Land-based Yellowtail Setup and Leader System

Ulua

Senior Member
Thanks for the info and tips guys.

Need to have tackle 100% to stand a chance of landing a decent tail, so preparing all my tackle now for the start of the season at the end of the year.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Hello Gents

This is a very difficult topic to advise on as much of the outcome is determined by which fish you hook, in what spot and in what conditions. Some fish are just not meant to be landed. When the water is warm and blue top to bottom your chances reduce drastically but when there is some colder water deeper down they improve.

I can recall a story I heard this year about a reknowned angler from PE who has caught many tail in his life. He faught a fish for 20min on Stella 10 000 and Japanese Shore Jigging rod only to have that fish turn around and blow him by taking 50m of line and running around a reef. Only thing you can say is that - that fish was not meant to be his.

That said we still have to give ourselves the best chance of landing them. I have two leader systems that I use. the first is for a multiplier - I fish Trini 20 DC with 80lbs braid to FG knot and 80lbs fireline leader. The stuff is bulletproof.

The second on the spinning reel is 60lbs JB Hollow stitched in 130lbs hollow leader joined to either 1.2mm Floro or Fireline either by FG or by inserting Floro into 130 hollow like the front of a wind on.

The key with these fish is to know when to really apply the pressure. The probability of the bigger fish taking line and getting to the reef is good. If you applying max pressure at this point the chances of something breaking is high. This is where you have to trust your leader - that is why it is there. Once the fish is clear of the reef you pull like hell.

There is no doubt that experience with these fish is a huge factor. The more you hook the more you start to get a feel for these fish and the better your chances of landing them becomes.

A very important factor that is often overlooked is the rod. I do not believe in using a rod that is too stiff. The rod must flex but yet be able to pull. This flex adds a little bit of forgiveness in the setup and this forgiveness can often be the difference. This is why the 110H Exage has the following it does.

By all accounts this last tail season was a bumper season from Plett all the way into the Wild Coast. Long may this continue.

Regards
Anton
 

grootvis

Sealiner
It is a very different type of fishing which I believe a lot of people don't understand. Each place where they are encountered will dictate a very different tactic and tackle.

If I had to choose one discipline of fishing it would be this type of fishing. It is definitely not as easy as it looks, but if you dedicated, you could be rewarded with the best type of surface , game fishing you can experience.

The tackle is of course of the utmost importance and you need to be able to stand the best possible chance. It's also not easy throwing light tin spinners or any size plug with a stiff rod. Man the adrenalin of watching that shoal turning and fighting over your plug, what more could you want....:)
 

grootvis

Sealiner
I would though like to plan a trip Australia or Nz to go tackle a 30, 40 kg one on a exage and our standard Yt tackle, wonder if you would ever stand a chance.
 

lilbigdyl

New member
howsit guys

i found some JDB 8X braided surf leader in 220lb with a dia. of 0.78mm at hook line and sinker in PE. i know a lot of the guys here in the eastern cape use a braid leader for land based tail spinning but have to import braid in 200lb class as it was not readily available in our area. just thought id give anybody looking for a heavy braid a heads up. its available in 180lb and 120lb as well as ligher. give tim at hook line and sinker PE a shout on 041 365 5471.

cheers
 

740513d

New member
Good evening.
I am new on the forum. I am also interested in buying a new surf rod. Currently looking at the Loomis Franklin F2534-94CHMG 36T. I see some people are complaining about the small guides. Any thought on this?
 

blaasoppie#1

Senior Member
Not that i am an expert at landing tail, but for the big boys i reckon JB hollow 80lb with a loop spliced onto a wind-on made up with a 130 lb JB hollow loop onto 170 or 200lb mono.



 

grootvis

Sealiner
Enigma wrote:
Try 80lbs to 130lbs Hollow and then splice the fluoro leader into the braid so you can have a lightly longer fluoro and no knot through the guides.

I played around with some connections and tied the mono to braid with a 1cm piece of mono past the knot then used a serving tool to serve a 3cm piece over the FG and mono to smooth and secure the knot and then soaked it in very thin Super Glue

Knot is silent through the guides and the braid and connection is 100% protected and withstands a few hundred casts before the floss frays but the underlying knot remains 100%

You'll easily be able to do a 0.90mm leader on #10 K series
Craig, Please tell me where i can get a serving tool. Ive searched and cant find anything?
 

grootvis

Sealiner
So, it's creeping up to that time again, not too long to go, and we will start seeing fish again, hopefully.

So what's your arsenal for the tail this season regarding tackle? Would be great to see what the others are using .

My tackle for the upcoming season,

Shimano exage 110h with lc to Kt guide layout,internal magged Trini 20A with 100lbs HMP braid mainline and 1mm flouro leader joined with Fg knot.

Shimano exage 110h with lc to Kt guide layout, internal magged Trini 16 A with 100lbs braid mainline and .8 or .9mm flouro leader.

Hope its going to be a kicker!::tight:::tight:
 

DavePE

New member
Grootvis why is your mainline such a high breaking strain? Is it because of the rough terrain you fish in or are yellow tail that strong a fish? Im going to St Francis in two weeks and want to try some lures off the point but im only loaded up with 50lb braid. If I hook in to some thing decent am I going to be outgunned?
 

grootvis

Sealiner
DavePE wrote:
Grootvis why is your mainline such a high breaking strain? Is it because of the rough terrain you fish in or are yellow tail that strong a fish? Im going to St Francis in two weeks and want to try some lures off the point but im only loaded up with 50lb braid. If I hook in to some thing decent am I going to be outgunned?

I hate to say it, but on both counts you right. The terrain is very foul, the fish very big and extremely powerful. You have to pull them away from the reef, which most times ends in tears. The minimum I would go is 80lbs at a push. Not impossible but but those big fish bully you proper and on lighter gear you just loose that control a bit, but go for it, you might be very lucky. I'm sure some fish have been landed on that gear but I don't think many...:)
It's not the breaking strain so much but the diameter, if it gets one rock, it could be over. Good luck and let us know how it goes, I'll start looking when I'm back home again, September time.
 

grootvis

Sealiner
BTW, I meant to add , for the leeries and "sarda sarda" its fine on that tackle and good sport for those leeries, dont think they around now, but you never know.
 

EugeneC

Sealiner
Gents, this is a very interesting thread. Personally I can't add any value though, my only YT experience being a little 3kg fish landed from Bailey's many moons ago.

If you'll excuse me for jumping in on a different tack, @Blaasoppie, may I ask what knot that is you've used to tie on the lure in your pic?

Thanks,
Eugene
 
Ja, 50lb IS too thin for the bigger guys but perfect for the leeries and sarda as said, a thicker 20lb or decent 30lb is even more perfect for the lighter setup to throw for the clean fighters if it is quiet. But have a heavier setup handy to throw with you, for if a tackle buster jumps on you will cry with 50lb braid.. One cannot stop the big boys in the least and there is no protection against the reef, double trouble! I had freshly spooled, brand new 80 lb 8 strand "exploded" last year trying to stop a fish reef me, all stitched and 100% connections, the line literally exploded 10m from the rod tip.

There might be some early sarda as the baby bonnies have arrived past PE already but the breeding shoals of leerie and the stocks of tail are still far up north.. There though is always the chance of a random resident garrick around if the water is nice.
 
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