How do they do that?

[bidkev]

I'm pretty new to chasing pelagics.

Lots of reports here lately of break-offs whilst chasing spotties.

I got smashed 8 times the first time I got into them at Palm. I'm on 30lb main line (prepared for the unexpected) and 40lb 7 strand wire and I get smashed! My knots and rigs are sound and I'm not using brass swivels. The reels on ratchet with the drag set lightly to avoid over-runs and each time I've been broken at the line (Maxima) which is in good condition. I get a run.....pick up the rod........and then nothing.......I don't even get to feel a fish there.

Do 5 kilo spotties hit the bait that fast that they can snap 30lb or do you think myself, and other folk who've been smashed, are encountering Spaniards amongst the spotties?

Cheers

kev

[mackmauler]

nothing to do with how fast they, even the fastest game such as sails can be stopped on 12lb, or less, just to keep the ansa boys happy the lines being cut one way or another, bait sliding up the line? toadfish? sharks? mack teeth most likely, one way or another.

[bidkev]

nothing to do with how fast they, even the fastest game such as sails can be stopped on 12lb, or less, just to keep the ansa boys happy the lines being cut one way or another, bait sliding up the line? toadfish? sharks? mack teeth most likely, one way or another.

The bait is float fished with 6feet of wire trace. I've had plenty of sharks and *none* of them have ever ran that fast. I've caught 8 footers on the same line. I can only think that the fish are actually striking the line itself? Nice clean water......sun glinting off the nylon enticing the spotties or whatever they are?.....The runs did seem faster that the runs given by those I landed.

cheers

kev

[mackmauler]

Kev, thats a *lot* of wire the bubble trail from that alone is worth some lateral thinking, your on the right track with the mono as well, and dont think the fish you are connected to is the one that chopped you off...wasnt suggesting a shark would have run *that* fast, but they are fast enough to catch mack species soon after being hooked, often biting the line as they chase.
Rob

[Hagar]

G'day Kev
I think Mackmauler is on the right track . If you are sure of the integrity of the nylon knot to the swivel ( and I have been having some problems with the nylon breaking at the knot when using ultra fine wire shogun swivels) , then you may be being bitten off at the swivel . Bloody hell thats a lot of trace - would last me for months .To give some perspective on line sizes I use 28 lb trace about five inches long and 20 lb mono and cannot remember the last time I have been broken off by spots or blues . If they get off it's been a hook pulled . To my knowledge sharks have been thankfully not much of a problem at this time .
Chris

[bidkev]

Kev, thats a *lot* of wire the bubble trail from that alone is worth some lateral thinking, your on the right track with the mono as well, and dont think the fish you are connected to is the one that chopped you off...wasnt suggesting a shark would have run *that* fast, but they are fast enough to catch mack species soon after being hooked, often biting the line as they chase.
Rob

Cheers Rob,

I reckon you're right......I need to be more "target specific". I got in the habit of making up long wire traces as I used to target shark in the main. I held many a shark for a fair while on shorter traces then I realised that most of my bust offs occured when the shark was steaming away from me. I thought about it and realised that if it was, say a 6 footer and I only had a 4 foot wire, then 2 feet of nylon would be rubbing along the sharks tail.......I'll have to apply some of that thinking to my other fishing I reckon :-)

cheers

kev

[bidkev]

Kev, thats a *lot* of wire the bubble trail from that alone is worth some lateral thinking, your on the right track with the mono as well, and dont think the fish you are connected to is the one that chopped you off...wasnt suggesting a shark would have run *that* fast, but they are fast enough to catch mack species soon after being hooked, often biting the line as they chase.
Rob

Cheers Rob,

I reckon you're right......I need to be more "target specific". I got in the habit of making up long wire traces as I used to target shark in the main. I held many a shark for a fair while on shorter traces then I realised that most of my bust offs occured when the shark was steaming away from me. I thought about it and realised that if it was, say a 6 footer and I only had a 4 foot wire, then 2 feet of nylon would be rubbing along the sharks tail.......I'll have to apply some of that thinking to my other fishing I reckon :-)

cheers

kev

[bidkev]

G'day Kev
I think Mackmauler is on the right track . If you are sure of the integrity of the nylon knot to the swivel ( and I have been having some problems with the nylon breaking at the knot when using ultra fine wire shogun swivels) , then you may be being bitten off at the swivel . Bloody hell thats a lot of trace - would last me for months .To give some perspective on line sizes I use 28 lb trace about five inches long and 20 lb mono and cannot remember the last time I have been broken off by spots or blues . If they get off it's been a hook pulled . To my knowledge sharks have been thankfully not much of a problem at this time .
Chris

Cheers Chris,

I'm sure It's not the knot as there's been no kink at the end of the line. It's just got me to thinking (for a change as there's been so many reports of break offs on the reports threads relating to spotties.

cheers

kev

[mackmauler]

Kev, completely different style of fishing for spotties is casting slugs into them, slug say 6cm long with a treble and no wire is the standard, ill use 20lb straight to the slug with a break off rate at about 1 slug per 6 fish, have gone 25 fish without 1 breakoff, lots of arse that time A stat lucky Phill had was 20 spotties per slug(breakoff) at least hagars running a very short trace, there is something in that i reckon,cheers rob

[Hagar]

Kev / Rob
I should have been more specific . The rig I described is used for floatlining pillies . For slugs same as you Rob.

Chris

[bidkev]

Thanks for that Rob and Chris.

I tried slugging 'em last time out but the float fished pillies were going off so quick that I didn't get much of a chance to concentrate on lure fishing. Next time I find 'em on form I intend to give the lures more of a go.

On that particular day they were swimming round the boat and I was jigging a lazer in front of their nose and they wouldn't even look at it. I reckon it was too big 'cause they weren't taking full pillies either.......only small ones or halfs.

thanks for the help

kev

[nictim]

Hi Kingtin
30cm of thin strand wire the smallest BLACK swivel you can get gang up 2 size 5 hooks have your drag nice and loose and let them run, even with 10kg line you can land a 30kg blue easy because their not dirty fighters.
Don't jig a lazer spin them flat out you have to fire them up to take it

Cheers Steve

[bidkev]

Hi Kingtin
30cm of thin strand wire the smallest BLACK swivel you can get gang up 2 size 5 hooks have your drag nice and loose and let them run, even with 10kg line you can land a 30kg blue easy because their not dirty fighters.
Don't jig a lazer spin them flat out you have to fire them up to take it

Cheers Steve

Thanks for that Steve. Might not get back on 'em this season due to commitments but all answers and hints are cut and pasted for me to look at leisure. Who knows? I may write a fishing book one day........all me own work of course ;-)

kev

[MTpockets]

Who knows? I may write a fishing book one day........all me own work of course ;-)

LOL@kingtin
good one mate