Fishing under sail

Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
I've noticed a severe lack of sailboats recently while the Humpys and Coho salmon are running.
Usually I'm the only sailboat out there among hundreds of boats fishing.
Only once this year have I seen another sailboat fishing.
(For you locals, I've been South of Possession Point, and the fishing has been great.)

Where are you guys? Do you ever fish?
Fishing under sail is quiet and you don't need much wind
(2.5 knots for Coho and 1 or less for humpys)
I just use the headsail and adjust my speed by how much I unroll.

I even use (manual) downriggers. I built some mounts that just slide on my track.

Ken
 
May 10, 2004
182
Catalina 30 Puget Sound
Ken, I've been down your way 6 times in the last three weeks. I've mostly drifted with tides between Mukilteo and Shipwreck. Drifting on a Catalina 30 dragging a Buzz Bomb..... heh heh Carnaby Street/ Everett
 
Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
I'll have to watch for you

Ken, I've been down your way 6 times in the last three weeks. I've mostly drifted with tides between Mukilteo and Shipwreck. Drifting on a Catalina 30 dragging a Buzz Bomb..... heh heh Carnaby Street/ Everett
You could have been the other boat I've seen. It just seems a natural to fish from a boat that goes the right speed for the fish. Last time out (A buddy and I) limited on silvers in less than 2 hours (plus travel time from Everett.)
 
May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
When ever

When ever I'm offshore, I usually have a line in the water. In the gulf, 6 knots or so is excellent trolling speed. A trolling feather will get King Mackeral, Spanish Mackeral, Mahi Mahi, Tuna and more. But I rarely see any other sailboats with lines in the water.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
I fish with a hand line while at anchor.
 

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
am currently in southwest coast of mexico and when i sail far enough off shore to catch fish i have a hand line 100-200 pound test with a lure on it trailing behind with a slipknot to my aft mizzen shroud...i always boat my fishie--if it is still on hook by time it is to boat--it is on board for dinner--i ceased using rods and reels as they are pricey to keep breaking...now i do it mexican style and i do not lose as many fishies as i did in gom using a rod n reel.
 
Jun 4, 2004
844
Hunter 28.5 Tolchester, MD
Trolling for Blues

When my boys were growing up we trolled for blue fish off Rock Hall in the Chesapeake using surgicaltubing lures trolled from our shoal draft Hunter 25 and main sail alone. Usually did quite well with no engine noise to the surprise of some of the sport fishermen who thought we were messing with their fishing until they noticed they were fishing but we were catching!
 
Aug 2, 2011
90
Newport 30 MKIII Madeira Beach, FL
Brought in a 15lb king over the transom of my Newport 30 on Friday under sail making 4 or 5 knots using a $3 rod & reel I got at a garage sale.
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
When ever I'm offshore, I usually have a line in the water. In the gulf, 6 knots or so is excellent trolling speed. A trolling feather will get King Mackeral, Spanish Mackeral, Mahi Mahi, Tuna and more. But I rarely see any other sailboats with lines in the water.

this was caught the weekend you went to pcola...caught it on a plug on the outside off orange beach...six hrs later it was on the grill blackened and seasoned with tony Thatcher's seasoning man was it rich......

regards

woody
 

Attachments

rfrye1

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Jun 15, 2004
589
Hunter H376 San Diego
Actually I wish this was mine. My son lives on Kauai. This is his buddy, out one day last month. 234#. Took them almost 2 hours to get that sucker in the boat. They were in a 27' fishing boat. It must have been something! I go tuna fishing all the time when I go to Kauai to visit my kids, and my biggest is about 60#. I cannot imagine 234#!!
 
Oct 24, 2010
2,405
Hunter 30 Everett, WA
Jan 22, 2008
551
NorSea 27 Az., Doing the To-Do list
Thanks Greg. That's an interesting way to subdue a fish. I may need to try that. Ever use other kinds of alcohol? I've got some old bottles around here somewhere.
On the fish, or in me??:dance::D

Yes, I have used other stuff, what ever is handy and low cost works.

Greg
 

caguy

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Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
I ususally toast to the fishes demise, never thought to include him.
 

Caish

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Jul 23, 2011
12
Catalina 22 Home
Nov 17, 2018
10
Wauquiez Pretorien Washington
Actually I wish this was mine. My son lives on Kauai. This is his buddy, out one day last month. 234#. Took them almost 2 hours to get that sucker in the boat. They were in a 27' fishing boat. It must have been something! I go tuna fishing all the time when I go to Kauai to visit my kids, and my biggest is about 60#. I cannot imagine 234#!!
In the late 70's I worked at Kewalo Basin on Oahu. There was a local named Bernie who would go out commecial fishing by himself, not taking tourist. He'd stay out for days on his haole sampan. One trip he came back with SIX ahi, each in the 250lb range! The cockpit was so full of fish, scuppers on his boat were awash. Needless to say, he was a legend, and talked about for days. In true Hawaiian fashion, he sold five of the fish, and cut the other one up to give away. If you were lucky enough to walk by, you'd go home with a piece of fish the size of a small soccer ball. I ate fresh ahi for days...Good memories
 
Jan 13, 2009
394
J Boat 92 78 Sandusky
Caught some nice Mahi Mahi trolling a cedar plug coming back from the Virgins with a hand reel. We killed the fish by pouring a couple of drops of rum in the gills. No thrashing around and no mess in the cockpit.