Nissin Cat

by Alan Luecke
(Kansas City, MO)

I have a Kiyose 43MF and Vic and Terry's big fish stories have me all fired up. I've been casting to some carp but haven't hooked one yet. In the meantime I seem to catch all my biggest fish on my Nissin Zerosum. This channel cat is a little over a foot long. The rod has also handled largemouth bass, a white bass, a gar and a drum all in the mid-teen range.

Chris has mentioned the need for backup capacity and it's very true. A bigger fish on this rod is an odd experience. You can't really control or pull the fish in any meaningful way. On the other hand, the fish has no leverage to use it's weight. The rod just keeps flexing until the fish wears out. The problem is landing a heavier fish on 6X tippet without a net (don't need a net for bluegill). The drum, gar and white bass all broke off with the line in my hand. I now have a Shimano folding net -- which is usually safely out reach in my backpack!

Hopefully carp pictures next time.

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.