spreads

[101numlock]

i am new to the offshore fishing sport, grew up fishing in the lower bay and CBBT, and now started going offshore with a budy of mine who has been out of the offshore arena for quite a few years and was wondering what everyones go to spread or lures are for tuna, dolfin and the ocational wahoo and sailfish?we have had 3 trips out this year and only one productive day couple of dolfin. We were always fishing along with other larger charter boats and seen them boat fish while we are catching skunks :wacko: any imput would be greatly appreciated!

[Reel Draggin Tackle]

Check our our Tuna Spreads, click here (http://reeldraggintackle.com/). Through out our web site we provide details on what to use and when. The spreads are designed around how many lines you usually pull with your paticular boat, from simple five line spreads up through 13 line sreads. The most popular is a 7-Line spread (http://www.tidalfish.com/forums/mid-atlantic-offshore-angler/268139-spreads.html). It consists of:

-
-------------------------Long Rigger 32" Spreader Bar (rigged with 5" shell squid)
-----------------Short Rigger 16 " Spreader Bar (rigged with 7.5" shell squid)
--------Flat Line Daisy Chains (rigged with 5" skirt squid)
-------------------------Center Line Chick Bird (9") center line Daisy chain
--------Flat Line Daisy Chains (rigged with 5" skirt squid)
-----------------Short Rigger 16 " Spreader Bar (rigged with 7.5" shell squid)
--------------------------Long Rigger 32" Spreader Bar (rigged with 5" shell squid)

That makes a nice Yellow Fin spread. However, when you are targeting Blue Fin, ya have to make a few changes. Our 7-Line Blue Fin Spread looks like this (http://www.tidalfish.com/forums/mid-atlantic-offshore-angler/268139-spreads.html):


-------------------------------LONG RIGGERS RDT Blue Water 200S3 Rigged with Ballyhoo
-------------------FLAT LINES Mini Tuna Slammer Humming Bird Daisy Chain
-------------DEEP LINES RDT Blue Water Chugger, Ballyhoo ready, Rigged for Trolling
------------------------CENTER LINE Mini Tuna Slammer Chick Bird Daisy Chain
-------------DEEP LINES RDT Blue Water Chugger, Ballyhoo ready, Rigged for Trolling
-------------------FLAT LINES Mini Tuna Slammer Humming Bird Daisy Chain
-------------------------------LONG RIGGERS RDT Blue Water 200S3 Rigged with Ballyhoo


Out of Ocean City, from the Baltimore to the Norfolk Canyon, the Yellow Fin are out there, but they have been scatterd and hard to locate. Of recent, most of the fishing has been for Blue Fin. These are usually hunkered down deep and the trick has been a slow deep troll. Chunking for these guys has also been fairly successful however we like to troll so we can cover more ground. Here are a few notes from our web site on Blue Fin Tuna fishing. You will find many more tips and tricks when you surf our site.
- Run your long Rigger lines the furthest back. How far back depend on your area and how boat shy they are. DELMARVA to Hatteras it is common for the long lines to be back 600 to 900 feet.
- Deep Lines are usually run using down riggers or deep running planers. The main line is run out about 100 feet attached to the down rigger or planer and sent to about 60 to 80 feet. With a down rigger, we often slow the boat (2.5 to 4.5 kts) and go deeper.

We also have specific spreads for bill fish. When it comes to Hoos, it is a bit of a different game. We usually troll a 5-line spread BFT spread, but the stingers are wire leadered and we pick the speed up. We like about 8.5 kts, but some guys are very successful at speeds faster than that. It depends on conditions and your boat.
I hope that helps some. We have several open seats on our scheduled trips from August through September (http://www.reeldraggintackle.com/Charters/RDTKLcharters.html). At $125 a seat, it is a value packed experence. I am sure you will get lots more great recomendations from the other guys on this site.

[101numlock]

any advise i can get is valued greatly

[rbr]

RDs spread will definately catch but for a beginner IMO it's way too ambitious. Use the KISS principle at 1st and learn your way up.

A 5 line spread of 4 well rigged ballyhoo and one spreader bar down the middle should do fine.

Learn to make your ballyhoo swim (IMO this is more important than all the"Stuff" in the water). If they spin they are no good.

Bert

[TommyTuna]

more shameless plugging but good info

New Jersey Charter Boat New Jersey Charter Fishing Boat in NJ (http://www.canyonrunner.com/articles.php)

[PlaynHooky]

Where are you fishing out of? If you are local I would or another experienced mate or angler would gladly get up wit you and help you out! Call me if interested! I am out of Hampton Roads....