Quick question

[2fastlx]

Hey all,
Just picked up a kristal xl-75 with rod for a good deal. I have been deep dropping a fair amount with other people and have picked up good info as well as spots to fish but have a few basic questions. I have noticed guys will dye the last 100' or so of line so they can get a quick visual of when its getting close. The kristal I have is spooled with 80# (i think, havent got any other stuff to compare to yet) powerpro and I would like to dye the last bit red or orange to help prevent breaking anything on the retrieve. What is the best way to go about this? I was thinking coil the deisred amount around an empty reel spool and soak it overnight in a food coloring solution. Will this work or will the dye wash out? Thanks for any help, Just trying to cover all my bases before I get out and do this on my own. - John

[girber420]

just use a sharpie marker

[BanannaMan]

Thats the easiest ticket... sharpie

[PUMPKIN]

run a rubber ball through the line above the terminal gear which will act as a cushion between gear and rod tip, to prevent the ultimate deep drop (without deep retrieval if you know what i ). this will save you some heartache over time. they sell em at harrys or crook and crook in miami.

don't forget, no light....no bite.....

[2fastlx]

Thanks guys, I have a red sharpie I could use - I'll do that while at work tomorrow Cool idea on the rubber ball, I was thinking of using a 6" section of surgical tubing (the stuff I use to make speargun bands) and using it the same way. I figured I could jam the tubing over the snap swivel above the rig and it would stay in place. Does the ball ever get in the way of anything while sliding around?

As for the light, I bought a blinking blue LED one from worldwide sportsman. It will probably break on the first drop but we'll see what happens. Any suggestions on a better light to use? They had clear and luminescent as well. I wanted to grab a green one too but they were out. Thanks again, John

[PUMPKIN]

John,

I think the surgical tubing is a great idea as long as it doesn't interfere with main line. The balls never tend to get in the way based on my experience but I would use both line coloring and cushion (the newer LPs have an automatic line counter that stops before terminal gear hits rod tip, resulting in breakoff).

As for the lights, I continue to go with the LP sword lights (not cheap but worth it) attached with a long line clip. Sometimes I will also include a small flasher as well. I have used the LPs not only on swords, but also yellow eyes in 1100 off cay sal, in additon to halibut hunting in alaska in over 400'.

Catch em up and be sure to report back pics...

[girber420]

I use the lp disco lights for swords and like a small duralught flasher which are like $12 insted of $50 for the lp

[bajakian]

You say no light, no bite, but I have done as well without lights as with them even when fishing two reels side by side at the same time. Sometimes it seems like the lights just bring more sharks. Wondering what everybody elses experience is.

[Uncle Buck]

1. Use a sharpie. Not the whole line, but a series of 4" dashes at your desired distances will work just fine. You can always re-color it if it fades. I've had marks on my JB hollowcore for well over a year that are still very visible.
2. Surgical tubing can sometimes be too large. I use about a 4" piece of sunglass holder tube. (smaller diameter) Ad a plastic rigging bead above and below it. The upper bead stops the tubing from entering the rod tip. The lower bead keeps the swivel from pushing up into the tubing.
3. Those new mini teardrop shaped fast flashers are great! But before I had those, I used a single- or dual-color LP electrolume. Greens and blues seemed to work best. If you can hold your breath long enough, I can tell you where to find a few of mine.

[billspilingup]

Originally Posted by bajakian

You say no light, no bite, but I have done as well without lights as with them even when fishing two reels side by side at the same time. Sometimes it seems like the lights just bring more sharks. Wondering what everybody elses experience is.

"No light, no bite" is not true.

Perhaps a mediocre captain would benefit from a light if he cannot position the boat precisely enough to drop the rig onto a postage stamp as the light may draw fish to a rig sitting down current and off the spot but I know older men that have caught fish in the islands for 40 years, never used a light, and caught more fish than you could imagine. They are also exemplary captains.

In recent years, I've sometimes used a light, sometimes not, and haven't really noticed a difference. I've caught plenty of tigers, green-eyed, and little brown pelagic sharks with an unlit rig. If I do use a light, it's a little green or blue lightstick with the powder in the capsule. I know RJ Boyle sells them and I've found that they don't break under the pressure like other sticks do. Another benefit is if I hang bottom or a large tiger decides to take the rig, I don't lose a $50 light.

When I deep drop at night, a light is nice to use for the visual aid it provides.

[bajakian]

Sometimes I tip my hooks with a piece of phosphorescent glow worm depending on what I am targeting. I am not sure that it makes a difference but for the price of a bag of rubber worms, I figure what the hell

[2fastlx]

Thank you very much for the info guys, I got a lime green sharpie and marked the last 50ft with it, as well as the 4 marks 50ft. above that for extra visual. Hopefully tomorrow Ill get to try it out and hopefully

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by bajakian

Sometimes I tip my hooks with a piece of phosphorescent glow worm

Where do ya get those?

[Tuna Devil]

Originally Posted by Uncle Buck

Where do ya get those?

At the phosphorescent glow worm farm.

[Uncle Buck]

[Harry Klauber]

Originally Posted by Uncle Buck

Where do ya get those?

Richard places "normal" stuff in his machines so everything that Richard has "glows" - remember he is a radiologist.

[ballyhu]

I've never used lights and do pretty well

[bajakian]

Originally Posted by Uncle Buck

Where do ya get those?

I bought the last batch at Walmart but most any decent fishing outfitter has them.

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by Harry Klauber

Richard places "normal" stuff in his machines so everything that Richard has "glows" - remember he is a radiologist.

[PUMPKIN]

I have found that the deeper the water the greater the effect of having a light on. In particular, when we target big (over 50#) in cay sal, in roughly 1200' of water, light to no light bite ratio has been much higher. Off the sand spit south of bimini, we catch 5# YEs in 450# pretty consistenly on a particular ledge without the aide of a light (but using the yammys to stay right over the spot).....good luck out there and be sure to post up.