I can't catch fish...

[petep]

I feel like an idiot...

I grew up in the northeast - Rhode Island...fished since I was able to walk...tuna, blues, stripers, sharks...I knew all the places to go, and all the rigging tricks...and I always caught fish...and this was before the internet and GPS and people willing to tell you their secrets.

so I'm down here now, I go out of boca inlet...I have a boat that floats, I can maintain my own engines, I can repair gel coat, I can rig a ballyhoo so it doesn't spin and I can throw a 12 foot cast net that opens in a nice circle every time....I've only been out a few times though since getting my boat...

I've caught some bottom fish...that was fun & they taste a lot better than bluefish...

but trolling for dolphin/kingfish...anything.... drifting...nothing...no hits...nothing.

I spent all day yesterday with an old RI friend trolling everywhere...from right outside the inlet along a really strong rip on an ebbing tide...out by the gulf stream...along long weedlines...I even saw a couple fish jump out there...but they stay away from me.

he said jeez, you used to catch all the fish...what happened.

maybe I have something painted on the bottom of my boat that says stay away....

[nestor]

No worries. So you can fish, now you want to catch. Sounds just like the rest of us pretty much.

As for your boat, lot's of folks will tell you the tone of the hum of the boat can raise or ward-off fish. Others will say it doesn't matter. Me, I dunno. But I can offer my 2 cents on the actual fishing part.

Rigging: If it's not spinning that's a good start. Now, if you are skipping baits, you'll want to watch your trolling speed. They should skip along swimming for a 2-count every so often. If it doesn't might be too fast. If it's not weighted and rigged to swim and you don't see it skipping, too slow. If it's rigged to swim, then the opposite is true. You should only see it for a 2 count every now and again and it should swim most of the time. If you never see it, try speeding up a bit. See it too long, slow down.

Also, try mixing it up a bit. Some naked, some with skirts. If using wire, go to mono leaders. Don't forget to work the water column a bit too. Try pulling one on a planer to put it down some. I also put an hour of time in the schedule to live bait. Livies will bring'em like nothing else sometimes.

Finally, while I'm a hoo user through & thru, try dropping a strip bait in the spread as well.

It's a big ocean and most of it's empty out there. While I'm sure all of us caught a "big'en" out in the middle of nowhere, find a reason to stop at a spot. Just weeds usually isn't enough. Look for smaller fish on the line, if none, drop a line then move on. Birds great sign of course or a eddy in the water surface. Anything that makes that spot different.


Most importantly, while frustration is certainly an integral part of fishing, make sure you're enjoying the trip and keep coming back. The fish'll be there!

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Try a dead sardine and a triple hook rig over the reef. Fish one un weighted, and one on da bottom. Its a SEFLA staple. Your local tackle shop can help....I think

[TLD-Danny]

to add on above me if you can get live ballyhoo put them on a triple hook rig with a swivel through the eye of the first hook to get rid of line twist. With that bally twitching like that you can get kings, dolphin, bonita, tuna, and even sails. Add some weight and now you can bottom fish

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Triple 6/0 0pen eyed rustads was what I was speakin of. The bally idea is great, but then he has to learn to bait fish as well...

[jrlsail]

Originally Posted by petep

but trolling for dolphin/kingfish...anything.... drifting...nothing...no hits...nothing.

I understand your frustration coming from the Midwest and nobody to show me the ropes. I still have never fished with any of the old salts of the SE, but at least I started to bring in dinner once in a while.

I would say you have four pelagic fishermen making up a majority.

1) 100-400 trollers
2) drifters/kite 100-300
3) slow trollers 60-130
4) Run n' Gun - miles off

Typically, if we can find live bait, we get that regardless of type of fishing.

In our typical spread for blind inside trolling, we troll all bally/strip or just naked lures. We run 5 - 6 lines typically with one line always down. If I am only pulling four, I may pull one naked, one billy-bait (small) and two islanders/trackers (one down). I prefer blue/pink, pink/white, blue/white, red/black and green/yellow as a distant 5th. We go 100-400 and let the current move me north until I see fishy waters.

If I have people on board and just need to get lines screaming, we go to the dead bait / live bait slow troll. We run four lines, one off #8 planer via rubberband/swivel and one off a downrigger. These two are capt hank 4/0 jig, sardine and stinger on #4 wire. I usually add a duster in front. Two other lines are live bait set far back usually with 2/0 live bait hooks and #4 treble also with #4 wire. Find the reef and put in gear only going about 2-3 miles/hour. This pulls up the kings and the livies may get a chance to pull in a 20+ pounder although I have caught dolphin and even mutton this way.

I don't run/gun (gas) and kite fishing requires another thread by itself.

[DIRTYFOOT2]

KISS Start w/ the deadbait, and progress from there. Don't be afraid to stick out the chumbag.