Question for you east coasters

[Smokey]

I am fishing four rigs and want to know what depths you guys fish yours at? I am night drifing, Not to many people target them on this coast but I am going to give it hell. We put one at 300 feet, one at 400feet, another one at 450, and the last one at 200. Is this a good start?

Thanks in Advance, Smokey

[Shark Tagger]

Hey Smokey - Welcome To SFC.

We try to cover a depth at 85, 200, 300, and sometimes 400.

Depending on how bright the mooon is and such.

An important part to our tactic is having a light in the water to attract baitfish which attract the big boys.

I use a Swordlight . www.swordlights.com

Good luck and tell us how you do.

[jerry]

Agree, that shallow 80-100ft bait gets a lot of attention, as well as the deepest bait.
I fish my shallow and deep baits from the rodtip and the mid depth baits (100 and 200ft) under balloons.

[Smokey]

thanks for the feedback, how deep do you hang the lighjt or just on the surface? Also we hada huge squid float with us most of the night but from what I am reading we should have had a bait closer than 200ft, the moon was about 2/3 so it was pretty well lit. Finally I have a strobe that vibrates on all the rigs is that enough or should I put a glow stick on too?

[Smokey]

What color light do you guys use?

[Duke]

Jerry's set is like mine. light you have is enough, or try a light stick on 2 of the 4 rods just to be different...Duke

[Shark Tagger]

The swordlight drifts off your bow or stern a few feet below the surface. Definetely helps attract all types of life.

[Captain Ollie]

Make sure you fish one bait right on top. (25 feet) I fish this one as my long bait at least 300 yds from the boat. Kills 75% of my fish.

[sails_meeting]

Wow!! I thought 300 feet was far from the boat. Any advice on what type of bait (live vs squid) or how much light (electrolume vs light stick) to put on this rig?

Thanks for the advice.

[Captain Ollie]

I usually fish this as a live bait. Green or tricolor LP.

[RiskTaker]

Ollie:

Is there any chance that your shallow configuration with the live bait set way out there, may account for any significant percentage of your bigger fish? Just checking since I have heard of a few good anglers saying that is effective, for the big fish hook-ups.

Smokey:

When we are fishing with sufficient lines in the water to cover the basics, and we can still set out any bonus lines: the way Ollie mentioned is one of those bonus rigs. We don't tend to let a line out 300 yds. but it makes sense though if you think in terms of covering a large area.

The other bonus which is usually our #5 line, is also a shallow flat line: dead squid about 20-50 ft. down, depending on how fast the wind is blowing us, with an electrolume and a 1 oz. sinker. This bait is set outside of the halo of the flourescent swordlight. You can still see the glow/ocassional flickering of the electrolume at that range.

[Captain Ollie]

Yes RT your asumption is correct.
The setup you mentioned is also quite deadly. I always have one of those out myself.

[Smokey]

Thanks for the insight guys, I have one other question, we had a float with us all night and the bait was about 4-5 inches . Do you guys match your baits to the area or still use the 12 inch baits?

[Relentless33]

Captain Ollie: How has that live bait and squid rig been working out for you ?? I see it being nice except turning into a mess easily. I like it though.