wire for mackrel

[boodo]

hi lads, just wanting to know is that wire that you can tie knots with and melt any good for spotted mackrel or is it shite, also any suggestions on trolling wire for spanyids what brand ,pound ect.

cheers boodo

[hogesTS]

I use 140lb single strand in bronze colour for trolling,cant remember the brand off the top of my head though.

[Tony_N]

(I use 44lb single strand and think I'm fishing heavy) #I also only use 20- 30 cms of it and have #2 metres of 40lb leader material. #I've lost fish , but never been broken/bitten off - and that includes Spanish to 25 kg. #Just lucky maybe.

Never used the melty stuff - probly good though. Haywire wist and barrel roll is all I know.

Tony

[dfox]

Boodo, i personally dont like that type of wire. I know that some days spotties will hit almost anything and any presentation. But equally spotties can be very fussy and shy at such a visiable type of trace.
Keep your rig basic and if you use wire use as light as possiable single strand on spots...

[GCBrett]

I think you are talking about sevenstrand, can be tied in knots (didn't know that you could melt it!?). Was getting bitten off by some good macks in Moreton Bay last year on heavy mono leader and switched to the sevenstrand (8kg), is pretty fine diameter, but couldn't get a bite on it. I think their eyesight is pretty bloody good.

[timddo]

using wire trace will diminish your chances of catching mackeral. just use heavy mono in the clear.

i use 100lb trace and 3 gang hooks. Basic but effective.

[spinner]

I`ve always used about 30cm of 69lb single strand in the bronze colour for spanish, but seeing what Tony N said, I might go a bit lighter. Might get more hits. I just use 60 lb Jinkai or similar for smaller species, good for lifting them into the boat.

Reggy

[mlc]

ive heard that you should allways use mono for mackeral off some people, just seems a bit risky. :-?

[Tony_N]

I`ve always used about 30cm of 69lb single strand in the bronze colour for spanish, but seeing what Tony N said, I might go a bit lighter. Might get more hits. I just use 60 lb Jinkai or similar for smaller species, good for lifting them into the boat.

Reggy

Reggy for floatlining live baits for spaniards I use a rig as below and only put the top hook in the livey and let the other two hang. So I have more protected area than the 20 cms I mention (though for some reason the wire in the scan is a bit longer than normal)



Tony

[spinner]

Tony
I don`t do any live baiting. Usually 4 to 6 number 6/0 hooks in a slimy mackeral (dead, but fresh)
How do you get your live baits?

Reggy

[Tony_N]

Reggy

Where I fish down here (Evans Head) we just jig for them with those little feathered jigs (scan below). Mostly for slimies and yakkas.

If I'm at the GBR we always seem to catch a few fusiliers when bottom bashing. These go out live and are sensational baits for spaniards.

Other bycatch is worth a try if livies are scarce. Tarwhine for example make great jewfish bait - they love 'em.

cheers

Tony

[spinner]

Tony
Thanks for the info`, I`ll have to give it a go.
Reggy

[boodo]

tony what rig do you use if you want to troll the livey? :-?

[Tony_N]

tony what rig do you use if you want to troll the livey? :-?

Boodoo

Our 6m Nova Star is powered by a 140 V4 evinrude c.1984 - this is a 2 litre motor. Because the motor struggles between cylinders kicking in and out at low revs (and oils up really quickly) we are unable to troll at much less than about 10 kph which is a bit fast for livie trolling. Alas we unable to fish in that way. If either of us gets rich we will put a motor on it that will cope with slow trolling (Him an e-tec, me a 4st Suzuki).

All of that said, our mackerel season only lasts a few weeks. On their downward run most (not all, depending on winds and current) of the macs are sent out wide past Byron Bay and come in at Woody Head or thereabouts. We get them for short time on the way back north. We are thinking of travelling to Brunswick more often this year. (personal note to self - need to talk to Mono about best winds/swell to easily tackle the unknown bar at BH)

However, If I had the opportunity to slow troll, I would put a 4/0 or 6/0 (spots or spanish) wide gape hook as a sliding snell in through the nose in front of a (#1 or 1/0) treble stinger pinned near the tail of the livie. I'd have 2 metres of 40 lb flurocarbon leader to -30 cms 44lb wire onto which the lead hook would be sliding snelled with 30 lb leader material and the stinger at the end of the rig. Some people put a third hook between these two that runs freely on the wire and is softly pinned somewhere in the middle of the livie. I'd troll that at at as about as slow as the motor could cope. A slow walk.

FWIW

Tony

[boodo]

thanks 4 the info especially tony i will be sure to try those techniques, hopefully the macks are around xmas time at iluka got 10 days at the old mans place down there i cant wait , i love the place ;)

cheers and thanks again.