CAPT JUDY JUNE 2008

June 23, 2008

Happy Fish Day!

Saltwater inshore, offshore, blue water fishing report, Freshies Suggestions, and “Little Miss Judy’s story! Thanks for reading! Captain Judy

Inshore Suggestions and reports

Captain Matt Williams offered up some real interesting information about Bottom Trolling!

Many many years ago Captain Matt did quite a bit of flounder fish. To catch a flounder, which is normally camoflaughed on the bottom, you have to get the bait almost in front of them. If that luxury isn’t offered and you don’t exactly know where the fish are this is a great technique that can help you find them. When it comes to flounder fishing most fishermen, including myself, want to go with some sort of live bait. In this case when fishing inshore live shrimp, mud minnows, or any other small fish work great. However, when the bait used dies it doesn’t pull any longer like it’s alive. The reason being it’s not, which means dead pulled bait that’s supposed to be alive doesn’t work very well! So therefore your present “bait procedure used” is not longer effective.

Bottom Trolling for Flounder

This type of trolling is where the boat drifts with the current dragging your bait with it. Before getting into the “art of bottom trolling” lets get the rig used out of the way.

Bottom trolling rig used: You will need to purchase some three way swivels. I have found that the best size three way swivel to use for flounder fishing is going to be #2. They do come in larger and smaller sizes. I suggest picking out the size three-way swivel that fits your needs.

When going with this type of swivel you have three places to attach too. You need to tie the main line to the top part, the leader with the hook attached to the middle ring, and the line holding the sinker to the bottom one. The simplest part is to tie the main line on. As far as the middle (ring where leader and hook is tied) I suggest going with at least 18 inches of 15 to 20 pound test fluorocarbon or standard monofilament line. The best size hook to use is to be what is called a “kale hook.” This hook is sometimes referred to as a “wide gap hook.” I always keep 3/0, 2/0, 1/0, #1, #2, and #4 size hooks in my inshore tackle box. The secret to the hook size used is the bait selected. You don’t want your hook to overpower your bait especially in the case of going with live bait.

The bottom ring is where you tie on the lighter pound test monofilament so as to attach your sinker. The reason that you want it lighter pound test is if your sinker gets “hung up” it will break off easier. This is especially a good idea if you happen to have a big flounder on at the time. Nine times out of ten when a flounder is hooked up it tries to dive deeper than the bottom itself will allow taking the “in-tow sinker” with it. When this happens the sinker can become tangled. So therefore if the leader is lighter pound test that’s holding the sinker it should break off first leaving you still hooked up with your fish.

While on the subject the sinker leader lets talk a little about the selected length used and why. It all boils down to how high you want your bait to be pulled across the bottom. The longer the sinker leader the higher the bait is pulled.

Lets talk a little about leader (line holding the hook) “add ons.” Some fishermen add some sort of float to their leader. While taking a “look see” in the “floating department” I saw lots of good possibilities. Captain Matt suggests going with some sort of slider float, which he prefers in the color “red.” I will name a few that I saw in various tackle magazines: small rig floats, carrot floats, teardrop floats, football floats, spin floats, and glow in the dark floats. Some of these float designs can be used with “small pegs” to keep them in place on your leader. Or you can just let the float freely up and down your leader. I prefer to use the type of float that you can adjust on your leader, because experimenting with location would be quick with just a slide. As far as color I think what works for you will also get a fish’s attention.

It’s time to talk a little about bait used. The good news is that you have now built a rig that you can use with live or stripped bait. Lets start with live stuff first. There is array of live baits that you can use. The main thing is that you use bait that will comfortably fits inside the flounder’s mouth. Believe me when I say, “it’s bigger than you think.” Here’s a short list of possibilities: live shrimp, mud minnows, mantis shrimp, yellow tails, croaker, and etc. The bottom line to this live bait suggestion is that you need to get as lively or as hardy as bait as you can find. The bad news when using live bait is that when it dies or gets too sluggish is that it’s affect is little or none in regards to getting a solid fish bite. The reason being is that a fish such as this that is “waiting in an ambush mode” needs to get “triggered to bite!” I think that you get my point in regards to this subject.

Now it time to take advantage of what this rig can really do for you. It’s very talented that is if you just let it work for you. Yes, I am talking about the rig along with it capabilities when used right. I have mentioned that it works quite well with live bait. However, it works even better if you use some sort of stripped bait and here’s why…The first thing that you need to know is that this is one of those rigs that works very well when the current is strong. The reason it does is, because of the set up. As the boat pulls it along the sinker is drug across the bottom with bait in tow 18 inches down the line. I never mentioned the best sinker to use. You need to go with one like a trout sinker or basically what is called a trolling sinker. This sinkers and their shapes drag well and are pulled across bottom bumps easily.

I probably need to touch base a little on what I am called stripped bait. For one thing it’s just what its called “strips of bait” cut thin, larger in the front and skinnier in the end. This tapered look flows great when introduced to any sort of current. As the boat moves the bait is pulled across the bottom as if it’s trying to escape, which always has gotten the attention of fish that are lying in “ambush mode!”

Flounder seek areas to burrow down so as to camouflage themselves. When burrowed down they are hard to see by those that are swimming above or around them. With eyes wide and alert they lay in wait with preferred current bringing with it their next lunch. In this case hopefully your bait. They pick spots where current is continuous, because movement means deliverance of food.

Tarpon Time

I had a most interesting call from Stanley Deveter yesterday. He called to report that he had seen quite a few tarpon feeding offshore of Ossabaw Island in about 12 feet of water. The tarpon looked like they were feeding on schools of menhaden and were having a field day rounding them up. He watched with amazement as they cut through the schools causing menhaden to take temporary flight.

As I talked to Stanley Deveter he shared with me some interesting tips on how to fish for tarpon. While fishing in other parts of the country Stanley learned a few interesting techniques, which he has found very successful in our area. He uses a 5-foot fluorocarbon leader, which he attaches a 6/0 to 7/0 circle hook. I’m sure you thinking the same thing that I did, because I ask twice to make sure that I had heard that hook size right. Stanley remarked, “it’s prefect and this size works much better than the much larger 12/0 to 14/0 circle hooks that are normally used. Once this rig is built its time to add some weight. We have always used some sort of sliding egg sinker. However, Stanley has another way of keeping control of his bait’s depth. He adds right above the hook a small sinker. It can be a sliding type or split shot type that is pressed on to the line. In some cases he just free lines his bait out the back of his boat. Free lining is basically “no weight used” allowing bait to work more naturally.

As far as main line the suggested is 20 to 30 pound test. My favorite set up for tarpon, king, and Spanish mackerel is a
Shakespeare Ugly Stik Custom USCB 1170M 15-30 LB rod with a Shimano Speed master 6:1 super high speed reel loaded with 20 pound test monofilament line. This is not the only rod/reel set up to use..there are plenty out there that will work!

Lets get your bait options out of the way. Tarpon are basically all column water feeders meaning they eat all they can where they can. You can find them crashing menhaden on the surface, mullet in the mid water column as well as blue crabs on the bottom. The bottom line is that if it will fit in a tarpon’s mouth they will eat it. The best bait around here has been menhaden and mullet. However, here’s a few throw ins that you might want to give a try….lady fish parts, croakers, pigfish, large prawn shrimp, and pinfish.

According to most tarpon fishermen, “fresh dead bait whole or cut” works better than “the real live thing does!” When fishing for tarpon it’s always suggested to put what you have out there and give it all a try.

Chumming is another situation that you might want to address. After all it’s a known fact that this one fish that has a great sense of smell direction. Some successful tarpon fishermen just throw out cut fish as well as whole fish every so many minutes while others “grind!” Grinding menhaden while fishing is a great way to get the fish to come to you. Everyone has his or her theories when it comes to this part of the fishing game. I suggest getting as involved as you would like when it comes to tossing or chumming. Whatever or whichever way you go you are definitely going to need a cast net and someone to throw it!

As Stanley talked I wrote as much as I could. He mentioned that one of his guides that he fished with out of the country hooked up every time while they didn’t. The secret was quickly discovered and things in the hook up department changed. They found out just to put their rods down. In other words don’t hold them. While in the holder it gave the fish time to eat as well as letting the small circle hook do it’s hooking up job. Direct hook ups were much better when this took place. All fishermen know that when using a circle hook no matter what size that it’s very critical that you don’t try and set the hook. However, it’s fisherman’s right as well as desire to always set no matter what. It’s just a fisherman’s nature!

As far as locations I suggest fishing the beachfronts, around ocean sloughs, or anywhere that you have seen tarpon before. It has been proven that where you have seen a tarpon before they will be there again. It might not be the day you are fishing, but it certainly could be. Once a tarpon has moved through an area a “file is opened and a blueprint is inserted.” This means where you have seen them before you will see them again!

Lets talk a little about by-catch. There are plenty of toothy monsters out there to bite your hook. So if it’s pulling action that you are looking for this is one set up that will work. I would like to make mention that when using circle hooks that it’s not that easy to get it out of the fish. Tarpon don’t have any teeth what so ever. However, the sharks do and it’s a problem especially when you try and remove a circle hook. One sure way to get your hook back is to cut the leader right at the hook, grab the bend of the hook, and pull the eye back out through the hook’s opening. This is simple, but when dealing with a shark it definitely easy to get hooked or get a bite that you won’t soon forget. Be careful and if you can’t get control of your shark, please cut the leader at the hook’s eye and let it go with the fish.

One more suggestion before closing “Tarpon Time.” You will need to have a bumper tied to your anchor rope so that when you do hook up you can get free quick so that you can chase that 100 pound fish. Good luck for that hook up!

Artificial Reef Report

These areas are great places to fish especially at this time of the year. There is always a “bite opportunity” to be had! Bottom fishing is great, but most fish caught are going to be too small to keep. However, if practicing is in your fish plan for the day then there is a lot of action to be had while plain old bottom fishing. You chances are good for catching black sea bass, blue fish, ring tail perch, sand perch, trigger fish, and occasional juvenile red snapper and grouper. I suggest taking some squid along as bait. However, once you catch your first fish cut it up and re bait with the cut up parts. Those down under love newly cut fish parts. This all boils down to “not much squid needed! For those of you that want to do “regular or slow trolling or just plain old time drifting” the king mackerel bite has been pretty good.

Regular Trolling
Regular trolling is where you put out some sort of artificial lures behind the boat and move all the time pulling them in tow. You can go with big 8 inch deep running trolling plugs that that doesn’t require any sort of bait. These are great lures and really get the attentions of a fast moving fish such as a king mackerel.

Slow Trolling
For those of you that want to go “slow trolling” that’s good also. It best to use light tackle and downriggers when going in this direction. I suggest catching some live bait, because that’s the ticket to this ride. I suggest adjusting baits used at different depths so as to get the best chance at a hook up.

Plain Old Drifting

Plain old drifting is just what it’s called, “just drifting.” As with anything else to catch a fish you need to fish in the right location. So therefore it’s all about location, location, and more location.

I guess I need to start this suggestion with what happened to me the other day. I was about 6 miles 126 degree off the Warsaw Sea buoy when I noticed live bait surface schooling. I stopped and quickly dropped my gold hook bait rigs down immediately getting hooked up. In this school we caught an arrays of live bait types: cigar minnows, Spanish sardines, big eye shad, Atlantic moonfish, and thread fin herring. As we bailed them customers scattered trying to get them off the hooks and into the live well. After about two full stringer hauls on the third drop a large king mackerel charged what was hooked up and it didn’t last long for sure. Now I am going somewhere with this suggestion I promise….

At that time I wasn’t near any sort of structure or live bottom area. I had just stopped, because I saw bait schooling on the surface. In comes the reasoning for the bait on the surface…. big fish push little fish up the surface and they tightly school together in hopes of not being eaten. In other words, where you have fish you have other fish that going to be there to eat them. The bottom line to this suggestion is that where you have surface bait schooling especially in areas where you don’t have any sort of structure there is always a reason for this action. In this case large king mackerel had gone into the “heading mode” with hopes of eating later.

Blue Water Report
“Banchee Supreme Lure”

http://www.ballyhood.com/high_speed_lures.htm

Darrell of www.ballyhood.com has once again come up with a winner in the “high speed lure department!” As you know I am always talking about “High Speed Trolling,” which has always worked for me over the years. My father used to say, “when traveling from spot to spot hook up opportunities are lost especially if you don’t have a lure in the water.” Back in the old days my father pulled a, “don’t laugh” a traditional trout float. It worked great, but you couldn’t pull it high speed. So therefore to keep a lure in the water, which was a must in his eyes, he made slow moves from spot to spot. Although this worked on some occasions “not a thing can beat being able to “move with speed from point A to point B!”

The new lure style that Darrell at Ballyhood has come up with is definitely going to be a “worker catcher!” Please go to http://www.ballyhood.com/high_speed_lures.htm and take a “look see!” If you want to talk to Darrell give him a call at 1 714 545 0196 and ask all the questions you want. This new high-speed 48-ounce lure is called a “Banchee Supreme,” which can be pulled at 25 knots. Since I just received this lure I haven’t had time to take it for a “fast stroll.” However, I have already tried the 16-ounce “14 knots” and 32-ounce “20 knots Banchee high-speed lures,” which work great!

As you know when making that run to the blue waters of the stream the ride can be long and uneventful. However, if you want to add some “catching color” to this ride give pulling one of the high speed Banchee’s a try!” I get callers that ask the following questions:

How far back do I pull it? I always let it out to a distance where it pulls straight. Believe even at 21 plus knots it will pull straight at the right distance. I always start out at 75 feet and as I accelerate I let the lure out until it reaches “life like high speed cruising.” Please remember to have rod set in holder and tied to boat before setting out. Being prepared is your best defense for catching as well as not losing your equipment. This new larger version “Banchee Supreme” is going to get the job done, because it’s heavier, will run smoother, and is more controllable.

Another question is what pound test drag should I set? I always set mine high-speed lures where I can still pull them out, but the speed pulled doesn’t. It’s important that when you do get them set out that they are not being pulled erratically, but rather smooth. I always put my reel “clicker on.” Sometimes this is also called “fish on” alarm.

What do you do when you get hooked up? The first thing to do is to back down on the throttles, but don’t take your boat out of gear. The reason being is that you need to keep that hook set at the front of the hole not back where it can just fall out. Believe me when a big fish hits this lure at 21 plus knots the hook up is going to be solid but with the lure so heavy “forward motion” is needed to keep control of the situation.

What about the rod and reels used? I suggest especially with the new style “Banchee Supreme” that you might consider using a “bent butt” style rod. However, if you don’t have one onboard, go with what you have. I don’t use them, because I go with my old style standard. I pull an old style rig, which has worked for me for years. Just to give you an idea here’s what I pull: 50 SW Gold International reel loaded with 80 pound test “Big Game” (dark green) monofilament line, 6’6” old style 30 pound class international II Penn Rod with roller guides sporting an Aftco slotted butt…She’s a “Classic” for sure.

I would pull a bend butt rod style, but didn’t ever get to the point where I needed one. However, if you have them use them. There a secret to pulling fast and not losing your favorite as well as expensive high speed lures. The best thing to do is to move your line in the rod at least every 30 minutes. The reason being is when pulling at high speeds the vibration can cause rough spots in your line especially where it being pulled through the roller guides. All I do is have the mate reel or let out a couple feet of line. This action resituates your line in the rod and pretty much eliminates this possible problem.

If you have any questions you can send me an email fishjudy2@aol.com or give Darrell a call at 1 714 545 0196

Traditional Trout Slow Speed Pulling Lure

I haven’t made a mistake and pull inshore suggestions in the blue water section. I just wanted to give you a list of the tackle needed to make this slow pulled lure. I would like to mention that my daddy discovered this lure style my mistake. It happened one day inshore while trout fishing. When it was time to move he forget to pull his line in and didn’t even remember until he saw his rod bent over double. The good news was that he moved slowly and not fast. If he had moved fast his rod would be on the bottom and he would have never found out about the unbelievable slow pulling float rig.

Homemade Slow Pulling Float Rig

I know I shouldn’t leave you on “tender hoofs” in regards to the ingredients to Daddy’s traditional trout pulled float rig. Firstly this is not a lure to pull fast she’s what is called a “slow stroller.” Back in the old days daddy used a largest trout float he could get his hands on. I suggest using any one that you can find that’s over 8 inches long. All you do is take your float, insert a three foot piece of 100 pound test single strand wire through it and haywire twist a 2/0 to 3/0 treble hook on the end. The part that is being attached to the main line should have at least a 90 to 100 pound test swivel attached.

The treble hook’s shank is not supposed to fit up into the float and the rig does look strange, but it does work. I do have a suggestion don’t just make one to see if it works or not, because it’s not going to last long. Normally the first hit breaks or crushes the pulled float. I guess I should explain what it’s going to act like when pulled slowly behind the boat. It’s necessary to have some sort of forward motion, because if you don’t your lure is just going to float on the surface. This action is not going to offer a thing in regards to a fish’s interest. It would be great for some sort of target practice. However, that’s entirely another story. As soon as you start moving the boat, water will shoot through the float’s open shaft, and it will start darting as if it’s trying to escape. Heck, the way I always figure when it comes to any particular fishing lure is “if I look the fish will too!”

Freshies Report

Brown and Rainbow Lake Trout

I had a customer explain this to me the other day in regards to the “ways of a lake trout.” This tip is a good one for sure. As we waited for their inshore boat to arrive I found out that they were avid brown and rainbow trout fishermen. The subject came up in regards to what a trout sees when you are fishing from the bank. They found out that by backing away a certain distance from the intended spot the fish could no longer see them meaning “no spooking of the fish here!”

I had to ask, “what if you don’t have room to back up out of the trout’s sight range?” The answer caught me off guard and it was priceless for sure…. they said, “Just sit down and wait for them to forget that you are there!”

I did a little checking these fish have great eyesight, because most of what they eat comes directly from the surface. So therefore they really do actually look at what they are eating before they eat it. Apparently in their case when it comes to feeding time “not just any old bug will do!”

Little Miss Judy’s Believe It or Not!”

Drugs or Not!

We talk about this all of the time on the boat while heading out fishing. People always ask, “Have you ever seen any marijuana floating offshore?” My standard answer is “yes!” The most I have ever seen at one time was in the mid seventies. I counted while riding around 37 large bails of floating high in the water marijuana. When I said, “high in the water” this means it had just been dumped out of a plane, boat, or alien spacecraft.

Back in the old days seeing bails of floating marijuana wasn’t a strange thing. The first time it happened the captain seeing it picked it up, called the coast guard to report it, and was bomb bartered by so many questions that they thought they were being integrated. So therefore after this fiasco no one ever considered bringing it or calling its location in to the coast guard. As of this day bails of pot were called “square floating grouper!”

This happened on June 18, 2008!

The reason this old time story came to mind was the fact that while bottom fishing at the Savannah Snapper Banks this week I watched as an object passed by the boat. Although it was “floating high” it was definitely moving and basically intact, right under the surface. An old water logged bail of marijuana just about the size of a bail of hay, passed by about 3 foot under the surface. It was unusually clear on this day making it easy to identify. The fact of the matter is I had a seasoned charter boat captain with me and we had just talked about this subject on the ride out. When it first passed suspended right under the water I wasn’t the first one to see it. However, when Captain Kelly O’Brien pointed it out and said, “There’s one of those square grouper! After a quick glance, I knew exactly what it was!” Captain Kelly said this without much expression and it was so matter of fact-ly! This all boils down to the fact that she had seen this before. This was another one of those “why didn’t I get a picture situation?” However, at that particular moment we trying to land a nice king mackerel and it took “front and center stage!” This is another one of those things that only the ones that “have been there and done that before” understood in the first place!

Thanks for reading!

Captain Judy