[capttrav]

Wow....I go fishing for 3 days and come back to a blown up thread. I like it. I think the topic just got a little heated. I'm with Ken, Randy, Kilsong, ect. I think this can be achieved and if not there it no harm done. I plan to "attempt" to catch a GBFT this year and next. Whether it be NC or NZ or NS.
I don't see the harm in it either, the biggest risk is in getting the fish in the boat in rough seas, and pulling muscle from long fight, like back and bi-ceps. There are 2 solutions. Don't put fish in boat, and I'm going to gym every other day.
Now to support the small thing is fact. I've caught many tuna jigging from small boats and the the ratio to land time is about double in the big boat. Avoiding rigging (props/rudder) allows the fish to put oxygen in its gills plus it scares the fish. I had to fight an 100lb tuna with an attitude for 40-45mins on a sportfisher and was totaly imbarrised. 95% of tuna in that class or 10minutes fight max on a small boat just drifting.
And for the experimenting there is no harm or wroong in that. I hooked 400lbers in NC years ago on fly rods just for the **** of it!!!!
Last note I think I'm going to try to catch my 1st GBFT on jig gear without even using fighting belt. I hate belts and lose power on my lift. As long as my back doesn;t lock up it will be done.....one of these years. It will be many and many hookups till it is achieved. Sorry for the rant but this is a jigging forum so I say go jig a GBFT or what ever. It all about the bend in the rod.

 

[KILSONG]

All discussions not directly related to Giant jigging should be posted in Offshore forum and General forum.

 

[SwellRider]

I think one thing we need to look into is the type rod were going to use. Most of my clients are from up north and fish on PB, so they like to drop the rod on the rail and just reel. I think back bone with these rods will be very important. I can always use the boat to help with taking some of the pressure of the reel but I think lifting power is also very important. I had some guys out last week grouper fishing and insisted in using there own equiptment which was alittle light, they could hook up but couldn't budge the fish off the bottom. I wound up hand lining the fish to the boat more than once...Being able to controll the fish and turn him when needed is going to be important. I found with most of the fish I caught in NC is they seem to dump 200 yards of line out of the gate then lay up in the current. There's not much water to work with so it's more of the fish being stetched out. Having the maneuverability on my boat i think it will become a give and take type of a fight..Hopefully we can keep this thread less negitive and more on the positive side..We need to thank the guys that are promoting this type of fishing it has given guys like myself a new direction that we can take our business..Ken



This post edited by canyonfvr 01:37 PM 09/06/2008

 

[capttrav]

Kil, I didn't mean to get away from jigging. That is exactly what we plan to do.

I too am concerned with the rod being able to handle the fishes sheer weight. Through my experience the toughest part is going to be exactly what you said and capt Dom on the earlier post. WHen the fish is about 40-50 feet under the boat. You gain line when the tuna makes the up turn on the circle, but when she makes the next turn you tend to lose that crank on the reel. THis is when the heavy drag and strong rod come into play. THis is also where the boat comes into play. You can adjust angle and get the fish to elevate, then crank back down onto it. We need to be able to put maximum pressure and endure the pain. I think these Japanese style blanks can handle the heavy up and down pressure, but what happens when the fish go nutts the 1st time when it reaches the boat. They are always good for another burst, but not like the 1st run. Many times those runs are very erratic and tend to go under boat, left or right. Heck this happened to me this weekend. The fish went carzy right and I followed, when I went for the handle with my left hand, I bang the bail and line and jumped the bail. I got slack line and thought I lost the fish. It was quite funny for the others to watch. I fought the fish for another 5 minutes to regain lost line and then broke the leader. I hope we are able to adjust drag, boat position, angler position, etc. fast enough. If these variables can be met, which I think we can then we'll have ourselves a giant.

 

[Supafly]

What kind of tackle are you planning on using?

 

[capttrav]

Supafly wrote:
What kind of tackle are you planning on using?

Jesse's z-baas! LOL

I'm going to try out Bakers reel, and the Avet. The rods will be some custom stuff and maybe a JM500 and 450. I'm planning of stuff to break so will need extra. I would love to try the spinning gear if we can find smaller fish, but you never know what will bite.

 

[bretabaker]

i think its definitely possible to jig a giant under the right circumstances. plus the worst thing that happens is you hook a monster and it spools you with a crazy run off and you have a good story

 

[SwellRider]

I can't wait for Nov already...We'll have all of our ducks in a row and be ready to roll as soon as the BFT start to show... Im going to start looking for then the week before Thanksgiving. I had my first one of the season on a first class ride to Japan a couple days before Thanksgiving..last year..Ken



This post edited by canyonfvr 01:37 PM 09/06/2008

 

[EasternTackle]

bretabaker wrote:
i think its definitely possible to jig a giant under the right circumstances. plus the worst thing that happens is you hook a monster and it spools you with a crazy run off and you have a good story


Bret,
I have killed a bunch of them over the years and given a lot of thought to this.

I think two things are going to come into play (and neither one is the gear) I think you are going to have to hook the fish away from everybody. I'm talking no one in sight. Your going to have to get out on one of the wrecks, find them and jig one up. But our fishery is whats called a derby style fishery and there always seems to be someone ready and willing to cut you off.

Second, the person will have to be in great shape. Even on heavy trolling tackle our battles can sometimes go for hours, even at 40-50lbs of drag.

If you can make that work, I think you could get one. Maybe with something like a tiagra two speed, completely filled with 80lb braid. If you got lucky and snagged a gill, you might even be able to get him in under an hour.

 

[bretabaker]

oh yeah the stars will have to align right for it to happen, but it's possible ....or at least id like to think so.

I actually think popping for a giant 400+ is more likely than jigging for one.

 

[EasternTackle]

The winter tunas in NC hug the bottom in 10fathoms eating menhaden, croakers and trout. Not so much a top bite.

 

[KILSONG]

EasternTackle wrote:
The winter tunas in NC hug the bottom in 10fathoms eating menhaden, croakers and trout. Not so much a top bite.A Japanese group I know trolled for giant for nothing out of Morehead City, NC last winter. Then they saw giants on the surface. One guy cast Shubike and one giant hammered it. Unfortunately the fight didn't last long as he lost all his lines in seconds.

 

[EasternTackle]

Anything can happen. Sometimes when you see them on top, its not a good sign of the bite. But have also heard of them eating floating Coke cans!!! So go figure.

If I was targeting, I would look for deep marks or at least fish deeper.

 

[Supafly]

Whats the average size of the fish in the NC Winter fishery?

 

[DaveB]

KILSONG wrote:
EasternTackle wrote:
The winter tunas in NC hug the bottom in 10fathoms eating menhaden, croakers and trout. Not so much a top bite.A Japanese group I know trolled for giant for nothing out of Morehead City, NC last winter. Then they saw giants on the surface. One guy cast Shubike and one giant hammered it. Unfortunately the fight didn't last long as he lost all his lines in seconds.


Having seen a giant clean out my 50SW in less than a minute against 35# of drag I'm not surprised. If you're not ready to chase these fish you don't stand a chance.

Dave

 

[FishWisher]

That was pre-spectra, right?

 

[EasternTackle]

Supafly wrote:
Whats the average size of the fish in the NC Winter fishery?

350-650lbs gross. 350 would be a small one.

 

[SwellRider]

Supafly,

Most fish that I see come to the dock are between 73 and 85"... I caught 12 last winter 650lb being the largest with a couple over 500lb and all the rest being between 275 and 400lb, thats most likely your average..This years season was alittle diffrent it was open everyday to both rec and commercial..when in years past it was Mon - thurs commercial and fri,sat sun Rec..kind of a parking lot from time to time this past winter, to many guys with no exp... running around..but thats what happens when the bite is 8 to 10nm from the beach. My biggest fish were caught on top, a few of us that had sucessful season did some modifying to our spread.
As far as jigging these fish it will be like anything else trial and error.. I feel it can be done but thats me..Will see come November.

 

[DaveB]

FishWisher wrote:
That was pre-spectra, right?
Nope. But there was 200 yards mono on top. It happened in the old days (when finding bluefin behind the draggers in the mudhole was a sure thing) on the Sunbeam. I was just putting in an a Volkswagon came blasting out from under the boat. Bobby was standing next to me. All he did was say "You're screwed" and he walked away. I ended up lossing about 1/2 the mono.