Off shore Trolling

[DazSamFishing]

I am coming close to taking delivery if my new rig, and I am bloody excited and so is the missus! Only a few weeks left and its time to hit the ocean once again. I will be new to the off shore trolling scene, so I need some useful advice on what to look for or where to start trolling? My main area would be anywhere off the Gold Coast. Summer is soon approaching so I will want to get stuck into some maks, tuna, and hopefully some bills and wahoo. Any tips would be great!

Daz

[Jeremy]

if you want to do it seriously, best shot is to join a local game or sport fishing club.

Jeremy

[AaronF]

For starting up you will need a few basics. Two lever drag (TLD 20'S maybe) rigged on 10-15kg rods and spooled with 10-15kg mono (or Braid if you like but mono is preferable for trolling). An assortment of lures both hardbody and skirted. Try Halco Laser Pros and Blue Pilly's as well as some Hollowpoint or Pakula skirts in the smaller range 4-6".

Start trolling with the rods spaced at different lengths behind the boat 20-50M is a good starting point and aim for 5-7 knots to start using your SOG on the GPS if you have one. Find an area that has bait like Mermaid Reef, 12's, 18's or Palmy Reef as starting points or look for other boats trolling. Have your lever drag set at about half drag to start so that the hooks can be set but you can then hook up and increase the drag to begin the fight. Keep the boat in gear if it's a decent fish and release those you don't want to keep.

There are other threads on this subject if you search this website so get to it young man. Things to research are leaders, hook set-ups in skirted lures, how to read that sounder you paid too much money for (there is a great thread on this site) and lure colours. Work your way up to three rods eventually with the middle one in close in the prop wash and during certain times of the year (something else to research) expect all three to go off at once which makes for great fun.

Please release all Marlin (even your first) as they are too magnifcent to kill and it does wonders for your fishing karma.

[DazSamFishing]

Thanks AaronF

I have recently purchased two TLD25's with 15-24kg rods to suit. I will be using 30lb mono and 50lb mono on those reels. I have done plenty of headland trolling for tailor, bonito, and trevs so I always like leaving out a metal lure out the back attached to my EFS80, but would this work off shore? I have heard so much in regard to offshore trolling, its amazing to hear and see so many techniques used. However, I am very keen to get into it! You mentioned GOS which I haven't heard of? I am stepping up in the GPS/sounder world. I have only used a couple of small Matrix17's etc in my other smaller boats and will be using the 97C in my new boat! Also, you seem to know what your on about... So what is your opinion on wire vs mono leader? I have never been keen on wire all my fishing life! In addition, would you suggest heading out to one of the Goldie reefs to search for my own trolling path? Should I just follow the reef but keep an eye out for bait fish? More help would be muchly appreciated!

Daz

[Jeremy]

There is a hell of alot ot learn if you want to seriously target bills. A good starting point is www.pakula.com.au

Jeremy

[DazSamFishing]

Hey Jeremy,

I am not particularly interested in bill fishing, although, I know there are alot of fishos out there that want to fulfil one of their fishing dreams. I remember the first time I hooked up on a small marlin, I was just out off The Gold coast Seaway fishing the 12 fathom line when one of my cowanyoung livies took off... Unfortunately I managed to lose the fish because I didnt have a clue about what to do by myself with 2 other rods in use! However, I really just want to know what rigs to use trolling, where to point the boat and what lures to use and what to look for...

Cheers

Daz

[Lobster48]

You really need to identify a target species before you anyone can tell you give you any decent tips. THe rods, reels, lures, line, locations, speeds, spacing etc etc all depend upon the species.

Lobster

[Sportfish_5]

Look for life out there - whether thats structure holding bait/birds/baitfish/current lines/temp breaks. Understand how current flows around your local area. There is a lot more to offshore trolling than any other form of fishing and once you have an understanding of the pelagics world you are half way there.

Wire - for me most definitely if you are chasing hoo or spannos but only short single strand wire traces with high quality small dark swivels to minimize bubble trails. For the rest, definitely no wire.


Learning is half the fun - best of luck


Cheers

Greg

[davez104]

SOG + Speed Over Ground ;)

Dave

[DazSamFishing]

Thanks guys, I suppose I will start off targeting a frequently encountered species which is probably the mack tuna. I still don't understand SOG... Does anyone care to explain? I am also keen on getting into the spotties this season... So I suppose they would also be on my to do list... If I can get experience with these fish, then I can move up in the pelagic world. Does lure size matter for the spotties and mack tuna?

[hungry6]

I don't think you really need to go offshore to target spotties and macs or similar tuna species, plenty of old member here who does it , just need them to reply. I'm too scare to stick a big lure or bait over the side and troll. My arms are pernamently stretch from the last 2 AJs that jump on my little pillie out on the bank.
Happy fishing with your new rig.

[DazSamFishing]

I definately know how to get them in the bay with slugs. I went through a phase of only fishing with metal for almost a year... and boy did I have some fun! I still can't get enough of flicking metal at hungry surface feeders... But I think that trolling would be the way to go if I take out the missus' old man and mine! I know a lot of team work is envolved when off shore trolling...

Anyone have any other suggestions... I know of a mate the trolls hex heads at 15knots... and others that troll just behind the breakers off moreton is. Is this effective?

[AaronF]

Hey Daz

SOG is as stated speed over ground. What this means is your actual speed in relation to how fast you are moving across the water as if it were solid earth. Remember that water moves in currents so if you set your engine revs at 2000rpm when going down current you would have a much faster speed in real terms than going upcurrent with the same revs. Current, wind direction and swell all affect the SOG you will achieve.

You ask about wire, personally I never use it even for wahoo but others will disagree, I compensate by using a decent snap swizel than gives you a few more precious inches and fit it to 150lb Jinkai or the like with a length twice that of the fish I'm chasing tied to a double Bimini twist wind on leader.

Try lures that work at similar speeds to start like hard bodies and skirts, I've used Hexheads before but for me they were no more effective (probably less) than my regular set-up and the fuel burn was much less expensive. Jeremy's comment (stop giving away all the secrets will ya) is a great reference point. The Pakula Marlin Bar has all you need to know about offshore trolling + some (buy the CD it's worth it) and although targeted at Billies is applicable to most types of fishing. It is all a learning curve so try different trolling patterns, speeds, lures, distances, colours and ground and find what works for you. Everyone has something akin to their own style so switch drivers when you are trolling as well - this worked for us on numerous occasions when we were having a dry day.

Most of all enjoy it and remember research, research and research and it will all come to you.

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Daz,

I use 150lb mono for all species... all species will take a lure rigged on mono, where a lot shy away from wire.
You might loose the odd wahoo / mackeral, but I think your strike rate when using mono more than compensates for these few losses.
If you knew you were trolling around a school of mackeral, then maybe use wire.

I would troll 4 rods / lures if you have them.

Dont try and mix skirted and hard body lures - use one or the other a tthe one time.

Skirted lures around 150mm or 6 inches are good for all species - try the Pakula Uzi's & Fluzi's.
Colours to definitely have - lumo green, black & purple, blue & green, pink.

Hard bodied lures - as stated above - the halco range is good ... I especially like the crazydeep 7m+ (black and purple) trolled at around 4 knots ;)

Set the strike drag of your tld 25 to 1/3 of the breaking strain of your line.
so if using 15kg line, set the drag to 5 kg - this way you are less likely to break off on a nice fish.

The last thing is - just get out there and try ... there are no absolute rights and wrongs... try different areas, try different lures and techniques.

You could also invite someone off here who knows what they are doing ... take them out for the day in exchange for showing you how to set everything up.

Cheers

Pete

[AaronF]

I have to disagree with Pete on the mixing of lures, I always ran skirts with hardbodies but you need to use lures that work at similar speeds. As both of us said earlier it's a matter of finding what works for you, this system didn't work for him but did for me so a great example of trying different things right there. If you do shoose skirts with hardbodies then run the skirt in the middle to start in closer than the rest and see how you go. 4 Rods is a little more difficult on a smaller boat (was for me anyway) but you can try flatlining (research and buy the right rubber bands) as a measure to cope on windy days. Great advice on finding someone that knows what they are doing but what works for them doesn't mean that it works for others. Read Pakula's article in the new Bluewater Mag for some inspiration on that front. Oh and Pete's tip on lure colours for Pakula styles is spot on. You will find that certain fish love certain colours which is why a variation is the norm unless you are a snob and only want Spaniards for instance.

[DazSamFishing]

Thanks for the extra help guys. Also, if you don't mind me asking... Do many troll baits such as gar or slimies? Or troll with live slimies? I have heard that this way is far more productive than lures! I will be learning how to rig dead baits for trolling purposes. Also, when I get my new boat... Is anyone up for given me hand trolling? There seems so much to learn apart from pointing the boat and driving! Anymore tips are welcome... PLEASE


Cheers

Daz

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Daz - The answeres to all your questions - yes.

But - learn to crawl before you walk .... you cant possibly know all there is to know about trolling on your first day out.
Start with lures, get the feel for whats happening, then progress up.
(thats just my advice)

Aaron - I will do you a deal ... you teach me how to combine hard bodies and skirts successfully, and I will teach you how to run multiple rods from the boat successfully ;D

We commonly run 5 for billfish, quite often 7 when "searching" and have been known to run up to 9 ... just to give us a sporting chance ;D

We had 9 out one day with 2 people on the boat - got a 4 hookup of 30kg Yellowfin .... very interesting....

Cheers

Pete

[Big_Ren]

We had 9 out one day with 2 people on the boat - got a 4 hookup of 30kg Yellowfin .... very interesting....

Cheers

Pete

I have a mental picture in my head Pete of the chaos that would have ensued. Would have loved to have been up on the flybridge happily snapping pics ;D What was the outcome?

Cheers
Paul

[DazSamFishing]

Quad hookup on tuna.... Would that be fun or chaos!!!!

None the less... sounds like fun...

any pics?

If only I could set out that many lines...

For beginners I would probably only run 2 or 3...

Ill let you know how I go...

Also is there a disadvantage running skirts with hardbodies?

Daz

[Grand_Marlin]

G'day Guys,

Both riggers and both corners went off....

Long rigger busted off as drag setting was set on strike and couldnt get to it to back it off (goodbye Pakula Lumo 12")

Long corner dropped hook after about a 400m run

Landed the other 2.

It was in my 18' Sharkcat.

And yeah ... it was chaos - especially with 5 other rods still in the way, and it was my deckies secoond trip ever #8-)

All good fun #;D

[navlight]

Daz,

Just like the other members said, Troll some good quality reliable brands of lures behind your new rig.

In no time you will definatly hook up. The best thing about Trolling is that you just dont know what youll get and thats can be a big suprise.

It will no doubtibly be the time of you life. Good luck mate and Look forwared to the posts of what you caught.

Regards

navlight :)

[DazSamFishing]

Off shore trolling sounds great... I cant wait...

Anyone have any luck trolling baits or livies?

And is 30lb mono on a TLD25 sufficient... the other tld25 has 50lb mono... is this overkill?

Cheers

Daz

[AaronF]

Hey Pete

Love to do that deal but I'm stuck here in Canada working and fine tuning my fly-fishing. 9 Rods sounds like all sorts of fun but I'm thinking you need outriggers for that? I have run 4 before without them but those pesky Mac tuna on all four at once, time and time again hits the bank balance when you're running your newly appointed "favourite" out the back and have to keep replacing them due to the crossovers. We fish out of a 17ft Seafarer thou so I'm sure with practice it could be done

[DazSamFishing]

Hey guys,

Whats the deal... or disadvantage running skirts with hard bodies?

I initially thought that would be fine?

Daz

[gunna]

Hey guys,

Whats the deal... or disadvantage running skirts with hard bodies?

I initially thought that would be fine?

Daz

I am no expert - but its a speed thing. For example you might run your uzi's at about 6k. Its important to match a hardbody that will not blow out at that speed. You need something like a Rapala CD14 or bigger in size. Run the hard body closest to the boat and the skirts out behind a bit.

[DazSamFishing]

Thanks gunna...

How bout bibless mannows/hardbodies... such as mackbaits/giant tremblers... I read something a while ago.. and they seem to be fine... even at higher speeds...

Also, I have heard alot about the mack tuna hitting lures more frequently than any other species... so hopefully I can tangle with a few...

Daz

[fish_outta_water]

sorry to digress from lures daz , but havent seen mention in other replys of f.a.d.s. if you guys use em over there i recomend finding the gps on em , usually dollies hoo and tuna round em
otherwise troll around the shelves or reefs
one lure i can recommend is the larger huntingdon drone on downrigger especially as you like your slice of metal ;)
tightlines

[DazSamFishing]

Looks like I will either be running skirts, bibless minnows, or deep diving minnows...

I have also thought of towing a simple metal spoon off the epix efs80... will this method account for any fish?

Daz