bars n chains
Hi all:
Bars are to big on the nearshore scene. Unless your building your own bar
with 24 T'ZERS AND a chase lure, leave em home. To much time to keep clean , especially in a small center console.
Chains in nearshore ARE killers. I wouldn't leave the dock with out 'em.
Looking at it from a fish eyeview,they r a great STIMULANT. Why?
Because they don't get lost in your wake as a 4 or 5 single lures usually do. Look up from 50 feet down and try to visualize what 4-6, four, five or 6 inch lures would look like. O U C H ! !
Now Put out three to five Squid chains IN FRONT OF EACH HOOK LURE and be a fish again. LOOK UP and SEE the difference. GOD DID NOT GIVE ME GILLS , So I don't go below. My friends who do say IT's AMAZING at the difference THOSE CHAINS MAKE. HUGE ROAD SIGNS SAYING......EASY MEAT HERE!!!!!!!!!
AS an ex- commercial pin hooker, I KNOW they do work better.
NEARSHORE:
keep it simple. 3 to 5 small T'ZERS in line with the last one a snapswivel hidden. Keep the chase lure about 3-4 feet away. Why? U want to get there attention on the chase lure after they see the chain. WHY? Cause very predator in the ocean knows that when you chasing your dinner"YOU CAN'T WATCH YOUR OWN TAIL".
INSHORE:
3-5 squid T'ZERS on 200 mono. The chase lure should be 6-7 inches long as the predominant foodfish is of that size.The chase lure should be 7-8 inches long and occasionaly a 10- 11 inches long. When the water warms up in late summer and the 40-50 pounders move in, they are looking for a larger meal.
YEAH TEAM !
Bars come into their own now. Lots of fish out here. Make sure your bars can be trolled at 7+ knots and don't skip n twist and foul themselevs up. I run the bars in the corners AND short riggers. Makes a heck of a bait signature in the water and draws fish from way down.
OFFSHORE:
Now here its just great. I'll put 5 T'ZERs in line on 300 pound and a strong snapswivel. I'll run Jets,Hard heads,Chuggers , all 11 inches and larger. I'm looking for fish 100+. Even the small rabbits(40+ pound Long fins ) will eat these lures like candy. THE COMPETITION out here is FIERCE. Eat now or starve or worse yet, GET EATEN!
Bars are on the corners and short rigger and I'll run a BIG plug just behind a bar? Why? BIGEYE and ALLISONS will come up to investigate the bars and WACK the Hxxx plugs. LATE EVE n EARLY A.M. for this trick.
Yes I always have a hooklure in the bars. You'll get lots of small 50-80 pound YFT on the bars.
SHOTGUN a small TURBO BIRD and then put 8 foot leader to a BIG lure (13inches and up). Put it way back and leave it. MAKE SURE SOMEONE ELSE CAN SEE IT AND WON'T CUT IT OFF. It'll be a big fish taker.
Sorry for running off at the mouth. There is lot's of tricks to do with chains. You can REALLY make them into real fish getters.
As to having the fish to far from the boat at gaff time , do this:
Keep the T'ZERS on their own Leader.The chase lure leader can be shortend. T'ZER chain = 4 feet + Chase lure = 3-4 feet totals 7-8 feet long. That;s not far at all. A decent gaff will get them everytime.
HINT=====Gaff them alongside the aft stern quarter. Stay away from the transome.
One more thing. If the fish are small to medium, take a turn on two on the chain leader, lift and lay the fish right into the fishbox. Snap a new chase lure on the Chain and your fishing again. Why play around trying to UNHOOK a bouncing fish when the BITE IS HOT...HOT...HOT...?
Hey Blue AYES, U ready for the BFT yet? There on the way up now. Maryland has'em already. Shouldn't be long now...