Reel Repair by Alan Tani

Fishing => Lures => Topic started by: Tightlines667 on March 24, 2017, 07:24:14 AM

Title: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on March 24, 2017, 07:24:14 AM
I am in the process of setting my boat up to blue water fish and would like a little input on teasers.


I am wondering, for those of you who run teasers what advice could you share on selection of products, rigging, and when to run them.

Can you get by with a single teaser or do you need multiple types for different trolling speeds or sea conditions?

Starting with a typical marlin spread, where there are big fish around, what are some recommendations on what to run, and how?

I grew up running a mirrored bowling pin style such as that from PlayAction...

http://m.tackledirect.com/play-action-mirrored-bowling-pin-teasers.html

I know they work and may likely start here.  Probably jyst run it adjacent to the short corner on a heavy braided soft line (500lb) from the corner cleat.  

There are some beautiful huge custom resin heads made locally (in Hawaii) you can dress up as you please.  These are more expensive and require skirt changes periodically.  Their action varies depending on typical resin lure head considerations.  In fact some are considered super-sized trolling lures meant to imitate an Aku or small tuna.

Anyone have a prefered maker/model/color?

For slow trolling live bait (Aku, Kawa), I am considering "The Witch Doctor"...

https://youtu.be/fZnTOMsc0yM

Any thoughts here?

I have also seen tuna silhouettes and hookless dredges.  I really don't have any dredge experience.  I will occasionally run a 5 line spread of moldcraft squid daisy chains for tuna.  I like Boone birds in front of the cgsins and run them on rough days where and when I suspect schoolies in the area.  I wasn't really considering birds, chains, or dredges as trolling trasers though.

Related to teasers, the other thing I was wondering about is 'blue water fish attraction devices/setups.  

I have seen video footage of local guys using an underwater array of ropes, lines, with various hookless spoons, spinner blades, and mylar strips which trail behind the vessel and wave and flash seductively in the current.  These arrays are used with great affect to draw and hold Pelagics (Such as Mahi and Ono) beneath the boat for spear or hook and line fishermen.  

I was wondering if it might be worthwhile to make a mini stringer of flashers and/or spoons to use when deat baiting Mahi.  

Does anyine gave any expedience or advice with regards these underwatwr fush attracting 'arrays' as I call them?

Maybe more trouble then they are worth for your typical outing.  Mahi can usually be drawn to the boat and held without these devices anyways.  

Just wondering if anyone else knows anything about their construction, use, and effectiveness?

My go to offshore fishing style is to keep things 'clean & simple'.  Teasers start to head away from my philosophy a bit, but I know they can be an effective tool in your arsenal.

Thoughts are welcomed.

Thanks for reading my long post :)

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Dominick on March 24, 2017, 06:54:01 PM
John I never heard of a witch doctor.  Interesting.  One trick I have not tried for a teaser is to get a bunch of CDs put a knot in a rope and create a string by knotting the rope every 8 or 10 inches or so with a CD in between knots.  Throw the line out and position it like the video for the witch doctor.  I like the idea of putting the teaser closer to the lures.  These make for a cheap attractant.  Dominick
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Keta on March 24, 2017, 07:29:04 PM
I have one that has never been used that I will sell if I can find it.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: whalebreath on March 25, 2017, 03:54:57 AM
Peter Pakula has talked about using a standard 'paddle style' 11" Salmon flasher  in his old bait dragging days.

This rig from Kone Zone (http://www.konezone.com/) has been used here in BC for Albacore but I'm not sure how they were keeping it under you could contact the owner he's very quick to respond.

(http://www.konezone.com/images/products/DaisyChainforDownRiggers.jpg)
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: wailua boy on March 25, 2017, 06:54:49 AM
I think running wire line has an attractant effect. As far as lures, I love Z Lures.(Z custom Lures 808-639-0406)
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Keta on March 25, 2017, 01:27:01 PM
Quote from: whalebreath on March 25, 2017, 03:54:57 AM
Peter Pakula has talked about using a standard 'paddle style' 11" Salmon flasher  in his old bait dragging days.

This rig from Kone Zone (http://www.konezone.com/) has been used here in BC for Albacore but I'm not sure how they were keeping it under you could contact the owner he's very quick to respond.

(http://www.konezone.com/images/products/DaisyChainforDownRiggers.jpg)

The owner, Mike, is a good guy.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: doradoben on March 25, 2017, 10:58:55 PM
How large is your boat and does it have outriggers??
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on March 25, 2017, 11:03:04 PM
Quote from: doradoben on March 25, 2017, 10:58:55 PM
How large is your boat and does it have outriggers??
29' LOA/27'@waterline/9'beam

Running 2-15' outriggers

http://alantani.com/index.php?topic=18449.15

Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: doradoben on March 26, 2017, 06:06:53 AM
I like your boat, John. A single diesel and a hull shape that probably works well off Oahu. I've never run a large teaser like Pakula makes. It would be one more thing to deal with when hooked up. Seems like it would be much simpler to run 4 skirted lures with mixed head shapes that would work in the conditions you fish. Two run off the rod tips near the transom, and the other two from the riggers.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on March 26, 2017, 06:44:42 AM
Quote from: doradoben on March 26, 2017, 06:06:53 AM
I like your boat, John. A single diesel and a hull shape that probably works well off Oahu. I've never run a large teaser like Pakula makes. It would be one more thing to deal with when hooked up. Seems like it would be much simpler to run 4 skirted lures with mixed head shapes that would work in the conditions you fish. Two run off the rod tips near the transom, and the other two from the riggers.

That's the plan.  I have years of off shore trolling and fishing experience.  I just havn't ran alot of teasers.  I know they raise big fish, but havn't ran anything other then a bowling pin or bumper style, and don't have alot of days on either. 

Always interested to hear what others have learned from their experience.

BTW, my boat is by no means a typical hawaiian hull, in fact I believe its the only one in HI.  It was fished for years out of Kona (typically flat seas), then served as USCG auxiliary towing vessel out of Honolulu.  Guys over here like heavier boats w/half cabs, hard chines, and sponsons like Radon, Riddle, KamiCraft, Glasspros, Jackpots, Sampans, Force, Mosquito, Bannapatch, and the like.  She is a little light, narrow, wet, slow, and tender in a following sea, but very seaworthy, and is only burning 1-2gals/hr.

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Reinaard van der Vossen on March 26, 2017, 06:56:20 PM
I'm by no means an expert (more of an anti expert ;D) but I have been on some famous boats.

One of them only had teasers, no hook in the water, when trolling. All teasers were normal lures but without hooks. They were mostly black barts, legend lures and williams. It was same as an well developped normal marlin spread with longer heads on long corners and more blunt like cavitators medium far and real fatty lures like abaco prowlers nearby.

The difference was that the lures were large, at least one size up from what I normally would see. The prowler was bigger than I thought existed but seems to be a regular model and was pullet from a cleat with a 6mm rope on the short corner.

They only put a hook in a well rigged spanisch mack in a tuna tube mounted in the transom, filled with ice, no water flow. or other bait. When a marlin came into the spread the teasers were pulled closse to the boat and the bait was dropped back and hand teased the bait while the teasers were taken out of the water and until the marlin took the bait (bait and switch).

Most other boats that i've been on did not use teasers for Marlin (blue marlin that is) and only pulled lures. Some of them had a rigged swtchbait just in case that a hot marlin would come up to the transom.

For tuna it's different. Although most tuna ist caught chumming and drifting in the parts of the world that I fish they are also caught trolling. Large spreaderbars with squidskirts seem to work best but I have no idea whether a dredge would be better.

The large witch doctor seems to sometimes shy tuna away. I know they exist but have not seen them in use.   

Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: humboldtdan on March 27, 2017, 06:05:55 PM
Here is a link to a guy that makes very high quality spreader bar type teasers.  As you can see from the gallery they work for a variety of pelagics including albacore, blue-, and yellow fin tuna, dorado, striped marlin.
http://www.redwoodcoastspreaderbars.com/default.asp
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Patudo on August 03, 2017, 04:09:32 PM
I very much prefer to fish simple now, especially from a smaller boat, and especially in rough water and if short of experienced hands on deck. But the skipper I learned from liked to fish a single large teaser (bowling pin) and I have fished with other guys who used witchdoctors, large to extra large hookless lures, fenders and so on.  Blue marlin can appear to respond really well to big teasers and some captains are very keen on them but I'm still not 100% sure if they actually raise more fish (although they certainly help your confidence on a tough day). I do think they influence where the fish bites ie. the lure behind the teaser often gets most of the bites. 

Yellowfin tuna fishing... if your fishing involves chasing bird piles or dolphin pods a large heavy teaser can be more trouble than it's worth, you'll have to haul it in before you run. If they are hitting in the blind a large swimming teaser or spreader bar could be worth dragging but everything gets tough in windward rough seas.  There is a lot to be said for the KISS approach frankly... I have seen large spreader bars fished at slow speed for bluefin tuna but it seems that in fishing oceanic/blue water conditions much faster speeds are required to stay with the fish. 

Mahi... I haven't used that gear myself but would guess the types of flashers used by spearfishermen would be of value.  There might be a risk of lines crossing with your teaser/flasher line though. 

Slow trolling live aku ... you would think the bait would be enough teaser by itself.  I have seen a dead one used on one rigger and once saw a blue marlin crash that rather than the live bait that was being fished closer to the boat.  One tactic I have been told of but never tried is to skip a rubber squid (with hook) from the outrigger like a green stick while live baiting.  I can't imagine this would work as well as the green stick but it might buy the occasional ahi bite. 
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on August 03, 2017, 04:44:13 PM
Quote from: Patudo on August 03, 2017, 04:09:32 PM
I very much prefer to fish simple now, especially from a smaller boat, and especially in rough water and if short of experienced hands on deck. But the skipper I learned from liked to fish a single large teaser (bowling pin) and I have fished with other guys who used witchdoctors, large to extra large hookless lures, fenders and so on.  Blue marlin can appear to respond really well to big teasers and some captains are very keen on them but I'm still not 100% sure if they actually raise more fish (although they certainly help your confidence on a tough day). I do think they influence where the fish bites ie. the lure behind the teaser often gets most of the bites.  

Yellowfin tuna fishing... if your fishing involves chasing bird piles or dolphin pods a large heavy teaser can be more trouble than it's worth, you'll have to haul it in before you run. If they are hitting in the blind a large swimming teaser or spreader bar could be worth dragging but everything gets tough in windward rough seas.  There is a lot to be said for the KISS approach frankly... I have seen large spreader bars fished at slow speed for bluefin tuna but it seems that in fishing oceanic/blue water conditions much faster speeds are required to stay with the fish.  

Mahi... I haven't used that gear myself but would guess the types of flashers used by spearfishermen would be of value.  There might be a risk of lines crossing with your teaser/flasher line though.  

Slow trolling live aku ... you would think the bait would be enough teaser by itself.  I have seen a dead one used on one rigger and once saw a blue marlin crash that rather than the live bait that was being fished closer to the boat.  One tactic I have been told of but never tried is to skip a rubber squid (with hook) from the outrigger like a green stick while live baiting.  I can't imagine this would work as well as the green stick but it might buy the occasional ahi bite.  

Wise words.

I largely agree with everything you,'ve said here.  KISS is king offshore.  Especially when short-handed or fishing with inexperienced crew.

John

Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: thorhammer on August 03, 2017, 05:45:01 PM
we run spreaders on occasion but as with KISS, you have to have enough salty folk on board to clear all the spaghetti mess away during hook-ups.   I run daisy chains with armed 0600 on short rigger and WWB.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on August 03, 2017, 06:03:24 PM
Quote from: Keta on March 24, 2017, 07:29:04 PM
I have one that has never been used that I will sell if I can find it.

Lee,

LMK if you find your teaser, and send or post a pic.  I would likely take it off of your hands.

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: boon on August 08, 2017, 11:59:13 PM
Thought about running a dredge? A decent number of fishos in this part of the world (NZ) are using these now, often with a large teaser (just a big hookless lure) in behind it. Dredge raises the fish, then you draw it in on the teaser then switch it out for a hooked lure or pitched bait. More of a billfish tactic than tuna/mahi/whatever.
As mentioned you need a pretty on-to-it crew to clear the dredge if you raise a fish and do the teasing.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: conchydong on August 09, 2017, 12:35:01 AM
I sold all of my teasers as I don't fish for Marlin as they are scarce in my area. Daisy chains and spreaders work better for my purpose, even though I don't use them as often as I should.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on September 01, 2017, 05:09:33 AM
Rigged up a dredge to run on the downrigger as a teaser.  I will run a hookless 'deadbait' ballyhoo off the center back, and run a naked hooked ballyhoo just above and behind the dredge.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on September 01, 2017, 05:27:11 AM
I used 20-5" & 4-8" pearl/white pencil squids with 18" spreader bars, and 1oz and 1/2 oz egg sinkers in the squids.  Snap swivels on each on the center lines.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: erikpowell on January 13, 2018, 11:27:04 PM
We had this expensive teaser from Melton Tackle a few years back, The Dancin' Dolphin, as I recall we joined a couple sets together for a total of about 5 or 6 in a line.
We saw the most amazing results from this!
The mahi mahi would literally surround the boat and run right beside the chain and right up into the bow wave.
What a sight to see, amazing results.
Unfortunately they didn't last very long as the wahoo really loved them too ;)

Another very effective teaser, especially in a pinch (as in when the wahoo have destroyed or altogether eaten all your expensive teasers) was a simple small-med boat fender painted lengthwise half purple and attached to cord...throw that into the prop wash and watch it dive, breach, and bounce erratically... beauty.
I've seen those bring up big billfish. We tagged a 450lb Blue marlin using the fender as a last resort teaser once on a 3 day blue water trip off Kadavu, Fiji.

I think I have photos somewhere...

Cheers John......have you ever see the fender trick in HI ?

Erik

Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on January 14, 2018, 12:00:12 AM
Quote from: erikpowell on January 13, 2018, 11:31:37 PM
Quote from: erikpowell on January 13, 2018, 11:27:04 PM
We had this expensive teaser from Melton Tackle a few years back, The Dancin' Dolphin, as I recall we joined a couple sets together for a total of about 5 or 6 in a line.
We saw the most amazing results from this!
The mahi mahi would literally surround the boat and run right beside the chain and right up into the bow wave.
What a sight to see, amazing results.
Unfortunately they didn't last very long as the wahoo really loved them too ;)

Another very effective teaser, especially in a pinch (as in when the wahoo have destroyed or altogether eaten all your expensive teasers) was a simple small-med boat fender painted lengthwise half purple and attached to cord...throw that into the prop wash and watch it dive, breach, and bounce erratically... beauty.
I've seen those bring up big billfish. We tagged a 450lb Blue marlin using the fender as a last resort teaser once on a 3 day blue water trip off Kadavu, Fiji.

I think I have photos somewhere...

Cheers John......have you ever see the fender trick in HI ?

Btw, those Witchdoctors are magic too!

Erik



No I haven't, but I have seen them used elsewhere.

Got word that the Striped Marlin showed up yesterday.  My 2 friends ran into a rat pack if 3or4 fish each, and they caught 3.  We have a 15'groundswell out there right now, but I may have to go try to find a fish or 2 this weekend.

Johm
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: erikpowell on January 14, 2018, 01:29:36 AM
Or if not I'm sure you can find a surf somewhere  :o :o

How'd your dredge work out, you been using it?
I've always found them cumbersome and kinda hard to deal with.
Do you have to back down your trolling speed somewhat when you use it?
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on January 14, 2018, 01:37:34 AM
Quote from: erikpowell on January 14, 2018, 01:29:36 AM
Or if not I'm sure you can find a surf somewhere  :o :o

How'd your dredge work out, you been using it?
I've always found them cumbersome and kinda hard to deal with.
Do you have to back down your trolling speed somewhat when you use it?


Well, it seemed to work great on Mahi one day, when I was trolling ballyhoo.  Another, I ended up breaking 2 of the arms off by trolling a bit too fast when running artificial lures from the bank to the fad, and I left it in. 

I haven't fished it since I ran outta ballyhoo. 

I have been catching a few Mahi and/or Skipjack on each of my last 4 outings over the last couple of weeks.  Thinking of chasing Stiped marlin and Mahi tmrw or Monday with 7" Polu Kai and/or small moldcrafts rigged with dead Akule.

2 of those trips were solo, and I don't like to mess with a dredge or downrigger when fishing by myself.

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: erikpowell on January 14, 2018, 01:54:59 AM
Quote from: Tightlines666 on January 14, 2018, 01:37:34 AM
Quote from: erikpowell on January 14, 2018, 01:29:36 AM
Or if not I'm sure you can find a surf somewhere  :o :o

How'd your dredge work out, you been using it?
I've always found them cumbersome and kinda hard to deal with.
Do you have to back down your trolling speed somewhat when you use it?

2 of those trips were solo, and I don't like to mess with a dredge or downrigger when fishing by myself.

John

I don't blame you John!

Good luck with the Stripies, hope you hook up. I'm sure your arsenal of Hawaiian magic will get the job done.
You guys are so lucky, Hawaiians are leaps and bounds ahead of most when it comes to the mana of magic game lures  ;)
I have a friend who moved here from Hawaii, his stash of hawaiian lures and the accompanying stories & photos are eye popping.
Tight Lines!

Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Patudo on January 19, 2018, 01:06:51 AM
Striped Marlin are the perfect target for teasers if you have enough hands on deck to manage them.  They love that kind of multiple teaser (daisy chain spreader bar dredge etc), often stay around the teasers rather than giving you the big crash bite and disappear act that blue marlin do, and aren't as destructively aggresive as a blue marlin - you may get a few teasers chewed on or stolen but you don't run the risk of the whole thing being blitzed.  Plus, they light up so bright they are easy to see on the teasers and you may often raise more than one.  Small akule or opelu is great for a pitch bait but for trolling I much prefer skipjack belly strip.  Quite tough (as far as baits go), easier to rig and the fish love them.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on January 19, 2018, 02:47:43 AM
Quote from: Patudo on January 19, 2018, 01:06:51 AM
Striped Marlin are the perfect target for teasers if you have enough hands on deck to manage them.  They love that kind of multiple teaser (daisy chain spreader bar dredge etc), often stay around the teasers rather than giving you the big crash bite and disappear act that blue marlin do, and aren't as destructively aggresive as a blue marlin - you may get a few teasers chewed on or stolen but you don't run the risk of the whole thing being blitzed.  Plus, they light up so bright they are easy to see on the teasers and you may often raise more than one.  Small akule or opelu is great for a pitch bait but for trolling I much prefer skipjack belly strip.  Quite tough (as far as baits go), easier to rig and the fish love them.

I think it can be kinda tough to target Striped Marlin here, as it's usually just a few random 'rat pack's that show up intermediately in the winter.  It was a bit bouncy out Sunday, so I ended up just running my 7 "and 5" Mahi jigs, and had some pitch baits rigged and ready.  I found a half dozen or so groups of Mahi, but they seemed yo hit a small group of 5" flying fish on the surface, then drop back down to depth, and they were moving.  Tough yo get them to see a bait, and so only caught 1.

I like your ideas there though.  I think I may have to get one of those mylar strip teasers, run it with a dead bait rigged just behind it, and have some pitch baits ready to go. 

I found some ballyhoo Monday, so ran out that evening and pulled some ballyhoo behind moldcraft heads in close.  Only found a few really small Skipjack, and houndfish that took swipes at the baits w/o getting hooked. 

Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Miles Offshore on January 29, 2018, 12:31:56 AM
We have been using a mylar dredge teaser for three seasons now, i am sorry i dont have better vid of it in the water but i made it to run balyhoo around the edges and off the bottoms. Osing 40/60 oz torpedo lead in front of it and using a fathommaster downrigger with a pully system rigged to a cleat forward on the boat. Hope this works and it will give you an idea of how it looks minus the hoos.



https://youtu.be/kyTq8y4vFNg
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on January 29, 2018, 04:28:18 AM
I like it!

Last 2 days my buddy Jay went 1 for 3 then 3 for 4 on Striped Marlin, running ballyhoo rigged 'dink bait' style, and a dredge w/ballyhoo teaser.  He grew up fishing the grand banks, running a charter biat there, and fishing tournaments.  He says the Stripers are just super-charged White Marlin.  1 was 125#, 2 around 80#, 1 @60, 3-10lb Mahi, 2-30lb Mahi, 1-12lb Skipjack, and 1 8lb Bonita.  He dropped 180#s (Head&gutted) Striped Marlin, and 32#s Mahi (gilled&gutted) on the auction block.  The remaining fish were cut up for the anglers.

I fished 8 artificials for 8 hours today in the same area by myself, w/o a single fish in the spread.  Just gotta run into them 'rat packs'.  I am convinced the ballyhoo, work better on Striped Marlin and Wahoo.

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Miles Offshore on January 29, 2018, 11:56:44 AM
Nice, pretty work John! We dont catch stripys here, blues, whites and saildogs along with an occasional spearfish. I only drag the dredge during white season ( august through october) but do pull teasers in addition to the dredge year round. Our teasers are basically 10/12 12" squids on danglers followed by and islannder express rigged with a large balyhoo hookless. Left side all pink, right side normally all blue but will switch it up. Will usually run another pink islannder express with a select balyhoo on the left short always just past the teaser and it doesnt always catch but when it does its usually big, hahahha. Hope this helps, i think i have a picture of my teasers ill try an upload.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Keta on January 29, 2018, 02:34:57 PM
Quote from: Tightlines666 on August 03, 2017, 06:03:24 PM

Lee,

LMK if you find your teaser, and send or post a pic.  I would likely take it off of your hands.

John

I missed this, if you still want it you can have it for the shipping.
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on July 12, 2018, 05:19:16 AM
In preparation for "The Annual Pearl Harbor Fishing Tournament" this saturday, I re-rigged my marlin lures and made a decision about a marlin teaser.  I decided I might as well buy one that imitates a Skipjack Tuna, since there are many small piles around right now, and one that I can run hooks in.  The choice was obvious, to me anyways, "The Black Bart Breakfast".  This thing is scary to just look at, and dwarfs my 14&16" standard big marlin baits.  It is 22" overall, and has 14" skirts.  I rigged it on 600lb mono with a tandam 16/0-14/0 stiff-hook rig.  I intend to run this one right in the prop wash off a flat line clip.  I figure, why run a teaser when I can run a monster.

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on July 12, 2018, 05:25:51 AM
I have 17 different marlin baits, but most don't see much time in the water because I'd rather catch a tuna than a marlin.  This weekend it's a 'biggest fish' tournament, so that means I'll be running the big boys.  The last tournament I fished was a tuna tournament, so naturally I ran tuna baits, and ended up catching marlin.  I supose this time, I'll run marlin baits and catch tuna..lol
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on July 12, 2018, 05:29:17 AM
Yesterday one of the Honolulu charter boats landed a grander Blue Marlin on the 1000fa curve outside Ko'Olina, or within 10nm of where my boat is birthed.  That fish would be a winner!
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: doradoben on July 14, 2018, 08:05:27 AM
John, in reply 31 your photo has 2 Bart lures. I've never run the bigger one, but even the "smaller" lure (Blue Breakfast) is a large, serious, heavy tackle marlin lure. I have a much smaller ,about 12 inch, Hot Breakfast that I've run a lot as a rigger lure with very good results. Good luck in your tournament.   
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: SoCalAngler on July 15, 2018, 05:29:58 AM
In Baja we don't really run teasers per se but I do run birds. I made a daisy chain of 6 smaller birds that look and act like this in this video. I run these about 15 yards back to attract smaller game like dorado. In the past I have run larger single birds, maybe 6-8 inches long, in front of a lure as a teaser for larger game like  tuna and such. I have the bird attached to the line coming off the reel and attach the lure about 6-8' behind the bird. These are used mainly as teasers but the lures do have a hook as sometimes the fish go for these lures. I don't run out riggers so 4 lines is all I troll and one of the shorter lines gets a big bird if I feel like it.

Oh if you do try the single bird approach make sure the bird is through wired. I'm sure you know this but I thought I would just throw that out.

I use the daisy chain most often because it is not on a reel, just on it's own rope attached to the chain. This makes it super fast to clear when you do get hooked up.

https://youtu.be/C8BMnKQLU1Y (https://youtu.be/C8BMnKQLU1Y)
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: Tightlines667 on July 15, 2018, 07:10:49 PM
I have a few daisy chains of moldcraft squids that I sometimes run on outriggers in a more verticle position to create more action on the squid, or I run a big single bird in front of each daisy chain.  Or I run a single bird on the long center with a small malolo jet on a long leader behind it.  I reserve the birds for glass calm days, and the moldcraft on verticle riggers for low wind/strong cross-swell choppy/bumpy water. 

As far as yesterday's tourny went, we were one of 23 boats that didn't land a single fish.  I decided to run marlin baits all day since it was a biggest fish tournament.  First thing in the morning as soon as I arrived at marlin alley, we raised a small Blue Marlin on the short corner.  The fish was all over the bait.  He left and came back 3 seperate times.  I had one of the guys cranking the bait away from him, and dropping it back but he pulled it away from the fish when he made his last solid turn out of tye water to grab it.  We had another small marlin smack the long rigger bait, and pop the clip in the afternoon, but he missed the hooks and didn't come back.  61 boats only caught 2 small Marlin, but 14 yellowfin tuna were caught.  In hindsight I should have targeted Ahi. 

We still had a great day on the water.

John
Title: Re: Teasers
Post by: SoCalAngler on July 16, 2018, 03:58:39 AM
I don't target billfish but I will bait one from time to time, when someone who fishes with us has not caught one before or if the need to pull on something is strong and we are not catching others. Most of the time live baiting is done by us with macs cast to surface spotted fish be it sails or marlin.

When trolling the caught billfish are mostly bycatch when we are looking for others and this can happen often.

I like your spread of lures there John but I have to ask, why not a door knob type of lure head in the mix? I know some think there out dated but from my experience they still get bit.

Anyway there is the next tourney and the lessons you learn along the way will make you better than you already are.

Good luck moving forward and I'm sure you will dial it in for a nice pay day.