Very often spin fishermen come across situations where they know that the fish are about, but for whatever reason they are not interested in taking the lure or are extremely hesitant to commit. There can be numerous reasons for this, but inevitably it normally gets down to lure size and the ability of the lure to suspend in mid-water in a very natural squid or small bait fish type pose before darting off again. The problem lies in getting this small much lighter lure to the fish. This is where the dropper technique comes into play. Dropper lure fishing is used extensively in many parts of the world. The method is to use an existing spoon or plug, without the hooks, to act as the weight for casting, or use a barrel or egg-shaped sinker. The advantage of using a heavy lure is that it also acts as an attractor and will tend to pull fish to it over a far greater area. Once the fish have come in to investigate they will then see the smaller more desirable lure trolling some distance behind. Using this technique one can cast flies or plastic squid. Any other suitable small lure can be used, but for saltwater spinning the most popular are definitely squid skirts, plastic squid and saltwater flies. Rigging A stealthy presentation is key here and depending on the size of the lure and the size of the fish being targeted, a suitable length of good quality fluoro-carbon trace line should be used between the swivel and the hook that the plastic squid or lure goes onto. Normally the further away the better, but on a 8 to 10 foot spinning rod, a length of a metre to two metres is recommended, otherwise casting can become a little bit tricky. To attach this to the weighted spoon or sinker, one should use a top-quality split ring, with one swivel going to the main line, another swivel going to the dropper and the third swivel going to the spoon. The third swivel that goes to the spoon will normally have another split ring connecting it to the spoon. This allows the spoon to twist and spin without snagging the main line. You will find the dropper never tangles if done correctly. Should one wish to use a barrel or egg sinker, it can be fitted in-line with a swivel at each end, one to the dropper, one to the main line, but the connection that carries the sinker between the two swivels needs to be a very thick mono-filament, or some really strong single-strand piano wire, e.g. no. 19. Vicious headshakes can cause the sinker to damage the knots on the swivel resulting in lost fish. This in-line system is definitely a little more prone to tangles than the first recommendation. Instead of using something like an Iron Candy weighted spoon, one can also use a GT Ice-Cream type popper if the fish are predominantly on the surface. Favourite dropper rigs involve the use of the Yamashita Octopus plastic squid in sizes 1.5 to 2.5 and favourite colours are Yako (Glow in the Dark) and K70 (Clear Live Glow). Technique The most consistently successful retrieval technique is a long pull and a short pause. One can do this fairly uniformly or in an erratic jerky fashion. The pauses however, are the critical part, as these squid or flies will remain suspended for a few seconds before darting off. The ability of the dropper lure to suspend is the key to its success. This is definitely the “go to” method when all else fails.

We will be releasing a series of teasers from each show and this is the first teaser from the first show, enjoy…

Summary of what we learnt and experienced on this mind-blowing Fujairah expedition. Dorado love current and will always be concentrated on the upside of any floating object or ship anchored at sea.  They are also partial to the sunny side rather than the shaded side of the vessel or structure.   Because they learn very quickly, always try to drag or pull a hooked fish well away from the others as quickly as possible.  Once they have wised up to your lure or technique, you either have to change lures, technique or location.  Big Bull Dorado are definitely more partial to the bigger lures and tend to hang around on the outside of the main body of smaller fish. The Dorado’s ability to hunt Garfish, Half Beaks and Flying Fish in particular, make it extremely partial to surface lures, especially the GT Ice Cream Needle Nose.  The lighter the lure and the bigger the single hook attached to it, the better it tends to stick.  Stingers are definitely by far the most successful hooking system. The Needle Noses work best in the ¾ to 1½ oz sizes and on the day I would have loved to have had the trusty Rapala X-Walk or Storm Chug Bug as there is no doubt that both of these lures will work very well.  I would definitely however rig both with stingers rather than trebles. The best casting and pulling rod was no doubt the 8’ Shimano Aerocast which throws ½ oz to 2 oz’s best and has incredible pulling power.  Also right up there is the 6’6 Shimano Trevala, which although labeled a jigging rod, does a good job of casting these types of lures and is perfectly capable of piling on the required pressure.  Lighter outfits like the Shimano Cumera’s with 3000 Stellas are also a great option but not if one wants to release fish. The ideal reel on the above rods is the 5000 Stella, new Twin Power or Sustain.  30lb and 40lb YGK Jigman braid will complement the reels perfectly.  Your leader must be at least 60lb fluoro carbon and only 1.5 metres long.  This prevents weakening of the join knot, as it doesn’t go through the guides and the strength of the line stops burn-offs from following fish.  A good quality swivel and split ring connection makes for fast changes of lures.   This heavy leader combined with a thick but sharp hook on the stinger allows one to grab the leader and then the Needle Nose to help lift when tailing fish. The most successful retrieval technique is to make a long cast, put the rod tip down low and wind the Needle Nose as fast as possible.  This creates a lot of noise and splash, which attracts all the fish in that area.  As the plug gets closer, lift the rod tip higher and slow down on the retrieve, giving it a more consistent fluttering action.  With X-Walk’s, the sharp “twitch, take up the slack, twitch, walk the dog” action, is best.  With the Chug Bug, use long, hard and fast “bloops” with two or three second pauses in between.  Never attempt to strike when you see a fish smashing the lure.  Maintain your retrieve and wait until the rod goes tight. The ideal conditions for this type of fishing are a relatively calm sea, with a light wind chop on the surface.  This is when the Needle Noses and X-Walk’s will work best.  The rougher the conditions, the more sub-surface one would want to go, so definitely more X-Walk or similar lures.  Smooth, glassy type conditions call for things like Chug Bugs and very small ¾ oz Needle Noses.

All new season of OFF THE CHART Adventure Fishing Series kicks off on 11 March 2010 18H00 on SuperSport 1!! Don’t miss this fishing travel adventure blockbuster as we visit New places never before seen, like Fujairah and Ras Mudrakan in Southern Oman as well as the spectacle that is the Musundun!!

Episode 1 synopsis:

After all the planning and missioning the crew finally jet out of good old S.A.! First port of call is one of the largest anchorages in the world, Fujairah. Here there can be a many as 250 to 300 ships on anchor year round. This has created the most amazing little ecosystem and holyshit was the fishing but wild!! Provisional broadcast dates and times below but be sure to check your TV guide for an updated schedule closer to the time. Here is a little something to wet the appetite…