Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

I don't gamble, i analyze statistics with proven scientific principals to make make wagers based on the result of analyzed data.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!

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Jon

Moving Expense

I've seen them high in the water column and used downriggers with live hardtails.

As far as jigs: butterfly jigs are alot of fun and alot of work, diamond jigs are an age old proven lure but I like Snapper Slapper jigs because I can add trailer/stinger hooks.  When I fish jigs I go with Power Pro 60-80# with 4'-8' 80-100# fluorocarbon attached with this knot.

my $.02

TEAM LIKES IT RUFF 

            24 cape horn

http://www.forumpictureprocessor.com/gallery.asp?gallery=1916

I bought the four pack of williamson light speed jig kit all glow in the dark

 2 6oz diamond jigs one silver one red

a bag of 6oz jig head with white/ red grubs and a pack of purple/black skirts

one pack orange/yellow/mackeral

and just for the fact it looks cool a pack of holographic eels 10"

What I do is start off trolling around the sandbars with a speck rig on lighter gear TLDs, 8500s, etc.  load up the livewell with a dozen or two nice size hardtails then head offshore to the structure.  I make a couple passes over the structure to see where the fish are holding then i'll pull up current and rig up the rods with 16-24oz egg weights, swivel, 10' of 100lb leader, and a large circle hook, hook the hardtails through the nose. drop 2 penn 9/0s spooled with 80lb mono down (one on each corner of the boat).  I'll drop the first line down to where the top of the school is marking at and the 2nd one down to where the bottom of the school is marking.  I'll then drift over the structure, this also helps pull the fish away from anything that might cut you off, and fight the reef donkey til he hits the deck.

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Josh

SV1900/140 suzuki "Team Skirtchaser"

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Team PrimeTime
Auburn Wakeboard Team

Lively live bait is key.  Hardtails, big pinfish, mullet, croakers, squirrelfish, rubylips (tomtates), etc. all work.  I find that hardier baits such as hardtails are usually best because if you use a mingo or some such fish, if he gets whacked but not eaten right away, he's usually too lethargic to tempt a bite.

It's kinda good to understand how amberjack school and feed to maximize your catch.  The first fish is the most important.  When one bites and gets hooked, it sparks off the rest of the group, who follow the hooked one around to see what the heck's going on.  If you lose the first one in the wreck, or don't hook him well such that he pulls off, the bite will usually be over, especially if you are on a well-known hole.  The trick is to fight one or two to a point where it is near the surface, but before you land him send down another bait...always keep one hooked until you've got your limit.  But I've seen it where if you don't keep the frenzy going and gaff a fish before hooking another, they lose interest and they are hard to get fired off again.

Jigging:  yes, the fancy new Williamson's and butterfly jigs work, but before I ever saw one of those an 8-ounce diamond jig always did the trick, as did a 4-ounce white jighead with an 8" white curlytail (which we always called a lazertail.)  Vigorous jigging was the key, but I always found it took longer to spark off a bite with a jig than it does with a live bait.  Jigs are good after you've got a taker on the string.

Finally, if you want to catch an ancient ol' donkey, go deep, at least 400', let's say, and drop down a live bonita (little tunny) up to about five pounds (they can eat bigger ones), on suitably heavy gear, and make sure you've got plenty of Icy Hot bandages at home...you also risk herniation with this technique, so be forewarned.  Hope this helps and good luck.

Team PrimeTime
Auburn Wakeboard Team

Team PrimeTime
Auburn Wakeboard Team

Team PrimeTime
Auburn Wakeboard Team

If you are going to eat amberjack, I strongly recommend taking the time to cut the red meat from the fillets with a thin-bladed, sharp knife.  Yes, this process can be time-consuming, but invariably when I hear people complain that amberjack (or any other fish, really) tastes "fishy" it is because the bloodline wasn't cut out.  It makes a huge difference in taste.

Amberjack is ideal for grilling, because it is naturally oily.  Wrapping it in bacon really brings out a good flavor.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained!