• Rod and reel: A good medium-heavy or heavy-action spinning rod, 6 ½ or 7 feet, with a quality spinning reel that is easy to cast.
• Lines: Terminal line should be 30-pound braid. The leader, which should be no longer than 10 inches, should be 30-pound fluorocarbon.
• Float: A conical, non-weighted Styrofoam body that provides swivels at each end to tie the terminal line and leader line.
• Hook: A small but extremely strong circle- or octopus-style hook. Nothing over 4/0.
• Bait — Live shrimp, as large as possible (like 10 to 16 count jumbos).
“Shrimp to a tripletail is like oxygen to an astronaut,” Shiyou said.
• Sighting fish —Long lines of crab pots are ideal, offering a steady line of multiple targets set in areas that you know you can run safely. But anything that stands on or floats (no faster than the current) on the surface will hold fish.
“Never pass anything up without looking,” Shiyou said. “Even garbage or other debris will hold fish.”
Maintain a good speed, over 20 mph, and stay between 10 to 15 yards to the side of the targeted structure.
“Don\’t be afraid to throw spray on a fish,” he said. “They aren\’t easily spooked unless you change speeds too close.”
When possible, stay between the sun and the structure, “unless the sun is low on the horizon and you can cast a long shadow.”
When a fish is spotted, gradually slow speed and pass it by at least 50 yards before turning. Approach on idle until close enough to use a trolling motor if available.
“Try to position about 15 to 20 feet short of the fish downcurrent,” Shiyou said.
• Casting —The biggest mistake you can make is hitting the fish with the bait or cork. Shiyou said to throw 7 to 10 feet past the fish on a line a foot or 2 to the side the fish is facing.
“Retrieve the line slowly and steadily until the cork is about a foot in front of the fish\’s face,” Shiyou said. “Then stop and get ready. He\’s coming.”
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