Tools of the Trade

 I looked outside today and saw that the bay looks like a millpond, just as flat and beautiful as a mountain lake. Of course, just because it looks nice doesn't mean that the fish are biting. At least that's been my experience. I always get all spastic this time of year with the weather getting better. I'd really like to get out there and run the gear up and down, but I think  my best bet right now is to try and prepare,so that when the fish are biting I'll be ready- or at least as ready as I can be. It seems like there is always something unexpected that crops up that has to be dealt with. I don't know what I'd do if I actually went out and something didn't break down or I didn't leave the dock without some important piece of equipment that I need. I think I would contact the folks at Guinness Books. I'm sure it would be some kind of a record.
 For several days I set up shop at my dining room table so I could tie some hoochies for the up and coming dog salmon season. The season doesn't really start until June, but I'm really trying to be ready. I bought ten packs of M85 hoochies- supposedly the ones the dogs really like. I hope they still like them and haven't gotten all preppy on me- "sorry, we only want designer hoochies by Ralph Lauren this year." I ordered #6/0 stainless steel hooks that have been blued, like a gun barrel. They seem to be preferred by choosy dog salmon over the bright hooks- or so I've heard. Of course they cost more. I put a bunch of them in the stainless bowl of water to take off any residue that might scare off the fish; their olefactory nerves are very sensitive. It didn't seem to matter that they soaked for days, when I grabbed them, some of the blueing came off in my  hands. Par for the course I guess. I use the black pliers to close the hooks around the swivel that's built into the hoochies. Unlike hooks that I use in fresh water, these have open eyes and have to be manually closed. The red handled pliers are for crimping a loop  in the end of the leader. I use a little Jinkai sleeve for that purpose. The only thing I forgot was a small bastard file for sharpening the hooks. I learned years ago that even though these hooks are new, they're just stamped out and need to be sharpened before use. The exception would be the laser sharp hooks that I think Eagle claw puts out.  So that's about it. The hoochies are snapped on behind a flasher which rotates in the water and attracts the fish and gives the bait (hoochie) some action. I can't recall the exact story of where hoochies came from. I think a Japanese pilot was shot down during WWII and noticed the fish were pecking at his tattered clothing. Anyway, when the war was over I guess he started making small plastic replicas of octopus or octopi,and the rest, as they say, is history. It was obviously a great idea. There have been tens of thousands of packages sold since they first came on the market and I've probably bought half of them- or would if I could. You have to understand, hoochies are to a commercial troller what shoes are to a woman. Sometimes you see some you just have to have. In my minds eye, I'm always catching mass quantities of fish on these special hoochies that I just purchased, which of course no one else has. They watch me in despair as I pull fish in front of them until I'm exhausted, while their lines hang limp as a noodle, until they finally leave in disgust. The fact that it's never happened doesn't mean that it couldn't. More likely than not though, I'll be outfished by a novice using bits of hot dogs or marshmellows. Oh well, it's fun to be on the water anyway.

Comments

  1. Nice dad, and they don't like Ralph Loren, this year is Gucci! ;)

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  2. Well, as Snidely Whiplash would say, "Foiled again.!"

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  3. we use worms for fishing here :)

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  4. Haha...you guys crack me up...personally, I like to drag an old pair of underwe...oh..sorry...this is G-rated...uhhh...I'd go with the hotdogs dad

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