Lets Talk Fishin'

Ken Cross · Dec 13, 2010

OK I'm not a fantastic fisherman, but I've enjoyed fishing from our sailboat. I have had the best results just rolling out some headsail to get the speed and direction I want. I vary the sail with wind conditions and I find I usually don't want much sail out. It certainly depends on the species. Chinook Salmon requires SSLOW. Choho Salmon quite a bit faster. This year will be a Humpy (Pink Salmon) year and requires in between speed. There is no diffrence between a sailboat and a powerboat in trolling speed.

Now if I can just catch one!

Best of luck
Ken

zeehag · Dec 13, 2010

i ahve caught a bunch. i use d imitation flying fish i made my self-- they caught me 3 king, 1 dorado, 7 spanish, 3 tuna. i used a 3.8 oz jig with a white doa under a blue and white skirt. towed it 100 + feet behind sailboat. lost more fishies than i caught-- and some even broke my steel leader. i used 40 pound test with 45 pound steel leader, 24 inch, with the jig head and lure . the pole i used was a heavy duty ocean pole with a penn reel --antique both.

Ross · Dec 13, 2010

There are several places where my fish finder goes crazy. I need to plan my passage thru those places. I have some 100 pound test braid and some plastic shad. I will plan to drop a line the next time I sail/motor through there.

Rick I · Dec 14, 2010

rgranger said:
Okay guys,

Based upon the threads I've seen this week, it is definitely winter. What better time to plan next season's attack.

So here is my question! I have never had much luck trolling behind my sailboat.

Trolling cedar plug on a 60# test line. Didn't realize how big it was until I had filleted it. Hence the carcass!

Another nice Mahi-Mahi

caguy · Dec 14, 2010

I use a no-nonsense heavy duty rod with 100# braided line as well. I use a steel leader with a yellow, red and green feather steel plug. I use the steel leader because the barracuda like to steal your lures. I catch mostly mackerel and bonito in our area. On the way over to Catalina I've caught some good size sharks, still waiting for that large tuna. I ways worry about the Dolphins, but I guess they are too smart.
I have a couple of lighter rigs for when the wind is at a dead stand still. During halibut season I use live bait. For everything else I use squid. For the lobster I use five hoops and the mackerel.

Dad and me San Felipe, Mx 1956

DannyS · Dec 14, 2010

It all depends on where you fish, small lakes, big lakes, really big lakes (I sail on Lake Superior) or oceans. I use a downrigger setup to get my lures (Rappalas and spoons mostly) down anywhere between 30 to 100 feet depending on the time of year. We mainly catch Lake Trout, Coho Salmon and Whitefish. We never exceed 2 knots and thats moving pretty fast for our cold water fish. Realistically, 1 to 1.5 knots is ideal.

zeehag · Dec 14, 2010

i troll behind sailboat at sea,,, cobalt blue water....yummmmmmmmmm

caught my dorado female at about 4-5 kts sailing off florida west coast somewhere.....100 ft depth

RichH · Dec 14, 2010

All depends on what you are after!

My preference is to troll with jigs (twister tails, etc.) and bucktails (usually in tandem) just about any time the boat goes below 3 kts. --- for Striped bass and other Bass. When the fish are deeper, I troll from a lead downrigger ball with 'snap release' shackles.

The best fun is when stripers are surface feeding in 'light' conditions .... then LARGE 'atom-poppers' (a favorite New England surface plug) on the surface from a very slow moving or drifting boat.

When at anchor in the brackish N. Chesapeake .... always time for white/yellow perch and the occasional crappy with maribou jigs or 'panfish assassins' and ultralight tackle .... sometimes will pick up 'snapping bluefish' or small fluke (flounder).
All year long for white perch whenever possible, they're just 'slower' in winter.

For deep ocean fishing, especially in or near the gulfstream .... any floating large areas of sargassum weed with 'flying' flying fish is going to get my attention for a slow troll - mahi-mahi / dolphin !!!!! .... for those I prefer SMALL yellow/silver lures to pick up only the 'smaller' and more easily 'boardable' ones. When I can get them I prefer to troll a small ballyhoo or small flying fish for 'dolphin'.
Downrigger ball and 'silvered' lures very deep for albacore and other tuna.
My typical is 30# line and SMALL lures, as its too much a PITA to bring on board anything 'big'.

All U Get · Dec 14, 2010

Where do we clean the fish? I used the cockpit floor thinking easy wash-down. Blood stains spread pretty quickly, any thoughts?
All U Get

ggrizzard · Dec 14, 2010

My experience:
Take lots of beer...
Find shrimp trawler who's been out for a few days...
Swap some of what they got for some of what you got!:dance:

Joe · Dec 14, 2010

All U Get said:
Where do we clean the fish? I used the cockpit floor thinking easy wash-down. Blood stains spread pretty quickly, any thoughts?
All U Get

That's exactly the problem..... when people ask me if I fish on my boat...I say no... "Why not?" they ask... And I answer "Because I might catch something.. then what?" heh, heh.... seriously though, unless I was cruising for a number of days I wouldn't mess with it. If I wanted to fish... I'd have bought a fishing boat.

But, hey... that's just my preference.

Ross · Dec 14, 2010

I have done my share of butchering and the critter doesn't matter, the job is always messy.

catsailor · Dec 14, 2010

For trolling for blues and Rockfish on the Chesapeake and nearby Atlantic, on a small sailboat such as yours, it is very hard to beat a cuban yo-yo set-up.

http://sail-delmarva.blogspot.com/2010/04/yo-yo-fishing.html

There are many variations. Try 150' of 80# line, a 10- to 20-foot leader, a 2-4 ounce trolling sinker with swivel, at 3-4 knots for rock, faster for blues (you won't be able to go too fast), and water ever lures the locals suggest. Bungies are a waste, since the line will stretch 10-20 feet on a hit anyway. Poles take too much space and you still have to store the leaders and lures on a spool. In season I figure on a hit every 1-6 hours, depending on my level of attention.

On a small boat I would take one light pole (8- to 20-pound) for fishing at anchor.

Some fisherman came back in off the Bay in Deale today--they couldn't keep the ice off the reels (30-40 knots at 25F)!

Rick I · Dec 14, 2010

I used a Cuban Yoyo for years. That's a good economical way to start. You need a really good pair of gloves to haul the fish in fast. I used surgical rubber to take the strike. Made my own lures from those shiny bags that box wine used to come in. Think it's like Mylar. I don't really like fish but my wife loves it. I enjoy a good spicy chowder made from the carcass. Our favourites are Mahi and Wahoo.

zeehag · Dec 14, 2010

i keep my pole in a pole holder i made of pvc tubing. it lives there whether i fish or sail. is safe there. isnt in the way, i have enough room in my cockpit to butcher a lamb, goat or baby moose. lol....and still sail. washing off after killing fishies is easy-- plastic under fishie and sea water to clear. i wont bring anything bigger than me into cockpit--i prefer smaller than 50 pounds so i can win the fight....and is fun to fight the fishies whenye use 45 pound test..and i use 24 inch steel leader-- 45 pound test last time i fished. i had 35 pound get snapped as if it were thread...
'

caguy · Dec 14, 2010

I stored my three pole clipped to the ceiling in the salon. They were never in the way. The boat hook was also stored there, within easy reach from the cockpit.

Lets Talk Fishin'

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