Punching problems

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LowRange
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Punching problems

Post by LowRange » Sun Jun 12, 2022 5:58 pm

I'm new to this. I found a body of water with matted vegetation and open water between 3 to 10 feet beneath. I went out with my flipping stick and caught some fish but missed a bunch and gut hooked 2. They either wanted to grab the bait and miss the hook or eat it. I punch, bait drops and I feel a tug as a fish runs off it with it. A couple a problems

Missing or gut hooking fish. Fish runs with it and I either miss, hook it or gut hook. There appears to be no reason to it. They were all small fish. Maybe that is the issue.

Piss poor pitching distance with this rod and reel which I suspect is because it is meant to be palmed when pitching which really won't let me put on much wrist snap. Fine for lobbing a punching rig 20 feet but sucks for anything else. How do you lefties do this?

I keep getting the bait balled up in weeds on the way back. It comes in and out clean but I can't get it back to me without it bobbing across the mat when being reeled. Its a slow reel and I reel slower left handed but I think doing it seated in a kayak is the issue. I need to stand up.

Tip wraps all the the time. You woukd think with a spiral wrapped rod this wouldn't be an issue but every missed hookset and bait flying means a tip wrap.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by Cal » Mon Jun 13, 2022 6:31 am

Can't speak to all of your issues, but i would suggest standing up just for better leverage.

Also, are you pegging the weight? I don't see one in the photo you showed.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by goldrod » Mon Jun 13, 2022 8:31 am

I am watching this thread and I thought about posting to it but I’ve not experienced the issue your having. Just off the top of my head it seems like the fish has the bait for an extended period of time.
I’ve used all sorts of stick’s and I’m wondering if your changed setups or something about the setup for example if your using floro goto braid
Or if your punching and your rod is not at the 45 or 60 degree angle from the water than adjusting that particular part.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by LowRange » Mon Jun 13, 2022 9:42 am

I've got a stop on the sinker. I think the issue is punching while seated in kayak. I can send it a good ways off the back deck. I am using braid but its cheap yozuri super braid I had laying around in 65# test. It seems to create a lot of drag on the level wind and guides. I was also pitching with a Pefect Pitch and 16# flouro throwing 1/2 jigs and having similar issues. Poor distance and accuracy. Again I think its the low seating position. Going to try an adjustable shower chair as a seat next. My kayak is meant to have a 35l cooler dropped in place of the seat to get a higher seating position but the kayak felt unstable that high up. Standing up was easy sitting up that high but paddling felt a little uncomfortable for having $2k in rods in the yak. I'll have to play with some alternative seating and bring out my disposable combos incase I dump it.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by Cal » Mon Jun 13, 2022 10:20 am

Yeah.. it's not the distance that's an issue, but the angle of attack. You want the line entering and exiting the matte as vertical as possible. By sitting, you're creating too shallow of an angle to achieve proper leverage. Tough deal from a kayak though the more silent approach is definitely ideal.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by LowRange » Mon Jun 13, 2022 10:24 am

I found one issue. My old TD-X is jumping teeth on the mag dial and getting staying at max brake or near max all the time. The spool is an SS SV103 spool too. This explains why the rod tip felt loaded when pitching. It was giggabraking with that SS SV103 spool.

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Re: Punching problems

Post by Hobie-Wan Kenobi » Mon Jun 13, 2022 11:53 am

You can always try a slightly "side arm" pitch as well. Helps with sitting lower.

Like Cal said, the angle will make it tougher to feel bites and also set the hook, as there will be more vegetation affecting the line tightening.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by dragon1 » Sat Jul 30, 2022 9:50 pm

If you have $2k + in rods/reels, it's time to get yourself a proper stand up kayak that will allow not only a higher point for pitching (as noted), but also more appropriate hook sets standing up, while minimizing the chance of flailing out of your yak.
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Re: Punching problems

Post by LowRange » Sat Sep 03, 2022 8:51 am

dragon1 wrote:
Sat Jul 30, 2022 9:50 pm
If you have $2k + in rods/reels, it's time to get yourself a proper stand up kayak that will allow not only a higher point for pitching (as noted), but also more appropriate hook sets standing up, while minimizing the chance of flailing out of your yak.
I ended up getting a pond prowler 8. Its perfect to punching mats on small bodies of water. I troll to the area then lift the motor and crawl around weeds with my kayak paddle. Super stable fishing platform and its easy to stand up. It has no endurance, can't deal with wind, can't be car topped and is difficult to launch from steep banks so that's when the kayak comes into play.

The kayak I have is supposed to be one of the best or the best or easiest to stand up in kayaks but its outside my comfort zone. I can do it but prefer to use the cooler to sit up higher which makes standing easy but the elevated seating position makes the kayak rock to its secondary stability points and then back to center and repeat with ever paddle stroke. It's unerving. The lower stock seat is very stable when fishing seated but its raked back and you have to scooch up in the seat to put your weight over your feet to stand up. Once standing I feel like I can easily stumble off if not focusing on maintaining balance. Standig up and paddling around and standing up and fishing are two different thing for me.

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Re: Punching problems

Post by dragon1 » Sat Sep 03, 2022 6:21 pm

LowRange wrote:
Sat Sep 03, 2022 8:51 am
dragon1 wrote:
Sat Jul 30, 2022 9:50 pm
If you have $2k + in rods/reels, it's time to get yourself a proper stand up kayak that will allow not only a higher point for pitching (as noted), but also more appropriate hook sets standing up, while minimizing the chance of flailing out of your yak.
I ended up getting a pond prowler 8. Its perfect to punching mats on small bodies of water. I troll to the area then lift the motor and crawl around weeds with my kayak paddle. Super stable fishing platform and its easy to stand up. It has no endurance, can't deal with wind, can't be car topped and is difficult to launch from steep banks so that's when the kayak comes into play.

The kayak I have is supposed to be one of the best or the best or easiest to stand up in kayaks but its outside my comfort zone. I can do it but prefer to use the cooler to sit up higher which makes standing easy but the elevated seating position makes the kayak rock to its secondary stability points and then back to center and repeat with ever paddle stroke. It's unerving. The lower stock seat is very stable when fishing seated but its raked back and you have to scooch up in the seat to put your weight over your feet to stand up. Once standing I feel like I can easily stumble off if not focusing on maintaining balance. Standig up and paddling around and standing up and fishing are two different thing for me.
Good deal my friend...I have a Jackson Mayfly, awesome fishing yak, designed for flyfishing, and very stable, but it's a pretty long and heavy kayak.
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