The Carolinas - Spreader Bar Question

Hello, new to North Carolina and the forum. Wondered if anyone had any recommendations for spreader bar squid size and colors for targeting bluefin.

Big and Blue in the winter!!

Thanks Head Hunt.

Most Bluefin targeted down here are with horse ballyhoo on a planer. 2 planers down and a LONG line way way back. I use a spreader bar in the stream but I haven't used it for Bluefin.

Thanks for the advice Stick Slinger. Any big advantage to planers over downriggers?

This is my standard rig. It has five birds and nine 9 inch squids in blue, pink, or chartreuse green. They can be customized with as many squids as you like. I use snap swivels at the top of each drop on the bar. That way if one gets damage you can just order a replacement drop and they can also be taken off and used as a daisy chain as well.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/data/500/medium/P1010024.JPG

planers will get down much better than a downrigger ball if that is what you are asking I use my downrigger with 450lb braid to a 24-36 planner works very well!!! Pm is you need any rods or other stuff for BFT

Thanks for the advice Stick Slinger. Any big advantage to planers over downriggers?

When you are trolling 9 knots or so.. a downrigger ball has too much drag and will not stay down well. It will blow back. A 32 planer is what we use and paint it black so it doesn't get hit. it will dig and keep you down. I have pulled a planer on the downrigger but it just makes me think the downrigger is gonna tear up with all that weight on it. I go to the OIFC and get the 100' of crabbing line. 100' of line will get you 50' deep.

And again, I would not use a spreader bar for bluefin.. some may but I haven't seen them. Brant (OIFC) will pit on a class on it pretty soon. check out the website www.oifc.com (http://www.oifc.com):thumbsup:

This is my standard rig. It has five birds and nine 9 inch squids in blue, pink, or chartreuse green. They can be customized with as many squids as you like. I use snap swivels at the top of each drop on the bar. That way if one gets damage you can just order a replacement drop and they can also be taken off and used as a daisy chain as well.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/data/500/medium/P1010024.JPG

for Bluefin? Really?

for Bluefin? Really?

Never said it was for bluefin. Just a basic spreader bar design. I would think a dredge would work better.

Thanks for all the great info gentlemen.

Best combination here seems to be a Hawaiian Eye (Large Islander) and horse ballyhoo. The Fishing Jan- end of March for BFTs between Hatteras and OI has been off the charts the past few years. Not uncommon the get multiple hookups while trolling or jigging. Most of these fish are from 50lbs to 200lbs with the occasional scale buster thrown in. We had a triple last year of 170-200lb+ fish within 15 minutes of lines in. Got to love that!! The weather can be tough so you have to go when you have a weather window.
A few pics from last year...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/BFT02.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/BFT01.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/BFT053-8-2010.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/BFT093-8-2010.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/BFT033-8-2010.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/DSC_0093.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/DSC_0139.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y154/offshore3144/BFT043-8-2010.jpg

Spreaders are used for medum Bluefins quite a bit up north The trick is to use large Bulb squid with the floats and to slow down your speed. Look up the company Squid bars they have a lot of the products that are used up there. Also you can look up Greg Sears and the Mass bay guides they have some wicked videos of the bar strikes from the cam in the tower.

Great pics 3144. Thanks. Thanks for the steer Kapoc.

Up around Hatteras we caught a few on the bars last year. 9" hot pink bars are my all-around bars and what we were using, but if I had to make some bars just for bluefins they would be 12" either pink or blue and white and have floats in them. Like everyone has been saying the islander ballyhoo combo should be your go to bait.