Tuna on Spinning Gear - Question

[Parapapam]

Alloytoy, I think Stew said he hasn't run the planer yet. But was going to give it a try this year. I think it will be a big hit. My only issue was the set up required a dedicated 80 to run... that is a lot of $$$ tied up in a specialized set up.

Indeed Ballys were hot last year. I didn't run them, but others I know did with very good success. The biggest issue with bally's is that bluefish like them as much as bluefin... one good pack of bluefish and you will spend some time clearing and swapping out your bait. BTW, I do plan on running them next year after the bluefish thin out... Larry jump in here....

Terry turned me on to the triple surgeon's at the last RISSA show. I used it all year last year. 50 flouro, 50 powerpro. The best thing about it s that you can tie it in the dark, on a pitching boat, blindfolded after a little practice. Another nice thing is that when you cinch it down, it either comes un-done and slide through as you pull or it holds forever.

Mike

[codfishshark]

I know myself and skunkedagain will be giving the ballys on planers a run as well. It seems like the way to go after the morning bite dies off on the bars. Has anyone had great success jigging I am thinking of grabbing a combo probally torium 30 and trevally rod but just wanted to see what everyone thought.

[AlloyToy]

We've run a downrigger in years past for our deep bait. I'm sure a bally 100 feet behind the rigger ball would produce as well. I changed the ss cable out to heavy# dacron, and that takes care of the "sing" from the cable. Some use 400# braid also instead of the SS cable.

You can buy a used Penn rigger for around $100 and a mount that slides into a rod holder for another $40 You could probably run a planer off a downrigger with a release on it. We ran a ball. Lot cheaper that a 80 series rod & reel

Years back we would run small planers for trout on heavy dacron and cleat it off on the stern cleat. This worked very well.

[Parapapam]

Alloy,

Good advice. I have tried the deep diving Braid Runners (or what ever the heavy metal ones are called) but not enough too really say if they work. Down riggers would be better, for sure.

Never enough toys to play with and even less time to play with them.

Mike

[backman]

I ran a lot of ballyhoo and other baits last year and caught more than a few fish. Once I found the fish, a well rigged ballyhoo or other bait on the long rigger weighted correctly to swim not skip got eaten 5:1 over bars. A ballyhoo 200' back and 2' down is just as effective as one 100' back and 20' down and a hell of a lot easier to deal with.

I run my planers off the transom cleat on 40' of line so the bait is perhaps 20' down. I had 2 planer fish last year and raised a skunk killer to a trailing bar w/ a planer on another occasion.

However; I find the planer a P.I.A. off a cleat and I'm not dedicating an 80 to one because 1) I don't have 80's and 2) I don't need 80's for the fishing I do.

My belief is that if I can find the fish I can catch them on either bars or ballyhoo if I put in my time, pay excruciating attention to the detail of my presentation and adjust speed, presentation and spread for conditions. A planer affects my agility in working signs I see as well as makes for a cluster in the pit when another rod goes off. Between tripping the planer and dealing w/ 40' of line in the cockpit; that's one person tied up for the critical 1st minute of fish on.

I've caught enough 1 lure spread fish out east watched Eric and the other high liners long enough to fish what I am comfortable with and focus on fishing it perfectly. I'd humbly suggest that if you are getting into rigged bait fishing you focus on getting one running perfectly where you can see it, understand how speed and sea direction affects it before sending one down deep on more crap.

Find the fish, fish a 3 rod spread, a bar short and 2 ballys long and focus on a clean presentation and well rigged ballyhoo and you might be inclined as I have, to leave the planer in the tackle center.

Mike - we'll be running ballyhoo, bluefish or not this spring. I want to play with bluefish belly strips a bit and see how that goes....

[codfishshark]

I have talked to a few people about the diffrence between east of the cape and in the bay and have gotten the same reaction. NOT THE SAME GAME.... I think more guys that fish the bay like myself, tuna meltdown and skunked again would like to hear the thoughts of guys on our side. Because we all know there are more fish on crab ledge than on the SWC. ANy input from the bay guys?

[Fin Addiction]

I've caught a few giants in the bay with live bluefish over the years and know several who dedicate their whole summer to catching them there. Live bluefish is the number one bait suspended from a kite, Pogies are popular again flown from same...A few guys I know who got fish slow trolled live pogies and bluefish. I don't know anybody who got a large on a ballyhoo in the bay but I could easily see how it could happen. I'd stick with what works by using bluefish or pogies fished alive, either by slow trolling or susupending with a kite..There are so many big schools of roving bluefish out there that it would be murder on a case of ballys me thinks!
Codfishshark....we took over 40 fish jigging on the bank or nearbouts this past season with trevalla rods and torium 30's...It has changed the whole way I look at tuna fishing...Saves a bit of petrol on charters too..

[paul708]

I know myself and skunkedagain will be giving the ballys on planers a run as well. It seems like the way to go after the morning bite dies off on the bars. Has anyone had great success jigging I am thinking of grabbing a combo probally torium 30 and trevally rod but just wanted to see what everyone thought.

codfishshark, the torium is a decent reel for tuna along with the travela.. it is a good starter setup for smaller fish, check the jigging section for a ton of info on good jiging stuff if you are thinking about doing any real jiggging, but usually if the guys get hooked they are loking for a serious setup capabale of handling big fish fast. the rods reel and LINE are important part of jigging

[AlloyToy]

Fin Addiction, mid water jigging or down deep?

[Fin Addiction]

Alloy, most of the hookups come at around 50' where I find a good bulk of the fish suspend when not showing on top...I jig anywhere from 60-200' depths...