# Pelagic trolling speed, tuna in particular



## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

I'm keen to have a go at finding a southern bluefin off Kangaroo Island this February and I'm trying to work out what kind of trolling would be viable off a Revo 11, which I've found has a cruising speed between 4.5 and almost 6 kph. At least when I'm on it.

I've seen that almost all the reports of trolled up pelagics (tuna, wahoo, spaniards, that sort of thing) are off fairly long skis (or AIs) with higher cruising speeds so I'm not too hopeful but I'd love to know how fast you bluewater guys are going when you hook up. And also if some trolling methods work better at different speeds eg: a deep diving hardbody lure and a skirted dead bait.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

I'm going to chip in Squidley on Northern Blue Fin Tuna. You hardly have to be moving at all. I caught five this year, and was never travelling over one knot, though two were caught by casting into bust-ups.

I cannot comment on other species like mackerel, except that the few I've caught were again slow trolled.

For snapper and jewies, once again slowish (I don't have a fast kayak), though I know beekeeper trolls fast, and Thommo and Yaqdog from Coffs Harbour are Stealth owners, and get a lot of snapper on the troll (assuming fast).

I expect this has not been at all helpful.


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

No it's good Trev, it's telling me that it'll be worthwhile having a line in while I'm looking for birds and boats. Were your five all on lures?


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Any kayak standard pace is just right for swimming lures. I reckon a Palmy pillie rig could be worth a shot too.


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Squidley said:


> No it's good Trev, it's telling me that it'll be worthwhile having a line in while I'm looking for birds and boats. Were your five all on lures?


All were on a 4 - 5" white paddle-tail ZMan.

The other species were HB's.


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

I like the sound of this, thanks guys. Trev, I happen to have some of those ZMans


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## Dave73 (Dec 3, 2006)

Slightly off topic, but I just got back from Vanuatu where we were high speed trolling for wahoo pulling leadline weighted skirts at 21 knots. 
Something to aim for in your Hobie.....

Cheers Davo ;-)


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

Looks like I'll need to upgrade from the grey turbo fins to the red ones I've seen at the dealer lately


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

Dave73 said:


> Slightly off topic, but I just got back from Vanuatu where we were high speed trolling for wahoo pulling leadline weighted skirts at 21 knots.
> Something to aim for in your Hobie.....
> 
> Cheers Davo ;-)


The highest we can get is 16.11 knots. Do the Palmy guys troll faster than that?


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## dru (Dec 13, 2008)

Wahoo are noted speedsters, It still stuns me that the Palmy mob pull them in so frequently.

6k/h is a hefty troll pace in most fishing yaks. Interesting that K1 says slow was the go for NBT. For snapper it is said if you are paddling it's too fast.

Squid, chasing the SBT my suggestion (without claiming any knowledge, just trying the KISS principal) is simply put on a comfortable sustainable cruise pace and roll with it. Forget the speedometer. Just a pace that is comfortable. I wouldn't troll any lure that needs stink boat speed (skirts for one) and probably play with the lures a bit. Livies better, so those Palmy rigs might not be such a bad idea. I'd try something down a bit deeper, and something closer to the top.

Sounds like fun and a fantastic part of the world to do it.

Where is Shep? Sounds like his sort of question.


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## Daveyak (Oct 6, 2005)

.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

dru said:


> Wahoo are noted speedsters, It still stuns me that the Palmy mob pull them in so frequently.


The Palmy boys are pulling them with live baits and pillie rigs, so no real speed required with their presentations. Skirted lures need the speed to create their bubble trails etc that attract the fish and incite their prey instinct to strike the lure.

When I say palmy rig, I am referring to a weighted pillie rig as pictured in the Spanish Mackeral Fish of the Month thread post by Ant - http://www.akff.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43581&start=15 - Substitute the wire for a heavy mono.

The Northern Blues or Longtail that we are catching feed predominantly on small whitebait around SEQ. For many years the accepted method of catching them was to locate the schools and high speed spin small metal slugs at them, the smaller the better. This was a very hit and miss method with the tuna frustratingly zoned in on the particular sized bait fish that they were eating on the day and matching this hatch and enticing a strike was bloody difficult at the best of times. The first I heard of using plastics on them was a fishing writer for QFM from Bribie Island by the name of Eric Grell, maker of EGrell rods. he was using large 7 inch plastics in white to great affect and pulling tuna feeding on 1 inch whitebait whilst his mates spinning slugs were getting follows but no strikes, he imparted very little action or speed on his lures. In the last two seasons a similar approach has been adopted by the SEQ yak fishing community using smaller 3 & 4 inch plastics (white) seeing blokes who thought they would never catch such a fantastic sport fish hook up time and again. Presentation of these plastics has included, trolling at various speeds, casting and retrieving into feeding schools and simply deadsticking a plastic while you drift aimlessy around the general area you suspect the fish will be. The plastics are by far the most successful method I've seen or heard of to date on this species, I'm not sure how they would translate to the SBT's but there is only one way to tell. ;-)

I'm not sure what the SBT's feed on or if they get as focussed on a particular food source as our longtails, but these are just a few of the things I've learnt about our species up here from catching them myself and reading of others exploits.

Kev


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Use a livey and drift or slow troll 2/3 km's
I usually troll around 6 km's with the standard Safa pillie rig ,I've caught almost everthing with a pink skirt so don't be shy to put one on 
HB 's I don't have a clue but will trying some out this season for the Pelagics only due to the facts it's difficult to go slow on a wanker tub but do some research on the new Williamson speed pro 160 lures good price and great reviews in S.A 
Good luck


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Four no prem....


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## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

cjbfisher said:


> Safa said:
> 
> 
> > it's difficult to go slow on a wanker tub
> ...


Yip mate but I'm still ahead of you by a tub..... :lol: :lol:


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## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

Ah thanks so much guys, I've got a few viable things to try now. Extra thanks to Kev with more detail on the SPs and I was wondering about that pillie rig. Looks like that hook's been stood up in a spoon mould and had lead poured in?


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