i have been out on a few different boats lately and the capt'n seems to want to use the same colors throughout the spread, and out of three trips no fish. i've gone out on numerous other boats, charters & my own and ran what i thouht was
a good selection of lures that just seem to work not worrying about the colors matching. what do the majority of offshore guys do.
and while i'm asking what has been the hottest for the big bluefin. any help will be appreciated thanks.

Blue and white has always worked for me for bluefin. That color combo imitates a tinker mackeral, which is a main source of forage north of Cape Hatteras. Also I had heard that there were captains using identically colored lures throughout their spread and the rationale is that it increases the number of multiple hookups. I've always pulled a mix of colors and added more of whatever gets bit.

The obivous theory behind the entire spread being the same color is to give the impression of a larger school of bait. That's why many troll only one color of lures. The majority of boats will pull blue/white baits, for reasons George mentioned. When I work the pit on "Billable Ours", 80% of my spread will be blue and white. The other 20 is mixed with pinks, greens, black and purple, and my new favorite "brown sugar". I then will change accordingly to what is getting the most action. I like darker colors closer to the boat near the wash.

Color isn't the only thing to consider. Size plays a major factor too in "matching the hatch". Yeah bigger baits equals bigger fish, but elephants eat peanuts, too. Trying to find out what food is in the area and matching the size of your lures to that can help. If you see Skippies jumping, bigger lures go out. Small flying fish, size changes to match that. Gutting the first fish you catch will tell you a lot.

How you set your spread is another factor. You want to frame it out so it ressembles a fleeing bait ball. Having spreader bars in the middle of the spread with single baits staggered around them gives you that apperance. Having one or two larger baits in the spread at first will cover your bases when trying to figure out what the fish want, but can also entice fish to strike. It gives the look of the food chain in action, and with all pelagics being competitive feeders, will bring them in for a look.

For what's been hot on the bluefin...I've been hearing b/w islanders or pink/white over horse ballyhoo, cedar plugs, b/w Mini Bars, and silver drone spoons.

Don't get stuck pulling the same things...change is key. Hope this helps!

Good luck and Catch 'em Up!!

--Don

Thanks Don, I have been running the spreader bars outside - I will put them in the center Thursday and catch more fish!!!
That is what is so great about this board - people sharing their knowledge.

blue and white, pink, blue and pink, and blue and white

The same blue and white mini-bar on the stbd long rigger took both bluefin for the Volunteer on Sat.

Running all this "stuff" is fine, but "colors" and "rigs" appeal a lot more to fisherman than they do fish, as a general rule. If you observe the pro's spreads - you will usualy see a heavy dose of naked ballyhoo's and those on the small side- day in and day out. They catch every fish that swims - when they are rigged properly.

Kent

I learn more and more everytime I get out to the blue water. I will say that color is important, and have seen one color do better than others on certain days. But the most important thing is to have your baits swimming good!!! If you have a bait that swims like a snake, nice and silver, and not washed out, it will get bit. I have rigged baits and KNOW that they are going to be the ones that get the strike, just by the way that they look swimming in the water. Adjust your rigging, and boat speed accordingly in order that each bait is swimming and reguardless of color, you will catch more fish. This is just what I have found.

thanks, a lot of good info. keep it coming.