Your most productive sailboat fishing rig?

[George_SD]

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to see what rigs are producing the most fish for you. In order for this to be useful, I will ask you to provide some basic information

1) where - typical sailing area
2) off-shore or coastal
3) typical catch
4) rig
5) lure/bait


I'll start:

Where - Southern California
Off-shore/coastal - coastal, while under way.
Typical catch - bonito, barracuda
Rig - trolling setup, 15-30lb rod with spinning reel and 40lb braid, 20lb leader, second is 30-60lb rod, casting reel, 60lb braid and 30lb leader.
Lure/bait - Taddy surface irons, Rapalla X-Rap, cedar plugs
Additional info -I usually have two lines going from the stern, one on each side. I like to have one that is diving 20-30ft and one staying close to the surface. We love eating fresh bonito. Drag is set rather soft so that if we catch a giant kelp paddy it doesn't break the line off and instead spools the line. I keep a small kill bag on the boat and usually bring a few frozen water bottles or some ice before we set out. On multi-day trips I clean them right away, but if we are out for a couple hours - i just keep them as-is until we get back.

I've tried a bunch of lures and so far Tady surface irons, X-Rap, cedar plugs and squid skirts have produced. I'm going to be trying out some squid daisy chains, apparently they are good for our area.

I'm hoping for dorado, tuna and yellow tail, but so far no luck.

On anchor, small jigs (1-2oz at most) and some jerk-baits are producing lots of kelp bass and bonito

[psk125]

We dragged a lure between Bermuda and Montauk. Some sort of shiny spoon with squiggly rubber calamari on it. 600 miles and nothing. Quite discouraging. Good thing we had other stuff to eat. It seems 8 knots is too fast for good fishing.

[BillKny]

We have fully half the fish we catch on good old-fashioned cedar plugs. For dolphin, a surface "chugger" seems to be the best.

Vertical jigging has been very productive for us. Deep dropping 500 to 1000 feet for snapper, and tile fish has been a great freezer filler.

http://thefishingsailor.com

[George_SD]

Originally Posted by BillKny

For dolphin, a surface "chugger" seems to be the best.

http://thefishingsailor.com

You mean like the actual dolphin?

[Scott Berg]

We troll two lines with whatever the locals use; off shore it's a surface plug and large (7" spoon). If we get a mahi mahi on we tend to heave to, keep it on the line near the boat, and cast in with lighter gear; they school up... the key, change depths if you aren't catching; fish are out there. Buy and follow Bannerot's book. it's the best

[evm1024]

I've had the most luck with a $10 lure.

Just row up to a fishing boat, wave the $10 bill in the air and a fish will appear.

Sometimes it takes a little whiskey or fresh bread.


Works best from the PNW to Alaska.

Not sure that it is right for the tropics.

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by George_SD

You mean like the actual dolphin?

Dolphin fish, aka mahi

[George_SD]

Originally Posted by chris mac

Dolphin fish, aka mahi

LOL, ok - i got worried there for a second.

[wannacat]

psk125-"We dragged a lure between Bermuda and Montauk. Some sort of shiny spoon with squiggly rubber calamari on it. 600 miles and nothing. Quite discouraging. Good thing we had other stuff to eat. It seems 8 knots is too fast for good fishing."
I've got a buddy who sits in the boat beside me and never catches anything while I load the stringer full of fish, I think you guys could be related!?

[sailscubasurf]

Southern California:

Paracord and wire leader, tied off to stern cleat and use a bungee cord for shock load. Use a squid-looking lure and catch mainly bonita, but some tuna.

In Baja, same set up consistently caught Mahi-Mahi.

[Cadence]

I've found a plain old silver spoon or a jiggered eel, apiece of surgical tubing, works well.

[boatman1]

I don’t believe that a lure skipping along at eight knots is going to escape the interest of any respectable fish that you’d wish to eat. Faster the better-the commotion attracts the fish and they have less of an opportunity to examine the lure. Tropical waters are generally most productive, though tuna will be found in more temperate regions. A green and yellow trolling feather with a5/0 or 6/0 hook will frequently have the fish queued up to become your dinner.

[LeeV]

Originally Posted by George_SD

You mean like the actual dolphin?

Dolphin fish = Mahi Mahi

[AiniA]

We found the locale mattered a lot. We typically used a longish, squid-like thing in various bright colours. Every time we put it in the water in the Indian Ocean we got a mani-mahi, generally in less than 30 minutes. At times we were doing more than eight knots, speed did not matter. In the Pacific with the same rig and similar conditions very little luck. Coming up the Atlantic from South Africa to the Caribbean in generally less wind we had mixed success.

[zeehag]

pacific ocean off shore coastal... 200 pound test line with a lure looking like whatever the jumping fishies are eating--flying fish colored or silver spinner... catch peanuts--small tunas, bonitos, dorados, sierras. share raw and fresh with my cat and whatever pickup crew i have on board.
affix the line to mizzen aftshroud using a hitch and slipknot--i know i have a fish when the loop of slipknot disappears. hand haul fishie to transom and lift by hand so aas not to lose the prize. dinner always.
friends using a rod n reel setup in a 45 fuji caught what they called marlin but looked more like pez vela--sailfish... and released... beautiful fishie..