SUL Madness!
SUL Madness!
Hit a local pond the other day and quickly landed a nice enough bass with a ML baitcast rod and a Zoom fluke. But that just didn't ring my bell. The pumpkinseeds were on their beds, just feet from shore, with bass all around and I wanted some of that action.
Switched to a Kuying Teton TTS622SUL (.8-3 g lure rating), Stradic Ci4+ 1000 reel with a 7X Trout Magnet Phantom flouro tippet leader and 4# Seaguar Yellow Hunter flouro main line. The lure was a Trout Magnet in Bison [correction: bulldog] color on a 1/64 oz sickle hook jig head (also caught one on a small 2.3 g minnow). My expectation was that I'd get loads of sunfish. Reality was that the largemouth were the ones most interested in the TMs, allowing me to bring over a dozen to hand. I assume they mistook them for fry. Got about 4 or 5 pumpkinseeds.
The SUL rod let me cast the Trout Magnets with ease and then twitch them back in the shallow water. Had I planned on bass, I would probably have upped the leader size but in the end I didn't have a single break off. The rod did a great job at protecting the tippet. Just had to remind myself to let the drag do it's job and not rush. When the bass run for the weeds, let them. Even w. very light drag they don't go far.
I really like the medium action on this rod. In general I'm more comfortable with flexible rods. I generally lose fewer fish with them, since it's easier to keep a bend in the rod and I often crush the barbs on hooks.
In the end, I couldn't have been happier with each piece of gear and the experience as a whole.
Switched to a Kuying Teton TTS622SUL (.8-3 g lure rating), Stradic Ci4+ 1000 reel with a 7X Trout Magnet Phantom flouro tippet leader and 4# Seaguar Yellow Hunter flouro main line. The lure was a Trout Magnet in Bison [correction: bulldog] color on a 1/64 oz sickle hook jig head (also caught one on a small 2.3 g minnow). My expectation was that I'd get loads of sunfish. Reality was that the largemouth were the ones most interested in the TMs, allowing me to bring over a dozen to hand. I assume they mistook them for fry. Got about 4 or 5 pumpkinseeds.
The SUL rod let me cast the Trout Magnets with ease and then twitch them back in the shallow water. Had I planned on bass, I would probably have upped the leader size but in the end I didn't have a single break off. The rod did a great job at protecting the tippet. Just had to remind myself to let the drag do it's job and not rush. When the bass run for the weeds, let them. Even w. very light drag they don't go far.
I really like the medium action on this rod. In general I'm more comfortable with flexible rods. I generally lose fewer fish with them, since it's easier to keep a bend in the rod and I often crush the barbs on hooks.
In the end, I couldn't have been happier with each piece of gear and the experience as a whole.
Last edited by Knotty on Sat May 11, 2019 5:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Pro Angler
- Posts: 1948
- Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:34 pm
- Location: NW OKC OK USA
Re: SUL Madness!
You bet! But I would have been just as happy had all the catches been pumpkinseeds.
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- Pro Angler
- Posts: 1948
- Joined: Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:34 pm
- Location: NW OKC OK USA
Re: SUL Madness!
I'm like that with hybrids around here.
Of course that's not UL tackle as I was hunting for lunkers in a brush pile using a heavy rod, 20# fluoro, and a 6.8" flick shake on a decoy heavy cover wacky hook, but here's one on UL panfish spinning tackle:
That's the beauty of hybrid sunfish. They get big and will hit almost anything aggressively.
Of course that's not UL tackle as I was hunting for lunkers in a brush pile using a heavy rod, 20# fluoro, and a 6.8" flick shake on a decoy heavy cover wacky hook, but here's one on UL panfish spinning tackle:
That's the beauty of hybrid sunfish. They get big and will hit almost anything aggressively.
This is the way.
Re: SUL Madness!
The Kuying Teton 6'2" SUL continues to provide lots of fun, catching big fish in the Spring season. With a Trout Magnet on a 1.6 g jig head I can make some pretty long casts. Never know if it's going to get a little bluegill or a hard fighting smallie. These are from Lake Wallenpaupack in Pennsylvania.
Re: SUL Madness!
Well done
Re: SUL Madness!
Knotty,
Really enjoy your photos and posting.
Thanks,
Fred
Spey Casting North East
Really enjoy your photos and posting.
Thanks,
Fred
Spey Casting North East
Re: SUL Madness!
I have given up teaching Spey Casting, my partners now run the classes.
My main interest forward will be UL spinning and possibly BFS.
Regards,
FK
My main interest forward will be UL spinning and possibly BFS.
Regards,
FK
Re: SUL Madness!
Sounds like we’re on the same page FK.