Salmon Bungee Stats

[fishbait]

Trying to do a little research here [img]graemlins/dork.gif[/img]

Question:

Have you used a salmon bungee? If so, please share your thoughts and comments.

1. How were you fishing when using it? IE: trolling hearing, Kwikies, anchor fishing wobbblers, etc

2. Do you feel it increased your catch rate?

3. Any drawbacks in your opinion?

4. What do you feel is the major benefit?

5. How many times/trips have you used one?

6. Could you modify it to make it better?

For those that post, thanks for sharing

[ZaQ]

1. Trolling herring
2. Very much so
3. Not that I have found yet
4. Allows the fish to chew and turn its head while I wait for the rod to pounddown. They don't hit the brick wall of drag and braided line when it swings its head or turns.
5. 27
6. Modify it? I dunno, I make them myself, a bit cheaper than the ones at the store, but not nearly as pretty.

I am planning to try them this Spring with my Kwikfish, I am sure you will see some posts on the results around April at least.

Good luck.


[ 11-28-2003, 12:55 PM: Message edited by: ZaQ ]

[Gone Fishin]

I posted "hot tip for kwikfish" thread after reading some of the requests from Travis' post for tips/techniques from guides. I should have just posted it in my forum I guess as my sole intent was just to share the info in hopes others might be able to increase their hookup ratio from kwikfish.

I didn't mean to start a debate or anything, just trying to help is all.

[Gun Rod Bow]

Marty,

Debate is a source of learning when done properly. I appreciate your post.

[ZaQ]

Marty where did you get that there was a debate of any kind? I didn't read into it that, seeing your post confirmed my suspicions that they would work with the Kwikers. I am 100% going to try them this Spring on the Columbia. I can't wait. I am thinking about trying a small version I have with a diver bait for steel this winter.

[ 11-28-2003, 06:14 PM: Message edited by: ZaQ ]

[skrimmy]

Marty, thanks for the post and great info. Will have to give them a try, in theory they make a lot of sense. Besides, we can't let Zaq get a leg up on us can we? :grin:

[fishbait]

Marty,

What your post did was to inspire thought and discussion. And it made this old dog decided to investigate new tricks. You should feel proud.... now... quit mucking up my thread, I want to hear what all you other people know about these things and how well you think they work....... common,,, give me your feedback. I need more than Martys input, he's so good he can catch fish anywhere and most anytime.... comments,, input.....

[Jettin' Fool]

1) Anchored up using Kwikies
2) It was 100% on 2 chances
3) To long
4) Allows the fish to hold on to it longer w/o the immediate feeling of the tension and reel.This will let the fish turn with it and run and allow for better hook up IMHO.
5)Only used it the one time. Changed from Braids to mono after that.
6) will modify the length next time I use it with Kwiks

I feel that they do work as well as mono being a benifit as well.

Jfool

[ 11-28-2003, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: Jett'in Fool ]

[Fishin Magician]

1- trolling herring
2- works very well when you are trolling against a hard incoming tide as the fish are slashing at the bait as it goes by. It seemed to give them that extra second to get hooked. Didnt make a difference to me when trolling with the tide.
3- would like to see a darker color
4- see #1
5- 15+ Astoria
6- More colors to choose from...


JB

[TH]

I brought this topic us about two months ago and got some similar responses.... Thanks Zaq

I started fishing them late this year
trolling herring and
had good results, but I don't know if I was seeing better results..
I have about 7 trips with them
and looking back at my log I went 19 for 29
that is good but not the high numbers some have experienced!

I am still using mono on my boat rods -- that will change this year as I am spooling with 65# power pro as we speak!
So that might up my numbers a bit!

Springer season is just around the corner and I'll be doing some more research!

[ZaQ]

John, I make my own and they are black. Need something darker than that? :grin:

[fishbait]

Thanks guys, I plan to buy/make a few and use them on springers and then in Astoria this summer. I kinda like the idea of the fish turning farther and then wham, the hooks drive home. Also thinking about a lighter version for hotshots.

AND MARTY.... Thanks for taking the time to make your original post to share information on this board. Myself and many others appreciate it

[5-Cents]

Just a question here... but if you guys WANT all this stretch why dont you just use mono instead of braided line? Gives you the stretch you are talking about.

Let's face it, super lines are not the easiest line to fish with; especially for people that do not fish all the time! There is a definate learning curve that I experienced going from mono to braided. In fact all those springers I caught last year were on mono. I did not make the switch to braided for my salmon gear until the summer and it was a whole new game, and I have 3 days a week to learn how to use my gear! It seems to me that both lines have their benefits and drawbacks. I only used a salmon bungee one day down in Astoria and I went 0-4! Was it me or the bungee... I know it was me!

I am too darn used to using the braid, having the drag set loose and feeding a fish when I get a bite. Offering up multiple open seats this year the two biggest mistakes I saw people make was having thier drag way too tight and striking the fish too fast. For most people a salmon bungie will take care of these problems resulting in more hookups but less feel.

Here is a story to prove my point... I was on one of my open seat days in September with a couple of other guys on my boat. We were fishing Alvins in about 60 feet of water. I had another Ifisher anchored up next to me. During the tide my boat went 7-9 limiting the boat and releasing one tule. I talked to everyone on the boat explaining to them about how loose their drag should be and how to wait for the "pound down". The boat next to us went 1-8! Toward the end of the tide I asked them how they had their drags set and the answer was "tight". I told them that ours were pretty loose allowing the fish to turn with the lure. They loosened them and went 2-2 the last hour of the tide! If you dont use bungies keep those drags loose and wait for that rod tip to hit the water! If you use mono keep them tight because you already have that stretch!

I for one dont like the bungies. The one place I would use them is if I was fishing some ripping current just hovering while using divers, in that situation you have no other option than to crank that drag down. Other than that I would say "no thanks" for me... for now. :grin:

[Kentucky Hog Hunter]

Going to have to give this a try...

Here is what I have learned to this point...

1. Give the fish time to pound down the rod.
2. Braided Line = Loose Drag
3. Mono Line = Tight Drag
4. Bungee = Tight Drag

I don't catch every fish in the world I hook up but my experience has always been to alter the drag tightness with the line you use.

Fishbait...you know they make smaller versions of these bungees for kokanee fishing, I wonder if they would work for steelhead (diver & bait) fishing

[kayakfisher]

ZaQ...

How do you make your own? What do you use for materials, where do you get the stuff...and does it take any special tools?

thanks,

m.

[Flatfish]

Which one of the carrot dudes has the real longish( 12'??) rod? Do you fish it often? Do you feel you land more fish per strike on it than with the shorter, faster rods?

The long stick should flatten out on the strike, allowing the fish to turn before the pressure is applied.

My experience with tuf and plugs for steelies shows that it works well in deeper runs( where the fish has some room to turn DOWN before the rod gets em). I also tend to run shallow plugs( tadpollies, hot shots, flatfish) over the traditional deeper diving wiggle warts and/ or fatfish. With the deep diving plugs, I miss quite a few winters as well with the tuf.

But in shallow summer waters, where they can't turn down, I miss a lot more fish with braid and stiff drags. Maybe in that application, they could work well. I have started to run a loose drag in those waters.

Great thread. Lots of information out there.

Thanks for sharing.

Mark and the dog.

[ZaQ]

Chris is the owner of the *****stick. I don't know if he got a chance to use a whole lot yet.

I use the black tubing you buy at Joes for pencil lead. I pull some 80-100 lb, 1.5-2.0 times as long as the tubing, braided tuff line through it. Tie one end to a bead chain, push one of the beads into the rubber tube. Tie a piece of 15 pound mono around the bead that is inside the tube. Tie another bead chain on the other end. Hold the open end of the tube with a hemostat or needle nose pliers. Pull on the end you just tied up. The loose tuff line and chain will pull into the tubing, pinch the tubing at the open end and slowly let the tension off the tube. Push the loose chain in just like you did on the other and tie it off with the mono just like the other. Test it, pull on both ends, it should stretch out aways and than tighten up. It always feel funny the first time you pull it, but after that you shouldn't be able to feel the line inside.

Don't know if that makes sense, if anyone wants I can make some pictures to better illustrate this.
I will not troll for salmon without these anymore.

PS All Shanes salmon were on anchor anyhow.......... :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue: :tongue:

[ 11-29-2003, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: ZaQ ]

[Fishin Magician]

Nice post Zaq.....they seems easy to make.........thanks.

JB

[ZaQ]

John, you wanna fish tomorrow?

[TH]

Good points Shane!
I still use mono in the bays with a nice "tight" drag! I am in the process of switching to "Braid" and thought the bungie would be a nice soft additon to the tight drag!

When fishing the Rogue for spingers the drags get back'd off a bit which allows the SPRINGERS :smile: to turn and burn!

Choices! Gotta love'em

[eggbouncer]

Here is my Stats from fishing the Luhr Jensen salmon bungee durring bouy 10 and durring the fall fishery at Tillamook. The things I have noticed are:
1. Fishing herring with braided lines these have increased are hook up close to 95%. The thing that I most often see is when you rod starts to go down people grab them too soon. You HAVE to wait a little longer then pick up your rod.
2.Fishing long leader 7ft and then the bungee is a great way to fish. If the fish runs hard under the boat and you have a bungee on you are more likely to land that fish due to the streching of the bungee. This was proved time and time again at Bouy 10.
3. In the little research that i have done with the Bungee and the kwikfish is that you have a little bit of give and its allowing thouse fish to turn and set the hook. resulting in more hook ups....still more research to come.

Eggbouncer

[fishing is life]

Thanks for posting Zaq. Can you put up some pics if you get some time? thanks man.

[eyeFISH]

I just got my hands on one of these things today. Any body care to share their salmon bungee experience for CR springers this past April? It would be nice to hear from those who fished them for fall fish... how did their performance compare in the spring?

The one thing I did notice with the bungee is that it was damned near impossible to shake a hook free if there was any tension on the bungee ( yeah, I tested the bungee with my new Cheese Measles impaled into a phone book). Pretty impressive.

[lurking_out_loud]

I use them all the time now. I became a believer last year at bouy 10 when we hooked up on a large Chinook (high 30's/low 40's) while trolling for silvers. We had an inattentive boater drag their gear across my toughline and the fish stayed hooked. It shouldn't have. My guess is that even with the slack and severe direction change the line made the bungee slowed everything down and the fish couldn't get any leverage to spit the hook.

Earlier this year I went 0 for 4 on HUGE takedowns. All my hooks are sharp Owners or Gami's so that wasn't the issue. Added the bungees and have gone 6 for 6 since. Same rods, same hooks, now I get the hookup every time. I have tried them with Kwikfish also. It dampens the action down a little, but adds some pretty erratic movement to the lure when the bungee loads/unloads. I think with an Alvin this could be a pretty killer combination.

-lurking out loud

[Flatfish]

Zaq,

if you get some time, wanna do a photo how to for us less than sharp hooks.

Thanks.

Mark and the dog.

[ZaQ]

I will do it tomorrow.

[StinkyH]

You mean something like this?

StinkyH

[ZaQ]

Nice.............

[Fred N]

Thanks for reposting for all to see again! There is a lot of good information shared on the Tech Tips Section

Note, there is more information on this board here that should be added also! All you need to do is copy your post from this site to the Tech Tips Section and it becomes permanent.

[Flatfish]

Thanks all.

Mark and the dog.

[Full Freezer]

I must have been the anomaly this spring since I fished with 30lb PowerPro with 5ft 40lb. UltraGreen leaders attached to Kfish with the drag set TIGHT. No drivebys. No lost fish -every one of them landed.

Was I just lucky??? Were talking double digits here.

It seemed the fish simply impaled themselves on the Siwash hook the second they bit.

[Amahnee]

Well done!