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Quietman's Hooping Page...
Last Updated 10/17/04
Heading Out with the hoops at Sunset, Yak-Style!
...wait until the picture appears, then click "play" to watch.
Double click on the picture to make it full-screen. Fun with the music.
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Performance Tuning Hoop Nets
Here are some tricks for those nice new hoop nets you all are getting.
1. Take the diameter in inches and multiply it by 3.14 then divide the result by
three. Make a piece of string that length. Make a mark with an indelible ink
sharpie at the joint where the ends of the hoop are welded together, then two
more marks the length of the string from the first. Run the string along
the wire, not straight across.
2. Sit on the hoop with a mark directly between your legs and position the
nearest riser string on the mark and pull up hard to seat it on the mark. Apply
a drop of CA glue if you want. Repeat for the other two risers.
3. Find the middle of the 100' of rope, and cut it there and burn the end to
keep it from fraying. 50 feet is almost certainly more than you need, unless you
have a very unusual spot. Slide the float on and tie the end to the $.99
cent reel. If using the jug slide the jug on and tie.
4. Most important...
A GPS is very, very, very helpful for hooping. I drop my hoop, hit *enter mark*
and then move off happily to set the next net knowing *exactly* where each one
is.
Going back to retrieve each one is then an effortless no-brainer.
If you are not going to use a GPS, thread a 1 gallon milk jug on the rope,
through the handle. When you hoop toss a cylume light stick in the jug. when you
are done hooping put the light stick on ice then in your freezer at home and you
can use it several trips. Remember to tie the end of the rope to the reel.
5. Put a mackerel, I prefer fresh, but only cuz it is less nasty. Some
like to age it. In
the hoops pouch if you have
a promar, then put in a mesh bag (I use beer brewing hop bags) or a pantyhose with
a can of cat food that has holes punched in it or the lid off or use dry cat
food as an added attractant. The cat food cans with the easy-pull lids
cost only $.20-$.35 cents each. Lately I have been putting Fresh-dead
sardines in the mesh bags, cut into 1 inch chunks, and I like them the very
best.
6. Buy some $.99 cent extension cord reels at home depot to wind the rope on,
plus some little bungees with the orange ball. remember to tie the rope
end to the reel after sliding on either the supplied float or the jug...or both
I guess...
The bungee/reel keeps everything neat until you toss the hoop, then let the rope
unwind paying it through the float and jug (if you are using a jug) until it
hits bottom. Then put out a little extra line if there is swell so the float
won't try to lift the hoop and scare the lobsters. Last wrap the bungee around
the reel to
keep more line from paying out, and toss over board. It all floats, line
and reel.
quietman
UPDATE FROM DANA HARBOR TRIP ON 09-23-03
Went out of Dana Tuesday night from 7pm-11pm. 3-4' south swell and wind made it sloppy and nasty on the outside, so mostly hooped in the harbor.
Yanni and I worked as a team to cover as much ground as possible looking for "honey holes."
We had limited success, but a lot of fun, I didn't get any crabs but I did get 8 lobsters, all but three short, however. ...and released immediately of course.
It seems to me that cat food helps, and even works all by itself, just take the lid off and put in the mesh pouch on the new pro-mar and you are good to go. Had a double with one keeper on just the little can of cat food on one drop.
Don't quit or not go if you don't have macks, since a $.20 cent can of friskies will do the trick!
quietman
OPENER SLOW FOR MANY... 09-27-2003
Sadly, this was not a good opening night this year. From Redondo down to San Diego the efforts of the plastic fantastic crowd went largely unrewarded. Not to mention all the power boaters and scuba/free divers. Almost no one did well, in fact no one at all did well among the regular lobster-slayers that post to the various kayak/power/dive boards. There were a couple of rumors of a few good catches by guys going to extra-good spots they had previous knowledge of. I know of one free-diver who caught a 14.5 pounder at 3:30 am, so they are out there.
Some are blaming the red tide, others the new moon. Whatever the cause hopefully things will pick up dramatically, and soon!
quietman
DANA HARBOR AND VICINITY WEDNESDAY THE 1ST, THURSDAY THE 2ND
11pm - 2am, low tide. Absolutely flat calm seas and no wind. No boats, kayaks
or people. None, didn't see anything move on the water for nearly four hours.
As I arrived and rigged two boats were hauling out after hooping, they both
caught shorts, no keepers.
I worked 4 hoops hard all-over for 4 shorts.
I was using one frozen/thawed but not stinky mackeral and an open can of
whiskers tuna cat food in each hoop. I was leaving the hoops down about 15
minutes between pulls. After coming home a stinking mess on opener, I am
no longer going to use rotten bait. Many people feel fresh works better
anyway.
I worked from 4 feet deep to 18 feet. Productive depth was 12 feet.
Wonderful, quiet night on the water. Loved it. May not do another opener, at
least not out of a busy harbor.
Ralph's has the cat food 4 for a buck right now.
quietman
DANA HARBOR AND DOHO MONDAY THE 13TH
One of the OC crew, Allen Patrick, had reported 14 bugs with 4 keepers Sunday evening, so Yanni and I got out Monday night. I got there late, after dark about 8pm. The best crawl has been right at dusk for about an hour or so. Nevertheless we did OK, with quite a few shorts caught and two legals each. Another beautiful night, little swell, but foggy and with patches of insane bioluminescence.
We were back off the water by 10pm, and I spoke with two boaters who caught two legals each, as well as one who claimed more.
Looks like things are picking up!
quietman
DANA HARBOR ON SUNDAY THE 29th OF FEBRUARY, 2004
Went out and they were crawling pretty well, right after sunset. I only caught shorts and only worked inside and along the short jetty, but was encouraged to get out there again soon! The video clip is from that trip.
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Till next time...
Quietman
