Rigging Sardines for Dorado and to avoid the Coma-rants and pelicans

[JL]

Need some help on Rigging Sardines for Dorado. We generally nose hook but the past 2 trips we had nothing but trouble with the birds and pelicans. Butt hooked some but I am concerned about how deep they go. It has been my experience that Dorado hook up on or just below the surface. Out latest hook up on Dorado happened just a few seconds before the Birds got there to try and steal the bait.

What about small split shot weight to try and coax the sardine down a few feet? Have you hooked Dorado going deep??? When near patties we drift or do a slow troll around the patties....... when not on patties we kick up the troll speed some and cover large areas. Even with the bait several hundred feet behind the boat somehow the birds do find them and circle until they can attack.

going on again Tomorrow ( friday) looking for dorado 15 - 25 miles out of dana point - south by southwest.........but will check the forum before i leave in the AM.

Thanks for any help you can share.

Tight LInes and God Bless

[bones]

SWAT has developed a solution to the NON sub surface bird problem. One of our newest members (SP Dan) is a USMC sniper. We put him in the tuna tower with a paintball gun:ROFL:

Note....This is NOT effective for sub surface comorants or sea lions.

On a serious note..... Your situation with the birds is ALWAYS going to be the problem. Doesn't matter how you hook the bait IMHO. You have to either move or just put up with it and start a pool for the most birds caught too!
I do believe the paintball gun is legal too as long as you don't hit the bird/seal in the eye so you need a qualified SNIPER :ROFL:

[JL]

thanks for the laugh. At least you responded 93 people did not have any answer any better than yours so they could not respond. I guess i am going to have to check out what the laws are regarding the use of firearms on the creatures? LOL

[DockRat]

Head farther offshore and the problem will be solved.
We saw zero pelicans and seals fishing the paddies.
DR

[JL]

Thanks for your response Dockrat. Let me also say hear that I do appreciate your posts on the forum.

MY wife an i being of retirement age are careful to not venture out beyond our confidence level of our capabilities. I must share that for the first 5 years we owned our boat (21.5 center console T top triumph) we did not venture out much past 5 - 8 miles. With this year being one of those special fishing years we have expanded our travel to 25 and 30 miles offshore. I know that is not a big deal for several on this network but for us it was quite an accomplishment to our growth in fishing offshore. We will be out again this week hoping we find those elusive patties and the rewards that may be there.

[DockRat]

Thanks for the kind words. Try a 1/4 oz egg slider.
Good luck, DR

[LGHT]

A few packs of small bottle rockets and your problem is solved.

http://www.hpfireworks.com/prodimages/Black%20Cat%20Bottle%20Rocket.jpg

[smokehound]

switch to irons...