How Many Lures Do You Go Through in a Year's Warm-Water Cruising ?

[fishwife]

I sort of know the answer to this, at least how many I need. I get through about 2 a month, mainly they get stolen by big fish (I think)

I use multi-strand steel wire leaders and good quality swivels and crimps. When I'm fishing for food, I'll use 35kg test line.

Is the rate I get through them excessive. Has anyone any tips to reduce the number donated to the fish?

Help from the experts much appreciated.

P.

[Bash]

I've got a cedar plug that I've dragged at least 10,000 nm, and so far the only thing I've caught is an albatros.

I'm guessing I'll get another 10,000 out of that plug.

[hummingway]

If you are losing that much tackle to fish with the rig you're using you are dealing with some very big fish, have your drag set too tight and not enough play your rod.

I lose most hardware to snags though occasionally sharp teeth will cut a mono leader. I try to use cheaper hardware, lprefer to drift fish whle actually managing the line so I can react quicker. If I'm trolling from the sailboat I watch the fishfinder for bottom changes and react to that.

If you are losing that kind of hardware to fish is it while you are fighting the fish? While trolling in a rod holder? I would suggest ease the drag on your reel in both cases. When trolling the sound of the line running should be how you know there is a fish on. If you are fighting a fish use your rods flex to your advantage. Pull the fish towards you with the rod and then reel as you drop the tip. This allows the rod to take some of the strain instead of the line. Keep the drag loose enough that before your rod fully flexes the fish can run with the line. Don't try to "horse" the fish in unless it is small enough.

How big are the fish you're catching?

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by hummingway

How big are the fish you're catching?

Thanks for the advice. Virtually all the gear I've lost has been to bigg'ish fish. Last year we spent a lot of time around areas in the Pacific that had sea mounts and we deliberately spent a few days fishing every two weeks. Actually it's the other members of the crew who are most keen on fishing. I do a little though, but often with disappointing results. I lost a few bill fish without getting them near enough to the boat to be sure what some of them were. Two were definitely marlin. The biggest fish we landed was a 128lb tuna but I suspect that we lost most tackle to tuna we didn't even get to see. We've never lost tackle on Mahi Mahi.

P.

[hummingway]

Marlin, that's a kettle of fish alright. A fellow I used to know guided marlin fly fishing off the Baha. They didn't land much though. The technique was to use a bait fish to tease the marlin in close (inverted hooks in the bait fish) and then cast these huge, gaudy flies in front of the marlin which would at that point be so PO'd they would demolish the fly. His first instructions to his customers was to keep their fingers clear of the line. The marlin would strip a 100 meters of line in seconds and a that speed the line is like a saw and will remove fingers. Like I said they didn't land many but I guess it was pretty exciting stuff.

If you're catching fish that size losing a couple of lures a month doesn't seem to bad.

[capt_douglas]

I've lost that many lures in a morning!

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by capt_douglas

I've lost that many lures in a morning!

Tell me about it. Bull kelp is Public Enemy # One. It seems to know when I've put an expensive cod jig on!

[forsailbyowner]

With the crab pots around the west coast of fl I lose a lure every time I take my eyes off the water. I use eco spoons with the one big affixed hook. Bounces off the lines most of the time. Last time up the coast I lost a dozen lures, but put up 60 pints of mackeral and king.

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

With the crab pots around the west coast of fl I lose a lure every time I take my eyes off the water. I use eco spoons with the one big affixed hook. Bounces off the lines most of the time. Last time up the coast I lost a dozen lures, but put up 60 pints of mackeral and king.

What is your canning procedure? Do you do it on the boat?

[forsailbyowner]

Yes straight from cleaning table to jars then as soon as 20 are ready they get pressure canned. I'm working on a smoker setup to run off rail mount grill. The smoked canned fish is to die for.

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by forsailbyowner

Yes straight from cleaning table to jars then as soon as 20 are ready they get pressure canned. I'm working on a smoker setup to run off rail mount grill. The smoked canned fish is to die for.

Can you explain the canning procedure please. It's not something that common in the UK and it sounds like a good way of keeping fish when the freezer is full.

P.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by fishwife

It's not something that common in the UK

Could that possibly be because canning technology was developed under the direct order of Napoleon Bonaparte?

[driftrolla]

dont 'feel bad losing gear its all part of the fun

A few years back we did a 6 month trip brisbane, solomon islands, png to cairns back to brisbane lost 100+ lures in that time to very big fish in the end, after i had none left i used s/s hooks with some strips of wine casks and a bit of old rope all whipped on to he hook like a fly worked just as good as a $20 lure. then lost that amount again oh well @#$% happens.

BIG FISH + LIGHT TACKLE = -$
-LURES

HAVE FUN

[capt_douglas]

I sailed for a time with a cruiser who made his own lures out of tin cans, some colored nylon scraps and cheap hooks.

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by capt_douglas

I sailed for a time with a cruiser who made his own lures out of tin cans, some colored nylon scraps and cheap hooks.

The ONLY lures that work here in the Arabian Gulf are cut up Diet Coke cans. Pepsi or regular Coke just don't do it for these fishies here!