Trolling tackle for Abaco

[Megalops]

Hey Guys,

I'm coming over for 2 to 3 weeks in May of '07 aboard our 36' trawler. I'm an experienced inshore fisherman (bones, tarpon, snaps, cuda etc) but I want to troll as we cross the stream and then while we are moving from island to island.

I am thinking of bringing two heavy rigs (loaded with 80lb power pro) but being a gulf coast guy I'm at a loss as far as lures. Can you recommend a basic selection?

When I troll for grouper up here behind the trawler I use a planer on 300lb mono and double snap swivels which attach to the line with rubber bands. The swivles slide down the planer line and the rubber bands break when a fish hits. The planer stays down all the time. This allows me to troll plugs or big drone spoons deep at higher speeds, sort of like a downrigger. Will this work well there as well?

How about stuff to pull on top for Dolphin, cuda etc?

BTW: Here is a list of rods I'm thinking of bringing for the 4 of us.

2 Heavy (as above)
2 15 lb Spinning rods (power pro)
3 8 lb Spinning rods
6 wt fly rod
8 wt fly rod
10 wt fly rod (maybe)

What do you think?

[DrRalph]

Check out Fishing in Abaco (http://www.drralph.net/FishininAbaco2005.html).

Unless you're going for big game--marlin, tuna-- I'd troll with 30-pound rigs. We use TLD 25s with 30-lb mono on 6' matched rods. You almost have to use steel leaders, there are days when the cudas while rob you blind.This strategy works great for dolphin, wahoo, the occasional sail. We like relatively small cupped-face lures and one or two 6/0 hooks, pull them fast enough to make some commotion. 30-pound allows you to fight the fish, 80-pound is more like an exercise in winching. The first photo shows the rig; both dolphin were caught on 30-pound, the second weighed 31 pounds and took about 45 minutes to land.

We also troll the reefs with big diving plugs--Mann's Stretch 25s and 35s, and do very well with the same 30-pound tackle; tighten down the drag to keep them out of the heads. Bunny caught this grouper off MOW, you can see the plug, in about 40'.

[Megalops]

Hey Ralph,

Thanks, that is preety much the same weight tackle I use up here to troll for grouper, and that is what I'm thinking of bringing. I use power pro (braided line), it is about 20lb diameter but has a (supposed) breaking strength of 80lb. I use it because it doesn't stretch much and it thin diameter allows it to get deep quicker.

How fast do you pull those plugs?

Nice fish BTW.

Thanks

[Megalops]

I meant to say, I put the power pro on 30lb class rods. It's cheating but it works.

[DrRalph]

We pull our plugs at about 4.5 kts, any faster and the line will either break or pull out against drag. The Manns really dig and put a lot of pressure on the line.

[SamFamAustin]

Good suggestions, DrRalph! The same baits works about anywhere all over the world, so don't forget your mackerel jig/rig with a Sea Witch skirt. One of the more interesting lures was a tarpon fly with nothing but a 1/0 or 3/0 with some gold mono glued and wrapped to the shank - rig on a wire with a small barrel weight above the swivel. We fish a diver and one closer to the top, varying the towing speed 2-5 kts. Tubes, squids, gold spoons; it is all good.
:)
Digger Sam

[Megalops]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll take you up on your suggestions. You gave me exactly the info I was looking for.

A lot of times on our boat when we are more traveling than trolling I have trouble because we go too fast (7 to 8 knots). A buddy of mine showed me that deal with the planer, he uses it for wahoo. It works good.