Help with live lining at the Bay Bridge

[mytmouse]

Hi all,
I just got into kayak fishing this year and I must admit that I am hooked! My goal for this season is to launch from Hemmingway's and fish the Bay Bridge pylons. My dilemna, I have NEVER live lined in my life and don't know where to start...well that isn't exactly true, I know how to catch spot...lol! Here is where I am lost:

1) Is it free to launch from Hemmingway's? And is it clear where to launch from?

2) I use spinning gear, I will be picking up a baitrunner soon... do you guys use braided line or mono, flouro...etc.?

3) If braided, what knot is good for attaching a leader? I have never used leaders

4) Has anyone tried using eels at the bridge? Any luck with those?


Thanks for any help that you guys can provide!

MYT

[HokieDJ]

Not an expert by all means but I figure I give you data so you can compare to others.

1)
Yes. It's at the corner by the bridge. There's a small sandy beach. You can see it from google map.

2)
I use braided 50lb test for my 7 ft spinner rod and 20lb braided for my jigging light tackle rod.

3)
I use the palamor(?) knot. Super simple and pretty strong. Tested it against a 32" rock that gave me a ride on my kayak with flying colors. Had the rod bent over hard and it held fine.

4)
No eels sorry.

[DOGFISH]

I am afraid I can't be of assistance with Hemmingways, as I have never launched there.

Years ago I did use eels at the bay bridge. Yes, they are very good baits. However, you can catch your own spot. Free bait is good bait. Eels also tend to be a pain in the butt to use. They like to twist around you line.

Good knots to tie on a leader is a triple surgeons knot or a double-uni knot. You can go to fishingknots.com or just type in fishing knots into your search box and take your pick for video instructrions on how to tie the knots. However, those are two very good knots for joining two different type lines together. I use braid with a florocarbon leader. There are those who use a swivel between the braid and the leader. This is good if you are using a weight. In any case, use a plastic bead between your weight and the knot.

There are those who also believe that the tougher florocarbon or tougher formulated mono is better to use near pilings, as braid tends to cut off easier on the barnicles. I have had both cut off near piers and bridges. In either case you will probably want to use a heavy florocarbon leader as a shock leader. I generally use about a foot shorter than my rod, when tying direct, line to line. Go shorter if using a swivel, so that you don't wind the swivel into the guide, as it may break ceramic guides or the like.

Nothing wrong with spinning rods. I have caught sailfish and tarpon on spinning rods. With braid you won't have to use an extra large reel. The bait runner is a nice reel. However, the Shimano, Thunnus II is a much improved version for saltwater and live line fishing. Give it a look over. In the mean time, just tie a rubber band around your rod, in front of the fore grip, and put a small loop of line under the rubber band. Just enough for a strike from a larger fish to break it loose. I have also seen the ties from trash bags used. The ones with wire inside plastic. Loop it around the rod and then form a hook shape to hold the line, so that line won't come off the spinning reel. When a larger fish strikes the bait it will break the line free. The warning here is, you must keep you eye on the line, you are fishing near pilings. Too much slack and the fish will break you off. I have used these methods in open water.

Another way to fish live bait is with a slip bobber. That way you can drop your bait down to the depth that you want and it can drift. I have used this method sucessfully at the bay bridge from a boat. It is a fun way to fish.

Some day I may have to break in and give the bridge a try again. Just too many boats. It was that way even when I had my boat.

Good Luck.

[chimo]

I just started 'yaking and live lining the bridge at the first meet and greet and the advice I got there has been working pretty good for me. Been using 50lb or 20lb braid to a 3/4 ounce egg sinker to a swivel and then a 3-4 ft long 30 lb floro leader. I set the rod in my forward rod holder and then paddle in and around the pylons with a spot a few feet off the bottom. Leave the reel on clicker mode and when the line starts peeling off close the bail, set the hook and paddle like crazy as a rock runs you around a pylon ! Most of my success my first trips out came in about 20ft of water on the north span. The last 2 trips though, I couldn't buy a bite out deep and caught all my fish in 11 ft of water on the south span just before dark. Also started having some luck casting a spot well out away from my yak on the same set up and letting it drift around. Good fishin

Chimo

[Redfish12]

Stupidjet put together a good write up about this that got me started. http://www.snaggedline.com/boatyard/showthread.php?t=5

I do it a little different because I prefer to use a weight so I can keep my rod in my forward holder and concentrate on keeping my kayak close to the pilings away from the blues. If I had a hobie, I'd probably be more inclined to hold the rod and feel for the take. I'm not an expert, but it's been working for me! Important thing is to reel up a little off the bottom with the weight or your spot will wrap you on some nasty stuff.

[tj06sti]

I am of the opinion that leaving a reel in free spool mode live lining is over rated! It only leads to more lost or gut hooked fish I think. More time for them to spit the bait. Even tiny stripers I have caught manage to swallow the spot whole and head first! I use circle hooks though, and tighten up on the line immediately when I feel that line start moving away.

[mytmouse]

Thanks for all the help guys! I am in research mode...LOL

MYT

[ictalurus]

I can't help much with the live-lining stuff, but I second the triple surgeons knot for braid-leader connection. It's easier/faster for me to tie out on the water than the uni-uni. I haven't landed any big fish to truly test it, but it has held up well the to the rays I've hooked.

[surfdog]

real good info. here. my .02 is i use 20# braid on the kayak with a 20# fluro leader. i dont use heaver braid because its a bit** to break if hung up, most 7' rods arnt rated for 50' braid and they will break and the breaking strength of braid is usually a lot higher than its rating. i go mostly with an IM7 graphite rod with a bait runner. when hung up with even 20# power pro i use a break off stick so as not to break my rod or cut my fingers to the bone on the braid. when using larger rod and reels in the surf i use 50-60# braid its needed to pull larger fish through the surf.

[DOGFISH]

"The bait runner is a nice reel. However, the Shimano, Thunnus II is a much improved version for saltwater and live line fishing. Give it a look over."



Oops, gave out some wrong information. The redesigned Shimano Thunnus is the Thunnus CI4. Its name has to do with the carbon frame. However, it still looks like a nice reel.