Fishing Rigs

[PhilD]

I'm going to try some offshore fishing and have a vague idea of the kind of setups I'll need, but don't really know what is good and what is bad in terms of brands, materials, etc.

I'm most probably going to start by trolling, Wahoo at first as you only need to be about 20-40 miles out, then maybe Tuna and Mahi further out.

I'm told medium to heavy action graphite rods are the way to go for Wahoo, along with 100lb steel leader and 30-40 lb test, but don't really know much else.

Any input on equipment, setups, etc, is most appreciated.

[Rich]

I don't know much about off-shore stuff. For in-shore stuff there really is no other material other than graphite for a rod, with a few expections of failed materials such as boron. My rod of choice is G-Loomis. GL3 or better. I'm not familiar with their off-shore stuff but I bet it's top notch stuff.

Fishing (and especially off-shore) is one of those hobbies/sports where local info is the difference between a great day on the water and trip after trip of disapointment until you simply give up. Also, the info you need changes ALL the time - so, the best advice I could give you is to support your local tackle store as opposed to price shopping online. You're much more likely to get valuable (and real) information if you build a relationship with your local shop and helping the bottom line.

Choosing the right local shop can be a challange also. Some of the shops around here will hire school kids who have never fished a day in their life. You'll know the shop when you find it. I imagine it would be really close if not right on the water. The one that has a live tank with bait fish in it, down near the dock.

[PhilD]

Funny enough I was thinking about where to buy earlier. The bait places around here have plenty of bait, but no gear. You are left with a couple of specialist stores, which seem to have very high prices, and places like Academy, who sell much of the same gear at much lower prices. My experience of both is limited, but I've often been surprised to overhear conversations at Academy between customers and their staff who seem to be very knowledgeable about what equipment is needed locally.

To start with I'm not going to be top end anything as a/ it is expensive, and b/ I'd rather learn what type of setups work for me first. I'm sure there are good arguments for buying the best you can afford from day one, but I figure that as I can easily run 4 or 5 trolling rods, that I'll find a use for the stuff I start out with.

[Rich]

but I've often been surprised to overhear conversations at Academy between customers and their staff who seem to be very knowledgeable about what equipment is needed locally.

But is the information accurate. If you listen to the guys at one of the chain stores here, he sounds very much like he knows his stuff. Problem is he's full of it. Not saying that is the case with Academy but I could skool any of the guys working at chain stores around here.

To start with I'm not going to be top end anything as a/ it is expensive, and b/ I'd rather learn what type of setups work for me first.

Nothing wrong with that and you're right, sometimes it;s a very personalized thing. Some guy would laugh at me for the lighter tackle (light line and light/med rods) I use to fish for black bass. but I prefer it to hoisting heavier stuff all day. I stop for lunch too.

I'm sure there are good arguments for buying the best you can afford from day one, but I figure that as I can easily run 4 or 5 trolling rods, that I'll find a use for the stuff I start out with.

And it's always a good idea to be sure you actually like fishing enough to invest into it. If you really get into it at some point you'll know who makes the best off-shore stuff for the area. Midline gear makes for great loaners for guys from CA that drive to TX to go Tuna/Mahi fishing with you.

[Charles Helm]

You need to go here:

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/forumdisplay.php?f=6

[PhilD]

You need to go here:

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/forumdisplay.php?f=6

Good find, thanks! I'd looked at a few forums, but most didn't have any info I was looking for, this one seems much better.

[PhilD]

But is the information accurate.

Good point, I may give the local rod shop a try as they apparently are much better at winding line on to reels anyway. I've asked a few people I know that fish offshore, but each has pretty different ideas about what to use.

Midline gear makes for great loaners for guys from CA that drive to TX to go Tuna/Mahi fishing with you.

Anytime, just let me find the fish first

[PhilD]

Man this fishing stuff is hard work!

Picked up a couple of cheap Penn combo rods and they seem to be pretty well made, but I know nothing about fishing gear.

Went out on the weekend, more to just try everything out than anything. Only went 10 miles out, so not much chance of catching what I was setup for, but a good learning experience nonetheless.

This is a real basic question, but I can't find the answer, and know I'm doing it wrong. How do you store all the leaders so you don't end up with a big bird's nest? I have a bunch of 3' wire leaders and they are easy to deal with, but the 20-30' mono leaders proved to be a pain.

[Rich]

This is a real basic question, but I can't find the answer, and know I'm doing it wrong. How do you store all the leaders so you don't end up with a big bird's nest? I have a bunch of 3' wire leaders and they are easy to deal with, but the 20-30' mono leaders proved to be a pain.

The only time I deal with a long leader (and then it's only 10'-12') is for fly fishing. Since the leader is tied onto the fly line and stays there until it's worn out and thrown way, I rarely have to store them. Still, I use fluorocarbon leader at about $5 each so if I take one off that is still good I do keep it. What I do is start at one end and roll the line into very even hoops (similar to a garden hose or properly storing an extension cord) and you may need to twist the line a bit to get it to go into the hoop and lay flat. Then take (longish) tag end and wrap it around the hoops a couple of times in the same direction. With a little practice you'll get really good at this. *that was hard to put into typed words - let me know if I didn't explain it well enough.*

Then get yourself a rubber worm binder to store and separate the leaders. Basically just a canvas like material with a bunch of thick material ziploc bags inside.

[Rich]

BTW - out of curiousity - what are the long mono leaders used for? I mean, I understand the 3' of wire but the long mono has me baffled.

[Rich]

Picked up a couple of cheap Penn combo rods and they seem to be pretty well made, but I know nothing about fishing gear.

I don't know who is making their rods these days but Penn makes great reels. Even the lower end stuff is durable. All my salt water reels are Penn.

One of the weeknesses of Penns lower end stuff is frame flex when fighting a larger fish. I started to get you a link for a conversion kit that inexpensively (or relatively anyway) makes a good Penn real, a great one. Unfortunately the company is out of business and the conversion cost a small fortune on ebay. All Penn gears are the same throughout the line. The difference between say a international and a senator is the frame and side plates.

It may be worth adding a conversion to your ebay want list and see if one comes up cheap that fits your reels. http://www.edwardmortell.com/blog/index ... enn-reels/

There may also be a similar conversion kit made by someone else?

Jeez, at the prices on ebay I may put my reel up for sale.

[PhilD]

BTW - out of curiousity - what are the long mono leaders used for? I mean, I understand the 3' of wire but the long mono has me baffled.

3' 400lb wire leader goes on the lure, then that attaches to 20-30' of 400lb mono shock leader, then another wire leader for the 24 oz lead. As far as I understand it the mono leader is to take the shock when the fish bites, the lead weight needs wire leader as they sometimes bite it too.

It tried coling like you say, but when it came time to uncoil them I ended up in a mess Being a boat bobbing around in the water didn't help, maybe I just need some practice.

[Rich]

3' 400lb wire leader goes on the lure, then that attaches to 20-30' of 400lb mono shock leader, then another wire leader for the 24 oz lead. As far as I understand it the mono leader is to take the shock when the fish bites, the lead weight needs wire leader as they sometimes bite it too.

Now I'm really confused! First, I assume you meant 40lb mono - not 400? So statring from the pole the line on the reel attaches to steel cable for the weight, then 20-30' of shock leader, then more steel cable near the lure. So now I'm imagining "fish on!!!!" how do you reel the fish in? Doesn't the terminal tackle such as a swivel attach the main line to the first steel cable at the weight. I'm seeing the swivel hitting the tip eye and stopping leaving you with a fish 20-30' out still. Are you sure it;s not suposed to be 20-30"?

It tried coling like you say, but when it came time to uncoil them I ended up in a mess

It's hard enough with 10-12'. I can't imagine 30' - though your line is much larger and easier to work with. Somtimes my tippets (leaders) go down as low as 2lb test, which is not much bigger than human hair.

It does take practice. Get consistant at how many times you wrap the tag end so you can count them when unwinding. I still tangle from time to time but what I have gotten good at is not getting the leader so bound up that you can't untangle it. Still, with 20-30' I'd be finding something to wrap it around. Empty line spools and a rubber band comes to mind.

[PhilD]

Now I'm really confused!

Confused me too!

First, I assume you meant 40lb mono - not 400?

Nope, 400 lb, everything from the line down is 400lb rated, swivels, snaps, wire, etc. I'm only using 60 lb line, but I'm told that will be fine, but I definitely need the 400 lb leader. Don't make sense to me, but what do I know

Doesn't the terminal tackle such as a swivel attach the main line to the first steel cable at the weight.

Yup, the first swivel stops the line coming in any further. The rest you do by hand and I guess that is why gloves are needed! You can get the fish pretty close by using the length of the boat, hopefully within the reach of the gaff.

Are you sure it;s not suposed to be 20-30"?

Yes, definitely 20-30'. I spoke to several local people and the local tackle store and they all said 20-30'.

Still, with 20-30' I'd be finding something to wrap it around. Empty line spools and a rubber band comes to mind.

It doesn't like to wrap tight as it is so thick. I did buy some leader which included a "free leader bag" ie: the packaging, but it was a mesh bag about 10" x 10" and I'm wondering if you just put a leader in each bag, but that would need a lot of bags

[Rich]

Nope, 400 lb, everything from the line down is 400lb rated, swivels, snaps, wire, etc. I'm only using 60 lb line, but I'm told that will be fine, but I definitely need the 400 lb leader. Don't make sense to me, but what do I know

That is odd and doesn't make sense to me either, but I know very little about off-shore stuff. I can't see how 400 lb mono would give you any stretch for it's intended purpose as a "shock leader". That said, trust the locals.