So Cal Flatties on the chew this week

[DaGoose]

The flatties went on a good chew earlier this week off of Dana Point fishing with my friend Herbert on Tight Lines. It appears a new wave of late spawners moved in (then again everything seems a bit late this year over here) and they wanted to play.

Tuesday we had 5 legals going 17.5, 15, 13, 11, and 6 lbs. Herbert headed back out Wednesday and got 6 more with three at 20+, all but one before 8:00 am. Not sure of the exact weights. He invited me but I had orders to fill so I missed it. Then the bite appears to have shut down. Gawd, I hate it when that happens! But it's all good.

All fish were taken bounceballing (slow trolling) the bottom of the water column.

Here's a few pictures.

Enjoy & Tight Lines,

Rick

[Jared D]

Wow, thats an amazing haul. We get some nice Summer Flounder here in Florida (world record was caught where I do all my back water fishing) but those things are incredible. I wonder if that technique would work over here (scaled down of course).

Can you briefly describe how your catching them? What does the rig consist of? What speed are you pulling it? Etc.

Thanks for the post.

[SeaBiscuit]

Solid catches Goose. Love those big flatfish. Someday I hope to experience pacific flatfish fishing.

Jared,
check this out: Flatties are chewing off So Cal now

I too think it could work in Atlantic waters, especially out in the ocean when the fish are staging.

SeaBiscuit

[Jer]

Thank you for another great flat fish report, Rick!

[DaGoose]

Thanks for the kind words all and the link to my previous post Sea Biscuit. It was a gorgeous warm sunny day here as summer has finally set in. Truth be told, I'm on my second cocktail after getting wifey's chores done. So bear with me

The technique really works and I'm sure it will work on the left coast too. We ended up with 1rst, 6th, and & 8th place in that month long tourney in May and only fished 2 days. It was good for $8,000 in swag. The rigs also took 2nd and
4th with other anglers using them. So it wasn't too shabby with 5 of the top 10 places.

Most folks drift with live bait here and it works. But you are subject to the wind and current, and can't cover as much area compared to precision slow trolling.

You need to get the boat to trolling speed for the dodgers, around 2 mph, and use spectra on the mainline so there is no stretch. Once you have it all down, it's a real hoot and everyone loves the bounty. Ok I'm almost on my third cocktail. Don't tell anyone

Here's the basics.

Bounceballing Basics

Boat Speed (this is most critical)
1.6 - 2.4 mph to get the proper back and forth waggle action on the dodger. Simply lower the rig in the water and observe the action. Too fast and it will spin and too slow the waggle is too lazy.

Use a drogue to moderate speed. It looks like a windsock with an elongated funnel shape. They make them in different sizes. The trailing edge should be approximately 1/3 of the hull length forward of the transom. Tie it off fairly tight to prevent it from swinging out affecting steering.

• Spectra or similar on the mainline terminated directly with the provided BB swivel
o Palomar knot works great for this.
o No mono topshot needed.
• Always keep the rig under a load when deployed so it’s stretched out.
o Drop it with the boat in gear using the drag (not freespool)to moderate speed.
o Speed up when making sharp turns. Otherwise it will fall in a heap on the bottom.
• Control the ball when on the deck. Don’t let it swing.
o I put mine on the rail in a scupper hole so it won’t roll around. Flush mounted rod holders work too.
• Scope back until the ball maintains bottom contact.
o You’ll see the slight action from contact in the rod tip.
o If in doubt, raise and lower the rod tip. It should hit bottom near the bottom of the drop.
• Drag pressure: I like 8lbs or so.
o Enough for a good hook set but light enough to peel drag on the bigger fish.
• Watch the rod tips closely
o The bite of the smallest fish can be detected but if you miss it, they will be dragged along for the ride.
o The ball leader will collect kelp at times and load up.
 Grab the rod, thumb the spool, then give it a few good quick drop and lifts to clear it. You’ll feel it lighten up.
o Matched rods are optimal given each should mirror one another in behavior.
o Be cognizant of the “Fast” and “Slow” side of the boat when turning as it will affect rod tip action.
 The rod on the side to which you are turning is the slow side. It will drag more until running straight again. The converse is true for the fast side.
• Snags that peel drag
o Immediately thumb the spool firmly. Don’t be timid. Use both thumbs if necessary. Most often this will free it.
o If not, grab the rod, thumb the spool, and quickly lower and raise the rod several times.
o For nasty snags, back off the drag, clear the other lines, then get directly over it or slightly past it in the direction you came from. Reel the line tight and drop the rod, thumb the spool, then pop it out by quickly raising and dropping the rod.
o If this doesn’t work, tie off the spectra to a cleat with several good wraps, back off the drag, and put the boat in gear until something gives.
• For the trap rigs
o Check them fairly often after encountering a few snags that require grabbing the rod to clear.
o The top octopus hook is rigged to slide, and will move closer to the treble, binding up the grub so it does not run straight.
o Check for good resistance on the snell knot. It can loosen up a bit. Re-tighten with pliers on each of the tag ends left for this purpose.
• Trolling basics: use your electronics
o Use the GPS and sounder to navigate the rigs next to structure.
o Mark structure spots on the GPS to identify trolling lanes.
 Lobster season is a great time to find and mark rocks under buoys.
o The line scope provides a cushion of space to make evasive measures
o For nasty situations without escape
 Either stop the boat and quickly bring them in or greatly speed up the boat to raise the rigs off the bottom.
 Whatever you do, do not stop or make sharp turns without adding speed, then try to continue trolling. It will drop the rigs in the rocks.

Here’s a few other things I’ve learned over the years, not specific to Bounceballing.

• Fighting flatties: let the flat body shape work for you.
o Constant forward motion will surf them up.
o Use a short tuna stroke if necessary.
 Hi sticking will result in the head dropping increasing resistance.
• Gaff shot setup
o Fight the fish back next to the transom in the corner.
o Kick the boat in and out of gear when she’s close to plane her up.
 You do not want her coming in straight up and down
o Reel until the swivel is near the rod tip.
o Then immediately walk forward laying her out.
 Keep the head in the water.
o The gaffer slides in at the transom and sticks her
 Try to place the hook an inch or two just behind the gill plate
 Do not gaff them in the head. It’s likely the hook will not completely penetrate and come unbuttoned half-way over the rail.

There's more info on my website. Whatever you do though, please consider trying it. Bouncing lead off the bottom is not for everyone and it's a bit of work....but nothing worth doing is easy and you won't be disappointed if you give it a real go.

Sorry for all the messed up bullet points but you should get the picture.

Time to BBQ!

I'll gladly help out however possible.

Tight Lines,

Rick

[WAHOONBOX]

WOW....I SEE YOU HAVE BECOME A SPONSOR TO SFC...COOL AND THANK YOU!

GREAT WRITE UP! THANKS FOR SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE.

THE SMALL OCTOPUS SKIRT IS THE EXACT COLOR THAT I USE FOR AMERICAN MACKERALS

[Jared D]

Thanks for the link Biscuit... that helped a lot. DaGoose, that was an excellent write up. It really helps me to understand what your doing. I may try something similar this weekend when I drag a sound for tarpon. There are huge flatties in that sound, so while I am poon fishing, I can shoot something like this down. I think I have everything but the dodger, but I have something very similar that I bought years ago in Maine (they called it a salmon spoon) which is also small enough to catch the flatties we have (we dont get those horses you do!)

Anyways, thanks. I will try it out. Hell, maybe a tarpon will gobble it up!

[DaGoose]

Hi Jared,

Sounds like a fun day on the water. I hope you whack em! You'd be surprised at the size of some of the small fish we get on the rigs.....although the bigger fish seem to be more attracted to it. Sometimes they bite the 8 inch dodger rather than the rigged hoochie.

I just ordered some smaller size 00 dodgers (4 inches) and will rig it up with 4.25 inch hoochies and downsize the rig a bit to better match what folks are used to using. Now I just need a field tester or two. Let me know if you're interested and I'll send a few rigs across................

Tight Lines,

Rick