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Fishing for Wahoo & Dolphin Presented by
Tom Putnam
marinemax.com treasureislandmarina.net halfhitch.com
Hosted by
Bob Fowler
(850) 708-1317
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Dolphin •Family Coryphaenidae, DOLPHINS Coryphaena hippurus Description: bright greenish blue above, yellow on sides, with capability of flashing purple, chartreuse, and a wide range of other colors; body tapers sharply from head to tail; irregular blue or golden blotches scattered over sides; anterior profile of head on adult males is nearly vertical; head of females more sloping; the single dark dorsal fin extends from just behind the head to the tail; anal fin margin concave and extending from anus to tail. Where found: OFFSHORE in warm waters. Size: common to 30 pounds. *Florida Record: 77 lbs, 12 oz.
*World Record: 87 lbs. Costa Rica Remarks: one of the fastest-growing fish, thought to live no more than 5 years; swimming speed is estimated at 50 knots; spawns in warm ocean currents throughout much of the year; young found in sargassum weed; feeds on flying fish and squid.
•Legal Limit = none in Gulf Waters
•Bag Limit = 10 Not to exceed 60 per vessel
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Wahoo Family: SCOMBRIDAE Wahoo Acauthocybium solanderi
Description: body slender; elongate jaws form a pointed beak; dark bluish above, with about 30 dark wavy bars; whitish below 1st dorsal fin long and low, with 21 to 27 spines; no gill rakers.
Where found: offshore Gulfstream; bluewater
Size: to 83 inches and 183 lbs.
*Florida Record: 136 lbs
*World Record: 158.8 lb Baja, California, Mexico / 139 Marathon
Remarks: an important game fish, renowned for its tremendous runs and shifts of direction; usually not in schools; caught with trolling bait and artificial lures on flatlines
Legal Limit = None
Bag Limit = 2 per day
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Blackfin Tuna Family Scombridae also called Bermuda tuna, Blackfinned Albacore
Blackfin Tuna Thunnus atlanticus
Description: The pectoral fins reach to somewhere between the twelfth dorsal spine and the origin of the second dorsal fin but they never extend beyond the second dorsal fin as in the albacore. There is a total of 19-25 (usually 21-23) gill rakers on the first arch (15-19 are on the lower limb), which is fewer than in any other species of Thunnus. The finlets are uniformly dark, without a touch of the bright lemon yellow usually present in those of other tunas. Light bars alternate with light spots on the lower flanks.
Where found: OFFSHORE of all Florida coasts
Size: common 10 to 50 lbs.
*Florida Record: 45.8 lb
*World Record: 45.8 lb Key West, FL
Remarks: May strike a surface bait in spectacular, greyhounding fashion, but seldom jumps after being hooked. Wild fight is characterized by several sizzling runs, usually at or near the surface. One of the fastest of all game fish.
Legal Limit = none
Bag Limit = none
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Yellowfin Tuna Yellowfin Tuna Megalops atlanticus
Description: Distinguishing the Yellowfin Tuna from the Blackfin or Bigeye is sometimes difficult as many visual features are similar. Finlets of the Yellowfin are yellow, trimmed in black and gold stripe along side. Light underside always shows spots and/or wavy lines. Second dorsal and anal fins of very large individuals are elongated and lunate--a feature not found on any other Tuna
Where found: OFFSHORE of all Florida coasts Size: common 10 to 50 lbs. *Florida Record: 230 lbs.
*World Record: 388 Reuvillagigedo Islands Remarks: May strike a surface bait in spectacular, greyhounding fashion, but seldom jumps after being hooked. Wild fight is characterized by several sizzling runs, usually at or near the surface. One of the fastest of all game fish.
Legal Limit = 27” fork length + Highly migratory species permit
Bag Limit = 3 per person
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Tuna
• World Record
– Blackfin 45.5 lb Key West, FL
– Bluefin 1,496 lb Nova Scotia Canada
– Skip Jack 45 lb Baja
– Yellowfin 388 Reuvillagigedo Islands
– Little Bonita 35 Algeria
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Swordfish Family Xiphiidae, SWORDFISHES - Xiphias gladius
Description: color of back variable, black, grayish blue, brown, metallic purple, or bronze; sides dusky; underbelly dirty white; long, flat, sword-like upper jaw; lacks scales, teeth, and pelvic fins; single keel on each side of body in front of tail; first dorsal fin high, rigid and short; large eyes.
Where found: OFFSHORE species worldwide in temperate & tropic waters; known to frequent depths of 400 to 500 fathoms; also has been seen basking at the surface.
Size: once averaged 200 lbs but overharvest has reduced size of commercially caught swordfish to average of 48”.
*Florida Record: 612 lbs., 12 oz. Key Largo
*World Record: 1182 lbs. MarronIquique, Chile.
Remarks: large swordfish are all females, males seldom exceeding 200 lbs; except when spawning, females believed to prefer water cooler than that favored by males; feeds on squid, octopus, and pelagic fishes of all kinds.
Legal Limit = 47” lower jaw to tail fork length, 29” cleithrum to keel length, or 33 lbs. dressed weight
Bag Limit = 1 per harvester or 3 per vessel (whichever is less)
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Where are We Going to Fish
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License Required
• Permits 888- USA-TUNA
– Highly migratory permit
– Required for all Tuna (except Blackfin),
Marlin, Swordfish and some sharks
– Not Required for Wahoo or Dolphin
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IGFA Rules
• Tournaments Circle Hook Rule
– Circle hooks required in all tournaments
• Why Circle Hooks
– More hooks up in jaw
– Greater survival possibility
– Less gut hooked fish
• Rig most bait with circle hooks
• Bridal rig the most popular
J Hook
Circle Hook
Circle hook
definition:
Generally round
in shape & point
900 to hook
shank
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Spinning vs. Conventional
Best for casting
Poor leverage, limited drag
Best leverage
Best drag, poor casting
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2 Speed vs. 1 Speed vs. High
Efficiency Gearing
High efficiency gearing allows
for best of both worlds – easy
cranking like low speed & fast
retrieval like high speed 2 Speed reels give extra
leverage in low gear high
speed to pick up line fast
when approaching fish
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Rod Harnesses & Belts Shoulder harnesses are
easiest to use but put
extra pressure on
shoulders & lower back
Kidney
harnesses
lowers
pressure to
hips & thighs
where more
strength exist
Both allows the angler to release rod to relax hands
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Curved vs. Straight Butt
Curved butts increase lift when fighting fish who sound
(goes deep) however, for surface fights low angle
reduces rod bent and benefits.
Vertical
Lift
Less
Lift
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Rod Guides
Roller vs. Standard vs. Ceramic Guides
• Roller greater for high speed drag stripping if working – requires maintenance
• Ceramic – easy to use, dissipates heat
– many types
– very little or impossible to grove
– Silicone Carbide/Zoronico
• Standard – least favorite, wears easy, builds up heat that harms line
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Leader
• Wind-ons
• Double line
• Fluorocarbon
• Line Color
• Super Braid
• IGFA Rules
– Max 30’ leader
– Max 30’ double line
– Combined leader
double line max 40’
40’
Max 30’
Leader
Max 30’
Double Line
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Top Shot
• Fill reel ¾ with Dacron/Super Braid – finish
off with mono
• Best of all worlds
– Stretch when fish strikes but when there is
lots of line out low stretch & with super braid
low water drag but still stretches like shock
cord to keep line tight when fish jumps or runs
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Drag Settings High
• Full spool max fighting drag 30% of line test
max total drag 33% of line test
• When line spool diameter is ½ drag is twice
amount as line goes out smaller diameter drag
increase
• Use max drag when fish is close to the boat to
help control the fish.
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Super Braid vs. Mono
Mono
•Reasonable priced
•Able to stretch
•Multiple colors
•Has memory
Braid
•Zero Stretch
•Small Diameter
•No memory
•Can not color, coat
only not able to die
•Pricey
•Very durable
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Leaders
•Mono – low visibility has stretch, easy to bite off by
teethy fish
•Single strand stainless steel wire – Small diameter
– Stiff – very visible
– Able to twist, no knots, no sleeves teethy fish resistant
•Stainless Steel Cable – Stiff – more strands the more flexible –
very visible
– Requires sleeves – teethy fish resistant
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Fluorocarbon
• Great Leader
– High abrasion resistance
– Stiffer
– Larger Diameter
– Same density as water
– Carbon fleck stops light transmittal
– Has UV inhibitors – last longer in sun
– Very slick, passes through guides easily
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Baits
• Ballyhoo
• Mullet
• Spanish Mackerel
• Blue Runner
• Flying Fish
• Small Dolphin
• Small Bonita
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Vertical Jigging
• Around Oil Rigs
• Jigging for Tuna
around rigs work
well
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Natural vs. Artificial
• Artificial last long time & works
better at high speeds
• Higher speed allows more ground to be covered
• Natural Baits works better at
slower speed & fish will strike
bait multiple times
• Once bait fish are located prefer slower speeds with natural baits
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Lures
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How to Size a Hook
• Hook gap should be same
or greater diameter as lure
head.
• The bottom of the hook
should hang just past the
end of the skirt.
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Sleeves Barrel vs. Compression
• Best to tie all mono
under 80lb
• 80lb-125lb can tie or
crimp
• 150lb & up best to
crimp
• Remember when
crimping use a mono
sleeve & compression
style crimper
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Tie vs. Crimp • Best to tie all mono under 80lb
• 80lb-125lb can tie or crimp
• 150lb & up best to crimp
• Remember when crimping use a mono sleeve
& compression style crimper
• Barrell sleeve Mono sleeve
• When a Barrell sleeve is crimped only limited
contact with the surface of mono. Mono
sleeves compress all around mono for more
contact and holding power.
Twisting Single Strand Wire
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Popular Knots
Bimini Twist
Offshore Swivel Knot
Loop to Loop
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Preserve Your Catch
• Be Sure to be able to Ice well
• Fish Bags allow for easy storage of a large fish
• Summer heat will spoil fish fast
• Make sure you are able to ice your catch well
• Many boats fish boxes are not well insulated
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What to look for
• Weed Lines – fish the
clear side
• Floating Objects
• Bait will gather
around even the
smallest objects
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What to Look For
• Fish tend to not travel through abrupt temperature changes – they will move along the change
• Water Temperature Change – watch temperature guage
• Color Change will help show where temperature change exist
• Temperature changes can be found along tide lines and tide rips
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Gathering of Birds
• Great way to
help find bait.
• Fish will circle
bait forcing the
bait school to
the surface for
easy pray for
birds.
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Finding Bait
• Keep Fish Finder to
Look for Bait
• Bait will not always be
on the surface
• Fish finder is an easy
way to spot bait schools
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Sample Analysis
• Satellite Reports - roffs.com
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Bait Placement
• Lure and bait placement should be on the front of the boat wake.
• Allows lures to stay on the surface to catch air.
• Also allows fish to strike without head coming out of the water.
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Swordfish Night
• Hydro Glow light fish in to bring
bait fish around the boat
• Fish in 150-250 fathoms
• Night Fish 50’-100’ down
• Daytime-drift fish on bottom
• Swordfish
– Most daylight hours on bottom
– Night hours on surface
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Pointed Nose Lures
• Best for higher speed 8-15
mph moves very little
• Least water resistant
• Less side to side movement
• Less bubble effects
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Blunt Nose Heavy
• Blunt nose lures for
slower speeds 5-9 mph
– Tend to move less
– Leaves a visible bubble
trail
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How to Hook a Fish • Drop Back using an outrigger clip
• Fish strikes clip then releases line creates drop
back like bait has been killed
• Wait for fish to pick up bait and give time to get
entire bait in his mouth.
• Reel line tight as fast as possible
• When line is tight JERK very hard to set hook
• If line doesn’t become tight free spool in hopes
fish will return.
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Use of Birds
Use best on longest lines
Helps keep lures/baits
on the surface
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Use Live Bait • Bridal Rig
– Popular with live bait allows bait to swim free –
fish have to swallow bait head first because of
baits fins
– Has become popular way to rig baits with circle
hooks
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Ballyhoo
• 3-9’ leader. #7-12 single
strand wire
• Bally very popular at mid
speed, 5-9 mph
• Easy to rig and more durable
than other baits like cigar
minnows.
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High Speed Trolling
• Great for Wahoo
• What Speed – 10-14mph
• Wire vs. Super Braid
– Wire helps sink bait to reach fish otherwise missed
monol (single strand) old way multi-strand more
popular now but difficult to use. Small wire fibers,
breaks & dangerous. Planers don’t work well speed
produces to much water drag & stress on tackle.
– Super Braid – same small diameter as wire but extra
weight is needed to get lures/bait down
– Easier to work with – lighter and more fun to use
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High Speed Trolling Leads
Allows anglers to fish at
high speeds 10-14 mph &
get bait 10’ – 30’ down
16-48 oz.
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Chumming vs. Chunking
• Chunking (cut pieces of bait)
– Popular for night time tuna fishing
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Kites
• Becoming very
popular for sport
fishing for Tuna
• Using a kite allows
your bait to remain at
a greater distance
from the boat & keeps
bait on the surface of
the water
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Future Classes
• July 14th – Kayak Fishing, Scalloping & Water Activities
• August 11th – Surf Fishing
• September 8th – King Mackerel Fishing
• October 13th – Flounder and Fall Bay Fishing
• November 10th – Hands on Rigging
MEETINGS
Next Meeting Schedule
June 18 - 22, 2012
Hilton
2225 N. Lois Ave.
Tampa, FL 33607
August 20 - 24, 2012
Astor Crowne Plaza
739 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Gulf Of Mexico Fishery
Management Council Meeting
Schedule 2203 N Lois Avenue, Suite 1100
Tampa, Florida 33607 USA
Toll Free: 888-833-1844
Email: [email protected]
gulfcouncil.org
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MEETINGS
Next Meeting:
June 27-28, 2012
West Palm
Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission
Farris Bryant Building
620 S. Meridian St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
(850) 488-4676
Saltwater Regulations
myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/
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• www.facebook.com/halfhitchtackle
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How to Measure
• Fish regulated by fork length are measured from the tip of the jaw or tip of the snout with closed mouth to the center of the fork in the tail.
• Fork Length Species Include: Amberjacks, Bluefish, Rudderfish,
King Mackerel, Hog Fish, Spanish, Mackerel, Dolphin, Permit, Cobia, Pompano, Mullet, African Pompano