Ski-Boat — May-June 2017

If you are casting a bait with the

intention of continuing with a slow idle

then I’d recommend rigging your livey

with the hook through its snout. This

method of rigging will allow your bait

to maintain a lively wiggle while being

pulled slowly just under the surface.

Some anglers prefer to bridle rig their

baits when using circle hooks but I find

this a bit unnecessary and time consum-

ing, especially if you are having to

change your bait every few casts.

When I’m drifting on a fishing ski or

ski-boat and I want my bait to swim

down a few metres, then I generally rig

it between the dorsal fin and tail. I have

found that rigging the bait through the

snout in windless/current-less condi-

tions often results in the livey hovering

for shelter just a few centimetres from

the boat/ski instead of at the desired

depth. Rigging the livey between the

dorsal and tail often results in the bait

trying to swim down and away from

where the tension is coming from.

We always use our Lowrance units

to locate where the gamefish are hold-

ing. If the readings are lower in the

water column then we try downrigging

the bait with an elastic band and lead

sinker, as you do for ’cuda. The only

challenge here is that you can’t use a

heavy sinker while keeping your reel

on free spool with the ratchet on.

TACKLE

We have been using the Daiwa Saltist

10’6” popping rods. You can cast a mile

with that rod as it has a responsive tip,

but it’s the enormous backbone of the

rod that helps you turn the tuna and

allows you to apply the pressure and

get the fish to settle down.

Braided lines have no stretch and it’s

vital that the rod you use has enough

action to absorb those massive head-

shakes from big tuna. There has been

plenty of heartbreak on our boat when

a friend, new to taming tuna on pop-

pers, loses a big fish because he didn’t

keep the pressure on the fish. The

added leverage that the popper creates

in the water makes it easier for the tuna

to throw the hooks if the tension isn’t

maintained at all times.

We have been matching the Saltist

6000H reel loaded with 65 lb J Braid to

the Saltist 10’6” rods. The smooth yet

powerful drag of this reel ensures that

you very seldom have to worry about

getting spooled as the reel comfortably

loads 300m of the 65 lb braid.

Another combination we have had a

lot of success with is the Daiwa Exceler

7ft rod and BG4500H spinning reel. We

use this set up for casting the smaller

Roosta 135 poppers and livebaits. I’ve

put this combo to the test with amber-

jack off Zinkwazi, tuna up to 30kg and a

lovely sailfish off Durban. The Exceler

is a super responsive rod that has the

perfect power curve for fighting tuna. I

find the longer 8ft rods with the longer

butts put a lot of pressure on my lower

back and the slightly softer, shorter rods

make life a lot more comfortable when

I’m putting pressure on the fish.

The latest tuna combination we

have been using is the 5’6” Daiwa

Jigging rod with the BG 6000 loaded

with 65 lb J Braid. This short stick

allows you to pump and wind once you

have hooked up, but it definitely tests

your casting skills! This rod is all about

power, and once the tuna starts pin-

wheeling you can work the fish up

with some good leverage.

Some of our other favourite rods are

the Pesca 6ft and 7ft rods. They have an

awesome power curve and can load the

rod without fear of it snapping under

pressure.

LURE SIZE

A lot of people insist on throwing the

biggest popper or surface lure that they

can to try get that big tuna bite. I don’t

disagree and have also had a lot of suc-

cess with the larger poppers.

My favourite popper has to be the

Halco Roosta 135 — conditions depen-

dent of course. The Roosta 135 is ideal

for days when the sea is relatively flat. If

there is a bit of wind on the ocean then

you just need to make sure that you are

casting downwind with this medium-

sized lure. This lure casts a mile provid-

ed you have the correct rod and a reel

spooled with 65 lb line or less.

Your first goal when popping is to

get the lure into the strike zone.

Secondly you need to ensure that your

rod and retrieve action allows the pop-

per to stay fixed to the surface instead

of jumping and rolling head over tail.

Tuna generally like a very slow action

and you don’t need to pull your arm off

by trying to make the biggest splash and

pop. Rather use the rod to create con-

trolled sweeps with the tip of the rod.

After each sweep of the tip you will

then use the reel to retrieve whatever

slack line there is. The popper will pro-

pel forward through the water, leaving a

bubble trail. When the popper stops it

resembles a wounded baitfish and this is

generally when the tuna hit it.

When the wind is up and the sea is

choppy we bring out the bigger Halco

Roosta 160s and Haymaker 195s. This

allows you to cast into the wind and

the larger poppers tend to hold the

water in rough conditions better than

the smaller ones.

Be sure to keep your eyes on the

popper at all times so that when the

fish hits the lure you are ready to wind

in whatever slack there is and set the

hooks as quickly as you can. Catching

big tuna on livebait is fun, but nothing

can beat the sight of a 25kg-plus tuna

smashing your artificial surface lure, and

witnessing the fish rocketing 2m into

the air with the lure in its jaws.

30 • SKI-BOAT May/June 2017