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Q: What are a few things you do before you determine the location where you will start offshore trolling for tuna, dolphin and wahoo for the day?
Joshua Gainey
Havre de Grace, MD
A: A lot of work goes into determining where we are going to fish on a given day, and most of the effort is done before we even leave the dock.
Like any sport, having a team that works well together is the key to success, and offshore fishing is not any different. Having a network of captains who share information is critical to finding the best location to drop the lines. I am always keeping in touch with other captains, sharing information not only about good fishing locations, but other critical information as well. Did they find a good temperature break? Was there a good amount of bait in the area? At what depth in the water column were they marking fish?
I not only check in with other charter boat captains, but I also touch base with some smaller, private boat fishermen as well.
Before the trip, analyzing the sea temperature charts is critical. You can’t just look at these charts for one day. It’s best to review them for several days before your trip to see any patterns. Where are the temperature breaks? How fast is the water moving? Is it moving inshore or offshore, north or south?
I also check the daily fishing reports on the Coastal Fisherman website as well as from the marinas.
The night before the trip, I usually meet with a group of captains to come up with our strategy for the day. If we find that the fish are feeding at a specific depth, then the group of us will spread out, up and down the line along the depth, so we can cover the largest area possible. After that we maintain constant contact with each other until the fish are located and everyone can get in on the action. I’ll also be scanning 6 to 10 channels on my radio, listening for information from other offshore boats.
Once I start heading offshore, when I get to 20 to 30 fathoms I really start paying attention. I set the alarm on my sounder for temperature breaks or just a specific temperature. Setting the alarm for temperature breaks is crucial since I have had some of my best days on very subtle breaks, as little as a couple of tenths of a degree.
Here’s a tip: When the bite is offshore, say in 100 fathoms, I see a lot of boats stop at around 30 to 35 fathoms when they run across some bait. A lot of the time you may mark the bait there, but there are no fish underneath. What I like to do is mark that location on my GPS. If I do stop, it’s only for 15 minutes. No bites, I head to my original targeted location, but I may save that inshore location for later that afternoon. Basically, why stop short if you know the bite is just a little further offshore?
Another common mistake I see is when the bite is in 100 fathoms and a boat will stop in 40 fathoms and troll out to the location of the bite. By the time they get there the bite is over. They get there too late.
As I get closer to my targeted location, I get my binoculars out. A good set of binoculars can really save you on many days. You don’t necessarily need to have the binoculars with stabilizers. A good pair of basic binoculars will do just fine. When scanning the ocean, I look for anything out of the ordinary. Items floating in the water, chick birds diving and pecking at bait, flying fish, slicks, busting bait, water color and boats congregated in one specific area.
So, the first thing I am looking for is a good temperature break. Like I said earlier, it could be as little as a couple of tenths of a degree. I also really don’t have ideal temperatures for specific fish because they are unpredictable. One day they will be feeding on the warm side of a break (blue water) and the next day they are on the cold side (green water).
I also love to fish structure. If I don’t find a good temperature break, then I fish structure. If I have both, than I know I have a chance for a very good day. Any kind of broken, uneven bottom causes upwelling and this can create a “bait motel”. The bait gets caught in this upwelling and here come the tuna, dolphin, wahoo and marlin.
Obviously, finding bait is key to finding fish. All of your good boats have excellent electronics. I am constantly checking my depth finder for balls of baits or specific marks of fish. However, if I am not marking any bait (squid, sardines, etc), I will look for a spot along a temperature break that has some structure close by. Again, temperature and structure are two very important components when trying to find bait and/or fish.
When trolling over structure, pay close attention to the direction you are trolling when you get your bites. It’s weird, some days you will get your bite when trolling at a 90-degree angle to the ledge as opposed to trolling parallel to it. Other days it’s the exact opposite.
I hope this answers your question, Joshua. Basically, do your homework in advance. Look for good temperature breaks. Keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. Look for structure and find the bait. Find the bait and you find the fish... most of the time.
Tight lines!
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