Fishing Tackle Aboard?

[Dougal]

After having had many things, including ALL my fishing gear stolen from the boat, I'm after a little advice about replacements.... In european waters, i've never had much luck fishing, especially trolling, which I like to do whenever sailing any distance.

What kind of tackle have people found to be either most efective, or for ease of use? Again, especially when trolling in euro waters?

When sailing pacific and usa waters, I've always used a short sea rod and simple 'multiplier reel'. When we came back to EU waters I switched to always using a standard reel like a spinning/casting reel).

I don't really like using hand lines.

 

[typhoonNige]

I use a 6 foot 30lb class rod with multiplier loaded with 30lb braid for trolling. Attach a paravane with a trace of mackerel feathers behind and a rubber sand-eel style lure on 5 feet of c.20lb line on the end of the mackerel trace. Have used this set up for years around UK coast and take lots of mackerel, pollack and the occasional bass. Optimum speed seems to be 4-5 knots. When at anchor use leftover bits of mackerel as bait and catch all sorts! Now in the Canaries so rather heavier trolling gear required - those tuna are strong and heavy!

 

[KellysEye]

The best way to catch any type fish of is with a swimming lure, it has a chin plate to make it wiggle, you don't need a paravane fish will come the surface when they see the lure. Different type of fish take different colour lures at different times of year, so have a range of colours and change if you do not catch something. When you do make a note of fish type and lure colour. For example I had two rods out one with a red and white lure and one with a blue and yellow lure mackerel took the blue and yellow one. I used multiplier reels, 50lb rods and line and a wire trace.

 

[Birdseye]

I reckon the two best bits of kit you need to catch fish from your boat are a/ fishing knowledge and b/ fish finder. It isnt the rod and reel that controls what you catch so much as knowing what you are doing. My pal and I have similar kit but he's been catching fish all his life from childhood. He still catches way more than me in the same waters. Infuriating!

 

[Storyline]

I use a 6 foot 30lb class rod with multiplier loaded with 30lb braid for trolling. Attach a paravane with a trace of mackerel feathers behind and a rubber sand-eel style lure on 5 feet of c.20lb line on the end of the mackerel trace. Have used this set up for years around UK coast and take lots of mackerel, pollack and the occasional bass. Optimum speed seems to be 4-5 knots. When at anchor use leftover bits of mackerel as bait and catch all sorts! Now in the Canaries so rather heavier trolling gear required - those tuna are strong and heavy!

How large is the rubber sand eel lure you use ?

 

[Storyline]

The only fish we can catch is mackerel and pollack which take what I was told are called 'killers'. These are 4 or 5 rubbery/shiny lures that look a bit shrimp like. Unfortunately swmbo is not that keen on them (the mackerel that is) unless we smoke them. However I always try to have one or two in the fridge to use in the crab pot which I lay most nights when we are at anchor.

A good tip if you are looking for bait or like pollack and if you cannot catch anything in open water is to get the charts out and look for a rock pinnacle. There is usually one around not too far off the route (in nw Scotland anyway). Navigate there on the plotter and plummet when you are over it. Almost every time you will take a pollack within 5 or 10 minutes which is all I need.

 

[typhoonNige]

How large is the rubber sand eel lure you use ?

Like these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Gill-...Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item54125890c7

but anything similar around 4-5" seems to work. If you buy cheap ones it might be worth replacing the hooks with ones of known quality. Really miss the trips out to pick up the pots down here. You have me thinking of those fresh crab sandwiches we used to have!

Fillets of smaller pollack are nice hot smoked if you get the chance.

 

[omega2]

Dragging plastic in the Thames is a waste of time unless you are at least 5 ditches out, the water is too dirty on most days, neap tides are better as the muck drops out and the fish can see the lure. We use "daylight" strings, and they are more productive than the silver tinsel types. As already stated if you are on the move then use a paravane or planer.

 

[Storyline]

Like these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Red-Gill-...Postal_Supplies_Labels_LE&hash=item54125890c7

but anything similar around 4-5" seems to work. If you buy cheap ones it might be worth replacing the hooks with ones of known quality. Really miss the trips out to pick up the pots down here. You have me thinking of those fresh crab sandwiches we used to have!

Fillets of smaller pollack are nice hot smoked if you get the chance.

Thanks, I will get some next time I am in a tackle shop, although my wife reckons with the amount I spend on tackle which I subsequently lose would make a visit to a wet fish shop a cheaper way of getting mackerel !