Need advice on equipment for the BBC!

[Soldierfish]

New to the sport, and plan on fishing the Bahamas Billfish Championship (BBC) this year! Need advice on sizes/ makes of rods and reels (ie. 130 Penns). Any help relating to equipment, rigging styles, spreads, lures, tips etc. would be greatfully appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Scuba Steve]

If i were you i would go to Black Bart in Riveria Beach and talk to any of the guys that are in there. Jack or Gary can set u up with anything and everythign you would need. They have the best equipment money can buy and they are all honest guys that will not sell you a bunch of bogus equipment.

[robalo]

Black Bart has established a reputation for himself and his company that was earned by putting in the time and effort it took to gain such notoriety.Should you have the opportunity to be advised by him;allow me to suggest that you be prepared to listen to what he has to say at least 95% more than you speak. I`ve read a lot of Bart`s comments and I can tell you that in my opinion he will not put up with anyone that is unwilling to learn/apply his knowledge. Black Bart has been a captain for very many years now and I am sure he runs a tight ship. He obviously won`t make you walk the plank or have you keel hauled but; He has a nickname that suits his temperament. His lures are outstanding performers that fetch a high price. You do get what you pay for you know?

[quack quack]

Go to marlin magazine and get the info about marlin university.

[Scuba Steve]

I've never talked to anyone that has gone to Marlin U, and i do really like their magazine, they ahve some great tips and articles. But i always kinda thought that Marlin U was kinda just a week long charter trip...i figured a top notch tackle store could hook u up with the equipment and a captain/mate to really teach u better than going wiht a group of people out fishing for a few days.

[robalo]

You could go hog wild and buy rigged tournament packs. Wind on leaders are available pre-tied and ready to fish. Moldcraft is known everywhere. Tournaments have been won a lot with tournament packs. That`s why us hoary headed men have so much extra time to sit in the cockpit and talk.

[quack quack]

SS your right but I thought some of the guys that have won the BBC have gone to Marlin U? The most important thing is you have to put your time in on the rip. Ther is no tackle store, charter,School or anything else that can teach you more than putting in your time. As capt Ron says if it's going to happen it will happen at out there :lol:

[robalo]

Log on to marlinmag.con They have an open forum there and if you need help;even down to a boat,you should get a response.Black Bart can find everyting you want too. Next go to inthebite .com and make your request known. If you don`t mind foul mouthed fishermen acting normal. There are always good boats to be found when the BBC is mentioned.

[Scuba Steve]

HAHA good stuff Quack....im glad HBO or whatever finally realized a classic and started putting captain ron back on the air!

All very good points though....listen to the man soldierfish

[swordfish123]

I will also be fishing the BBC. Not sure if we are going to enter or not, but we'll be fishing alongside.

Reels: 80s. Some guys im sure will use 130s cause its a tournament. Shimano Tiagra, hands down the best.

Rods: If you have a chair, bent butt chair rods to match your reels. If not, short heavy duty shtand up rods with a 50W will do for smaller fish. Bigger fish I would imagine would be very hard on standup unless you are very experienced. Basically, if you have a chair I would fish 80s. There are BIG fish out there in the 5-600lb range.

Leader: For big marlin lures Fish 300 lb wind ons with 3-400lb trace depending on the lure size.

Lures: Moldcraft Wide Range in Color #41 (blk, purple, silver) and White/Blue and Pink/White

Pakula Mouse in frigate color. Pakula Sprocket in Lumo Color

Black Bart St thomas Prowler or Abaco Prowler. If you want something big, get a Joe Yee Super Plunger. Dark colors for bahamas, blacks and purples and such. but mix it up, you never know.

Hooks: single of double stiff hoook rigs. Call Meltons (cali) or J&M Tackle (orange beach) or LMR in Lauderdale and get them to make up some lures that will be ready to clip on. Thats the best bet, rigging marlin lures is very time consuming and complicated.

Teasers: Tow a squid daisy chain off the transom and put a lure behind it or have a pitch bait ready to throw out there if a fish comes up on the teaser.

Fish 3-5 lines, with one shotgun line WAY back with a smaller lure down the middle. Bigger lures go just behind the prop wash behind the teasers. rigger lines out a little further. Just make sure the lures are tracking right.

Fish in canyon about 18 miles south of lucaya, look for temperature breaks.

--This is all info i have gathered from the pros. I take no credit, but its all good info

[robalo]

...I would find a wee feisty Bonefish to pull behind the daisy chain on one side. And on the other side, I would pull a Spanish mack behind a jethead.Bait is too good to pass up. Use a fat dead squid fresh from the freezer for a pitch bait. Lure and bait combos are popular and when rigged properly,they can be pulled pretty fast. The lowly Mullet can be transformed to look like a Flying Fish too. Check out Willies Bait . They did have instructions for doing this. Marlin U is for teaching you how to drop back a bait to a large billfish and other mundane tasks which if not done correctly produces Skunk on the boat syndrome. They are the best and they do these things for money and pleasure. Tight Lines.

[NSBsailsandtails]

ive heard of bonefish being good high speed baits.

[Scuba Steve]

they're pretty good if u can sew them correctly...but a mackeral will work just as well if u pitch it to a fired up blue

[robalo]

They are very good high speed baits. Some of the boats are using again after a long vacation brought on by the plastic lure popularity. You can cover more ground with high speed lures; it`s true. Lately though, the boats dragging bait have been racking up more takers. You absolutely have to know how to drop back a bait when a Marlin strikes or your hookup to strike ratio will suffer. You may as well fish plastic if you don`t know to drop back without backlashing your line while allowing the fish to run with the bait without feeling any line resistance. Same same for a pitch bait.

[orange crush]

Soldierfish...do yourself a favor and hire someone who can walk the walk...Confusious (did I spell that right?) (the old oriental guy that said smart things) once said, "tell what and where to do things and I'll forget, show me and I'll always remember." Or something close to that. Ask Bart for science's phone #.
orange crush

[ausum]

you are throwing your money away as you will be fishing against the finest and best marlin captains and maits in the world...

[Swanyriver]

Just for your information there are plenty of good guys out there looking to go to the BBC and would gladly help you put together the right equipment list and school you on what has been good the past few years.
Check out inthebite.com also. This site is a good one like this to get some of your info and find the right person or persons to make the BBC experience one not to forget.
In one of the posts there was some info on 300lb w/o and 400 lb leaders, plus fishing out of Lucaya, this is great if you are fishing the Bacardi but the BBC is no where near Lucaya and most guys start at 500LB leaders and go from there b/c there is always a moose that is hooked and on 300 you should probably just cut the line.
Good luck and have fun at the show!

[swordfish123]

yeah that was my bad.... i had a brain fart and forgot that BBC is Bahamas Billfish Championship....not Bacardi Billfish Championship. i was thinking bacardi.

swanyriver is right, that stuff applied to the bacardi only

[Cpt Marvin Steiding]

Went to Marlin U during a trip in Costa. The following season was invited to fish the BBC with another Marlin U Attendee. We won the one leg. Since then I've chartered in Bahamas, and will be in the southern Bahamas this year. You can NOT go wrong with talking to Jack or Gary at Black Bart! Believe me, they bailed me out many times. And we still talk when what and where. As for Marlin U, Those guys will (and have) showed up at my house to help with tackle. Dave Ferrel has even fished on a sailfish tournament with me and Peter will answer any question you have anytime any where. Wife and I are going back with them To Australia.