CC dredge fishing

[TunaTeaser1]

I don't have any experience pulling dredges from a center console so I've got a question for those that have. Obviously spotting fish around the dredge is gonna be more difficult, but so is getting the dredge into clean water away from the outboards.

This guy does not have a downrigger but I do have a broomstick bent butt that I might strap an 80 to...Is this my best option? I may just pull a "bluewater candy" type dredge, so if I do this will the small boat outriggers hold it if I wanted to try that? Any advice appreciated.

[offshore]

Alex when we fish the keys for Sails we used a small diameter nylon rope and ran a stripteaser off the rear cleat. We kept a small laundry basket on the the back of the boat to drop it in when we pulled it out of the water. Almost impossible to see a fish on the dredge in a center console unless you have a tower. The fish that came in on the dredge almost always would show themselves on a teaser on top as well....Mark

[BTH284]

The key is to keep the dredge visible off in the clean water and have eyes on it at all times. Keep your dredge size as big as you feel comfortable fishing. A bent butt planer rod set at angle works great if a swiveled arm downrigger is not avail.

[clt_capt]

A planer rod will work great - you may not even need an 80 - a 50 should be plenty with a smaller BWC or Stripteaser - and 4 lbs of weight.

If your planer rod is a broomstick, you "MAY" be able to turn the rod 90 degrees to get it out in clean water a bit.

[BTH284]

Keep it simple too. 4 to 5 baits max. One above and behind the dredge and flat on dredge side same distance back as the dredge and parallel to it. Dont be scared to keep the dredge close to the boat either the fish will come right up to it.

[TunaTeaser1]

Thanks for the advice. The bent butt is a 130 class rod and I would prolly put a 80 tiagra on it. I wouldn't be messing with a natural dredge so I don't think bending out at 90 degrees would be a problem. The rod is probably 6'6 to so I think I could get it out there looking pretty.

This sounds like the best option but I may just keep it real simple and forget about it altogether.

[Swami]

If you're interested in trying to catch a sail or a white, I would do everything I could to pull the dredge and not leave it on the dock! Even if you don't see a fish raised on it, nine times out of ten they'll fade back and eat the chase bait on the flatline that you run above and just behind the dredge anyway.

Good luck!

[Sea Draggin]

I had the same issue with my old grady. There was too much dirty water behind it.

What I ended up doing was making mini dredges and pulling them off the riggers. I used striper umbrella dredge arms with strip teasers, which is a pretty light combo. But getting them off to the side in the clean water made all the difference in the world.

All of a sudden you could see them and everything going on around them.

[SharkJP]

I have a World Cat and fish a strip teaser from a planer rod. When I get the weight dialed in right, I can drop it back into a clean pocket and have it sitting right under my flats.

The biggest problem we have run into is not how to fish it, but what the heck to do with it once we are hooked up. I have the walk around model and have someone designated dredge man who immediately gets it out of the water and into the cabin. You definitely want to make shure that thing is not bouncing around the cockpit when you have a bill hooked up.

[BTH284]

A good place to put the dredge when you clear it is in your livewell weight and all that is if you have one big enough.