A couple thresher questions

[Eric H]

I know of 3 of you on here that have caught them.

I'm dying to get one and just had a couple questions.

I believe they are more active in summer and mostly feed in the morning.

I was told smaller hooks for them, maybe a 7/0 or 8/0??

I read somewhere they are line shy and to use mono leader. What lb. would you guys recommend ?

[WheresMyBeer]

Haven't caught them from shore, but target them quite a bit from boat.

They used to flow through here in huge spawning numbers from April - June. That's when the main body of fish would cruise up the 9 mile, through the La Jolla canyon and head up towards Dana.
The largest Paul (Rammer) got was 460lbs and we've picked up a handful of others over the years. Their numbers are nowhere the same as 5-6 years ago.
http://www.utsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060512/news_1s12outdoors.html

Trolling lures and bait is obviously different then a still bait in the surf. We used high viz 120lb with steel cable leaders, but in the surf I too have heard lighter lines and smaller hooks.
Now what does that mean? Probably the same set up the guys are using for the soups. 8/0 or 10/0 and 80 to 100lb line. Would suggest a long-ass-strong leader as those tails are crazy like a leather belt with teeth.

You can see the smaller mouth profile on the one in the picture below. But there's still plenty of room for a big bait and hook LOL ...
This went 180 if memory still works... or there about. That's probably the upper-end of what you'd find roaming the surf zone. Bigger gals lurk deeper.

[Eric H]

Thanks for the response.

They sure are purdy

I remember you being one of the people that has gotten them.

they get them often between the Newport jetties. I wanna rent a skiff and troll a fresh mack and drift one around near the end of the jetty.

Also would like to paddle one out from the beach and just dump it out there.

Gotta make it happen this year...

[WheresMyBeer]

Going off 'the past' ...

Mid-late June would be about the time the main body of fish reached Newport. You could almost track them working along the 63 degree temp break as it gradually moved up the coast. I'd say that time-frame would be best.

That said, there are always surf / kelp lurkers around, but the migratory body of fish was massive. "Was" ... they've been missing the last 4 or 5 years, but perhaps this anchovy cycle will bring them back up.

[Chris]

The smaller guys are near shore almost year round with the majority caught around July-sept. In the newport to Santa Monica area. These are 30-100lb fish, not the big breeders. 5/0 circles and 40-80lb floro leaders are the ticket. I used 80lb mono and 8/0 circles off the yak but was always outfished by guys using 40lb floro and 5/0 hooks. Ringed Gorillas and circles.

[WheresMyBeer]

And ... there you go ... someone who knows 

[Eric H]

Thanks

[BackBayMan]

Heinekens are on ice bro.

Just got my new spinner to pair with my 15' Ugly. Not as massive as your gear, but it should get the job done for near shore toothy critters of this ilk under 250lbs

[Chris]

And ... there you go ... someone who knows 

Just my observations from fishing them in 2011 and 2012.

Time of day doesn't really matter. We'd hookup anytime the sun was shining. Most reports came from early morning hours and evening because most guys hit the water for a few hours then get back to family so the "trend" starts in bite times. I'd just fly line a Mack or sardine on top and add a 4oz egg sinker to another and let out 100ft of line (in 80-130ft). The bait was most likely around 60ft while drifting.

[Latimeria]

I've hooked up 6 times on Threshers (That I positively knew of), but have only got three boatside... and only kept 1.  Every time was something totally different than the next.

1st one was in the Boma, when Roger casts out a fly lined live mack looking for a yellow.  The local yellows were in 70 feet of water at the time and he hooks something big!.  Long story short, after 2+ hours of fighting it, Roger breaks a 220+ pound Thresher free at boat side since he did not want to take it on board such a little vessel.

2nd one was in 35' of water at the inside kelp edge only about 300 yards from the beach looking for calico.  I hook a 80 class Thresher on a 6" Big Hammer on big bass gear.  I get him boat side after 45 minutes, and snap him off when trying to figure if and how I was going to get him in the boat safely.

3rd one was trolling a Bait-o-matic in the canyon with a live mack pinned on.  Trolling at 3 mph and Bam!  Fish on!  Fought for 10 minutes before it unbuttoned. Bigger model T.

4th one trolling on the Bait-O-matic in another canyon on Don's boat.  Outrigger rod went off with a mighty *SNAP* and had him for one jump before throwing the hook.

5th one was fishing in my boat off LaJolla (105') with a yo yo iron.  Must have hooked the tail on a tail slap as I fought him (maybe 80-100# model) for 45 minutes before stupid treble in his tail bent out and he swam off.

6th one was on a f@cking shrimp fly while rockfishing with Steve (115').  I sent the fly down with a squid strip attached and felt a pop on the sink.  I thought it was a mack and stopped the drop to catch him.  Well, he ate it and up came a 60# thresher that Steve and I boated as it was just small enough to do it safely for the Boma.





So basically Eric, I wish I could tell you what they bite best on when close to shore, but I've hooked them in all sorts of weird ways.  I agree a live mack is the probably the best option.  Offshore, is definitely trolling live macks on a Bait-O-Matic.  In hindsight, I probably have hooked more, but was not able to ID them, but they have little ass mouths compared to their body size, so choose your baits accordingly.

[skrilla]

Caught one on the kayak drifting a mack on the bottom in La Jolla. 4/0 circle and 30# straight mono. Line was chaffed a bit from the aerial display and tail whipping. Was a smaller model, body was no longer than 4ft. This was bycatch while fishing for early fall yellows and flatties that were cruising the bottom.

I have friends/family who target them at the end of a local pier. Trolley rigs and macks. They've been pretty successful to say the least.

[Chris]

Got some intel today that there are a lot of T's in the shipping lanes outside LA right now.

[WheresMyBeer]

Ghad they taste good !! 

Need to pull on some more myself!!