Fishing on long haul or ocean passage

[RobMinton]

We just completed an Atlantic loop and fished almost every day on passage. Blue plastic squid on steel leaders were the most productive lures. But the most fun and almost equally productive lures were born of our 'homemade lure making competition' among the 3 of us aboard. They were typically made from a piece of shiny trash/Doritos bag, a wine cork, steel leader, swivels and a hook. Don't spend $$ on expensive lures, spend it on cold beers at your next port. I caught the biggest mahi of the trip on a homemade lure..and won the bragging rights.
So yes, fishing on passage can be very productive but only if you're making good speed, and for us that means over 5 kts.
When the trades set in south of the Canaries we were nailing the mahi. Also landed a nice wahoo and some yellow fin tuna. We caught so much delicious protein we had to quit fishing for lack of fridge space. Man, what a trip. If only my wife wanted to do it again..

[wesevans]

No you will not catch fish every day there are vast areas where there are no fish. Even were there are fish there is no grantee you will catch fish. Why it is known as fishing not catching.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I think it's a crime to pour vodka, gin or any other shipboard beverage down anything, except your own throat.
Six lashes with a wet noodle for you to even suggest it......

Nowadays, just squirt it with your spray bottle of 60-70% alcohol hand sanitizer.

[EngNate]

Here is a section from some guidance I wrote for somebody heading off. No, you're not ever guaranteed to catch fish, and you may well drag a lure for days without a bite. It's hard to say an average because usually when we get one we're done fishing till it's eaten and that can be a while.

[SVHarmonie]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

typically, fishermen that go after wahoo...troll lures at high speed...give or take 15-20 knots...but, remarkably, I have caught them behind my sailboat doing 6-7 knots...

no question wahoo makes for excellent table fare...

Wahoo on the table are well worth a bit of extra effort to bring the gaff. There is a reason the Hawaiian name (Ono) is synonymous with “tastes good.” Certainly, the faster you go, the better you do, but if you’re doing 7 knots that’s good enough. Commercial guys NEVER do the 15 knot trolling, it costs too much in fuel for the few extra fish it gets you.

More important than speed for wahoo is depth. They are not often going to take a lure from the surface like a mahi or tuna. If you can keep a lure 50 feet down you’ll find them. Like mahi-mahi they tend to congregate around pieces of flotsam. The mahi near the surface, and the wahoo deeper. We never miss a chance to troll past ANYTHING floating in the water.

If you are lucky enough to land one, be REALLY careful of the teeth. They will slice you open right down to the bone. Their hunting style is to lurk down deep, looking up. When they see prey silhouetted against the sky, they shoot up, chop it in half, and turn to come back for the pieces.

[teneicm]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

I think it's a crime to pour vodka, gin or any other shipboard beverage down anything, except your own throat.
Six lashes with a wet noodle for you to even suggest it......

You obviously haven't come across some of the rum for sale in the Caribbean. There's a reason that some of it is only $1 a bottle. We had a joke on board that the fish would just commit suicide when it saw the bottle rather than having some Rivers Rum poured down its throat. That stuff is nasty. But the locals sure do love it!

[Souzag818]

Originally Posted by RobMinton

We just completed an Atlantic loop and fished almost every day on passage. Blue plastic squid on steel leaders were the most productive lures. But the most fun and almost equally productive lures were born of our 'homemade lure making competition' among the 3 of us aboard. They were typically made from a piece of shiny trash/Doritos bag, a wine cork, steel leader, swivels and a hook. Don't spend $$ on expensive lures, spend it on cold beers at your next port. I caught the biggest mahi of the trip on a homemade lure..and won the bragging rights.
So yes, fishing on passage can be very productive but only if you're making good speed, and for us that means over 5 kts.
When the trades set in south of the Canaries we were nailing the mahi. Also landed a nice wahoo and some yellow fin tuna. We caught so much delicious protein we had to quit fishing for lack of fridge space. Man, what a trip. If only my wife wanted to do it again..

I crossed the Pacific a few times and cruised Mexico, using a lure made out of an Aqua Fresh toothpaste tube. Cut the bottom off, cut the tube into strips, ran a leader up the hole in the tube with a football shaped lead ball, and a hook. Got made fun of a lot, until it caught fish.... The colors were good-silver, red, blue and white- and the tube was a soft plastic. Now whoever makes Aqua Fresh went and changed the colors and material the tube is made of, so I make no guarantee.....

[Souzag818]

Originally Posted by SVHarmonie

Wahoo on the table are well worth a bit of extra effort to bring the gaff. There is a reason the Hawaiian name (Ono) is synonymous with “tastes good.” Certainly, the faster you go, the better you do, but if you’re doing 7 knots that’s good enough. Commercial guys NEVER do the 15 knot trolling, it costs too much in fuel for the few extra fish it gets you.

More important than speed for wahoo is depth. They are not often going to take a lure from the surface like a mahi or tuna. If you can keep a lure 50 feet down you’ll find them. Like mahi-mahi they tend to congregate around pieces of flotsam. The mahi near the surface, and the wahoo deeper. We never miss a chance to troll past ANYTHING floating in the water.

If you are lucky enough to land one, be REALLY careful of the teeth. They will slice you open right down to the bone. Their hunting style is to lurk down deep, looking up. When they see prey silhouetted against the sky, they shoot up, chop it in half, and turn to come back for the pieces.

I think the depth depends on how rough it is. If the waters rougher, then ono will go deeper. But if it's calm, any surface lure will potentially catch an ono. I was raised in Hawaii, and fished there for decades. Caught more ono on the surface than deep. Also, use a wire leader if you think you may catch ono- I only use wire now. They will easily bite through a monofilament leader, even 300 lb test. And, yea, if you see a piece of plywood or a log floating on the surface, chances are good you'll catch something like a mahi. It's worth doing a loop if you can, cause, usually there's more than one lurking.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by cooper1991

Are you guaranteed to catch fish every day across the oceans?

What kit or lines do you need? What bait or lures?

Obviously most time it's mackerel and tuna and other top feeders so is it just the same coloured feathers or silver paper lures you use?

Just planning ahead to when I buy a sailboat.

I troll a line more or less every day during daylight hours, success is about 10%. No I don't catch something every day, more like once a week.

Nothing is guaranteed, fishing is better near a reef or rocks, blue water fishing I mainly get tuna, mackerel, barracuda

I use a $ 5 spoon.
All the fancy gear you see on TV is nonsense.
Better go out there and find out your self what works and what does not.

[upstateny]

Originally Posted by EngNate

Here is a section from some guidance I wrote for somebody heading off. No, you're not ever guaranteed to catch fish, and you may well drag a lure for days without a bite. It's hard to say an average because usually when we get one we're done fishing till it's eaten and that can be a while.

Thanks for this post. Like to see more photos of lures and less photos of fish.

[carlosproa]

Originally Posted by Souzag818

I crossed the Pacific a few times and cruised Mexico, using a lure made out of an Aqua Fresh toothpaste tube. Cut the bottom off, cut the tube into strips, ran a leader up the hole in the tube with a football shaped lead ball, and a hook. Got made fun of a lot, until it caught fish.... The colors were good-silver, red, blue and white- and the tube was a soft plastic. Now whoever makes Aqua Fresh went and changed the colors and material the tube is made of, so I make no guarantee.....

You want to keep them teeth shiny and clean!


I love your approach to ingenuity, there may be some money to be made if you film the catch and send it to GlaxoSmithKline

[slug]

Concerning fishing lures my fishing gear box only contains lead head jigs and rubber tails

These lures are effective, the cheapest option and versatile ...offshore trolling and inshore jigging when over a reef with a spinning rod m

Small medium and large... half dozen each and a few bags of tails

[MicHughV]

I've become a fan of the Japanese style fishing jigs...they come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes and typically come pre-assembled with two assist hooks on the bottom, though I generally add two more assist hooks on the top of the lure.

These lures do all the work for you, you can let them free fall and they will flutter to the ocean floor, or you can jig them up and down...You Tube has many video's on technique.

I was a bit skeptical at first about these, but have since become a big fan. It eliminates the need for finding or getting bait...and they work like a charm. Park over a reef and you're going to catch fish.

You may want to get several, as they will snag on the bottom, but a little practice, will soon have you timing the fall....

[MicHughV]

To catch wahoo around here...NE Florida....one needs to head out the Gulf Stream, which can mean a 60 mile ride...sometimes more...
The few times I've caught wahoo is when I've been invited on board a sports fisherman....a 4 am departure can put you out in the Stream by 8 am....when the rigs go in the water...the rigs are streamed right on the surface...and boat speed is typically, quite fast....I'm guessing at least 15 mph....the boat captain typically has his " spots" that he goes to, he pretty much stays on on the upper flybridge the whole time and a hired deck hand works the lower deck...the invited guests take turns in the fighting chair to reel 'em in.
How much fuel does he burn? I could not say, we all chip in for gas...but likely several hundred dollars. We fish for about 4 hours or so and then head back in.
The average size wahoo I've caught are probably in the 30 lb range....and a trip like that will generate at least a dozen fish.
I've caught them trolling behind my sailboat, also using a surface rig....but the fish have been smaller....15 lbs ??....it's not often that I get them, I can probably count the instances on one hand...
Pound for pound, probably one of my favorite fish to eat. The hog snapper still taking first spot for table fare.

[369thegoose]

Originally Posted by cooper1991

I know it's not a fishing expedition but it sounds quite alarming that the sea has been fished out by trawlers, a crime really.

I've done mackerel fishing out of rowing boats before with coloured feathers and silver paper/alcan foil.

I think I have other better ideas about vodka but I like your compassion.

Fish stocks worldwide are in serious decline, only a few designated protected areas where significant rebounds taking decades see recovery.
Sadly