Suggestions needed. 100% newbie.

[Humberto Salinas]

Hi BD,

Just got my first boat. Never fished salt on a private boat or even knew anyone that owned a boat but I got the fishing bug hard about 10 years ago. Started in the Eastern Sierra trout fishing then to kayak fishing inshore. Now got my boat last month.

Bought it from the east coast and did a trial run a couple weeks ago. Everything functioned as it should but I only kept it local. I want to make the run for the bft we are seeing. Got towboat us coverage for the what ifs. My vhf goes in and out though. I do have a handheld one.

Another problem is that I have no tuna gear. Managed to get a couple madmacs and 200 leader a couple days ago. I also have an older GF 765 L rod that I got in a package deal years ago. Can I use that for trolling the madmacs? What's the cheapest reel I could get for it? How to rig it, strait braid to the leader?

The boat is a smaller boat but very capable Arima 21' Sea Ranger. I'm not too worried about its seaworthiness if I pick my days. Mainly about fog that I've seen while kayak fishing.

Traditional wisdom is to get more experience with the boat. But with towboat and that many boaters out there, is it that bad?

Many questions but hopefully I get some insight with you more experienced skippers in the area.

Ps I wouldn't be taking the family on this trip.

 

[JK155]

Nice boat!
I vote VHF radio x 2, towboat subscription, Fishdope subscription (the chart and the GPS # are really informative to a newer fisherman like myself. There's lots of information on BD but fishdope charts are really informative with locations of fish caught and reported), Navionic app and subscription on phone.

I have a BF130 on our 18 cc. Flush the hell out of it since head corrosion is a known issue with our motors.

 

[John Stidman]

Bluefin are being caught few miles out up 50 miles out. Catalina Island and in between. I seen very small skiffs out there 40 miles out last Saturday killing it. Weather is key. Buddy boat if you can and go get em. Follow the reports here on Southern water fish reports. Also under fishing chit chat ask around. These guys are the best at helping.

 

[Hismosa]

Fish the local waters for a bit and get familiar with the boat and all its systems before heading that far offshore. The BFT hang around all year so no need to rush it.

 

[Hawgboy]

Have all coast guard requirements met

 

[Big_Tuna_]

Start by hitting the spots you fished with your kayak and move up from there

 

[Big_Tuna_]

And get a new VHF ASAP

 

[the SLIDER]

Well, let me save you some heartache. PM me and I will give you an address to send those Madmacks to. I'm used to disappointment.

So far, us arima owners have a decent reputation on the water. Don't "F" that up.

ArimaOwners.com - Index

ArimaOwners.com - Index

www.arimaowners.com

Addition:
I was enlarging the pictures to check out the boat. Please put a cover/cap on your gaff and store it below the gunwale. Very unsafe at that height and placement.

 

[af dreamer]

Personal EPIRB.Tom

 

[John S.]

There is so much to say on this topic. First off, I like your boat. However, you need to really figure out this boat. Do you know your average miles per gallon in good conditions and not good conditions? How new are the batteries? Don’t depend on a VHF that goes in and out. Do you have a chart plotter? Better yet, if you do have one and it craps out can you navigate back home with nothing more than a compass and a chart? Have you been out in fog and had to navigate back home? Vessel Assist is critical. So, definitely good to have. Be redundant. I have a fixed mount VHF and two handhelds. I have an Epirb and a chart plotter and a handheld gps. Take a course through the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I see pictures of kids on your boat. You do everything you can to keep them safe on your boat and everyone else you take out. Be over prepared and always check the weather and know what conditions are beyond your comfort level. Make up a ditch bag. There are guys who wing it and there are guys who old school it and prepare for the worse and hope for the best. And, yeah, I have a small boat and I do know the average miles per gallon, I can navigate in the fog, read a chart and have taken a course.

John
1996 1850 Seaswirl W/A

 

[swami 805]

Get your vhf fixed first, can’t call for help unless you yell really loud
Once that’s done have at it, no better way to learn than doing it
You’ll want some heavy gear for those bluefin , no use getting corn holed and loosing those golden lures. An older roller rod of decent quality and a Penn 6/0 114H full of 80lb will get you in the game pretty cheap, far less than ideal but at least you have a shot. Otherwise drop a grand-1500 on a top of the line set up to give you every advantage. If you really get into and get a mid priced set up, while they’ll work there’s a reason they’re mid priced. Buy once cry once
Nice boat and should serve you well but remember if it sounds like a stupid idea it probably is, pick your days and goals wisely

 

[Derby]

But with towboat and that many boaters out there, is it that bad?

Yup! Most likely out of VHF range and no other boat in sight.

Depending on others out there as a crutch for what you don't know is not a good idea.

Sorry to be blunt.

 

[charliecat]

Couple grand for a radar is money well spent... when you really need it, it will pay for itself in one day.
Nice skip top. Great boats.
EPIRB, hydrostatic PFD with a floating water proof handheld, flares, air horn, all the stuff mentioned above.
Good luck and go gettum

 

[sdjfish]

You may have a bad antenna or corroded connection. Enjoy the boat shit happens be prepared.

 

[Humberto Salinas]

Couple grand for a radar is money well spent... when you really need it, it will pay for itself in one day.
Nice skip top. Great boats.
EPIRB, hydrostatic PFD with a floating water proof handheld, flares, air horn, all the stuff mentioned above.
Good luck and go gettum

All new electronics are the plan.

I'm just itching to get out there.

 

[swami 805]

If it’s running good take it local this weekend. Do some fishing and get to know what you got. Scratch the itch, get your skills boat handling up to par up close. Use your free time doing that instead of spending a bunch of money and tinkering in the driveway. Dial in that radio though

 

[Humberto Salinas]

There is so much to say on this topic. First off, I like your boat. However, you need to really figure out this boat. Do you know your average miles per gallon in good conditions and not good conditions? How new are the batteries? Don’t depend on a VHF that goes in and out. Do you have a chart plotter? Better yet, if you do have one and it craps out can you navigate back home with nothing more than a compass and a chart? Have you been out in fog and had to navigate back home? Vessel Assist is critical. So, definitely good to have. Be redundant. I have a fixed mount VHF and two handhelds. I have an Epirb and a chart plotter and a handheld gps. Take a course through the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I see pictures of kids on your boat. You do everything you can to keep them safe on your boat and everyone else you take out. Be over prepared and always check the weather and know what conditions are beyond your comfort level. Make up a ditch bag. There are guys who wing it and there are guys who old school it and prepare for the worse and hope for the best. And, yeah, I have a small boat and I do know the average miles per gallon, I can navigate in the fog, read a chart and have taken a course.

John
1996 1850 Seaswirl W/A

Thanks John for the insight.

I cannot navigate with a chart. But I do have GPS on the fish finder and also on my phone. The phone GPS works without internet. After many comments I'm looking into the EPIRBs. Will look into chart navigation.

I took the course last year. But probably need a refresher since it was done quickly online.

Family won't go with me offshore this season.

 

[Zbba]

I started out last year getting into it and really got into trawling the madmacs this year.

I went with the avet HXW. It's a bit pricier but honestly only like 2-3x the cost of a madmac now . We use 80lb braid to 80lb mono.

Get some 4/0 treble hooks and split ring pliers and replace the back hook of those madmacs. You will have more heartbreak with the stock hooks for sure.

Logistically you'll also want a kill bag.

 

[Humberto Salinas]

If it’s running good take it local this weekend. Do some fishing and get to know what you got. Scratch the itch, get your skills boat handling up to par up close. Use your free time doing that instead of spending a bunch of money and tinkering in the driveway. Dial in that radio though

Yeah in retrospect a radio is relatively cheap but I'm not sure what electronics I'll go with. I may want to network it with the mfd so I'm trying to wait.

 

[Humberto Salinas]

I started out last year getting into it and really got into trawling the madmacs this year.

I went with the avet HXW. It's a bit pricier but honestly only like 2-3x the cost of a madmac now . We use 80lb braid to 80lb mono.

Get some 4/0 treble hooks and split ring pliers and replace the back hook of those madmacs. You will have more heartbreak with the stock hooks for sure.

Logistically you'll also want a kill bag.

Logistically all this may be a bad idea.

Told the wife, the chance of ME catching a bft is close to impossible....but not zero. If I do catch one, I have no bag and my garage freezer is full. Best to wait but man I want to give it a shot.

 

[Humberto Salinas]

Well, let me save you some heartache. PM me and I will give you an address to send those Madmacks to. I'm used to disappointment.

So far, us arima owners have a decent reputation on the water. Don't "F" that up.

ArimaOwners.com - Index

ArimaOwners.com - Index

www.arimaowners.com

Lol

What's your username on AO? Been there for a couple years.

 

[Zbba]

Logistically all this may be a bad idea.

Told the wife, the chance of ME catching a bft is close to impossible....but not zero. If I do catch one, I have no bag and my garage freezer is full. Best to wait but man I want to give it a shot.

Honestly, with madmacs it's not that hard. If you put them at the end of your pole and drive around the zones on fishdope you will get bites. The cool thing with madmacs is you can run them on a pretty heavy setup so it's not very hard to reel in a 100lber, even for a noob.
Just do it on days with nice weather (carry an EEPRB) and you're doing pretty well. I would suggest also a small hand-gaff they sell them at squidco. It gives you good leverage to get larger fish into the boat easier.

 

[Rtlife]

I got my boat about a month ago as well if you ever want to buddy boat. I’m a kayak fisherman who upgraded too.

Looking to get my first BFT this season. Heading out with a couple of buddies next Saturday if weather looks right. I live in San Diego. Where are you located?

 

[Ditch work]

I learned by riding a friend's boat before I got mine. Can't imagine starting cold. I'm with the guy that said take it slow. Learn your boat...and learn to trust your boat. You'll know the feeling of your outboard, sometimes u can feel when somethings off or if its stuggling.. like if it's sluggish.. maybe dragging kelp or taking on water.. maybe find a buddy that knows what he's doing to walk you thru some of it. I had a bilge go out and a crack in my bait tank overflow and I found out because the boat felt heavy. Got home in one piece, and carry a spare with me now. You got kids man, bluefin aren't worth the risk rushing offshore. Stay local, within eyeshot of land, for at least 5 more trips. Then maybe make thr leap to catalina.. then go offshore.

A few recommendations:
- 2x on thr nav, chartplotter and phone navionics. Bc any more than 10 miles out might as well be on another planet.
- epirb. I like the inreach mini, sends texts to let your loved ones know your safe.. Also sends location into along with it, so they know where to come find you.. works as epirb if things go south.
- pfds, flares, reflectors, and stuff...ditto that.
- anchor..and know how to set it.
- nav/safety lights all working..spotlight is nice too
- buoyweather or some other reliable weather source. Don't bother going out when its bad. 10kts is uncomfortable, 15kts is pretty unfishable (unless you're a badass, I'm not and neither are you yet). Short period swell makes for a long day.
- gear. Just get the right gear. Seen too many people lose golden opportunities to gear failure. You might only get 1 shot, don't fuck it up. 40-50k on a boat, $200 on gas per trip, whats point not spending another few hundred to make sure you're properly armed for battle. That goes for crimps, leaders, swivels, knot tying etc..

 

[John S.]

Thanks John for the insight.

I cannot navigate with a chart. But I do have GPS on the fish finder and also on my phone. The phone GPS works without internet. After many comments I'm looking into the EPIRBs. Will look into chart navigation.

I took the course last year. But probably need a refresher since it was done quickly online.

Family won't go with me offshore this season.

Just want you to be safe. We all started out new. Nobody was born with experience. It is acquired over time. Everyday you go out and come back is a day you have learned something. The ocean is beautiful but she demands respect. You can always PM me.

John