Braid and Bucktailing

[Essex]

I had a quick question, I am not really an experienced Fluke fisherman, meaning I fished all my life but just basically dragging bait on bottom. This season I decided to get a little more serious and I bought a nexus rod, 15# braid with 30 # top shot and using a 30# fluorocarbon leader. I have been out twice so far (8 hour trips on party boats) and literally been caught on bottom or stuck in the propeller like six times. Both times out I felt like was using the appropriate weight bucktail and bouncing off bottom with ease. Any suggestions from anyone about how i can get stuck on bottom or the prop less often. Thanks in advance

 

[pequa1]

I have only caught my prop in a wind vs. tide or at "almost" slack when dragging bait. I fish off the side of my 18' outboard and never over the motor. Have never been on a party boat though. What were the other guys (near you) on the boat doing ? Lighter bucks ?

 

[buddha162]

15# braid with 30 # top shot and using a 30# fluorocarbon leader.

Is your top shot and leader the same? Or are you saying you have a length of 30lb mono connected to a length of 30lb floro leader?

 

[Essex]

Yes, top shot and leader are same 30 mono connected to 30lb floro. Using a Hilo tsunami rig with a tactical angled clip on bottom to change bucktail —top rig is a glass minnow with gulp. Would going to 30lb braid help in any way? I literally know nothing about this stuff. But one of the mate’s on the boat said that my leader should be less then my main line. Thanks again

 

[Leprechaun]

I would start by avoiding dragging the lure under the boat, like if you are on the upwind side of the boat. If you do that you need a much heavier jig, so to avoid having to pay out a ton of line to find the bottom. Rubbing on the boat's bottom or hanging on the running gear will certainly be a strong possibility when you are fishing like that. If at all possible, when on the uptide side of the drifting boat, try casting up into the drift and jig your rig back to the boat. A bit of a PITA, but it IS a deadly effective method, when faced with the less-than-ideal alternative of fishing under the boat.

Also, continually snagging on the rubble bottom when on the down-tide side probably indicates that you are fishing with too much scope. The angle of your line is very important. Straight up and down is the ideal, but isn't often attainable. Again, more lure weight is called for. Carry a few 6oz jigs with you, if you want to stick with a bucktail. Otherwise, use a heavy sinker on a B/S, Chicken or Grand Banks rig, with a big GULP! 6" jigging grub on the hook.

This usually works wonders on those "difficult" days. And don't be afraid to pile the lead on - on some particularly bad days I've had to fish with as much as 14oz of lead, and slammed the fish, while others stubbornly stuck with a 4oz bucktail that never came near the bottom. They never got a bite - and some wondered why. Admittedly this is an extreme example, but I am not a fluke jigging elitist - I just want to catch fish and will do whatever it takes to make that possible.

 

[buddha162]

Yes, top shot and leader are same 30 mono connected to 30lb floro.

Lep addressed the crux of your problem: too much scope, too little weight. But for 99% of inshore fishing...you don't need a topshot. Connect your braid directly to your floro leader, via Alberto/FG knot. I go around 10ft of leader so I never have to retie the connection knot on the water.

As Lep mentioned, casting up current when you're on the lee side of a drift is extremely advantageous. Nabbing a stern corner or better yet, the tip of the pulpit, provides you with the most commanding position to jig from on a party boat. When I used to make the party boat circuit, 2am arrivals (and a few overnighters in the parking lot) were not uncommon...anything to grab those spots so I can cast and jig in any direction.

 

[Essex]

Just so a neophyte idiot like myself understands correctly, by too much scope you mean because I am using a lighter bucktail jig that my line is going out too far and that is why I am having issues on bottom? Also to confirm having my reel respooled to 30lb braid won’t change my bottom snag issues, right?

Thank you all for answering this newbie’s questions!

 

[buddha162]

Also to confirm having my reel respooled to 30lb braid won’t change my bottom snag issues, right?

Correct, in fact it will scope more due to more drag. Personally, unless you're fishing extremely snaggy structure, 15lb braid to 20lb floro is more than sufficient.

 

[Essex]

Correct, in fact it will scope more due to more drag. Personally, unless you're fishing extremely snaggy structure, 15lb braid to 20lb floro is more than sufficient.

Thanks so much guys! I will give it a try!!