question for fluke bucktailers

[watchman]

I've been bucktailing/jigging off the back of party boats for a number of years now and have a problem maybe you guys can help me with. It always seems the bigger a fluke the further from the boat it will surface outside the mates reach. I usually end up with my tip high, reeling and backing up trying slide it in the net, keeping as much pressure on the fish as I dare. How do other bucktailers deal with this problem? I was wondering if maybe putting the tip down near or in the water might keep him from coming up so far away. It drives me nuts when a big one shakes off . thanks watchman

[Reel Class]

Having not bucktailed or fluke fished on a party boat for 11-12 years, my expertise on this topic is not where it was a decade ago, but I'll try to answer this question!

Big fluke do weird stuff. Sometimes they come up and surf the top, other times they stay down or even go under the boat. On the 6 pack boat we've seen both of those instances many times and the ones that "come up" after a run are always the ones that are the most challenging to get to the net or gaff.

Here are 2 things that might help:

1)I know when we used to fish the party boats frequently a decade + ago, the bucktailers would stick to the bow. You got more room, and you can work a fish with a little more flexibility as long as the boat is not railed.

2)One other thing that does help when landing bigger fluke is the tackle - the heavier the leader and terminal gear the better shot at landing that fish since you have more control of the situation. When you use super light tackle (I'm talking 10# braid, ultra light leader material, and a TROUT rod in bigger water) the bigger fish dictate the fight. You basically give up control when you're fighting the fish. I see so many guys fishing super light stuff for "sport" and then losing better fish because the hook pulls or something else goes wrong - HOLLYWOOD fishin don't cut it when you're trying to put meat in the box. If you just bump up the gear a tad, fish braid that's 20-30# and fish gear that's in the medium range, you always have a better chance at landing those fish.

Hope this helps

[Sharkyispy]

All great advice from Allen on this. I've personally learned from that over the years. The one big mistake I also see many times is people not calling for the mate/net soon enough. When you're reeling in, you will develop a sense on whether the fluke is of decent size( normally-there are those sleepers ). Call for the mate to get the net as soon as you get the feeling of a nice fish so when the fish does surface, you're getting a better shot at it vs. having to leave it hang in the water until the net gets there.....IMO

[italianfisherman]

when fishing a party boat, you can't call for a net until you see the fish just about to surface.

[Sharkyispy]

Originally Posted by italianfisherman

when fishing a party boat, you can't call for a net until you see the fish just about to surface.

Normally I would agree, but if you have built up a relationship with the mates and you and they know your own skill sets well enough to judge the fish on the way in, it's usually not an issue. In fact some that I fish with encourage it rather than waiting....JMO

[jigemup]

Been bucktailing fluke on party boats since captains Dom and Mark encouraged bucktailing fluke on the Skipper in the 90's. All the above is good advice. In short, concerning tackle, most important thing is to make sure the drag is set properly to allow the fish to run, and when the fluke is within sight, even on the surface far from the boat, slow down the retrieve but keep enough pressure to stay hooked and to allow the fish to swim towards the net (fish cannot swim backwards).

[1captainron]

Originally Posted by italianfisherman

when fishing a party boat, you can't call for a net until you see the fish just about to surface.

Come on now.........maybe on the boats you fish. A good crew and Captain will know if you have a big fish right from the start and will most certainly be at your side way before that fish comes up.
The way fishing is today and normaly 2 mates on the boat, when is the last time you saw that many Big Fluke coming up at once were the Captain and crew couldn't handle it.

[stevelikes2fish]

Originally Posted by Reel Class

When you use super light tackle (I'm talking 10# braid, ultra light leader material, and a TROUT rod in bigger water) the bigger fish dictate the fight. You basically give up control when you're fighting the fish. I see so many guys fishing super light stuff for "sport" and then losing better fish because the hook pulls or something else goes wrong - HOLLYWOOD fishin don't cut it when you're trying to put meat in the box. If you just bump up the gear a tad, fish braid that's 20-30# and fish gear that's in the medium range, you always have a better chance at landing those fish.

Hope this helps

Exactly!

[arat]

invest in a trevalla S rod. light rod great for bucktailing with loads of power you can move that fish anywhere you want him. best advice i can give one trevalla S for light bucktails one for heavier jigs.
tight lines
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