Pitch Bait or Crank the Flat Line

[Squidnation]

We all wish we could be 100% ready 100% of the time but there are many factors that may deter us from the task at hand. The task at hand here is sailfish on the right teaser. I am going to reserve comment and just present the facts and listen to you all and give you our captain's opinion. Some capts like to troll their flatline right next to the teaser, some actually like to troll the flat in front of the teaser. Most like to troll it just behind the teaser and some don't even want a flat line near the teaser but would rather pitch a bait. and finally some like both, a bait behind the teaser and a pitch bait at the ready. Our Captain preferred both to have a flat line and a pitch bait at the ready. His belief is that if a fish comes right up on the flatline and ignores the teaser you have your shot BUT if a fish comes up on the teaser then deploy the pitch bait drop it back to the teaser as the teaser is being handlined in and LEAVE THE FLATLINE BAIT IN ITS PLACE because, and this very important.

1. There maybe another one that will show up next to your flatline bait and

2. It is faster to dropback back to an approaching teaser then it is to properly present and catch up to a teaser being handlined in. Check it out.

Teaser is being trolled when a shadow appears. Flatline bait is in the position desired by the capt. A shadow appears



Angler picks up the rod as the captain picks up the teaser. Anglers begins to reel and bait imediately jumps out of the water.



The shadow is now visibly apparent behind the teaser but the bait is still way behind the fish. (the captain wants a pitch bait in the water)



The sailfish attacks the teaser and the angler picks up the pace cranking on the bait. (Captain still wants a pitch bait - remember his reasoning - dropping back is faster and there may be another fish around)



Angler is still trying to catch up but the fish is now tailing off. Look Closely and you can see the dorsal going outside the spread.



Angler has caught up to the teaser but the fish is gone.



Pay very close attention to all the clues that can make you a better angler in this picture. I openned up the picture because the first thing a good captain or mate will say now is to watch the longs. But why - can the fish get back there that fast? NOTICE THE WAKE PATTERN - that will tell what the captain is doing. He is turning into the bite and starting his circle so while that right flat may have missed. That right long is about to go right over his nose.




Hope this helps!

[Deep C]

Bill
Great observation... Gonna toss a scenario in the works though...

Say uou're fishing a tourney with only six lines max... seperate unhooked teasers allowed... Would you give up a position or two of flat lines to have pitches at the ready? We're debating which would be better for this tourney we're about to start.
To further complicate stuff... If you dropped a dredge, spreader or daisy where we are fishing I have no doubt that it would last less than five minutes with all the cudas, wahoos, dolphin, etc that are around. We really need to go big and hard like bowling pins or some other tough hard teaser. I'm worried about big blue just popping up and piling on it, feel the hard and just leave. Wondering if a teaser might present a problem but also concerned that the outboard boat may not have enough noise to raise em with out... ANy thoughts?

[pitch bait]

That was great info Bill. was that a series of still photos or taken from a video? I guess Im the flat line in front of the teaser kind of guy with my short rigger behind it and my pitch bait on standby.

[Squidnation]

Those were all pictures taken in sequence with my camera.

[pitch bait]

Thats a great set of photos.

[Bert Rodgers]

How about the short in front of the teaser? Capt pulls the teaser to the bait, instead of agler puts a bait to the teaser.


Just sayin.

Bert

[Squidnation]

great stuff Bert, Bobby and Paul. There really is no right or wrong answer. Just difference in opinions. But it makes you think it out now and not when it actually happens.

[Rhodekill]

The first thought that comes to mind is the teaser was pulled away to fast.

I would have liked to seen the hook bait right up next to the teaser, right after the fish was first seen, before ever pulling the teaser away. When you do start to pull the teaser away just lean way over the side with your rod tip and your bait will take its place.


On another note, this very same thing played out in Isla.

The fish was all lit up on the teaser and I was that sides flat line. I leaned over to replace the teaser with the hook bait but the fish stayed on the teaser. Many shouts and yells let me know that I was way late cranking the hook bait up and was making a rookie mistake.

Little did they know but I was already feeding an unseen fish. It got pretty quiet, pretty quick once I got bowed up.

We never caught the teaser fish but I stuck the 1 that bit. Yeah Skeebo, what a rookie mistake.

[Squidnation]

The first thought that comes to mind is the teaser was pulled away to fast.

I would have liked to seen the hook bait right up next to the teaser, right after the fish was first seen, before ever pulling the teaser away. When you do start to pull the teaser away just lean way over the side with your rod tip and your bait will take its place.


On another note, this very same thing played out in Isla.

The fish was all lit up on the teaser and I was that sides flat line. I leaned over to replace the teaser with the hook bait but the fish stayed on the teaser. Many shouts and yells let me know that I was way late cranking the hook bait up and was making a rookie mistake.

Little did they know but I was already feeding an unseen fish. It got pretty quiet, pretty quick once I got bowed up.

We never caught the teaser fish but I stuck the 1 that bit. Yeah Skeebo, what a rookie mistake.

Damn -that one has been eatin at you for a while huh Raymond? But that scenario is exactly why our captain would prefer to use a pitch bait. That second fish in your case was on your bait.

Great stuff. I know there are a ton of silent pros. Would love to hear their thoughts on a situation like this.

[Rhodekill]

You are right Bill. I have been holding that 1 in for some time.

I do understand the whole pitch bait thing and it would have worked very well in that situation in Isla. You and I have fished at times and had them not come off the teaser. Cranking the flat line so tight the swivel is almost in the rod tip. Trying to hook fish right off the corner of the boat or even side to and under the rigger. Those are the times I think that the pitch bait would work the best.

At least when you throw it over the swivel wont be in the rod tip.