The winds of change are just about upon us here in South Florida. Fall is soon to arrive and the cold fronts will be along soon. September brings the first arrival of the schools of bait, sardines, herring, cigar minnows, blue runners, and last but certainly not least, the mullet run. By October the waves of autumn weather, north of us will push the pelagic fish south, and will be our time to put the "Rags in the air". Sailfish will start their migration back on to the western edge of the Gulf Stream, and follow the bait onto the outer reefs. It's time to rig the kite fishing tackle and be ready head off shore.
The rods that we fish for sails are six foot standup type built for, and rigged with 20lb line. The reels I like to use are Shimano TLD 20 & 25. These reels have proven them selves to be durable, long lasting between repairs, and have a silky smooth drag system. We use the 20 size reel in the short kite and middle kite pin, the 25's are good for the long position, a little extra line is quite useful when you get a double in the long pins. Although any 20lb to 30lb reel with a smooth drag will work fine. I use Hi-Vis line because it is easy to follow when you have six lines in your kite spread. It's also real handy when you have three Sailfish on at once and they decide to all go in different directions. The line is totally out of the water so the visibility of the line has no adverse affect on achieving hookups.
To keep the main line out of the water we make wind-on leaders. To build this simple rig we start with making a short Bimini twist in the main line. Next, attach a length of 50lb or 60lb leader line to the Bimini with an Albright special. The leader is another element decided by personal choice. Fluorocarbon is more invisible in the water but it is harder and more expensive. The Japanese line is limber, softer, and has a smaller diameter. I like pink Andy; it seams to be a good middle ground. It is a little harder than some (hardness equates to abrasion resistance) while the pink (red) colors are the first to disappear in the water. It is important to lubricate the knot with water before you tighten. Clip the tag end as close as possible, this will make the transition through the guides and kite pins real easy, and smooth. I will also put a dab of super glue on the knot for a little extra hold. With the tag cut so short, the glue will not permit the knot to slip or unwind. You should also trim the tag off the Bimini twist as close as possible; a little glue works wonders there as well.
The next step is to wind on your length of leader we use from 8' to 24' depending on the conditions and what's biting. The next step is to put a ceramic ring on the line, followed by a marker cork and we almost always put a small to ounce lead under the cork. This helps to fight the wind and line belly, while keeping the bait placed on the surface properly, and easily. The next trick is to cut a #64 rubber band in two pieces. Tie one of the pieces with an overhand knot on to the leader line below the cork. You can now slide the lead, cork, and ring up the leader to our desired distance from the bait. The sliding rubber band will not only hold your cork in position, but when you hook up and fight your fish to the boat; there is no leader to handle. Just wind the cork al the way to the fish. This is real handy when you have a 30 pound king on mono. Just fight the king and force the cork to slide down the leader until the fish is in gaffing distance.
The last step is to tie on a hook. The hook type and size should be chosen to fit the bait you are using. Some our best catches were made with sardines flown in the short kite, the appropriate hook size would be a 2/0. When we use big blue runners we might use a hook as big as a 9/0. Wire or no wire, circle or J-hook are all personal choices, I have caught lots of Sails with any, or all, in any kind of combination.
So, whether you like one kite with one bait, or two kites and six baits, it's time to dust off your equipment, put on some new line, build a new leader, and head off shore. Watch for the first cold fronts to arrive, the packs of Sails should be right a head of the fronts.
More to come but first I'll See you on the rip.
Capt. Jay Cohen
Reel Adventure Charters "Spellbound"