JEFF DENNIS
can help work the dredges and I use a Daiwa Seabug reel.” This also helps when fishing near weedlines, which almost always re- quires that the dredge be retrieved and cleared of weeds several times during fishing.
The 12-volt electric reels can be loaded with a 300-pound Dacron line that won’t cut the mono should a fish run up against it during the fight. Afre- netic fish may also take the flat line that is run either right behind or right on top of the teasers. One pro tip is that if the
TIDE
sailfish doesn’t take the flat line where it is, pop the line out of the clip and point the rod towards the side of the boat the fish is on to get its attention. One other tidbit about teasers is that it takes some weight to get them down below the water’s surface and most captains use trolling lead. Loy keeps a 10-pound dredge weight, which is fish- shaped and nicknamed ‘Shamu’ in front of his dredges. Since Shamu has fins, it maintains the dredge’s depth better than cylindrical weights. “Just be careful putting these weights in and out of the boat because they can do some damage to the teak,” said Loy.
BILLFISH TOURNEYS As a member of the South Caro-
lina’s Governor’s Cup Billfishing Series Advisory Board, Loy keeps a steady eye out for a marlin bite, and he likes to use a spreader bar to enhance his bait spread. The artificial baits on the spreader are more cost effective than the mullet that are employed on a spreader bar. Of course, a mix of dead bait and plastic baits can also be utilized on dredge rigs.
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The artificial baits on the spreader are more cost effective than the mullet that are employed on a spreader bar.
“When I fish the Governor’s Cup
Billfish Tournaments, I have found that sails will even bite the big plastic lures at times,” said Loy. “We will target blue marlin, but always have the spinning tackle ready for sails.” In recent years, sailfish numbers have been so good that boats targeting sailfish specifically have claimed the annual title of Best Billfish Boat. With the marlin bite winding down by the end of summer, the sailfish can still be counted on offshore. The sailfish bite for 2010 was not as good off South Carolina as it was in 2009. Many think the logical explanation is that the bait
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