Today I took my Okuma 9’ Hawaiian Custom 9’ with Daiwa Saltist MQ 3000 and C-rigged a Honey Badger Baits Kraw grub to catch a small perch on the first cast. I chopped up the perch and used it for bait. I put the whole head and a chunk of meat on a double dropper loop with a Sputnik 3oz weight. About five minutes after casting the bait while I was working my Okuma my big rod started to bounce. I walked over and my rod flew out of the sand spike. I dashed after it and slammed my Okuma on the spike as I dove for my fleeing rod. I set the hook and fought the fish for much longer than it took me to hook it.
I was using a 10’ Daiwa Emcast 1-6oz MH rod with a Shimano Spheros 6000HD with 50lb braid and 50lb mono leader. This is typically used for rockfish and I was not expecting the Leo. If my hook wasn’t perfectly set in the corner of its lip, I feel those sharp teeth would’ve cut the mono easily. I got lucky.
Four feet of pure muscle dragging line and making me work. I can’t wait for the next catch.
Posted by MountainShark1