Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) > Tackle & Techniques

What Combo Do You Use!? (GT Fishing & Popping)

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Andrew Susani:
Mark G, how do you break off if you get snagged on the elephant gun tackle?   ???

Christoffer Hansen:
Mark,
It sounds like you may need a handline n tie it off to the side of the boat when u get the bite! Using that heavy line seems like overkill when the max drag from the spool of a filled Stella is around 20kgs. You won't snap pe12 in a straight line let alone your pe20!

Mark Gonsalves:
We never have to "break off".  We never get snagged.  The GT routinely grab our baits and dive for the pilings and "break off" for us.  On an occasion they will run "out" instead of down, then we have a chance to tire them out.  Very rare.  The Stella"s drag is set at about 30lbs, just about the point where I will get pulled into the water cause I am sitting on the edge of a pier.  The usual 40-50lb GT will take, maybe, 5 to 10 yards in the tug of war.  If the GT decides to run out then we loosen the drag.  All the larger GT we sight hook have ALL run straight under us into the pier piling except for one.

Using a handline and/or rope wouldn't be sporting to me or my friends.  We aren't fishing from a boat.  We are on a pier about 5' above the GT and tease them with live or dead baits. Watching the GT come and devour our baits is really exciting.  Always white knuckles when the initial circling of the bait begins.  For bait we use 2-5lb ladyfish, leatherbacks, small jacks up to 2lbs, Pacific threadfin, goatfish, scads, and surgeonfish.

Nathan Tsao:
Sounds like you live hawaii, fishing from military access?

Carl Hollis:
I regularly land base cast around Sydney ledges for Kings, so have acquired the following over the past 12mths and am happy with all of it:

Rods: Zenaq Fokeeto 83-7, Saltiga Dorao 80TN, new Saltiga Dorado MO83
Reels: Stella 10000SW, Twinpower 5000
Line: 2x10000 spools with 65 and 50lb JB solid (soon to purchase JM16000 spool for 80lb), 2x5000 spools with 20 and 30lb JB solid

But now, we have just booked a trip to Rarotonga at the end of May for a week and I am in the market for my first popping stick in the prospect of my first GT, and the inevitable addiction that is sure to follow. I have read a lot of the info on this site and am still a bit undecided. CV79 is looking very tempting as long as it isn't too similar to the 83-7 re stick baits, and also it may too short for popping off the stones (no dedicated boat rods here, I wouldn't be able to help myself!) What has grabbed my attention is the FCL Labo UCB 80EXT as a more dedicated popping stick with a few inches extra (same length as 80TN). I'd be keen to hear opinions on these two rods compared? Like others here, I'm also really keen to purchase a Salty 5000H, or maybe the new Catalina 5000H loaded with PE8 in comparison to the Stella.

Good informative thread also!

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