Turning a Jig Strike into a Quality Bait Stop:

When the lines are in everybody needs to be ready to go to work when a rod goes off. This starts with having the lid off the bait tank along with at least 1 net handy for quick chumming & easy access to bait. The gaff should be down on the deck in a convenient designated spot. Once everybody is hooked up no one will want to search for the gaff and in some cases you may be gaffing your own fish. The troll rods should have a predetermined, out of the way place to go so they are not left in the holders once baitfishing begins. This is not party boat fishing, each person has a designated job and must handle it quickly to help create a good stop. That means one person grabs the hooked up rod, one goes directly to the bait tank to get some chum in the water then gets a hooked bait in the water. The rest of the crew should reel in & stash troll gear quickly before pinning on a bait. You can rotate jobs if you prefer but once a pattern is developed you will see an improvement in the quality and length of your bait stops.

Fishing the Slide:

With some practice you will be fishing the slide with one hand as you crank in your trolling gear with the other. I always have a 25 lb. rig ready with a Big Hammer™ on a 1.5 oz. Hammer Head™ for the slide. I drop it straight down as soon as a rod goes off - keeping it in my left hand with my thumb on the spool waiting for a tap or the line to start spinning off very fast. With my right hand I crank in the two troll rods on my side of the boat. If the swimbait isn't bit I put it in gear then place it in one of the holders as I put the troll rods away. Often when I get back to my slide rig it is bent over, if not I put on a bait, cast it out, put the clicker on, place it in the holder my slide rig was in and start retrieving the swimbait. By now either everything is getting bit and you have chaos on your hands or just leave your bait in the holder and help handle the troll fish. The main goal is to effectively work together, get chum and hooked bait in the water as quickly as possible, get the troll gear out of the way, and keep fish hooked around the boat to encourage the school to stick around. These are schooling fish and if a tuna pulls loose or breaks the line there's a good chance part of the school will follow it as it speeds away.

Table Preparation:

A little preparation and effort goes a long way when it comes to the quality of meat you bring to the table. This starts with bringing plenty of ice in your fish hold to keep the meat firm and prevent enzymatic and bacterial invasion. A quick shot on the top of the head between the eyes with a small bat helps to put tuna out of commission and is easily done while it's still hanging on the gaff. When the bite is over we cut the gills to bleed the fish then put them on ice. If the fish aren't cleaned aboard the boat we bring back a 5 gallon container of clean seawater to rinse the fillets in before bagging. Do not rinse tuna meat in fresh water until you are about to cook it! If you do you will actually see the meat change color as it becomes "mushy".

Be safe, enjoy your time on the water, and please only keep what you can use.

Questions - Click here to send a message to Josh.

Click here to return to the techniques directory.

Home - Swimbaits - Salt Shaker Worms - Twitchin' Grubs - Buzzbaits - Perch Grubs - Jig Heads - Accessories - How To - Photo Gallery - Big Fish - Testimonials - On-line Shops - Pro-Staff - Dealer Listing - Media - Contacts - Links

Click here for information or problems.  Click here for dealer inquiries.

Big Hammer™, Square Tail™, Rectangular Tail™, Square Tail Design™, Rectangular Tail Design™ and the rectangular shaped swimbait tail design are all trademarks owned by Sunrize Tackle, Inc. (parent company of Big Hammer Lures). Use of these terms without written permission by Sunrize Tackle, Inc. is prohibited by law.

The photos, images, text and content of the Big Hammer™ website are copyrighted. These items and information are provided for your convenience and are only intended to be used in the positive promotion and sale of Big Hammer™ products. All other use is prohibited by law.

© Copyright 1993-2012 Sunrize Tackle, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.