In a time when we are in full-throated offshore (and inshore) fishing mode, I want to address the meaning of the title of this article. First, we all want to put gadgets on the boat to make it more efficient and comfortable. What I’m getting ready to say may offend some folks, but those who fish for results—rather than to look good or appease mom and the kids—will get it.
Less is more means the more open deck space I have, the better the dance floor is when the action starts. Period. I want a clean deck, free of “toe breakers” and stumbling blocks commonly referred to as seats and coolers I have to squeeze by. When a fish rips off drag and changes directions, I want open lanes to move up to the front of the boat or around the back.
You see, I’ve reached a point in life where I’m going to catch the fish I want to catch the way I want to catch them. I troll some, but it’s early in the day to locate stacks of bait and fish. When the clock is up to the 10 or 11 o’clock position, I start posting up with the Rhodan or drifting with a kite or float baits out. I keep a bait near the bottom and baits in the middle water column if they are marking on the recorder or when we get bites on the deeper baits.
What we do mid-morning depends on how hard the current is running, the wind direction and speed, or a combination of these things. If I could recommend one thing to make your boat rigging complete, it would be a Rhodan or some other trolling motor that will keep you in place or slow your drift with the kite directly out behind you, like you are trolling with the kite out. Trolling will allow you to fish the lower levels of the water column for the wahoo bite in the middle of the day with lighter tackle and lighter-weight jigs and drop a bait in front of Mr. Grouper while on the drift.
Keep an eye on the recorder as you make these long drifts, and mark the areas of bait, fish, and bites so you can run back up and make the same drift again.
I said all that to say this: Who says you must use a ballyhoo trolled at 6 or 8 knots to catch fish? Instead, slow it down to drift or post up on a mark and catch the pelagic and bottom fish while flying a kite or with float baits.
When you’ve got all that going on, excess comforts or gadgetry sometimes impede your fishing rather than making it easier.
Stay tuned to upcoming videos illustrating this style of fishing, but remember to keep the deck clean. Less is more.
SALTWATER TACKLE YOU MAY WANT TO TRY:
7/0 and 11/0 J-Hook Chin Weights: Target fish include Tuna, Wahoo, Mahi or Common Dolphin, King Mackerel, Wahoo, and more. Easy to rig!
4 oz. Crab Decoy Jig: Target fish for Striped Bass, nearshore Drum, Snook, Grouper, west coast bottom fish, and more.
4 oz. Tuna Squid Decoy Jig: From the eastern, western, Alaskan, and gulf coasts, target fish include: Tuna, Dolphin, Wahoo, Fluke, Flounder, Striped Bass, Seabass, Amberjack (east coast), Yellow Tail (west coast), California White Sea Bass (west coast), Grouper, Snapper, Halibut, Ling cod, and all Alaskan bottom fish.
8 oz. - 12 oz. 10/0 Squid Decoy Jig: Catch BIG Grouper, Amberjack, Giant Stripers, and more.
