Whats the best way to prep Ballyhoo for trolling ?
Reason I ask is this.
I have been on several trips for tuna this year and each Capt. running the boat preps differently.
Most take the eyes out, break the meat off the backbone, cut off fins and clean out the crap and then put on the rig.
I noticed that on one trip they did absolutly nothing to the Ballyhoo as far as prep work goes.
What affect does it have on the Hoo when you clean out the eyes and cut off the fins ?
Like you said many guys do it different, but this is my preperation procedure-
1. Thaw the baits in a highly concentrated saltwater brine. I take seawater in a 5 gallon bucket, add kosher salt, I like it to be 100% saturated with salt. There is a point where the salt will no longer dissolve in the water, you will see it collecting on the bottom. Also, make sure the water is cold, sometimes I add ice.
2. Break the bills off leaving @ 1/2 inch of beak, for the rigging wire
3. Take out the eyes, with a dowel or even the broken of bill
4. De-Poop them, I start at the stomach just behind the gills and use my thumb and index finger and slide down to the tail.
5. Place in iced down cooler on top of alum. foil, belly up, and lastly sprinkle with kosher salt.
I have found a proper brine can make all the difference to have long lasting baits
I don't "pop" the backbone like most do. Just de-poop and then work back and forth in a snake like motion to limber them up. Unlike most, I also leave the eyes. Never seen a real fish swimming at 6 knots perfectly straight that didn't have any eyes Why do Illanders have such realistic looking eyes. You wouldn't hit a blind man, would you? The brining and thawing process is important though. Just the way I do it.
you know i have heard that about the eyes.......but i have never seen one with bugged out eyes either. and they do wash out quicker like that. I don't trim fins unless they just won't swim right, but i take the eyes out, de-poop em, squeeze the backbone and work in a snake motion. If i'm offshore the bite is usually wide open so i don't worry about brining too much.
To answer the original question, all this stuff has to do with making the baits swim right and holding off washout as long as possible.
I do the same as Innovator; however, I use the Tournament Cable ballyhoo rigging tools to disembowel them & break their backs via the vent. I feel there is less trauma to the baits & have noticed that they last MUCH longer. I have had charters comment on how well the baits swim & how long they last.
I don't brine. I allow the bally to thaw in the package by itself, no bucket of water, nothing, just the natural heat of your cockpit. Don't hit them with salt water and especially not fresh water. cut bill, fins, remove eyes and break back as you mentioned. Place on stainless tray, I used expanded stainless steel,vs buying those overpriced bait trays. My baits basically last until eaten.
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Why do Illanders have such realistic looking eyes. You wouldn't hit a blind man, would you? The brining and thawing process is important though. Just the way I do it.
Again, just my way.
