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DPR 2012-06-21 Half Day Preserve

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krispy

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Had a bit of free time today and hit Half Day Preserve. Been reading about some great pike action and wanted in on the fun! Did a lot more exploring than fishing, but did find some decent spots to get a cast through. Tons of carp and even got some to follow my mepps spinner. Was a chore getting through the woods and finding positions to get a cast through, but hey . . . that's DPR fishing, right? I hooked up a few snakes, but nothing photo worthy. The last 'lil guy took my spinner around a submerged log and freed itself while my spinner got snagged. But no fear!! I have now spooled my DPR spinning reel with PowerPro after much advice from this forum!!! I have to admit . . . I only used spiderwire before (on baitcasters) and never had any issues, so I was pretty skeptical on how much better PowerPro can be. I'm a full convert now . . . that stuff is awesome! But I've digressed . . . . . so I proceed to do everything in the book to free my spinner to no avail. So I wrapped the braid around a stick a few times and pulled hard. The line came free without a break! Cool! As I'm reeling in the slack . . . NOT cool . . . no spinner! The snap swivel I used actually bent straight! Oh well . . . it happens.

On my way out I stopped on a bridge to check out the water below. There were clearly some holes I wanted to try so I fought through some thick brush and go to the bank. Spooked a bunch of carp and got a lot of follows from some panfish. Here's the spot I really wanted to get my spinner (yup, another Mepps).
20120621 DPR2.JPG

I situated myself down river and kept MISSING cast after cast . . . . I wanted to get my spinner between the bank and the log, but instead kept hitting the outside of the log (to the right). I admit I was a little gun-shy after losing 1 spinner earlier, but you can just see the overhanging branches above this spot just waiting for a spinner to gobble up. Even with casts right along the right side of the log . . . nothing. On probably my 10th cast I finally got the spinner between the bank and the log and sure enough . . . . got this baby
20120621 DPRb.jpg

I'm thinking I'll be back again tomorrow!
 

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#2 ·
Nice job, great description. I would say some of my worst outings are those where I dont take the chance and dont test my casting skills.
You see that fishy spot, low hanging branches, just a shadow of a submerged log or branches sticking up.. You KNOW there is a fish in there!!

Great job, great size to him as well!!!
 
#4 ·
Nice catch ,and yes all my casting in the rover on my bait caster for Pike is 15lb flurocarbon line !!! No offense but that's not a 31" pike I'll give u like 24" ,I'll post u my guy just under 25" and he's huge!! Not trying to be mean or anything cuz all il do is fish the river all the time for pike
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
No offense taken Kenny So Good, but that was not an estimate . . . . .I measured it on the spot before releasing. Call it camera angle or self portrait disadvantaged or whatever . . . it was a solid 31". I'd rather not take the pic with the pike on the ground next to the tape measure, so maybe we should just go fishing together or something
 
#8 ·
wallhead said:
Nice fish dave,I started using power pro 2 years go and haven't looked back.A word of advice though,as strong a it is a pike can cut it.I would suggest a flurocarbon leader.Keep popping them pike.
Click to expand...
I'm wondering the logic behind this.
Obviously pike don't care about line visibility. What size ( and/or quality) fluorcabon would you need to use to get the same strength as say 15lb Power Pro for The River, which I use often for pike on DPR ? (It also happens to be what I landed the avatar on, no leader. Lucky, I know. )
16.5 lb Grand Max Red Label falls in at .011 " , which is the diameter right in between 40 and 50 lb Power Pro. If not losing lures is the goal, I'd say you need to go with all Power Pro.
My question is , at what point do the abrasion factors equal out? Because anti-abrasion would be the only benefit to fluorocarbon in this case, while losing a few other benefits.

Rich
 
#12 ·
Who said I was logical rich?Seriously tho I use 10lb power pro,and 20lb p line fluro.If I,m fishing stick baits or cranks I fish straight power pro.Since I pitch alot of jigs even the smaller pike engulf them.Hence the need for a leader.It,s a personal preference and works for me.Sometimes I,ll use 20lb big game line as a leader,never had a pike bite off on it yet.We aren't talking about 40lb muskies here.So the setup I use fills the bill.I don,t like to use leaders at all.But sometimes when using lighter lines its called for
 
#13 ·
I've fished the DPR a lot, especially a few years ago. I start fishing it with 8lb mono and never had a pike bite me off, then I switched to 10lb floro and never had a pike bite me off. Then I switched to 40lb PowerPro and never got bit off. I also lost a lot less lures with the PP. I don't think there are enough big pike in the DPR to bite off 40lb PowerPro and I caught my fair share of fish in there without any issues. I think it's a matter of preferences. For me, trhe 40lb PowerPro was never an issue.
 
#14 ·
Kenny So Good said:
Nice catch ,and yes all my casting in the rover on my bait caster for Pike is 15lb flurocarbon line !!! No offense but that's not a 31" pike I'll give u like 24" ,I'll post u my guy just under 25" and he's huge!! Not trying to be mean or anything cuz all il do is fish the river all the time for pike
Click to expand...
id say its 31
 
#15 ·
wallhead said:
Seriously tho I use 10lb power pro,and 20lb p line fluro.If I,m fishing stick baits or cranks I fish straight power pro.Since I pitch alot of jigs even the smaller pike engulf them.Hence the need for a leader.It,s a personal preference and works for me.Sometimes I,ll use 20lb big game line as a leader,never had a pike bite off on it yet.We aren't talking about 40lb muskies here.So the setup I use fills the bill.I don,t like to use leaders at all.But sometimes when using lighter lines its called fo
Click to expand...
nailed it
 
#16 ·
wallhead said:
Who said I was logical rich?Seriously tho I use 10lb power pro,and 20lb p line fluro.If I,m fishing stick baits or cranks I fish straight power pro.Since I pitch alot of jigs even the smaller pike engulf them.Hence the need for a leader.It,s a personal preference and works for me.Sometimes I,ll use 20lb big game line as a leader,never had a pike bite off on it yet.We aren't talking about 40lb muskies here.So the setup I use fills the bill.I don,t like to use leaders at all.But sometimes when using lighter lines its called for
Click to expand...
I've found PP under 15lb to be a pain all around. Just to thin and whispy. Jiggle the tip of your rod and spend time unknotting, etc. , etc. ...
Anyway, can't count the number of pike from snakes to just over 30" in that river I've caught on straight 15lb PP and never came close to an issue with a bite off. But after writing this I'm sure I've just screwed my next spinning trip. :wink:
I use plenty of Fluoro leaders while fly fishing there though, which is the way I prefer to catch them now.
 
#17 ·
Your right about the knots,when that happens its a real pain.I never had bite offs either until this past winter.Thats when I decided to use a leader with jigs.Maybe the pp had seen its day.Have since respoled with fresh power pro and no problems .Landed a 38 inch musky back in march with no leader and it handled great.The jig was barely in the lip so maybe I got lucky.
 
#19 ·
Like I said im not hating on here because I love fishing like everyone else !!! Maybe its just the way it looks in that picture angle or something,im totally always down to fish with other people in the river !! Whenever your down im 100% in to fish with ya if I have no plans with the family !!! So just let me know on here buddy and we can go nail some huge NORTHERN PIKE !! LOL
 
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