Game Fishing

Contents Marlin Yellowfin Tuna Bluefin Tuna Sharks

Fishing for Marlin Main Tackle 15-37kg stand up tackle Wind on leaders Main Techniques Live baiting – trolling, dropping, pitching Skip baiting Switch baiting Lures Always have live bait on board

Live Baiting for Marlin Bridling live bait - See VideoSee Video Insert crochet hook above the eye, straight through and attach a loop of dacron, waxed thread or rubber band and pull through the eye socket and attach to the hook Tow about 40 metres behind the boat at 3-4 knots Attach a sinker to the wind on to get bait down to deep bait balls – drift through productive areas with the live bait at the same depth as the bait balls

Skip Baiting for Marlin Rig up some skip baits - See VideoSee Video Run two baits out of the riggers, one 35m and the other 45m from the boat from a blacks release clip with a twisted rubber band Use teasers – daisy chain of squid and a lure (use a lure you would expect to catch a fish on) Tow between 5-6 knots Check baits every hours – replace is torn, water filled, or soft and floppy Leave reel in free spool with the ratchet on – give about 10 seconds before strike

Switch Baiting Very exciting way of fishing Run lures with NO hooks from a rod or teaser reel When a fish comes in, throw in a dead bait, or preferably, a live bait Get the bait out to in front of the fish Be prepared to make a few mistakes, but keep at it.

Lure Fishing for Marlin 8-10 inch skirts – set in the pressure waves behind the boat Tow at around 7 knots Evil, lumo and pink preferred colours File back barbs and hook point to ease penetration Don’t complicate the spread – two riggers and a shotgun Run teasers – daisy chain and/or witchdoctor On hook up, keep boat moving forward at trolling speed to keep pressure on the line whilst the deck is cleared Expect a low hook up to tag ratio Lures are few productive at raising fish

Work on the Hooks Reduce Barb size to about 1mm Shorten the distance from the point to the barb Keep pressure on the fish when fighting

Where to Fish Clear blue water Around bait Temperature breaks Tide differences fathoms most consistent Remember it might take the fish an hour or two to come up in your spread – don’t leave fish to find fish

Yellowfin Tuna Trolling Small lures 6-8 inches skirts and hard bodies Lumo colour is consistent Set lures further back behind the boat When a single hook up occurs, keep boat going for m to enable other fish in the school to hook up Cubing Cut 2cm cubes of pilchards and throw them at regular intervals behind the boat – don’t over feed Set live baits on circle hooks – reel in strike Feed down a cube or full pilchard on a small circle and light trace

Tackle for Yellowfin Stand up gear – 15-24kg is sufficient Light traces – no need for anything over 150lbs…the lighter the better No wind on leaders when cubing – have better result without when trolling at times When cubing, if the fish are shy, trace may need to go down to 50-60lb

Where to Fish Generally out over the shelf Warmest water on the day Look for converging currents (changes in speed when trolling or rippled water) Seals on bait are a ticket to the game to consistent areas

Bluefin Tuna Trolling lures Similar lures as for yellowfin 4-6 rods out On hook up, start heavily cubing to bring the school up to the boat Best water is the warmest with little tide Generally found over the line, and people fish out as far as Make sure you are comfortable in your vessel Listen to the radio – call in any hook ups, there will be significant numbers of fish to be caught

Be Prepared for a Big Fish Most fish are in the 30-50kg range, however, be prepared when trolling to hook fish over 100kg…. 37kg tackle preferred Little boats can catch big fish too!!!

Sharks Burley with striped tuna and other fish accumulated in the freezer over the year Wire trace – 200lbs with nylon coating J hooks are the go Given them plenty of time to eat Use a flying gaff….be careful… Sharks are found anywhere….

Preserving Shark Jaws Cut out jaws about two inches from the gum line Put 3-4 cups of laundry powder in a bucket of boiling Put in jaws and let soak overnight until flesh peels off easily Clean up with a dishwashing brush Mount on a board prior to drying out