Multiple Setups On Party Boat

[lonegeneral]

Hello, I'm quite new to deep sea fishing and have gone out to local party boats (1/2, 3/4 day trips) a number of times this year. So far, it has been mostly bottom fishing for Sand Dabs, Sculpin, Groupers, Reds, etc. I'm still a 1 rod guy, which a 15-30lb rating rod and a Penn Jigmaster (25lb mono). It's been working well enough.

I see that most regulars bring multiple rods, some of them 5+ setup onto the 1/2 and 3/4 day trips. I'm sure there's a good reason for it other than having a backup in case 1 rod malfunctions. Can someone educate me on the top reasons for bringing multiple rods on such trips? If I were to start bringing additional rods, what would be a good direction and setup?

Thanks!

[.:LOLLY:.]

Different line ratings. I like to throw lighter stuff for bass and barracuda but when that doesn't work I'll switch to a heavier set-up for rock fishing. If you're taking multiple set-ups you also might want to keep an eye on your stuff at all times. Some people are not so honest. I prefer to take one rod and two reels. I'll keep the one that's not in use inside of my back pack.

[zzzfish]

Honestly you really only need 2 for a half day or 3/4. I always bring a minimum of 2 just so I don't have to retie in the middle of a hot bite when I get cut off. My go to setups are: 1. 8ft shimano terramar medium w/shimano curado 300ej w/50lb spectra and 8-25lb leader dedepending condition. 2. 8ft shimano terramar med/heavy w/daiwa lexa 400 (low gear/high capacifty model) w/65lb braid and 15-30lb leader for any local beast out there. Both setups are multi purpose and can handle most situation. Your set up is fine but I would add a leader on top of the 25lb mono when the fish are skittish. If you want to get another set up then keep your existing one for rockfish/yellowtail/barracuda. Get another medium action 8ft rod and a big spool bass real for your 10-20lbs line class.

[lonegeneral]

Thanks guys.

zzzfish, both your setups have Spectras that are twice the rating as my current 25lb mono. Does that mean only the leader really matters? I actually picked up some Seaguar over the weekend to try out as leader.

BTW, is low gear better than fast reel in some situation?

Sorry for all the n00b questions. :-)

[.:LOLLY:.]

Lower gears have more cranking power to pull fish out of structure or to pull on bigger fish with less effort.

[fishingforreds]

IMO on 1/2 or 3/4 day trips you only really need 2 rods for the day. 8 ft medium action rod and have the reel spooled with 65# spectra and have a short topshot of 25# mono about 18-24 inches. Bring a couple of small spools of line and if the need changes you can just cut off the short topshot and retie.

The second setup with be a bass outfit, 8ft rod and small profile baitcaster. 40# spectra, and short topshot of #15 mono.

You don't need a whole lotta gear for 1/2 and 3/4 day trips. If I go on overnight trips or longer then I'll bring more setups.

[lonegeneral]

Thanks FishingForreds.

What's the reason for such heavy (65# and 40#) spectras? I'm still using 25# Mono, no leader. :-P

For the bass outfit, would a small profile baitcaster hold enough line? I believe fish like Calico and Sand bass are still bottom fish, right?

[basshole1]

Hey lonegeneral, I must agree with the information on this thread. To reiterate some of the posts, on a half day or 3/4 day outing, two setups should be more than sufficient for most applications. Personally, I take two setups on my shorter trips, even most overnighters. (multi-day trips are a different story) My setups are very similar to zzzfish's setups. I have listed them below for an example or a reference.

Setup 1: Daiwa Lexa 400HSP, 65lb izorline spectra, 25lb - 40lb fluoro leader, 7' Seeker A670 American Series rod, rated (20-50)
This setup will handle ANYTHING locally.

Setup 2: Shimano Curado 300EJ, 65lb izorline spectra, 15lb - 25lb fluoro leader, 7'8" Graftech, rated (15-30) XF action
I mainly use this setup for Sand Bass, Calico Bass, Barracuda, etc. Great for casting swimbaits and smaller irons. It also has the capability to handle other species that I may accidentally hook into. (smaller Yellowtail, WSB, etc.)


Thanks FishingForreds.

What's the reason for such heavy (65# and 40#) spectras? I'm still using 25# Mono, no leader. :-P

For the bass outfit, would a small profile baitcaster hold enough line? I believe fish like Calico and Sand bass are still bottom fish, right?

There are definite advantages to installing braid on your setups:

1. Bite sensitivity is much more pronounced and delicate vs. mono
2. No stretch equals better hook sets. The stretch characteristic of mono may result in lost fish.
3. More line capacity. This ones obvious.
4. Less abrasion. Mono will tend to fray easily when fishing rocky structure or reefs. Again, may result in lost fish.
5. Longevity. Good quality spectra will last an extremely long time and maintain its integrity through many sessions. Mono deteriorates rather quickly in saltwater thus resulting in frequent line replacement.

I personally enjoy the 65 on my setups because along with the advantages mentioned above, it can handle any local species with ease. As long as my knots are on point, I don't have to worry about my line snapping during a fight. Fluorocarbon line is also low stretch, abrasion resistant and nearly invisible for when the fish are finicky. Definitely an advantage.

In regards to your baitcaster question, a small profile baitcaster would work just fine. I have caught plenty of sand bass with my Abu Garcia Revo S. I believe I have right around 120 yards of 15lb copolymer line and I have NEVER had issues with line capacity.

Fishing for sand bass will propone a bottom fishing method. Try tying a 1 oz jig head and a piece of squid, it should get you bit. My favorite rig for sand bass is a 1 oz egg sinker and 2/0 Gamakatsu or Owner baitholder hook straight to my line. As long as the captain gets you on the fish, it is a proven technique that will catch you fish.

Calico bass might involve casting into kelp beds. This is where 65 lb spectra comes into play and really has its advantages. Extra fast action rod with some backbone is a must. Hook the fish fast, hook the fish hard and rip it out of the kelp.

I hope some of this information is useful and helps you catch that nice trophy bass or monster rockfish. Again, just as others have stated, a two-rod approach is perfect for local waters. IMO, anything more than that is just overkill. Good luck and hope you have fun on your party boat sessions. Looking forward to some reports. Thanks.

[lonegeneral]

Basshole1,

Thanks dude! That was a detail and thorough explaination. This has definitely help me a ton! So far this year, I've mostly been fishing with a double hook dropper loop with an 8-oz sinker to catch a variety of rock fish. During the last trip out, I caught a few Calico and perch using a single hook dropper loop with a 4oz sinker. Didn't do any casting, just went straight down to the bottom. I need to start picking up different techniques!

[jaggerbub]

@basshole1... Spot on reply. Well said my friend!

With that said, my current setup for a 3/4 day is:

-Phenix Black Diamond 809hxf / abu revo nacl with 65 braid tied direct to a jig

-Phenix Black Diamond 809h / abu revo with 65 braid (short 15-30 flouro leader) for baitfishing.

[lonegeneral]

Looks like everyone's going with small profile with braided lines. I now have a Jigmaster and a Saltist 40H. If I want to take advantage of braided lines, can I keep those reels or should I look into replacing mine with something that's small factor?

[basshole1]

@basshole1... Spot on reply. Well said my friend!

With that said, my current setup for a 3/4 day is:

-Phenix Black Diamond 809hxf / abu revo nacl with 65 braid tied direct to a jig

-Phenix Black Diamond 809h / abu revo with 65 braid (short 15-30 flouro leader) for baitfishing.

Thanks my man!! Just trying to contribute. Those are some pretty sweet setups. How do you like the revo nacl? I'm thinking about picking up one of those...or the Revo Inshore Gen3.


Looks like everyone's going with small profile with braided lines. I now have a Jigmaster and a Saltist 40H. If I want to take advantage of braided lines, can I keep those reels or should I look into replacing mine with something that's small factor?

Keep the reels, throw on some braid and most importantly...have fun. Tight lines lonegeneral!!

[jaggerbub]

@ basshole1...Nacl is awesome. I got it last season and its taken quite a few yellowtail. It can cast a mile, and the drags are smooth. I had it tied onto a 2 oz krocodile and couldn't keep the yellowtail off it. The power handle came in handy on that 2.5 day on the better grade fish.

@lonegeneral... the reels you have are fine for braid as basshole1 stated. I have a couple of avet raptors that I take for longer san diego trips and those are loaded up with braid as well. These low profile reels I mentioned (abu nacl) are the ones I mainly use for local fishing but they double up great for light tackle fishing on the longer trips when you wanna have some fun fishing the kelp pattys. They have a cast control that makes it almost impossible to birdsnest when throwing jigs. I'm not the best caster, but with this reel I never worry. Another nice factor is the weight of the setup. Both rod and reel are light weight and you arm will thank you at the end of the day. Hope this helps...