[MrBill]

WOW, just looked at those pics. That's some poor sticking in those nice quality good eating size YF's. Do you think those were going into the chunk pile? If not, about 3 inches each side of each hole is spoiled after sitting in the slush box. I guess their goal is to get the fish in the boat. Smoker broke up with a lot of girlfriends because of those body sticks.

It does look like a nice boat. That boat would be great in 10-12s.

 

[MrBill]

Couple of questions for you people that have been on the Big E trips.

A) Where are your tackle boxes stored?
B) If they are kept on the top deck, are they placed in the open?
C) Where do you store personal things? Bedroll, pillow, towel, etc?
D) Do I need to bring Dry Sacks for my stuff?
E) Where are extra drinks stored if not in your cooler?


Thanks, just planning ahead.

 

[MrBill]

One more thought. I just finished watching a Japanese jigging video Randy sent me. I didn't understand a word, but I picked up some great tips by watching the way they jig. Fisherman in the US have a lot to learn from the Japanese. They really have the jigging to a science. Maybe I'll take a two hour crash course in Japanese and watch the video again.

One thing that bothers me about the Big E is the gaffing. I'm a head gaffer, and body gaffs offend me. I hate to waste a good eating fish to improper gaffing.

I noticed the Japanese don't use gaffs. They have these big nets to scoop up the fish. That makes for no holes in the skin and a perfect eating fish. The fish on the video were no bigger than about 40 pounds and the boat they were fishing on was not as high off the water as the Big E. I'm wondering if I have a big net fabricated with a long handle would the deckhands even attempt to use it. I don't mind spending a few hundred bucks getting the net made to support up to a 100 pound tuna. Am I wasting my time with this idea?

How long are the gaffs they use on the Big E, and where do they store them?

 

[MrBill]

a big net would be awesome. it would need to have a very heavy duty net with a strong frame and handle that would hold up when 2 guys try and bring those tuna onboard. just make sure that no one tries to land a cuda,wahoo or shark in the net. i had some one try that on my boat and you can not believe how fast a toothy critter can eat its way out of a net.
...rick

I'll get gunsmoke to make it. He's an engineer and his guys are awesome. They don't make anything halfass. It's either super heavy duty or it's not going out the door. I'll call him after his dove hunt tonight. I went bird hunting with him and 30 other guys Friday and it was 101 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. We found a way to cool off and shoot birds at the same time.

 

[MrBill]

Yea, I'm not fired up anymore about the trip. That gaffing issue has turned me off. I'll fire off an email to Miami.