that method effective before as well. We don't have Walleye here, but we do have striped bass, black bass, and catfish. Each require their own methods in order to be effective. I have three halo reels, and have used them, unsuccessfully on other trips to San Diego to fish. We took a half day charter boat during a relatively cool time of year, and the fish were not biting. The hand reels are more effective from either boats or docks in my limited experience. I found an article in The Whole Earth Catalog when I was a young man that excited me towards handlining. The guy was using a Dos Equis bottle as a reel and doing something called swim fishing in Baja. Later he went over to halo reels. He used both natural baits and jigs to fish for saltwater fish.

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Peace
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Post by Peace »

Yes, docks and jetties are great for handlining as well because you don't need to cast very far. Fishes like to hide along sea walls and structures. I have a hand reel similar to those of halos but could never get the hang of using it. Those hand reels are tapered on one side makes it pay out lines especially when you need to cast or fighting a fish. For me, I just keep my hand reel filled close to brim.

Can you give a link to the article from Whole Earth Catalog, I'm interested to read it as well. Thanks.

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I don't believe there is an online link

Post by jimb »

I can however go through my notes and can send you a copy of the article.

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Post by Peace »

That would be great, if it's not too much of a trouble for you. Thanks.

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The article titled Spin fishing from the 1973 The Last Whol

Post by jimb »

Sorry for the delay, but I had to type it out from a copy.

Spin Fishing
By Ben Masselink
Pacific Palisades, CA
Published in The Last Whole Earth Catalog 1973

I’m a nut on survival and this spinning reel gadget is a beauty. Called a handline spinning reel, it’s a hard plastic 6” diameter like a wheel. You hold the thing with one hand, and lariat fashion, cast with the other. The line spins off the reel as on a regular open faced spinning reel, but since this handline reel is 6 inches in diameter compared to 2” to 3 “ of a fresh or salt water reel, the line spins off faster, with less fouling, and also the retrieve is much faster.

Naturally there is a lot against handline fishing. No rod to play the fish and to take the punishment the fish gives out. The pull is directly on the line and not on the rod so the line must be stronger. But I’m talking now about a cheap rig to carry anyplace with you and the one that will land all kinds of fish. I’ve had more fun with the thing than any rod and reel combination.

As you know spin fishing where the fish line pays of the face of the spool instead of the reel is a very old way of fishing. Even before the invention of the bottle or can, Indians fished in the spin off style using a kind of wooden shuttle. People through out the world spin fish off bottles or cans. In Mexico it’s called a Dos Equies reel after that famous dark beer. In Australia they use handline spinning reels similar to this Boone Bait Co. product in three sizes from a five inch to a ten inch. I bought one of these in Trinidad as Trinidad imports from Australia.

The word on this Boone reel is that years ago, the Japanese dropped off such a reel in the West Indies. The Cubans then got into the thing, and it’s made its way through Key West and now up to Winter park..

I like to use 25pound monofilament line on mine, although you can use from 15 o 50 pound. Fill it up(25pound test will take about 300 yards) to within a half inch of the flange, whirl the lure along the side or around your head and cast. Retrieve smoothly or in short bumps.

I’m speaking now of lure fishing. With lead and bait of course you just let it lie in position until you feel the nibble strike. As I say, I’m hung up on survival, but I’m also a purist about fishing. I never use bait, only lures, and only single hooked lures, perhaps a spoon or two, but I prefer jigs. Lead head jigs. My favorite are 1) the Bill Upperman bucktails, and 2) the Japanese feather jigs.

Ten years ago off a beach just north of Puerto Vallarte, I was casting a Japanese white feather jig off a “Dos Equies” reel and picking up a channel bass or two and snook. But it was so hot and I had already drank the beer in order to use the reel and so I took to the sea, carrying my beer can reel and line and lure with me. Thus began the most pleasure I’ve ever had. I call it swim fishing.

Now these days I take the Boone reel out with me, 25 pound test mono on it, and a bucktail(1/4 oz.) on the end. Off the beaches in Santa Monica bay, I’ve caught halibut, skip jack, tuna, small blue shark, leopard shark, bonito, mackerel, sand bass, calico bass, white sea bass…..

For bottom feeders I mearly kick(using swim fins) along slowly and let the lure bounce off the bottom. For bonito, etc, I swim flat out, holding the reel in one hand and in this way giving the jig action with each stroke. When water is clear and in the kelp beds of Point Dume or Laguna beach, I wear a face plate and snorkel, five and look for the fish.

I’ve been in a salad of kelp and into a school of calico and placed by yellow Upperman right on the table of sand before them. Letting out line I kick to the surface, then yoyo the lure; Wham, a strike.

I’ve caught Great Barracuda and mangrove snapper in the Bahamas, Snook in Trinidad, pompano in Cozumel and the Virgin Islands, Ulua in Hawaii and the Tuamotus flounder off of Hong Kong, jack in the Phillipines, and once I foul hooked a two ton Manta Ray of Yalapa, Mexico.

The beauty with swim fishing is that you swimm the water the boats can’t work. You also work ten times the water that a surf fisherman can, because you present your lure parallel to the shore, fishing it all the way. One of my finest experiences swim fishing was when a surf was running off Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. I had my lure out behind me, resting on the bottom. I held onto my Boone reel. Along comes a wave. I body surfed it in and on the way got a big strike. I rode the wave to shore and reeled in a three pound Jack Crvalle.


edited by Peace for formatting

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Post by Peace »

Wow, thanks. That was a really a good read. I had no idea that you had to type it out, sorry about that. I can sure relate to some of the author's experience, fighting a fish by handline is pretty fun as you can feel the entire resistance of the fish. At the same time, it can burn your fingers if you're not careful.

I usually stick to 12-30lbs monofilament. Heavy poundage and brute force can easily win a fight but the lower diameter lines are always the most fun to play but at the same more prone to cuts.

The swim fishing technique mentioned in the article is particular interesting. I've never heard of such a technique. Too bad I'm not into surfing and the wave here is a little too small.

Thanks again for the article.

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jimb
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That swim fishing

Post by jimb »

Yes I also found the swim fishing interesting. I wouldn't mind using a snorkel rig and swim fishing with a handline. I have three of those halo reels, two with 20 pound test, and one with 30 pound test. I just have to get to the salt water during a warmer time of year when the fish are biting.

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Post by Peace »

I bet swim fishing is a totally new fishing experience. I would feel weird not being to throw the line even for a metre. Being able to see the fish and see how they take the hook must be very interesting to watch. I guess we won't have to worry about line burn when we have a biggie on the line. :lol:

I met a local boatman whotold me of his experience in swim fishing and he describes it as very fun. :thumbsup:

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