How many people fish on passage?

[lateral]

Mahi mate for life.

Fishing is an instinct I hate to love.
I wouldn't be sorry if there were more predators of humans.
Pity we have the upper hand.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by foolishsailor

...Appreciate the info on bait size and color.

In all of your experince what would be the best baits for different speices and locations?

The different fish species are attracted to baits that travel at different speeds and depths. With a Hull Speed of 7.5 kts, we generally sailed at 6.5 kts or so. We never caught a wahoo, which I'm told like a faster, deeper bait, but we did catch plenty of mahi-mahi.

I had a variety of lures of different shapes, sizes and colors, but if I had to pick one it would be a simple cedar plug tarted up with some green, yellow and a dab of red. The mahi loved it to death. I just let it out about 60' or so behind the boat so it skipped along on the surface, then BANG! Fish on!

You've no doubt enjoyed fish from a fresh fish market, but until you savor a filet from a fish you caught an hour or two ago, you don't really know what fresh tastes like.

[mrohr]

Yo Yo is as simple as yo can get, and it works fine ,fresh fish is the best, and with no frige I stop fishing once one is aboard. The mess can be a real problem ; I try to get fish into a garbage bag ASAP so slime, scales ans blood do not create a mess that a hot sun will bake into your decks. Rum spit into the mouth will numb anything from the deep (even humans), but I lose maybe half of all strikes when alone since I seem only to get one with the boat moving fast and me with my hands full and thinking of reefing at that moment.
A very short rod is on my wish list ,less than 6', otherwise it's too difficult to maneuver around rigging awnings preventers' etc. while fish does circles one way and boat goes the other alternating between jibes and tacks with the helm unattended and me stumbling around deck trying to keep a fair lead on the fishing line while dodging the boom .Really no way to heave-too or land a fish ,but sooo satisfying once the grill is lit.
Have recently moved from a net to a gaff, and that seems an improvement since the net is difficult difficult to manage when in the water and any way on the boat.

[Vasco]

Another nice bull. Note the cedar plug.

[MacG]

In the past I did. My favorite weekend tour was IJmuiden-West Terschelling, about 77 NM.
Depending on weather up over sea and down via the IJsselmeer or vice versa.

At West Terschelling I bought the 'zeepieren' (sort of long mudworms) and started to get my evening meal together. Mostly I caught flounder or the like and that was good enough for the two days of staying. Fresh flounder and/or dab is hard to beat, together with fried potatoes it is the best fis 'n chips you can get.

[dirkdig]

We troll a yozuri hydro magnum lure behind the boat and it gets fish every time.
We will have 2 other lures out at the same time and the hydro magnum gets hit everytime.
Red head white body
Mackeral,wahoo,tuna love them buy a few as you will wear thm out with all the fish you catch on them.

Mahi mahi do mate for life so sometimes you will get 2.
They are also the fastest growing fish around i have been told.

[Hud3]

That plug is identical to the one I had so much luck with!

To the OP -- buy two. They get chewed up 'cause the fish like 'em so much.

Originally Posted by Vasco

Another nice bull. Note the cedar plug.

[foolishsailor]

How many of you would have a rail mounted cutting table versus doing it on the deck.

I was pricing 1" thick nylon off cuts about 20" x 30" to attach to my pushpit to use as a cutting table. Good idea? I always found bending over the fish on my hot side decks a pain and clumsy. If I tried to gut a fish in the cockpit I think I might end up keel hauled...

[zeehag]

wondering how a yoyo can be more simple than a handline off the shroud with a slipknot--just hand over hand the fish to transom and gaf itinto boat. lol works every time and no parts to fail. none. i have had reels fail while attempting to boat my fish--i let that be-no more reels or other attachments to fail as i bring dinner into boat. hand over hand is EASY and SIMPLE and isnt expensive at all. try it. much more control over fishies than ANY equipment will offer.
i clean em in a plastic bin on deck--i wont lose my fishie overboard when i try to clean in a big sea. tables for filleting fishies are slickery and fishies move a lot when cleaning em. some even jump....but they dont get out of my cockpit when i have em.

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by foolishsailor

How many of you would have a rail mounted cutting table versus doing it on the deck.

I was pricing 1" thick nylon off cuts about 20" x 30" to attach to my pushpit to use as a cutting table. Good idea? I always found bending over the fish on my hot side decks a pain and clumsy. If I tried to gut a fish in the cockpit I think I might end up keel hauled...

Too small and you really need something solid to work on fish. A rail mounted piece would not be strong enough.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i clean em in a plastic bin on deck

I like that idea! A Rubbermaid container with knife, booze and gloves waiting. Just fillet and wash the blood out.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Another nice bull. Note the cedar plug.

A crew on a delivery I did caught one of those...he was delicious.

I found the application of white rum to his gills led to a very quick demise, and that unlike the freshwater fish I was used to, his colour went all dull rapidly.

I think fishing on passage, especially at the typically low speeds, is part of cruising life. It provides much needed freshness and variety in the diet, plus the perhaps atavistic thrill of obtaining one's own food.

Like doing a big cruise, but never learning to dive, it's certainly possible, but you are missing something if you don't occasionally fish.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by foolishsailor

How many of you would have a rail mounted cutting table versus doing it on the deck.

I was pricing 1" thick nylon off cuts about 20" x 30" to attach to my pushpit to use as a cutting table. Good idea? I always found bending over the fish on my hot side decks a pain and clumsy. If I tried to gut a fish in the cockpit I think I might end up keel hauled...

I think that's an excellent idea, but it would be improved by routering out blood gutters around the perimeter and drilling a hole in said gutter at the corner, beneath which you suspend by wire something like a soup can or maybe a fruit juice can to collect the blood and sundry bits.

Mount it on hinges and you can dump directly aft.

[Roy M]

While trolling is a common form of fishing for surface critters, don't rule out the deepwater denizens, often called rockcod or lingcod. You must be in waters about three hundred feet (100 meters), with a substantial reel and large hooks with bait. You drop the line while drifting over a deep reef, using a heavy sinker, jerk the rod when you feel the bite, wait until all the multiple hooks get bit, then haul the loot aboard. Yum.

[Cotemar]

Ok just to summerize all this good info
Cuban Yo Yo hand line for Trolling.
1) They are compact,
2) Quick to rig because the line, leader, and lure can be stored assembled, and tangle-free.
3) Load the yo-yo with 150 to 200 feet of 60- to 100-pound test line. Attach the line to the yo-yo with a slip knot with a fishermans knot or improved clinch knot.
4) Add a trolling sinker, 2-6 ounces, to suit typical depths and speed. Some fish (mahi-mahi and other bluewater fish) prefer surface lures that incorporate all the weight that is needed.
5) Add a 20 foot leader, to separate the lure from the sinker.
6) Pick a lure or cedar plug
7) Let out all of the line at a suitable speed; 3-4 knots for striped bass, 4-6 knots for blues, mackerel, and bluewater game fish
8) Attach the yo-yo to the stern rail with a sling and carabineer or just a strap. The stretch inherent in the 200 feet of line will easily stretch 10-20 feet with a big fish
9) Clip the line about 2 feet out to a trolling release which is a Quick Snatch Release Clip (a loop of line will give a cleaner release), removing the tension from the yo-yo and allowing it to hang down. Once hanging a hit will pull the Cuban yo yo up and straight out to horizontal.
10) Have some gloves handy to hand line your fish in.