American Sportsman????

[BIGE]

Did anybody see this show last night on ESPN? Lou Diamond Phillips and his father trolling cut bait with 5 oz keel weights on spey rods?!?!? I don't know much about salmon fishing, but what the hell is the point of using a spey rod to troll bait other than to say, "I caught a 30 lb. coho on a fly rod."

I've got nothing against bait. I bottom fish quite a bit myself, but that's just ridiculous.

[Hawk]

I did not see it but that certianly sounds pretty ubsurd. I prefer the new show "Fish On" very enjoyable for numerous reasons, mostly silicon based.

[stevec]

Bige
I think you nailed it on the head. It sounds better landing a big salmon on a spey.
However, I have no doubt that catching a 30#coho aon a 13+' rod would be a blast.

[johnnyg]

They were using what's called "mooching" rods, not spey rods. They look like them, but they're not. They are long cause you use light line and the fresh salmon slam the baits pretty hard. The reel is appropriately called a mooching reel, kinda like a centerpin reel (float fishing) but with a drag. Great site by the way.

[BIGE]

I stand corrected. Found this site on "mooching". http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/protalk/reid/mooch.phtml

What is the purpose of the single action reel? What is the advantage over conventional tackle?

[johnnyg]

The purpose of a single action reel is so that you can control the drag, same as a fly reel (not anti-reverse of course). I use a center pin for steelhead up in LO and I honestly can say that's it's as much fun, if not more fun than catching them on a fly rod b/c your fingers/hands are the drag. You control the fish, nothing mechanical about it. It's a blast. The albies are going nuts at the western inlets on long island if anyone is intereseted...landed over 10 in 3 hours yesterday, going back today!