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Your One-Stop
Deep-Drop Source
You don’t need a lot of gear to get started and Kristal
Fishing is your source for most everything you need.
REELS: Depth is the main consideration determining
which Kristal XL Series reel you need. For northern waters where the
quarry is in water 200 to 450 feet, the XL 621 is ideal. If you fish
the Caribbean depths are more likely to be 500 to 1500 feet and the
XL621 or the new workhorse XL651 are the ideal choices. All Kristal
reels have lifting power and speed to spare!
POWER SOURCE: XL Series reels feature 12-V, low amp,
high-torque motors so they can be wired directly to your boat
battery. (24-V models are available) The XL601 is portable with the
addition of a 12-V motorcycle battery.
RODS: The XL601 mates with conventional rods. Ask your dealer
for suggestions. Kristal offers matching bent-butt rods with swivel
roller guides for the XL621 and XL651.
LINE: After extensive testing, our pro staff recommends
super-braid lines for the greatest sensitivity, lowest stretch and
longest lifespan.
RIGS: In northern latitudes simple bottom rigs are available
at any tackle or bait store. Rigs for deep-drop fishing in
subtropical waters incorporate 4 to 6 circle hooks and are available
at tackle shops or from Kristal Fishing.
ILLUMINATION: Submersible lights on rig increase fish
catching ability. Our pro-staffers are fond of saying, "No Light, No
Bite!" A full range of battery-powered lights is available from
Kristal Fishing and our dealers.
WEIGHTS: Sinker requirements vary with depth. For 200 to 500
feet, 16 to 24 ounce bank sinkers work. When deep-dropping 500
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to 2000 feet stick or sash weights from 4 to 10
pounds are used.
BAIT: The most productive bait you can use in the majority of
deep-drop situations is squid, fresh or frozen. In northern waters,
clams and crabs are also used.
ELECTRONICS: A chart plotter and a depthfinder capable of
clear bottom readings at the depth you’ll be fishing and they are
probably already on your boat. Use them to their maximum efficiency
and they will be your eyes into the underwater world.
Tips On
Finding Fish
Bottom fish are attracted to structure, natural or manmade. If you
picture the ocean bottom as a flat, open plane, structure is
anything that breaks up the continuity.
Shipwrecks are the most common manmade deep-water structure although
artificial reefs where various materials have been deposited also
fit the definition. Finding a wreck in the right water depth for the
fish you want to catch is like finding a fish factory. Locations of
wrecks are frequently marked on specialty fishing nautical charts or
they can be found in any number of regional publications and books
on the subject. The beauty of fishing deep wrecks, 300 feet and
beyond, is they rarely get much fishing pressure. Much of the
productive deep-water structure off the Mid-Atlantic States consists
of wrecks.
Natural structure is more varied and can include high spots,
submerged islands, areas of sharp depth change, natural hard-bottom
areas, reefs, banks or coral heads. Locate places with significant
depth changes with sharp, definable edges. Baitfish and other forage
mass around structure for protection while predator and
scavenger species frequently hunt or forage in these locations.
When you find good structure with your depthfinder, save the
location on your plotter for future fishing trips.
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A
Few Words About
Boat Control
When fishing structure in less than 400
feet you have the option of anchoring, but when exploring deeper
spots anchoring is out of the question and boat control becomes an
important part of your fishing success.
Once you’ve located a likely spot
position the boat directly over it and mark the location on your
plotter. Drop the screen size on the plotter to 1/8 mile or less and
watch which direction the wind and current pushes the boat. Move
back over the structure and position the stern facing opposite the
direction of the drift and use the engine(s) to maintain boat
position. You want your lines to be as close to vertical as possible
when deployed. Keep the weight just touching the bottom and the line
tight to the rod tip and you will be surprised how easily it is to
see when you’re getting bites, which usually doesn’t take very long.
Setting The Hook
Watch the rod tip when your bait is down. If the line goes slack
tighten it with the intermittent up switch. When fishing for
snappers or most smaller bottom species when you see the rod tip
bouncing, you’re getting bit. Try hitting the intermittent up switch
to set the hook. You’ll know immediately if you have a fish on, but
don’t be too quick to bring it to the surface. Let the rig back down
and try for two or three fish, depending on how many hooks you have
on the rig. Once you get the first on one, it will rarely come off a
circle hook. When you get a bite from a grouper, the rod tip will
usually go down and stay down. Don’t worry about its size. Kristal
Fishing reels have all the power you need to bring up the biggest
fish!
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