Spread/Match the hatch?

[SLBE]

I read so much about matching the hatch once you get your first tuna on deck, (the latest mention by canyon runner), which makes total sense, however what does everyone start in their spread size wise? a mix of small, medium, large bars and chains? or is it better to pick a size for the whole spread and then switch if not producing after awhile? thank you.

[Canyon Runner]

Great question!!!!! Almost 100% of the time if we have no clue as to the prevelant bait in the area our initial 11 rod pattern (9 rods on rough days) is, at least for Capts. Phil and Mark DeCabia 3 spreader bars with 9inch squid on the long riggers and a 6 inch squid bar down the middle. Then a ballyhoo of a short rigger and either a jet, green machine, tuna clone off the other rigger and then 6 flat lines with a couple ballyhoo, couple jets adn couple green machine/clones with various colors. The colors get changed frequently (every 15 minutes) on the clones, jets and skirts for the hoos but less frequently on the bars. After and hour of no action the squid bars colors are changed and after another 30 minutes of no action they come out and either mini-mamba bars or green machine bars go in. Capt. Mark DeBlasio likes to start with 4 bars usually with a couple green machine bars on the long riggers and a mix of mambas or squid bars on the inside riggers. In addition, if he thinks there is any chance of any tinker mackrel or other fin fish in the area he almost always adds a Braid Maurauder to his pattern.

Once the first tuna hits the deck the autophsy begins and everything in the pattern is based on what comes out of the stomach with respect to type and size of the "hatch".

When we are chunking at night often you see the bait in your lights at night so you already know if there are squid in the area or other bait fish and their predominate size.

Also, once you really get to know your fish finder you can tell if the bait you are reading is squid and base your pattern on that.

Hope this helps!