What fishing gear do I need ?

[Tspringer]

We will be leaving in about 2 weeks from St. Thomas for the Bahamas. The boat is new to us and we have been very busy getting her fit out and ready for this trip.

In all this rush of planning, I have done nothing to be prepared to do any fishing! This cannot stand!

I want to fish on passage. Mahi.... tuna.... yummie! But, at this point I do not have time to read several books on the topic, visit several tackle shops and become an expert on exactly what gear I need to purchase.

So, PLEASE: Help Me!

What do I need to get? The basics.... line, reel, lures, tackle.... the basics for trolling under way. What would you recommend? Where would you buy it online? What do I need immediately and what should I consider down the line?

We will be in the Bahamas for 2-3 weeks in June. I would love to spear lobster and fish but my understanding is that they are out of season. What could we potentially go after once there?

Thanks for any help!



Terry

[Therapy]

One person I read about did the following:
Mount large reel to rail - skip the rod.
100lb test line minimum (100-150)
large swivel
3ft steel leader.
green and pink plastic "squid"

fishing for food, not sport.
reel it to the boat and kill it.

[imagine2frolic]

Terry,

If you pass through the Exumas in that time frame. Look for my red cat with a large white stripe.....BEST WISHES on a fun sail. We left out of St. Maarten, and had a great time all the way to Daytona............

[GordMay]

Penn ‘Senator” Rod (#316/319 ?)
c/w
Minimum 6/0 (to 12/0) Reel (#114 or #116 ?)
& at least 50 - 60 Lb. line for “hunting” (not sport-fishing).

[Hud3]

I have a Shimano reel on a Penn "Senator" short and stiff rod, with 90# mono. I have a bunch of lures, but the best performing have been the cedar plugs, either plain or tarted up with a little paint.

The simplest, cheapest, and easiest to stow rig is a plastic "YoYo". The YoYo is a circular plastic reel about 6"-7" in diameter, with a channel molded into it's outer circumference. The mono wraps up in the channel. 60# line is fine. Attach the lure with a length of 90# leader to a swivel. Let the lure out until it's about 60'-80' behind the boat, and attach the end to the pushpit rail with a bungee cord. The lure needs to be doing a little skipping on the surface.

Use gloves to haul in the monster fish you'll catch!

[Fishspearit]

Lobster season runs from Aug. 1 to Mar. 31, so you're right about not being able to get them. Fish and conch are available though. I've never been one to dangle a line and hope, maybe, if I'm lucky, there is a fish down there who is hungry. Get a polespear or Hawaiian sling, ok, I'm biased, I like Foldspear - the holstered pole spear, spearfishing with polespear , and spend some time in the beautiful warm, crystal clear water. Pretty much any fish except puffers are ok to eat, but with the large selection of grouper, many types of snapper, and hogfish available that's what most people stick to. (For the beginners)You don't have to be a fish ID expert and be able to tell a mutton snapper from a mangrove snapper from a lane snapper, etc. Just learn what a snapper shape and outline looks like and he'll be good eating. Same thing with tiger,yellowmouth,black,gag grouper; they all have the same body shape. I write that with some hesitation though, because you should still try to learn as much as you can about the fish, and don't shoot the angelfish!! Only freediving while spearing is permitted in the Bahamas, hunting with spearguns or scuba is prohibited. When you clear in and get the fishing license be sure to have them write in that you will be using a polespear.
If you haven't done much spearfishing it can be challenging at first, but once you get the hang of freediving and approaching the fish from above and not across, you'll have no trouble getting dinner. And it won't matter if the fish are biting that day, or not.

[Tspringer]

Thanks guys!

I am a good free diver and definitely plan on doing some spear fishing when we reach the Bahamas. Is Ciguatera an issue? I thought that it was a big issue with reef fish in the Bahamas?

The shortest Pen Senator rod I have found is 6'6" long. Is that considered "short" ? Can anyone suggest some good specific lures for trolling?

Thanks!


Terry

[Fishspearit]

The barracuda are the biggest ciguatera concern. Large predator fish like snapper and grouper can get it, but they have to REALLy be monsters.

[Palarran]

Hi, I had asked this question a couple months ago and the group really helped me. Here is the link to the tread. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ice-13415.html
I bought a combo setup from a local Gander Mountain and a Saltwater trolling reel from Cabella's. Then did a rail mounted rod holder. We only cought one Baracuda but what a gas. I think I had a total of $130 including a couple of lures.

[ssullivan]

Has anyone caught fish in northern areas from the boat?

I have been trailing a line all the way up the Chesapeake and got nothing - as usual.

Used the silver spinning spoon thing from the images in the thread referred to in the last post. I have line out about 80-90 ft behind the boat and on rare occasion, it jumps out when it hits the right wave.

Nothing...

I've spent more time fishing than I care to share with the board.... and still... nothing. Any other tricks for catching fish from MD to ME?

Also, what species are most likely caught by a line dragged from the boat in those waters of the North Atlantic?

[sluissa]

Oh, sean, if only you lived 400 years ago. The first european explorers to the New England/Canada coast reported being able to dip baskets in the water and pull out fish, mostly cod. These days though, they're commercially extinct.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Tspringer

... Is Ciguatera an issue? I thought that it was a big issue with reef fish in the Bahamas? ...

See: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...oning-964.html
cruisersforum.com/forums/f91/ciguatera-poisoning-964.html

[Roy M]

Whichever system you use to impale the fish on a hook, don't immediately reel it in. Dragging it a couple minutes will kill it, keeping the blood and trauma to fish and crew to a minimum. An unhappy fish in the cockpit can ruin your entire day (not to mention the fish's)

[rickquann]

Fishless, try an umbrella rig. I've included pictures for your review and it works very well on stripers.
A silver spoon should work, but try bucktails, sassy shad or rapalas also. I've had my best luck with sassy shad or umbrella rigs on the Potomac and Chesapeake.

[Hud3]

If you catch a big one, pour some cheap vodka or rum in his gills. That puts them down a lot quicker than other methods. Make sure it's in a plastic bottle.