Trolling behind 56 foot Cat. Equipment?

[Fletchccc]

Good morning!
We are new owners of a Cat that will be cruising the Bahamas, BVI and down to Grenadines. Boat will be in charter and licensed for fishing as needed. Question is what kind of poles, reels, line weight should I get for the trolling rods?
Likely going to get a rod or 2 for any charters who want to do casting. Same question there. Prefer those are collapsible for storage. The trolling rods will stay in the rod holders attached to boat. Thanks!!!

[Sand crab]

Fletch, the forum rules dictate that you can't say 56' cat without giving us the details. Actually they don't but we wanna know about your boat.

[Simi 60]

This is what you need attached to a bike tube
Cheap and don't break down and have caught countless large mackeral, tuna, kingfish etc

[StuM]

Trolling off a cat is generally hunting for food, not a sporting activity.
IOW, use the heaviest tackle you can find on as short and strong a rod as you can find.


I also second SIMI60's yoyo for basic trolling. (I often have a rod out on one side and yoyo on the other)

[Nicholson58]

Yup, what they said. Usually easy from a cat.

We, however, drag squiddies or cedar plugs using a Penn 9/0 reel and stubby stiff, short rod. This gets the line away from the hull (mono hull). There is too much stuff on our transom for fishing.

Your biggest obstacle will be dealing with sargasso weed. There are many times we stop fishing. I have wondered about running a down-rigger and release just below the surface as is done in the Great Lakes.

In anchorages and harbors you can use spinning tackle. Some places require licenses.

Don’t plan to spear fish most places unless for Lion fish. You need to know how to do this and how to handle them without getting stung. Learn which species and in what places there might be ciguatera toxin. Also, most places officially prohibit taking reef fish.

[Michael Pope]

As a delivery skipper and cruiser i never used a Rod and lived on Mahi mahi Fishing was only done for food and within a hour of when you wanted to eat, I kid you not!
!/8 inch braided Nylon Line (only nylon) on a hand spool ( always use your cotton gardening /fishing gloves stored on the hand rail in spray and rain.) 8--10 ft of 1/16" flexible Stainless rigging wire "Nico Pressed " loops both ends. (short 2" or less)
In another lesson I will show how to build your Lure right on the wire. Cost less than $2.
Only troll at slow speed (Less than 8-10 knots ) let out the line until the lure breaks the surface occasionally on the second or third wave of your wake (depends on the height of your rail and transom) NOW when you get a fish on -- PUT ON YOUR GLOVES--- stand at the back corner of your rail brace your self and feet , raise your hands to shoulder height. with your hands 5 to 6 feet apart Pull the line in as fast as you can with big swings of your upper body. Till you are within 3 feet of the fish "Yell get out of the way "and throw the fish into the cockpit. Grab a winch handle and kill the poor thing while you kneel on it. Be Merciful do it quick. The Mahi and most Pelagic fish are deep body but thin when they get on the surface they flopalong on their side and get no grip on the water if you pull them fast enough. Even a small person can handle a 45 pound Mahi this way , But get it into the Cockpit real quick or you will have the fight of your life and blood all over your boat. If you have an old towel ready drop it at least over the fishe's eyes before you kneel on it . It may lay still for a moment or two. Then you may cry or your woman might. as it dies and turns from a gorgeous blue to a DEAD Yellow.
Enjoy the fish my mouth is watering. Mike Pope

[Michael Pope]

OOps I leftout The boat end of the fishing line stick a loop ofthe 1/8 inch fishing line thru a SS loop in the end of the push pit and stick a match in it. When the stick breaks you have caught something TIE the slack line arround the Stern cleat . or the fish gets to go fishing!!!

[sailjumanji]

In my experience, the biggest obstacle is slowing the boat down to get the fish in!

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by sailjumanji

In my experience, the biggest obstacle is slowing the boat down to get the fish in!

Not usually a problem we found in the past.
Over about 12 knots of boat speed and the fish usually ends up skating across the surface and is easy to pull in.
Can't do that on current vessel, she's an 8 knotter

[Michael Pope]

Ha Ha That is why the professional charter boats food fishing hauling in system i wrote about using full length arm swings --horizontal swings, is so good it keeps the fish skipping along on the surface unable to breath naturally and unable to swim and try to pull you out of the boat---- but you cannot pause or stop -- as soon as the fish breaks the surface you have to keep him on the surface all the way to the cockpit. Even verry Wahoo can be handled that way ---- but do not let them get control. OOOhh !

[SV Tru]

Want something visual to check out? YouTube; "Sailing Nahoa" has four episodes related to fishing off the back of their 41' Lagoon

[Hardhead]

I think a relatively short and stiff heavy spinning rig is the easiest to handle for me. Simple to maneuver around shrouds, etc, and with braid, they can easily handle up to 100 lb test now-a-days.

[Fletchccc]

Thanks for the tips, all.
I have always just clamped a reel to the railing and trolled myself but since we are putting her into charter and offering fishing to guests, I wanted something that appeared more professional. I’ll check out the recs!
The new boat is a 2020 Bali 5.4. Can’t wait to sail!

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Hardhead

I think a relatively short and stiff heavy spinning rig is the easiest to handle for me. Simple to maneuver around shrouds, etc, and with braid, they can easily handle up to 100 lb test now-a-days.

Agree about a short stiff rod ~6,' but we use 2 speed lever drag reels instead of a spinning. Shimano or Penn 2 speeds are good and we set ours up w/100# braid combined w/some heavy mono. Also if you are setting up for charter, fighting belts are a plus unless you have full fighting chairs. The rod holder in the belt should match to the rod butt end (we prefer the crossed ones w/metal ends).


Bill O.

[Redreuben]

Oh Dear. I wrote a post “trolling” you on your abilities as fisherman as I thought it was obviously humour.
Apparently not.
So if that wicked thought occurs to you your only reward will be a warning.
Tight lines fellas.