Anchovies

[tubeN2]

Hey there Anglers, Have you ever used 'chovies'? Is there an advantage to fresh over frozen? Is there anything that can be done to the soft ones to help keep them from just being stolen from your hook?

Please help me out on this one! thanks.
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[JapanRon]

Hi tubeN2,

Forgot to mention how nice it must be to have the family take interest in heading out with you to the fishing grounds and even fishing!

As to our little anchovie friends. I choose to make this a two part question. Yes, I'm a bit pushy. ha ha

Freshwater: If you're using anchovies for freshwater and gunning for catfish and stripers I'd think frozen would be your bet for cats while live or frozen would be best for stripers. I'd think that chovies could live in brackish water for at least a while (they fish them in the delta bigtime). And...the stripers at Lake Pyramid love frozen chovies just right along the big bouy 60ft down. Fresh dead anchovies are the worst to stay on the hook unless you fish chunk style!!

Saltwater: There are four smaller finbaits popular in southern cal. 1) The Pacific (I believe longjawed) Anchovie (different from the black or blue backed anchovie, it's smaller cousin. 2) Sardines in the juvenile stage and 3)the Mackerel in the juvenile stage (greenie). 4) Our smelt are usually a bit bigger than the usually 4 to 5 inch anchovies.

Anchovies are fished live, fresh dead when one has to, frozen, dried, and or dried and salted. Depending on what your fishing for, size of the bait, where, and how, the choice will vary. I've seen dried and salted catch fish after fish while nothing else worked. I prefer the frozen and sometimes only use the last 1/3 of the chovie for short biters above everything but live.

JapanRon
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[tubeN2]

Hey JR, thanks for the heads up. I have some new tricks to play with. It has been awhile since I have been saltwater fishing. Still have all the gear but I've been too busy at times and now I have that Torpedo to deal with.

Have you ever been out to Two Harbors at Catalina??? I was just wondering what the fishing is like out there also.
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[JapanRon]

Hi tubeN2,

Looking at my last reply, I didn't answer your question. Sorry. I believe the reply on the saltwater board was pretty much on the money. Frozen should stay that way as long as possible in my book. The frozen salted variety would be what I voted for if there was no live bait.

Two harbors requires a bit of land travel on a bus as far as I know. It is also facing the backside which means more weather. I believe there are more great big ol sharks around the backside but in deeper waters. I understand you can rent this and that there but it's nothing like Avalon.

You can access the Catalina sites to find out more about Two harbors and the facilities there.

JapanRon
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[tubeN2]

[cool] Thank you very much once again for your knowledge and wisdom. It sure helps me out as I'm ready to put on my salt gear also.
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[JapanRon]

Hey there tubeN2,

I should have mentioned that if you haven't changed the line on your saltwater gear in quite a while.... by all means, make a reasonable investment and replace your old line that will see the water.

Saltwater as well as heat and sunlight has a way of degrading mono and..... one sometimes forgets about that nick that was 30 feet into the line that you were going to change or the 3 different splices you made to a line to just get you thru the season until you could put fresh on just before the next season. Ya right! We've all done it!

Why do I know.......? cause I done it all .... multiple times!!!! Don't skimp on line but only put on the length that you can reasonably expect to come off the reel. That is, if you're putting 15 pound on a applicable reel, you're not going after a fish that's going to peel off 200 feet of line!!!!

On a boat, shallow water rockfishing is done around 100 to 150 feet (Ops 120 foot law). If you're fishing 20lb test 250 feet is all you need. The reel can be filled with junk then the new line put on as a 'top shot'. Ya, I ain't puttin' primo expensive line on the spool that will never see the light of day!! It takes experience to calculate it so that the 200th foot end of the line is right level or near the top of the spool lip.

Hope this adds to you and your sons success.

JapanRon
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[tubeN2]

[cool] Hey JR, thanks for the reminder. I do still have the habit of respooling before each season. In my case I havn't salted for about 5yrs until this past weekend. But I did manage to respool last Thursday.

My TubeDad didn't raise no fool. There are so many practices within the sport of fishing that just become second nature. Some of them(as a reminder for those whom might be reading this besides us) are to make sure that you maintain fresh line on your reals. Just like you said, a small nick can put an and to a fight with a good fish. Even knots in the line can reak havvock as far as weakening the line.

Next, check the sharpness of your hooks. If you are going for catfish or any other thick lipped type of fish, a sharp hook is the difference between setting or letting(it get away without a picture). Then go back through your tackle box and straighten it out just a bit. Some peoples tackle box can look like a disaster. Furthere more relube yer old reels. Make sure they are still in good working order. There is nothing worse than a sticking bail or crank handle or a sticking drag.

This is kind of late in the year for this reminder but it will still be here for future reference on proper maintenance.
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