Caught several hybrids last weekend on Richland Chambers to 7 pounds trolling hell/pets on the 309 flats. We would set the drag on our ambassador reels as light as we could. The sand bass, even a double hookup, wouldn't set off the clacker but the hybrids would make those reels scream baby! It was a real hoot, let me tell ya. We have trolled like that so much now that we can tell the difference between a hang up and a fish. The hang up will make the clacker kind of lurch then stop, lurch again then stop. But a big ol hybrid will hit it hard and run making the clacker scream like crazy. See the pics at my site.

Hey Monte,
Were you on R/C Sunday? I was trolling around the 309 flats myself in a Tracker. I caught several large sandies, and 1 5.5 hybrid. There was another boat doing the same thing in the area and wondered if it was you?

Richard

Rabbit,

No I was there Thursday, Friday and Saturday. That area is full of hybrids though, huh? I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back on RC (lousy work!) but this is the time of year they really turn on for us.

Metromonte,
Was the brake set too tight on your Ambassadeurs?
I get the clickers to sound off on fish as small as 10" with my 6000's.

Maybe thats it, not sure why exactly. I just figured it was the bender pulling so hard that it forced the drag to be set tighter than normal. We only set the drag where the spool will barely stay put while trolling the hell/pet. In fact it will click once about every 30 seconds or so. But even then the sandies don't set it off. Perhaps our 7 1/2 foot ugly sticks have something to do with it too. But I'm not sure. I'm using a 5600 and my friend uses a 6600.

Anyway, when one of the reels sounds off we know it's a biggun. My reaction is always a big WOOOAAAA!!!!! I think it would be cool to videotape a couple of the hookups because for that first few seconds of the fight it is really exciting. There is something about the reel screaming that intensifies the action.