Rigging For Sailfish In Southern NC

[jclaude]

If anyone has any tips they can share, it would be appreciated. We've been dragging medium Ballyhoo around 6 knots with 80 to 130 Lb mono leaders, 6 to 9/0 hooks, various Islanders, witches, etc, and have never hooked up with a sail. (We're usually targeting Mahi) How is rigging for sails different? Thanks in advance.

[msc]

jclaude, Captn Lee Parsons of the Gottafly out of Wrightsville Beach told me to troll no more than 4 knots for sails. Another friend recommended 30-50 fluorocarbon leaders with 6/0 hooks and naked ballyhoo (12pack size). Many use a drogue rig with a ballyhoo spread as a teaser. Having said all that I have not caught one yet but really haven't tried. I intend to next week, however.

[Skipjack/VA]

Sailfishing is a blast, but requires the right gear and prepare to be frustrated. Most FLA pros who target sails use TLD 20, TLD 15, or Spinning Tackle like a PENN 8500. The reels are set almost in freespool with a baitrunner clip on the spinning gear. This allows instant freespool. This poses a problem if a yellowfin were to take the bait. We troll around 5 knots or so depending on sea state. We use small ballyhoo and went down to 60lb leaders or 80lb would be just fine. 9174 Mustad short shank (live bait hook) or 5/0 to 6/0 J-Hook is fine. I match hook sizes to bait sizes. I make a pin rig, but try to make the pin as small as I can. Pinless rigs are popular, I havent the paitience. Hooks must be razor sharp, - I file every hook before setting lines. Sometimes you wont see the sailfish, so the key is to keep your eyes on the bait!! If they are hungry you will see them - sometimes right up to the flat lines. Other days they will strike only way back on the long rigger so we try to stagger our spread, but for the most part the lines are within view of the crew. Outriger clips must be fairly loose and pop freely once he swats the bait. Once this happens, freespool immediately and the let em have it after a few seconds. Hopefully you will get hookep up nicely. I fish a few naked, and a few with small seawitch's. I put the Ilanders and heavy stuff in the cabin when targeting sails. Again if he is hungry you can get multiple shots, but sometimes they just pop the clip and dissapear never to return. I like to fish depths of around 80-100-150 feet, color changes, and flying fish are a good indicator! good luck!

Chad

[Eric]

I'm in general agreement w/ MSC and Skipjack. I use lighter fluorocarbon leaders, drag naked meat or meat with small skirt (e.g. Ilander Sailure), and keep the speed down in the 4kt range. Only common element with each sail I've hooked has been slower trolling speed. All but one hooked up on ballyhoo w/ or w/o skirt (exception took squid daisy chain). Perhaps unusual, but all took flatlines in close.

[KingfishSam]

All good advice. About the only thing I can add would be to use a dredge. You can start with plastic baits like Bullyhoos, but for the real deal you should use deboned, wedged and split-tailed mullet on the dredge. I've seen them in action in S. Florida and can tell you that dredges will raise sails on the troll, without a doubt.

[Tom Bare]

As a fomer Ft. Pierce, FL charter boat mate and captain who fished many a sailfish season and now fishes in NC let me offer a couple bits here.....

First, your speed is not as critical as you think, as long as the ballyoo are swimming. You don't need to fish at 4 knots, in fact I'd strongly recommend against it for no other reason than you are not covering any water.

Secondly, and most importantly, I can't tell you how many sailfish are on the teaser or in the spread and they are never seen. Happens all the time. YOu gotta pay close attention to the baits.

Now the important stuff, the hookup. If a sail knocks the bait out of the clip do not immediately drop the bait back in freespool. Grab your rod, drop the drag into freespool but thumb it and hold the rod over your head. This will get the bait up to the top in a hurry and you are "dialed in" with respect to feel.

If the sail is around 99 out of 100 times he'l circle back and swipe at the bait again. YOu will feel or actually SEE this. When he knocks it around this time go ahead and freespool it. You'll feel the line dumping off w/ the speed of the boat. A couple seconds later, after he's circled one last time and picked up the bait, you should feel that in the spool too. The line will start coming off noticeably faster and just like that............

YOu are hooked up!!!!!!!!!!

Give it a try and I promise you'll catch your fair share. Baits, hooks, etc as you described are all fine. Heck, I can't tell you how many we caught on #7 wire and the old 7/0 3412c hooks. They are not usually real picky and will eat if they find food.

We did manage two last weekend south of the big rock in about 200 fathoms along a nice temp change. Be patient, pay attention to the baits. YOur days will come!

Tom.

[jclaude]

Thanks to everyone who responded. Obviously lots of experience has been shared and I appreciate it.