Time
Well-Known Member
Island Angler mag. (July) had a short piece on 'casting eggs' used on the East Coast for striped bass that looked like it might work here for pinks and coho off the beach.
Idea is to use a heavy float that will allow for a decent cast with spinning gear, while allowing you to use a light lure or fly with a 6 - 10 foot leader behind the egg.
A description is here, www.saltybugger.com , or google casting eggs.
Picture is one I threw togethor, and, while I haven't 'fished' it yet, I took it over to the lake yesterday to try casting it and it worked as advertised (no pinks down here and the coho don't arrive until late September).
Depth of lure varies with retrieve speed and lure weight, but should be in top couple feet of water.
Quick and dirty directions to make one:
1 wooden hardwood egg about 2 1/2" long and 1 5/8" diameter, available at Lee Valley and probably craft stores like Micheals, Windsor Plywood used to carry these too. Cost around a dollar and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. (I, oddly enough, had some of these on hand - still wondering why I bought them.)
Drill a hole lengthwise through centre, 1/8" is fine.
Copper wire, stainless, brass or whatever, through hole with eyes formed on both ends.
Suggest a swivel on rod end (the pointed end of egg) or snap swivel on line to prevent line twist.
A nail mounted on the egg at a forward angle in the top quarter of the egg to hang the hook on.
A 'nail' out of a pop rivet is aluminium and won't rust, but does require pre-drilling the hole.
This is handy if you are using a longer leader, 6 feet plus, to minimize the line hanging below the egg, allowing you to load the rod better.
Hook will release from the nail either in the air or when it splashes down.
Can be painted (as I did) but for a quick and easy tester, I wouldn't bother.
If you want to improve visibility of egg quickly, put a couple wraps of coloured electrical or hockey stick tape around it.
Let us know if you try it and how it works out.
Idea is to use a heavy float that will allow for a decent cast with spinning gear, while allowing you to use a light lure or fly with a 6 - 10 foot leader behind the egg.
A description is here, www.saltybugger.com , or google casting eggs.
Picture is one I threw togethor, and, while I haven't 'fished' it yet, I took it over to the lake yesterday to try casting it and it worked as advertised (no pinks down here and the coho don't arrive until late September).
Depth of lure varies with retrieve speed and lure weight, but should be in top couple feet of water.
Quick and dirty directions to make one:
1 wooden hardwood egg about 2 1/2" long and 1 5/8" diameter, available at Lee Valley and probably craft stores like Micheals, Windsor Plywood used to carry these too. Cost around a dollar and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces. (I, oddly enough, had some of these on hand - still wondering why I bought them.)
Drill a hole lengthwise through centre, 1/8" is fine.
Copper wire, stainless, brass or whatever, through hole with eyes formed on both ends.
Suggest a swivel on rod end (the pointed end of egg) or snap swivel on line to prevent line twist.
A nail mounted on the egg at a forward angle in the top quarter of the egg to hang the hook on.
A 'nail' out of a pop rivet is aluminium and won't rust, but does require pre-drilling the hole.
This is handy if you are using a longer leader, 6 feet plus, to minimize the line hanging below the egg, allowing you to load the rod better.
Hook will release from the nail either in the air or when it splashes down.
Can be painted (as I did) but for a quick and easy tester, I wouldn't bother.
If you want to improve visibility of egg quickly, put a couple wraps of coloured electrical or hockey stick tape around it.
Let us know if you try it and how it works out.
