# Practice ... Practice ... you know



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

Went back out today with my Blue Yonder / OM Lite 12' 3-6 oz rod and made one pretty nice cast for the first one throwing 5oz...... walked out and shot the distance with the range finder ..... 128 yards and I stopped it early ..... could have been my best yet  still a nice start 2 yards better than the last times first cast 

Then on the walk back while I was beaming I did something different ..... I usually just pick up the sinker and carry it back ...... Today me being the mindless wonder that I am I decided to stop and about every 30 yards or so and pick up the line there at this point I had several strands behind me that proceded to twist in a spinning reel windknot of unever heard of before proportions type of knot  ...... 

No Second Cast Today  

Brought home some home work ...... 

It did feel really good and nice and smooth .... never really got into it either ...... This practice stuff works  ..... 

Gonna try and get another video soon opcorn:


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Dang it*

Ended up cutting the line off and respooled with some Big Game 12lb I had laying around ......... that should also give me some more distance .....

I wonder how much the 20-30 degree weather is costing me in distance ......... using yellow rocket oil ......


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

I went back out tis morning as well. Tuesdays session was really bothering me. I took the zippy and started with my 5600 CT custom mag traxx full of .28, made two nice and easy 450' otg's to warm up. Feeling good I positioned myself for a Pendulum,no steps this time,just outswing,backswing,turn,hit,fireZZZPOW!!... I forgot..in my ever so calm moment before the cast...TO RESET MY MAGS!!!
Put that reel away and went to the 6500 tourny,same line,rod and 115gr. made 5 casts with 1 step and 5 with 2 steps. Not much difference although the 2 steps felt more powerful they were going off to the right.
I was happier with todays overall practice due to consistant mid 500's I did get on off that went about 580 (est. by paces). Thought to myself, I'm gonna hit 600 before I leave this damn field today for work 
Back at the oche (mags set this time) turned and smashed the hell out of it....zzzzwwwwttthhpt POW!! I have never heard a crack of like that in my life! You would be amazed at the distance you can hit when your lead parts from the running line With that I sighed and went off to work, looking over my shoulder at the 500' wall


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Ouch*

Sounds like when you bang your head on the 500' wall it hurts more than a 400' wall ... 

Lesson 1 ..... don't pick up hand fulls of line walking back ... 

Lesson 2 ..... the farther the wall the harder the fall trying to overcome said wall ...


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

surfchunker said:


> Sounds like when you bang your head on the 500' wall it hurts more than a 400' wall ...
> 
> Lesson 1 ..... don't pick up hand fulls of line walking back ...
> 
> Lesson 2 ..... the farther the wall the harder the fall trying to overcome said wall ...


You have my admiration if you are out practicing in these temps- 

sorry barty b, no sympathy,- you are down South ! J/K Wish I was. 

Until it warms up some the wall will wait for me. Until then I will work on my body building :beer: :beer:


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

It was about mid 60's today,Gonna get chilly this weekend low 50's


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Last Chance to Dance*

Big time cold front coming ...... single digits here starting tomorrow evening/nite .....

Just threw my 30 SHA/HDX today .... been a while for that combo ..... and it showed .... I was turning it loose to late and getting line drives ..... didn't measure any ..... first 3 short/late release ...... less than 100yrds ..... next 2 were better .... 120-130 yrds ..... 

Next up was a buddy from work and he is wanting a new heaver so I let him throw it .... He just kinda thumps it .... not bad though ... he was tightening the spool down like you would if you were throwing light bass lures and complaining about not getting distance .... He threw one his way and then he tried it the way I set it up ..... just a little knock in the spool .... got him 20+ yrds first try ..... and that was it SNOWED OUT ......


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## barty b (Dec 31, 2004)

Hey chunk, One thing that helped me overcome the line drive thing, when you "hit" the cast with your right,try to punch a hole in the sky. Also,try to stop the rod at no less that 45deg. above the horizon. This helped me as I was having a hard time getting air under my casts with the stiffer rods. 

I would like to see some "snow chuckin" video opcorn:


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*liners*

I wasn't doing it with the 12' OM lite ...... just that extra foot of rod had me at first ..... got past it .... no biggie 

Snow carp ..... might try and catch one


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Damn.....*

150 yards ...... It like just kept going .... Till it hit some power lines ..... Wonder how far it would have went ....  

I did drop down from 15 to 12 lb test so I'm sure that helped a bit ...... but still 150 .... 

Now the bad news ..... when it hit the power lines I got a major dogknot ...... Oh well  

I had taken my camera but by the time I had tied the leader on my hands were freezing (30F)so I went ahead and threw ...... I thought well I'll throw one and get my hands warm and then set it up ...... But I never got that far .....


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Dual Bearing levelwind kit*

Came today ...... it has the ceramic pawl too ...... Going to get that put together tonite on the Pro Rocket ..... that along with the levelwind idler gear with a bearing I put in last week should free that baby up even more .....


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Pro Rocket*

Got the Levelwind in and man she is schweet  

That makes 5 bearings


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Climbed out of the Igloo*

And went and made two casts .... Broke out the BY/OM combo .... 

The first try wasn't bad .... keeping my feet better but still bending my left arm to soon .... 141 yards ...... spun for a pretty good time too  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7taxozcmoLM

Second cast wasn't as lucky ... cracked off .... that was only the second try with this line and leader ... broke at the knot .... 200 yards ... no backlash though and found my sinker too  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc1oRWFr0mU


Coming up not posted yet .... But will be here soon


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## mantriumph (Sep 12, 2006)

You need to reel it back level


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## SINNER (Jun 17, 2006)

Surfchunker.

Please take this as an honest attempt to help from someone not really qualified to do so. 

Enjoyed the video and wish I could do the same to get some feedbak on my form. Practicing solo is akin to practicing blind.

I did notice that you hold the rod tip very high while the lead is in flight. I have always been told to point the rod in the direction the line is coming out of the tip. The reel is trying to spit out the line quickly as it is designed to and if the line has to travel over a breakover point at the rod tip it causes friction and will let the line back up over the length of the rod. This not only loses distance, but can cause loops to form along the rod which can catch a guide and break off, let the shock knot hit a guide, or just plain cause a fuzz up. Had a little trouble with this myself.

If I'm wrong please say so anyone cause I'm operating under these instructions myself. Just passing along advice given to me.


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## Mark G (Nov 15, 2004)

*Surfchunker*

From one SC to another- Nice!

Looks like practice is paying off-balance is much improved- keep up the good work

Sinner- you are on the right track with the tip and line needing to be coming off in a straight line with each other. Here's the thing- if you toss the load high, you need to follow the trajectory, leaving the rod tip high. If you cast a line drive, the tip will need to be more parallel with the ground. Having said that some recommend to sight the sinker thru the rod on the jopurney and lower the tip with the sinker as it falls from the sky. I actually think there should be a slight lag, bringing the tip down slightly behind the sinker path.

I also tend to have a high finish- and as long as you have a tailwind, that helps. Getting air under the sinker will help in this situation. When tossing into a headwind , keeping the trajectory lower will usually help.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Rod Tip*

Yeah I've been told that before but I get into watching the line go off and forget ..... 

Tommy told me last night I need to take a step to the left with my left foot to get more power and get my head position better ... Look where I'm throwing ..... but It's coming along ....

Just got a nice little windfall today and it might be time for a 525 mag ... now what rod goes with a 525 mag ..... or do I put it on the HDX ... there's an Idea ... but then what do I put the 30 SHA on ...... Cape Point maybe ... or do I do something with the OM lite 12' ... then what do I put the Blue Yonder on .... 

Thanks SC


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## SINNER (Jun 17, 2006)

I haven't found a rod that I don't like a 525 on. They are small and let you still get a grip on a fat handle and make a thin handle feel even nicer. I'm constantly switching reels back and forth as my skills change to see if one combo doesn't start working better for me. I can pick up any of my 4 heavers with any of 3 reels and be within 5 yards of each other. I even throw my spinner the same distance, Just not anywhere near where I intended to go usually Some of them just feel better than others doing it. My goto reel is still a 525, though I like my saltiga 30 for their capacity.


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*After a little thought*

I've been wanting a Jon Boat real bad .... maybe if I can find a used one I can get a 525 too


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## Railroader (Apr 13, 2005)

KAYAK!!!


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Kayak*

For me a Kayak isn't a family float trip on the river kinda boat .... now if I lived where you did .....


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*mikes reel repair*

Sunday I ordered some c-clips for my Rocket ... the one at the handle was missing ... got a couple extra while I was at it ... also ordered 2 sets of carbontex drag washers ... one for the Rocket and one for my Blue Yonder ... got a confirmation that my order was processed today ... little slow but the man has the goods ... see how long it takes to get here from British Columbia ....


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Order in the mail*

got an Email saying my order was shipped yesterday ....


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Parts*

got my parts from Mikes today .... now the fun starts ... with it warming up this week I might even get a little practice in too ....


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Carbontex drag washers*

I got the drag washers and the old ones had a smaller one under the gear and these came with 4 all the same size ... does anyone know if this will be ok ... and do you gease any of them ... I went ahead an installed them that way and it seems ok


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*New reel*

Just got a Blue Abu 7500 C3 .... it's gonna look good next to my Blue Yonder ... It's from the UK ... so delivery might take a while but I've been in contact with Bill of Bills Custom Reels and he's gonna do a Knobby mag and CT conversion on it


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Update*

haven't gotten my 7500C3 yet ot the CT bar and Drag washers but I did borrow my buddies Tsunami Rod (12' 6-10oz) ... Figured now with another reel gonna need a new rod ... he let me borrow it for a few days to see how I like it ... he just got a new Loomis heaver .... just put my Blue Yonder on it and it feels pretty sweet ... I like the way the reel seat tightens up inf ront of the reel not behind like the OM Lite does ... It's snowing here again so practice with it will have to wait a day or two .... feels lighter (more Sensitive) than the OM 3-6 oz rod does ... the 7500 might go on the OM now ...


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Ready*

got my 7500 and did the conversion ... CT bar, drag washers (looked like Carbontex were in it ... wore a little ... backups now) and just did the chop ... Put aprox. 270 yards of 20 Sufix Tri on it and man it spins ... way faster than my Blue Yonder ... maybe even a little faster than my Daiwa 30 SHA ... got it lubed with yellow rocket oil and ready to try it tomorrow on the 12' OM Lite rod ... gonna see how it stands up against My Blue Yonder and the borrowed 12' Tsunami mini heaver rod ... 

More tomorrow


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## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

*Windy Arse Day*

didn't make any great strides the wind was going from behind me were I was standing to crosswind out in the field .... Spells birdsnest ... both reels ... thinking I'm going to also have to change to a little slower oil ... Yellow is fast now ..can't imagine hot weather ... 

best cast was the first 130yrds ... others was in the High teens to 120's ... with both reels ... did like the Tsunami rod me being a skinny guy it was lighter and easier to get around .... Doing the side step and stuff better but I think I need more practice with the Push Pull


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