Rigging for trip to Bassas

Good day all :::S

I am a new member that joined your forum today. Although I have done much reading through threads lately. Thanks for having me here.

I am going on a trip to Bassas da India in April, so I would like to tap your brains for advice.

This is not one of the charters from Bazaruto. We will be sailing up from Durban on a 42 ft yacht which is a monohull, not catamaran. This has implications in that turning around and chasing big fish is not ideal (On a previous sailing race from Maputo to Durban, I was trolling a small kona and got stuck into a decent Yellowfin tuna. The rig was a small Shimano TLD 15 loaded with dacron. It did not have enough drag to reel in the fish while we were doing about 12 knots, of course the boat did not stop or slow down as this was a race. Luckily the dacron was strong so I used gloves and brought the fish in). So rig strength is quite important here.

We will do trolling on the way there and back and around the atoll. It is estimated to take about 5 days to sail there with average wind. For this I am looking at a Shimano Tiagra 80 pound setup. Spooled with either dacron or braid (I read through the thread where braid quality was discussed). So my thinking is 80 pound dacron with a long leader or topshot. Alternatively 100 or 120 pound braid (Tuf line xp) also with a long leader or topshot.

At the atoll we will be moored on the leeward side of the wind. For this I am thinking a heavy spinning rig with braid (heavy coffee grinder on a rod that can cast and jig).

Also for at the mooring and when close to shallow water, I have a 9 weight Stealth large arbour fly fishing rig that I am thinking of going after smaller fun fish, nothing too serious.

I am all ears for advice and tips please. Maybe even if someone has a Tiagra 80 they are looking to sell. Thanks for the long thread by BluFlu and the crew about their 2011 trip.

Welcome!

See this link. Another member also going. http://sealine.co.za/view_topic.php?id=89482&forum_id=67

best is to make up bungies on shock cord for back lines on yacht that way you hand line the fish in great for tuna and wahoo etc not great for marlin and spearfish but using a thinner trace say 1,2mm and a mainline of 2mm the trace snaps easy to store as well on a yo-yo handline .

Hi Tackle, thanks! Have you done this before? I helped a friend rig a few bungies for a crossing from Cape Town to the Caribbean, apparently it worked well. But it sounds like a bit of not real fishing, I'm quite keen to tussle with something with a bill using a rod. I have heard there are Shortbill Spearfish around that area.

But I think it's a good idea to pick up a tuna. I will definitely have a line in the water all of the 500 nm on the way there. Is it worth trolling at night?

Jo.rademeyer wrote:

Hi Tackle, thanks! Have you done this before? I helped a friend rig a few bungies for a crossing from Cape Town to the Caribbean, apparently it worked well. But it sounds like a bit of not real fishing, I'm quite keen to tussle with something with a bill using a rod. I have heard there are Shortbill Spearfish around that area.

But I think it's a good idea to pick up a tuna. I will definitely have a line in the water all of the 500 nm on the way there. Is it worth trolling at night?

Click to expand...

Maybe you get a broadbill?? You will have to watch your line all the time. A big blue will strip your reel in less than a minute.

Right, so far I have found the following:

Trolling reel and rod: Shimano tiagra 80 reel and rod (bent butt stand up TI XTR ASPTR80B) for R9400 combo
Trolling line: ?
Spinning reel: Penn Battle 8000 for R1150
Spinning rod: ?
Spinning line: ?

its not a good idea to use a rod and reel combo on a yacht
1. you cant stop fast enough.
2.very big chance of you getting spooled = dead fish towing all that line behind it
3.very limited access to fight a fish from .
best to look at a reel like the Alvey reef queen type bolted to the transom/railing - very big 100kg+ yellowfin are landed every year on these by the commercial fleet trolling - use a pair of gloves and 2mm x 700m line.
PM if you want .

Hi Tackle, thanks for the advice. But I am quite keen to fish with a rod stand up. That is why I am going for quite heavy tackle. I have fished with a rod off a yacht before, somehow I manage to find a spot. The boat has a sugarscoop stern, so it gives some space.

I fish mostly with a Tiagra 30 wide spooled with 500m 80lb braid and a 50-80lb topshot. This last season we caught 7 marlin up to 400lb and yellowfin tuna up to 250 lb without being spooled once (on power boats). That 80 w will live in your garage for the rest of its life unless you go looking for grander marlin!!! I did a trip from Durban to Madagascar recently, on a 25m power yacht where the aft fishing station was not visible from the helm, and coming about was extremely difficult. After a few boo-boos we came right.
Under sail a strike procedure needs to be perfected, thats all. If you pull large Konas anywhere near the 1000 to 5000m contour, you will hook up with marlin and that is going to be a problem with an inexperienced crew. I would almost avoid it and target the smaller species like Wahoo Dorado and Tuna all managable on the above rig.

Haha, thanks for that. Then I will either sell it or go look for granders. But thanks for your advice, it is good to hear what the reels are capable of. Yes, the yacht is not ideal for fighting big fish. This particular one has a small deck at the stern, and this gives one place to stand and fight a fish. The cockpit is right there, very close, so communication is easy.

Thatsize, I would like to hear what brand of braid you using?

I have had good results with most reputable braids these days. beware of any "ultra low dia./ high breaking strain' and also Power pro. Power Pro has been copied by numerous Chinese manufacturers and I have purchased the copy both online and locally and it is very poor quality. Power Pro in its original form is excellent!

Good day all.

Right, I have done some buying and making, and this is what I have so far. I will make about 40 more home made surface lures, and I think that will do it. What do you think?

What I am most chuffed about is:

1. Bought 20 stainless teaspoons and drilled holes in them, for jigging
2. Received my package from Demon Tackle today, oh yes!
3. A bunch of hooks from Abaddon that will serve me well.

There are still some items that i need to get such as; wind on leaders, spare line, split rings, more konas. This is turning into a floating tackle shop!

Anything you guys spot that is missing?

You will need some short wide bodied jigs in the 200g size range.

Bwana, thanks will do.

Rigged some hooks last night.

lekke lekke...tight lines

Jo, No matter what we say, you will never have enough. Nice collection, keep us updated on your trip.

Just watch when passing Bassas as it is a french territory and a marine reserve at the atoll, not sure how large, with a military base nearby. If the frenchies catch you fishing there you will loose all your tackle and pay a hefty fine. Vacuum seal and date all catches you make, in steaks and fillets etc, in the event of being boarded to show that fish were not caught in the reserve. And there are monsters around there so take enough tackle, lots of spare tackle and heavy enough tackle. My mate who goes sailing/fishing near there, said that marlin were too much of a mission under sail and lines went up when they were spotted but tunny,wahoo, gt, sailies etc were all game. Good luck and nice lures there.. Take with more lures than you think you need and heavy wire and leader etc..

Thanks Doc, will do, got a whole bunch of 1.5mm stainless steel wire. Have made 30 poppers for kingies, will show you. Adding some things to the collection, but almost sorted now.

Yes we are aware of the French and TAAF, and made arrangements accordingly.

Sounds like you got it under wraps.. you are one lucky bugger

Also lots of spare line, you might get smoked a few..