It is that special that time of year when I start getting ready for my annual trip to the Galapagos This year I am heading down at the end of February and fishing for three weeks or so. Several different groups of friends will be coming in and out while I am there.
Yellowfin Tuna
If you are not familiar with this pilgrimage, you can read all about the Galapagos 2011 Trip. If you want to learn more or are considering doing a trip visit Sportfish Galapagos.
I need to get all my gear squared away before I leave and last year we learned a valuable lesson while throwing plugs at big yellowfin tuna, pargo, and black jacks. Sooner or later, every plug we threw had the hooks bent or the split rings opened. This was a problem even when using a loose drag as the strikes were so violent and the fish pulled so hard during the fight. Several times a plug that was hanging out of a a hooked fishes mouth was struck again by another fish.
Almaco Jack
We prefer only the largest plugs. Last year the best plugs were largest Yo-Zuri Surface Cruisers and big Guides Choice Pencil Poppers and M-80 Poppers. We are using rods only 6ft in length and 60-80lb braided line. This can reduce casting distances, so a heavy popping plug is required. The fish are big and not shy about hitting these big plugs. The large body size easily accommodates big trebles.
We replaced all the hooks with 3/0, 4/0, and 5/0 Mustad 3X (extra strong) 3561D-DT trebles. We purposely chose hooks with a closed eye. These hooks are also available with an open eye, but when using split rings, the closed eye is preferable. We also replaced the split rings with #6 and #8 extra heavy duty rings. The ONLY way to attach these is to use split ring pliers.
Once all the plugs were re-rigged we also added several sets of replacement trebles (with split rings already attached) and a pair of Mustad split ring pliers in the plug box. These will be useful for re-rigging any plugs that are brought aboard by others.
I have one big Yo-Zuri Surface Cruiser (the largest they make) that has been with me in numerous trips. I named it “mama” years ago and it now has more teeth marks on it than paint. However, it remains my goto lure when I need a ridiculously long cast. Last year a huge Pargo (well over 10olbs) hit the lure ten feet from the boat and snapped an 80lb leader (drag was too tight). I was devasted. We hung around for a few minutes to see if it would pop up, but it was gone. We headed further offshore and came back to the same spot about four hours later. On our third drift I spotted it in nearly the exact same spot where I lost it. The amazing thing was that the tide was ripping east when we left and west when we returned. The lure had no doubt drifted well away from the spot, but we timed our return perfectly. I snatched the lure up and put it away for the day…it has new hooks this year and I will be sure to fish it on a looser drag!
The author heads to the Galapagos at the end of February for a fishing trip lasting around three weeks. This period seems ideal for fishing yellowfin tuna, pargo, and black jacks in the region.
Anglers commonly catch big yellowfin tuna, pargo (a type of snapper), and black jacks during the fishing trips in the Galapagos. These species put up powerful fights which can be challenging for gear.
The best lures for large fish like yellowfin tuna and jacks are large popping plugs including Yo-Zuri Surface Cruisers, Guides Choice Pencil Poppers, and M-80 Poppers. These lures accommodate big trebles and are effective for casting with 6ft rods and 60-80lb braided lines.
All hooks on plugs should be replaced with strong Mustad 3X extra strong trebles in sizes 3/0 to 5/0, preferably with closed eyes for durability. Split rings should be upgraded to #6 and #8 extra heavy duty rings and attached with split ring pliers to avoid gear damage during violent strikes.
Before the trip, all plugs are re-rigged with extra strong treble hooks and heavy duty split rings. Replacement trebles with split rings and split ring pliers are also packed to allow re-rigging of any plugs during the trip, ensuring gear remains effective throughout the fishing sessions.
The author's largest Yo-Zuri Surface Cruiser named 'mama' was hit by a huge pargo that snapped the 80lb leader near the boat, causing the lure to be lost temporarily. Remarkably, after about four hours and several drifts, the lure was found floating near the original spot despite the tide changes.
A fishing setup with 6-foot rods paired with 60-80lb braided line is preferred. This rigging setup supports casting large heavy popping plugs, which are necessary because fish are large and aggressive, and larger plugs provide the proper size and durability.