Rigging a stick bait for marlin

[Brandon Khoo]

The hooks used for sailfish are primarily saltwater flyfishing hooks like Owner Akis

[Robert Palcak]

We have an up and coming trip to Fiji and although our primary target will be GT's, I do plan on having a go at some Sails and Marlin. I've been into chasing Marlin for a few years now and have come up with a game plan.
Here's my strategy...
To find a beakie... either look for them as Shane mentioned, or tease them up to the boat, then switch them onto a "cast" Stickbait or Popper.
I have searched for a good "marlin" hook and a has already been mention, you will really struggle to set a heavy gauged hook into a marlin's mouth. The closest hook I've found to suit my mission is a Mustard Hoodlum in a 10/0. I believe that Owner Jobu's, the old Pakula Katana's or the new Dojo hooks would also suit. For the tail hook, I've rigged it with about 3 - 4" of 200lb 49 strand wire to gaurd against abrassion. Same hooks again on the belly set up as a baker rig or a head assit rig again using the same hook (will be experimenting with the 2 methods).
The leader will be single strand mono attached to suit, ie, 200lb for small Blacks/Stripies/Sails and 300lb for Blues (yes I know... big call attempting a Blue on spin tackle ).
The rods will be similar to what you use for Tuna, as Marlin are just another Pelagic fish... not a Reef Dweller. I will be using a BC75MH with a Stella 10000SW with approx 400m of 50lb Tufline as the lighter outfit, and a TBL711/35RF with a Stella 18000SW (20K spool) spooled with approx 400m of 80lb Tufline. I believe that in most cases this is ample line as you should be using the boat to chase the fish down. Drags will be set @ 8 - 12kg and only adjusted if absolutely needed.

Anyway, I've put a fair bit of thought into this and fingers crossed, it all comes together. I am certainly no expert and am open to further suggestions.

Note - none of the above is IGFA legal... it's purely for fun  

[Brock Arifovic]

Robert, you have been doing your homework, when do you leave, & who will you be fishing with over there?

[Shane Hartstone]

We have been toying around with Gamakatsu Sl12's in 10/0(SWF hook).  We tried to break one the other day, but couldnt do it.  They are quite long in the shank too, is this an advantage or a disadvantage?  Bloody sharp tho.

Robert, and lure in particular you have picked out?

[Robert Palcak]

G'day Shane
The SL12's are a brilliant hook... In my opinion, they are one of the best hooks of all time for setting in a Marlin's mouth, however, they are only really rated for up to 15kg game outfits. I do know of a few guys that will push the drag up to around 7kg, but I certainly wouldn't push the hook any harder than that as it will bend or flex enough for the fish to spit the lure.
I'm not 100% sure on which stickbaits I'll be using... although I'm pretty keen to try out the new Bobara's in 50 and 100g sizes

[Aaron Concord]

Being a marlin junkie among other things, I have heard Gamakatsu have done samples of 'hyperwire' SL12S fly hooks which should improve their rust resistance dramatically, plus bolster the strength.

Mustad are also redoing the 76LGS in a better carbon steel in the not-so-distant future I was told by a rep 2 days ago.

Both of these hooks, Pakula Dojo's or Cutlass's rigged as assist rigs or take the wire out of the lure to let it slide up the leader with a single assist out the bum, those are some of my thoughts.
Stick to finer gauge hooks with a turned in hook point.

Teasing and switching the marlin to the stickbait will work.
I reckon try and let the fish turn like we do when fly fishing so the hook/s end up in the corner of the jaw rather than trying to penetrate bill!!!!!

My 2 bobs.......

Aaron.

[Gavin Ng]

you just wont know with marlin, are they gonna come up and scoff the whole lure down their throat, or are they gonna show interest, sit behind the lure and swipe at it with their beaks? either way, the lure needs to be able to connect- in the corner of its mouth or on the bill, personally i think if the hook is just on the bill, it would get thrown off quiet easily on a jump.

what about leader lengths? how long u reckon is sufficient? definatley needs to be longer than the fish i.e- 3m+ because the tail would definatly damage the braid, any thoughts on minimum leader length?
 

[Shane Hartstone]

Robert, great minds think alike.  I'm thinking a 150g bobara, in green.  The main bait fish at home is a green Mackeral, and this lure looks the goods.

Every marlin will take the lure different, when to set the hook will be very important.  If you stuff it up, you will be huddled in the cabin in the foetal position.

Gavin, you just have to prey that the marlin will hoover the lure whole.  Im thinking at least 3 meters of 100lb twisty, to a one meter fluro 200lb bite leader.

[Ashley Cotter]

 Shane,
 The current bluewater mag shows the Rapala sub-walk 15, the jigging hook set up is a Decoy double asst DJ-83, they come in 3 sizes and they are as follows.

DJ-83 #M - 50kg B/S
DJ-83 #L - 75kg B/S
DJ-83 #LL - 75kg B/S

Seening that the lure is 150mm long i wouold go for the DJ-83 #LL.
Just remember that this is not IGFA compliant.

hope this helps

Cheers
Ashley Cotter

[Warwick Joyce]

Ok I have nil experience in this matter but i'll throw it out there,
has anyone considered string instead of hooks? I am not sure on what type of string you are meant to use but the theory is that it wraps around the bill when the fish swipes.

Actually thinking a bit more, that might be hopeless to cast

[Robert Palcak]

Both of these hooks, Pakula Dojo's or Cutlass's rigged as assist rigs or take the wire out of the lure to let it slide up the leader with a single assist out the bum, those are some of my thoughts.

Good call on the Cutlass Aaron! I didn't even think of using that... definately a nice hook shape for Billfish.

Shane... one of the main reasons I am sticking to 50-100g lures is that... the heavier the lure, the greater the chance the Marlin will throw the hooks with it's violent head shakes. Having said that, the lure still needs to match the rod so you can cast it effectively... althought you may not need to cast far if you tease the fish up to the transom! 

[Aaron Concord]

Gavin,

You are right, every marlin species has a personality to it, let alone the individuals.
From what I have seen on sailfish in Oz, if one turns on a cast lure, slowing down and imparting a 'dying baitfish' while retrieving at a slower pace seems to get them to hook up better.

All of the marlins, spearfish and sailfish are teaseable with hookless teasers, though smaller schooled up blacks, stripes and sailfish are 3 species that are found close enough to shore and school up enough to find in quantities to try casting at tailing fish or fish balling up bait on the surface.

My usual leader length for chasing billfish on conventional tackle is to have the length roughly the fish length. 3 meters would be fine for casting. Longer if you can still cast alright, to help control them boatside.

Robert,
 
They are a versatile hook!
The Dojo & Cutlass are pretty damn similar too!
Warwick,

There are still some places over in central America where using 'twine' to grip the denticles on a billfish's bill is still used, though busted off fish have a slim chance of feeding again....it works, though it isn't my cuppa tea!

Aaron.

[Warwick Joyce]

There are still some places over in central America where using 'twine' to grip the denticles on a billfish's bill is still used, though busted off fish have a slim chance of feeding again....it works, though it isn't my cuppa tea!

Aaron.

Hmm that's not good then, hooks it is.

[Gavin Ng]

since on the topic of marlin on threadline gear, what leader arrangement do people use? length? i was thinking either a single strand 9ft 150lb black magic supple or twisted 80lb (160lb) twisted 8ft with a 3 foot 150-200lb leader outside of the guides for a bit more invisability. 

for line i was going to put pe6 on a stella 10k with either a 16k or 20k spool,

do you guys thing the rig is up to the task? can you advise me on any flaws?

cheers

[Aaron Concord]

Warwick,

Funny enough, I thought the 'twine' method had a huge merit in areas where you find a mass amount of billfish which you do not want to harm any more than necessary. When I realized the mouth binding problem with fish that were lost with the whole rig I figured one or two fine gauge hooks were a better option after all.

Gavin,
Sounds like a terrific leader for billfish in the 50-100kg range to me.
If the water is clear or the marlin/sailfish are sub 50kg models then I'd only drop the leader strength to attract more bites with the lighter leader.
The leader length you propose is fine.
How are you attaching the 3 foot bite leader? Crimps or knots?
I'd be crimping it myself.
Having additional line for these open water runners is wise.
I like the fact you are looking at more capacity.
It comes in very handy if you end up with 2 billfish on at once!


Aaron.