Paddy Etiquette 101 c/o dshep75

SeaDawg · Sep-07-2005, 05:53 PM

So, you are getting frustrated as hell, can't find a damn paddie when you see a boat that appears to be stopped on a paddie. What do you do?

Well, what I do is keep my distance and try to see if anyone is hooked up first of all. I might try to get someone's attention and see if they wave me in. I might use my radio and just say "you guys mind if I slide in?"

If I get no one's attention, and don't get waved in, I will make a decision based on just how long I have been looking for a paddie etc and then slide in uninvited. When I say slide in, what I mean is this.

I will have already been throttled down to an idle since I got into the area. Not to hard to figure out which way the drift is going so once I have done that I will motor very slowly and quietly up wind of the paddie although not directly upwind. When I drift I don't want to get anywhere near the paddie or the other boat. I want to drift maybe 100 feet or more off the opposite side of the paddie from way upwind. Thats about it.

I did exactly what I just said on a paddie once and my son and I and C-nut had 12 yellowtail in the boat before we got anywhere near the paddie. There were 5 other boats either right on the paddie or drifted downwind some and none of them caught anything that I could see.

Saw a guy the other day who kept backing right up to the paddie and was throwing bait like crazy and everyone in that boat were so intent on the paddie that they didn't see the Dorado jumping all over the place between my boat and their's. Amazing

I do the same thing to a paddie I find on my own. Sometimes I will pull up down swell of the paddie because it has been my expience that bait swims upswell, and my bait will swim right at the paddie.

If I am on a paddie I found and another boat approaches, I don't even hesitate, they are invited in immediately. If I see them getting to close I might suggest they keep their distance and drift as I am. If they drive right up on the paddie and tie off, I don't hesitate then either, I will tell them quickly how fucked up what they just did was.

An example of what not to do;

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=27638 (182/181 9-5)

I think the 2 most important things I have learned from this board and from guys with far more experience than I are;

1. Don't chase radio fish, if is FAR more rewarding to be the guy who
calls others in on a bite that you found yourself.

2. Fish are all around a paddie and at all depths under it. NOT right under
it, although they are right under it from time to time. But right under it
is the last place I look.

I also like to drop some iron down 200 feet or so and YoYo a little. Sometimes 50lb Opah's will just leap onto your jig

Please add all your comments here guys. This is very bare bones and I post it because dshep75 asked for it

http404 · Sep-07-2005, 06:13 PM

I think you just about covered it. Good tutorial.

**Jason** · Sep-08-2005, 08:21 AM

Use slingshot to warn others they are too close

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ZZZZZ · Sep-08-2005, 09:00 AM

Yah a kelp paddy is a entire echo system. I find it funny that people feel the need to cast right on the kelp. All that does is allow a Yellowtail to corn hole you into the kelp and that fish just got taken out of the line up. I don't like to hook fish right on the kelp. Everyone who fishes Kelps really needs to jump in with a mask and snorkel and take a good look at the echo system to better understand what they are fishing.

In general. my 2 pesos on the fish.

Dodo especially are off the kelp. My theory with Dodo on Kelp is allot of the time they circle the Kelp up to a few hundred yards off it maybe up to a 1/4 mile. They are the ones that IMO patrol the kelp on the out side most of the time. Dodo like mini Greenie.

Yellowtail. Should come to the boat if they are going to bite. I almost always try and hook my Yellowtail off the kelp. But every now and then and Iam talking maybe 15% of the time Yellowtail is right under the kelp and wont lurk out much. Not sure why maybe full and too lazy to swim out but will eat a bait if put right in their face, hard to pass up.. My LAST resort is to cast right next to the kelp, my last resort.

Ahi: I think Ahi patrol deep under the kelp and patrol the outer area too. I think they like to be under the bait ball rather than above it. I think they come up and pop and then you start to see them flash every where and it goes nuts. But in order to really accomplish that you need to throw bait. If you cant get one on the fly line drop a iron down deep and go to them if they wont come to you. Like last 2 day I was on we had 12 nicer Ahi. Skipper says he sees Ahi at 90' on a Kelp. I drop a iron to 90' its on. Bring him up then they pop and got another one.

If you got a mix. I think Dodo is on the out side keeping bait close to the kelp and not letting any scraps sneak out. I think the Yellowtail keep the bait tight to the kelp. I think the Ahi keep the bait up as they are under them. I think then Ahi gets hungry and pushes the entire bait ball up and they get crushed by all 3. They all work together when together. If mini sauries I find Dodo crushing them WAY off the kelp.

SAGE · Sep-08-2005, 10:32 AM

Its a shame we even have to layout proper "Paddy Etiquette". Funny that some people don't realize if we work together we can all catch more fish. Never have pulled into someone else's bite, just mark it and move on. Nothing better that popping the cherry on a kelp of your own.

**Marcus** · Sep-08-2005, 10:33 AM

One other thing, if you see a boat flying a dive flag while on a patty please be extra careful, there will be freedivers in the water and they will be no where near the boat. A buddy I know almost got ran over by some yahoo who didn't hail them and just came flying into the paddy.

I'll be out there on a couple of paddies this weekend spearing fish so please don't run my ass over..........

Marcus

**SALTYDAWG** · Sep-08-2005, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by misuse

Use slingshot to warn others they are too close

.

Pussy, 6oz torpedo sinkers work better

Kurt · Sep-08-2005, 12:41 PM

The kelp is their fridge where the bait hangs out. You don't leave your fridge door open? If they hung out right in it the bait would scatter.

Kevin J. Oliver · Sep-08-2005, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SAGE

Its a shame we even have to layout proper "Paddy Etiquette". Funny that some people don't realize if we work together we can all catch more fish. Never have pulled into someone else's bite, just mark it and move on. Nothing better that popping the cherry on a kelp of your own.

ditto this quote, other than if they give you a green light in (radio or whatever) ... i'm one of those karma guys, if we're wackin' 'em and having a good time what's another boat in the rotation, and hopefully they've got a clue how paddies work ..... fish hard, live well.

**Jason** · Sep-08-2005, 01:34 PM

is it dick that I have flown a dive flag on a paddy without a diver in the water to detour other boats?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuam

One other thing, if you see a boat flying a dive flag while on a patty please be extra careful, there will be freedivers in the water and they will be no where near the boat. A buddy I know almost got ran over by some yahoo who didn't hail them and just came flying into the paddy.

I'll be out there on a couple of paddies this weekend spearing fish so please don't run my ass over..........

Marcus