New to board and info

[arrowslinger]

They are good eating Tarfu, they are made like sharks no back bone or ribs just cartilage. the meat is a lot like Salmon believe it or not kind of heavy and oily it is great grilled just like Salmon. There is a lot of waste as the have a thick layer of fat that is not good to eat! It is our big game fishing here in Missouri, they eat Plankton and therefore will not bite any bait so we snag them. We take a 7' solid fiberglass snaggin rod and a heavy reel like the 49L and 309's spooled with 90-130# nylon braid line. Lot of work draggin a 16 oz. sinker and three 10/0 hooks, and alot of fun too. I've been snaggin my whole life and opening weekend it is wall to wall boats.Here is a picture of my daughters first keeper. they have to be 34" from eye to fork of the tail that makes about a 24# fish!

[Alto Mare]

very nice, you mind showing me that 16 oz sinker with hooks? I'm guessing you make them yourself.
Sal

[arrowslinger]

Here is the hook and sinkers we use, I pour my own sinkers !

[Alto Mare]

Thanks for the picture, Arrowslinger.
I thought you were using something similar to these:
http://www.google.com/search?q=snagging+hooks&hl=en&tbo=u&biw=1280&bih=899&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xHHxUJa1H8Px0wGB4IGwCw&sqi=2&ved=0CEsQsAQ
The ones that I use are 2 to 3oz, but  I only snag Bunker to use as bait.
Sal
Sorry, I wanted to show one picture and can't change it.

[arrowslinger]

No I have tried those hooks withe the weight but you tend to get hung up on the bottom! The way we set up the hooks and sinkers is tie the sinker about 18" below the first hook and tie two more hooks on above that. We troll this or cast but mainly troll behind boat up and down the river.Dependent on the depth.current and where in the water column fish are determine the amount of weight we use all the way from 6oz.to 22oz.we have during high water tied more than one sinker on!

[arrowslinger]

It amazes quite a few people that do not snag as to how far you can cast a 10-16 oz. sinker with a 7' solid fiberglass rod with 130# line on a Penn 49!

[Alto Mare]

Thanks for the info, arrowslinge.
You're mentioning a Penn 49, have you ever experienced any damage to the gear sleeve tip rounding off, or the sleeve post getting lose on the bridge plate.
The 49 is a nice reel, but the gears are too good for its own good, I've seen a few with  damaged that I mentioned above.
A Jigmaster gear sleeve is just too small for that reel.

[arrowslinger]

Yes I have had sleeves round off, that is how I found this board. I bought the stainless sleeve from Alan and have two rebuilt so far! Any other suggestions on how to improve them would be appreciated. I am going to buy a couple of Kolekar knobs and give them a try.

[conchydong]

Welcome, nice charity work you do.
Those Paddlefish are pretty neat.
Do you cure the roe for caviar? I heard that Paddlefish caviar is pretty good but have never tried it.

[arrowslinger]

Well there has been so much Paddlefish poaching for the eggs that the conservation dept. made a regulation for it to be illegal to posses eggs. We used them to eat and bait but not anymore! We actually had a Russian ring buying the eggs which made it very lucrative. You can get a permit to buy legally harvested eggs and one company sells them under the name Missouri Caviar.

[Alto Mare]

Yes I have had sleeves round off, that is how I found this board. I bought the stainless sleeve from Alan and have two rebuilt so far! Any other suggestions on how to improve them would be appreciated. I am going to buy a couple of Kolekar knobs and give them a try.

You're on the right track, this particular reel benefits from the ss sleeve more than others. Carbontex washers or HT100's, in the gear and one under , with a touch of Cal's is also a good thing. That's about all we have for now, I'm trying something on my own to beef up the area mentioned above, nothing concrete yet....don't have the time.

[arrowslinger]

I did get new drag disc's and the one under gear also from Alan, I can't wait to get out and try them. Our season starts 3/15! I bought some Cals and corrosion X the disc had grease on them but I'm not sure if more is needed!

[Cone]

Welcome Arrowslinger, I've done a little snagging or snatching myself. Those paddlefish look like fun. Bob

[arrowslinger]

Welcome Arrowslinger, I've done a little snagging or snatching myself. Those paddlefish look like fun. Bob

Thanks Bob this looks like a place I should have found a long time ago!Yes those bills are fun I have been chasing them for as long as I can remember. We used to have two seasons one in the winter with the snow it was fun camping in the snow and catching Spoonbill. Most people thought we were crazy!

[Cone]

I've been thought of a crazy myself. I've mellowed with age though.  Bob