Re: Party Boat Mahi Fishing - Help?
couple things-- ive done 50+ overnight PB tuna trips, and i have never once seen a trip with no braid on any reels, or heard captain or crew complain. you 100% want a 20 to 30lb class spinning rod with 30 to 50lb braid. 50lb braid will allow you to set the hook on a mahi, and get him boatside before he wraps you up in another anglers line, but its thin enough to cast and fish like you were flipping jigs for largemouth on grandpa's pond. You will need a 20, 25, or 30lb flourocarbon leader. the longer it is, the more bites you will get. Yes, some days the mahi are suicidal and hitting ava 47s tied direct to red braid, but do yourself a favor and tie in a 3-12 foot flouro topshot. If you are able to tie a uni-uni knot, even better. Bait and jigs both work, but unless you are fishing for the one large bull or cow that will be lurking deep under the school of dozens or hundreds of 2-15lb fish, less is more. a 1 once white spro bucktail tipped with a small strip of fresh squid is unbeatable. very small white butterfly style jigs work great as well. again, there will be smaller agressive fish on top, slightly larger less aggressive fish below them, and the big bull or cow deep under them all.. usually out of sight. so if you want to get a dozen small fish in the boat quick, flip that jig out to where you can see fish, wait for the bite, and swing him in quick. if you've had your fill of the small guys and want to try bigger, freeline that whole 7" sardine back deep under the fray. the smaller fish will roll and swirl on it but often cant commit to such a large bait. these are swallow whole feeders, not choppers like a bluefish. eventually a larger fish will find it as it sinks (or a tuna? wahoo? ) or so the theory goes. last little thing, if you are fishing bait, dump 10 feet of line of so immediately when your chunk or strip hits the water if freelining. this will allow your bait to get down to the magic zone 5-15 feet under the surface, if you dont give any slack, often the suction effect of the water slapping up against the hull or stern will pull your bait right to your feet, where its not really fishing. mahi has been so good lately, i doubt you'll need any of these tips, but if its scratchy bite with just a handful of fish on each pot, it makes all the diff. have a blast, mahi are not the brightest fish in the ocean, you'll get them.
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