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Dredges, options and advise

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M

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Looking to add a dredge or 2 into the mix, looking for advise and thoughts...

Like the 9 inch bulb squid, been looking at 6 and 8 point umbrella rigs with weights? folding?, up to 11 bulb squid on em with a stinger. Have seen some decent ones also thinking of building...seemed to develope a following the last couple of years...looks like you can fill the gap w/ these buy getting down a 100 feet at 3 knots of so. Gotta think there is a bit of tension w/ a 8 point 3 pound dredge some ways back? saw some photos of them in action down about 7/8 feet and they look pretty sweet.

Thoughts?

Capt. Chris
www.manhattanfly
 
M

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Discussion Starter · #6 ·
Hey Chicken,

Cabin fever if I wasnt getting the boys out skiing weekends! hope things are well on your end. I know on the west coast and up north they have been pulling squid dedges with a good hit rate, maybe they have been around longer on the toons but I am just hearing about it. Saw some 4 point fixed riggs with 3 even 4 teasers 6/9/12 inch squid bulbs, up to 16 bulbs and a stinger further back, they really look good in the water...leadering the fish as Squid said "could be interesting". Really like the fact that you can get it down, then moving the boat from 3 up to 6 knots and back down to 3 can give the dredge a pretty cool schooling effect. When are you looking to splash?


MF
 
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Probably mid-April - I don't really get into it until the bunker show and I can live line those big fish. Never got into the clamming game. I can not wait to get offshore and chase the tuna and marlin again. I have the boat in my driveway so I sat out there and smoked a cigar earlier while I fiddled with some gear. It will be here before we know it. Enjoy the rest of your winter and we'll keep in touch.

COTS
 
A

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#8 ·
manhattan fly said:
Looking to add a dredge or 2 into the mix, looking for advise and thoughts...

Like the 9 inch bulb squid, been looking at 6 and 8 point umbrella rigs with weights? folding?, up to 11 bulb squid on em with a stinger. Have seen some decent ones also thinking of building...seemed to develope a following the last couple of years...looks like you can fill the gap w/ these buy getting down a 100 feet at 3 knots of so. Gotta think there is a bit of tension w/ a 8 point 3 pound dredge some ways back? saw some photos of them in action down about 7/8 feet and they look pretty sweet.

Thoughts?

Capt. Chris
www.manhattanfly
Click to expand...
Dredges are used as teasers (mostly for sailfish). They are not fished with a stinger hook. You want to be able to see your dredge behind the boat, and drop back a bait on a rod. I have not heard of them being fished down a 100 feet. Trolling anything weighing over a pound puts a lot of strain on the reel. The drag has to be set pretty high or use a rubber band to prevent the line from peeling off the reel. IMO you would be better off trolling a large spreader bar. We troll spreader bars with 5 birds and 15 - 19 bulb squids behind them. They do put a bit of strain on the reels, but they also raise a lot of fish.
 
M

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Discussion Starter · #9 ·
Hey Aquajoe,


That was my first impression, however, talked to some Chatham CC guys that have pulled up tuna on dredge (with squids bulbs) and a stinger. Big heavy reels come to mind, maybe a 18 or 24 inch dredge with out weight and two teasers instead of 4 with a stinger. REEL DRAGGIN Tackle makes a dredge with w/ squid and a stinger...I was thinking possible if it could be a bit larger with out beatin on the reel?


MF
 
S

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#11 ·


This is what Chris is talking about, I think it'd work on late season bluefin.

2-3 knot trolling is like watching paint dry. SOOOOOO SLOWWWWWW.

I'd like to give these a shot, if we have half the BFT season we had last year I think they'd produce.
 
A

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#13 ·
Those dredges look nice, but don't know how well they work. You better know where the fish are if you are going to troll at 2 knots/hour. You are not going to cover much ground. In rough seas, those dredges are going to be hard to deploy. Try keeping those lines from tangling. I tried experimenting trolling dredges with paddletails, but could not keep them in the water at higher speeds.
 
M

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Discussion Starter · #16 ·
I hear ya....but the videos on the archer website seems to have em down pretty good and it looks like its doing alot more than 2 knots, more like 4 or 5...thats the part that appeals to me...and they are not budget or reel busters. Like the idea of working the top w/ speaders, down deep with a drail and in the middle with a dredge, only need one in the mix and it looks like a little bait school. Pick up a couple. This is the time of year when its easy to spend.:rolleyes:


MF
 
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#17 ·
manhattan fly said:
I hear ya....but the videos on the archer website seems to have em down pretty good and it looks like its doing alot more than 2 knots, more like 4 or 5...thats the part that appeals to me...and they are not budget or reel busters. Like the idea of working the top w/ speaders, down deep with a drail and in the middle with a dredge, only need one in the mix and it looks like a little bait school. Pick up a couple. This is the time of year when its easy to spend.:rolleyes:


MF
Click to expand...

Screw this stuff, I just put together some high speed wahoo trolling setups for when i go to NC. Trolling at 15 knots! 400lb mono shock leaders and cable. :razz:
 
F

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#18 ·
I picked up a cupple of 9er rigs at the AC boat show for stripers and one with rainbow squid for off shore tuna to get a little further down in the water under my other baits, have switched my tld25's to 50 brade just for this hoping the drags will suffice. When fishing my way way back I hope to use these reel's with the brade, to let the Hoo swim deeper and help with getting the rod out of the launcher on the T top. This sound like it may work? Tell me the truth I can take it!
 
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