[JMetaxas]

Guys, while I'm from CT, I've learned alot from the NY offshore crowd here.

I come to you seeking advice on the use of Spreader Bars for trolling early/mid season Tuna.

There is so much to learn about them, but I am looking for what you like, the kind, size, lure,speed, how many fished, etc etc.

Seems some Tuna trollers swear by them.

I go as far south as 40 miles off Montauk, so the Canyon is not my quarry.


Thanks guys,

John From Madison, CT

 

[MakoMike]

John,
what size fish are you targeting schoolies or giants?

 

[JMetaxas]

MakoMike: Yes, I should have said which, Tuna are not just Tuna.

I will be targeting anything but Giants.

Thanks,

John

 

[MakoMatt]

John, I sail out of Freeport and troll the waters of the 20 Fathom to 30+ Fathom curve. I often use a spreader bar in my mix, and almost always make it the furthest one back in the center, trolling speed 6-8 kts., whatever speed makes them work best. I have used 6”squids in Pink or Green with good success. I am not after Giants, I am primarily searching for Bluefin and maybe, just maybe, a Yellowfin. There was a time not long ago where you could find them inshore of the Canyons, but those days are pretty much a thing of the past in this area. I also have a Calcutta Bally Hoo spreader bar rig I picked up last year, but have not had a chance to use it yet.

MakoMatt

 

[Eric S]

Shell squid spreader bars are very productive with tuna. Stalker Outfitters on Long Island, NY, makes and sells some really nice bars, and their staff are real fisherman, not sales staff. They have a nice catalog showing all their bars and where they work best. Highly recommended.

 

[captainlarry84]

don't leave home without them

JM,
I have had great results with spreader bars. My pattern is on the outriggers. On the tip of the riggers I troll a green machine type lure with a bird in front. On the inside rigger, in front of the bird I troll the spreader bar. One on each rigger and sometimes a third on the center rigger. The bars must be in the riggers to work. You want the bar out of the water. I find that on the tip of the rigger that the bar doesn't perform as well on my boat, it could be do to too much rigger flex.
The stalker bars are excelent and very well maded. I also use a very deadly spreader bar out of Brielle NJ. made in a shop called the Reel Seat. His bars are excellent and price right. All of the bars I use have 6" hollow sguids or a soft head tuna clone. When you buy you bars go with the small squids. The logic is big fish will jump on a small lure but little fish will not jump on a big lure.

 

[Tunatoys]

I make all my own spreaders and make primarily two types for up here.(I make different ones for use in the Florida Keys)I use 8"squids in a pattern L-R of
4,3,5,3,4. The fifth one in the center is spaced longer and is usually a different color. I do not use hooks it is strickly a "teaser".I like it on the middle rigger with a jet on the outer rigger that appears to be chasing the school. I also make a lighter bar with 5"squid 5,4,6,4,5 where the #6 is a small jet attached to the bar.This one can be fished on the rigger or just tied to the boat with a release clip
in the back. A line to an "active" lure goes through the clip;when the fish hits the clip opens and you just hand line the bar back into the boat.This setup however works in only relativly calm water.Otherwise the clip will foul.
T.T.

 

[daved]

JMetaxas,
I fish out of the Thames and my maxium range, without refueling at Montauk or Block, is the Dump south of Block. Sounds like we fish in the same area. Do you fish out of Madison? What kind of boat do have? I'm kinda new to the inshore offshore thing.....4 years
I agree with you about this site alot of great info from guys like the Makos, Matt and Mike, captlarry and others. Leakyrivit makes me laugh so hard I get tears in my eyes...Ok now that I'mn done kissing up....

MakoMike or anybody else fishing to the East, I have been doing alright with the Makos and schoolie bluefin, any advice on mediums in the area I described above? techniques chunking? trolling? Locations?
Thanks!

 

[MakoMike]

Dave,
To catch the mediums you have to fish right between the large school fish and the giants seriously, they may show up at any of the spots where we catch schoolies, as might the giants. I've seen them mixed in with large school fish in a hot bite at the dump. And I've seen them mixed in with small giants at the butterfish hole. You really can't target specific size fish except by varying the size of the bait.

 

[MakoMatt]

It's pretty much the same to the West too, you can find all different size class fish in the same area.

MakoMatt

 

[JMetaxas]

DaveD

Dave,

I live in Madison and keep my Whaler in Clinton. With no refueling I can go from Clinton to say Ryan's Horn and troll for a good while and still make it back OK.
Sometimes for safety sake, we either stop in Montauk for some fuel or bring another 15 gallons or so, of which I can run another ~40 miles if need be.
I've been offshore maybe 15 times in my life, with only 2 trips last year. With a smaller boat, I certainly have to pick my days, and learned the hard way during out last trip. We came home 65 miles and got pounded to near death.

I hear small boats can definetly benefit from Spreader bars, so I've beginning to hunt down as much info as possible. The guys on this website are a very valuable resource and have never steered me wrong.

J&B Tackle in Niantic is also a great resource of info for offshore. Just yesterday they told me about spreader bars they make with small 6" squid. I'll have to get at least one this year.

Keep in touch,

John from Madison, CT

 

[daved]

Thanks Mako Mike.
This winter is killing me.... can you reccomend any head boats out RI.
Dave

 

[daved]

HiJohn,
I hear here yyou on the small boat thing ...I started fishing the inshore grounds in a pursuit 2550 with twin 140 Johnsons, nice boat but I was really pushing the boat to its safety margin.
Nothing worse than punching in home on the GPS and seeing those miles come up!
Last year was tough the wind a my schedule never seemed ot coincide
I've been going through all my trolling lures this winter been stocking up on the smaller stuff as suggested on this board, I picked up a bunch of nice mini tuna clones(3")at charkbait.com( check them out Mark is good fast shipping also) also got some 6" ballyhood lures.

Stalker makes some nice bars expensive though,I might go with three of thier 6" shell squid 15 pattern spreader bars @ $74 each.
John/MakoMike any sugestions on colors?
Dave

 

[MakoMike]

DaveD
I hear good things about the Frances fleet, but I've never been out on one of their boats. If you decide to come up, give me heads up. Maybe we can meet for a beer or something.

 

[daved]

MakoMike
Sure thing on the beer! Also thinking about the Helen H. if the #$#%$#^@ wind lays down in Feb.
Did you read my post to John? Any suggestions on the spreader bar colors?

 

[613458]

DaveD and JMetexas

I also sail out of CT (out of the Thames and Mystic), and fish the same areas that you mentioned. We had tremendous success last year with mediums to schoolies trolling smaller spreader bars (no bigger than 5" baits) especially at the Dump and the Horns. We'll run two off the riggers and one down the middle (hookless) 10' in front of a bird/ilander combo (run on a separate line). Seemed to have more success on purple/black then any other color combo.

 

[daved]

Hey Mahi Mahi,

I was leaning toward the black and purple with albalone and the green machine colors.
Thanks for the info the smaller baits seem to be the way to go.
Keep in touch, maybe we can hook up in the spring.
Last year, did you get into that huge body 40/50 lbers southeast of the Suffolk?
Dave

 

[JMetaxas]

Mahi -Mai

Mahi-Mahi and DaveD:

I'm really trying to get more and more CT Offshore guys to hang out on the www.CTFisherman.com site. By no means to I denigrate this super website but if you want to correspond more with CT Saltwater fisheman of all types, that board is great too. We are 1000 members strong now !! Really amazing.

The CTFisherman.com website will have a booth at the Hartford Fishing show coming up in mid-Feb.. so stop by.

DaveD: The Bass fishing off my waters, Clinton/Westbrook/Old Saybrook was nothing short of spectacular. We killed em up to Thanksgiving week, and I'm not talking schoolies either.

Check out: www.ctfisherman.com and say hello.

Oh yes, and thank you for the spreader bar advice.

John from Madison, CT

 

[daved]

John,
Hey , no problem the wife and I like going to the shows. WE are going up to the show at the Expo Center on Sat. morning, will you have a both at this show?.
I didn't know of the site you mentioned..I'll check it out!
Thanks
Dave

 

[622807]

Cap'n larry had it correct. Stalker makes great bars with many different trailers including the infamous mini stalker jet.
Don on Devocean