First yellowtail trip tackle recommendations

Started by AlcoholicFisherman, July 06, 2017, 11:45:25 PM

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AlcoholicFisherman

Good day all,

this is going to be my first yellowtail trip with my own tackle. We're departing from San Diego on a limited load party boat around September and wondering what to bring for rods and reels.

I've looked around the web and found information all over the place but no definite answers on what to expect.

I'm trying to limit myself to bringing only two combos with rods that will break down at least into two pieces for facilitated travel.

akfish

Yellowtail are tough. At least one of your outfits should be capable of fishing heavy drag and at least 80# line for dropper loop or heavy jig fishing. The other might be rated for 50# and something you can cast a small sardine or surface jig; be ready to use a lighter top shot on this rig if the fish or shy. I fish only conventional reels and would feel comfortable with something like an HX Raptor for dropper loop and an LX Raptor for flylining and surface iron. Finding quality multi-piece rods is tough but I've been impressed with Okuma travel rods.
Taku Reel Repair
Juneau, Alaska
907.789.2448

MarkT

#2
How long a trip and on what boat? You looking to fly line Sardines, dropper loop, yoyo, surface iron? There are lots of techniques! I've caught YT using all of them. The YT in my avatar was caught last year flylining a Sardine on 30#.
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

Jim Fujitani

More info would be required.

How long is your trip?  Which boat?  Going with anyone you know?  Is it a closed charter or a limited load open berthing?

What rigs and styles do you currently own?  Deckhands are used to dealing with newbies with limited conventional tackle experience, and limited loads help with them being able to help newbies.  Why are you limited to break down rods, flying in?

YT are common targets for a September trip.  Length of trip helps determine where you may go and what to expect once you get there.  A multi fishing day trip determines what you may have in terms of limits of fish. 

Always start with 30 and 40# line/ 7 foot rod bait rigs and expand out from there.

AlcoholicFisherman

The trip will just be a 1 day trip on a limited load open berthing. I'll be going with a buddy but he's never even fished off a boat before - let alone for YT. I'll be flying in and won't have room for a one section rod.

Swami805

I wouldn't buy anything for awhile until you get closer to your trip. After 2 El Nino years no telling what will be around. They have decent rental tackle at the landings too which would be a good way to go for 1 day. Should be a fun trip whatever is going on, September is prime time down there most years
Do what you can with that you have where you are

SoCalAngler

#6
If it were me flying in I'd go rental. It' just a few more bucks for rental gear and whatever terminal tackle you may need. But, if you really want to use your own gear I would suggest a reel and rod that can handle 10 lbs of drag and 30-40 lb test. A high speed reel is not really needed but something with about a 4:1 to 4.5:1 gearing will cover just about everything you may want to try for YT or tuna like flylining bait, yoyo iron, dropper loop or whatever and will work well for bottom fishing also.

If you want to bring two different setups, one for around 25 lb test and 8 lbs of drag as this could be stepped down to 20 lb test by changing a fluorocarbon leader (just set the drag according to the line test) and one for 30 to 40 lb test and you should be golden. This setup would be used for line shy smaller tuna, bass, bonito and the smaller grade kelp paddy YT.

This year has started out slower than the past 4 years, though early on some bigger BFT were caught in closer to the point, so for me it would be a wait and see type of thing to say what you should bring. Though, rods and reels that can handle what I said above should cover about 95% of the fish you should see on the type of trip your looking to do.

Good luck on your trip.  

Bill B

AF just a thought......if your buddy is in the area you are going to fish, you could ship your rods to him, pack your reels in your bag, and ship the rods home after the trip..... for reels how about a Penn 113H for heavy (40 lb) and Jigmaster 500 for light (25 lb)....Bill
It may not be very productive,
but it's sure going to be interesting!

ez2cdave

Quote from: AlcoholicFisherman on July 06, 2017, 11:45:25 PM
Good day all,

this is going to be my first yellowtail trip with my own tackle. We're departing from San Diego on a limited load party boat around September and wondering what to bring for rods and reels.

I've looked around the web and found information all over the place but no definite answers on what to expect.

I'm trying to limit myself to bringing only two combos with rods that will break down at least into two pieces for facilitated travel.

I'm on the EAST COAST . . . You might also want to research "AMBERJACK" fishing . . . I think they are identical or nearly identical and an AJ "Means Business" when you hookup !

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amberjack

Tight Lines !

Hamachi

All great gear recommendations guys, but unless you're proficient at casting a conventional reel, I'd recommend a 5000 to 7000 size spinner to toss a bait or jig for a first timer to hook up. Hang on 'cause these fish will take you for a ride! More important than your gear is listening to the deckhands on how to follow your line and stay out of tangles. Take Dramamine for first time boat riders, and good luck!
The rail is your friend, no zing pow, on the iron wenches, I like broccoli!

Marcq

Quote from: Hamachi on July 12, 2017, 09:40:38 PM
All great gear recommendations guys, but unless you're proficient at casting a conventional reel, I'd recommend a 5000 to 7000 size spinner to toss a bait or jig for a first timer to hook up. Hang on 'cause these fish will take you for a ride! More important than your gear is listening to the deckhands on how to follow your line and stay out of tangles. Take Dramamine for first time boat riders, and good luck!

Very good advice, it can be problematic on first trips. Now days you see more and more anglers using spinning gears. I started using my Penn 650/750ss because of an elbow injury and I love it, never thought in my I would say that  ::)

Marc..

AlcoholicFisherman

My apologies for the delayed reply all - thank you for the tackle suggestions. I think I've finalized what I'll need.