I have quite a few offshore trolling lures and often wonder which ones will work without adding strip baits or ballyhoo and which ones require it. Any insight would be appreciated.

The only one I don't use ballyhoo on is the green machine and of course cedar plugs. We have been doing some banging away on the yellowfin and wahoos at Hatteras Inlet and it has been - all meat - all the time - down there. Blue and White and Red and Black Islanders both trailing med. Baitmaster ballyhoos have done really well down there so far. We have trouble running ballyhoo on the Hot Dog because of the bluefish you alluded to. We fish a combo of cedar plugs, drone spoons and green machines there to cut down on the bluefish problem, but even then we have to move sometimes because we can't get rid of them.

I'm forced to answer this one. Lures all the way!!!

Seriously, the spreads I usually put together offer a mix of both lure and meat and have success on both. Most of the dead baits I pull have some type of lure in front of them like a little 5 inch chugger or something bigger for medium to large ballyhoo. I'll pull naked lures rigged with a stiff gaff style hook setup.

Don't be affraid to try lures by themselves. One thing to remember is to make sure that the lure is running like it should...for example..if your pulling a chugger style, make sure it pops on the surfce every 5-8 seconds and pushes water to cause a surface splash and smoke trail. If they are cone shaped heads they will track just under the surface. You may have to change speeds or adjust the distance from the boat where the lure is running to get the best performance and action out of it.

Good luck!!

--Don

Your spread should depend on alot of things...sea conditions, targeted species to name a couple....Most lures you can tell if they require a ballyhoo or similar type of meat to be on it....The big chuggers, green machines, lures like this don't need a bait...they perform on their own...sea witches...little skirt type lures that usually go over a hook andl leader require meat...sea witches..don's got some pretty kick ass little popper skirts that did very well on the dolphin on Saturday...

Bottom line is you can usually tell by the way a rig is made up if it needs meat...Good luck...you've got a wealth of information on this site and a lot of guys more than willing to share information....no dumb questions (I never really believe that one)...lol....Bob

Here is a quote from a Florida fishing report web site I stumbled across:

"It really hasn’t mattered if you were using trolled baits or lures when you find these fish. As some of you know, I’ve only used artificial lures for the past 14 years. This allows me to cover much more ground while trolling at a higher speed. Also I can close in on working birds with my entire bait spread out, without having to slow to return the baits to the water. I can tell you that if it is moving, the odds of a dolphin hitting it are pretty good right now. "

Captain Dave Navarro


By Dave Navarro - wca@terranova.net

Captain Dave Navarro is a lifelong resident of Marathon, Owner of the World Class Angler in Marathon and captain of the charter boat, “Dave’s Dream.”

My kind of guy!! I need to meet him!!

I'm sure an introduction could be arranged for a fee. lol

I am far from an expert, but I have pretty much given up on anything other than artificals also, it is just too much trouble. I catch fish, perhaps not as many as if I had a 'hoo in the spread - but who knows.

I am confident this statement will make the hair stand up on the back of the neck of many of the regulars out there.

Gotta' say, I like the hoo. Don't have near as much experience as most of you here, but the one summer I was able to fish tuna offshore, I found success trolling skirts/ballyhoo (following squid teasers) and Ilander/ballyhoo ... always with a Green Machine following a Boone Bird far out (no ballyhoo). The Green Machine took 35% of the fish (pretty good percentage), but the other three hoo rigs took the rest. Learning HOW to rig the ballyhoo well was the turning-point in my fishing success that season. Man, I miss it!

Fishing salmon in California now - can't wait to return someday for the tuna (though I can't imagine the cost of making a trip nowadays!). That one summer was one to remember!

- Salmon

Salmon fishing is not a bad alternative - you troll for them also, right? Also the eating is hard to beat.

Although Don will probally string me up from the highest rigger, I think naked and skirted ballyhoo will catch more fish than artificals. How can you beat the real thing? I still love the lure and will always pull them for the same reasons mentioned above. I guess like others the best option may be a mix of the two.
-Mike

Neal's riggers will do!!!!!

Nothing Beats a well rigged Hoo,Mullet or Spanish.I did read an article in SWS about a Captain who makes Daisy Chains out of Flip Flops and catches Blue Marlin on them.He has actually won Large sums of money betting disbelievers.

I like natural baits down south and add more plastic when I'm up in this area, don't know why but that's the way I've always done it and it works very well. i will always have some sort of natural bait out where ever I am. The two baits I have caught the most fish on offshore are naked ballyhoo, and a properly rigged green machine. On my boat there is always a green machine behind the biggest bird play-action makes waaay back down the middle
They both have their place in my opinion, just do it and learn when each is best.

DONNA SEA,

Yep, it's not a bad alternative: great surroundings, good fighting fish, and yes - excellent on the plate! It's actually the kind of fishing I grew up on. Started when I was 6 years old on the Buskin River in Kodiak, AK.

I troll for 'em now - but it's a whole different ballgame from tuna. Supposedly the albacore run pretty good here towards the Fall, so I'll give them a try.

But the summer of 2004 offshore from Virginia spoiled me forever. Nothing here in California will replace that sense of accomplishment after putting a 50# yellowfin in the boat ... alone ... and then, after flying home on a following swell, the taste of that first cold Red Hook at the Dockside in celebration. Don't think I've ever felt so invigorated in my life. Tuna rock!

Actually, I am flying back to visit Va Beach for a week in the middle of June. If there's anyone looking for crew, as well as some gas money, I'm available!

Best of luck to you guys this year!

Three years ago I would have gone with the meat crowd 100%. I grew up fishing the Virginia/Carolina waters where ballyhoo and spanish macks are the norm. I've drug my share of green machines and chuggers with no meat, but this region is known for rigging and dragging natural baits. A couple years ago I got caught offshore with 4 12 packs of ballyhoo that looked great but were mush when thawed out. This was the second or third time I had ballyhoo problems. I put out a spread of chuggers and tuna feathers and ended up putting 6 yellowfins in the boat, along with some dolphin. Ever since that day, when I actually get a chance to fish, I have lessened my dependancy on meat, and have not seen a drastic change in the numbers of fish in the box. I am interested in trying those rubber ballyhoo Calcutta makes. Anyone out there tried them with a seawitch? And in the summer, consider changing out that bird/green machine for a fat spanish mac on a blue/white Ilander, just in case a blue marlin comes along....Tight lines.

David Wright tested the plastic 'Hoos and ended up giving them to his dad, who gavethem to me, who has an extensive collection in my workshop,where they are safe until I find somebody to give them to. If I am able to get offshore, I gotta use the real thing. But fishing tuna with Don White or Dr W. has convinced me you need a planer/drone and a Green Machine/Bird in the mix. With bluefins I like cedar plugs, but last time I fished with David and got my 150lb BF,he trolled all meat all day. Dr W will keep the mate hopping on his boat,thoiugh,as the spread is changed ,one lure at a time, all day,starting about fifteen minutes after lines are in. God only knows what may end up by day's end if we don't get bites!

Thanks for the heads up on the plastic 'hoos Adder. I won't waste my time with them. But I must say, I kinda agree with the good Doctor, changin' up is a real good way to find out what they want. As long as you don't end up dragging the kitchen sink, your mother in law and a macerator pump....

Yea I tried them the way you secure the nose to the Hook with wire is kind of weard they dont have a Bill.I bet one would swim with a Bridal Knot on a circle hook though. They look good on a dredge or spreader bar.