Fishing in May

[Chuck M.]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]OK.....I

[ModeratorTwo]

http://www.h-scharters.com/

Check out Henry's site.

[CR]

Chuck,

Dolphin usually run at this time, as well as Yellowfin and Blackfin Tuna, Wahoo, Sailfish, and Marlin.
Out Tilloo you only have to go a mile or so - you will see where the color changes.

Regards,
R.

[Chuck M.]

Thank you CR and ModTwo.....:)

[DrRalph]

Check out Fishing in Abaco (http://www.drralph.net/FishininAbaco2005.html). A good place to start is the SW end of the 200-600' dropoff that extends NE from about 1.5 nm due east of Tilloo Cut. Watch your scope and look for the usual indicators. There are deeper ledges to the NE as well.

[Chuck M.]

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]Dr. Ralph: I've already read your article, Fishing in Abaco. It was so informative that I printed out two copies, one for me and one for the other couple that is traveling with us. I

[CR]

Chuck,

Ballyhoo is not a problem to find - most Marinas have them, as well as the "fish house" in Marsh Harbour.
Most troll lures with ballyhoo for Dolphin, Tuna, and Wahoo.
For Sailfish; we use Squid lures, or naked Ballyhoo, For Marlin; large lures with or without bait.

Regards,
R.

[Abacobrad]

I always place an order before coming to the Abacos. Baitmasters delivers the day before I leave and I never worry about 'finding' bait. My wife does throw an awesome bait net for pilchers, but thats a plus having live bait... Photo from last Saturday at Munjack

[Chuck M.]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]More good info

[Abacobrad]

Baitmasters asks you the day you want the bait delivered and it comes UPS on dry ice. I repack without the dry ice and wrap in one sheet of newspaper. Usually take in a separate cooler to prevent mingling with the steaks. Love their rigged horse ballyho for wahoo.

[Chuck M.]

Thanks Brad.....one more item to add to my "prep list". Are you telling me you don't like your steaks marinated in ballyhoo juice.....you never heard of surf & turf?

[Abacobrad]

That tends to foul up a warm cooler. Ballyho and other rigged baits are shrink wrapped at Baitmasters. The squid blocks are in boxes and even after putting in a zip lock tend to get a bit ugly when warm. The fish don't seem to mind though.

Brad

Thanks Brad.....one more item to add to my "prep list". Are you telling me you don't like your steaks marinated in ballyhoo juice.....you never heard of surf & turf?

[Chuck M.]

The fish don't seem to mind though.

Brad

I should say so......the biggest redfish I ever cought (40+ lbs) was in the surf at south Cocoa Beach. The squid was a day and half old when I cut a piece and put it on a 3-0 circle hook.

[bellavista]

CR formerly just R knows fishing. I would listen to him. If you fishing down Cherokee way you will see him out there.

[SamFamAustin]

Oh yeah, R now known as CR is a good person and he just might, I say maybe might, let on a few tricks about fishing Cherokee Sound and the outside. We'll have to ask him.

* * *

The spinner has to be one of my favorite rigs, the larger saltwater version of the bass spinner bait. If I have time I put some fresh bait of the hook to hide the metal but most of the time, if I see dolphin, ling, snapper, or whatever, it is a sure-fire rig for sight casting and I'm usually in a real hurry.

It's all about confidence but if you drift down a weedline or structure and shoot a few feet in front of the fish and let the lure flutter. You'd better hold onto your medium/heavy-action rod rig real good even if you have that space-age Spectra braided line good to 80 pounds. Do not retrieve the line fast or try to set the hook hard. Many fish will hit "short" and it feels like you have a fish on, only to winch it like heck and get nothing. Let the sprinner fish itself in small twitches. The fish will hook himself.

The inshore green water and offshore blue water is so clear off the Abacos that some experts like CR might say this is not the best thing to do. Basically, a spinner is just a jig attached by trangle wire to a bright shiny spoon that rides on the side. The shiny spoon can actually run off the fish if they are nervous. If you can see a fish good enough to shoot a lure at it, it has seen you a long time ago. For this reason, dull gold or softer paint colors can sometimes be more effective than a bright chrome spinner spoon, just maybe ... with some finess and luck! ;)

Any comments from those in the know down yonder?
Sam

[wsg]

We're also coming to the Abacos in May and plan to rent a boat for fishing/snorkeling/exploring. We have rented from Blue Wave in the past. Chuck's post indicated that he was renting from B & B Boat Rental and that they had said you can take the boat out into the Atlantic. I'm not familiar with B & B. Does anyone know anything about them and whether they have reliable boats? Thanks.

[Chuck M.]

My understanding is that hey are new start-up. I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about doing business with a new company. If they pull out of the market a month before we travel, I may have a hard time booking a replacement.

[schadm]

Chuck, when in May are you going?