Starting to Party Boat-"Weight Before You Begin"

[BeachBear]

You may have heard them being called MooMoos, Cattle Boats, Charter Boats, and even Party Boats. You've probably even read a report or two and are curious about getting on one for yourself. The trip begins with the right knowledge and the right tackle.

Have you ever heard this before? If it looks like a duck, acts like a duck, and sounds like a duck, then it must be a duck. Right? Kind of.

When it comes to weights to use on a party boat just because it looks like a weight, acts like a weight, and falls like a weight doesn't make it the right weight. Weights are tools to help us do a job.

What do you use to hammer a nail through a board? A hammer. What do you use to measure? A measure. And what do you use to level a shelf? A level. And just like tools each tool has a specific use. Each is designed for a specific purpose.

When you go down to you local tackle shop

and you see the shelves of weights

and think, "It feels like a duck, acts like a duck, it'll drop as a duck. Time to go fishing!!" stop and have the tackle store clerks show you these 3 weights; Torpedo, Splitshot, and Sliding Egg Sinker.


(Torpedo is left, Sliding Egg Sinker is top right, Splitshot is bottom right)

TORPEDO WEIGHT
When you think of a torpedo what do you think of? An underwater misssile ZIPPING through the water right? A torpedo weight is designed to zip through the water as well, but straight down. You can call it aqua-dynamic to sink.

Torpedo weights are great to attach to Dropper loops or Reverse Dropper Loops. These loops are highly effective, produce, and catch a wide variety of fish.

Here's a Torpedo Weight being attached to a Reverse Dropper Loop.




A great thing about this is the quick change capability. The weight can be slipped off and a new weight put on rather quickly.

To attach a weight to the Dropper Loop you can use a Loop Knot. It's very quick and very easy, especially in choppy seas. It goes on just like the Reverse Dropper Loop. Some people prefer a swivel to attach.


SLIDING EGG SINKER & SPLITSHOT
These are primarily used for fishing in the upper portion of the water column, for fish that eat near the surface of the water. It's a great way to go when using live bait.

What are the weights designed for? The purpose of the sliding egg sinker is to slide when the fish takes the bait, that way the fish does not feel the weight and swallows the hook. It also helps to get the bait down.

You can attach a splitshot to keep the weight away from the hook. I prefer 18 inches away from the hook. You don't always need it, but it's nice to have it.


TIPS
*Call the landing and ask what weights are recommended.
*Take 2 of the recommended weights plus 2 of each weight 2 ounces higher and 2 ounces lower than recommended.
*For Example: Psycho Dave of Berth 55 says, "10 ounces", then you bring 2-8 ounce weights, 2-10 ounce weights, and 2-12 ounce weights.
*Find a good local tackle store. They're very smart people and it's their job to put you on the fish.
*Ask a deckhand for help, it's their job to help and the best ones teach, but tip well if helped well.
*Wash your hands, lead is poisonous.

(Special thanks to Fishermen's Hardware Long Beach for allowing me to take photos and always for the advice.)

[orchardhills]

Wow! Nice report. The pics are pretty good too.

On a side note...I take it that Fisherman's has been restocked. The pic shows full shelves!

orchardhills

[BeachBear]

Originally Posted by orchardhills

Wow! Nice report. The pics are pretty good too.

On a side note...I take it that Fisherman's has been restocked. The pic shows full shelves!

orchardhills

Thanks, I think the topic wasn't exactly "WOW, this will revolutionize fishing!!" (sarcasm intended), but needed on a beginner level. It's a basis for building on, crawl before you can walk sort of thing. It came as a result of the last Native Sun report where BIG JIM and I helped beginners. Hopefully it will help beginners understand. I've seen quite a few use pyramid sinkers or sand claws, they drop, but there's a better tool. The next one will be up by tomorrow. It's bait and hooks. Maybe there's one more on dropper loops, but we'll see how the holidays go. No one pays me so I'm on my own clock.