Flouro for big tuna

DukeNukem · Jan-07-2008, 06:21 PM

I was on the RRIII 10 day Dec 10-20. We are in the lower banks for 5 days chasing mixed schools of tuna that ranged from 30 lbs to 300 lbs. Many of these days were long and frustrating with tuna blowing our around the boat. Capt Andy urged everyone not drop down in line class just to hook some smaller fish. Of course we all did it after 3 days of very scratch fishing. What happened was many of us would hook up a 40-100 lb fish on 60-100 lb test. I got a 120 on 60, another guy got a 177 on 80. Fun fishing no doubt, but not calendar fish. Invariably, someone would get totally spooled, including an accurate 30 with 100 lb that lost all it's mono and spectra (Coach no less). I got a 120 on 60, another guy got a 177 on 80.

While I'm not a died-in-the wool fluoro guy, it definitely made a difference on the scratch days. Guys using the 100, 130 or 150 lb Flouro definitely got bit more and got the bigger bait fish. I'm definitely having some of the heavier Flouro with me next year.

DN

DoradoDave · Jan-07-2008, 09:46 PM

I was on a real scratch trip last year off of Mag bay and it didn't matter if you had mono or florocarbon. When these big fish want to feed, they eat. We were finding them on the meter down about 20 - 30 fathoms sitting under a thermocline feeding on some really small stuff. They just turned their noses at the sardines and mackrels, florocarbon or not.

Personaly, I like the strech that the mono provides. Some really good fishermen do use florocarbon leaders and I carry some in my line bag but I'm not quite convinced that it really has an edge over bait selection on a scratch trip. I wound up with ONE tuna over 100# for the trip (some caught none over #100) and hooked that one on mono and a smaller hook presentation. But hey, I really dont know shit when it comes to what a big tuna thinks about a sardine. Thats just my 2 cent for the evening. I do know that pricy gimmicks catch alot of anglers along with a few fish.

Bill W · Jan-07-2008, 09:50 PM

I was on the trip just before yours. I got a 278 and a 202, and assorted fish under that mark all on 130# floro. The 278 was on the balloon and sardine as far as getting bit that one made no difference for sure. I felt like going down but the hot sticks were using 200# and getting bit on the flyline. I think once you are fishing over 100# it really does not matter, the fish sees the line. Fluro is much better for abraision, and that reason alone you should use it. I did throw some 80# and 100# on smaller fish, but I always kept it in mind if big fish are around I did not want to get caught with my pants down.

Gamma and Blackwater fluro streches like mono. Most of the guys had short floro leaders attached to mono.

MATTANZA · Jan-07-2008, 09:52 PM

It works for me.

wahoodad · Jan-07-2008, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill W

I Fluro is much better for abraision, and that reason alone you should use it.

DINGDINGDINGDING,
WE HAVE A WINNER

I'm finding the flouro to be everything I need. I don't think it's about the way the light is refracted for me, it's all about abrasion. I like Seaguar, have not been chewed off once on it, been using it straight for four years on big fish, not one bit of mono whether LR or PV.
And I'm not pulling hooks either, it's working well for me.

Tinknocker · Jan-08-2008, 01:27 AM

I'm finding the flouro to be everything I need. I don't think it's about the way the light is refracted for me, it's all about abrasion. I like Seaguar, have not been chewed off once on it, been using it straight for four years on big fish, not one bit of mono whether LR or PV.
And I'm not pulling hooks either, it's working well for me.[/QUOTE]

Agreed, it works well for me too! I was on the fence for a while, but results put things to bed.

DoradoDave · Jan-08-2008, 08:58 AM

I am always one to have an open mind and willing to try what works. I have some seaguar. Pink yozuri was the hot ticket last year and the new kid on the block Blackwater is being promoted as having a little streach to it. Has anyone here pulled on a biggun using Blackwater floro.

David, I was wondering if the hook failure you experienced earlier in the season was related to a short floro topshot combined with a high drag setting, or was it metal fatigue in the hook....or a combination of both?

Thamks in advance to all. I read every post and learn from those who are out there and pulling on big fish.

SteveD · Jan-08-2008, 12:34 PM

I landed a 292 in late September using the pink yozuri. After a 3 hour battle (many margaritas the night before) the fish finally sucumbed. The yozuri was chewed half way through and still held up. I normally use Seaguar and have only broken off one cow out of many.

wahoodad · Jan-08-2008, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoradoDave

David, I was wondering if the hook failure you experienced earlier in the season was related to a short floro topshot combined with a high drag setting, or was it metal fatigue in the hook....or a combination of both?

Thamks in advance to all. I read every post and learn from those who are out there and pulling on big fish.

Nope, purely a David Choate bigtime fuckup! I caught a fish, watched the crew member have a hard time pulling the hook out, he had to use his dykes to get it. It should have been sacrificed at that point, DUH
BTW, it was not an Owner.

Jgray · Jan-08-2008, 06:01 PM

David Choate Fuck Up?

Never heard of such a thing. Does your wife know you admit to such things?

wahoodad · Jan-08-2008, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jgray

David Choate Fuck Up?

Never heard of such a thing. Does your wife know you admit to such things?

Hey, look who I learned to fish from????????

Yes Jeff, I screw up sometimes. Not very often when biguns are around, but I've had my moments.

**branman** · Jan-08-2008, 07:27 PM

I'm a old school Izor guy, but the abrasion resistance has me sold, I still fish lots of heavy Izor but I also have plenty of Flouro Tops on the rigs.