Trolling Wire Hand Lines

[captain joe]

This is my last weekend coming up and I have fished every Thanksgiving morning for years.
This year I am going to try something I have not done in 20 years....troll copper wire hand lines.

I did this for years with success but got away from it when I moved to south Jersey.This was the preferred method of trolling for the guys I fished with out of The Tamaqua, Gerritsen Beach (Brooklyn).

Has anyone done this?

[Hotrod]

copper wire hand lines.. Esplain?

[Still Running]

  I would like to know also

[captain joe]

Starting with the rig, you troll the following:

1. umbrella or rig of choice
2. 20' of 100# mono leader (100# thickness is easier on the hands)
3. 100' of 16ga. copper wire
4. 20' - 30' of 1/8 in nylon line
5. attach end to a fiberglass outrigger or shock cord (plain old surgical tubing works well) and troll as usual
6. when fish hits, pull in "hand over hand" laying wire on deck behind you

Two basic rules:
1. don't walk in the wire
2. never, ever, ever let a fish get on the deck.
If a crazy bluefish starts thrashing around in the wire you might as well ball it up and go home.

Ideally your fish box or cooler should be at or in the transom. With 100# leader you can lift (or gaff if necessary) directly into the box

Advantages are that you can get the fish in without stopping boat if trolling multiple lines and you can make tighter turns and get back on the fish quicker.

I will put up a post on Friday (hopefully with pix) and let you know how we make out.

[Hotrod]

Cool!!!!

[Fishin Dude]

That's both different & interesting. Good Luck.     <'((((><

[IrishAyes]

I have an uncle who used to do that with the dacron line. He didn't believe in rod n reel. Took too long to get em in. 

[ped579]

Very interesting, I have never seen that before.  That would make for an interesting video.

[CapBob]

have not done that for some time, my Dad did it that way

[Pops Soul]

Sounds intresting but it also sounds like it could turn into a big mess in a NY Minute, which would be my luck

[lucky enuff]

We use copper all the time on the great lakes for Salmon. I only got It out one time this fall In Sandy Hook. It won't corrode In the salt water but It will definitely turn green.

We don't use hand lines, we use level wind reels and rods. It has a sink rate of around 20-22 ft per 100 ft out....about double that of stainless wire.

I run Penn 345 Gti's for my copper on the great Lakes cause I often fish 100 ft down and deeper so I need 600 ft of copper to get me there. A smaller reel with much less would be all thats needed for the Jersey shore.

Here Is a good place to get the copper:
http://www.atommiktrollingflies.com/reels.htm

http://www.atommiktrollingflies.com/037_Copper.htm

[captain joe]

Thanks for the info and the links.

Went out Thusday AM for a few hours and trolled 1 pole (green tubes) & 1 hand line (red tubes)around the Manasquan mile marker.

Two bass, both barley keepers on the pole. Will try again Saturday and that will finish my season.