CALLING FL ANGLERS

[SharkJP]

A good friend of mine is just getting into offshore fishing in Fl and wants some bars and chains to pull as teasers for sails.

Out of the squidnation mauler squids, what color would you Florida guys think is best for sails and other species down there? Also, what is the average size of bait there. I have 7", 9", and 12" sizes available.

He has been wanting some adrenaline lures stuff for a while and I want to set him up right. I was thinking a pink color and a green color as well as the infamous rasta.

i will post a pics with all the colors I have available and maybe someone could help me out.

[Chilli]

John,

The guys that fish out of Pirates Cove down it St. Lucies like to pull lots of pink and green... If and when they are trolling its a lot of nakeds, a few skimpy witch's (pink is most prolific) and a good helping of Islander Sailures mixed in... Seems they like the red and white sailures along with red and yellow. Smaller baits are the order of the day when they are in close to the beach working for sails (by close to the beach, where talking 3-15 miles). Pink boones squid chains and mylar dredges are the norm. for teasers. I'd set him up with the 6 or 9" squids (probably 6") in pink, green or rasta if I was you. Course the blackfins down there will chew on most anything...

I'm sure Deep will show up and shoot holes all through this with his local knowledge, but thats what I've put over the transome when fishing with those guys.

[Deep C]

Pink and natural... Green don't cut it down here... Nor do wild colors... Water is too clear... Maybe up by Stuart or ft Pierce where the water is dirtier the green could produce... The naturals have always done well for me in this area. He does not want toi drag it near shore in the summer though...
Bonitos will have him wrecked in short order... I drag spreaders for blackfin in the fall and once in a while in the winter for raising sails but more often I go the daisy route...

[SharkJP]

thanks for the feedback. I just dont have the experience down there to make an educated decision.

Thanks again

[Deep C]

If he was interested in a blue one, instead of sails, a bigger one with some bright wild colors (Rasta?) could work... I will say that chili is right on the sizes part... Small is the ticket on the sailpointies.

[WahooKing]

I would match the hatch per area...Most of the Sword guys down here are finding small squids in their stomachs.

One thing about S and SE Fla is most guys fish for sails with live bait on kites....It's the most effective way to catch sails in our area...dredges, bars and chains are not so popular here as they are in the NE United States....Fishermen from different regions have different tactics...Live bait availability is an important ingredient in the equation.

I'm willing to bet that if you get enough fishermen down here to start pulling squid dredges, bars or chains, you will see results.

Anthony
Ace Fishing Lures

[Chilli]

Wahooking,

You are spot on with the live bait fishing and I must admit it was an eye opener for me... First time I was taken out to go bait some sails we ended up sabiki riggin some bait off the sea bouy. As soon as they'd come over the rail they where pierced with a hook and sent out the other side of the pit.... We where hooking up sails right there at the mouth of the inlet... That was a first for me...