Tuna trolling with 4 stroke

[isurus22]

Has anyone noticed a difference trolling with 4 strokes vs. whatever they had before. They are great for skittish fish because they are so quite but I haven't managed to troll up a tuna since I got it. If you catch tuna with your 4-stroke let me know because it least I will know it is just me.

[Weekend Warrior]

Have fished a Galcier Bay with Hondas on the back last few times, almost hesitant to go back to the Able because of the number of fish this boat has raised - most on multiple hook-ups. Every engine puts a different frequency on the water though. Wouldn't come right out and say it's you, but definitely not 4 strokes.

[MTPOCKETS]

I have only had My boat offshore a few times this year but have caught tuna three out of four times. Single 225 on a 23 foot boat.
Never a multiple hook-up on tuna but I'm still learning! [grin]

[get the net]

Was out on my pops boat a lot in June and July. Caught plenty of small bluefins. He has twin yammy 150 four strokes. Multiple hookups were mostly bluefish.

[RockNRobin]

I run a single Honda 225 and have caught many tuna this year, back in early August I caught my limit of YFT with multiple hook-ups, I have caught tunas in Hatteras, VA, and Palm Beach. Here's another thing, I also will troll a 15hp Honda kicker on slick calm days and have caught Tunas on it aswell. I still think its more a matter of being where the hungry fish are and less on the sound freq. of the engines.

-Mike

[DC Ben]

I'm running 4 strokes and have raised/caught/broken off a good number of tuna this year. I haven't tried the same fishing with 2 stroke so have nothing to compare with.

[OUTCAST1]

I have read accounts of people running sportfishermen who run their watermaker while trolling, claiming the hum the pumps emit raise more fish! Superstition? Who knows? I think it's pretty well accepted that fish DO respond to different vibrations and frequencies.

[GAW]

Just a couple of observations here: The "quiteness" of 4 stroke OB's is the reduced mechanical noise heard from the powerhead. The exhaust noise, below the water and through the hub is still there for the 4 strokes. In this regard, I think the 4 strokes may have a deeper (lower pitch) exhaust sound than 2 stoke OB's. Given the well accepted theory that the low pitch of large diesels attract fish, it would stand to reason that the lower pitch of the 4 strokes may be more "fish friendly" than 2 bangers.
In any event, I've seen many a 4 stroke outboard out fish my 2 strokes, many times--- but then again, a kayak could probably out fish me on many days.
It's a good excuse though.

[fixit]

I'm with GAW... Have noticed this, If we are fishing by ourselves(no other boats around) and you hit fish they will strike no matter what, But if you ever go out in the canyon and the big boys are around with there nice low hum of a diesel than i think it comes into play.. Just my 2 cents..

[TommyTuna]

fixit originally wrote:
I'm with GAW... Have noticed this, If we are fishing by ourselves(no other boats around) and you hit fish they will strike no matter what, But if you ever go out in the canyon and the big boys are around with there nice low hum of a diesel than i think it comes into play.. Just my 2 cents..


Amen - when in an outboard around 600rpm diesels, best to find our own fish away from them! (for more resons than one...)

[David23]

4 strokes raise fish. I agree with the more "diesel" sounding engine that my yahamas produce.

[Ancient Mariner]

Hi:
GAW AND TT HAVE IT.
Find the right engine RPM'S and your in business. Look at the white water(engine(s)) and hull white water. Adjust for sea conditions, when they change. keep on learning and you'll find the "right" rpm for your boat and fishing habits.
When you start, wackn n stackn, the fish, TAKE a real hard look at LURE PLACEMENT. I had to, on many occasions, draw a picture of what was placed and where they were placed to keep me getting hookups.
I do this for my customers who want a day on the water to learn the nuances of there boat and fishing practises.
You can do the same, just RITE IT DOWN. Draw a picture of your spread and WHERE the lures caught fish. HINT...HINT...HINT... Remember the rpm, direction, sea state too. I guarantee that you'll improve your hookup ratio if you do this. Just one season will show you the way.
Another HINT... The above will also show you where you will expect to catch fish NEXT year. Do this for a few seasons and your book of info will be INVALUABLE.
WACKM N STACKM
Joseph B...aka...Ancient Mariner

[smile]

[goldman]

If you aren't catching tunas on the troll, it could be a variety reasons. I would think that the sound of your motor would rank lower on the scale.

I personally believe that catching fish has more to do with creating a spread that has a realistic presentation, representing a large school of bait with some predators in it. Too many people try to hodge podge their spread with lure combos that "I once caught a fish on this one" lures/baits.

If you are trolling a spreader bar commit to pulling multiple bars and chains. If you are trolling meat, commit to trolling meat. If you are trolling Ilanders, troll Ilanders.

If you (1) utilize a spread that is a proven fish catcher on other boats, (2) troll at the effective speed for that spread, and (3) locate and work structure and/or bait, and you still don't catch them, then I'd blame it on the sound of the motor. In this case I would start dropping your baits back further from the boat. And keep dropping them back till I started catching.

[GAW]

goldman originally wrote:

I personally believe that catching fish has more to do with creating a spread that has a realistic presentation, representing a large school of bait with some predators in it. Too many people try to hodge podge their spread with lure combos that "I once caught a fish on this one" lures/baits.

Oh my goodness, someone is able to put my whole philosophy of offshore trolling into 2 sentences. Be it meat, plastic, OB's, I/O's, Inboards, in tight, wwb, etc. --- all secondary to the above statement IMO-- now, if I can only practice what I preach [wink]
Thanks Goldman.

[pursuit_2150]

I always thought the diesel OB debate was more about the quality of white water created. Diesels will usually have larger props and produce "cleaner water" (less small bubbles) than O/Bs with small props. Ever noticed that inboards have a wide clean strip between the props. Cats also produce the wide clean strip because of engine spacing and size. Clean water looks like a school of bait vs. a fart fest on the surface. Any OB guys try trolling on one engine?

[Drwhale]

Just got to put my two cents in on this one..................

First, I agree that some boats seem to catch more fish than others.........

Having said that there are way too many variables to fishing to isolate it down to 1-2 items.

I have a 27' foot Stamas....I have had twin 2 stroke 200's on the boat and have had some real good catches............

I now have 2 four stroke 225's on the boat and have had great catches. I have also had terrible days with both engine set-ups.

Both engine stetup's have produced more tuna on some days than I wanted to clean..........also multiple Blue Marlin strikes and hook ups.

I think if you look at anything you have to look at what everyone is fishing with today........Fancy, sexy baits, dredges, carved out bowling pins, multiple rods, down riggers etc. (we usually fish at lease 8 lines.)...40 years ago it was red and white feathers, yellow no-alibis, and maybe a cedar plug and not much more, and we caught fish!

Also I think the number one catch factor on a boat is OBSERVATION.......Capt. or anglers looking and watching all day for the suttle reminders that fish are there working or feeding....If a school of fish is several hundred yards from the boat and you don't see them you prbably won't catch them. It would make you sick if you knew how many fish had been in your baits during the day and you missed them because you didn't make a hard turn, or slow down or speed up..

Also if things are slow, change up.........Change baits, colors, speed etc.......

Many other factors to consider that would overload Brandon's server so I won't go into them here.

Anyway, just thought I would add to this debate that will go on to infamy!

Tight lines guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[isurus22]

Boy these were all great responses. There are a lot of schools of thought on tuna trolling but I have yet to find one that really works for me. This is my first year offshore trolling. Always got them on the chunk. I think I may try keeping all the baits the same or similar. Normally I would mix and match. A bird wwb, a green machine flat line, Naked ballyhoo on left rigger, cedar plug right rigger, and an ilander with ballyhoo in the wash. My thought was that I would give them a buffet to see what works best because I didn't have confidence in just one lure.
Thanks for the input.

[Drwhale]

Isurus,

After 40+ years of fishing offshore I still havn't figured it out.......

Having said that, one of the things that you have to be careful about is "Lack of Confidence".......Just because you have all the right baits out there and the right boat and speed it doesn't mean you will be picking up fish all day......

I think a lot of the TF's will agree with me that you can be out there Alllllllllllllll Day and it's dead....and then the last 30-45 minutes it explodes and you end up with a great catch...it's happened to me many times......one a few years ago we had decided to give it 30 more minutes.....the last 10 minutes had 3 white marlin come in and crash the baits....ended up landing and releasing one.....SO you never know.........It's hard when you are doing what you think you are supposed to be doing and not catching fish.....it's makes you start to question yourself, your boat, your crew, your baits and sometimes you think someone has brought a banana on board.....

Catch a charter trip or go with a buddy that's been around and see what they are doing, that will give you a start and then with experience you can refine how "you" do it....

Tight lines and good luck.

[DAWGONIT]

I run twin 225 Yamahas on my 330 Express. Raised lots of fish in the Gulf (Pensacola) on the troll and haven't noticed any appreciable difference here in the Atlantic. Spread and presentation are important. I also single up an engine and alternate so hour meters stay in synch for maintenance.
Evan.

[surfperch1]

I run twin 225 4-Stroke Yammy's and have found them to not hamper my fishing until the big boys show up. This may be because more pressure, but more I think it is because of the diesel hummmmssss.

I can tell you I have Whites come in on the flat lines pretty often and wahoo, dolphin and Fat Alberts as well.

Tuna's not so often unless I drop my flats back a little bit (10 to 15 foot more).

[GregB]

I think that different boats and motors make a huge difference. I have had boats with twin and single 2 strokes and neither would raise fish. Most tunas would come on the long riggers. It would be nearly to impossible to get a bite while fishing with a fleet of big boats. I always would try to find my own fish or fish well outside of the fleet. I then bought a 24 Albemarle and it was the exact opposite. The boat would raise fish like a Carolina style charter boat. It did not matter if I was in the middle of the fleet or not. It still raised fish. It was an unbelievable difference. I now have a single 4 stroke and it does pretty well. While others may or may not believe in the sounds of different boats, I believe it is fifty percent of the game provided you are doing the rest correctly.