Cat's paw strikes pack

A

Andre1979

New member
Howdy, fellow fishermen!
I just came back from a quick trip to Swakopmund and Long Beach. Tried to catch a bronzie and it was dead quite for 2 days. Tried different baits, like mackrel, fresh spotty and sand shark. Nothing. Not even a bite. But, that's not the point of my post...
Since i've joined sealine i got so much valuable information from it! Like that bemini twist-cat's paw combo, to join the leader and the main line. So i decided to try it on my new reel and rod, while i was at the coast. The very first cast i did, went wrong. Maybe due to the excitement of being on the beach, or due to simple carelessness/stupidity - my thumb was at the wrong place at the wrong time on the reel, and well, the cat's paw took a chunk out of it. It didn't hurt that much, because everything happened so fast. But i could no longer cast without getting hurt, again and again (i don't cast so well and had many birdnests, so you can imagine the frustration building up after each screw-up, and there were sooo many). Just another lesson for me to learn. Watch your fingers, guys!
p.s. The knot held beautifully, and was actually not bad to cast.
 

Attachments

  • cats_paw.jpg
    cats_paw.jpg
    17.1 KB · Views: 427
T

Trophy

Sealiner
Andre1979 wrote:
Tried to slide, but the waves wouldn't let me.
Click to expand...

Practise, you will learn how to get it through the shorebreak. I guarantee that at a beach like Long Beach you will end up catching more Bronzies than those using traditional throw baits.

That thumb look very sore, I can rememebr getting a few of those over the years! Its a bugger to fish when it's just happened. Let it dry out and don't cover with a plaster. You will be fine to cast again n a week or so.

Tight Lines
 
O

OFC

Sealiner
ouch!!! i had the same problem, but i got a salution by taking a leather glove, cutting off the pinkie finger, tying a woman hair band to it and using it to cast, after wetting it! when i was starting to cast with a multiplier it saved me alot of those thumpies! still use it when i put new line on my reel!
 
S

Sylvester

Banned
Ouch bud...that looks EINA!!!

.....just a question, in your post you say Bimini and Catspaw for joining leader?!? I think you have your knots or at least the names mixed up! My trick with the leader knot is to leave a groove for it on the right side of my spool(I use the left side for thumbing), that way it never sees my thumb.
 
A

Andre1979

New member
Tuna: i tried to chum with my bleeding finger, honestly. But no luck with sharks, or wales. There was only one curious looking seal, but it was not the catch i wanted to target =)
Sylvester: well, the actual setup is to tie 2 beminis, one on the leader, the other on the main line, and join them with cat's paw. At least that's how i understood it from the picture i found here on the forum somewhere.
 
T

Trophy

Sealiner
Hiya Andre1979,

I would suggest using a single biminni on the main line and a albright knot to join the leader onto the loop.

It's a slightly smaller knot and will only have two 'joins' or knots instead of the three your current set-up requires. THe set-up you tied works very well for joining your braid backing to the mono topshot.

It might be easier on your thumb...LoL
 
X

xerxes

Senior Member
Andrey
I used to have the same problem
simple solution
when u wind the line onto ur reel, place the knot on the right side of the spool (so that the knot is actually touching the spool and is not in the centre of the spool -когда будешь забрасывать, большой палец держи у центра катушки, и таким образом узел пройдет мимо пальца)
Best knot to use is bimini on main line joined by 2 figure 8s with the leader
Nikolay
 
A

Andre1979

New member
Николай, спасибо за совет. Обычно я так и делаю, но иногда...shit happens =)
 
X

xerxes

Senior Member
It does indeed....hhahahha
Im gonna b in langstrand 29 april-4 may
if u at the coast that time u most probably will see me on the beach in langstrand
otherwise i got ur number ill give u a shout we must hook up
 
S

Sylvester

Banned
Andre1979 wrote:
Tuna: i tried to chum with my bleeding finger, honestly. But no luck with sharks, or wales. There was only one curious looking seal, but it was not the catch i wanted to target =)
Sylvester: well, the actual setup is to tie 2 beminis, one on the leader, the other on the main line, and join them with cat's paw. At least that's how i understood it from the picture i found here on the forum somewhere.
Click to expand...
There's your problem then......you should only have a bimini in your main line and then attach the leader using two fig 8's to the (now doubled via bimini) mainline. This should compact your connection substantialy and save the leather on your thumbs!! I would still settle the knot on the right side of the spool when retrieving the line though, this just generally saves your thumb further as the knot will never touch your thumb this way.
 
K

KLIPVIS

Sealiner
Andre , Sylvester is correct , we use the cats paw only when tying your braid to your main line ie 2 biminis tied together by a cats paw in the middle.Most Guys tie n bimini on the main line and then tie this using a fig 8 knot to your leader.This knot can land most fish if made correctly.

I think the leader knot is the culprit and like Sylvester ( aka Latino Heat ) mentioned always reel the knots to the far right as to avoid getting burned.I say that first cast saterday with a spectator watching I throw a huge yersey which cut my line off and took a piece of thumb with.Luckily the speactator was a grown up so he could understand my language.We had some good luck and I managed to get 2 raggies ( 141kg , 97,5kg )
 
X

xerxes

Senior Member
KLIPVIS wrote:
Andre , Sylvester is correct , we use the cats paw only when tying your braid to your main line ie 2 biminis tied together by a cats paw in the middle.Most Guys tie n bimini on the main line and then tie this using a fig 8 knot to your leader.This knot can land most fish if made correctly.

I think the leader knot is the culprit and like Sylvester ( aka Latino Heat ) mentioned always reel the knots to the far right as to avoid getting burned.I say that first cast saterday with a spectator watching I throw a huge yersey which cut my line off and took a piece of thumb with.Luckily the speactator was a grown up so he could understand my language.We had some good luck and I managed to get 2 raggies ( 141kg , 97,5kg )
Click to expand...

klipvis, where did u get the ragbag on sat?

arendse, perhaps? cas macs was dead quiet
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top