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Thread: budget bluewater rig for all around fishing

  1. #1
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    Default budget bluewater rig for all around fishing

    Alright guys. My new job has me touring the oceans for months at a time. We run mostly in the Caribbean and around the top of South America on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides. On slower days such as today they'll drop the ship's speed down to around 4kts and allow us to troll off the back. Haven't been onboard long enough to know the exact conditions that we get to fish in but today we are in around 4000ft of the prettiest blue water you've ever seen with lots of weed lines. I have seen pics of guys on here with everything from some big bull dolphin, to wahoo, to sails and marlin. Since we aren't a fishing vessel I'm not looking to drop any serious coin on an outfit since it'll spend the majority of it's life in a locker but I'd like to be able to participate a bit in the fish calls.

    What do I need? What line test? And what types of lures should I be looking to pull?

    The guys out there right now are mostly pulling topwater stuff like bubbleheads but I didn't see anybody running bait with them. I'd think it would probably be better to pull plugs of some sort if we can't keep bait on board?

    Any advice is appreciated
    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

  2. #2
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    I’ve trolled off a submarine.

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    I mean...this is pretty much open ended and you could go 10 different directions from your question but if I'm thinking "budget all-round" set up, you could go with a TLD 25 or 30 for a conventional lever drag reel or a Penn Battle 6000-8000 for a spinning set up. Both reels would be budget friendly (Penn more so than TLD) and catch everything you mentioned. A large marlin could be a challenge but you could manage.
    Last edited by reeltight; 06-16-2018 at 11:16 AM.

  4. #4
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    Buy a used Penn International, Shimano Tiagra or Avet EX off of the Hull Truth in a 30# class 2 speed and pair it with a Pinnacle Marine rod. Load with braid and top shot with mono. You’re set for trolling with a quality setup that can handle larger fish. 1 setup isn’t enough, you need a bottom setup too.
    Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.


    You might take out a dozen before they drag you from your home and skull fuck you to death. Marsh Chicken 6/21/2013

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    I agree with Salty but think you should go 50 wide 2 speed- that ship is not going to circle a fish for you to gaff it- you need line capacity and serious muscle

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bad Habit View Post
    I agree with Salty but think you should go 50 wide 2 speed- that ship is not going to circle a fish for you to gaff it- you need line capacity and serious muscle
    30W with 60-80# braid gives a ton of line capacity w/o being too big. That was my only reason for a 30.

    I’d seriously look at the Pinnacle Marine rods though, damn nice and won’t break the bank. I got two of their bent butts and ordered two acid wrapped jigging rods.
    Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.


    You might take out a dozen before they drag you from your home and skull fuck you to death. Marsh Chicken 6/21/2013

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    You could go one rod Salty's way and then a set up with a Penn Battle II. The nice thing about the Penn is that you'll be able to pitch/cast a bait to a weed-line or whatever other target you are passing.

  8. #8
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    Sounds pretty good so far. Obviously I'm completely out of my element here as the only trolling I've ever done was way back in the day off the beach for mackerel with a friend. Maybe been out three times for that. Out here I figure it's too good an opportunity to miss so I'll be picking something up. Possibly two setups (1 conventional and 1 spinning). That spinning setup could be used when we are in closer for bottom fishing too.

    I heard someone had caught something earlier today while I was doing laundry. I haven't been outside yet to see what it was though.
    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

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    Think there are a few told 50's in the trading post....
    you aint did a dawg gon thang until ya STAND UP IN IT!- Theodis Ealey


    Quote Originally Posted by Rebel Yell View Post
    The older I get, the more anal retentive I get.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reeltight View Post
    You could go one rod Salty's way and then a set up with a Penn Battle II. The nice thing about the Penn is that you'll be able to pitch/cast a bait to a weed-line or whatever other target you are passing.
    I'd go Spinfisher, Slammer III or a Shimano Stradic over the Battle. They just hold up better, one season and the Battle's I've had sound like a coffee grinder. Or you could go conventional and get something like an Avet MXJ G2 and load it with braid for a bottom rod. I've got a few regular MXJ's and they don't have much drag, the Raptor I have is a tough little reel and has a ton of drag. The G2 is right in the middle. The standard MX is good for BSB/Bliner/Grunt type fish but its hell when you get something that can pull. I hung one of those big sand tigers on it a few weeks ago and used my thumb as a drag, polished it smooth but I got the SOB to the boat.
    Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.


    You might take out a dozen before they drag you from your home and skull fuck you to death. Marsh Chicken 6/21/2013

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tater View Post
    I’ve trolled off a submarine.
    Sounds queer...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12
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    does the boat have a freezer that you could keep a few packs of ballyhoo in?
    bet the cook wouldn't mind if you were sharing dolphin with them

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    Quote Originally Posted by Saltydog235 View Post
    I'd go Spinfisher, Slammer III or a Shimano Stradic over the Battle. They just hold up better, one season and the Battle's I've had sound like a coffee grinder. Or you could go conventional and get something like an Avet MXJ G2 and load it with braid for a bottom rod. I've got a few regular MXJ's and they don't have much drag, the Raptor I have is a tough little reel and has a ton of drag. The G2 is right in the middle. The standard MX is good for BSB/Bliner/Grunt type fish but its hell when you get something that can pull. I hung one of those big sand tigers on it a few weeks ago and used my thumb as a drag, polished it smooth but I got the SOB to the boat.
    I love my Shimano Stradic. One of the best inshore reels I own. On the other hand, I also have zero complaints about my Battle II's either (inexpensive and proven). You and I are defining "budget" differently that's all. I'm talking TLD's and your talking Penn International. For what's he's doing and how often he's doing it, unless he plans on taking up offshore as a hobby when he's on land, he just doesn't "need" that stuff to do what he wants to do. If he removes the word "budget" from his post, then yes, I certainly agree with everything you've said.

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    Quote Originally Posted by reeltight View Post
    I love my Shimano Stradic. One of the best inshore reels I own. On the other hand, I also have zero complaints about my Battle II's either (inexpensive and proven). You and I are defining "budget" differently that's all. I'm talking TLD's and your talking Penn International. For what's he's doing and how often he's doing it, unless he plans on taking up offshore as a hobby when he's on land, he just doesn't "need" that stuff to do what he wants to do. If he removes the word "budget" from his post, then yes, I certainly agree with everything you've said.
    I also said “used” on THT.
    Yeah, but do you consider a dog to be a filthy animal? I wouldn't go so far as to call a dog filthy but they're definitely dirty. But, a dog's got personality. Personality goes a long way.


    You might take out a dozen before they drag you from your home and skull fuck you to death. Marsh Chicken 6/21/2013

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    Quote Originally Posted by ecu1984 View Post
    does the boat have a freezer that you could keep a few packs of ballyhoo in?
    bet the cook wouldn't mind if you were sharing dolphin with them
    Two of my roommates here on the boat are the E6 cooks. I'm sure they wouldn't care. I'll have to see what Senior Chief thinks before I go buying stuff from the bait shack! The dolphin that was caught today was on a diving plug. That way my idea to have to avoid dealing with bait if that's not a possibility. I would think a ballyhoo rigged behind some type of bubble head would be pretty sweet for a lot of the waters off of South America! On the occasion that we pull into ports and moor up I've got some light inshore stuff onboard to play with snapper or whatever else I can hook up with from the pier. I was catching 30" reds, trout, sheepshead, and jacks from the Navy Base pier that we were tied to in Jacksonville. The Navy security boats told us we couldn't fish from the bank so we all just lined the rail on our ship and continued to wear them out!
    Last edited by Ring King; 06-16-2018 at 07:55 PM.
    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

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    To stay in a reasonable budget with prime equipment all you need for trolling is a hand full of 8-10" bubblers or tuna darts or better both and as Salty said a Pinnacle Xlr trolling rod but I would pair with a used Penn 50 TW to keep it cheaper over the VS models. John is the guys name at Pinnacle and he has some great equipment for great prices. I might opt for a large spin casting reel and 7' rod if you ever have the ability to cast to schooling fish as you can troll with the same, bottom fish as well. A couple of large poppers, a couple of tuna darts and some bubblers and your in business.
    Genesis 9;2

  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ring King View Post
    Two of my roommates here on the boat are the E6 cooks. I'm sure they wouldn't care. I'll have to see what Senior Chief thinks before I go buying stuff from the bait shack! The dolphin that was caught today was on a diving plug. That way my idea to have to avoid dealing with bait if that's not a possibility. I would think a ballyhoo rigged behind some type of bubble head would be pretty sweet for a lot of the waters off of South America! On the occasion that we pull into ports and moor up I've got some light inshore stuff onboard to play with snapper or whatever else I can hook up with from the pier. I was catching 30" reds, trout, sheepshead, and jacks from the Navy Base pier that we were tied to in Jacksonville. The Navy security boats told us we couldn't fish from the bank so we all just lined the rail on our ship and continued to wear them out!
    Don't over think it or over spend, some ballyhoo and a cheap pink and white or black and purple Seawitch will catch big dolphin and others all day long.
    Not much in the ocean better to eat either. Just get an older 5/0 or 6/0 red faced Penn and roll on.

  18. #18
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    What he said.
    Gettin old is for pussies! AND MY NEW TRUE people say like Capt. Tom >>>>>>>>>/
    "Wow, often imitated but never duplicated. No one can do it like the master. My hat is off to you DRDUCK!"

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by led0321 View Post
    Sounds queer...


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  20. #20
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    On the tug on trips we’ve made up & down the east coast, gulf, & Caribbean we’ve used parachute cord crimped to 250lb mono with the lure & have caught Dolphin, wahoo, & even a nice marlin.

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