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Haddock 2020

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While I’m on the topic: tiny light rods for bottom fishing, why? A moderate action 6‘6”-7 “glass rod with a tip cut back to a 1/4” (16) makes a great cod and haddock bait rod. 30-40 lb mono and a fair bit o’ slack in the line is my favorite. Touch the line and you can feel them picking at it. Thanks to all those that taught me the above information, usually while yelling at me. Done with rant...

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22 mins ago, Running Ape said:

While I’m on the topic: tiny light rods for bottom fishing, why? A moderate action 6‘6”-7 “glass rod with a tip cut back to a 1/4” (16) makes a great cod and haddock bait rod. 30-40 lb mono and a fair bit o’ slack in the line is my favorite. Touch the line and you can feel them picking at it. Thanks to all those that taught me the above information, usually while yelling at me. Done with rant...

Because rod and line technology have come a long, long way since fishing mono on rods with a 1/4" tip was the norm.  Bottom fishing with gear that weighs 1/2 that or less of an old 4/0 senator combo (or similar) is much more comfortable.  As for line braid is more sensitive and has a smaller diameter than mono which means you can fish less weight and feel more bites.

 

sam

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Sam, I respectfully disagree about the line. But, yes graphite rod blanks make very nice rods for New England bottom fishing. A glass blank trimmed does the same for 1/3 the cost. 
 

As for my support of mono (I jig with braid or mono depending on conditions): I find, maybe due to years of doing so, that it is easier to feel bites in a slack line with heavy mono. Thin braid doesn’t seem to form a nice belly in the line or transmit slack line bites the same. Bottom fish seem to like slack line better. 

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12 mins ago, giggyfish said:

One thing is for certain, you will drop less fish using mono but for me that isn’t worth all the other sacrifices you have to give up. 

Most charter boats that supply the gear or rent gear use braid.I get it,it last a long long time but man i won't miss untangling those bird nests.Most of those crazy tangles were from guys letting their line slack.

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One of the best ways to be in contact with the bottom when using bait is to use a modified  trolling 16 ounce weight that has the hook attached to the bottom of the weight . It can be used a jig and also with bait simply by changing the treble hook on the jig to a single hook for bait Depending upon how you color the lead trolling weight , can also depend  upon how successful you can be. Yes you can catch them with using like a high low rig with the weight on the bottom and the hooks above it, but when the water is moving your rig will in most cases be above where the fish are holding. This is less likely when the hook is under the weight , especially for cod and haddock that swim a little above where the cod are sitting . When I need to use more weight to hold the bottom I found that loading brass or copper pipe to the weight I need and the hook below it does the same thing and layes down on the bottom better The best time to catch and feel the fish is when it first drops to the bottom , before you know that is the case if you are free fall with out any feel on the line. Now if you took the rig shown above and placed the two hooks below the weight you will be in touch with the bottom more ,but you will need to have a good feel for what is happening be the strikes you are getting .  Cod have a particular way they bite as does haddock . Cod can be slow and deliberate , while haddock will be several [the number we often use is 3 ] fast hits on bait and you need to have the right touch to hook them . The feel is on the line not on the rod . Your fingers can be trained to determine each , but you will need to keep  the line between your fingers all of the time, for best results . If we have a fast drift and by keeping your reel in free spool you can accomplish both feel the fish and staying on the bottom. Peace and Prayers

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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Each of us may have there own way on how to be successful fishing for haddock or any other species in deep water, The things we all learn is that  the process is defined by the individual that can stay with the same  elements and understand what they are using to maximize the end result for each time you venture out to the unknown of that particular day . By sharing the individual techniques we can learn some thing to try ourselves , especially if we are unsure in what we already may have perfected ourselves. That takes an open mind and at times a little experimenting  to be successful. The elements we use can be different for each of us, but non the less still producing at the end. Last year for example when My young friend and I went out for haddock He set up one way two hooks on the top of the weights and I set up with a single hook below the weight. I had 6 keepers on the deck and all he had was empty hooks . He was using the boats bait and I was using what I had put together myself that had been freshly salted and hardened . He began to use my bait that was salted and he soon put some fish on the boat as I limited out.  So in this case it was rather simple to understand that how we fished only meant using the same bait and a single haddock hook on the bottom of the weight that had the hook attached to the thin part of the weight  , which allowed it to hit the bottom and sit long enough for the fish to hit was before them. The bait I was using was cut mackerel and Sea clams along with Piss clams all placed in a brine salt to harden them so that they could not be just torn from the hook like haddock will do if you let them/

Life member M.B.B.A #509

Life member Izaak Walton Fishing Association

Life member Cape Cod Canal

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