below the DMZ

[Short Right Rigger]

When you are putting out a spread do you run all the same color on the islanders or witches or do you run half and half. Meaning do you run one side of the spread with one color and the other side with another color? Or do you mix it all up with everything on the boat till you get a feel for what the fish are after????

[WAHOONBOX]

BILL AS A RULE OF THUMB.....A MINIMUM OF 5 OUT OF 7 RODS ARE THE SAME COLORS.......AND MORE TIMES THAN NOT, ALL SEA WITCHES ARE THE SAME COLOR.....BLUE /CRYSTAL W/ GREEN LEAD HEAD 1/4OZ....OF COURSE WE BLEND IN A PINK /CRYSTAL......NOW AND THEN....

I KEEP POUNDING THIS STATEMENT....."KEEP IT SIMPLE".....WHEN GUYS GO APE AND START PUTTING OUT THIS PLUG AND THS PLUNGER....AND GREEN THIS ...AND RED AND BLACK THAT....I FEEL THEY ARE INSECURE ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.....JUST MY OPINION...NOTHIN MORE ...NOTHIN LESS...........

WATCH ANY DISCOVERY CHANNEL SHOW WITH UNDERWATER FOOTAGE.....AS YOU SEE MASSIVE SCHOOLS OF FISH DEPICTED.........THE SCHOOLS ARE NOT BLENDED TOGETHER(MULTI SPECIES)........THE LIKE SPECIES ARE ALWAYS SWIMMING TOGETHER...........DA-HUH.......ALL BLUE/CRYSTAL WITCHES........ONE BIG TIGHT WAD COVEY OF QUAIL AND THE YELLOW FOXES WILL COME CRASHING

[pitch bait]

Sometimes it is very hard for me to pick what colors Im going to pull. No matter how many times I fish them, one never out fishes the other. Some times they eat the blue and crystal other times they eat the crystal and blue. I cant figure it out. Its mind blowing.

[Glenn W]

I fish Hatteras and below almost exclusively. I'm cerainly no pro, but have been fishing these waters for almost 30 yrs. Year in and year out, for Yellowbellies Crystal/ medium Blue out fishes all others 8 to 1. I'll put a pink/ crystal out there cause that's what " the book says" but I never do squat on them unless I get covered up. I do usually run a blue or Purple / Chart. on the shotgun after the sun gets up good. Later in the spring early/ summer when it's mainly gaffers, well they can be dumb as stumps some days and fickle the next, but they really like a solid Chart. or Chart/ crystal many days. After April, the right flat and right short are naked though.

[marsimi]

I have heard a lot about blue/crystal. How does that produce compared to blue/white - is there a noticable difference?

[Surfergirl]

I would like to know what fish seem to hit what colors??

[BTH284]

Over the past years I have noticed a better catch ratio from running all the same color as to depict a school of bait.

Feb to early May blue/crystal and blue crystal purple witches. Maybe a blue and white ilander or sailure mixed in (flashers). Always a blue and black or purple and chart down deep mixed in as well or the ever deadly black with green flash goes deep too.

May to late June pink and crystal and nakeds. Still a darker color down deep. (bigger silohuette in deep darker water)

Late june till Wahoo time...... all naked.

Fall fishing, blue and crystal w/ flash or purple chart w/ flash or blue black or black with green flash spread all on wire.

[Surfergirl]

Over the past years I have noticed a better catch ratio from running all the same color as to depict a school of bait.

Feb to early May blue/crystal and blue crystal purple witches. Maybe a blue and white ilander or sailure mixed in (flashers). Always a blue and black or purple and chart down deep mixed in as well or the ever deadly black with green flash goes deep too.

May to late June pink and crystal and nakeds. Still a darker color down deep. (bigger silohuette in deep darker water)

Late june till Wahoo time...... all naked.

Fall fishing, blue and crystal w/ flash or purple chart w/ flash or blue black or black with green flash spread all on wire.

Thanks! that is alot of great information.

[BTH284]

Thank all of the veterans on this board for that info. I learned to tweak what I have been doing for years by asking questions and paying attention to what the more experienced guys like Marty, Capt Brian, Capt Lee, Rick, Capt Shane, Capt Jay Cavanaugh, Chuck, Overboard Jake, Lou, Glenn W Biscuit, Dropback, Dink Bait, Pino, Pitch Bait, Murph etc etc etc etc etc have shared.

[DROPBACK]

When i'm tuna fishing, strictly tuna fishing, its crystal/blue seawitchs, 1/4oz green head, rarely go heavier or lighter unless its really blowing. I personally have not had much luck on the pink/crystal seawitchs, but do pull them ocassionally.

If pino's on board a spreader bar down the middle or on a short rigger. Just kiding, off OC I will always have a monster rainbow spreader being pulled off the bridge. They eat the shit out of that thing.

People always walk down the dock and say "guess you like blue and white huh?"

OC is a funny and fun place to tuna fish to say the least. To me its the opposite of OI or your other southern tuna hot spots in many different ways.

K