GTPopping.com - Giant Trevally, GTPopping, Topwater & GT Fly-Fishing Resource
Topwater Caranx Ignobilis: Giant Trevally (GT) => Tackle & Techniques => Topic started by: Brandon Pope on August 01, 2013, 02:51:10 PM
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I am a long time tuna fisherman who is taking his first GT trip. I've caught several bluefin trevally is Panama, but again, this is my first attempt at seriously fishing for GTs. I have a TR GT710-8 and a 60lb OTI blank I had wrapped years ago. I've landed tuna to 130lbs on the OTI rod, but in deep water I don't apply more than 20lbs of drag.
I also have a 10000sw stella and 18000 saragosa loaded with 60lb JB hollow. I know I'll likely need to bump up to 100lb, but an unsure about leaders. I am also unsure about hooks and which I should place on my poppers. I would like some input here.
I'll be fishing Socotra for 5 days. I have plenty of poppers and stick baits from 80-130g, but would prefer to travel as light as possible. I was thinking a dozen poppers and stick baits would suffice.
I'm bring a 500g jigging oufit and I'll be fly-fishing the beaches with a 9wt as well as using lighter spinning tackle for permit and bones in the afternoons. I need room for all of this gear as well.
Any and all input is appreciated.
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Wow Brandon.. first GT trip and it is to Socotra!
My first reaction is that every piece of the equipment you mention is going to leave you under-gunned I am afraid. I will leave confirmation of that or otherwise to the guys who have been to Socotra on multiple occasions.
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Welcome to the Money Hole :D
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Money hole is right. I realize I'm taking another step into another hole. I'll just step lightly as I adjust to the temperature.
I have heavy equipment for cow tuna, but its not applicable here. I'm hoping getting "reefed" isn't a huge concern everywhere across the island. I can get close to 200m of 100 JB hollow on the Stella and the drag washers are beefed on the gosa. The rods are medium duty rods relative to GTs of this class. I think therein lies my main problem. Rigging is another.
As far as Socotra being an introductory trip, I've always wanted to travel there for multiple reasons. I literally had a tack in a map as a child indicating this as a goal. I think I'll try Oman in the next couple of years as well. I like remote. I do like to see people where I fish.
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I really think you will get your ass kicked. Which operator do you use there and do they not have any guide lines on tackle you should use
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As far as being fit and able bodied, I am. I'm in exceptional physical condition for 40 years old. I really need recommendations for rigging. If I need a rod with a PE10 rating to stop a fish, let me know. If I can play a fish with a PE8, great. I can fight a fish for 15 minutes while applying 20lbs of drag.
There aren't dedicated GT outfitters in Socotra. Sami and Nick used the same guy I'm using to arrange visas, drivers and guides, guides meaning someone to run the day to day logistics. In short, you fish with locals who use traditional methods to feed their community. What I bring is what I have, no shops or others to beg, borrow or "steal" from.
In my current fishing style of popping for pelagics, I never need a PE10 rating. If I hook a 150lb tuna, I'm in 3,000ft of water. I don't need to stop the fish. I want to know if I'll be casting to rips in 100m of water, directly to reef edges or mixes of both.
Obviously, I have no experience with the animal. Crushing strikes with powerful initial runs is the norm. What is a normal drag setting for the above fishing locations. What hooks should I use on my poppers for the drag settings. The lateral line on GTs in extremely abrasive. What shock leaders should I use?
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Brandon,
It's my understanding that fishing for GTs in Socotra has it's own unique challenges so the best information would come from people who have fished there and there's not many of those. Nick, Sami, Luke Wyrsta, Evan Gluck, Raymond Yong, Barry Kurten plus a handful of others that I know of. The rest of us are just guessing.
Brandon Khoo has got some fantastic general information about the type of tackle as well as leader systems, terminal tackle and lures pinned to this forum. The demands on the tackle as well as the fisherman is, in my limited experience, different between GTs and tuna. The general requirements for having a chance to catch GTs is covered by Brandon, the specific needs of being able to fish for GTs in Socotra can only be sensibly answered by those guys.
Not much help I know but I think that's where you'll get your answers.
Regards,
Trevor
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Thanks Trevor. I'm going to fish for GTs for the very reason you outlined, it's going to be very different. Fly-fishing surf for bones is also different and I'm nearly as excited by this prospect. Really, coral trout and bohrs all equally excite me.
I look forward to hearing from those who've made the jaunt. I also missed Brandon's stickies. I started reading these earlier this morning. I chalked up overlooking this to my excitement. This island has been on my list for 25 years.
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Brandon,
It's a real adventure, maybe one of the few left. Go for it
Trevor
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Hi Brandon,
As Trevor mentioned, I have been one of the fortunate few to fish down that side of world and I am busy in the process of arranging another trip for as soon as possible. It truly is a very unique place.
On the fishing side of things, as mentioned above by the guys .. You are going to be a bit very "out gunned" with your current setup. The fish are big and the currents even bigger. The small boats you fish off make it equally challenging because a speedy hook up and get away from the reef is just not possible and that's where you need the "heavy stuff" in terms of thicker braid (min 100lb) and rods with serious back bone to slow the GT's down while the little 40Hp powered boats attempt to tow the fish out of the current and away from the reef into the deeper water.
The fishing area on the east side is small and you basically drift down one long reef. The deep side of the reef is about 20 - 25meters of water .. on top of the reef probably 5meters, if that, for the most part. It does drop off deeper at the end of the reef, but most of the action happens over the shallow area where the current swell is churning up white water on the shallow exposed sections of the reef.
In terms of lures ... The GT's like big stickbaits and poppers. The image of one of the biggest fish I have ever seen inhaling Lukes 220 Orion Nambas stickbait will live with me forever !!! Preferred colours definitely seemed to be the black with silver flash coloured lures .. well at least they did when we were there last October.
In terms of Leader strength, I think Nick and Sami were using 300lb leaders and even they were experiencing what I like to call the "death rattle" (that unmistakable feeling before a GT reefs you) , but I am sure Luke , Nick and Sami will chip in with some very valuable advice when they get onto this thread later.
Jigging is a bit tough down that side because the boats don't have sounders or GPS, but that being said we did get plenty good species on the jigs, which leaves a person wondering what the potential could be in a place like that should one have the right equipment to find the reefs and pinnacles.
I hope I have been able to give you some better insight , please feel free to fire away should you require any further info, I am always more then willing to assist where possible and as mentioned above, I am sure the rest of the guys will climb in with plenty more advice when they next log on
Tight lines
Barry
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Thanks for the information Barry. Fishing without electronics, in less than modern boats and engines will make the experience even better in my opinion. Being an island, the areas available to fishing are limited. Modern equipment, aside from tackle, could exploit a near pristine fishery.
Thanks again for the feedback. I look forward to future posts. I'm up to a baptism by fire. Btw, did you fish from the shore?
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Hi Brandon,
I guess you picked up one of the most difficult terrain for your first GT trip,
you are under-gunned with your outfit and it is going to be difficult to explain to you in words what a 50 kg GT could do to you in that current, you have to experience it yourself to believe it, i wouldn't personally fish Socotra less then PE10 rod and preferably PE12, you are not only fighting the fish but the current as well, the bigger the lure the better you chance to hook the big one and there is certain time and tide that you can produce those class of fish, it is very sporty to fight those fish on the small canoe :) but i personally love the challenge and every bit of it, my suggestion to you is that you are going to a remote area and if you ran out of tackle you are basically done for the trip, so i suggest you to have at least 1 descent outfit for the task, i will be fishing Socotra in October with my clients.
good luck!
Tight lines
Sami
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I noticed you guys were returning this fall. The GTs picked me as much as picked them. I would be going to Socotra whether the GTs were there or not. However, I'm thrilled they are adding to the adventure. I'm fishing 4 of the 8 days I'll be there. The other 4 days I'll be trekking the more remote interior and I'll fish every afternoon we camp on the beaches.
I can't imagine words are able to describe how a 50kg GT feels in a huge sweeping current. I'll look into getting a PE10 rated rod for the trip. My PE8 will serve as back up. Do you feel a 10000 Stella will hold enough 100lb jb solid to pull a fish free of the reef? My poppers are rigged with owner ST-76 5X hooks and I'll file off the barbs. I've considered rigging with singles to reduce risk of injury when handling. Suffering a wound in a remote area isn't a nice thought.
I'll going to be traveling light as possible considering the activities I be undertaking due to bringing a bag dedicated to bringing school supplies to the local teachers. I'm a high school biology and environmental science teacher. My students and I are going to raise funds and donate supplies for their Socotri counterparts. I want to bring as little, but as much as I need to accomplish both goals. Two rod tubes is all I'll be able to manage. My reels will be in a carry on!
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Hi Brandon,
The kids will appreciate if you can bring the colorful Crayon, they were running after us asking if we have any.
i will make sure to bring some with me on this coming trip but any small gesture toward the local kids will highly be appreciated from the local guys, you will be fascinated by the island.
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Brandon,
If you want to make the most out of this opportunity rather than losing a whole heap of $$$ on bad-ass GTs - Sami and Barry have already outlined some requirements, but here it is.
X1 PE10 / 130lb Class Rod - 7ft+
X1 Stella 18000SW (Stella 10000 will not suffice).
The current can rage in this area, which means the fish is going to pull a lot of line in conjunction with guiding the fish across and out of the current, keeping the fish's head is pivotal to not meeting some of the famous rock and reef. There is a great chance, a trophy class GT will spool a Stella 10K (and a Stella 10K I would not use for anything greater than PE6-8, you will not get nearly enough capacity with PE10).
Leaders should be 300lb Bite Class with minimum of 250lb connected to the PE.
Owner/Decoy Split Ring #11
Owner ST76 Treble 4/0 / 5/0 minimum pending lure size.
Decoy Saltwater Treble 8/0 - 10/0 +
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Hi Brandon,
The kids will appreciate if you can bring the colorful Crayon, they were running after us asking if we have any.
i will make sure to bring some with me on this coming trip but any small gesture toward the local kids will highly be appreciated from the local guys, you will be fascinated by the island.
I'll be sure to do so. Thanks for the tip.
I've emailed several people who have traveled to the island for many activities, beyond fishing alone, and corresponded with Abduljmeel regarding donations to the school. The recommendations I have received is to make donations directly to the school or a governing body. Local parents aren't happy with tourist giving their children items. I'll be brining medicine to the clinic as well. This isn't entirely altruistic. I do want to ensure the local people see their island as an extremely valuable resource to be preserved and by establishing good relations I can hopefully make a good impression for fisherman and westerners. I can also allow my students to become more aware of the world outside their bubble, which is abnormally luxurious compared to a world standard, even though most of my students are relatively underprivileged by American standards.
Again, thanks for the canyon tip.
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Brandon, are you doing this trip under your own steam - by that I mean organising everything yourself? If so, would be really interested to hear about the figuring out the logistics and how you put the whole thing together.
Cheers
MARK
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Brandon,
If you want to make the most out of this opportunity rather than losing a whole heap of $$$ on bad-ass GTs - Sami and Barry have already outlined some requirements, but here it is.
X1 PE10 / 130lb Class Rod - 7ft+
X1 Stella 18000SW (Stella 10000 will not suffice).
The current can rage in this area, which means the fish is going to pull a lot of line in conjunction with guiding the fish across and out of the current, keeping the fish's head is pivotal to not meeting some of the famous rock and reef. There is a great chance, a trophy class GT will spool a Stella 10K (and a Stella 10K I would not use for anything greater than PE6-8, you will not get nearly enough capacity with PE10).
Leaders should be 300lb Bite Class with minimum of 250lb connected to the PE.
Owner/Decoy Split Ring #11
Owner ST76 Treble 4/0 / 5/0 minimum pending lure size.
Decoy Saltwater Treble 8/0 - 10/0 +
Thanks for the info. Is there a thread somewhere from which you took this info? It sucks to realize I'm already starting in an ill equipped fashion. It is not as though I have money bags as a teacher! I work hard and have amassed quite an arsenal for tuna over the years. I have more outfits to handle 200lb+ tuna than GTs. I might be better off bridling a small tuna and bump trolling it outside the currents for black marlin. lol
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Brandon,
If you want to make the most out of this opportunity rather than losing a whole heap of $$$ on bad-ass GTs - Sami and Barry have already outlined some requirements, but here it is.
X1 PE10 / 130lb Class Rod - 7ft+
X1 Stella 18000SW (Stella 10000 will not suffice).
The current can rage in this area, which means the fish is going to pull a lot of line in conjunction with guiding the fish across and out of the current, keeping the fish's head is pivotal to not meeting some of the famous rock and reef. There is a great chance, a trophy class GT will spool a Stella 10K (and a Stella 10K I would not use for anything greater than PE6-8, you will not get nearly enough capacity with PE10).
Leaders should be 300lb Bite Class with minimum of 250lb connected to the PE.
Owner/Decoy Split Ring #11
Owner ST76 Treble 4/0 / 5/0 minimum pending lure size.
Decoy Saltwater Treble 8/0 - 10/0 +
Thanks for the info. Is there a thread somewhere from which you took this info? It sucks to realize I'm already starting in an ill equipped fashion. It is not as though I have money bags as a teacher! I work hard and have amassed quite an arsenal for tuna over the years. I have more outfits to handle 200lb+ tuna than GTs. I might be better off bridling a small tuna and bump trolling it outside the currents for black marlin. lol
No thread. Just my recommendation.
There are some trip reports here that you can search too.
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Brandon, are you doing this trip under your own steam - by that I mean organising everything yourself? If so, would be really interested to hear about the figuring out the logistics and how you put the whole thing together.
Cheers
MARK
As I mentioned before, I have been aware of the island since I was young. I read about it in World Book's history series as a child. I read about the island one evening and placed a tack in a map marking it as a location I would visit one day. I continued to keep it on my mind through the past 25-30 years.
I studied biology and ecology in college and knew I wanted to see several of the species found on the island. When the island established an airport in 99 it went to the top of my list, then 9/11 occurred and my wife put a stop to my plans. We had our first child at the same time and she wanted me to stay away from the area. She knows my history of taking solo trips (I've hitchhiked through Mexico/Central America fishing and looking for reptiles and amphibians) and thought I might just strike out and never return.
Once I saw Sami's post from last October, I grew serious again. I began reading travel blogs and emailed a few people who had been. I read about the visa process, which airlines flew to the island and their schedules. I eventually contacted Abduljameel as many people who arrange trips actually go through him. He had many contacts for a lot of other things I wanted to do and I asked him to get guides for these activities. He put it together and here I go. I want to feel like I am as far from the modern world in the most biologically diverse location possible when I travel. Merging this with a relatively unexplored fishery is an just incredible prospect.
I've fished the Pacific from Hawaii, to Canada down to Panama. I've fished the Caribbean through the Gulf of Mexico to the Florida Straits. Aside from Hawaii, which has a over-exploited GT fishery, I've no experience with these monsters. I'm about to experience it the hard way, just as I like it. I'll be back to the Arabian Peninsula soon. Southern Oman is on the list. I would like to catch the GTs there as well as the pelagics and it has many species of snakes I want to see.
I don't see myself giving up tuna. I don't really care about marlin. They jump a lot, but a dorado does that and tastes great at the same time. Too be honest, the long-tailed and dog-tooth tunas would be the two fish I would like to catch the most in the Indian Ocean. So far, I have 8 species of tuna under my belt. I would like to increase it by these two, but my primary target will be GTs and other reef fish this trip. I don't think we can actively target either species of tuna with the boats available. Oman will fit this bill and add more GTs to my life at the same time.
Anyone else who would like to go is welcome to join me. Just be ready to put of your "big boys." I'll be wearing mine. Think of me as I'll be fishing while you guys open presents Christmas morning. I hope Santa Claus is good to me.
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Brandon,
If you want to make the most out of this opportunity rather than losing a whole heap of $$$ on bad-ass GTs - Sami and Barry have already outlined some requirements, but here it is.
X1 PE10 / 130lb Class Rod - 7ft+
X1 Stella 18000SW (Stella 10000 will not suffice).
The current can rage in this area, which means the fish is going to pull a lot of line in conjunction with guiding the fish across and out of the current, keeping the fish's head is pivotal to not meeting some of the famous rock and reef. There is a great chance, a trophy class GT will spool a Stella 10K (and a Stella 10K I would not use for anything greater than PE6-8, you will not get nearly enough capacity with PE10).
Leaders should be 300lb Bite Class with minimum of 250lb connected to the PE.
Owner/Decoy Split Ring #11
Owner ST76 Treble 4/0 / 5/0 minimum pending lure size.
Decoy Saltwater Treble 8/0 - 10/0 +
Thanks for the info. Is there a thread somewhere from which you took this info? It sucks to realize I'm already starting in an ill equipped fashion. It is not as though I have money bags as a teacher! I work hard and have amassed quite an arsenal for tuna over the years. I have more outfits to handle 200lb+ tuna than GTs. I might be better off bridling a small tuna and bump trolling it outside the currents for black marlin. lol
No thread. Just my recommendation.
There are some trip reports here that you can search too.
Much appreciated.
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I guess I should ask before worrying about it. I replaced the drag washers in my gosa 18000 with carbontex washers to help dissipate heat and make it smoother. The reel never gets used and is in mint condition. Could I get away with this reel for 4 days and then sell it? I was going to replace it with a new one anyway. It generally serves as a back up.
I'll start looking into a PE10 rod soon.
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Brandon,
I have a Gosa 18000 and it's a good reel for the money. You may get lucky and put one or two alongside the boat before it locks up or it may just explode on the first fish. I suspect the latter.
Regards,
Trevor
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Brandon, the very best of luck with this trip. Socotra is surely one of the most fascinating places imaginable and I am sure you will have a great time.
On the Saragosa 18000.... I have one with upgraded drag as well and hardly ever used. It might or might not last your trip - you may get lucky. A huge risk though.
For Long-tailed tuna - do not necessarily write them off. Certainly just up the coast at The Hallaniyat Islands they are frequently caught in shallow water very close to land.
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Brandon, totally understand your position.
Some sage advice for you: beg, borrow or steal a Stella 18K, or, surely you must know a friend that could lend you one for a Six-Pack!
You might catch (luck-out) and catch a decent GT, if you catch a GT over 30kg in this environment on a Saragosa - you will be an extremely lucky dude (buy a lotto ticket)!!!.
Sort your combo, tie top-notch knots and pratice some power casting! Big, cup-faced poppers over 150g and 200mm and BIG stickbaits over 250mm.
PS. It's okay to cry!
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Hi Brandon,
Socotra is an amazing place and I think the way to trying to plan the trip is a good one if you want to enjoy the island. Yes your GT gear is under gunned but if thats what you sticking with and not going to upgrade them make the most of it and give it a go but the chances of getting a beating are quite big! Just be aware not to leave loads of lures in fish with trailing line from being reefed, need to now when to call it quits if you are under gunned. But at least you will now for next time what is the score and will hopefully land some good fish. We have mainly focused on the GTs and these areas are very small in relation to the whole island. If you want to target the GTs then PE10 is a minimum and I was using 400lbs leaders which still got smashed. So take PE10, Owner ST76 5/0 hooks, 500lbs+ Crane swivels and as many GT lures lures as you can pack.
That all said this last trip I did a lot of light tackle fishing and it is awesome. You can walk along the beaches and have shots at bluefin trevally and off the boats over shallow reefs is really good fun. To be honest if you are only fishing 4 days I would most probably say leave the jigging gear as it is hit and miss and rather stock up on spinning, fly and surface gear so you have enough and can enjoy your time fishing rather than rushing around. The flyfishing prospects are excellent and there are monster bones mainly on crab and crazy charlie patterns. I unfortunately have never had the time to target the bones but a friend did a trip in March and had some great success. He reckons he lost some really big double digit bones.
Here a few pics of Rays trip:
(http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd127/NickDubai/Shop/P4010330_zpsde1d3711.jpg)
(http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd127/NickDubai/Shop/P4020363_zps35d7a92b.jpg)
Good luck!
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Classic! LOL, Luke just saw the end of your post! Yup totally fine to shed a tear or two, been close a few times and seen a few others on the border! Only in Socotra!! Basically nothing can prepare you for what you will experience if you get hooked up to a GT, even on the heaviest tackle you are 50/50 if you going to take a beating! Small boats, big currents, skippers that have never fished with rods before and have no understanding of english etc etc. All makes for a great adventure!
Cheers,
Nick
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I'm as likely to laugh as cry, but neither will embarrass me. I sincerely appreciate the information from everyone. I may take your advice and ask someone to hold one of my two speed outfits hostage for an 18000. I hate to ask such a thing knowing it would be punished. What may be a better option is to buy a SOM 16000 and punish the drag on this while preserving my original 10000 spool's drag.
Two other things I may consider is fishing inside the reef for lighter tackle bruisers, spend one day throwing poppers near the pods of dolphin around the island for tuna (I suspect tuna may be associating with the apparently numerous pods of dolphins) and then hit GTs on the last day. Being flexible in my schedule would allow me to continue to fish for GTs if I find myself particularly successful. I'll be sure to bring additional line, bring many twisted leaders and double to amount of poppers being brought.
I really appreciate the additional info, especially the fly patterns. I have crab imitations and I'll increase tippet size. I doubt fish are very spooky.
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I'm going to be the elephant in the room. The fishing there can clearly be fantastic BUT I really don't want to see any of our members becoming a statistic.
Brandon - you sure you want to go there on a DIY basis? The US State Department is recommending US citizens evacuate the country.
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_6046.html
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I've been monitoring the tenuous developments the past few weeks. I really don't think it's more dangerous now than months ago, with the exception of an absent consultant in case of trouble. Yemen is inherently dangerous, but I won't be tracing around the mainland. I plan to hang around the Sanaa airport waiting for my connecting flight to Socotra.
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Echo the words of Brandon, need to be careful there is definitely something brewing. I for one am not going to do any trips to Socotra until at least next year. If you can stay in the airport and don't go outside. If you send me a PM I can give you a possible alternative not to go through Sanaa going but coming back unfortunately you have to go through Sanaa but if you fly through the UAE you only have to wait about 2 hours.
I recon Socotra is no issues at all.
Cheers,
Nick
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PM sent Nick.
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I'm loading my reels this weekend with fresh line. Any advantages or disadvantages with jb hollow over solid? I've practiced the PR knot with solid, but I believe I could get more hollow on my spools. Seeing as I will be dragging GTs away from rocks upon hook up, capacity may be an issue. Spool sizes are:
10000
16000
18000
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Hollow core gives you more connection options. I would use hollow with wind-on connections for plugging for GT. That's what my friends and I use here in Hawaii.
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Thanks Mark. I've loaded them with hollow. I've also mastered twisted leaders, PR knots and what Nick uses, the GT yucatan. I actually prefer the GT yucatan and twisted leaders with 200lb. I can fire a 2m twisted leader fairly well.
I like the hollow a lot. No more biminis. I don't know why I didn't switch earlier. Habits I guess.
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Well, I was just watching the news and the airline I am using was hijacked. Doesn't really mean a lot. I'm still more likely to be killed by a lightning strike in Florida and I don't live there.
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Well, I was just watching the news and the airline I am using was hijacked. Doesn't really mean a lot. I'm still more likely to be killed by a lightning strike in Florida and I don't live there.
Socotra is hard to get to at the best of times.
Your lack of concern is both worrying and naive.
Anyway, each to their own.
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The naivety I have stems only from lack of experience traveling the area, not from lack of information and judgements made on this information. I understand the risks outside of my control. All that I can control, I am. It's either risk that which I can't control and experience life to the extent I wish or mark places I want to see from the list. I choose the former.