would take forever to hit bottom. But when it finally hit, I would get bites instantly
Read more:
skywaypiers.proboards.com/thread/5918/after-big-ol-snappers-again#ixzz61jYSiCiONot sure where you were fishing, or what
depth but I do know and have seen the
Friendly at the Pipeline where we fish
and know from experiece that once
you get em firing off the Mangos in that
area usually come up off the bottom
to feed once a good chumline starts
to form, from the various tidbits that
fall from a larger boat with multiple
anglers. (we actually chum em up
with our own brew).
You wouldnt believe how many nights
we got em all the way to the top
hitting our flatlines and such.
Congratulations on being inducted
into the club.
Yes it does to take forever to hit bottom.
But you have to wrap your head around
it. Just slow it down and be patient.
Actually hitting bottom isnt necesarilly
the objective here.
If your in say 90-100 ft of water and
the Goos are suspended at 65 or 80
snacking on the chum that is where
you want to fish.
If I had to guess, based on your description
you got an instant bottom bite, but
not by the target species, and the fact
the feller did nail a good'n on
that spot there were proly way more
than one of them big girls down there
ready to eat.
Using a baitfeeder type spinning reel
and gauged line can be a real good
trick at determining their depth and
staying in the strike zone as soon as
possible. Once you get say halfway
down flip the bail and use the
baitfeeder to slowly strip off line
while paying attention ti the
color of your line.
When you get bit or catch a fish
make note of how far dawn you were.
Dont buy in to all that hogwssh
about having to be on the bottom
to catch big mangos.
It simply isnt true.
As Ive posted before I prefer a jighead
for this work but a nice little Knocker
rig 1/2 oz or so will work too.
Some nights the little glow beads
are magical as well.
Another tip. Dont be afraid to fire down
a live pinfish on these Snapper special
trips and let that puppy slowly filter down
into the water column.
The bigger Snapper are very warry and they'll
sit up in the water column waiting for
an easy meal. But they aint gonna
eat a bait that flys by them at 20 mph
on its way to the bottom chasing a 6oz lead. lol
you flutter a little pinner down there though
and she'll pounce all over it.
( Ive actually seen em fighting over
a bait before)
Think outside the box.
I know it seems like forever. When
the guy who showed me this was
trying to teach me i remember
getting very inpatient about the whole
process until i caught a few and figured
it out.
(The same principle works at the Skyway
btw you just have to adjust.
Mainly in the rockpiles or under the other
bridge as its tough to fish straight down
with very little weight.
I always start with a 3/8 t&a hd jighead
and go from there.
if the currents to heavy ill go to 1/2 oz or
3/4. if its really light and im not gettin bit
on 3/8 Ill go to a 1/4.
And switch around up and down till
i tune it in.
keep tryin the rewards are epic
we've caught multiple limits using
this technique and took second
place in thr TA Mahoneys Tournament
to a local captain.
Glad to see yer catchin on.
Good luck.