Is anyone going out with Capt. Elliots 48hr. Tuna trip Mar. 11+ to the boomvang/nansen rigs? I have'nt been since Feb. 2002 and that was when he only running 24hr. trips. I remember catching a few Bfts, but some of the hard core freeport locals were out-catching me 5 to 1. I made the mistake of buying way too big (45GLS). So here my question to the experienced bft fisherman: What is the best rig for flipping heavy metal 100+yards? Trying to find specialized saltwater equipment in Oklahoma is very difficult. I can't buy a high dollar rod online, with out feeling it first in a store or buddies stash. Also I am really wanting to try for YFT, since most reports from the Boomvang/Nansen contain tales of bigger tuna. If anyone is going on this trip , I am interested in discussing equipment. Thanks for helping the Okie

Chris,
I generally have three rigs for tuna, understand that I consider BF not much better than bait for Yellowfin.
Catching is less a matter of distance than proper presentation and most of the fish will be on the edge of the lights. I fish a lot of diamond jigs as well as poppers and will try the Frenzy.
My rigs:
Tiagra 30wlrs with spectra and an 80 topshot on a cut down graphite rod.
A Penn 4/0 spectra and 50# topshot on a glass rod
A Penn Jigmaster with 30 on an Uglystick. The jigmaster will be replaced with a Torium 30 on a Seeker 30/80 rod. I've yet to vet the Torium but it feels real good on test cast.
You can obtain a lot of information on the Allcoast boards, but some doesn't apply to the Gulf, we have a different fishery and tactics.

i hope for your sake the blue water is back at the floaters. i was there on friday nite the 4th and there was no yellowfin and no bluewater. we did catch all the blackfin you could want...rick

Chris,

You really don't need to cast 100 yds to get to the blackfin, they usually come closer to the boat than the YFT. If you really want to cast 100 yards, then you need to look at the 8foot rods, Calstar or Seeker make a 6480 that fishes 40lb test really well. Mate it to a Torium 30, or a Torium 20 with spectra and you've got a rig that will throw the iron way the heck out there, and it's stout enough to get any YFT to the boat. I use a Seeker SD8 with 30lb test, and it's a little wimpy for the big YFT, sometimes I have a hard time controlling the fish next to the boat and the 30lb usually burns off on the side of the boat. Great fun though. Throwing iron and poppers is a blast.

Tom - DeepBlueGulf

If it's in your price range i would use a tld 15, maybe a 25 packed with 30, maybe 50. Weve caught plenty of yellowfin billfishing out of freeport on tld's, 80# test is extreme overkill and ive never liked fused or braided lines. I'd use 30# ande.

I will be on the Elliots trip on March the 11th. I went out with them last year on one of their 48 hr trips and the year before I went on a 36 hr trip. I caught about 25 Blacks last year. I know for a fact you will not need to cast 100 yards out. What I found worked best for me was to drop the 6/ 8 oz diamonds down about 200 feet. I pre-mark my line so I know about the depth each drop. I will drop it itially 200 ft and than work it down approx 10-15 feet at a time. Most of the Blacks I caught bit right as I stopped the fall of the jig.

I am so ready to go. I really want a good yellow this time. I was on the trip last year where the boat landed 40- 60 Yellows.

Chris and Flounder,

I've never fished with Elliot's and was wondering what it's like. I've fished with Deep Sea Headquarters and Dolphin Docks in Port Aransas on many 48-60 hour trips, but not sure what to expect from Elliot's. I'm sure I'll be fishing on the Big E at least once this year, but not till mid year, and/or October. How is the food, the crew, do they drift, troll, live bait?

Tell us about their trips!

Chris, I don't fish diamond jigs for blackfin, but lots of folks do. I usually fish iron weighing from 3-4.25 ounces. Salas 6X, Ironman 3 & 5's. I cast away from the boat as far as I can, and let the jig sink to about a 45 degree angle and then rip it back as fast as I can. When I get one third or halfway back, I pop it into freespool and let it sink again, ripping it back, and repeating until I get back to the boat or get bit, whichever comes first. This works for YFT also.


DBG

DeepBlueGulf, I have been going out on Capt. Elliotts fleet every June and July for 12hr. trips since 1990. And 3 other 24hr. tuna trips between 2000-2002, each time learning how to come more prepared next time offshore. Capt. Frank does a great job trying to keep people on fish, sometimes conditions make this difficult but his experience his proven me a good bargain offshore. As for food its bring your own cooler with access to a microwave (which you might have to wait for everyone). As for the crew, on longer trips I have noticed mostly experienced hands with one or two rookies. During Shrimp season Capt. Elliot's runs drift trips...with good numbers of kings,bft, dolphin and anything else found behind a net trawler culling trash. The Big E is going to be Capt. Franks new vessel.

On Capt. Casey Trolling is not really an option with 30+plus anglers but I have seen the Capt. let some guys take a 55gal.
trash can full of piggy perch with the deck hose replacing fresh sea water. Been into the 25-30lb. AJs on live bait but also seen days where live piggys did'nt produce. Capt. Elliot's provides cut squid and occasionally mackeral but during the summer a box of cigar minnows is good idea for kings and snapper. On any partyboat I prefer the stern but have seen nice fish caught everywhere. Call the office and ask before hand about live bait arrangements.

Chris,

On the 48-hr trips, do you have assigned fishing spots? I'd heard they do that on the shorter trips, but wondered about the 48-hr trips.

Is the 3/11 trip on the Big E or the Capt. Casey?

I'll be leaving from Galveston on a cruise on 3/13 around 5:00 p.m., would like to have seen the boat come in, but looks like I'll just miss it.

Tom - DeepBlueGulf

DeepBlueGulf, on capt. Elliots longer trips (24-48hr.) boarding passes are issued by a first reserve basis. This order is used to board the vessel, so the earlier the number the better chance of having your pick of rail space and cabin space. Although on these trips rarely is everyone fishing at the same time and I have never had any static from anyone when I fished a vacant rail space. I can imagine that by night #2 most of the anglers are wore out and plenty of room. On 3/11 the trip will be on Capt. Casey...I am going to let Big-E work the new boat quirks before I go out it. Maybe next year.