[Uncle Russ]

A quick question:

I am leaning somewhat toward using the same reel (Accurate ATD 50-W) for deep bottome AND for chunking for a year or two--I'm feeling kind of cash-deprived lately. I recognize that a rig this heavy may not be the most fun to use for chunking, but I am actually most concerned with the inconvenience of having to re-rig from a big snap swivel to a wind-on leader and vice-versa.

My question is this: On a boat like the Big E, am I correct in assuming that you rarely bottom fish and chunk in the same water? The picture I am getting is that the floaters where you do the chunking are in water too deep for bottom fishing and that I should usually have plenty of time to re-rig between the two.

I know some of you are going to tell me how fast you can re-rig a Bimini or braided loop. All I can say, is you have never seen me in action.

Thanks,

Russ

 

[ksong]

All you need is a barrel swivel.

 

[Minnow]

Uncle Russ,

When Big E fishing for YFT in the floater, NO BOTTOM fishing is allow LOL.
It takes too long to touch the bottom , Floater/ spar rig generally are too deep for bottom fishing.

You will have plenty of time to re-rig for bottom fishing.JMO

 

[jig]

On the big e trips, chunking is at night, and then they run in a few hours during the daytime for AJ/Grouper fishing. So you have plenty of time.

Cash strapped Accurate owner. Reminds me of the buddy with a porsch who could not afford new tires.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Thanks, guys.

Kil: I am pretty sure you are joking from the smiley-face, but I have read that some folks actually do rig with a swivel just before their windon?

TJ: Pretty much what I figured. Thanks.

Jig: Your analogy is exactly correct. I have a couple of reels I haven't even bought line for yet. If the 50W had not come with JB line on it, I might be using it as an anchor for my Flat Cat right now. Purchasing the gear for any expensive hobby is a lot like the story (I think it's one of Darrell Royal's, but I'm not certain) about the old rancher in West Texas who won 20 million dollars in the lottery. When a reporter asked him what he was going to do with the money, he said: "Well, I guess I'll just keep on ranching until the money's all gone."

The good news is that my first trip on the Big E is prepaid. The bad news is that at this point, I have been dealing with TJ and Randy enough that the money is just all gone.

Russ

 

[Uncle Russ]

I would like to expand this thread to one other sort of related question:

I have been advised by at least a couple of you that my 665HXC/700H rig is not optimal for chunking--not so much because of any line capacity issues, but more because of the 6/1 gear ratio--i.e., you can't put it on the rail and crank the sucker in. But I got to thinking, if I were willing to short pump the fish and reel down on retrieval, would the gear ratio make any difference?

Rick: Don't you use the Twinspin 30 for chunking? If so, that is a 6/1 reel and as Kil had to explain to me a few weeks ago, you can't use the rail with a spinner either.

So what am I missing? Is the Calstar 700H too heavy and long for short pumping? Or do folks just always use the rail with a chunk?

Russ

 

[MrBill]

Real men don't use the rail. Uncle Russ, you need to hit the blue water soon. Cabin fever is a bad thing. When is your trip on the Big E?

 

[Uncle Russ]

MrBill: Not until September, although I will get in some bay and jetty fishing prior to that. Right on about cabin fever. I'm getting as bad as Oso! My wife has had seven eye surgeries in the last year and a half and it keeps me close to the yurt. On the other hand, (knock on wood) it's looking better.

So you seem to be confirming my point. If I'm not using the rail and just pumping and reeling down, what difference would a 2-speed OR low gear make? I suspect I'm missing something but can't figure out what.

I used to be a real man (or thought I was.) And I could be again, if I had a time machine.

Russ

 

[MrBill]

Uncle Russ,
None of us are getting any younger. Hope your wife gets better. My mother's health has gone down hill the past couple of years and helping out does take time. But, some day we will all need help and let's hope there is someone to help us.

The Low gear is your best friend when fighting any fish over 40 pounds. You will not believe how much power you have to lift a fish when in low gear. I think you are a fool by not fishing a two speed reel in deep water. Just take my word for it, low gear is 5 times as easy to pump up a large fish than high gear.

When fishing very deep water such as the floaters, the only time to use the high gear is when you are changing a bait or jigging. Once you let out a chunk of bait, change to the low gear. If you need to change baits or retrieve the chunk to let out again, put it in high gear. Low gear is a arm saver and lets you put mucho pounds of pressure on the fish. Pressure is the key to success in bringing up tuna and amberjacks.

I also might add that the quality of rod is very important. A well made rod with lot's of lifting power will aid you when using the low gear. Together, a low gear and a high quality short rod will put fish on the deck in very short order. There is no reason that a 75# tuna should take more than 15 minutes with 20 pounds of drag. With 30 pounds of drag, a 2 to 8 minute fight should do it.

 

[Guest]

uncle russ
i usually chunk with a 50 2 speed. i was only using the twinspin to see how the reel would handle the 40 to 90lb tuna we were catching. that twinspin will be in the rod holder when i am chunking at the lump. i know the twinspin will handle larger fish but long fights cut into others fishing time.

the issue with a 6to1 gear ratio is with larger fish there may come a point in the fight where you physically can't budge the fish and can't gain any line by cranking. that's where a 2 speed shines. i chunk with my reel in high gear and only when i get to the point that it becomes very hard to gain any line do i switch to low gear. i will switch back to high gear when i have the fish turned. so as i am fighting a fish i switch gears several times to keep the pressure on the fish. on a really large fish you may have to stay in low for the majority of the time. however if they make a run at the boat you better shift into high and crank like hell or you will lose contact with your fish and stand a good chance of losing the fish......rick

 

[Uncle Russ]

Rick and MrBill: Between your two posts, although your techniques of exactly when to use the low gear may vary somewhat, I think I definitely get the picture. So I am definitely back on the reservation as to using a 2-speed for chunking.

So back to using the big spinners for casting and perhaps jigging. I would probably use the 6/1 Twinspin 30 for jigging because most, if not all experts seem to agree that the higher gear ratio is best. But what are your opinions as to the best gear ratio for casting poppers--the 6/1 Twinspin or the Stella 20,000 Power Gear? If popping is anything like chunking, I would think the somewhat better cranking power of the 20K would be the ticket for fighting the fish after the hookup?

Rick, I realized you were using the TS for chunking as a change of pace and not as your go-to gear. What you added about the lengthened fight clarifies it for me. I realize on the party boat scenario, you have to limit the fight somewhat. That's why I am still considering not bringing my flyrod on the boat with you. In reality, I was assuming you were ending the fight as quickly with the big spinner as with the heavy conventional gear. I think I've been reading too much about those guys in the Pacific jerking 100 pound GT out of the water with spinners like Rio Grande Perch on a cane pole, and I was assuming you were accomplishing the same thing in terms of fight time with YFT.

And, as always, thanks for the free lessons. If I were trying to learn to dance, this would be costing me $50.00 an hour.

Russ

 

[Guest]

uncle russ
my fish on the twinspin didn't take any more time that with the heavier outfits. i was fishing 23lbs of drag and the rod was a 50/80 spinner that had plenty of backbone for puting the pressure on the fish. the 50/80 rod doesn't cast as well as the 30/60 spinners but i had it built for bigger tuna and shorter fights. i would have no problems fishing the 50/80 rod as a chunk rod on the party boats. i can use my harness and fish more drag if needed. i have the accurate loaded with straight 80lb spectre...rick

 

[Gunsmoke]

Russ,
Here's my two cents. Don't worry about it. Just hook up on a tuna and have fun. You seem to know what you are talking about so just out there enjoy the tug. You can talk about it all you want, but just like anything else in life, experience is the best thing.

I've fished with Mrbill many times. Mrbill is a very serious pressure fisherman. Some people like to take their time and use lighter tackle. He likes to put the hammer down on the drag and go for it. I'm also a pressure fisherman when it comes to big fish. We also break a lot of rods in the process. It also seems that McGolfer doesn't like to fiddle around with light drag settings. I don't like fishing with people that waste valuable time by taking forever to land a fish. When it comes to billfish and tuna, pressure is the answer.

 

[jig]

Mr Bill, there was also a time when real men didn't use 2 speeds. But we cave to progress and technology. I would have never used a girly 2 speed, harness or the rail in my younger days. But now, esp. on a party boat, I guess I am not a real man because I now use not only two speeds but the rail. I may not be a real man anymore, but I am older and wiser today than I was yesterday.

Use a 2spd and the rail. I just dont see the logic in chunking with a spinner, using a harness on a party boat (with some exceptions), or fishing with a single speed if you can have a two speed and it is warrented (YFT warrents a 2spd). Can you do it? Yes, but why? However, I use a harness on a spinner when I get a big one casting topwaters or swimbaits, since the rail is not an option. JMHO.

 

[MrBill]

Jig,
I'm no spring chicken myself. Everybody has their limits. I also love 2 speed reels. I really don't fish party boats. I've only been on one trip on a head boat in the last couple of decades. Therefore, I don't have a rail to use. There have been times when I wish a rail was present. If you don't have a rail, you have your manhood.

I dread the day when I have to give up offshore fishing. It will happen but until then I will keep sliding the drag lever past the strike position until I win or the fish wins.

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

Mr Bill... I think I can fabricate something that will attach to a wheelchair...no worries my friend...hehe.

 

[MrBill]

Mr Bill... I think I can fabricate something that will attach to a wheelchair...no worries my friend...hehe.

I'm not at the wheelchair stage yet. I can still pick up a 162 Qt igloo full of ice, put it on my shoulder, and carry it up a flight of stairs by myself. I can still kick a three digit YF's ass under 5 minutes and bring a 400 pound blue to the leader under 30 minutes.

I guess what I am trying to say is you never know when your downfall will happen. One of my best fishing buddies of all times got cancer. He went from hardcore offshore fishing every weekend to a walker in three months. So, enjoy your time on the water before you're laying 6 feet under a pile of dirt.

 

[Uncle Russ]

Thanks for the comments, everybody. I agree I need to get out on the deep water, and trust me, I will soon (although it does look like by that time Oso be putting that 160 quart ice chest up on his shoulder!) Right now a combination of work, taking care of Mama who can't drive for a while, and some family business is keeping me even off the bay. So I am collecting tackle for retirement, and learning the theory of a side of the sport I have never known well--with all your help.

Jig: I have been using spinning tackle since the mid-fifties, and made the stupid mistake a couple of months back of asking Kil why you couldn't use the rail with a spinning rig. He told methe reason why very politely, but you just know he had to be thinking: "That stupid old #$^& is too dumb to live." At least I consoled myself that I wasn't the dude (may have been on another board) who told him he didn't know how to pick a jigging rod.

Russ

 

[TeamOso]

A guy on the boat was using a penn 30W, and it seemed like the best of both worlds for a chunking setup.

 

[SkeeterRonnie]

just razzin ya Mr Bill.... My bass tourney partner/stepdad may be having some magery surgery on his ticker in the next month... so you are SO RIGHT! Ya never know, live life like today is your last. Thats what Carol and I have decided.. we will live life to the absolute fullest we can. If my bass tourney partner has to go under the knife, I will only fish a few bass tourneys on one lake.. and spend more time offshore.

BTW~ (MrBill) we still have a bet ya know... lol. a C-note to the one who lands the tuna the fastest on the Big E Cinco Tuna-dos attempt. hehe.

Oso. My last bottom reel was a Penn International 30- 2 speed. I picked it up off ebay for $300. It was way cool. I upgraded the handle to the T-Bar one, it rocked! Made theat reel come to life! My next one is an AVET 50 sds.....ona custom TxSeaDog Super Seeker..... I am gonna be standing on the apartment balcony ripping the little gas saver cars when they pass by!!! FISH ON!!! Get that drag buttoned down! I SEE COLOR!!!!