simple fishing

[mp_leahy]

My wife, son, and I are vacationing in Abaco (4th time) and would like to try some seaside fishing this year. I've read various posts on the subject but haven't found what I'm looking for. Some basic information about simple gear and bait/lures would be helpful. We rent a 23' Albury and use it for snorkeling mostly. I'm thinking of fishing from the boat, nothing high adventure, maybe snag a dinner or two. Are rods necessary? Is it bad form to fish around snorkeling sites. I understand the parks are off limits.

[Jerry S]

Hand line fishing using some cut up conch, is some of the most fun you can have with your clothes on.:)
Helps if you have a couple of smashed up crawfish heads to throw out for chum.

[SusieAndAl]

Welcome to the forum.

Rods are definitely not needed. Many locals do handline fishing with tremendous success. You can buy a rig here (it's just fishing line on an oversized spool) or make your own using a plastic bottle, fishing line -- 12 lb test is fine, an old bolt for weight, a swivel and a small hook. It's really important to have the bolt (or sinker) on a separate length of line from the hook (about 6-8 inches). This allows the hook to dangle a bit above the sea floor. Google "handline fishing" for more ideas.

For bait, use a bit of conch, snail, crab, shrimp or ballyhoo.

Find some structure of any type (rock clusters, reef, dropoffs, channel cuts etc) and cast or just drop your hook and let it hit bottom. Every 10 seconds or so lift your line a foot or so and let it sink back to the bottom.

Once you hook a fish pull the line in without respooling it. After you unhook the fish, respool your line.

This works well for snapper, yellowtails, grunts, trigger and many more.

You could buy a rod and reel and use artificial lures, but handlining with real bait is the classic Bahamian way.

One final note: if you don't do hard manual labor and have soft hands, get a pair of work gloves to avoid cuts from the line when you hook into a big one (we have caught more than a few barracudas that ate our initial catch).

Have fun and good luck!

Cheers -- SusieAndAl

[Jerry S]

Of simple fishing.

[DrRalph]

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

[Patti Puzo]

And, to reiterate....Welcome to the Fun Forum! Enjoy your trip!

[mp_leahy]

Thank you folks, a plastic bottle, twine, an old bolt, bait and chum. You must have Maine roots. I'm very encouraged now. Great videos and info Dr. Ralph, I may just bump things up a notch but handlining is first. 41 days to go...this forum will keep me alive til then.

[SamFamAustin]

I grew up floundering in Connecticut! Wait ... that didn't sound quite right ... :D

We preferred a three-strand poly green or white twine, since tarred line is impossible to get these days, and twine is easy on the hands. If you catch a monster fish, you really don't want to wrap mono-filament, fluorocarbon leader, or braided line because you could get some rather nasty cuts. They used to sell flounder handlines of this sort for only a buck or five but they are very simple to make yourself. A plastic soda bottle with work fine as a line holder - I'd avoid glass.

There are many ways to rig such a beast. I found a few basic options and posted them in the picture at the bottom. I've been using 2/0 to 6/0 circle hooks with a small weight, perhaps 1 ounce (weights are cheap). Here you want some clear mono for hook leaders to join to the mainline. Tie your rig together and pull pretty hard on it, being careful not to hook yourself. It is passes the test, you're ready to become a master of baiting.

Fish love anything you and I like to eat, from conch to small cut bait to hot dogs and baloney. They are not picky in the least. The trick is to use small baits but try to cover the hook as much as possible. Some tip the end of the hook with a kernel of corn for good luck!

Simply let down the line keep the hook dangling right above the bottom. Sometimes I will tie them off when fishing several lines - another nice thing about twine instead of fishing line. You can drink beer too, without losing your precious rig. When a fish strikes, let it hook himself, a nice thing about circle hooks. The fish in the Abacos are very timid when tasting their food, and will go "tap-tap-tap" several times.

I'd recommend setting out several lines and if the fish don't come, well some chum is in order. The best chum includes crumbled potato chips and Fritos, they are so greasy - and like I said, fish love everything we do except for broccoli. From breadcrumbs to conch guts, throw small measures of chum into the water and see if that gets anyone interested. Fish will come, if there are any in the area. WARNING: if you dump too much bloody chum into the water, you'll get nothing but sharks.

Cheap fun. I hate to reveal all my secrets, but if certain baits aren't working, try Gummy Bears. Fish love soft candy! Here are some of those very crude rig drawings I promised, and you can expand them to two hooks very easily. Tight lines,
Sammie

[mp_leahy]

Thanks Sam, sounds like I'll be real busy with the beer and chips. I'll ask my wife to be the master baiter!

[Indicott]

Walmart sells a 7 piece rod with small reel that travels in very little space. I've caught thousands of fish on mine!

[Abaco Skippy]

Thanks Indicott. Do you know the manufacturer/model of the multi section rod with reel at Walmart? I have been to our local Walmarts (South FL) many times looking for one of those for our trips to Abaco, the west coast and the Keys. Never had much luck and didn't want to spend ~$100 for a "fanciful" one at bass Pro Shops. Haven't located one on the Walmart website either. Any info would be appreciated!

[CR]

Skippy,

Try a search on ebay - type in pack rod, or travel rod.

R.

[Patti Puzo]

Skippy,

Try a search on ebay - type in pack rod, or travel rod.

R.


Welcome back R!;)

I was thinking of borrowing my granddaughters equipment:

[SamFamAustin]

Myself, I don't like those travel rods that telescope or have lots of pieces parts - they work for some but as Patti says in a funny way, it's all Mickey Mouse.

Some of the rental houses will have a rod & reel to use, especially if you ask nicely ahead of time. I think some bait stores might rent them, too. And if I had a reel I liked, I'd pack that in the suitcase (obligatory Crown Royal travel bag) and buy a cheapo reel at the hardware store - and leave the rod behind for the next guest. Finally, some of us use a travel "rod tube" no more than 6 feet long or so, and take our own over the ditch on the plane. There are some options there. Just my two cents!

[mp_leahy]

I had the option of accompanying my wife and niece (9) to the Build-A-Bear shop or a solo to Dick's Sporting Goods. I thought, hmm, I could watch a 9 year old girl dress a teddy bear or I could check out some fishing equipment for my upcoming vacation. They had rod/reel packages for between 60 and 100 bucks. The rods break down in 3' halves. I'm going to handline, but now that this thread has made me a seasoned veteran I might go for a little rod action. I'm afraid my freshwater gear is too light. Nice idea about leaving the rod, they are quite cheap. Turns out my niece bought a little fishing outfit for her bear, to memorialize my absence I suspect. Why was my wife smurking??

[SamFamAustin]

LOL, the rod and reel combos we use for inshore saltwater fishing is exactly the same as for perch, bass, trout, and catfish, light to medium-light action, 12 to 17 pound test line, and even some bass lures work great. There is absolutely no difference, unless you want to talk trolling or sneaking out to the outer reef, where beefier gear is needed. So no worries about that part.

[CR]

I have more rods and reels than I can count, but we still often use handlines for everything from Grunts and Yellowtail to big Rockfish, Dolphin, and Sharks.

I am sure you will enjoy yourself whatever method you choose -you have to its still fishing any way you do it.

R.

[Indicott]

Saw a travel rod and reel at Bass Pro Shop today for $36 in Concord, NC. It comes in a nice little case and all. Not sure if they carry them in Fla. They are great for catching bait but the handline would be better for bigger stuff. I was stocking up for a fishing trip to Fla next week but sure wish I was sitting on Mark and Patti's dock on Lubbers instead!

[Patti Puzo]

Saw a travel rod and reel at Bass Pro Shop today for $36 in Concord, NC. It comes in a nice little case and all. Not sure if they carry them in Fla. They are great for catching bait but the handline would be better for bigger stuff. I was stocking up for a fishing trip to Fla next week but sure wish I was sitting on Mark and Patti's dock on Lubbers instead!

My parents used to live in Concord, NC, and my sister and brother graduated from Concord HS!

[SamFamAustin]

Woot, the Battle of Concord, Concord grapes, and Patti's Mom & Dad! :)

Indicott - I just saw a pretty nice Daiwa 5-piece travel rod with an OK reel for about $45 on the Bass Pro website. Comes in a nice plastic carrier box. There are 5 HUGE Bass Pro stores in Florida including Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Ismoralda. I always use web ordering though.

These reels usually aren't spooled with line so it is good to buy in person and get the reel loaded with 10 or 12 pound mono for ya. Or, buy a small pack of line online, the Bass Pro fishing line isn't bad for starters and is cheap. Stren or Berkeley if you get confused - like me.

Myself, I am a member of the Confused Coastal Fishermen (CCF) and our idea of fishing is not working, drinking soda or preferably beer, and staring at the horizon about how beautiful it all is.

Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is
not fish they are after. - Henry David Thoreau

[Indicott]

I've been busy fishing in FL so I've been off line for a while.

Patti: We only get to Concord for some shopping. We live up in the mountains near Blowing Rock. Less people, kind of like the Abacos! We were going to make a trip this year but booked a cruise to Southern Caribbean, then the kids told us they wanted to go to Abaco. Might need to book a Christmas trip for some fishing in Abaco. Oh how I miss that blue water!

[Rinnie]

What size hook would you recommend for fishing from shore? I may have to exchange the ones I picked up for my son.

He wants to catch anything, but would be thrilled to catch a cuda!

[SamFamAustin]

My favorites go by numbers and not all manufacturers have the same sizes even though the numbers are the same. I use Eagle Claw or Mustad hooks mostly for inshore bait fishing.

2/0 is a good size for the small panfry fish, and for deeper, larger fish like Mutton Snapper you can go to a 4/0 or 6/0. These vary in gap size (the curled park with the sharp pointy thing) from a fingernail size to thumbnail size to bit toenail size.

Hope that helps ... personally I don't use those treble hooks that look like a 3-way single hook. These are J-shaped hooks.

sammie

[Rinnie]

Yup, our hooks are way too big. Thanks Sammie! Off to Cabela's I go...

[felix]

Sorry, I'm late to this posting. I had a couple of questions, particularly to Sammie...

Sam, is the twine the nylon kind you can buy anywhere and do you run it all the way to the hook or does it stop short with a leader to the hook. I agree that regular fishing line will cut up your hands, especially the kids' hands as they will ultimately toss off the gloves you tell them to wear.