Fishing On Passage

[MMNETSEA]

Fishing while on long distance passage?

Probably one of the most important skills one needs to acquire. Important because it provides a source of fresh protein. Can be frozen, can be salted, can be canned, can be dried.

How do you catch fish? On rod and line ? What bait - fresh or artificial?

What boat speed?

Once the fish is landed, how is the fish gutted, filleted?

etc........

[Delezynski]

MMNETSEA,

We use a YoYo. It works very well for fishing, as long as you are doing "meat fishing" and not making a sport of it.

You might want to take a look at our "Video Shorts" page on our web site. It's at: http://www.svguenevere.com/videoshor...#Something_NEW

I posted a mini Op-Eval of using a YoYo during our cruising.

Greg

[MMNETSEA]

Thanks Greg, excellent !

Video worth two thousand words! Mahi Mahi that is a good eating fish!

I use the same type of spool - but also have a rod and reel on board.

Richard

[Nausikaa]

I too use rod and reel. It is a substantial boat rod with a multiplyer reel. A wire trace on the end and, when in deep water, a big baited hook. Years of deep sea fishing has taught me that the biggest fishing mistake people make when well offshore is to use hooks which are too small. I use Japanese, stainless steel tuna hooks. They work a treat. You can buy them from chandlers pretty much anywhere where Japanese fishing boats are to be found.

Looking at GUENEVERE's video, I would like to advise against standing, barefoot on the cockpit coaming with no lifejacket and nothing tethering you to the boat. From that position it is way too easy to go overboard, especially when hanging on to a fish rather than the boat. Fish but fish safely.

Aye // Stephen

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by Nausikaa

I too use rod and reel. It is a substantial boat rod with a multiplyer reel. A wire trace on the end and, when in deep water, a big baited hook. Years of deep sea fishing has taught me that the biggest fishing mistake people make when well offshore is to use hooks which are too small. I use Japanese, stainless steel tuna hooks. They work a treat. You can buy them from chandlers pretty much anywhere where Japanese fishing boats are to be found.

Aye // Stephen

If you are using a Rapalla - here's a tip

Keep a pair of strong long nose 'Vice Grips' handy. Note the red arrow pointing at the barb, well one has to compress the barb (see green arrow) on that hook in order to remove it backwards.

The alternative is to cut the hook off with a pair of strong sidecutters on the otherside then push the hook through.

The Tequilla that Greg was using to subdue the fish in his video can be applied to the finger and to the patient in order to make this a less noisy operation.

[Boomerang]

Interesting alternative, I must admit. We use a rod and reel, of which we carry two...one for light fishing when in port or on the hook, the other a more robust trolling rod. I like the trolling rod best, especially when others want to fish....you just cannot cast a trolling rod, and no tears or rips in the sails....which to me is worse than a hook in the finger!

Never done that actually...but had a friend do that on my boat years ago....while seasick and chumming over the side...we still laugh about that today...it was pretty funny.....

[Gallivanters]

We've always dragged one plastic "squid" lure with a big one-piece double hook, on a big Penn reel, which is held in a PVC tube rod holder lashed to the side stern rail or (now-a-days) stern arch. I've used all mannor of hand lines but I enjoy the thrill of hearing the strike on the reel followed by a stand-up fight to break the monoteny.

Just one lure has always provided us with all the fresh fish we desire. We've caught mostly Mahi Mahi and Tuna with occasional Wahoo. We've landed and eaten a few big Billfish (Marlins and a Sailfish) and hooked a few Baracuda and Sharks... which I try my best to release after removing the hook. We've also snagged a few birds and even a whale one time in the middle of the Atlantic! I lost more lures on the long passage from the Galapagos to the Marquesas than any other region.

Our last old boat had very limited refrigeration space so I'd set set aside enough portions for the next two meals and make fish jerkey from the rest. Our new old boat has a deep freeze and we're still enjoying tasty meals from fish we caught in French Polynesia eight months ago! But I still make fish jerkey when fish are abundant.

I find it beneficial to kill the fish quickly instead of hiving it fight to the end, so all I do now is reel the fish in to the boat, lift it with a gaff under the gills and cut the fleshy V-shaped section between the gills (near the heart) and lower the fish back into the water in order to kill & bleed the fish and eliminate the messy murder scene in the cockpit. Bleeding the fish and letting it die in it's own environment has a remarkable effect on the quality of the meat and makes the clean-up a lot easier when you're done bagging the fillets. Allowing the fish to fight for it's life out in the sun, in the cockpit spoils the meat to some degree... and makes a huge, bloody mess.

Pink and Blue colored squid skirts seem to produce the most fish for me.

To Life!

Kirk

[atavist]

I usually just go with the 6 inch pink plastic squids, 100lb test, with a #1 treble hook, weighted to run about 5 feet below the surface of the water (weight varies depending on speed). I've had good luck with this and catching footballs, I'm not a fan or mahi mahi (just don't really care for white fish), and I don't tend to catch many of them with this rig. .

[Yachtmaster81]

Hello everyone,

In my last sail from Israel to Turkey, one of the crew brought a reel, which he attached to the rail without a rod... we actually caught 5 nice Tuna in a month.

Now I'm thinking of purchasing fishing equipment for the boat and wanted to know if I should purchase a rod and reel and a rod holder or just attach the reel to the rail without the rod.

I was considering the Shimano TLD-25 reel.

I usually spearfish...

Your points of view are appreciated. Thanks.

[MMNETSEA]

Here is a URL to a method for making Fish Jerky (Biltong - dried fish)

C L I C K

Note: many of the fast swimming fish that feed on others are oily and therefore less suitable for drying. But the Eskimos who make fish jerky prize Chinook salmon - which has a high oil content

[chiroeurope]

Interesting way of preparing fish for long storage. In my family we tend to use the old Italian method of salt curing and drying the fish. The only draw back of that is that you have to soak the fish and pull out a good bit of the salt that penetrates it before using in cooking. The good part is that as long as it is dry you can leave it exposed to air and it will not rot or mold on you and I know of no insects that will try to eat it. I will have to look for a recipe in English or write one ourselves for folks. Michael

[MMNETSEA]

How about this recipe for Italian 'BaccalÃ*'

BaccalÃ* in stile fiorentino, o il BaccalÃ* alla Fiorentina: Questa è una delle ricette di base per il baccalÃ* e ha un enorme numero di varianti. Artusi omette il vino, altri aggiungono una mezza cipolla tritata per l'aglio, e altri ancora friggere il pesce separatamente e scolarlo bene, aggiungendo al sugo all'ultimo momento. Non importa come lo fai, va bene. Per 4 persone: Tempo di preparazione: 48 ore, 10 minutesCook Tempo: 20 minutesTotal Tempo: 48 ore, 30 minutesYield: 4 porzioni Baccala'Ingredients fiorentino: 2 libbre (1 k) baccalÃ* bagnato (link alle istruzioni di seguito) tagliato in due pollici fette attraverso il grano e floured1 / 2 tazza di olive oil2-3 chiodi di garofano tritati sgusciati di garlicFreshly pepperWhite terra vitivinicolo1 libbra (450 g) pelati, privati dei semi i pomodori freschi o 3 / 4 di libbra in scatola tomatoes.A mazzetto di prezzemolo, mincedPreparation: Scaldare l'olio in una padella e aggiungere l'aglio. Quando è leggermente dorato, aggiungere il pesce, spostandola su delicatamente per paura che si attacchi. Quando un lato è rosolata, si gira leggermente e marrone l'altro. Aggiungere un pizzico di pepe macinato fresco (sale non dovrebbe essere necessario) e spolverare con un po 'di vino. Quando il vino sarÃ* evaporato, aggiungete i pomodori e proseguite la cottura per qualche minuto, finché la salsa è cotta, cospargete con il prezzemolo tritato e servire caldo. Ingredienti per quattro.

baccalÃ* alla fiorentina viene spesso servito con piselli lessati pianura pulcino.

Se si aggiunge un peperoncino tagliuzzato caldo al sugo di pomodoro, si avrÃ* baccalÃ* alla Livornese.

Un vino? Bianco, e dal momento che siamo in Toscana, la Vernaccia di San Gimignano

[chiroeurope]

Si quello è una ricetta per fare ma se ti conosce una o due secrete per preparazione la pesce non bisognoso di 48 ori prima sotto acqua. Anche baccalÃ* non è bisognoso per Ragù tipo Livornese dentro la Sud. Ma è una buona ricetta, quella.

Grazie per scritte nel' Italiano perché è moltissimo bisognoso per mia pratica la lingua. Non vorrei lasciare la giusto usare della lingua mio parenti.

Michael

[MMNETSEA]

Originally Posted by chiroeurope

Si quello è una ricetta per fare ma se ti conosce una o due secrete per preparazione la pesce non bisognoso di 48 ori prima sotto acqua. Anche baccalÃ* non è bisognoso per Ragù tipo Livornese dentro la Sud. Ma è una buona ricetta, quella.

Grazie per scritte nel' Italiano perché è moltissimo bisognoso per mia pratica la lingua. Non vorrei lasciare la giusto usare della lingua mio parenti.

Michael

Hi Michael,

Forgive? I was just pulling a 2011 leg.

I love Italian food and despite all the olive oil that that they use, they don't seem to have similar obesity problems that are such feature of many other countries and nationalities.

Richard.

[chiroeurope]

With the elderly there is a problem and it is becoming a problem among sections of society in Italy. You have to remember though Italy is very stubborn about how we live our lives. We eat well but not too much as that is not good for and we know that sweets will kill us (diabetes is THE No1 killer in Italy). So for us it eat well have the bitter with the sweet and watch the carb's. It is very interesting that societies that are high carbohydrate also all have high obesity problems, while those that are more balanced or have a higher fat/oil intake don't have these problems. The public published experts would have you believe that fats are the enemy of good health; being a physician with advance training and practice in nutrition I don't agree. Than again who am I but a good student of the body and known proven biological functions, compared to published great persons that are so well paid to give their opinions . Sorry, one of my soapboxes/hot buttons, have done way too much palliative care for those who are dealing with the mid to later stages of diseases born from bad diet that will quote the garbage at me like it is scripture, when in reality there is little real fact behind those positions and what is there is twisted. Again my apologies, very hot button. I have been told that I care too much for my patients and it gets me in trouble.

Now back to discussions of Fish and fishing which is not only for the body as food but also for the enjoyment of the doing.

Michael

Edited to add a bit of lightness to a heavy response

[Silver Raven]

G'day all. First - Michael - "With the elderly there is" always a problem & in all ways. No apologies necessary for - very hot button - am sure as eggs - that 99% of us agree. Am equally sure that with Richard, yourself & others (Dr's all) we could learn a whole lot about being healthier. Now; Michael, Richard, Stephen, Charles & Kirk & crew Back to; Fishing etc etc. I've towed a few lines over a number of years. Of prime importance when fishing - to remember to 'reel the bloody line in before wrapping it around the rudder, shaft or prop. We've all - been there done that. (Even some Canucks sailing in Chile) Through much trial & even more errors I've arrived at the following. One fixed reel attached to the boat - a big one (10" -250mm) dia. c/w (200 lb/ 90k) breaking strain - 300' (100mtrs) line plus 90' (30mtrs) of 100 lb (45 k) wire trace. If I'm serious about catching fish (to fill the larder) them 3 lines - - one off center line that is short & deep ( 40 mtrs @ 8mtrs deep) 2nd one to stbd (80mtrs @ 2 to 4 mtrs deep) 3rd one 100mtrs on the surface. Like Kirk my most 'mangled' lure is bright red/orange/tangerine & about 6 to 9" (150 to 230mm) long. Haven't noticed that a 'skirt' makes a substantial difference. Many,many hours of trawling all on the East coast of Aussie land from Hobart to Broome both inside & outside of the reef. We use big hand lines when fishing in the reef while at anchor. Big fish needs big gear & thick gloves. NOW on to jerki; here in Aussie land we have a plastic square mesh used in house gutters (called 'gutter-guard- funny that) - it's about 250 to 300 mm wide - 3mm plastic semi flat c/w 25mm sq mesh. I wire two pieces together down one side about a 1/2 a mtr long - cut any & all fish into long thin strips - tie the other 3 sides together & hang it in the rigging & PRESTO 3 to 5 days in the sun I've got jerki. Mind you this is all in the hot tropics of Northern Aussie land. Over 20 years I've not had one bit go off, make me sick or last very long. Used to make about 10 ks a week when we ran a charter boat & it was never enough to last the 10 days at sea for 15 people. Hope I didn't bore you with all the details but - - fish is very healthy!! I eat about 2 ks a week both raw & cooked - fresh & salt water. Enjoy all things from the sea y'all. Ciao, jj aka SR PS no live fish comes into the cockpit - kill board across the back (clean cockpit, no blood in the sheets (ha) & still toes & fingers the way they should be) Thanks y'all & good times everybody!