Malta Fishing Forum

Hi Guys,

My name is Chris, I'm 19 from Tarxien and I'm new to this forum. I just got to know about it few days ago and immediatley registered.  I can't say I'm  newbie regarding fishing. I go on shore off shore, trolling, spinning, spearfishing etc etc I tried a lot of different techniques but never used nets and those sort of this !! I don't call that fishing !!

I wanted to ask some questions regarding albacore (alunga) and spearfish (pastardell). Regarding the albacore I wasn't lucky the few times we went out fishing for them, we only caught one till now and I wanted to improve this year.  Friends of mine always catch more than one and I don't have a very different tackle from them. Maybe there are some experts regarding these fish here and can give me some tips, maybe regarding fishing depth, lures, lines, lenght of line from boat etc.

Regarding spearfish, last summer in the dorado season we managed to 4 or 5 bites of very small spearfish (50 - 60 cm) which of course we released.  I was curious how does this fish catch it's lunch.  They way we had the bites and also so this fish attacking our lure was like it wanted to kill it first then eat it. It never hooked to lure like the dorado does !!! Do bigger spearfish do the same thing or they just swollow the bait and that's all ??
Any Experiences ?

Thanks

Chris  8)

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forum. Concerning Alungi I too was experiencing bad results this year and asked fellow forum members for advice. Last year was notable because a) the water was extremely clear and b) there were lots of small baitfish everywhere. Let's see how that might have effected both yours and my results:

A)

Problem: Water Extremely Clear

The issue here is that fish from the Tuna family have extremely big eyes giving them excellent eyesight in the water. If you were using 40-50lbs monofilament line (nylon) or heavier chances are the fish were seeing your line. Tuna can be extremely cautious to attack unless they are in a feeding frenzy and then instinct kicks in.

Resolution: I'm sure everyone has their own tips and indeed there are a couple of ways to tackle it, but here are mine which are based on other forum members experience and later my own direct experience.

i) Add a 25 yards flurocarbon leader to your main line and make sure the fluro is heavier in lbs rating than the mono. eg. 50lbs mono on spool = 80lbs leader or 60lbs if you are careful with the drag settings.

ii) You could use a thinner diameter leader at the end of the mono say dropping down to 30lbs but I don't like doing this as it defeats the object of having heavier line for possible bigger fish on your reel, but it is a cheaper option so long as you know big fish aren't around. If they are you are likely to either snap your line if your drag settings are high or risk having all your line taken off your spool.

iii) Use smaller diameter but higher strength mono, say 30lbs Berkley Hi-Test which will break at around 50lbs.

The idea behind all of the above is to reduce visibility in the water so that the fish will still strike the lure. We were making the mistake of using 80lbs mono and 130lbs rigging on our lures and the catch rate was very poor.

As soon as we changed to flurocarbon leaders the catch rate shot up indicating this was probably our problem. This year I want to go one step further and change the rigging on our lures to 100-130lbs flurocarbon so that we have invisibile line all the way in the last 30 yards.

I personally prefer being prepared for bigger fish, which whilst not the norm in Malta are around and we have lost some nice lures as a result.

Lures:

Alungi tend to like Yellow/Green colours, jet heads, cedar plugs, rapala type lures etc but vary the colours and do some forum searches about it and you will find some info.

Depths:

You dont tend to see Alungi on the surface, unlike Tuna so presenting baits to them lower down in the water column definately helps. I troll at 5-6 knots so find that most in-line weights dont get the lures down deep enough so this year will be using planers and Z-Wings. Again read up in the forum it's discussed in details.

But have some surface lures and some weighted down/on planers.

Distance from the Boat: Everyone has their own 'rules' or spread patterns that they like to use. There are articles discussing this on the forum and it depends on how many rods you deploy. But in general you try to have some close by, just in the prop wash, some flatlined a bit further back and some people like to run a lure way back as a kind of teaser.

B)

The Baitfish: Last year there were lots and lots of small lacci, meaning that fish weren't so interested in artificial lures! They had an abundance of small 'easy' to catch baitfish and that's what they were going for. Not much you can do about that except try and vary your speeds, lures sizes and spread patterns in a hope you create enough attention! This also affected commercial fisherman going for Lampuki who had to change their methods.

Spearfish/Billfish.

Remember the bill they have? Well that is used to injure their prey first and then they come back for the strike. When you are targeting these fish you need to have your drags set very lightly and don't react straight away. Let the fish hit your lure with its bill, you will hear the line spool off a bit, then wait for the second strike, let it run for a bit, then move your drag up to strike and set the hook. You will tend to want to use lighter drag settings than say tuna and take things slower as they have softer mouths. Some say circle hooks help as they set better.

Hope this gives you some insight, I'm sure others will have suggestions as well.

Hi skip,

Thanks a lot for the fast and very detailed reply, really appreciated.

At the moment I'm equipped with 40 lb mono (60mm) on the spool with no down riggers.
So a good option is to add some flurocarbon leader or decrease the thickness of the line which is at see in order to decrease the visibility. What do you suggest as lb and mm ? Should I go for the berkley one ?  Do you have anything special to join the two lines then ? I've been told that the berkley swivels are massive !!

What depth should the lure fish ? How much weight should be used ?
I'm tempted to use the deeper diver from the Angler's Centre. I don't know if someone ever used it or not :

http://www.walkerdownriggers.com/deeper_diver.html

What do you think about it ? While taking the lure down. it can also take left or right according to your desires in order to put more lures in the water.
Usually we only put two ( one left and one right) but this year I'm tempted to put one in the middle as well.

Regarding lures, I also change from rapala fish to squids !!! What do you think ? What size should the lure be ? I have lures ranging from 4 " to 7 " !!  What's the best size ?


Regarding the spearfish, once we left it coming near the boat chasing the lure and it kept striking it without getting hooked. Also while the lure was free and was sinking it still kept sort of striking with out getting hooked but maybe it was only because it was a small one !!
I'm used to keep the drags light in that period of the year as you told me, I was already told the same thing hehe. Other told me to keep attracting it to the boat then try either to hit it with a speargun or hook it up :s  I don't think it will be successful !! boq

Thanks again mate

Chris

Hi Chris,

Surprised to see you have 40lbs mono and still experiencing issues with strike rates as really that should be in the okay region. You could put a 25 yards 60lbs flurocarbon leader on to that line, a very good knots seems to be the Alberto Knot http://www.stripersonline.com/Pages/Articles/article_arby_albertos_knot.shtml

The key is to make sure the lines are very well lubricated before clinching down.

Unless you are due to replace your mono (ideally change it every season if you caught alot on it and can afford to do so, or every two seasons), I don't think you should change your 40lbs mono you have already. What reel is it on?

I like to use snap swivels for my lures as it makes it alot easier to change lure type. The best way to do this is to buy a crimping set and then create a loop at the end of your lure leader and use a correct sized crimp along with a loop protector that usually comes with the kit. Then attach your snap swivel which you've either tied or crimped to the loop. Make sure that you buy some small squids to cover the crimped loop and snap swivel. And like this the fish won't see the snap swivel and it will look like your lure is chasing a smaller fish. If you use a barrel swivel also try and cover it.

Not familar with the walker units, this year I intend to use a Z-Wing 250 http://www.anglerscenter.com/zwing.htm and run it using the following method:

http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/index.php?topic=475.0

I also have a planer which doesnt go as deep but you can use the same technique.

http://www.anglerscenter.com/acc_planers.htm

You don't need a rod and can tie it off a cleat.

Concerning inline weights, not very experienced there, I've try 350grams but dont feel that take it deep enough to justify.

Concerning lure size, it's very much a question of trying depending on the bite during the day and changing out. Don't be scared to use a 7 inch or 9 inch lure if there are alungi in the area, but a good 4-5 inch lure is also okay. I tend to be a bit careful using rapala's with 4 rods as they like to swerve left and right alot which can cause tackles, but they are great to run close by in the prop wash. The Yozuri Hydro squirt http://www.anglerscenter.com/lures_yozuri.htm gives a similar effect but is less erratic and has produced great results. DJS swears by them and has caught some nice fish.

Wish fishing I'm afraid, there's no such thing as best size, best lure type, best colour! Hence you need to have several different types and play around. Some will even advise having two of each so if the bite is hot on a green/yellow hydrosquirt at 5m for example you would put the same on the other rod. But it's get expensive to double up!!

Email Dean at Anglers Center, I'm in talks with him to offer Malta Fishing Forum members some discounts or specials on certain items, and he ships with USPS (United States Post) which keeps shipping costs down, he also has a massive site!

Concerning what happened with your spearfish, trying jigging the lure next time to simulate the fish being injured.

Ok then, I'll try using the flurocarbon leader and see what happens.  Regarding the Z Wing, I'm very interested in it. I think it works just the same as the Deep Diver, the problem is that I didn't understand exactly how it's hooked to the line with the rubber band !!! What will happen it the rubber band dosen't break when the fish strikes ??  It's a bit risky in my opinion !!  I saw lots of fisherman running their lures just 1 foot deep and sometimes they also jumped out of the water with success !!! Was that just luck or maybe the albacore sometimes comes up to shallower waters aswell ?? 

Once I spent 2 hours at the Anglers center trying to find something to will snap out the Deeper diver as a fish strikes, same system as the downrigger but we didn't manage !!  Will a very thin line break with a strike ? Say a 10mm ?

Once on a Rapala Dvd, I also saw a sort of planner that floats and moves the lure left or right as you adjust it just to make space for other lures !!  Do ever so this system in malta ?

If you'll use the Z Wing, how far from the lure will you snap it ?  Will fish be afraid to such thing or curious about it hehe ?

The reel I'm using is the Okuma Magda Pro 45 DX with line counter.  I've got 2 of them and never experienced problems till now !!! TOUCH WOOD !!! hehe

You run the titus gold ? 

Chris  :)

QuoteI didn't understand exactly how it's hooked to the line with the rubber band !!! What will happen it the rubber band dosen't break when the fish strikes ??

You have the Z-Wing deployed on a tether at a fixed length say 70 feet. So the Z-Wing is running at maybe 30 feet underwater. You then use a shower curtain ring to which you attach a rubber band and after letting the desired amount of line off from your rod you wrap the rubber band to the line off your rod, then open the shower curtain ring around the Z-Wing tether, and close it again. The water pressure takes the shower curtain ring down to the Z-Wing along with your line, so that your lure is set. It seems that 10lbs of pressure will in fact break the rubber band so that your line detaches, apparently it does work, but I understand your dilemma!

QuoteI saw lots of fisherman running their lures just 1 foot deep and sometimes they also jumped out of the water with success

You don't have to always run very deep, sometimes sub surface is enough, it depends where the albacore are in the water column. You have to reason that if you provide them with a lure 30 feet down where they are swimming there's a greater chance of them seeing it and attacking. Same with 1 foot down just below the surface it provides a better silhouette.

QuoteOnce I spent 2 hours at the Anglers center trying to find something to will snap out the Deeper diver as a fish strikes

Use any downrigger release clip which use the pressure type that grips the line. The thing with this is they are not cheap so if you're using the shower curtain technique you have to have quite a few of them! Otherwise you can just have one, attach it to the Z-Wing but then everytime you want to re-deploy the line you have to slow down and retreive the Z-Wing which is a hassle!

Not seen that floating planer!

QuoteIf you'll use the Z Wing, how far from the lure will you snap it ?

That's very much up to you depending how close or far you want to set it from the boat. But I reckon 5-8 meters from the Z-Wing should be fine and I don't think it will disturb the fish like that. Can't say I'm an expert as it's something I will try this year. Trial and error is the game!


This year I will be running a Penn International V 50 Wide Single Speed and the Okuma Titus Gold 50Wide 2 speed as my main heavy reels. I have two Penn Commander 30's as my light tackle reels with two 20-30lbs rods.

Then I have some backup reels that I am servicing, a Penn Senator 115L 9/0 and a Lineaeffe 30/50 which is an emergency reel as it's crappy and I don't recommend them to anyone!

Hi Chris,

I've been fishing for Alungi since 1998, and each year its a different story. 
Rod setup:

I use Penn combos, senator 114H reels and rods with aftco rollers.  My main line is Momoi diamond 40lbs and I use a 2 yard florocarbon leader max 60Lbs.  Joining the two lines is a stainless steel swivel size 37Kgs.

Setup

My setup configuration is 5 lines in the water:
Middle rod (shotgun) SG
Port & Stbd corners (short/long corners) SC, LC
Port and Stbd riggers (short/long riggers) SR, LR  lines are mounted onto outriggers.  The main use of outriggers is to reduce tangles, and get the line out of the prop wash into clear waters.

Lures:

I use Pakula lures for all lines except the shotgun, where I like to experiment.  Usually I run a Williamson lure here, in green/yellow, or purple black (depending on whether its a clear or dull day, sea conditions, ect.).  Try and experiment yourself, but the best colours are green/yellow  - purple/black for soft lures, and the famous red/white form rapala.  I also use twin hooks.

As Skip quite rightly said above, alungi have been blessed/cursed by some fine eyesight.  Blessed because Alungi tend to swim in the 50-150 fthm range, and cursed since they have no problem spotting the line trolling the lure. 
1st rule of thumb; Alungi are attracted to the vibrations of your boat, and the prop wash.  This commotion to them signifies that something at the top is happening, and like all pelagics will come up to investigate.  They're thinking is "there must either be a lot of bait up there, and someone's into a good feed", or during an eating frenzy "its dinner time"  ;D .  Try and swim your lures beginning at the end of the propwash, positioning them on  pressure waves (These waves are caused by the boat as it moves forward, and visible from the back; size and amount of pressure waves is dependent on the hull, speed, and transom width).  A very basic distance is the following:
SC/LC about 85' long
SR,LR about 115' long
SG about 130 long. 
This is a very subjective scenario, and all depends on hull, pressure waves, time of fishing, and personal tastes!!!!

2nd rule of thumb; Its called the window of opportunity.  When Alungi come up to the top to feed, either because there are bait around, or have been roused up by the boat, this is what we call "its show time" ;).....this oppportunity can either last 30 minutes, or all day, depending on the conditions.  So, when this opportunity strikes you, there are a number of things which you need to do o maximise on this window of opportunity.

1.  Stay within the area
2.  As soon as you get a strike, don't reel in, count to the magic number of 10, and try and get other strikes in before cutting the trottle to minimum.  There's nothing more exciting then hearing reels screaming out line simultaneously.
3.  Don't forget to mark the area on your GPS, if they came up once here, they'll do it again 

Trolling

I personally troll at 6 -6.5 knts.  Try and get the sun always at the back of the boat (to reduce glare and minimise the glare from the line).  Best way is to zig-zag instead of running straigth.  Look for shelves, better known as drop offs.  Always troll on the opposite side of the current to the drop off.  Let me explain this.  Lets say, on your GPS you see a drop off, and current is in a W-E direction, always troll on the east side of the line.  Why?, because the current is creating an uplift, which causes a temperature break, and we all know that bait just love temperature breaks. 
Look out for the obvious signs, bait skipping the water, gulls skimming the surface (and if you're lucky, diving into the sea), and current lines, jumpers, a combination of 2 or more of these signs is surely a strike.

Well, I guess I've put in my 2 pense worth....if you need more info, just ask.  Always willing to help.

Hi Guys,

First of all thanks a lot for your help and explanations.  Really appreciate the way you're explaning each and every bit !! 

The boat I use for trolling is an 18 ft open deck boat with a 90hp Nissan and a 15 hp Mariner.  Palpitation 535 is the model, bought from Jupiter Marine Centre in Mosta.  I always use 2 rods, 1 on each side with Okuma Magda DX 45 with 40 lb Yo Zuri line !!  The first change for this year is gonna be the flurocarbon leader for sure. Regarding the swivel joining the two lines, is it small enough to go through the rod guides ? Any specific brand, maybe berkley ?

Lures :

As you said I like to experiment a lot with lures also according to the weather change, I learned that watching a Rapala Dvd.
I have different lures from a 4 " rapala to to 9 " williamson squid etc etc.
It's more easy for you to experiment as you run 5 lines all together while I run only 2 !!

So how do you manage to keep the two alungi which strike together away from each other not to mess the two lines ??  I think it's not the first time you caught 2  simultaneously !!

Regarding speed I usually stopped @ 5 maybe 5.5 the most, maybe that was one of the problems I had !!

Thanks a lot for the detailed explanation regarding currents and drop offs !!  Really interesting !!

Thanks
Chris  8)

Hi Chris,

Remember I said I only use about 2 yards of leader?....that way I don't need to wind on the leader.  One theory suggests that the leader should be at least the length of the fish you seek.  Other schools suggest wind-on leader.  Its your personal choice. Yes, I use Berkely swivels, but this is attached to the leader, and I just use a stainless steel eye on the main line.

Strikes:  My best to date is 3 simultaneous strikes.  The secret here to keep the fish from running across each other...(alungi have this peculiar way of doing a circling motion while you're winding in) is to keep the boat moving straight in dead slow.  Go for the 1st rod that was hit, while tightening up the drag on the other rod....don't tighten too much, just leave enough pressure so that if the fish decides to take a run, there is enough drag pressure on the reel to allow it to do so without the line breaking.....and beleive me, alungi like to take a run now and again....these are great fighters, and its the main reason I troll for them.  One important thing....always secure your rods to the boats gunwhale, or a cleat.  It isn't the 1st time I've been in open water and listen to someone cursing on the VHF because a strike poped out the rod from the rod holder. 

I always fish my lures at the surface, since I firmly beleive that initially alungi are attracted to the boats vibrations and prop wash, then when they come up to investigate they are attracted to the lures.  I also like to have the same colour in my pattern, and the same size.  let me explain further:
If you have ever watched the discovery channel, Nat Geo or Animal Planet, you have surely witnessed a predator (lion, cheetah, leopard, hyenas) hunting.  These are predators.  They share the same instict as the predators of the sea.  They know that they have to give chase to capture and kill their prey.  So what do they do, they choose the lamest of the hurd, either a young fawn, an old hog or a lame prey. They don't have to exert too much energy to eat!!! Same with fish, you present a choice to the fish, they will choose  ;) hence the idea of using the same lure, size and colour.  Remember, not all lures swim the same.  So in the sea predator's logic, they will choose the lamest of the lures, and strike there.  So, to increase your stike chance, remember the window of opportunity  ;D, never offer the fish a choice, just what u c is what u get!!!!...
Do start early, as dawn breaks, the fish are hungry...its a good time to start....try and position yourself on the first ridge that runs from filfla at the breaking of dawn....then take a SE board following the ridge, look for current lines, and troll along side them. 
Two lines are good to start with.  When I started out, I had 2 lines in the water, one on a fishing rod, the other tied to a small 4ltr empty plastic tank and secured to the boat using a rubber band.  When the rubberband exploded (man, I'm not kidding, when alungi strike, its like the orient express hitting that rubberband) I kept on going, same speed, and start turning....usually the reel exploded into a scream seconds after that. The buzz was just looking at the plastic tank skimming the surface at an incredible speed.  I have actually had the good fortune (once in 10yrs) of seeing an alunga strike my SC (thats the lure swimming closest to the boat)...the sea just erupted infront of my eyes, incredible speed (maybe25/30mph) of attack...and then, the music to my ears, the reel screaming out line!!!!
As you can see, I am very passionate about this, and am just waiting for the season to start!!!!

Hi The_Gaffer,

So regarding to the leader you're saying that once that the swivel that joins the main line to the leader arrives near the first rod guide you'll have to stop and start putting in the line with your hands untill you hook the fish in the boat ?  wouldn't it much better if you just keep using the reel till you have the fish underneath the boat ready to be hooked up ?

From what am I reading I think you don't use line guides on your reels neither ?  Do you think it would break with a good strike or not ?  I never used one without it and sort of think it's difficult to control the line in the reel while fighting with the fish ? Any ideas or suggestions ?

So you run all you lures in the same depth, same lenght and also same color etc ?  I was always told to vary colors in order to have see what color is best that day and then change the rest after the first strike but I really liked your theory !!
So what depth do you run you lures ? Do you use any weight (not including downriggers) ?

Regarding hot spots, you mentioned filfla right.  So one has to go out near that island and run parallel to Zurrieq ghand Ghar Lapsi etc.  They told me that even if you go out of marsascala is good, have ever been on that side ?  How far do you get from land ? Does the Alunga keep striking all day if it's a good day or there's time when it stops ?

Thanks

Chris 8)

Chris,

With a two foot leader when the swivel comes up to the top rod guide it's almost in the boat!! If you're running a leader the length of the fish or even the rod then 6ft is plenty so you have nothing to worry about.

What did you mean don't use line guides? Do you mean a level winder, which evenly winds the line on the reel as you crank? You don't find those on bigger reels because they break under pressure! Just use your thumb carefully.

Hi The_Gaffer,

Interesting read about your set up. What boat are you fishing off, would be great for everyone if you could post some pics and tell us a little about the boat.

It shows you are passionate about Alungi, have you not gone fishing for 10-20 kgs Bluefin that we find running around our shores? If you think Alungi are fun, try bluefin hehe!

I almost went in last year when I was deploying a Rapala which had just gone in the water and as they create quite a drag the reel wasn't on freespool. Had a 10kgs bluefin strike almost as it deployed which caught me completely off guard!

Seems like the gaffer is using the Bob Franko method. Which is very good and I often use myself. Athough I do so with a bit of my own variations in the bob franco method.

Hi Chris, Skip,

The leader is only 2 yards long (6 feet)...by the time the swivel reaches the surface, I'm preparing to position the fish and gaff it.  I do not use any weights on the line, I like to troll surface lines.  I will post a series of pics explaining this.  The 1st pic shows the swivel (yellow arrow) just above the surface and the fish clearly visible about 6 feet under.  
the 2nd pic depicts my personal choice of lure positioning.  The positions are indicated by the yellow arrows, pay particular attention to the pressure waves I mentioned in an earlier post.  The green arrow shows a sea gull (thats optional!!!....hehehe, just kidding)...The way Pakula lures come up to the surface every 10seconds or so to breath, seem to attract gulls as well.  

Skip, you have my undevoted attention to the topic of blue fins!!!!....Where in Gods name are these creatures, I mean in the 10/20 kg range.  Which time of the season do they appear?
This is my experience with a Blue fin:
Trolling in the last last week of July 06' some 15Kmiles SE of Malta, my shotgun rod (the middle one) got hit.  From experience, I could at once realise that the way the line was peeling out of the reel, this was no ordinary alunga!.  Placing the rod inside the harness, and taking the drag in my fingers, I proceeded to slowly tighten the drag.  The line just kept peeling off.  I have 475yds of momoi diamond 40lbs on this reel, and the diameter was shrinking  fast.  I asked my wife to disengage the engine, and cautiously tightened the drag.  The rod (a penn 40/80lbs) was hell bent and line was still peeling out.  I was nearing the end of the spool, my drags started slipping, and the boat had stopped dead in its tracks.  Called out to the wife to put the boat into reverse and I started pumping the rod.  I'm thinking "I need to turn this fish around towards me, or I'm going to lose all the line".  Miracles do happen my friends, and I managed to turn its head towards me.  Immediately I proceeded to engage the boat engine in dead slow, and start reeling in the line.  Easier said then done.  I would probably reel in about 20yrds, and lose another 30yrds.  Finally after about 45minutes, the fish stopped fighting, and started the usual circling motion.  I disengaged the engine once again, and started pumping the rod and retriving line.  I had cramps in my back, my hands were numb, and my arm muscles ached, but pump and retrieve I did.  Half way up (I could tell from the amount of line now on the reel) the blasted fish decided to do another run....this time I held on for mercy....and soon the fish gave way again...so, pump and retrieve.  Again I felt the fish making a run for it, only this time it was in a staccato motion, thud, thud, thud....and all of a sudden, the rod felt horrendously light.  I had lost the fish....Whetever was said in those few minutes is between me and the sea.  Not fit to publish.    I reacon it was a blue fin, maybe in the 150kgs range.  The fish managed to unhook itself.  That my friends, is the only time I had a hook- up of blue fin.  So...........Skip, for the love of God, please enlighten me further on that statement...me and blue fin have a score to settle.

Skip,

You asked me about my boat...here she is..the Trojan F-26.  Built in 1978, from GRP.  Shipped her all the way from the USA 5 years ago.  The_Gaffer has been repowered by a Steyr Hi-Power 246HP marine turbo diesel engine.  Trojan boats were built by Whitetaker & Sons and designed by Trojan and Bertram.  Then the company was sold to Carver Boats in 1992.  Trojans are still built today by Carver, but only in the 44 - 50 feet range.  The F-26 is 26 feet long and 10'6" wide.  She sleeps 4 comfortably in a wide vee berth up front and two by the port side in the cabin.  The cabin height is 6'4" high, so its very comfortable.  There is also a stand up shower and head to the starboard side.  A 2 burner gas cooker and fridge/freezer compliment the interior furniture to make it the perfect weekender.  She handles very well in all types of seas, except for following high seas.  Since she's a beamy beast, she tends to mash.  To counter for this, I put up the trim tabs all the way and increase the speed, that way she's up on the plane and riding the waves, while having her transom sitting slightly deeper into the sea.  Its important to be going faster then the following waves to prevent the bow from dipping into the sea.  With the new engine in, I can comfortably cruise at 18knts (normal cruising) 20Knts (high cruising) and top speed of 25 knts.  Fuel consumption is good too.  I can cruise at 7.5lts/hr and troll at 4ltrs/hr.  At 11knts, she is completely up on the plane and not dragging any water behind her.  The trojan F-26 is equipped with a bottom keel of about 8" in length.  This serves 2 purposes, 1st this helps the boat move in a straight line since it is a single screw, and 2nd she does not drift due to the drag of the keel.  The downside is that she could do 3-4 knts more without a keel.  I have been caught in Force 7 seas just of the coast near Portopalo, on my way up to Siracuse, and she handled very well.  All the other boats outside, mainly trollers, were pitching and rolling, but the Trojan just just sliced through the head on waves with ease.
Equipment:
Dual Hydraulic helm station, new.  Bennet trim tabs, Raymarine hydraulic autopilot, 500ltr fuel tank and 80ltr fresh water tank.  Electric windlass and 80mtrs chain and anchor.  2 automatic bidge pumps, one manual.  Salt water pressure pump to wash down decks.  Teak cockpit, decks and gunwhale. 
Electronics:
Lowrance Globalmap GPS and Furuno 1000mtr fishfinder, equipped with temp and speed.  Icom and sailor VHF.
Fishing:
Tigress outriggers and cannon downrigger.  Penn international senator rods and 114H reels.  Miya Epoch x-4 electric reel for deep sea fishing. 

I also changed the forward bulkhead and gave her a new paint job on the decks.  She's my fishing machine, and although 30 yrs old, still has the looks of a teen!!!!

Joe, upload those pics to the gallery under Miscalleanous and then once they are there I can link them in your post as I can't extract the pics from the word doc without losing resolution.

OK, will do

Very nice boat mate !!! 

Regarding the reels, so do you think the Okuma Magda 45 DX is just a toy when trolling for albacore ?  :-\ 
Will it manage to overcome the albacore's force ?

Chris  8)

(http://maltafishingforum.com/talk/gallery/319_21_04_08_7_58_43.jpg)

Nice machine, love the fact you only use 7.5litres per hour at 18 knots, verus our 50 litres per hour of petrol in my dads 32 foot boat. It's been sold so as you might have read, am looking for an 18 foot center console to make life more affordable.

Have a good read in the Offshore fishing >5nm boards as there's also a section for organised trips/cost sharing if that would be of interest to you. And there's some good info the Equipment, Technique and Tips section. Am sending you a private message concerning another issue.

The bluefins are about, so far I have only encountered them in one spot and in abdunace. I'm not sure what this area has as the bottom contours are nothing special but they seem to hang around in this area. Bluefins are supposed to start in June up until July but whether they make it to Maltese waters is all dependant on commercial fishing activities further West of us in the Med near the straits of Gibraltar.

If you're up for it, Medina Bank is around 80nm miles away and fantastic for fishing, that's where the big blues hang out and thus the commercial fishing purse seiners.

The 10-20kgs bluefin seem to hang around right into Lampuki season well into September, so far I have not caught any in the June/July season that is supposed to be abundant for them.

Great post about the your encounter with the bluefin. As gottie mentioned elsewhere you might want to consider putting Spectra backing on your reels in order to increase your line capacity without needing to change your reels.

In case you're interested I have a new Penn International V 30Wide Single speed lever drag reel that's up for sale, that will hold 900 yards of 30lbs line but I've spooled it with 750yards of 50lbs mono.

If your drags gave out on you consider getting a new set of HT100 drag washers and then either use them dry if you want maximum pressure or wet with Cal's drag grease for maximum smoothness losing some drag pressure. However I think that fish was just a little too big for your outfit.

One thing I've seen is a video of a similar occurance and the skipper turned the boat in the direction of the fish and went towards it at pretty high speed to recover line as the angler moved to the side and reeled in like crazy. I believe it was a marlin as the fish was near the surface, so wouldnt work too well with tuna that love to dive!

If you're into the idea, would love to go out fishing this summer as a group of boats, keep the fish in the area, it's more fun and pool our knowledge. You're also welcome to come out fishing with me, we'll pop over to that spot I mentioned if you like.

Skip

Thanks for all info guys. Very interesting. This year should be my first year fishing for alongi and I just can't wait! It's becoming more difficult! What is the best time to be out fishing e.g. at daybreak? Do alongi bite all times or are there just specific times please? Where do you go out of filfla - e.g. in line with dingli, blue grotto, etc.

Quote from: Gazzetta on April 22, 2008, 12:29:01 CET
Very nice boat mate !!! 

Regarding the reels, so do you think the Okuma Magda 45 DX is just a toy when trolling for albacore ?  :-\ 
Will it manage to overcome the albacore's force ?

Chris  8)

It should be fine for Albacore up to 10kgs, if you get a big one you might run out of line/drag!

Hi Benri, they say the morning is best but I've never caught a single fish before 8.30am ever! Maybe just unlucky or not in the right place at that time. Alungi caught up until around 1pm, nothing in the afternoon nor the evening for me.

Bluefin up till 4pm.

The West coast is where you want to be, starting from 5nm abeam of the freeport, running up in that area then along the ridge heading out past filfla and then parallel with the West coast at whatever distance you feel comfortable at. You can go all the way up along side Gozo abeam of Dwejra and have good results from personal experience.

Am I up to the idea???....is the Pope Catholic?....sure I'm up to the idea...I would be delighted to go out fishing either as a group of boats, or as your fishing mate.  As for drag washers, I purchased the very same ones you mentioned from cabelas....but I greased them.  Recently I have a keen interest in Shimano TLD 25, I can get a good bargain on the net.
You know, blue fin are every offshore fishermans dream, they put up such a big fight.  Have a feeling that this season will be a good one

Hi Benri,

In my experience, dawn is the best time to start.  As day break occurs, make sure you are in position with your lures in the sea.  Alungi seem to like early breakfast.  Skip was spot on as regards the area.  you can get strikes at 5Kmiles out of il-mara, and then just head up the ridge towards filfla, taking a turn towards the east just as the ridge drops off.  Read the other posts in this section, you'll get all the necessary info. 
Tight lines!!
Joe

Daybreak is definately the best time for albacore. If you really want to boost your chances for albacore you have to start trolling before daybreak. This year I had an instance where I caught 7 in an hour and then it all went dead as the sun became brighter. On the other hand there were days where the only times I got strikes was around midday in brightsunlight. But daybreak is surely the best time.

Quote from: skip on April 22, 2008, 12:43:38 CET

Quote from: Gazzetta on April 22, 2008, 12:29:01 CET
Very nice boat mate !!! 

Regarding the reels, so do you think the Okuma Magda 45 DX is just a toy when trolling for albacore ?  :-\ 
Will it manage to overcome the albacore's force ?

Chris  8)

It should be fine for Albacore up to 10kgs, if you get a big one you might run out of line/drag!

Have you ever esperienced this ?  What's the best thing to do if such thing happens ??  Maybe cut the line and tie an empty tank to it ???

Chris

Please excuse my stupidity but what /where is the ridge?

Chris,

I have a Penn Commander 30 that just about ran out of line, so I turned up the drag and the fish caused the 37kgs Rapala snap swivel to open up like a pin and I therefore lost the fish. Either way I was about to run out of line, you wouldnt believe how fast it goes off. The only way you could tie, would be to attach the jerry can/tank to your rod/reel and throw the whole thing in. There's NO WAY you could stop the line and attach!

Benri,

Underwater ridge/ledge where you have say 200 meters on one side and then a drop off with 500m on the other side caused a ledge in the seabed. Buy an admirality chart or similar of the West coast and you will see the depth markings and you can see where the ridge is, even plot your GPS course along it, after checking where the current is to see which side you track along.

Hi Guys,

Thanks a lot for your explanation guys !!

Quote from: skip on April 22, 2008, 16:48:24 CET
Benri,

Underwater ridge/ledge where you have say 200 meters on one side and then a drop off with 500m on the other side caused a ledge in the seabed. Buy an admirality chart or similar of the West coast and you will see the depth markings and you can see where the ridge is, even plot your GPS course along it, after checking where the current is to see which side you track along.

From were can I buy an admirality chart ?

Chris

http://www.tcsmith.com/pages/navigation/navigational.htm

Chris,
No need to buy one yet if you have a GPS equipped with the maltese islands and approaches.  However, you can buy these maps down at gzira, at any of the numerous marine outlets there.  In the next few days I'll try and scan one out, post it here, with some markings and areas known to me as Alungi Territory.   

Hi to the-gaffer,tell me is that a fly brige on your boat so that you can control it from up there?

Well, seems like everyone is getting geared up for the alungi season. I'm still trying to figure out where to put a third rod holder. I can confirm that early morning can be productive on the ridge near Filfla, the only problem is you have to set off at an unearthly hour to get there on time.

I've noticed that most of the albacore catch reports posted in the forum were in June and July - just out of interest, has anybody ever caught in May?     

Quote from: redbus9 on April 22, 2008, 20:30:32 CET
Hi to the-gaffer,tell me is that a fly brige on your boat so that you can control it from up there?

Thats right.  The Trojan F-26 has a flybridge, seats 3 persons comfortably.  The boat is equipped with duel station helms.

Quote from: DJS on April 23, 2008, 00:08:18 CET
Well, seems like everyone is getting geared up for the alungi season. I'm still trying to figure out where to put a third rod holder. I can confirm that early morning can be productive on the ridge near Filfla, the only problem is you have to set off at an unearthly hour to get there on time.

I've noticed that most of the albacore catch reports posted in the forum were in June and July - just out of interest, has anybody ever caught in May?     

Well DJS, depends what type of boat you have.  If you're planning to position the 3rd rod in the middle, make sure the side rods are well appart.  Also, swim your lures at different lengths, that way, when taking a turn, you prevent tangles, while you're also maximising the strike area.
Earliest I have caught Alungi is 5 June, maybe becuase its only the day before that  my boat got launched for the season!!!! ;).  But I've heard unconfirmed reports that Alungi have been sighted as early as mid-May by commercial tuna fishermen.

Thanks The_Gaffer. look forward as my GPS is without maps! Does anyone know the chart number for the area we're talking about please?

Quote from: The_Gaffer on April 22, 2008, 20:19:40 CET
Chris,
No need to buy one yet if you have a GPS equipped with the maltese islands and approaches.  However, you can buy these maps down at gzira, at any of the numerous marine outlets there.  In the next few days I'll try and scan one out, post it here, with some markings and areas known to me as Alungi Territory.  

Quote from: benri on April 23, 2008, 08:46:46 CET
Thanks The_Gaffer. look forward as my GPS is without maps! Does anyone know the chart number for the area we're talking about please?

Quote from: The_Gaffer on April 22, 2008, 20:19:40 CET

Same here, I have an Eagle GPS + Fish finder but the price they charge for the maps is a bit too high, at least that's what I think.  Maybe there is someone who knows from were to get one online or has it on a memory card !!!

Thanks

Chris  8)

Guys, the Map below shows the general alungi territory in the black area indicated just off filfla.  I will post coordinates once I switch on my GPS and retrive them from there.  I have marked hit spots with red markings,  but really, there is no fixed point where alungi strike, just troll in that area, and you should get hit.  Further out to that map, there are other areas, but for beginners, thats the place you need to be. 
How to get there  ;):  head out 6 Kmiles SWbyS from benghjsa point bearing 205 degrees, you should arrive on the 1st ridge (xifer) if you're there by 5.00am, expect a strike as dawn breaks.   If you don't get a strike, continue in that immediate area until the sun breaks the horizon, say 6.15am....man, I can already hear the reel sceaming   ;D
A cold beer would be great if you get stikes following this post!!!!

Quote from: benri on April 23, 2008, 08:46:46 CET
Thanks The_Gaffer. look forward as my GPS is without maps! Does anyone know the chart number for the area we're talking about please?

Quote from: The_Gaffer on April 22, 2008, 20:19:40 CET
Chris,
No need to buy one yet if you have a GPS equipped with the maltese islands and approaches.  However, you can buy these maps down at gzira, at any of the numerous marine outlets there.  In the next few days I'll try and scan one out, post it here, with some markings and areas known to me as Alungi Territory.  

Chart number is as follows:  Admiralty Chart number 2538

Hi Guys,

Thanks a lot for the detailed info.  I think I'll go and buy one of these charts and plot some points on it !!

Tight lines guys as we'll soon be out at sea.

Chris  8)

For those without a GPS but HOPEFULLY with a compass. Start early in the morning that is be near the Breakwater around 3.30/4.00 am. as soon as u go out of the breakwater head 210 degrees and u should see a lot of lights in the distance, keep ur bearing for about an hour, boat speed 7Knots. U should be there just about at Dawn. Head for Filfla around 290 degrees. Once u start approaching filfla u will see a lot of boats going up and down, follow suite as they will be trolling for alungi. For those who are just sarting PLEASE do not cross  other boats from close behind for obvious reasons. If u see a boat stopping that means he had a strike troll in that direction but DO KEEP A RESPECTFUL DISTANCE. keep in mind all MFF call names so that we can recognise each other. I usually keep my VHF on 10 or 6.

Regarding time of catch. Off course the best time is early in the morning at dawn but having said that its not the first time that I am on the spot and dont catch a fish till say 11am, its a matter of luck thats why fishing is great u get the unexpected there is never a hard and fast rule. C ya or should i say hear ya there...

Skip I never fished the west side is that along the ridge thats about 6 miles out or the 11 miles out???? i presume the further out the better eh.

West coast nr Filfla as you and gaffer have described in terms of general area. But I was more productive further up abeam of Fomm Ir-Rih for alungi, around 10-11nm out. And then in the spot where it seems Visa also fishes, around 25nm West of the Gozo tip down from Ta'Cenc (not sure what the area is called).

We caught 5 alungi 40nm almost straight out from the Freeport, perhaps by then we were directly south of Filfla.

shanook on the west side from the first xifer to the second xifer is all good. i caught even closer to shore

Got u busumark. Since I might be in Bugibba this year I might as well get used to this part of the world eh.

As a leader can I use the Power Pro Microfilament line ? It's 32mm thick and holds 24 kgs. Bought from Fishing World in Naxxar.
What do you think ?

Thanks
Chris  8)

No, ideally as a leader you should use some good quality mono, it should then be backed up by power pro. Nevertheless I must say there there are some people who attach the pwoer pro spectra directly to the lure.

Make sure that you use the right knot when joining power pro with mono. On the box of power pro it tells you what knot you should use.

I wouldnt use Powerpro as a leader, there's no strech in it and you likely to pull hooks out of the fishes mouth. Remember you want some shock absorption in a line, hence leaders tend to be called shock leaders. You'll have to play your drag very well if you go all powerpro and remember as more line goes off the spool and so the drag increases even if you don't move the drag leader.

For trolling if you use Spectra (Powerpro) as Gottie says, it should be used as a reel backing to increase line capacity on smaller reels.

For very big fish that we don't get here, say 150kgs, the Americans put 150lbs sepctra backing on their big 80lbs reels as the diameter is the same as 30lbs mono and then they top off with a 200-300lbs shock leader or 150lbs mono for 50-100yards and then a bigger shock leader.

I had this setup on my reels for a while and realised it was a serious serious overkill, although in my case I went to 80lbs mono topshot.

This year as I know have nearly all wide reels, I will put all mono and fluoro leader and on the smaller reels use up my powerpro with mono top shot and fluoro leader until it wears out. Will then really with 60lbs spectra, but once I bought the 150lbs spectra may as well re-use it!!

One experiment I tried last year is that I tied 1 metre of 80lb power pro to 1 metre of 80lb berkley line, then I tied it to a door handle and pulled until the line broke.

I tried it twice and on both occasions it was the power pro which broke not the berkley mono!

For Alungi I use 40lbs Momoi diamond line, and 60lbs Strenn flourocarbon leader.  Never had a line break yet.  Both lines are joined using a berkley 37Kgs stainless steel swivel. 

From where to where do you mean by west coast please? From say West of Rabat to West of Gozo?  and what do you mean by 1st and 2nd xifer? as my boat is also moored at St paul's bay

Quote from: busumark on April 23, 2008, 19:40:01 CET
shanook on the west side from the first xifer to the second xifer is all good. i caught even closer to shore

Quote from: gottie on April 24, 2008, 09:59:54 CET
One experiment I tried last year is that I tied 1 metre of 80lb power pro to 1 metre of 80lb berkley line, then I tied it to a door handle and pulled until the line broke.

I tried it twice and on both occasions it was the power pro which broke not the berkley mono!

Gottie, remember that manufacturers often under spec the ratings of their mono. So 80lbs mono will break at closer to 100lbs. Spectra and especially fluoro are basically spot on, so 80lbs spectra will break at or close to 80, hence it broke before the mono. You'd have to try with 80 spectra and 60lbs mono to get a more real life picture.

This is why the mono top shot is always less than the spectra backing so that your mono breaks before your expensive spectra.

In the case of fluoro as it's the last link you don't want that breaking causing you to lose your fish and lure, you put a stronger fluoro leader than the mono top shot.

Hi Guys,

So with the 40 lb what leader should I use ?  Should I increase to 60 lb if I change my reels' lines in the future ?

Thanks
Chris  8)

Quote from: Gazzetta on April 24, 2008, 13:23:47 CET
Hi Guys,

So with the 40 lb what leader should I use ?  Should I increase to 60 lb if I change my reels' lines in the future ?

Thanks
Chris  8)

See my post further up.  Remember Chris, the leader forms part of the terminal tackle, i.e. the end piece of line where the lure and hook is.  This should be somewhat stronger then your main line.  40lbs leader for albacore (alungi) is lightweight.  I think if you get hit by an alunga it could snap.  Theory is this: 
You're trolling at 6 knts, you have your drag settings at 10% of the fish weight, so lets say in this case your drag setting is at 2-3 kgs. Another factor to take into consideration is that albacore usually strike at a speed of 25-30mph.  Combining all these factors together, plus the strain put on the leader by the fish, the theory (backed by experience) suggests that the leader should always be of a grade heavier then your main line.  Also, some leader line will be inside the alunga's mouth, and it has to withstand the abrasions of the fine teeth the alunga has.  My opinion is that it would snap.  The main line doen't snap on impact because it is cushioned by the belly of line that forms while trolling.  Also, you'll have over 50mtrs of line out....this cushions the initial impact of the strike...the drag does the rest during this intial shock.  After that, the rod and drag and angling technique come into play.  Never tighten your drag to a point where if the fish at the other end decides to make a run for it, the reel does not give out line.  And beleive me Chris, Alungi do make a run for it!!!!.  Even as you reel in the fish, and it gets closer to the boat, as the fish senses the boat...it has big eyes....it will make a run for it, thats when most novice anglers lose there catch.   

yes benri the west coast is teh area that you mentioned you troll between 6miles to 10 miles from land. Skip,Gottie,The gaffer I think that you catch a lot more alungi than me because you fish with good rigs and finer lines. i use a hand line of 1.2mm and the last 10mts i use .90mm. but i dont catch a lot

Busumark, try a flurocarbon leader, seriously I had super poor results last year until I changed over as I was using 80lbs line. Think your hit rate will go up much higher if you try that.

i will try but everytime i used flourocarbon for squid or bottom fishing near the coast there was never any difference from normal lines

Can't comment about bottom fishing, total newb there, but remember Alungi and Tuna have massive eyes and therefore excellent eyesight, Far more than the other type of fish normally tagetted.

Busumark if u are using a hand line try with 60Lb it is more than enough. do u use tanks that drop in water when u the fish strikes? if yes then connect ur tanks as well to a (Korlin) nylon rope so that u dont have to stop and turn the boat to pick up the tanks. if u dont use tanks and hold the line with a loop have an extra 30 qama in a tyank or wrapped on cork and when the albacore hits first hold it a bit to set the hook and then let go slowly (use of gloves helps) then after the initial run start reeling in the fish u shouldnt have any problems. On a hand line I pulled in a swordfish of 20Kg and that has no comparision to alungi. I usually have a fluorocarbon or normal line of 90/100Lbs.

So I'll leave the reel equipped with the 40 lb for more lightwieght catches.
I think I'll go for the berkley on the new okuma.  What rating should I get ? I'm gonna buy it from Ta Bormla in Mosta cause I think he's the only one who gets berkley !! In previous post Skip said the one can use 30 lb berkley which will break around 50 lb maybe that way one can reel in more line or am I wrong ?
Size of leader with the berkley ??

Thanks a lot guys.
Chris  8)

Remember it's not the std berkley line it has to be Berkley Premium Hi-Test to get that increased breaking rate I mentioned. Momoi do something similiar but I doubt Ta Bormla has it as most people wouldnt pay the extra. you are better off buying it online. Otherwise just use std 40lbs.

Gazzetta if It was up to me I would load the Okuma with a 30lb line. try to see which makes have the smaller diameter for a 30lb line. Dont go for expensive line just keep it simple. As for a leader I usually keep my lures with a leader attached and keep the snap swivel on the main line. The leader can be an 80Lb just to be safe on chaffs and teeth cuts.IF u are lucky (or unlucky) to catch a tuna as long as its in the 25Kg range and u set ur drag right then u dont have a problem. If u catch anything larger than tough luck. the way i reason if u have a heavier line and a bigger rod and reel for alungi it wont be fun and if u catch a big tuna 200Kg u will still not hold it so whats the use of oversizing. A rod and reel to hold a 200 kg tuna would run in the 600/1000 LM and i dont think any of us are that keen to spend that much for a once in a lifetime. Thats just my opinion and way of thinking. Give it a shot this year with your gear and next year u can decide for urself all the changes to make.

Happy fishing

shanook i do like you said i always have a 5 lts tank attached to the rixa with orange nylon in tank just in case for something big. but i dont go for alungi a lot if its really calm i prefer deep sea fishing

Quote from: The_Gaffer on April 24, 2008, 14:18:17 CET

Quote from: Gazzetta on April 24, 2008, 13:23:47 CET

40lbs leader for albacore (alungi) is lightweight.  I think if you get hit by an alunga it could snap. 

Hi Guys,

So only as a leader the 40 lb is lightweight right ? I can also use the 30lb for the main line ??? !!!  :o  Maybe that's more for the expert ones on drag hehe. If the 40lb is used as the main line and a leader of 60 - 80 lb of fluorocarbon would do fine.  I'll check exactly what type of Berkley line does TA BORMLA offer and let you know.  It's the only one I know who gets berkley, and I'm 100% sure he gets online aswell !!
I'll keep you informed.

Thanks
Chris

Hi Chris,

As a beginner, try and go for 30-40lbs main line, and 60lbs leader.  Berkley is a good choice, I've used it before I started using momoi diamond.  I use momoi because it is graded at the same breaking strenght but with a lesser diameter.  As a beginner, you should also be conservative on the drags, until you get used to the feel of the pull from a fish.  Its better to take that extra 5 minutes to reel in a fish then to tighten the drags and lose the fish!!!

Gazzetta sorry for asking but u do know how to set the drag on the Okuma YES. if not post so we can help.

Hi Guys,

I know how to set the drag on the Okuma but I would like to learn more.  How should I set the drag for Albacore ? I usually set it exactly so that the lure soes not take line out of the reel while trolling, is that a correct measure ?

Teach me guys !! I want to learn moreeee !!!  :D

Chris  8)

u have a leaver drag. So put the handle on strike that is all the way to the first button right. Now u have to know the size of line so that u set the drag before u leave home. so lets say u have a 30 lb line set the strike on 12 or 14 lbs (i am telling u higher as u dont have a lot of line on ur okuma.to set the drag i usually fill bottles of water in a bucket and lift it with the rod, the feeling is that the rod will snap. when u go fishing place the drag leaver about half way up to the strike zone (this way u have about 5Lbs drag) dont try pulling the line with ur hands thats a hearsay. when the fish strikes u have enough drag not to let the fish unspool u. lift the handle to strke and set the hook (two jerks are enough) slow down the boat (DO NOT STOP THE BOAT) and start reeling in the fish always keeping the boat at an idle. When the fish is close to the boat dont pull hard and keep the fish behind u NEVER LET AN ALUNGA GO FORWARD OF THE LINE, as then the fish will make a run for it and with ur 4o lbs, short line and full drag u might get a line break. if u catch something different to alunga it will still be taking line then turn the baot in its direction and wind fast then stop the boat and take it from there.

Technically on 30lbs line your FULL strike setting shouldn't be more than 1/2 of the line rating, so not more than 15lbs. Strike should be between 7.5 and 9.9lbs working on a 25-33% respectively and 50% for full, which is when you push that button and move up further.

Remember that on lever drag reels to adjust these figures, first warm up the drag but pulling line out and reeling in and then move the lever to zero (freespool) adjust the drag block screw, and then test again at strike and full as described by shanook.

Hi Gazzetta,just for me to know,whats the stated line capacityof your reel? yards of mono and llbs breaking strain.Also,if you dont mind what did you pay for it,and did you have to pay shipping charges? thanks

Hi redbus9,

So the Okuma's line capacity is : 20 lbs  580 yds
                                             30 lbs  430 yds
                                             35 lbs  330 yds

Regarding price, I tried to find out how much I paid for it but I couldn't find it !! Sry.  I remember I found a bargain price from ebay, that's for sure.

Chris  8)

Quote from: shanook on April 25, 2008, 13:37:40 CET
u have a leaver drag.

Isn't the Okuma a Star drag ??

Chris

Indeed it is. Welcome to the nightmare of knowing where you are with Star Drags!! You can use a marker to mark where your drag off position is and then try and mark the other settings. So you would have something like a tippex mark on one of the star drags notches and several on the reel. With star drags it's not easy to know what pressure you are putting as you dont have easy reference.

opps yours is gazetta. Cant help u there but take skips advice it makes sense. Me i try to buy a leaver drag reel as I feel its better.

Can you explain a bit more how much settings one has to do on a star drag.

Thanks
Chris  8)

What do you mean how much settings? It's no different to setting up a lever drag reel the only problem is you don't know what position the drag lever (in your case the star wheel) is in terms of how much drag pressure you are exerting.

This is why you need to come up with some kind of system to let you know where freespool, strike and full drag is on your reel. It still wont' be easy to easily reference as you will have to keep looking on the side.

Otherwise just make sure you set your max drag at 15lbs and leave it at that. It's probably already set like that from the factory.

I only set the Star Drag knob so that while trolling the lure does not take line out with it's weight.
I think there are sore of different settings for different fish, for example you set less drag for an Albacore than for a Dorado but as I said I set it according to the lure, i just don't let it take line while trolling.

Chris  8)

My penn reels have start drags too.  You get used to it after a while but this is what I do.  After placing the lure in the sea, I free spool to a pre marked length on the main line.  Then, once I've reached that position, I tighten the drag enough so that it feels that I need to pull slightly on the mainline to release line from the reel.  This shoould equal about 2kgs pulling force.  That is the ideal drag setting for Alungi. 

I do the same The_Gaffer  ;)

Chris  8)

Gaffer, that would be the drag setting for allowing a fish to get hooked, but not the setting you would use after strike as you fight the fish. For that I guess you're guessing/going from experience?

With star drags its always a guessing game although a certain amount of experience plays a long way, Like knowing ur rod how it bends and the line's breaking tension. But its still a guessing game. still its better than a hand line not to lose fish not the feeling eh.......

Quote from: skip on April 27, 2008, 16:26:01 CET
Gaffer, that would be the drag setting for allowing a fish to get hooked, but not the setting you would use after strike as you fight the fish. For that I guess you're guessing/going from experience?

Skip - Correct, As soon as I get a strike, I never stop the boat there and then.  I disengage the autopilot, steer to stbd or port, depending on wind and current, and count to 10.  All this time, the boat is still doing 6knts and line is being let out from the reel.  Hopefully this system gives you more stikes.  Then, I go dead slow, take the rod out from the rod holder, and (using experience)...I can already gauge what size the fish is from the pull, and set the drag accordingly.  I don't really agree with the points raised that its down to guess work, its more based on experience.  One thing I never do, is that after a strike, attempt to set the hook.  With alungi, at 1st strike, the hook normally sets itself. 

we have to check the rules this year because the patrol boat will be stopping the boats to check about tuna. i phoned fisheries and told them what is the law about tuna catches. they told me that those who have the permit to fish for tuna can have 8% of there catch under the 30kgs. 30kgs is supposed to be the minimun weight for tuna. but he didnt tell about those who are fishing for swordfish with long-lines and those trolling. he told me that people are asking him the same questions but didnt know the answer. i gave him my number and he told me that he was going to phone back

I hope the ones on the patrol boat know the difference between a tuna and an Alunga !!!
Keep us informed mate.

Chris  8)

I am not aware of anything official being done concerning Tuna restrictions for non MF vessels, ie. Amateurs and Sport Fishing. Fisheries are supposed to be enforcing restriction on full time and part time fishermen who want to sell their catch, but there has been nothing released about amateurs who don't sell.

The 30kgs limit is strictly for Commercial entities. So I'm not sure how they plan to implement that for amateurs/sport fishing people, or if it even applies. As Chris rightly pointed out, Alungi and Tuna look very similar to a passer by, so are the Patrol Boat crew going to be taught about the different variants?

Hi guys,

After setting up the tackle and gone out, an alungs, tuna, spearfish, swordfish etc strikes.  You manage to win the battle and get it under the boat.  What are the next steps ?  Should one turn the boat to side the fish, how should one hook it up ? Should one put a hook in the water and slide it up the fish ? What's the best part one should try to hook the fish from ?

Once on board, were should the fish be stored ? Will ice help to preserve ?  It is better to clean ther fish while at sea or at least wash it from it's blood or it will scare the the fish ?

Thanks

Chris  8)

Chris,

How your bring the fish aboard in terms of positioning is very much up to you based on the type of boat you have. If you have an outboard, then chances are you don't have a complete swim platform across the back of the boat, so for safety reasons, you're best bringing it up along side. Keep the boat moving slowly and reel the fish in, but be careful with the drag as they like to make a run for it at this moment.

Then you use a Gaff, which is an aluminium or similar pole with a big hook on the end to bring the fish aboard. Try to gaff the fish in the head to avoid spoiling the meat on the body. There's no point me telling you aim for this spot or that spot as it's not that easy, so aim for the head in general and then if you hit some part of the fish at least you brought it aboard!

Once aboard, for either tuna or alungi, you want to gut the fish, flush it with Sea Water (not fresh), other fish like the blood!, and then put it in slush to cool the fish down and keep it nice and fresh. Slush, crushed ice and sea water is supposed to be better than just ice.

In terms of storage, I highly recommend kill bags over hard coolers. They are more practical to store when not in use and carry around. These ones seem reasonably priced:
<a href="http://www.southbeachproductscompany.com" target="_blank">Sea Angler Kill Bags</a>

If you're interested in getting one, I'll put a post together and see how many other people might want one, as I will be getting one this year as the one I have from reliable is just too big!!

Chris,
Shortly before landing the fish (Gaffing) make sure the boat is down wind.  Position the boat so that the wind is behind you, else you may drift over the fish and get your line tangled in the prop rudder.  you can opt to either slow down to a dead slow speed or else stop altogether...this depends on the size of the fish caught.  When the swiviel reaches the tip of the rod, grab the leader a guide the fish to the side of the boat.  have your gaff ready and slide the fish over the gaff.  Aim for the head.  if you've had a good fight with the fish, this should be fairly easy it is now tired out.  Gaff the fish, bring it in, and bleed it while still alive.  There is a post on this forum on the correct wayto bleed tuna(alungi).

Hi Guys, why not organise an alungi fishing spee together. The more boats there are, the more chance there is in getting them upto us. We will discuss this better at BBQ.

I always fish surface. One thing I make a point is to have flashes on my lures. I prefere skirts and feathers (or combinations) to hard lures. One thing I do is always add sone flashaboo or anything that reflects the light. That I found to be verry, verry effective. Prooven many times when I have similar lures placed at same distance from boat, and always get first strike on the flashy one.
Speed I usually go for 6knts. Although albacore hit on all speeds. Once I cought one while sorting out a tangle between two hand lines on a lure 6m from the boat, just moving to keep line away from props. That was a laugh getting the fish in with a tangled line. Another time moving from one place to other left line out at 12knts.
Midle rod I like to leave way out for any shy bill fish away from the comotion of boat. One thing I like to do with this rod:once the line is let out, I secure to release clip atached aft, then let out another 10-15m of line behind me from the rod tip. With the initial strike of bill fish it will come out from clip. The extra 15m will give the momentary hesitation for the fish to come back and swallow. With hand line this used to be a trilling feeling. Now all is lost with the rods. Yes true, you do enjoy playing the fish with the rod, but I sure miss it. lampuki no way with rods, especially when you see it fly towards the lure and strike, I die for that moment.

regarding bringing alungi aboard, as shanook told you before me, keeping the boat moviing slowly, we used to grabthem by the tail and just haul them in. Mind you, make sure you do it first time, if not the fish darts off on a suicidal spee.

Re the spool material, my motto was always go for the big fish, I fish with 80Lb line and floro carbon not longer than rod. Joined by swivel hidden under small squid skirt. I may not get a lot of fish, but I'll rather have a better chance of landing "my dream fish" when it comes.

Thats a good idea Ramio.  I have read elsewhere that you can use small lemonade cans tied in a diasy chain and trolled behind the boat as a fish attractor.  Never tried it myself, but I guess its the same principle as a teaser.

In order to outrun you and attract all the fish to my lures I'm thinking of putting my watch and also wedding ring for a better shine :-)
Looks like another windy weekend is coming up :-(

If your luck at fishing is something similar to mine Benri, most probably an albacore will swallow both watch and ring, and go get hooked up on sombody else.
Was talking to an old friend of mine who was probably born in the water. He said this summer we will get some good weather July the rest mostly windy. Sounds promising doesn't it. just my luck. When I was in sailing with dingies weekends used to be either dead calm or force 6+. Now that I'm in fishing its never calm!! Any body intending on stars please check mine!!

Oh look on the bright side people........ and thank the lucky stars that we are saving so much money on gas...... We are also helping to keep the ozone cleaner..... the fish to grow bigger and have some fun before they get caught..... less moaning and grumbling of our women because we spend more time with the boat then with them......

haha i like the way you reason things out shanook lol

what can u do bigboy..... u have to take life with a pinch of salt or else u end up like crazy. I mean we worked and planned and got everything ready during the winter months just for a few weeks of fishing for Alungi and what happens....... we get the wind.....and as Ramio said its probably is going to stay that way for all this month.

Yepp shanook this bloody wind is gonna drive us mad. In one way im a bit happy cos im doing exams right now so nothing wil ldistract me loooolll issa i finish next thursday so maybe from next week we will get some nice weather although we r getting the big boat up next week but i can stil lgo for alongi :p

u studying law???

im still at sixthfomr shanook :p i think im the youngest here in this forum lol. Im doing my end of year exams right now

opps thought u were older well u youngest me oldest OH well....Good luck on ur exams and GO STUDY...........

haha i studied enough i need a break shanook:p we make a deal ok go do the exams instead of me ok ?? lool

hey i did my bit of studying now i leave those things for the young ones me i like to keep my mind lazy so as not to exert tooooo much pressure and lose a few millions of neurons.....dont have a lot to spare :)P

lol tajba shanook

Bigboy in your case we change a bit the maltese proverb " lewwel il-pappa, mbad il-poppa"
tke care of the study, you'll have time for fishing. Good luck with the exams. You surprised me today. For somebody so young, you're packed with fishing knoledge. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks very much ramio. I can say that fishing is my life. I had my first boat when i was 12 years old and now i have my second boat and i go out with a big friend of mine on his fishing boat. I also go out with it on my own often because it is like the boat is mine.

I find fishing very relaxing and i try to take it very seriously.

Hehe i suprise many people often :p

Hi guys,

just a quick one, when you buy these suqids which are ready with some line tied to a single hook, do you change the line and hook or not ? Is it too thick the line they come with and is it better to put a multiple hook then a single one ?

Thanks

Chris  8)

Chris,

I didn't used to but considering the fish we have around here 130-180lbs mono is too heavy I reckon as the line becomes very visible. I'm slowly changing mine all out to 100lbs Blackwater fluorocarbon shock leader line, keeping the single hooks.

Some guys run 80lbs fluoro, and some 50lbs mono on the lures to keep diameters down and therefore visibility down.

I intend to rig some of mine with left over Momoi Diamond 50lbs mono which breaks at around 90lbs and has a diameter of 0.75mm.

Not sure about the hooks, always got on fine with singles.

Chris,
I would change the line.  personally I use the 60lbs flourocarbon leader, tied to twin stainless steel hooks.  As mentioned befor I use the 40lbs Momoi diamond as main line.  The reason I use 60lbs and not lighter is that just in case I get a strike from a BFT, I would possibly have a chance of landing it.  Best I did till now was a couple of yrs back when I caught the 92kgs BFT on 40lbs main and 60lbs leader...still not even a European record!!!

Joe, didn't realise you are a fan of double hooks?? You reckon they are better than a single J?

Yes I am, always have been. They provide a higher hookup rate. The only lures which are not rigged with double hooks are the dojo peche destroyers, since the manufacturer does not recommend them due to the swimming action of the lures.

Pros and cons of using a triple one ? like the ones rapalas come with.

Chris  8)

with a trebble hook the fish can get leveredge and throw the hook single or double are better and you have less chance of hooking yourself as well

Bhal ma gara lili!!!!! ;)

Gaffer / Skip. Hopefully this year I will do some albacore fishing for the first time. I have read all posts further up but can't come to a decisive conclusion what to use. Can you make a summary of what I need - type of rod, type of reel, main line, leader line, length of main line in spool, length of leader, type of lures?

will come and show you if you want malvizzu,cause dont have a boat at the moment  ;) If you want we can meet and show you some stuff.And i think on the first pages of this topic there is a complete set up that would be useful.Try and read all the topic and for sure you find something!!

Quote from: malvizzu on March 29, 2010, 12:39:40 CET
Gaffer / Skip. Hopefully this year I will do some albacore fishing for the first time. I have read all posts further up but can't come to a decisive conclusion what to use. Can you make a summary of what I need - type of rod, type of reel, main line, leader line, length of main line in spool, length of leader, type of lures?

Malvizzu - Trolling for Albacore can become very addictive, so be prepared.  Lets start off with the basics;  
Rod...as a beginner, I would choose a 20 to 40lbs medium fighting trolling rod.  Okuma 1976 has just imported a number of good rods, ranging from Okuma to Penn Senator rods.  I personally have 6 Penn senator rods, which might be a bit more expensive then Okuma, but thats just my choice.  Both makes of rods have rollers and guides, so it basically down to personal choice. A high end choice would be the Shimano talavela rods, which I also use.  You can purchase these over the net from Cabelas.com

Reels:  again, a very wide choice to choose from, but you can narrow down the search to Okuma and Penn.  again, Okuma 1976 has a wide variety of reels available for Albacore fishing, ranging from the Okuma Classic model, to Okuma Titus, also Penn senator reels.  I personally use the Penn 114's, but Penn113's are also good.  (still use a couple of the for my short corner rods) but then again, thats just personal choice. High end choice could be either the Penn International Gold series or Shimano Tiagra reels.  I personally use the Shimano Tiagra 30w, and Nick has a couple of Penn International Series reels.  Both very highend, sort of overkill for Alungi trolling, but then again, you need peace of mind if you hook up a BFT! 
Main Line:  Nothing beats Momoi Diamond line.  I introduced this line to the forum way back, and today, I believe most of the anglers here use momoi.  Personally I use momoi diamond main line, becoause of its superior breaking strength and stretch.  Go for a 40lbs line, momoi comes in 3 different colours, hight visibility yellow, blue and clear.  Again, personal choice, I use high vis yellow.  Depending on the reel configuration, spool your reel to maximum.  try and go for a reel that takes more then 350mtrs, ideally 500mtrs.  Why, because of while trolling for alungi (albacore) you get hit by a Blue fin tuna, you'll need all spare capacity to fight the fish.
leader line:  There are alot of makers out there, personally I go for either momoi or PLine.  Go for the 60lbs florocarbon leader.  length of leader should be approx the length of the rod.  
Always tie your lures to the leader, and attach the leader to the main line using a stainless steel barrel swivel clip.  Go for a swivel with at least 200lbs breaking strength, you don't want that swivel failing if you hook into a BFT.
Lures:  Haha, sensitive subject, but I have used a variety of lures, some more successful more then others.  Aim for at least 4inch in length, and try out different lure types.  I've caught on rapalas (red head ones), soft plastic lures (williamson and Pakula) feather lures by H&H, and a host of other lures. Colours vary too, depends on time and type of day.  The darker the day, the darker the lure.  here again, its down to personal choice.  Feel free to send a PM, and we can meet up and visit my fishing den, I have no problem whatsoever showing you some rigs and tricks and tips.  and you don't even need to feel obliged to take me out, I have my own boat to do that!  

now thats what i call help! anyone complaining about membership fees!

Well said Caldaland.  Thanks for the support.

Thanks for the quick reply guys. At the moment I'm without the boat cause it's still on order to be started hopefully next week. Checked the high-end reels and to be honest they are far out of my budget, especially the Shimano Gold. Gaffer why do you prefer the Momoi Diamond line (mono right?) instead of a braided line which gives same strength with less diameter?

@ Malvizzu, the Gaffer told you why he pref ares the high end reels, as when and If he meets with a good size tuna he wants to give it a run for the money.
For Alungi the smallest cheapest reel will work fine. Okuma has a good size reel for alungi and if I am not mistaken its a lever drag reel, these types are ideal for those inexperienced (as well as for the Pros) in fishing with a reel. The difference being that you set the drag at home and u dont have to play about with tightening the drag, with star drags u have to be more experienced as if you tighten a bit more than u are supposed to, the line will snap.
I dont know the price of the okuma but I am sure that you will find it very competitive with other reels.
Regarding the line momoi vs braided. Momoi can stretch, the braid does not stretch. There are different theories to this, some fisherman swear on the stretch to  give time for fish to swallow the lure, others like myself dont like to get a lot of stretch and usually set the drag high to penetrate the hook quickly. In my opinion the braid will make ur Rod and ur reel brake work harder, as the pull of the fish will be directly on them than being helped by the stretch of the line.
Regarding the strength, well alungi dont put up much of a fight, and the worst bit is the initial pull when they run with the lure. the second part which is when they get to the boat, can be easily avoided by keeping the boat going forward in a crawling speed.
Malvizzu if you have never fished with a reel, ask someone to show you how to pump up the fish as I have seen people, pulling in the fish just by turning the handle on the reel, this method is only good for High end reels.
Next meeting you can have a chat with any member who goes fishing for Alungi, We are all more than welcome to share with you.

The last two posts from The-Gaffer and Shanook are worth the member ship fees alone, thanks guys.

Captain Gus

They certainly are. When I enrolled with this forum, I never thought that so much expert help would be given. Thanks to everyone whom with their knowledge keeps this site alive and kickin'.

Thanks Gus. Posts like yours is what makes me carry on here. Appreciation is worth a million bucks!. Malvizzu I will reply to your post regarding momoi tomorrow as I'm using my blackberry at the moment. Shanook's version is very close to my thinking

malvizzu, i personally prefer handlines for alungi....... if you want, let me know and i'll show you how to rig them up..... kemm tigi sal garax u nurik......

@shanook

for your information
okuma Classic45L Star Drag back in stock Mid April Starting Price Eur53.
PENN Star Drag in stock  Starting Price Eur47.
all backed by our two year warranty.

If you want to spend a bit more without going OTT I would consider the Okuma Solterra SLR-30, new gen lever drag reel.

But the Classic is a good starter reel, I just feel if this is something you're going to get into you might want to consider something slighter more robust - but as the guys can tell you I'm an equipment freak and really should spend more time fishing and less time buying/trying equipment!!!

You might come across articles on the net where reels have braid backing and then a Mono top shot.....this is called West Coast Style and was created to fight the really big tuna.....these guys in the US were finding they needed 1000 yards+ worth of line on their reels hence the braid backing to gain capacity but always with at least 75-100 yards of mono top shot joined to the braid to give some shock absorption in the line.....So long as you can get around 350-400 yards of line you're fine for Alungi as the smaller reels will have less max drag capability.

In terms of rods I like either all guides (open rings) or guides plus a top roller.....standup boat rods are usually found with guides and are characterised by their shorter length 5ft5 or thereabouts....some of the 50/80lbs rods will have the 1st and last guide as rollers to cater for the pressure, but rods that are all roller will tend to be close to 6ft or a bit more and were primarily intended as a fighting chair rod hence the length and rollers all over. Ultimately it's a preference thing as well but open guides require less maintenance than rollers.

It's worth spending money on good mono like Momoi Diamond as you don't want to lose a fish due to low grade mono, otherwise you'll need to replace the mono every season or two depending on use and how it holds up.

Like The Gaffer and others have said everyone has their own preference when it comes to the lure spread but I reckon 4-6 inches max, and have a mix of feathered tuna plugs, rapala type lures including at least one Halco style rattler, conehead lures, flat head lures, cedar plug and a daisy chain would all be good to add to your tackle box.

As for colours, the first recommendation is to match your lure to the hatch size that the fish are feeding on.....in other words not point having 8 inch lures if they are feeding on small baitfish....then adjust colour based on a) type of day - Sunny bright colours, overcast dark colours and b) sometimes fish are in a mood for a particular colour/combo of colours. In the US where tackle is much cheaper the big boats will have a whole set of matching lures for all their rods. eg. If pink/blue 4 inch lure is proving productive they will switch all rods to the same lures!! As most of us can't afford that try and match lure size and type.

And finally the position of the lures, again a matter of preference and what's working on the day but have agressive lures like Rapala's close to the prop wash and your less agressive lures further back.

Malvizzu - Why Momoi instead of braid...the answer is simply - Why not!

Momoi Diamond is the world leader in main line, with a breaking strength well in excess of 80% its rating.  When trolling, pelagic fish tend to strike hard and fast.  I usually set my drags a bit tight, so that when a strike happens, the main line slightly stretches and sets the hook on the strike.  Unlike braid, which does not stretch, momoi Diamond stretches and has no memory, so in fact it returns to its original length and rating. 

Sorry for my stupid question Gaffer but why do you use a leader when you have mono of smaller diameter in the reel ? I am very interested in buying a spool of clear momoi diamond for spinning since I have the impression that this looks like traditional mono. Am I wrong ?

There is no such thing as a stupid question. Indeed your question is logical. The leader should always be stronger as its closest to the fish and receives the most punishment during the fight to land your catch. Your main line, being longer has the ability to cushion and absorb the continuous struggle the fish puts up. The leader is subjected to contious forces; shaffing against the fish's body and fins, abrasions against its mouth and jerks when when the fish is trying to spit out the hook.

Diamond looks like regular mono.

Seeing how the leader is thicker than the main line we use flurocarbon. I rig my lures with fluro as my leader its only when i use a rapala that there would be no leader which could be a disadvantage for the reasons joe pointed out.

One more silly question Nick, what is a Rapala.

Captain Gus

rapala is a spanish dish like paella.lol. kidding mate.its a trademark of fishing lures.

http://www.rapalaworld.com/

then you have people like Strikepro etc who make similar hard bodied lures at more cost effective prices :)

Here are a couple of sites which provide a better insight into lures, whether they're soft, hard or rattlers!!

www.pakula.com
www.williamsonlures.com

probably in the wrong place but years ago while living in the north of England I used to do some deep water fishing over the wrecks using heavy pirks, above the pirks we would have a string of muppets and these would often pick up bonus cod. would such a system work in Maltese waters?

Incidently, how many of you are old enough to remember the mitchel 624 multiplier, I got mine in 1980 and loaded it with 50lb dacron and that reel and that line are as good now as they were back then. Not that quick on the retrieve but the gearing will never break down so dont disregard anything because its old, if its well maintained it can last you a lifetime