Green sticks

[Verbal]

So you run that rig North of the Cape for bluefin? They come up and hit those squids? How many squids do you put out for bluefin? Do they ever get brave and hit the bird?

[chumtini]

Here's one from Marty (RIP).

Ironwoodtuna was messing around with greensticks and birds. And as usual, he shot some video.

HOME MADE GREEN STICK SUPER BIRDS

[karenlynncharters]

They sure are fun to watch in action. We use it alot early on in the season when the giant's first show up. Awesome to see the tuna come out of the water after the squid they just don't quit.

Capt Collin

[Dantilu]

Thats a great photo looking up the stick!!!!

Yes we fly six to ten baits....... Never had a bluefin hit the bird but I have had a Mako come to it! It loks like a tuna back there feeding on jumping bait.....

[Dogfish87]

we will beback up ther with the stick next yr.. did well.

[KP161]

It loks like a tuna back there feeding on jumping bait.....

Exactly. In a nutshell all it does is make fish think a tuna is crashing bait. Have you ever seen a tuna come out after bait...And then all the sudden 4 more tuna come out of nowhere in hot pursuit in competition, falling over one another, jumping over one another to get the bait fish. The green stick set up tiggers this natural competition response. Which is why they often get multiple hookups and why they slay. The fish attack the lures even when they are not hungry as it's just a knee jerk response for the fish sort of speak. Plus they hammer the fish when they are on the feed too.

The reason they dangle the baits just off the surface of the water with the baits actually out of the water 50% of the time is once again have you seen tuna come out of the water after bait? They love to crush bait just as it re-enters the water. Their timing every time just as the bait re-enters the water is impecable. Just one of those things.

Fished right next to one in central america a few years back. Our charter captain knew their commercial captain. They talked back and forth and put each other on fish. The day before the green stick guy did well. Called our captain and the next morning it was just us and the greenstick boat. We got a 240lb yellowfin stand up. The spray from the greenstick bird was right next to our boat as we fought the fish so we got a decent look at the set up to say the least. They actually had an igloo cooler and 2 poly balls dragging behind their bird. We got a charge out of the igloo cooler in the mix. Pretty funny actually...we're in a 28ft sportfish and a 65-70 ft commercial boat is dragging stuff in circles around us CRAZY close and no one cared. Up here it would have been bank sinker time or just jump on their boat as they go by and punch them out and next time around jump back on our boat. But these guys were friends and didn't care and we didn't care. They never put our hookup in jeopardy. I'll remember that yellowfin. Live bonito slow trolled. Give it a go

[silver sided]

What about seaweed with these baits. If you troll over weeds it is easy to clear the hooks or do you have to bring all the baits in one at a time? I have considered a green stick but this has been my number 1 concern. Thanks for any input...
Peter

[Dantilu]

Seaweed, is not a worry.....
if some gets on you just grab the main line and yank down on it hard ... It makes the baits jump and knocks the weed off

[John from Madison CT]

Anyone know how Marty's (Ironwood) family are doing?

What a horribly tragic event that was.

[oldmud]

I sent his son an e mail back in Sept.but never got a reply back. Was wondering the same thing.

Don