Alright you Codfish gurus, help out this newbie!

[Hooper]

Guys,

I booked a day on the Helen H yesterday, had a great time too. I got some cod, few pollock, but I was clearly the rookie on the boat. For every one I took, those around me took four. Fish were hitting teasers mostly. Pink seemed to be the best color.

I had a rental outfit and while it was a nice Torium reel on a G Loomis rod, it was spooled with mono which I feel was a huge strike against me. Pulling on that 16 oz jig 250' away, I don't think I got much action into it. I think I was the only one without braid. Do you think that was a big reason why I wasn't as successful as others? Unfortunately I was on the downwind side on the boat and spent the day with my line under the boat, which was hugely frustrating. I eventually found a spot on the upwind side, but it didn't really seem to change my catch success unfortunately though it minimized tangles.

I think I will buy a decent outfit and spool it with some 65# braid for the next trip so I can do a little better. Any other trick or tips suggestions?

 

[Estimator]

What I would do

Hooper

I would recomend an 8' cod rod, I have a all glass blank. Torium is a good reel and braid is a must.

I personally like bait fishing over jigging but thats me. Jig guys come prepared with all kinds of stuff from jelly worms to glo jigs. I notice that jig guys tend to cast away and work the jig and get their bites. I would also take notice on how they rig their rods.
.
I always tie all my rigs at home and pack them in seperate zip lock bags so I am not dealing with tangles when I need to re tie.

 

[duxbait]

I have to say... It was probably all the line. With jigs that big and large amounts of line it is amazing how much mono stretches. Next time go braid, and you will be able to use a lighter weight too.

 

[CEShawn]

Don't buy anything yet... Come out with me plenty of cockpit and got all the setups. In college I used to commercial jig codfish off Chatham.

 

[Hooper]

Don't buy anything yet... Come out with me plenty of cockpit and got all the setups. In college I used to commercial jig codfish off Chatham.

Deal Shawn, are you in Bass River yet? Got your email too, my hands have been full with the lil guy tonight, lol!

 

[Tuna Pursuit]

Your gonna think I'm crazy, 10# braid. Cuts through the water like a knife. The lighter the jig the better it will fish. Slowly move the rod tip up & down feeling the bottom on the down stoke, maybe 2-3 foot range. You will get more hits on the down stroke so you need to be feeling for them. Back of the head boat is best. Don't jerk the rod up with braid, nice slow steady jig, tight line.

 

[Tuna Pursuit]

Don't buy anything yet... Come out with me plenty of cockpit and got all the setups. In college I used to commercial jig codfish off Chatham.

That was a very nice offer and congrats on the new killer boat!

 

[CEShawn]

Ha, not in Bass River yet, will be this coming weekend... funny...

Friends dont let friends head boat fish. lol but so much cheaper and more amenities!

I do have heat though, berths, microwave and toaster... there you go... seating for two right now, need to work on that... lol

I understand about the little one!

 

[Raider Ronnie]

Toriums are nice reels when new but the anti reverse sucks !!! A Torium 20 is plenty big enough and gearing is good for cod fishing.
There is an upgrade anti reverse you can get and they will be fine.
Me personally I like Daiwa or Avet.
Daiwa Saltist you can get in a super high speed.
When I get to actually cod fish I use my Daiwa Seaborg electric
Head boats you want a LONG rod.
Fishing elbow to elbow is not my thing, and then there are the tangles.
Lots of head boats don't allow brain because of the tangles.

Hooper

I would recomend an 8' cod rod, I have a all glass blank. Torium is a good reel and braid is a must.

I personally like bait fishing over jigging but thats me. Jig guys come prepared with all kinds of stuff from jelly worms to glo jigs. I notice that jig guys tend to cast away and work the jig and get their bites. I would also take notice on how they rig their rods.
.
I always tie all my rigs at home and pack them in seperate zip lock bags so I am not dealing with tangles when I need to re tie.

 

[F/V First Team]

man, don't you know its not the size of the line that's important, it's how you wiggle the worm!

:lol:

 

[Hooper]

Your gonna think I'm crazy, 10# braid. Cuts through the water like a knife. The lighter the jig the better it will fish. Slowly move the rod tip up & down feeling the bottom on the down stoke, maybe 2-3 foot range. You will get more hits on the down stroke so you need to be feeling for them. Back of the head boat is best. Don't jerk the rod up with braid, nice slow steady jig, tight line.

I don't think you're crazy at all, you have probably forgotten more about codfishing than I will know, thanks for the advice!

 

[Hooper]

Ha, not in Bass River yet, will be this coming weekend... funny...

Friends dont let friends head boat fish. lol but so much cheaper and more amenities!

I do have heat though, berths, microwave and toaster... there you go... seating for two right now, need to work on that... lol

I understand about the little one!

Shawn, I would love to fish with you anytime! I have a lot of warm clothing! My schedule is so limited though, weekends so my wife can watch lil guy. But I am sure we can make it out there and get that beauty bloody.

 

[Hooper]

Toriums are nice reels when new but the anti reverse sucks !!! A Torium 20 is plenty big enough and gearing is good for cod fishing.
There is an upgrade anti reverse you can get and they will be fine.
Me personally I like Daiwa or Avet.
Daiwa Saltist you can get in a super high speed.
When I get to actually cod fish I use my Daiwa Seaborg electric
Head boats you want a LONG rod.
Fishing elbow to elbow is not my thing, and then there are the tangles.
Lots of head boats don't allow brain because of the tangles.

Ronnie, I'm with you, I really like Diawa reels. I have a bunch of Sealines for bass reels. I will probably buy a Saltist 2030 so I can use it year round for bass in the summer.

I had to laugh about headboats, I haven't headboat fished since I was a kid, at least 25 years. I booked on the limited trip, only 30 fisherman on the Helen H, there was a lot of room.

 

[CEShawn]

Does anyone like Penn anymore or no?

As I was getting out of cod fishing before I got a Penn 113H I think, but it was the BAHA Special, wow I loved that reel. Almost reminded me of the old 49L (maybe)... I just really like the real big handle...

I was going to take a look at the DFN30 Defiance... I dont know...

I literally haven't bought a reel in two years...

I do have to say moving away from mono years ago was crazy. Even in scup fishing in 20' of water makes a huge difference... The feeling is so much better...

 

[Hooper]

I do have to say moving away from mono years ago was crazy. Even in scup fishing in 20' of water makes a huge difference... The feeling is so much better...

Shawn, you still like mono or no?

 

[CEShawn]

Wrong context, lol... There was a huge difference going to braid compared to mono, amazing difference. Even shallow water fishing it makes a big difference I see it on amatuer anglers when I give them rods... Just the feel of it all from sea bass to fluke etc... I do know some head boats do not allow it as well as some people feel you dont need it for fishing bottom in less than 30' of water.

I'm pro braid, anti mono for bottom fishing...

 

[Robert M]

Does anyone like Penn anymore or no?

As I was getting out of cod fishing before I got a Penn 113H I think, but it was the BAHA Special, wow I loved that reel. Almost reminded me of the old 49L (maybe)... I just really like the real big handle...

I was going to take a look at the DFN30 Defiance... I dont know...

I literally haven't bought a reel in two years...

I do have to say moving away from mono years ago was crazy. Even in scup fishing in 20' of water makes a huge difference... The feeling is so much better...

Avet / shimano all the way for me.

 

[coddock]

Avet / shimano all the way for me.

I'll second that!

 

[CEShawn]

Not sure about the Avets, or maybe the small ones. The charterboat next to me uses AVETS and seems to keep twice in spares, granted they are not well taken care off. I've been using the Penn GTO series and probably got 5 years out of the reels with just spraying them down using them for bottom fishing charters, aka scup... Pretty good return...

 

[Robert M]

Not sure about the Avets, or maybe the small ones. The charterboat next to me uses AVETS and seems to keep twice in spares, granted they are not well taken care off. I've been using the Penn GTO series and probably got 5 years out of the reels with just spraying them down using them for bottom fishing charters, aka scup... Pretty good return...

I always pick up reels in pairs. I use a set of each of these depending on if im ground fishing, trolling , or live bait fishing,set up with braid .shimano toriums, avet lx, avet sx, okuma ( cheapos) , those are my light weight conventional reals. I prefer the avets, the drag setup is insane. No problems yet, I hose them off after the trip, and oil them up once a year.