Fishing Gear Selection

[Sue & Larry]

When selecting fishing gear, remember to keep everything simple. After all, we are sailors, not sport fishermen. Fancy gear and rigging will cause more headaches than it’s worth. Basic equipment needed Short, stout trolling rod and reel 50-pound test monofilament line for reel 100-pound test line to make leaders Large snap shackles with swivels #1, #2 and #3 Clarke spoons #3 Drone spoon fish identification book (we have Fishes of the Atlantic Coast by Gar Goodson) Trolling weights or planers Rod holder(s) (PVC pipe clamped to a stern rail works fine if you don’t want to buy fancy ones) Fish net and gaff (choose ones with extra long handles) While traveling the East Coast, we trolled primarily with spoon type lures. Spoons resemble minnows or bait fish. Since big fish eat little fish, these are very effective lures to use. Also, they seem to work well at different boat speeds and will catch a variety of different types of fish. The following is a list of the types of fish we have been catching on Safari: common jack king mackerel bonito Spanish mackerel frigate mackerel Cubera snapper gray trout bluefish dolphin (mahi mahi, not Flipper) barracuda - - L.H.