stopping GT's

[Karl Nelson]

Been GT popping for about 18 months now and have landed a few good fish. But have had no luck stopping those big ones swimming straight back into the reef and busting off. Im not sure if im making all the right moves or what. Ive got my drag screwed right down, using big gear, trying to pull the fish off the reef by driving the boat, etc. But still cant get them. It gets a bit exspensive loosing 4 or 5 lures a trip. maybe thats just the reality of GT fishing.
         Any thoughts would be great.

[Robert Palcak]

Hi Karl

What rod, reel, braid and leader are you using.
Probably need to know that before we start talking technique.
That does sound like a lot of lost lures...

Cheers Rob

[Chuen Fan]

Karl, Reality is that there are just some fish, regardless of how much you screw down the drag knob or how strong you are, you will never be able to stop... I'd like to fish where you're fishing though!

[Karl Nelson]

Hi Robert
    Im using a 18000SW Stella spooled up with 100lb braid on a Monster Mesh Pe8 rod, 100lb twisted leader. Yeh sure is a lot of lures, at least im hooking them up i spose.

[Jon Li]

The equipments are up to the task , now what initial drag setting do you use ? Once the GT gain momentum and the reefs are only nearby , only " No Line Out " technique will work .

Jon .

[Karl Nelson]

Hi Jon
   I usally set my drag to about half but lately ive screwed it to stoppers but still struggle on the bigger ones.

[Luke Wyrsta]

What terrain/depths are you hooking these GT?

What size fish are you encountering?

[Karl Nelson]

Hi Luke
    Ive been fishing right on the edge of the reef at low tide, with the reef in about 8ft of water and it drops off to 40ft.
Ive managed to land some 30kg fish but have hooked up on some bigger ones right at the boat, and they just keep swimming.
 Ive been luckly enough to actually get a good visual at these fish taking my lure beside the boat, and i would estimate them in the 40kg+ range. all i gotta do is boat one so i can be sure.
 Cheers Karl.

[Scott Maybury]

Hmmmm, tell you what, I will come fishing with you....probably won't be able to offer any helpful suggestions, but will be able to share the pain and that is something, right? 

[Robert Palcak]

Sounds like you're getting most things right Karl... all you need to do now is... GO HARD!
If you're fishing with someone else... use the boat as much as you can to drag them into deeper water to get a cleaner fight.
Your day will come! 

[Sachin Chaudhry]

40 ft of water is barely enough to contain a 25kg gt let alone 40kg fish.
Looks like boat position and trying to get your lures in position so the strike takes place in deeper water or get the fish to swim into deeper water will help more than a PE12 rod.
I have used a Monster Mesh rod like your with a Stella 10k and PE8 and it did the job pretty easy on a 30kg fish.
Also nicer to use on fish of that weight than a PE12 rod as it take bigger than 30kg fish to load them into a proper working curve so the rod is not killing you.
Seen a 45kg fish landed on a Kaibutsu Long Cast and Stella 10k with PE8 so in fairly shallow water but we used the boat to keep the line tight on the fish all the time.
PE8 and 40kg fish is definitely achievable.

[Luke Wyrsta]

40 ft of water is barely enough to contain a 25kg gt let alone 40kg fish.
Looks like boat position and trying to get your lures in position so the strike takes place in deeper water or get the fish to swim into deeper water will help more than a PE12 rod.

Agree 100%. Words right out of my mouth.

If you can raise these fish in 8ft....there is no doubt you should be able to illicit strikes by fishing slightly deeper water, i.e. you should be able to attract them to attack deeper so that you have more of a headstart in the fight.