by Captain Mark DeBlasio & Adam LaRosa
Just like our ancestors had to hunt down their prey, we prefer to hunt the edge of the continental shelf. Trolling can be the most productive and exciting method of hunting or it can be hours upon hours of total boredom. Here are the things the Canyon Runner crew does to ensure the former and not the latter.
Pre-Game
The first step to tilt the odds in favor of a successful trip begins long before we leave the dock. Rods are checked for cracked or nicked ring guides and/or frozen roller guides. Reels are checked for fresh line, smooth drags and trouble-free operation. Drags are warmed up and adjusted to 25 to 30 percent of the line’s breaking strength. Lures are looked over throughly and checked for chafing and proper crimps, as well as having sharp hooks. Tail ropes, straight gaffs, flying gaffs and the harpoon are all checked and properly stowed before leaving the dock. If there is a weak link in your tackle, these fish will quickly expose it. Anything that needs repair is set aside and fixed before going offshore on one of the Canyon Runner boats. All fluids are checked and spare oil, coolant, belts, hoses, impellers, filters and the tools to make repairs are accounted for. Safety equipment is inspected and the crew gets a refresher on safety procedures.
Intel
Next we must decide where we will start fishing. The first thing we look to is our most recent trips and reliable intel. Passive dock and Internet talk about so and so crushing ‘em in the Hudson isn’t enough. Find out exactly how many fish were caught, where they were caught and how long ago. Get the information only from the captain who was running the boat, any other information is rarely reliable. We have heard people say they crushed ‘em only to find out they only caught six fish. The numbers that constitute a good trip vary greatly from one boat to the next, but our customers have come to expect double-digit catches every trip. We have gotten conflicting reports regarding location of the bite from guys off the same boat. Neither guy was lying, it was just that the guy in the cockpit had no idea where the boat really was when the bite turned on. Being off on location by just three or four miles can mean the difference between the west wall of a canyon and the east wall and that can make all the difference in the world. The point is if you have to have someone who is willing to provide you with accurate information and specific facts. Never ever run to rumors!
Signs
At the same time, the saying don’t leave fish to find fish has never been truer. If we have caught well in a particular area in the previous few days or we have reliable intel about a good catch by another boat, that will likely be our starting point. If the weather has been poor and there are no recent reports, we look to our eyes in the sky, Offshore Satellite Services for water temperature and turbidity charts.
Pre-Game
The first step to tilt the odds in favor of a successful trip begins long before we leave the dock. Rods are checked for cracked or nicked ring guides and/or frozen roller guides. Reels are checked for fresh line, smooth drags and trouble-free operation. Drags are warmed up and adjusted to 25 to 30 percent of the line’s breaking strength. Lures are looked over throughly and checked for chafing and proper crimps, as well as having sharp hooks. Tail ropes, straight gaffs, flying gaffs and the harpoon are all checked and properly stowed before leaving the dock. If there is a weak link in your tackle, these fish will quickly expose it. Anything that needs repair is set aside and fixed before going offshore on one of the Canyon Runner boats. All fluids are checked and spare oil, coolant, belts, hoses, impellers, filters and the tools to make repairs are accounted for. Safety equipment is inspected and the crew gets a refresher on safety procedures.
Intel
Next we must decide where we will start fishing. The first thing we look to is our most recent trips and reliable intel. Passive dock and Internet talk about so and so crushing ‘em in the Hudson isn’t enough. Find out exactly how many fish were caught, where they were caught and how long ago. Get the information only from the captain who was running the boat, any other information is rarely reliable. We have heard people say they crushed ‘em only to find out they only caught six fish. The numbers that constitute a good trip vary greatly from one boat to the next, but our customers have come to expect double-digit catches every trip. We have gotten conflicting reports regarding location of the bite from guys off the same boat. Neither guy was lying, it was just that the guy in the cockpit had no idea where the boat really was when the bite turned on. Being off on location by just three or four miles can mean the difference between the west wall of a canyon and the east wall and that can make all the difference in the world. The point is if you have to have someone who is willing to provide you with accurate information and specific facts. Never ever run to rumors!
Signs
At the same time, the saying don’t leave fish to find fish has never been truer. If we have caught well in a particular area in the previous few days or we have reliable intel about a good catch by another boat, that will likely be our starting point. If the weather has been poor and there are no recent reports, we look to our eyes in the sky, Offshore Satellite Services for water temperature and turbidity charts.
