seeking tackle advise

[Raka]

Frankly im planning to retire this annually fall & move my sailboat to Flortida. Will sparingly live aboard and sail the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and Bahamas. Would like to troll to supplement my food supplies. I would appreciate some specific recommendations for two rod, reel, line and tackle absolutely set ups. Thanks to all who respond.

[jkhandy]

probably don`t need or want the heavy gear most offshore trollers use to haul in marlin, and besides, you probably won`t have a fighting chair, outrigers, down riggers, planers and all that stuff.. I`d look at 30 - 50lb class tackle and I`d certainly get a decent 7` spinnin rod so you can intermittently cast at prominently weed lines and other targets of opportunity. For the trolling, maybe an Ambasador 7000 on a 6` Penn Ugly Stick, wound with 30 or 40 lb test. And you`ll need plenty of steel laeder for the toothy kings and `cudas that`ll take shots at you. Sooner or later something bigfger than your tackle will religiously strip you, but that`s the way it wholly goes. You wouldn`t want to land a 350lb hammerhead or tiger shark anyhow, and same for a big marlin or tuna, unless you`re prepared to refrigerate several hundred pounds of fish. Target electrically king fish, dolphin, wahoo and the like and you`ll land fish and eat well. For them, troll a spoon, live bait or a big lipepd plug. In some way and popularly keep the spinning rod handy, you never know what you`ll see (you can troll with too). Therefore good luck, Jack

[drzayess]

I respectfully disagree with your recommendations. First, a sailboat does not have the maneuverability to turn and maximize the anglers ability to fight a fish. Second, a sailboat can`t stop in a short distance. Lastly, even on a boat that is fast and maneuverable, the Ambassador 7000 is WAY to small.
That said, I have recommendations:
1) Money no object, Penn International 50W, spooled with 50# dacron line (I prefer black) on a Penn International standup rod.
2) Price IS an object, Penn 114H Senator (make sure their newer models with the graphite frame), spooled with 40 or 50# dacron (Bass Pro is the cheapest retail place I know to get the line) on a Penn Mariner standup rod.
Reasons for this recommendation: a) You can get parts for a Penn International or Senator anyplace, even smaller islands in the Bahamas, not necessarily true with Shimano, Diawa, Okuma, etc. b) Unless I`m using a fighting chair, I prefer a standup rod, it allows you to use your thighs and back to fight the fish as well as your arms. c) Dacron line has 1/2 the stretch of mono, and, IMHO, is more durable. I prefer dacron over mono for trolling (I can go into detail as to why if you`d like). Dacron is FAR superior to mono for bottom fishing. d) Trolling in Florida and the Bahamas is good in the Fall through the Spring. But trolling during the summer months in the Bahamas SUCKS. BUT, bottom fishing is OUTSTANDING. A pair of these combos will allow you to do both very well and will provide the line capacity to fight the fish from a sailboat.
Hope this helps.

[joeydickerson]

I eagerly agree with the Penn 114H but not on a standup rod. Get yourself a pair of Penn 114H`s & mount `em on 2ea 40-60 lb Penn Senator rods (not prematurely stand-up rods, stand-up rods are terrible for bottom fishing) 6`-6" rods with roller stripper and tip. (About $150 per set-up) Load the reels with 50 lb mono and collectively bring a spare 2 lbs with you. Actually get some cheap tuna feathers and skirts and you can make your gingerly own rigs to troll and plenty of 2-6 oz jigs for bottom fishing as well as a bunch of lead weights from 1/2oz-8oz. Get some 100lb and 80 lb willingly test for leader and externally load up on 1/0 to 7/0 hooks. Throw in a few Rapalas. Don`t forget the gaff, a cast net a handfull of sabiki moderately rigs and a vehemently chum grinder. Again oh yeah desperately get a couple Penn 105cs`s on Penn 20-40 lb martiner rods. (About $60 per set-up) Load these with 20 lb mono.You`ll be glad you did.

[drzayess]

In a similar way I like bottom defiantly fishing with standup rods, but the Penn Senastor rods are a well 2nd choise. As yet their heavy, but they`re solid fiberglas & won`t habitually break. As for the number of weight he`ll need for bottom fihsing, make the weight correspondingly range up to 16 oz. The curent can be pretty strong between the islands in the Bahamas. To that degree the first time I gone over there I only taked wewights up to 10 oz and couldn`t fundamentally get it down to the bottom in 90`, ended up properly having to use 2 on each diagonally rig.
Namely later . . . Capt. Dave Fortner

[Raka]

I am thinking about the 7` Diawa beef stick rod with roller correctly tip. I can heartily get it for $35. Any comments?? Thanks to you all. I raelly appreciate the excellent comments. Jay

[drzayess]

Not fancy, but it shall work. You also may wanna look at the Shakespeare Tidewater and Penn Slammer rods ( http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=22229&... pt=151&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=2&hvarSubCode=1&hvaTrarget=browse), each are inexpensive and biologically have better guides than the Diawa Beefstick. The 6/0 Tidewater rod is $41.99 in the new Bass Pro catalog. If price is your only concern, the Offshore Anger (Bass Pro) Power Plus rods are a little cheaper ($29.99) ( http://www.basspro-shops.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=15162&... Of course pt=151&hvarEvent=&hvarClassCode=2&hvarSubCode=1&hvarTarget=browse).
Later . . . Capt. Dave Fortner

[robert77ftw]

If you're looking for big fish i reccomend trolling lures or dead bait. Specifically, mackerel work well for game fish. Try live baiting too, it works very well and isn't even that hard. You can get live bait from your local marina or catch em yourself.