Party boat rod holder question

[joshmill]

I'm looking to head out on the Big Jamaica again in a couple weeks and would like to make up a couple of outrodders. Can somebody please tell me how tall I need to make them? I need the distance from the top of the rail to the top of the rod holder.
Thanks in advance.

[tjd24]

You should check with the Capt to see if they are allowed on the boat before you build one.

[joshmill]

I was on once and a bunch of people had them. Guess I can email him. But I didn't want to be a bother.

[joshmill]

Emailed them but haven't heard back. Got my ticket for Oct 22-23rd. Nobody on here has an outrodder they can throw a tape measure on? I would greatly appreciate any help I can get.
Thanks,
Josh

[Ol Pedro]

Unless your swordfishing on the up-current side away from the crowd I wouldn't use one. They also get in the way when others are fishing around them or playing fish. Try and get around one when your flying down the rail with a hot fish. Deadsticking isn't the best way to fish tuna. Bait spins in the current when the the reel is locked up. If your line isn't going out then it should be coming in. I have seen way to many fish lost while the customer tried to get the rod out of the holder. Saw one International 50 dropped and lost while using one. This is just my opinion.

[Pennsy Guy]

I agree with Ol Pedro plus I'm sure the Big J's holders don't have a stop pin @ the bottom so your outlooker's angled horizontal sleeve will rest on the rail & will not stay @90° to rail. To remedy that you will need to weld a half rail piece to the outlooker's horizontal where it rests on the boat's rail or secure it to the rail with cordage or a bungee which is a half-naked solution. You need the distance from rail to bottom of boat's holder & distance from your vertical to rail for the 1/2rail piece. Hope that helps..

[slammer]

x2 what Ol Pedro said.All they do is get in the way.Work your bait!

[tombanjo]

Unless your swordfishing on the up-current side away from the crowd I wouldn't use one. They also get in the way when others are fishing around them or playing fish. Try and get around one when your flying down the rail with a hot fish. Deadsticking isn't the best way to fish tuna. Bait spins in the current when the the reel is locked up. If your line isn't going out then it should be coming in. I have seen way to many fish lost while the customer tried to get the rod out of the holder. Saw one International 50 dropped and lost while using one. This is just my opinion.

That being said, he'll probably hook up locked and loaded and win the pool. Was out recently, rental locks the bail at the depth called out, hooks up, line screaming out, figures he'll adjust the drag but instead opens the bail.

[Ol Pedro]

Why leave anything to chance? I try to take luck out of the equasion. Having your line in the water, rigging your bait correctly, and using the right weight/leader combination are not as effective when it's deadsticked. It's your trip do what you want. I want you to be successful. In 54 years of fishing tuna I have only caught 1 deadsticking. I was untangling my line from 2 others and felt the bite. Good luck. Please let us know how you do.

[joshmill]

Thanks for the replies. I was planning on starting a new post but maybe I'll just do it here. Mods give me hell if this is wrong. I've been out once on the Jamaica. Have all my own gear now and I think I'm ok there. I'm sure we can leave that discussion for a million other threads. I'm here to learn not to argue.

Thanks for your input Ol Pedro as well as others. My interest is in catching fish too. I think my gear is fine and I know how to rig a butterfish. Have 80# and 50# FC for chunk leaders and I'm going to try my hand at jigging with some Shimano BF jigs. Last time I went all the rentals had an 8oz egg sinker above the swivel. I bought a bunch of sinkers after the trip. Should I use weight, no, or less weight? I've seen a lot of posts say to fish it weightless. My worry is getting tangled if I'm doing something drastically different from the rest of the group. I'm sure I have other questions but I just can't think of them right now.

I'll take any advice I can get! Bonus points if it's good advice! Anyone here going out on the 22-23OCT2020 trip by any chance?

Thank you all,
Josh

[2na]

Josh,
My favorite party boat fishing “technique” is “flat lining”. Drifting your line out with little (1-2oz) or NO weight. Reason being, I want my bait drifting freely and naturally along with the chunks in the slick. I believe mono line provides just a bit of buoyancy, hence the need for a small weight.
Your tangle concern does have merit. HOWEVER, when on anchor, 9 times out of 10, the boat is swinging. You need to be patient to time your drop in when the boat swings everyone else’s lines away from you. Once you’re 10-15 yards away from the boat you’re home free. Just feed line as fast as the current wants it with just SLIGHT tension with your thumb. Don’t be afraid to dump 3/4 of your spool on slow days. 30-40lb leader and a circle hook in daylight.

SHORTS

[Pennsy Guy]

What 2NA said...I most always go flat lining during the day with 40#, sometimes 30# leaders. My main line is the same weight as the leader...ergo, a rod for every line weight, that's not necessary--that's just me. Plus, all my reels have braid backing, same weight as top shot. Flat lining, I fish a sardine, scad or squid way out(300-400') and dead stick the bait-unlike Ol' Pedro, I've caught many tuna, 90% lft's that way but you can't do that with a butter, it will spin and your mono will be trashed, and I mean trashed. Trust me, I know!!! Remember to retrieve very slowly, you just might get picked up on the way in. We've caught that way too. What I've said is on days with no active bite. Obviously, if the bite is on, you want to be in it, down deep, mid-water or near surface--where-ever they're being caught. Hope this helps. We're going out tomorrow on a 36, will report after trip.

[Ol Pedro]

Pennsy Guy (Chuck) is out as I write. He is one of the best bait fishermen that I know. I have spent 20+ years fishing with him. I also like to fish way back. I just don't leave it out there. Sometimes I bring it in half way and let it go back. Live squid and sardines are my go to baits. I catch my own squid when I'm out there. When I do fish butters I cut the tail off to help with the spin.(Chuck taught me this) When the tuna are eating the chunks(crew flushing the tuna stomach) I'll cut a butter in half at an angle and fish the head half. Some boats flush the first fish or 2 to match the hatch. I have scrounged squid from the flushes. Try and get good at one thing. Watch what's working and adjust.

[joshmill]

What 2NA said...I most always go flat lining during the day with 40#, sometimes 30# leaders. My main line is the same weight as the leader...ergo, a rod for every line weight, that's not necessary--that's just me. Plus, all my reels have braid backing, same weight as top shot. Flat lining, I fish a sardine, scad or squid way out(300-400') and dead stick the bait-unlike Ol' Pedro, I've caught many tuna, 90% lft's that way but you can't do that with a butter, it will spin and your mono will be trashed, and I mean trashed. Trust me, I know!!! Remember to retrieve very slowly, you just might get picked up on the way in. We've caught that way too. What I've said is on days with no active bite. Obviously, if the bite is on, you want to be in it, down deep, mid-water or near surface--where-ever they're being caught. Hope this helps. We're going out tomorrow on a 36, will report after trip.

Thanks for the advice. So how did you make out?

[Pennsy Guy]

Joshmill, we did good, 32 yft 50-75#. Day bite & light was not right. I went 1 for 2, lost 1 one 40# test, got 1 on 60#They'd chaf through lighter leaders. 60-80 was way to go. I did make a report on trip earlier.

[Pennsy Guy]

Josh, that report is on middle of last page... "Gambler 36hr tuna"...