Solo fly fishing for pelagics

[Lucky_Mick]

Being self employed sometimes the occaision arises when I can get on the bay but my regular fishing mates can't.
I normally take out the bass boat and go and fly flog the creek for lizards etc.
I was wondering if anyone has much experience chasing macks and longies solo.
Obvious problems to me are boat manoeuvring and getting a shot off. but I think boating the buggers without playing them to a complete standstill seem to scare me the most with thoughts of high sticking or gear going overboard or fish not recovering etc.
Comments and thoughts appreciated.

Cheers,
Mick

[Wesley_Pang]

Mick aka Nigel NoFriends

I've chased Longtails solo a few times. Must be something to do with my personal hygiene #

It's a bit challenging, but not a real problem with a center console to drive and fish.

You're right about landing the fish though. Longies don't give up, so it makes it a bit difficult. I busted a rod high-sticking while trying to get a gaff shot the last time.

If you're not planning to keep them, I'd suggest fishing fairly heavy to get them in quickly and handlining them in at the end.

Have fun.

Wes

[Lucky_Mick]

Thanks Wes,
I guess its experience that tells you when to commit to take a wrap on the leader. Do you need a glove? Do you then tail it or gaff or net it? I'm OK with gaffing spotties if I want to take them for the table, but I dont think I'd could gaff a longy( or mack) just to get it into the boat.
Mick

[Quinny69]

Mick, dont take wraps of the leader. just tire the fish out, put the rod down somewhere safe with the drag turned down, and basiclly handline it in close enough to make a QUICK grab for the tail wrist. Ive never had to do this, I never fish alone, but ive seen it done. if your gonna keep it just gaff it. MQ
PS, ill give you my ph no, I can fish through the week thatll fix that problem.

[Lucky_Mick]

OK Quinny you're on
Mick [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

[Matt]

Not as easy but can be more fun and certainly more rewarding. I found you just tend to spend more time setting your shots up so you don't have to idle along with them. Your generally only another 3 secs from Neutral to having the rod in the air if your driving yourself so just work on your position. I've done it a couple of times now and as they say, the hardest part is landing them but if you get to have that problem, the day has obviously been worth it for you

Matt.

[Dale_Tan]

Mick,

As a newcomer, I had to fish the 2001 Longtail Tuna Chase alone. This was my first attempt to catch a tuna and my first ever fishing competition. After a few hours sorting out an effective system of driving the boat and keeping my lines clear of obstruction, I manage to catch my first ever tuna- an eight kilo Mack. I was so relieved to have shaken the monkey off my back straight away and later in the day I managed another three Macks. The next day, I caught my first ever longtail. It is pretty satisfying to accomplish something like catching tuna solo, I think you guys feel the same as I did on your solo tuna effort...

[Duncs]

Mick,

Don't let a lack of fishing partners put you off chasing tuna solo - Im yet to catch a tuna with anyone else on board!... Ok so I haven't caught that many but it can be done. Manouvering the boat is no problem but the split second where you put the rod down to grab the line is a bit of a heart in mouth moment. So far so good for me.



Cheers

Duncan

[flytime]

Mick i'm the same as yourself. I fish three days during the week by myself and it does seem hard at first. Their is some good advice in the previous replys. They most important thing is to keep the longtails head (once he's beside the boat on the trace ) above the water. This prevents them putting their head down for another burst and breaking your rod. Another thing is to always back your drag off once you have put your rod down to trace them because if they do take off rods can break and outfits go over the side of the boat.
Hope this helps,
Steve

[Chris.Y]

G'Day Mick, manouvering & getting shots off is the easy part, If I'm landing macks to say 8kg I just wrap the leader & lift em in , Its not very gracefull to look at but it's effective, as for longies I do the same wrap & then tail em. I don't let go of the rod untill I have a wrap on the leader, the trick is to get the tail to break the surface with just the leader out of the rod tip & then let line out while you high stick & grab the leader, it helps to keep leaders fairly short (7-9ft) & at no time should you bring the leader loop through the tip of the rod , this is a recipe for disaster
Happy hunting Mick ,it's definately worth the effort
Cheers Chris

[Matt_Campbell]

Mick
I love fishing for longies by myself. That way you don't have to worry about putting a fly in another guy's eye!

I have a 14 foot tinny and fish by myself most of the time. As everyone has said, the final stages are the biggest drama. Once a longy is doing those little circles with the leader just outside the rod tip, I drop and rod and grab the flyline and handline the fish. Once it's close enough, I use long nose pliers to release the fish while its still in the water - its safer for you and the fish.

With a little practice it will get easier.

Matt

[Lucky_Mick]

Thanks fellas for the words of wisdom and encouragement.

I've seemed to have missed plenty of days when conditions were perfect and I could have gone solo only to find when the weekend arrives the weather pulls the pin!

While I like fishing with a mate it must be a really good feeling to land a good fish unassisted. 8)

Cheers,
Mick

[Wesley_Pang]

Mick,

You'll work it out.

Weekdays are the best time to fish. You'll have the whole bay to yourself.

Just give us a report on how you do, so us "weekend warriors" can get amounst them too.

Look into a self inflating lifevest if you are fishing by yourself. Better safe than sorry. I better take my own advise too.

Wes

[Steady]

Mick

I fish a lot on my own. Not sure why. Sunday last - 4 macs all landed solo via quinny69's technique. 8kg leader on 8wt scott. No worries.

See my post on straddie tuna.

[drb]

I used to fish solo chasing longies and mac out of a 19ft half cabin. Makes getting a short pretty hard at times. I use the hand line method at the end to avoid having to high stick em to much. can't wait until I have the new boat finished though. Heaps more fly friendly