Long range tuna charters-what would I need to take?

I've seen the posts for overnight tuna charters here for some time and I've always wanted to go on one. I've been blue water fishing many times but always with private charter that provided the all the gear. What tackle would I need to accumulate to be ready (in general, I don't intend this to be best combo issue, we can argue about that later

I take 1ea 120QT & 150Qt coolers.. Use the 120 to haul food and drink for the trip and both are used for fish if we get on the Yellowfin,Snapper, Goruper and AJ's good. Use block ice or frozen water jugs for long range and cubed is to cool things off fast. Use gallon zip locks to keep food dry. Berr and Soft drikns in Cans or plastic bottles only NO GLASS CONTAINERS & NO BANANAS... Period.

Sunscreen SPF 30
Soap, Shampoo and Towel
2 changes of clothes ( you will get nasty and there is a shower)
Trash bag to keep dirty clothes seporated from the clean ones (Very Important)
Sleeping bag and pillow
Sun Glasses
Folding lock back knife
pliers, screwdrivers & wrenches needed for tackle/ reels
Rain Gear with Bibs (keeps the tuna blood off your clothes)
Rubber Boots (keeps water and tuna blood off your feet/ shoes)
Hat/ cap or 2 (no fun being out in the sun without one)
Tylenol or Asprin
Motion Sickness medication (if needed)
2 ea Golf Towels with a clip (to keep bait slime off your hands)
Tub of Citrus wipes (to clean your hands)
Conventional 80Lb AJ and Bottom fishing rig Avet 30 & Bar Bar Tackle 60-100# 5ft 6" Rod
Free Style Jig 400gr Bar Bar tackle Hopper 6ft rod and Avet HXJ 2/5 MC
Top Water Spinner 7ft Bar Bar Tackle 60# rod & Saragosa 18,000 or better.
20ea Hammered Chrome Diamond or Knife Jigs 10-14oz Pink Glow and Chart Glow.
5 each Tuna Hunters or OTI Poppers and a couple of Frenzy Ballistic Flyers Blue or Green Glow. 5 ea Blue Frenzy Angry Poppers.
Tuna fighting Belt and harness (recommended if you get into the heavy weight YFT)
1,500yds of 65# JB 1 solid braid
1,500yds of 70 Diawa Saltiga color/ depth coded braided line
1,200yds of 80# JB hollow Braid
60# Flourocarbon Leader
80# FC leader
130# Mono Leader (for Jigs and Topwaters)
220# SPRO Super Swivels (Black Stainless)
25ea Owner 5/0 Mutu Circle Hooks (chunking for YFT)
10ea Owner 13/0 Super Mutu Circle Hooks (AJ & Grouper) live bait hooks



The boat will supply a 4/0 or 6/0 Penn with a 50-60# 6ft class E-Glass boat rod with 60# mono line.. leaders, hooks, weights and cut bait/ squid/ Ice Minnows-Sardines. A bunk to sleep in and will assit you in boating your fish. They will also have cold boxes full of ice to store your fish until returning to the dock.

The Scat Cat at Port A has an onboard galley that sells snacks and drinks/ coffee/ sodas. They also will cook hamburgers/etc.

Thanks Bazztex. That is the perfect list. I'm going to start compiling my stuff in anticipation of a trip this fall/winter trip. I had a twelve hour trip for this weekend scheduled out of venice. It appears that is going to be a no go. thanks for your help.

That sums it up

no bananas?!? haha

bad luck man

Bananas is bad luck. Don't bring 'em or you'll P.O. the Capt. Don't even bring 'em for a bay trip. In fact, don't even wear anything that might be considered banana yellow. Seriously.

Some great info... I'll have to refer to this in the future...

A couple of things I left off the list is... A folding chair.. we use them to sit on the upper deck on the Scat Cat and Big E. Get the heavy duty one for camping that fits in a bag.. some even bring the ones that have the foot rest and catch a nap up there. Be sure to rinse it off good when you get back, the steel legs don't like salt spray to well.

Also some like to bring a long handled bait net or cast net to get live fliers.. the deckhands usually have a cast net. A live flying fish is Yellow Fin Tuna Candy unless the Cudas and Makos get there first!

If you do bring a cast net or see one laying in the walk way... get it off the deck or under a bench when not in use. They are slick as ice on a wet deck... dont ask me how I know

Bazz

Thanks Bazz for the help. Obviously my Venice trip was a no go and it is looking like the reschedule is a no go as well. I'm keeping your list and getting ready for a fall trip.

Hey Bazztex,

I'm also going on my 1st tuna trip and I gotta ask two questions
1) What is you best knot for tying the braid to the SPRO swivel as well as the leader to the swivel?
2) Best knot for the various lures to the leader?

Seen many a report on "fish lost to the knot".
Thank!!

MJI Welcome Aboard The TFF!

I tie a double line in the braid (main line) with a 7 twist surgeons loop... the double line loop is about 1ft long after the knot is tied;

Make the double line like this but take the line thru 7 times...
http://www.netknots.com/html/surgeons_end_loop.html

Then make a 3-5 wrap Cats Paw around the top of the SPRO Super swivel with your surgeons loop.
http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/fishing_knots/knots_catspaw.html

The San Diego Jamb knot is a good secure connection for F/C or Mono Leaders to any terminal tackle, hook or lure eyes.

http://www.netknots.com/html/san_diego_jam_knot.html

Take your time, wet the line before cinching down the knot and stress test all knots before letting it go in the water.

For attaching Mono or F/C leaders and top shots to braid tie a 7 twist Surgeons loop and then tie the Improved Albright knot with finishing overhand knots.
http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/fishing_knots/knots_imp_albrt.html

http://svc219.wic007v.server-web.com/fishing/images/LineSetUp.jpg

I have used this knot system for fishing topwaters and boated Yellow Fin in exccess of 120#. Most terminal equipment failures are due to drags being set too tight or drags that do not function correctly. Maintain and lube your drags and make sure you get a good scale and set them correctly at 1/3 the test of you line. Remember as a fish takes drag and the spool decreases in diameter the drag pressure goes up.


Enjoy your trip

Bazz

Then there is the loop to loop connections method..

A lot of veteran Tuna chasers prefer the loop to loop connections for all leaders. It's time consuming, takes patience, special equipment and a lot of work or can get expensive of you buy the leaders pre made.

BHP Tackle / Basil makes some of the best loops there are...

http://www.bhptackle.com/pages.php?pageid=14

http://www.bhptackle.com/home.php?cat=1

http://www.bhptackle.com/pages.php?pageid=3

JAK in Kona also makes some great Looped/ Wind on leaders...
and leader making tools with how too illustrations.

http://jaknkona.com/WINDONLEADERS.html

http://jaknkona.com/LEADERKITS.html

AWESOME!!!!

Thank you for all the GREAT info!!!!!!!!!
Since it my 1st trip, have a Ugly Stick Tiger BWC2201 7', medium action.
Reel is a Shimano Spheros 18000FB.
Will hit up BPS or Cabela's for the lures.

Do you mind yet another recommendation?
1,500yds of 65# JB 1 solid braid
1,500yds of 70 Diawa Saltiga color/ depth coded braided line
1,200yds of 80# JB hollow Braid
<which one since I only have one reel>?????

60# Flourocarbon Leader
80# FC leader
130# Mono Leader (for Jigs and Topwaters)
<I have ANDE Mono 80#, ya think I safe>??

Thanks!

MJI

For that set up I'd go with the Daiwa Saltiga 70# because you can use it to judge your Jig fishing depth and on a spinner it will cast well for top waters.

Get the 60# F/C leader for chunk fishing and some 130# Mono for Topwaters and Jig shock leaders. I use Crmip sleeves on the 130# Mono.. makes a clean and strong connection.

Check out the AFW double barrel crimp sleeves size 4 (black) and AFW Big Game crimper.
http://www.charkbait.com/cs/cshR-AFW.htm

Good crimping info...
http://www.leadertec.com/tipsandtechniques/crimp_techniques.html

You can go with the 80# Mono leader just watch for nicks.. Tuna teeth can and will saw up your jig leaders near where it attaches to your assist hook ring. The 130# takes much more of a beating than thinner line and can be fished longer without changing.

Thank again for all the advice!
The web links are fantastic at helping me understand all the information!
Much to read and learn!

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge with me!

Cheers!!!

A word of advice for those of you JUST getting into the whole offshore game....RESTRAINT!! Must practice RESTRAINT! Otherwise...you will be beyond broke. Between the cost to actually go fishing, and accumulating gear (which is a never ending venture) it can get pretty damn expensive...

HA HA HA, I have to agree with you IgotSNAGGED, just started pricing some of the reduced set from above....gonna have to go with a much reduced set from the above.
Like any good hobby, need to invest a piece at a time..
Cheers!

haha wait till you start buying $50 swimbaits, $80 poppers, and $180 spools of line

....You're just now learning this?????????

i keep it simple and use a palomar knot for everything well, except fo the 80-100# leaders.. i double crimp them and make em ahead of time, or on the ride out

Hi Bazztex,

This is gonna sound like a rookie, but I have to ask...
On the knife jigs, I have read about single assist hook on the nose of the jig, dual assist hooks on the nose as well as dual on the nose and 1 on the tail.....

Throw a guy a bone, got a recommendation?
Thanks!

THE HAMMERED DIAMOND JIGS CATCH MORE FISH THAN MOST.INCLUDING YFT.THE JIGS ARE NOT EXPENSIVE AS THE REST EIYHER.

One assist hook in the solid ring on top of the jig..THATS IT. There is no need to deck out your jigs with multiple hooks. You're just asking for a hook in somebody's hand at that point.

If you are going to be casting for tuna I would highly recommend pre-made loop to loop leaders or take the time to learn how to tie the PRknot,by far a much better knot , than most.

I see assist hook comes on the williamson jigs.
Are these generally fine of do you recommend another brand of assist hook?
Thanks for the feedback. Hate to lose a fish due to "bad gear".

I have not had an issue with any assist hooks from any company

Thanks for you feedback grescobia!

www.jigsrigsandstuff.com use the drop down menus at the top.

On the hammered diamond jigs....http://www.jigsrigsandstuff.com/

for Tuna, do you recommend the "standard hook " that comes with it or the others ( Treble, butterfly hooks or tube tail)?

MJI, I always put 2x or 3x strong single hooks on diamond jigs that are going to get used for tuna fishing. Just my personal preference ... I'm sure that I miss some fish that way, but the single hooks are less dangerous to you or the deckhand when the fish has been brought onboard.

Hi Zeek,

If you don't mind, look at this link...http://www.thefind.com/search?query=tuna+hooks+3x

What size hook for 10-14oz diamond hammered chrome jigs

Sorry, been awhile since I read through posts. Honestly not sure what hook size you would need, as I usually have to do trial & error on my jigs to get what seems right to me.

For that size diamond jig I should go with a 10/0 assist hook on top or an owner st-66 3/0 trebble hook on the bottom. If you want to go with a single hook on the bottom you should look into something like an owner jobu hook or something like that attatched to a 280lb spro split ring or something heavier.

Thanks to all for the recommendations.