First SoCal Tuna Trip! Report on page 3

My first SoCal fishing trip is going to be a 3-day on the Islander on July 11th. I'm so excited!

I own no gear appropriate for bluefin. In past reports, most of the fish have been caught on jigs at night, with some over 200 lbs. So to start with I want to be sure I have a good heavy setup for night jigging.

Possible combo: Makaira 20IISEa, Okuma PCH-C-741XXXH rail rod (80-130lb), 100lb solid-core braid that changes color every 10 meters (maybe Toro Tamer if I buy from Charkbait).

I think this setup would also work for NorCal bluefin (trolling madmacs 200-300 yards back), which would be a big plus.

Help?

Excited for ya!
Be sure to take some smaller set ups for dorado, yellowtail and smaller yellowfin on floating kelps

Excited for ya!

Thanks!

Be sure to take some smaller set ups for dorado, yellowtail and smaller yellowfin on floating kelps

Yes, I will bring lighter setups. I figured I would ask about the heavy setup first since that's been the most important in past trips.

For your first trip, I'd say stick to one 30-40# setup and then the heavier setup you mentioned.  I swear, all of us used to take a bunch of setups, just to use only 1 or 2 of them lol.  Have fun man, BFT fishing is worse than a crack addiction. 

Welcome aboard The Islander!

Personally, I'd opt for the Mak 16 over the 20.  I have both and find myself grabbing the 16 as it is lighter, and still capable of 100#.  I don't believe either of these are ideal for local BFT trolling.  They'll work in a punch, but you really need more capacity.  At 300 yards back, you'll have more than half your line out on a fast moving boat.

-Allen

Thanks, smoke and polepole. That’s the kind of insight I was hoping for.

Is solid core braid that changes color every 10 m a good choice for the jigging setup?

Yeah…lighter is better for the night jigging. Your arms will thank you for it. And when it turns to gray light, the same setup can be quickly changed to sinker rig / SoCal drop shot. I had multi colored braid. It’s useful. But I’ve now opted for white braid marked every 100’. OPS can do that for you. 

Second the lighter rig. Conventional reel for fly line will mostly be your go to. 40# braid to 30# fluro for example.

Call the landing a week before to get hook size recommendations, any other tackle suggestions, etc.

I was curious why opting for solid core vs hollow?

With hollow you can pretty easily slip 150# mono top shot inside your main like a finger trap and have probably closer to 100% strength than any knot can provide. (Cue the debate?) I like how the splice has a lower profile and glides through the eyes smoother than various knots.

Plenty of vids on the splice. There is guy out of Texas (Team Hard Life, or something like that) who has a lot of content on what to do.

I have Jerry Brown hollow core multicolor 100# on a similar set up for BF triolling. Cant say yet how the spliced top shot holds up to a BFT… Hoping to change that this year!

I was curious why opting for solid core vs hollow?

With hollow you can pretty easily slip 150# mono top shot inside your main like a finger trap and have probably closer to 100% strength than any knot can provide. (Cue the debate?) I like how the splice has a lower profile and glides through the eyes smoother than various knots.

Plenty of vids on the splice. There is guy out of Texas (Team Hard Life, or something like that) who has a lot of content on what to do.

I have Jerry Brown hollow core multicolor 100# on a similar set up for BF triolling. Cant say yet how the spliced top shot holds up to a BFT… Hoping to change that this year!

I use solid on my jigging setups.  It is cheaper.  And, I have no need to splice to big leader as I run straight braid to a swivel, then 3' of 150-200# leader to the jig.

FWIW, I've had professionally spliced hollow core fail before.  It sucked when it did.

-Allen

First trip, I would rent the heavy setup.   I don’t fish the bluefin, but do yellowfin later.   My 60# outfit is pushing a $1000.   talica 12 II, and a custom rod, plus braid.  They have good rental equity and you just pay for line used on some boats with loaner tackle.

My latest ideas:

Heavy setup: Mak16, 100lb braid, Graftech Rail Rod - GRR78XXH - 7'8" - 100-130 lb.
Most of the Graftech reviews are positive, but speak up if you think I need to spend more.

30-40lb setup: Okuma Alijos AJ-12NSII, 60LB braid, Okuma PCH-C-761H (20-50LB)
I'm infatuated with the huge gear range and narrow spool on the 12NS.

Light setup: I have a Daiwa BG4000 spinning reel and a Lexa 300 I could bring in case I want something really light.

Renting the heavy setup could be a good idea, but doesn't look cheap. The Islander doesn't appear to do rentals themselves, and I'm seeing prices of $130+ for a 3-day rental of a 100lb outfit.

I think Clayman had a Graftech on the Islander a couple years ago and had bad luck with a broken eye ring breaking his line on 2 fish before he figured it out.  I honestly think that's one off bad luck, and have heard mostly positive about the rods.

On the Okuma rod, I typically look at 20-50 as a solid 30 pound rod.  If you're looking more for a 40, go up one size to ax XH.  I don't have direct experience with this particular rod though, but me personally, I'm using 40 for flyline for BFT.

Skip the light stuff IMO.  I can't tell you how many times I've brought a 20# outfit for it to never leave the rack.  lol

If anything, start looking into a 50-60 pounds sinker rig.  lol

-Allen

I think Clayman had a Graftech on the Islander a couple years ago and had bad luck with a broken eye ring breaking his line on 2 fish before he figured it out.  I honestly think that's one off bad luck, and have heard mostly positive about the rods.

Can confirm. One of the guide ceramics on my Graftech had a chip in it. I don't know where or how the ceramic was damaged, but it was just sharp enough to cut off two nice bluefin at the boat. Be sure to check every guide for ANY chips or roughness before fishing!

I think Clayman had a Graftech on the Islander a couple years ago and had bad luck with a broken eye ring breaking his line on 2 fish before he figured it out.  I honestly think that's one off bad luck, and have heard mostly positive about the rods.

Can confirm. One of the guide ceramics on my Graftech had a chip in it. I don't know where or how the ceramic was damaged, but it was just sharp enough to cut off two nice bluefin at the boat. Be sure to check every guide for ANY chips or roughness before fishing!

That’s painful to even read about. Thanks for the reminder.

On the Okuma rod, I typically look at 20-50 as a solid 30 pound rod.  If you're looking more for a 40, go up one size to ax XH.  I don't have direct experience with this particular rod though, but me personally, I'm using 40 for flyline for BFT.

Got it. I bought the XH. Would the Alijos 12N have enough line capacity for this set up?  Supposedly it holds 400 yards of 60 pound braid.