Handlines

[Linesiders]

Anyone troll handlines for commercial bluefishing? Gonna try to make some handlines for loading the boat quickly for shark bait. I want to know how to make them properly so they work. Anyone have any pictures would help. How do you weight them and what length to weight ratio needed, line type etc. thanks for any help.

 

[Badlatitude]

Fastest way ive caught bluefish ( before CT axed the limit) was a couple guys running diamond jigs and drifting a school sitting on structure. Don't even waste time anchoring

 

[El Mar]

What Bad said, or an umbrella rig.

Never used a handline. Would be interesting to hear about though.

 

[Frigate]

Handlines with umbrella rigs is the way go. Locally they are called mouse trips. 460lb. 1/16" 7x7 stainless cable in different lengths from the boat to the planer. 500-700lb. mono from planer to umbrella rig (custom built two piece head for quick changing of arms. Arms made from shift cable core.) 125lb. mono from arm to tube. Lastly you need a bucket with a dehooker on it.

My dehooking bucket is buried in the shed. I can get pictures this weekend.

 

[twister]

that sounds like a very interesting rig

 

[googinhater]

I have used 130s for them works great

 

[restless]

When commercial fishing for Blues I use a set up like the one described by Frigate. I have different sets of cable [ 40 , 70 & 90 '] I use #5 planers with a brace. Very effective when they are on Sandeels. Be advised, multiple 10+ pound fish on a cable with no stretch is not every one's cup of tea.

 

[bestfish]

Umbrella rig on my hydraulic bandit reel. Pull them right across the surface and set out just as fast.

 

[Frigate]

I use the Sea Strker Commercial planer. It is braced and a 10oz. lead. My cable lengths are 10', 15' and 20' with 350lb snap swivels on each end. Alot of my bluefishing is in Peconic Bay and just off the beach in the ocean. If I put the 10' and 15' cables together, I need to be deeper than 18' or the planer will hit bottom and trip. Restless is right about an umbrella rig full of 10+lb bluefish. The stretch isn't in the cable but in your arms. They are about 2" longer after a day of those things.

 

[duxbait]

How many rigs do you run at once Frigate? I have fished blues with electric reels and either divers or umbrella rigs. The reels are able to pull them in no problem UNLESS you have multiple big ones. Then its a bitch, but pulling cable doesn't sound too fun either?

 

[El Mar]

Frigate - you towing this off your stern cleats?

How do you make up the connection to the boat ?

Interesting topic.

 

[MDI45]

Most guys fish two set ups.....I fished with a old timer in Montauk that had two electric reels mounted under the overhang outside the wheelhouse on a 31 BHM

 

[Linesiders]

What's the advantage of the cable over a nylon rope? depth?

Any need for "shock protection", (stretch band) to avoid loosing fish when trolling umbrella rigs for blues. Maybe the stretch is in the mono?

Frigate, if possible I'd like to see a pic of the dehooking bucket and your set up with the two piece head for changing the arm.

 

[Frigate]

Let me see if I can get the dehooking bucket out of the shed at lunch time and get some pictures of it. Tonight I'll get pictures of the rest.

El Mar, yes a mouse trap off each stern cleat. Depending on the width of your transom you may need to "tune" the planer to tow outward so you get better separation of the umbrella rigs.

 

[restless]

The rig MDI describes with electric motors mounted overhead is what the guys down south use for Kingsishing. Very effective rig.

 

[Frigate]

When the umbrella rig gets to the transom grab the leaders and with one motion swing the umbrella rig and fish up and over the bucket. Put the leaders over the bar and pull down till you get the bend of the hooks on the bar. When the fish moves it falls into the bucket. Now lift the leaders up and over the transom to set the umbrella rig out again. The dehooking bucket is a industrial Rubbermade 44 gal. and is half to two thirds full of ice and saltwater.

 

[Frigate]

Next pictures are the the umbrella rig. The head is made of silicon bronze.

 

[Frigate]

The connection to the cleat has a 500lb. swivel on the other end. Next the pieces of the Mouse Trap. Last a close up to see the size of the mono next to the 1/16" cable.

 

[Frigate]

Linesiders, you don't need shock protection when catching bluefish, bass or green bonito but you don't get to many of the weakfish you hook up.

I've used Mouse Traps for close to forty years and enjoy it. It's you on one end of the line and the fish on the other end. You make people crazy they see you trolling with no rods and then a guy runs to the transom and pulls in fish. Better yet I'll run the boat and my better half runs the traps. That makes people more crazy a girl rans to the transom pulls in fish and is catching more fish than they are.

 

[Linesiders]

Frigate,

Thanks a lot for posting the pictures, exactly what I was looking for.

How do you know when you hook up?