# Minimum gear for a rig trip?



## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

This should be a good one. What would be the minimum gear you take per angler for an overnight fishing trip to the Rigs? Rods, reels, line, lures, jigs, hooks, sinkers, leader material, spares etc. Normal fishing at the rigs would be considered trolling for Wahoo and Tuna, jigging for Amberjack/Tuna, chunking and throwing poppers and stick baits for tuna.

We are going to have more than a few new forum members make the run to the rigs this year when they have time and get a good weather window. So let's help them out and give some of the basic information based on experience to save them the the frustration of going under equipped, overloaded or not prepared. Keep in mind the loss to shark factor.

Things to consider are the specifications of the equipment, ratings, sizes etc.

Personal belongings to bring

Food and drink to bring


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

For me, as long as I have enough beer Im content to just watch!


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

Cane poles and a tv so I can watch this thread hit 15083 pages


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

When is this homework due?

Feel like I should negotiate a consulting contract first.

Little more info. required. How many days? What size and configuration of boat? These won't affect the tackle but they will affect the personal gear.

You've been out there. You asked for minimum. Answer: One spinning outfit, one conventional. After that it gets complicated and I haven't even told you the spec of those two rigs. (I take a Stella 10000 and an Avet HX 512 on a Seeker, that's just me)

Ten pounds of knife jigs, four big poppers, two 100 meter spools of flouro (100 lb. & 80 lb.), assorted hooks, swivels and egg sinkers. 

That should get the ball rolling.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

Lots of ice


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Starting with the boat should be the first step, if the boat can't go neither will anyone else on it.

- Boat on board spares kit checked and satisfactory. Refer to owners manuals for the boat and engines for the lists of spare parts and equipment recommended. 

- Safety equipment checked, not expired, easily accessible, clearly marked, sufficient amount for crew and passengers. A registered ERIRB mounted on the boat and or a Satellite phone and a manual bilge pump is highly recommended. Must at least meet the minimum USCG requirements.

- On board tool kit checked and satisfactory. * Adequate for repairs within ability of Captain/crew with on board spares and routine maintenance and emergency repairs.

- It is advisable to change rubber impellers on the various system pumps if not done within the past six months, better safe than sorry. Especially on outboards but tempered with maintenance history/failures of equipment .

- Test operate all boat systems, run engines etc in accordance with the owners manual per-operational check lists.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Better question what did you WISH you had last time you hit the rigs. More beer for sure. More clothes (turned out colder than expected.) A flying gaff and maybe a harpoon (Lost a monster yellowfin boatside due to small gaffs). And an experienced helmsman (cut off a nice yellowfin due to inexperience.)


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Still on the boat here.

- Back up GPS and VHF radio 

- Current HMS permit if applicable

- Castnet

- Two 5 gallon buckets

- Minimum of four trolling rods 30Ws but 50Ws are preferable, reels and line have been checked, condition is acceptable and a tether for each rod.

- Two 4 inch width gaffs 6 foot handles preferred.

- A harpoon can be a handy thing to have if you know how to use it. A flying gaff can be a handy thing to have with big fish but most people do not know how to use one safely. If you can it's a plus if you never have best to forget about it.

- Adequate lures for targeted species, deep divers, Sea Witches, favorite artificial lures and spare terminal tackle rigging.

- Fish/food/drink/bait boxes and coolers iced down and goods and frozen bait stowed. Minimum 4 dozen Ballyhoo, at least a flat of Pogies for chunking and a 5 lb box of squid if you plan on bottom fishing on the way in. Nobody has ever had a bad fishing trip because they had too much ice, no such thing space providing.

- Fish bags and dry ice wrapped in towels with some ice is an option if you think you will need extra stowage space for fish. Must not be stored inside of boat, secure outside of boat interior.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

ICE!!!! Plenty of it and in every place that can hold it

The rest is pretty much what the start of my trips looks like:

Check safety gear- proper number of life jackets, flares (both handheld and aerial), pair of whistles, EPIRB, check pumps, check radio

Tools- general marine toolbox with sockets, screwdrivers, wire stripper/crimper, wire brush, electrical tape, extra fuses, extra butt connectors, extra spark plugs. hand held GPS or Phone App that can aid navigation should electronics foul up

Bait- Whatever is preferred for bottom fish/deep drop, flat of pogies or mackerel (prefer pogies, mackerel chunks often float), large squid for swordfish and ballyhoo. However many ballyhoo you need of a given size, double it. You may want to catch Yellowfin when you get there, but hordes of bonito may be there to and want to eat your ballyhoo just the same,

Plenty of weights. I could go on and elaborate, but that would be ridiculous. Your spending the money on this trip, don't skimp, get plenty of eggs from light to 12oz or so for everything from ballyhoo chin weights, add weight for chunking or live baiting if necessary, bottom fishing and large bank weights for swordfishing, breakaway tuna rigs, bottom bouncing and "chicken" rigs.

Hooks---- just like weights, can't have too many selections but it can be narrowed down. Stop at your local shop before the trip and ask suggestions. Mine are:

-Small circles for triggerfish/vermillion snapper
-Circles from 3/0-8/0 for chunking live/baiting tuna
-large circles anywhere from 12/0-20/0 for live baiting billfish if such is desired
-proper sized hooks for ballyhoo with extras-proper sized hooks for the size of the squid you are using for swordfish

Oh god I just realized I'm shortcutting some of this and it still is going to be a lot more.... I gotta get back to work for a bit. Someone else can take over in the mean time


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

If space on the boat permits bring a small personal gear bag that contains;

- A change of clothes.

- Rain suit and rubber boots

- Extra sweater if cold, watch cap, and gloves

- SPOT is recommended

- Satellite phone is handy

- 2 packs of beef jerky, box of energy bars and a couple of energy drinks.

If space is limited dress appropriately and to stay dry and keep the SPOT on your person, the Sat phone doesn't take up much space.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

I think the safety gear/ditch bag thread has been beat to death a few times


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

24 years in the USN kind of makes one a safety freak, it just can't be helped.


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Ditch Bag

Mine has 27 items in it......probably needs 30. Need a bigger bag.


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## 301bLLC (Nov 23, 2013)

Wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

This one addresses tackle per angler as a minimum.

- Headband LED light and spare batteries and a small LED flashlight with spare batteries.

- Six poppers, six stick baits

- Six each, diamond jigs, knife jigs and butterfly type jigs of various weights that you prefer.

- Circle hooks 3/0, 4/0, 5/0, 6/0, 7/0, 8/0

- Spare 300 yard spool of 80 lb braid of your choice

- 30, 60, 80 and 100 lb fluorocarbon leader

- 100 and 200 lb monofilament leader

- Terminal tackle, swivels etc that you prefer

- An assortment of sinkers for the type of fishing planned.

- Fighting belt and harness of your choice. Best to have it adjusted for you and the rod you are using ahead of time. Easier if you wear it while fishing rather than struggle into it while holding a big fish but not all that comfortable long term.

- Popping rod, 7'8" , 50 - 100 lb braid,heavy rod, medium fast action. Or similar rod capable of taking 100lb YFT. The reel should be able to hold at least 300 yards of 80 lb braid and have at least 25 lbs of drag. If you spool the reel with new line before a fishing trip, test cast before the trip to make sure it casts well, before the last trip I didn't test cast and the line was so stiff that my long cast was 15 yards, not good at all.

- Jigging rod 5' 8" or shorter, 50 - 100 lb braid, heavy rod with tip action you prefer with the jigs you use. The reel should be able to hold 300 yards of 80 braid and have at least 25 lbs of drag.

You can plan on losing lures and line to the sharks if you are catching fish. Not very often you have fish and no sharks. It's a good idea to plan on the loss of tackle ahead of time and be prepared for it by having sufficient spares. Taking extra rod/reel combos is a good idea space providing. If I couldn't replace someone's gear if I bent, broke or lost it over the side, I wouldn't use it.


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## sniperpeeps (Mar 5, 2011)

I think you can't really come up with a specific list for this. There are to many ways to do it, to many different types of equipment to do it with, and to many variables to really deal with. I think it's easy to come up with a list of general things that are needed but most of those should be common sense, like ice, bait, food. Everything else is dictated so much by the prevalent conditions, the equipment available to the crew, the boat, and other factors. Not trying to be negative about this at all but it's a really broad subject.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Yes Sniper it can be a broad topic but by having a post with the idea to give a basic point to start with a general idea of what will work as a minimum, this will give the guys who have never done it before a place to start. If a post like this helps just one guy go out there and catch his first one then it''s been worth while. 

I have seen guys go out there and fish with gear that was suitable for inshore only. They had caught AJs and grouper on that gear with no problems and didn't realize how much different Tuna would be, if someone had given them a little heads up it most likely their trips would have turned out better for them.

This should get a laugh, the first year I had started using braid I and not thought the situation through, plenty of line on the reel so I pitched a live bait to a rat marlin behind the boat on a Bait Runner combo. In less than 20 seconds i was holding a broken rod, with a smoking reel, no line and no fish to be seen. I never tried something like that before and it sort of looked good on paper in my mind but the reality of it was something else all together.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

sniperpeeps said:


> I think you can't really come up with a specific list for this. There are to many ways to do it, to many different types of equipment to do it with, and to many variables to really deal with. Everything else is dictated so much by the prevalent conditions, the equipment available to the crew, the boat, and other factors. Not trying to be negative about this at all but it's a really broad subject.


 +1.

For strictly bottom fishing a rig for jacks and groupers and snappers, I could write a whole page on stuff you might wanna bring. Actually I could maybe even condense it to hooks, weights, sabikis for live bait, leader material, and vertical jigs. Jack fishing is the easiest thing to do in the gulf. There are no secrets.

For wahoo and tuna fishing, again, a whole magazine article could be written. Different times of year call for different methods. Everything mentioned above, minus the jigs (leave em at home unless all you want is blackies), plus some divers. Simple as that.


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## 301bLLC (Nov 23, 2013)

panhandleslim said:


> Ditch Bag
> 
> Mine has 27 items in it......probably needs 30. Need a bigger bag.


This is my theory on a ditch bag for my boat...feel free to interject different opinions. My boat is unsinkable so the only time I'd choose swimming over boating would be a fire. If there is a fire I have 2 fire extinguishers and unlimited water (unless the pump dies). I have seen inboard gassers burn and sink and I realize how violently fast fire can consume a boat like that. Those fires are sometimes out of control before you know there is a fire. With outboards a fire seems less likely and easier to manage. Thoughts?


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## BFP IV (Sep 21, 2013)

The first thing I would do is check Hilton's and make sure water is not dirty. First trip I made to the rigs the water was brown and there was no fish there.


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

301bLLC said:


> Wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.


You forgot the lemon.....


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## Kenton (Nov 16, 2007)

How many back up pin rigs would you take? How many do you go through in a productive day, knowing they are semi reusable.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

Kim said:


> This should be a good one. What would be the minimum gear you take per angler for an overnight fishing trip to the Rigs? Rods, reels, line, lures, jigs, hooks, sinkers, leader material, spares etc. Normal fishing at the rigs would be considered trolling for Wahoo and Tuna, jigging for Amberjack/Tuna, chunking and throwing poppers and stick baits for tuna.
> 
> We are going to have more than a few new forum members make the run to the rigs this year when they have time and get a good weather window. So let's help them out and give some of the basic information based on experience to save them the the frustration of going under equipped, overloaded or not prepared. Keep in mind the loss to shark factor.
> 
> ...


I just saw on the news 33/40 app coast gaurd called off a search for a 35 year old 60 miles south of mobile. Anyone know anything more about that.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

This bag contains most of the trolling lures,deep divers, a few high speed, Iland Sea Stars rigged for ballyhoo, some tuna feathers, some cedar plugs, some spare knife/diamond jigs in case the crew runs short as well as a few Gotcha's in case someone wants to catch a Hardtail to test their endurance on a big AJ.

In the bag pockets are pre-made fluorocarbon leaders on various size hooks #30 - #80 stored in zip lock bags, spare terminal tackle, spare packs of hooks, baggie of balloons, AFTCO kevlar reinforced leader gloves, 300 yard spool of #80 braid, spool of #80 and #100 fluorocarbon leader, #60 and #80 wind on leaders, 12 Sea Witches rigged in front of 8/0 tuna hooks, Forschner 10 in fillet knife in Blade Tamer sheath.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

The second bag of lures, the first box is stick baits, The second one is poppers and the third one is mixed lures got to have at least a couple Black Bart Wahoo lures. I also re-rigged some pink Ilander lures with #300 fluorocarbon leader, 10/0 hooks and Ballyhoo rigs and added them to the box of trolling lures.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

These are the set ups going. For Ben the TRQ9 on a Terez TZS78XH to pop with. For me the Stella 10K SW with a 16K spool on a Trevela TVS58XXH for jigging, Saragosa 18K F on a Terez TZS78XH as the back up and a Stella 20K FA on a Cape Cod Black Hole Special 80N as my primary for popping. All reels spooled with #80 Power Pro Ace Hollow Core.


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## Sea-r-cy (Oct 3, 2007)

:whistling: Fishing license. Paid up Sea Tow membership. :whistling:


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

We're all good to go on licenses, boat has current HMS Permit, safety gear stowed, tackle, food etc etc etc. We even have some fig leaves in case we decide to go Pirate on the bait balls with knife in hand and take tuna mano a fin so to speak, the fig leaves are our armor against the sharks.

Running out of things to do to be ready, just finished setting the drags on the popping rods to #20, sharpened a couple gaffs, bundled up an extra cast net, got the float plan filed, back up GPS and VHF charged up, rechecked the list again so see if it could be pared down a little. Dang, I sure hope we catch something.


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## BajaBob (Feb 4, 2010)

*Lure Boxes*

What kind of lure boxes are you using? They look like they water seal nicely and hold a lot of large lures. Why do all your lures look like they are new? Mine are all chewed up with way too much rust!!

Bob


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## Cap'n Davey (Mar 26, 2014)

EPIRB and Inflatable LifeRaft. Then fishing gear....


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